A bit of a pig out before Tamworth

We had another great meal at the Samuel Barlow last night; Sheila scoffed two chicken breasts stuffed with Brie whilst I had the slow roasted blade of beef on a horseradish mash that fairly opened up your sinuses. We reckoned we'd earned it having done another hour's geocaching that afternoon, including a walk up the spoil heap mound in the Pooley Hall wildlife sanctuary.

Today was another fairly relaxed start, getting going just on eight for the chug through Amington to the Glascote Two. The first boat of the day was rising in the top lock as we arrived, so good timing there. As we came out at the bottom another boat appeared in the bridge hole, so it could hardly have been better.

Glascote still needs a bit of attention, though, despite the sterling work done last time we were there. The bottom gates of the bottom lock leak so badly that the lock was three foot down in just the time it took for the upward boat to get up the top lock and us to lock down, maybe 15 minutes in all. As a result, the intermediate pound must get very low at times.

We had to wait on the towpath opposite Peel's Wharf for another boat to top up its water tank, then pushed across and filled up ourselves. It's very good pressure indeed there; we had less than half a tank left and wanted to get brimful so as not to have to take on too much at Fradley, where the water pressure is a strong encouragement to study Zen Buddhism.

I reckon we took around 400 litres in maybe 20 minutes.

A gentle plod round to the moorings at Sutton Road Bridge took another 15 minutes, maybe. There were three boats here when we arrived but they've all left since. We've indulged in some retail therapy, mostly in Sainsbury's with a side trip to TKMaxx and now look forward to another gentle amble tomorrow to Whittington. The weather was cool and cloudy all morning, but seems to be picking up now; long may it continue.