On the level, apart from a foot!!

 Thursday June 17 (10 miles, 1 stop lock)

It rained last night, but is sunny now. John reversed Annie to the services by the lock, and emptied loo cassettes, while Liana filled Annie’s water tank.

The new wharf on the offside is for boater training, John was told. 

Past the large chemical works at Calf Heath, we enjoyed the flat, wooded countryside on the way to Hatherton Marina and the adjacent Calf Heath Marina, which uses the first two locks of the old Hatherton Branch. We turned right at the canal crossroads, towards Autherley Junction.

 We passed at least 22 oncoming boats today, so John was careful at bridge holes and blind corners! We were warned about loads of canoes at the outdoor education centre by bridge 73, but we just missed them - the kids were on the wood bike track as we passed.

We have moored and eaten at the Fox & Anchor at Cross Green several times, but it looked closed today. 

Once under the A449 and M54 bridges, we passed through the narrows including “Pendeford Rockin’l without incident.

At Autherley Junction, boats were moored where John usually drops off Liana, so of course a boat appeared in the junction bridge hole as we turned! John reversed hurriedly and let them past, and they kindly left the lock gate open for us.

We rose the magnificent distance of a foot up this stop lock, by the Napton Narrowboats boat hire base. 

After three failed attempts to moor due to shallows, we stopped to eat lunch on the off side before Wolverhampton Boat Club, where we have arranged to leave Annie for a while from Sunday.

Moving on past bridge 4, we moored opposite fields, close to Pendeford Mill Nature Reserve, as clouds and wind arrived. Tv football and Queens Club tennis kept us interested.

Interesting sky tonight!