Into Burton

4th & 5th October

With a fair bit to do before we could get lunch, we made a prompt start yesterday in a cold wind. Our decision to change over the wardrobes the day before had been providential, as we really needed the Guernsey jumpers below fleeces and heavy waterproofs.

We followed another couple of boats through Alrewas, Wychnor and Barton Turn Locks. There was a good bit of traffic on the cut, including Shakespeare and Canaltime hire boats. We stopped below Barton for water and to start a washload, then went on through Tatenhill and Branston Locks into the more pleasant bit of canal alongside the Water Park which gives a much needed break in what is otherwise a rather grimy and noisy stretch. The A38 is your constant companion, and a quarry and the Marley Block Works do their best to provide an interesting view.

On arrival at the Morrison's mooring, we found just the one other boat tied there. In the course of a wild afternoon a few came charging past, but only two stopped. The first of these was the Town Class motor normally tied at Tatenhill, Hadley, seemingly out for a quick pootle up and down the cut, as later on they went off and presumably winded at Shobnall before coming back past us.

The other was a Shakespeare which really struggled to moor in the strong cross wind, but eventually managed it. I guess they were just looking for somewhere to take a break from the rigours of boating, as they didn't seem to go off shopping, and after a bit set off again.

We treated ourselves to a mega lunch of soup, pasties and sarnies, feeling that our performance in the wind and rain justified it.

This morning dawned much less windy, but with an unpleasant fine rain that really required the full waterproof kit. We only had 30 minutes boating to do, fortunately, as far as the Shobnall visitor moorings. There were three boats there managing to take up five spaces, but we succeeded in tying on the end, with the stern on a pin. The boat in front of us was another Shakespeare, and as we expected, they set off a bit later on, and we pulled a bit forward so as to be fully on the piled moorings.

Using Cheetahwatch was revealing here. The signal strength was much better than it had been at last night's mooring, but the throughput is very slow. I guess there's just not enough bandwidth for the demand here at the moment, so T-mobile need to increase the capacity of their local tower.

After lunch the weather had picked up a lot, so we trolled into town in search of the Waterstone's and a Sony Reader. Guess what; they didn't have one in stock. They had had six, apparently, and sold them all in three days, but then were told that as a branch they were too small to have any more stock. Waterstone's really needs to get its act together on this. Having advertised the things vigorously, they are making it very difficult to get hold of one. I think that what we'll have to do is order one on line, and then send it back if it proves to be a disappointment.

Back at the boat, Elanor looked in on her way into town shopping, and has just called back to show off her purchases (shoes and boots, mostly)

Tomorrow we stay put, as I've appointments at the Eye Clinic both tomorrow morning and on Tuesday.