Monday 18th October
We notched up another 7 miles and 5 locks again today as we travelled to Penkridge. We are moored opposite the Otherton Boat Haven, just outside Penkridge, in almost the exact spot where we moored on the way up all those weeks ago.
Mick and Cathy were behind us all the way and they moored here as well. So we just had to go to the pub didn’t we? It is about half a mile to the Cross Keys so George got a bit of a longer toddle than of late and he did really well. It was actually a little bit chilly for sitting outside the pub but we do sacrifice our comfort for our family pet sometimes!
We only had a couple of pints so we weren’t there very long and we did say to Mick and Cathy not to feel they had to sit outside just because we were but they did. And Cathy gave half her mini cheddars (which she brought from home in her handbag!) to George.
We have a bit of a longer day in prospect tomorrow as it is 10 miles and 7 locks to Tixall. From there it is almost another mile to Great Haywood (either by boat or walking) if we want to go to the pub! We may want to moor opposite Shugborough Hall again (as we did on the way up) and that is half a mile the other side of Great Haywood. However, if we do that tomorrow we will have to visit the sanitary station at Great Haywood on the way past because the next one is at Fradley Junction (about another 2 days) and as the ones at Gailey, which we passed today and Penkridge, which we’ll pass tomorrow, are both out of order, if we miss Great Haywood, by the time we get to Fradley things could be critical!
So with all sorts of decisions affecting the outcome we don’t really know where we will be tomorrow night yet.
