The Bloody Steps

We left Great Haywood around 9.30 heading towards Rugeley. There were only two locks and both of them were in our favour.  Moreover a boat appeared at the bottom of each as we were exiting so that saved us some time and effort.

Nb Pilgrim passed us going in the opposite direction and the crew called out they read the blog…… but only when they are at home.  Sensible people, much better to be boating than reading about boating!

The diesel tank is more than ¾ full so we decided not to stop and refuel at the pig farm.  There’s a notice on the fuel boat advising “cash only” which probably wouldn’t have suited us.

Taft Bridge

The fuel boat only has a small tank.  However there is a pipeline from it to a huge tank beside one of the farm buildings.  I guess the small tank in the boat is a theft minimization measure.

A second passing boater had some amusing comments to make about a moored boat he had just passed.  “They want £65,000 for that.   Must be on drugs!”

It didn’t look like a £65,000 boat!

We made a hard left turn after crossing the River Trent.  This location is infamous as the site of “The Bloody Steps”.  Christina Collins was murdered here in 1859 by the crew of a packetboat on which she had taken passage to London.  Her body was subsequently recovered from the canal and carried up the steps to the Talbot Inn.  The circumstances surrounding her murder were the subject of an episode of Inspector Morse and was named “The Wench is Dead”.

Bloody Steps to the left at the bend

There was a vacant mooring in Rugeley just before the large Tesco.  It’s been our lucky day!

We made two trips to Tesco managing to restock the galley.  After lunch I visited Wilko (white spirits), Morrisons (spicy chutney) and Aldi (butter and chocolate)

In my absence Jan had a knock on the side of boat.  A well known boater was also in Rugeley and came for an enjoyable afternoon of conversation before continuing on towards Great Haywood.

Yes it was all the “M’s”  Maffi, Molly and The Milly M