Wednesday 16 September 2015

We left Cookley at just gone 10am having managed to get hold of a boat mechanic recommended by Ashwood Marina a few miles further up the canal and agreed with him that we would get to the Marina today and he would take a look at our vibration/knocking on Thursday.  We travelled with Rob through 4 locks for a couple of hours, he then branched off to the Stourbridge Canal and we carried on up the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, through two more locks and arrived at Ashwood Marina at about 1.30pm.

It’s such a shame that we have this ongoing problem with the engine as this canal is lovely and worrying about this noise is spoiling it.  Sometimes you can see open countryside and other times you are surrounded by quite dense woodland.  There are still quite a few hire boats around – this really does seem to be a popular boating holiday spot and there are plenty of different companies offering boats for hire.  The locks are all singles although not quite as narrow as the ones on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal or the Stratford-on-Avon Canal – I wonder how many we have been through now – I will have another count up soon.  We have seen loads of herons today and something that looked like it belonged in the partridge family but I can’t find it in my book!

We moored on the other side of the canal to the Marina and walked round to the office which took us 25 minutes – now we understand why people tow dingies or canoes – it would have taken 3 minutes!  Anyway we have decided not to pay marina mooring fees when the canals seem safe and peaceful and there are plenty of other boats moored along here.

We’ve been lucky with the weather today – no rain and some sunny spells – I have spoken to a couple of people today from back home who tell me it has rained all day there!

Rob called at about 4pm to say that the Stourbridge Canal wasn’t quite as nice as the Stafforshire and Worcestershire so he was heading back up to meet us.  We are going to hire a car on Friday to go back and see the in-laws.  Hopefully by Saturday we will know what our engine problem is and fingers crossed even have it fixed...

 

The gardens are steep on the canal bank.

Through Cookley Tunnel which passes under the village.

Not sure whether you can see but it is absolutely covered in cobwebs in here!

And looking back - that's the local Chinese above the tunnel.

Carolyn - this one's for you - I think it was you that used to like ducks!

It's very pretty round here - shame our engine is rattling and rolling!

Bye Rob - on your own again.

Autumn is definitely coming.

Plastic Heron.

Real Heron!

This is my not sure bird - grouse, partridge, turkey maybe!

Hiding Heron.

Ready to pounce Heron.

Cute café - let's hope they don't get too busy!

Duck Heron.

Painted Heron.

Why do fisherman set up on the lock mooring then get the hump when a boat comes along that needs to moor??? they could have moved 5ft along the bank!

Through Dunsley Tunnel.

It's very narrow here passing through the woodlands. 

Some more rolling countryside and woods!

And here we are moored opposite the Marina - let's hope the mechanic can work his magic on our knocking!