Friday 27th July 2007
Stafford Boat Club - Great Haywood (5¼ miles, 1 lock)
Jen and I had travelled up late the night before and we spent the early part of Friday morning filling with water and getting the poo tank pumped out - partly because it was now two-thirds full and partly because it had not been used for three weeks and had fermented beyond the point of no return. The weather first thing was absolutely glorious - the first time for six weeks that we couldn't see a cloud in the sky - but it didn't last long.
Jeannine and Tony arrived at 11:30am and we set off for Tixall, mooring before the lock to have our sandwiches for lunch just as the rain started. The plan was that we would walk back to Tixall Bridge and through the grounds of Shugborough Hall, but Jen had convinced herself that Jeannine couldn't match our usual walking pace so they set off after the lock, giving themselves a head start while Tony and I carried on to moor near Great Haywood. By this time, Jen and Jeannine were half an hour ahead of us and we still had to walk the mile back to Tixall Bridge. Tony and I set off at a cracking pace and finally caught up with them at the Lock Café in Great Haywood.
Walking back to Sophie-Jane No.2, we passed No Problem who were having a cratch cover and stern canopy fitted, so we stopped to say hello to Sue and Vic, who kindly showed us around before introducing us to Paul Balmer on Waterway Routes. His DVDs sound interesting, especially if you want to check out a trip in advance to identify where not to moor - or do they edit out the really grim places?
The weather improved during the afternoon to the point where Jeannine couldn't see the screen on her mobile phone as she composed the longest text message in the history of mobile communication. Actually, it was a very short message, but these thing take time if, like me, you haven't a clue how to text, or what the point of it is in the first place....
In the evening, I walked on ahead to see if food was being served at the Fox & Hounds where we had enjoyed the Chinese menu in the past, but I was informed that the new landlord was planning to revamp the restaurant and it had been closed for five weeks and would remain so for a few more.
We ate at the Clifford Arms. Good food apart from overcooked steak, and amazing value at less than £50 for four of us including wine and coffee.
Saturday 28th July 2007
Great Haywood - Stone (9¾ miles, 4 locks)
The weather was beautiful first thing so we got up early and Jen cooked breakfast with veggie option for Jeannine. We walked back to Great Haywood and across the River Trent via the Essex Bridge only to find that Shugborough Hall didn't open until 11am so we had an hour to kill in the meantime. We walked back to the café but that didn't open until 10:30am - not exactly the town that never sleeps.
Back at Shugborough Hall, we had read on the ticket booth that it was a reduced rate of £6 for National Trust members, but we were pleased to find that only applied to the "attractions" elsewhere on the estate that are managed by Staffordshire County Council. The house is managed by the NT, so admission to that and the gardens was free. I didn't find the house particularly interesting, apart from an upstairs room with an exhibition of Patrick Litchfield's photographs, some of which were quite outstanding. Chatting with one of the NT staff, Lord Litchfield was very popular and they miss him after his sudden death from a stroke a couple of years ago.
We had a very good lunch in the NT café and then it was time to return to the boat and head for Stone.
The weather stayed fine but with a very cold breeze from the North - not exactly summer weather but a dramatic improvement on the preceding weeks.
The rain returned as we approached Stone, but stopped shortly after we moored about half a mile before the town centre. We ate at the Istanbul Palace restaurant. The food and atmosphere was good and the head waiter performed some close-up magic tricks at our table between courses. I think he was hoping to get a booking for his day job as an entertainer and magician, so if you live in Stone and need something different at your birthday, wedding or children's party, then give Murat Kusen a call on 0775 6062405.
Sunday 29th July 2007
Stone - Great Haywood (10½ miles, 4 locks)
Jeannine, Tony and I walked into Stone to buy a Sunday paper, but after wandering aimlessly for a while we still hadn't found a newsagents, and it was another twenty minutes before Safeway was due to open, so we gave up and returned to the boat.
The plan was to reach Salt at lunchtime and have a snack at the Hollybush Inn, although we were delayed by the queues of boats at the locks, including a boat with a reluctant teenage granddaughter. Granny and Granddad had had enough of her sulks and determination not to enjoy herself, so they had turned back and cut their trip short. We commiserated with them, recognising the tell-tale signs in our youngest daughter who will accompany us on the Four Counties ring in ten days time....
The Hollybush Inn was up to its usual standard, and after a relaxed lunch it was time to head back to Great Haywood.
We had hoped to moor at the northeast end of Tixall Wide, but by the time we arrived there was no space left anywhere, so we winded and returned to the same place we had moored two days earlier, back towards Great Haywood.
Ate at the Clifford Arms again, but this time in the restaurant - same menu, same prices, posher decor. Great food once again.
Before jumping to the conclusion that we eat out every mealtime, I should point out that this was a weekend funded by our holiday club where Jen and Jeannine pay £50 per month into an account which soon builds up. Over the years we have been to Paris and Brussels on Eurostar and to Stratford where we slept through a fine performance of Hamlet - but you can keep your five-star hotels, I know where I'd rather be.
Monday 30th July 2007
Great Haywood - Stafford Boat Club (5¼ miles, 1 lock)
We got up quite early and had breakfast. Tony set off to walk the towpath back towards Stafford, while Jen and Jeannine walked up to the junction with the rubbish, leaving me to follow in the boat and then wind ready to head back to Stafford.
At Tixall Lock, there was a queue of boats going up. Above the lock we passed No Problem again and gave Vic a wave, looking like everyone's idea of a perfect Granddad as he entertained two of his grandchildren.
There were two boats from Doncaster in front of us all the way back to Stafford. One of them had a centre wheelhouse and must have been deep drafted as they seemed to be running aground regularly. We followed along behind, barely above tick-over. Tony, who had been walking all this time, had reached Radford Bank, almost back at the boat club, so he had to wait nearly half an hour for us to catch up.
After mooring back at the club, Jeannine and Tony had to leave to drive back to Selborne while Jen and I cleaned inside the boat ready for our next trip ten days later with Lucy, Robert and Rosemary - possibly the last time we will all go on holiday together as a family.