Day 5: 24 July - Barton Turns to Alrewas

After a night on the towpath opposite Barton Marina - we'd been to the Red Carpet Cinema there a few weeks ago and thoroughly recommend it - we started the long straight stretch of canal alongside the A38 to Wychnor Lock.  From there, the route joins the River Trent for a very pretty section through watermeadows before locking up at Alrewas Lock and (we hope) finding space to moor in the lovely village.

'Proceed with caution'.  We're travelling upstream and hope the current is manageable - it hasn't rained for a few days

Originally the Wychnor lockkeeper's cottage, now privately owned  

Sluices control the river level

This part is like a slightly wider canal, with permanent moorings on risers.  The engine seemed quite sluggish, until we realised whilst in the lock reeds had wrapped around the propellor - a couple of quick bursts of reverse and they were cleared

Up on a hill by the river, the originally Norman Wychnor church

Cow Bridge leads from just below the church to the moorings and boatyard on the opposite bank.  The navigable arch is narrow and on an awkward bend in the bank.  So far, we've never met a boat coming in the opposite direction - fingers crossed this time!



Safely through
Walkways which the horses pulling canalboats would once have used, now make the riverside here particularly picturesque

 Jan steering on the river (click to play)

Immediately after these idyllic few minutes, we pulled slightly over to let two cruisers overtake and promptly went aground on a mudbank. The mud was very soft and the pole just disappeared into it - fortunately we found a few inches of harder bankside to push against and we were off again - phew! 

Alongside the weir, the river descending to our left
 

...and to the lock landing, with the two cruisers already waiting

 

























Denis emptying the lock
Working the lock - the last of the day
Moored up






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