Off at 0840. Two hours to Wolverhampton – longer if you have to dive down the weed hatch every 10 minutes! Still very weedy and full of plastic too. Then it’s the 21 locks – most set against us but we do four or five each and swap over. The day got hotter and hotter. Poor Toby. Lunch on the go (Steve admits to squirrelling off to Macdonalds for a cheese quarter pounder meal!! At lock 15). Turn right then turn left and we’re on the Shroppie! Hurrah. Back to a more rural setting.
Yes, very weedy – shoals of fish though!
Down the hatch – to be renamed the Plastic hatch – nice and clear, though.
Ah yes, approaching the industrial bit
The other end of the Wyrley & Essington Canal (or Curly Wurly as it’s known)
It says Wolverhampton Tunnel . . . . . .And here it is . . .
And round the corner . . . the start of the 21 locks!!
Viv starts . . .
The incinerator
Not far to go now . . .
Nearing the end – two knackered old guys here . . . .
Viv does the very last lock, No 21.
For a bit of fun we recorded some of the flight and used a trial bit of software to speed it all up, here it is – just for a laugh!
And here’s Steve asking that all important question, Are we there yet?
No, but only a mile or so to go (now on the Staffs & Worcs.)
Left turn and onto the Shroppie, after a very silly lock (6 inches indeed!)
Here’s the lock . .
We went on to Bridge No 4 and moored at the VM. Seven and a half hours – more than enough for us. Some gentler days ahead methinks.