Week in Great Haywood Marina and Trip Back to Weston-Super-Mare

Monday 30^th April to Monday 7^th May

On Monday, we just stayed around Great Haywood went for a walk and then just chilled out.  In the afternoon, we went for a walk and did a few caches, one was at the church and just around the corner from there is a house and apparently Tolkien of Lord of the Rings fame lived there for a while.

House where Tolkien stayed

Into the Marina We Go!

Tuesday morning, we did the washing, filled up with water then headed into the marina where we found our allocated space okay and moored up.  We then walked up to the cafe by the farm shop and had lunch sat by the canal, it is a lovely cafe and the food is really good.  It was a lovely sunny day and warm as well.  

Wednesday – We are off to Weston-Super-Mare today, coming back Saturday so we got up and it was pouring with rain.  We had about a 10 minute walk to the bus stop so we got rather wet, luckily the bus was on time and we were soon in Stafford.  This bus doesn’t stop by the train station so we had another short walk in the rain to get to the station.  The train was on time and after two hours we arrived in Bristol.  Wayne who I worked with at Mewburn Ellis over the winter was leaving today after over 31 years so we met up with him to wish him well and we also saw Davina who we stayed with.

We waited for Davina too finish work and whiled the time away walking around Bristol harbour as the sun came out and it was a lovely afternoon.  We all got the train back to Worle and a short drive and we were at Davinas, our home for the next three nights.

Thursday, we went down to Taunton to visit my dad, he hasn’t been too well lately and had just come out of hospital, he has lost lots of weight and isn’t eating too well, but hopefully he will be okay.  We had a nice afternoon together and he was quite chatty, so that was good.

Friday – I had my yearly appointment with the consultant at Weston Hospital, I had my mammogram two weeks ago and I am pleased to say that all was clear, this was five years since my cancer scare and as all is okay, they have now put me back on the normal three year mammogram list so good news all round, no more yearly visits!  We then met my Mum and Brian for lunch, we went to a really nice pub and then had a drive to Uphill and onto the beach and then they dropped us back at the bus stop so we could get the bus back to Worle.  It was nice to see Mum and she was well so that was good.  In the evening, we had a Chinese takeaway with Jon and Davina.  It was really great to see them again and they always make us so welcome when we stay with them, they really are stars, best friends indeed.

Saturday – Davina and Jon took us to Worle station and we said our goodbyes, but the months will soon pass and before I know it, I will be back staying with them over the winter, I will still miss Davina though and our chats!  We got the train to Bristol and then the train to Stafford.

We did a bit of shopping and then got the bus back to Great Haywood.  The bus stops outside the marina so that is handy.  We went in the farm shop and got a few things for tea then headed back to the boat.  It had been nice going to Weston and seeing Mum and Dad  and Jon and Davina, but always nice to get back home.

Sunday – It was another sunny warm day, so we got up, made up a picnic and then headed off for a walk.  We are doing a 5 mile circular walk today.  It took us along the Staffordshire & Worcester canal, past Tixall Wide where there were plenty of boats moored.  The canal is very wide here and it is said that the landowner at the time the canal was built requested it to be wide here so they had nice views from Tixall Hall.

Gatehouse at Tixall

Info Board

Tixall Hall has long gone but the gatehouse still stands.  This massive square Elizabethan building dates back from 1598 and is fully four storeys high.  It stands alone in a field and is considered to be one of the most ambitious gatehouses in the country.  It is now available as a holiday let.

Tixall Wide

We walked on along the canal, past Tixall lock and then left the canal at Tixall Bridge, there were a couple of caches along the way, so we did them as we passed by.  We walked over the bridge and also over the old railway bridge and up the road and into Shugborough Estate which is now owned by the National Trust. 

Entrance to Shugborough

We walked along the tree lined drive for a mile or so and then we were at the car park.  There is a bridle path which runs through the estate so we told the lady at the gates we were doing a walk and so she let us through, otherwise this is where you pay to visit the grounds and house.

Nice View of Marina

We went into the walled garden which is open to the public and sat on a log in the shade and had our picnic.  We then went into the shop, got an ice-cream and walked back down the road and back to the canal.  Then back up to the farm shop and cafe and back down to the boat.  It was a really nice walk.

In the evening as it was so nice, we had a walk around the marina and while we were sat on a bench by the entrance, a small bird came to the tree near us and started crawling up it, it looked a bit like a mouse running up the branches, but it wasn’t, it was a Tree Creeper.  It was the first time we had seen one of them so that was good to see.  We wandered along by the canal and up a bank which gave us a lovely view of the marina and then back down and back to the boat.

We are staying here in the marina tomorrow as well, then back out on the canal on Tuesday.  We had been hoping to go to Stafford by bus to do some food shopping, but it is Bank Holiday Monday and no buses, never mind the shopping will wait to another day. 

Moored in Marina