Day 7 – Staying put at Fradley

Strolling up from our boat, I thought I spotted an unusual narrowboat – a steam powered one, called Tixall.

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I even took a short video as they set off – mainly for the sounds!

A morning spent on chores … checking the gear box oil, checking the agglomerator (yes, we have one of those), weed hatch etc. Trying to force the mattress topper (now no longer reqd as it’s tooo hot) into a vacuum bag – such fun! Then a visit to the CRT visitor centre:

Nice, shiny, new and very clean … tried the showers (all free) – great. Lots of activity here with two cafes and the famous White Swan (or Mucky Duck) pub:

We took Toby for a decent walk along the Trent & Mersey canal … lovely wide stretch edged in magnificent rhododendrons . .

And more of those “flags”

Viv’s trying hard with her flower pix! We also saw yet another Adagio! And it was an Aqualine boat.

Quite nice – note the new trend to put the “tunnel flashes” on the stern rail

Tomorrow we head off, leaving the Coventry canal, turning left and heading up the Trent & Mersey. Aiming for bridge 72 and access to Cannock Chase and Shugborough Hall – maybe spend a few days there. Only 66 miles to the end of this section: