A genuine T&M milepost
We got Aston late yesterday by train and taxi and it rained all night - very autumnal. This morning it was misty and wet. We picked up diesel and headed south. There was not much boating traffic until we got beyond Weston.
Having moored up for a late lunch on visitor moorings near Ingestre, a Steve Hudson boat arrived in front of us. It turned out to be our next door neighbour's brother and sister-in-law who we had been altered to look out for. No sooner than we had started a conversation with them than NB William from High House Marina, who is very familiar to us, passed by! Waterways can be a good sociable network.
The weather improved as we got closer to Great Haywood and the autumn colours began to brighten the day.
Autumn Colours at Hoo Mill Lock
At Hoo Mill lock we had a small incident when Albert got firmly stuck on an underwater obstacle right by the newly refurbished lock moorings. No amount of pushing, shoving and polling would move her. I have no idea what the obstacle was but judging by the boats behaviour it was not very long (the bows pivoted easily) and not very wide (the boat rocked), but it was firm! After around 15 mins the water levels in the pound rose sufficiently for Albert to just get off. We will probably never know what it was.
We continued south along the Trent & Mersey until we finally called it a day just south of Wolesley Bridge. I had trouble locating satellites for Freesat tonight because the App on my phone was playing up. Tried a new one but it strangely gave two results for the same satellite - the map was more to the south than the compass heading and both were wrong! These wonderful aids to modern life are still not reliable - particularly in rural areas.
Tomorrow morning we head for Fradley Junction and beyond.
