Handsacre to Fradley (Top of Locks) - Trent & Mersey Canal

Yesterday (Sunday) - We are staying put today and it is another sunny warm day.  We chilled out in the morning and in the afternoon we went for a walk along the towpath and did a few caches.  In the evening we had a BBQ as it was such a nice evening.  We are staying here tonight then off in the morning.

Today (Monday) it was another beautiful sunny morning as we set off from our mooring, under the bridge and past The Crown pub and on along the canal leaving Handsacre behind us.

Under the Bridge we go

Passing The Crown pub

We chugged on and came to a huge weeping willow tree hanging right over the canal like a curtain, under the branches we went.  There was a few boats coming the other way, the canal is quite busy today.

Going under the Weeping Willow

Queue at the Lock

After a couple of miles we came to Wood End lock and was dismayed to see a queue, there was five boats in front of us this is going to take a while.  I walked down to the lock to give a helping hand and I think that’s why it was taking so long as not many people were coming down to help. There was a nice lady at the lock who lives at Handsacre and it was their first boat and first ever lock but she was keen to help and learn.

That's us at the Back!

Into the Lock at Last!

There was a few boats coming up, so one down then one up and eventually it was our turn and by this time another three boats had turned up behind us but guess what when it was our turn to come into the lock the people off those boats were nowhere to be seen, typical! 

Kev and I did the lock on our own and it was only when I was opening the gates they started to come down to the lock and opened the other gate, I left them to shut the gates as there was nothing coming up and really it was the least they could do and we went on our way and moored up at the top of the Fradley locks.

Cafe at Fradley

We had lunch then walked down the locks to get rid of rubbish and empty the Elsan.  We stopped off at the cafe on the way back, then walked back up to the boat.

It did go overcast and humid during the afternoon, but then the sun came back out and it was a lovely evening, 

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow, then down the locks and turning off this canal and onto the Coventry canal on Wednesday.  We have only done this part of the Coventry canal once a few years ago so we are looking forward to doing it again.

Moored at Fradley