Not just the Tardebigge flight

Monday 18th March; Tardebigge (above lock 33) to Hopwood

Oops, only 10 days late …..

Up early, and with a cooked breakfast in our tummies for a long day’s locking we left our mooring at 8.40.  It was very cold when we started, but it wasn’t long before we were plenty warm enough! We used the system we developed yesterday.  I closed up as Dave cruised to the next lock, which I’d already set as luckily they were almost all ready for us.

Then I closed the gate on the towpath side and left him to carry on while I went on to set the next lock, then came back to close up.  Chiffchaffs and larks were singing as we cracked along, super-efficient at about 7 minutes a lock.  At the Noisy Dog House the dogs just watched me go by, as with no dog by my side at the time I wasn’t of much interest.  But as I came back I thought I’d grab a snap of Sink Dog (the Alsatian sits in an old stone sink).  But the instant I lifted the camera it leapt out of the sink, snarling.

I wonder if they are trained to be so aggressive?  I feel sorry for them, but I’m just glad they are chained up.  Though if that’s how they spend their days, then hassling passers-by must be their only entertainment.

At one point we met a boat on its way down. Stray Not Far, built by Ortomarine, is an electric/diesel hybrid, 16 months old and was silent and fume-free in the locks.  Attractive too.  We were making good time and it didn’t seem too long before we were passing the reservoir.

But we were getting tired and we were heartily glad when a CRT chap showed up and gave a hand.  He had been running water down – lock 44 leaks like a sieve and yesterday the pound above was apparently nearly empty.  We had noticed that the bywashes were mostly not running but had had no trouble ourselves.

Instead of stopping on the long pound below the top of the flight (and because the lockie was prepping the top lock for us) we carried on through Tardebigge and Shortwood tunnels (the first dry, the other a bit drippy).  The south portal of Tardebigge is attractive stone and brick

and the northern one sits in a cathedral of trees.

We moored before Alvechurch for lunch, then continued to the marina and chandlery so Dave could try and get a new starter battery.  Luckily they had the right model in stock, and at a good price.  Then on we went again, past the new Withybed Moorings where there is still a lot of space.

There were a few Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebe on Lower Bittell reservoir and a smart male Mandarin pottering about on the canal nearby.

 
Dave caught a glimpse of a kingfisher as we approached Hopwood, but I missed it.  We eventually tied up at Hopwood at about 5.  A hire-cruiser sort of day today – 8 hours’ cruising, but we need to make up time so we can get back home in time for my next medical appointment.
  
25 locks, 7½ miles