It was the turn of Elsie, our younger granddaughter to be with us over Easter, Nancy was with us last year (2018).
It was all a great experience for her, being amongst all the boats in the Marina, looking after the hose reel while filling the fresh water tank and loading up from the van.
She had a few goes at……….

Back at the boat after taking Elsie home. 1st May. Off again from Droitwich towards Birmingham on the Birmingham and Worcester Canal. Overnight was below Astwood Lock. The next day it rained just as we set off.
Following day was better, and it was Jill’s birthday.
We have a couple of good……

Off again, this time it’s a non stop 4.5 hour trip to Dudley, to moor securely at the Black Country Living Museum.
The route from the centre of Birmingham is fascinating, as a good deal of it is below the M5 motorway.
While at Dudley I took the opportunity….

At the bottom of the Wolverhampton 22 is Aldersley Junction and the Staffs & Worcester Canal, turn Right and shortly left Onto the Shropshire Union Canal at Autherley Junction where there’s a stop lock with a rise and fall of about only 10 inches, see picture of Jill above.
From here it’s plain sailing, the only awkwardness is whats known as “The Shroppie Shelf”. This is all the way up the SU and consists…..

Into Overwater Marina for a secure mooring while we go home. I had a flying visit back to the boat for Chris Jones to change the alternator belts and pulleys to cure a belt slipping problem we’d had from new.
Out of Overwater mid June towards Nantwich where…..

From Chester it was a retrace of our journey but a slight detour turning left at Barbridge Junction and along the 10 mile stretch of the Middlewhich Branch of the Shropshire Union
There was a huge canal…..

Retracing steps again along the Middlewhich Branch and the Shropshire Union, stopping off again at Overwater Marina to go home to Exeter for a week, and catch up with the grandchildren.
We were able to spend a bit more time around Audlem, visiting the town and gathering strength before setting off again.
Audlem Locks again, time for a few pictures.
Through Norbury Junction and….

Just our luck, a heatwave!
Whilst it’s great to have good weather it can be too hot, especially if your inside a 60′ long steel tube called a Narrowboat.
She’s well insulated but……..

Most of this 60 mile journey with 34 locks 19 of which are narrow locks and 15 broad locks that take 2 boats, we’d not done before and involves the East Midlands Ring, or often called The Leicester Ring.
From Aston we retrace our steps……

Only 18 miles but 24 locks and 1 800 yard tunnel, but 4 overnight stops to break it up. Still heading South but once through Blue Bank Lock the route swings South East towards Foxton Locks and Junction but we go straight on to……

27 miles and 23 locks, 3 tunnels, Husbands Bosworth 1166 yards, Crick Tunnel 1528 yards and Braunston Tunnel much longer at 2042 yards.
Familiar territory now. It takes……

56 miles and another 17 locks. Not a bad ratio of locks to miles though. This completes the Leicester Ring, and we head back towards Stafford. Retracing our steps of a few weeks ago.Hawkesbury Junction along the way, this is another picturesque junction and involves a tight 180 degree turn under the bridge and into a stop-lock. Mainly on the Coventry Canal, this is a varied route but with some wonderful waterside gardens, passing Marinas and Boat Clubs on the way.Newbold Tunnel, only 250 Yards long. Marston Junction with the Ashby Canal, Springwood Haven Marina, Atherstone, Glascote, Fazeley Junction to Fradley.And home made cake! Thank you Jilly. Previous post, Foxton Locks to Braunston Next post, Fradley to Stafford Boat Club.Or back to home page.

Fradley Junction again, but we arrived quite late in the day and mooring was at a premium. The only spaces were turn right down a lock, but we wanted to go Left, eventually. So I turned L at the junction…….