Attractive Atherstone–slow cooker & ugly gongoozlers!

 

Yesterday evening I walked the first half of the Atherstone flight of 11 locks.  It was very attractive in the early evening light.

Looking through the bridge hole to the top lock.  Then looking back in the opposite direction to see Waiouru moored 3rd boat back.

Opposite us was a derelict building with most of the window panes broken.  Jan was struck by the vegetation that had taken root in the foundations.

Then on the towpath side she noticed a Banksy.

Sometimes my memory retains the odd obscure piece of information.  I seemed to recall from our 2007 lightning circuit of the Warwickshire Ring that there was a pub up from the canal where we had eaten lunch.  I was right.  The pub is there…..

But no meals were available this time! 

In the morning we walked in to town with the intention of visiting Aldi.  However we also spent 90 minutes walking the high street waiting for the shops to open at 9.00am.

The stall holders for the Atherstone weekly market were still setting up.

The Atherstone High Street hasn’t died although the far end was mostly charity shops.  I assume the town is too small to attract the large chain outlets.

Back at Waiouru we were in the process of getting ready to leave when a boat passed us heading for the already full top lock. “Bugger”!  But then we’re not in a hurry.  Three volunteer CRT lock keepers arrived whilst we were filling the water tank and disposing of the rubbish at the facilities adjacent to the top lock.

The lock keepers kindly assisted us through the first five locks which are almost together.

The old lock keepers cottage at lock 5 looks rather attractive.

Below the locks is a longish pound where it appears many boaters stop overnight breaking the locks into two days work.  Something for us to remember next time we come this way.  The remaining locks are spread out in pairs (6&7, 8&9, 10&11).

We had a pleasant cruise to Polesworth after stopping below Lock 11 for a late lunch.  On the way to Polesworth we passed someone’s waiting restoration project.

We came upon a good mooring with rings immediately after Bridge 51 (Limekiln Bridge) and decided to stop for the day.  Jan had the slow cooker (crock pot) running all day with a joint of roast beef for dinner.  To her horror she discovered the slow cooker was cold and the meat raw.  There was a problem with the 240v power sockets.  I’d removed them recently and when I refitted them I’d accidentally reinserted them upside down.  When Jan plugged in the slow cooker and turned it on she had actually turned it off.  My fault!  The problem has been rectified.

It wasn’t long after that Jan heard a strange sound like a couple of dogs panting outside the side hatch.  She opened the hatch to discover….

Two hungry Muscovy Ducks.  They make a very strange noise……  And only their mothers could love faces like that!  They are native to Mexico but feral Muscovy Ducks have been seen in New Zealand (and obviously the UK).