An earlyish start – away at 0845. Aiming to do the five hour chug to Great Haywood, pick up water and then moor just beyond the lock at Shugborough. Hmm, very busy today. Well it is Sunday and it is Summer and it is actually very sunny, so they’re all out out. Luckily coming up the cut and not down it with us. Some locks had seven boats waiting. We had to do doubling up manoeuvres at the water point. And all along the Shugborough straight were dozens of boats. I mean it wasn’t like this a few weeks ago, no, sorry, it was two months ago when we came along. It’s the school holidays now. Still it was so sunny, I switched off the 230volt charger and let the solar panels do their job. Brilliant. Moored up before three and time for the local delicacy of those oatcakes with the full monty inside: eggs, bacon, sausage, black pudding (the smoked ham and leek one), tomatoes and cheese! Viv took the dog off to the Trent, never far away, for a well deserved swim. Quite a scorcher today.
