Summer Cruise – Day 88

Friday 4th September – Day 88

So… We were away from Wolseley Bridge by 9 o’clock, through Colwich & Great Haywood locks. We planned to get water at Great Haywood but it was chock-a-block there so we turned onto the Staffs and Worcs canal and headed through Tixall Wide and on to Radford Bridge (Stafford) where we had a lunch appointment with Joy’s cousin Darrell who lives nearby.

The gatehouse of Tixall Hall is the top picture, that, and Tixall Farm Kennels are all that remain to see of the Tixall Estate from the canal.

The Hall itself was demolished in 1927, leaving only the Gatehouse standing, and the estate was broken up when sold off piecemeal in 1960. In 1968 the Landmark Trust bought the Gatehouse which, following restoration, is now available for holiday lets. According to Wikipedia

Fishing Poster

Acton Trussell Scarecrows

Acton Trussell Scarecrows

Tixall Wide

Kennels

We all had carveries at The Radford Bank Inn which we enjoyed and half-price deserts to follow, marred only by a dodgy pint of St Austell Tribute which had a strange smell and taste, but they put things right with a complimentary bottle of Newcastle Brown.

After a two-hour lunch break, we said goodbye and set off for home. Six miles and six locks, but most locks were in our favour.

I was amused by the Illegal fishing signs which imply you mustn’t tuck fish under your arm, barbeque them and maybe fish mustn’t steal fishing rods or is it no spearfishing?

We arrived back at our mooring around 7:00pm, in time to meet our new neighbour, Parker who was born just a week ago and naturally his proud mum & dad too.

So, we’ve been away for just under three months, and I’m not going to even think about how many miles and locks!