Monday 21 August Tixall Wide to Penkridge (9 miles, 6 locks)
John started this beautiful day by photographing the mist, chatting to a friendly wildlife photographer and watching kingfishers flitting to and fro. Apparently there are two nesting pairs here with flying chicks plus new broods probably. Their call is like a referee’s whistle, I was told. A heron, mallards, moorhen, geese and swans are also about this cool, blue sky morning, sat in the cratch, sipping tea and eating porridge.
After three boats had passed, we set off for Tixall Lock. We chatted to boaters and CRT contractors, who were converting the towpath into a footpath to Milford.
It took an hour! Avoiding the workboats and dumb mud barges, we carried on slowly for four miles.
We passed over the Sow Aqueduct and through a lovely stone changeover/turnover bridge. 
At Stafford Riverway a narrowboat, NB Explorer, pulled out just in front of us and proceeded slowly. Maybe they had grounded? We waited at the deep Deptmore lock for them and a boat coming down. At Park Gate lock their crew helped us up while their mum got a short throw windlass for this lock from Midland Chandlers shop, lockside. Liana borrowed mine. Their eleven year old son was very keen to help. They let us past, and we were lucky to go straight into Longford lock as a boat left! We were up before Explorer arrived!
Once up Penkridge lock, we used the services for water, loo and rubbish, then moored beyond the next bridge in a quiet, wide spot, within sight of Filance lock. It had been a slowish day, but we had met nice, helpful people to enjoy the journey with. Who’s rushing?
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