Solace Day 1

We aimed for an early start expecting the M6 to be very busy with people heading away for Christmas.  Fortunately our 5:30 start meant we had no problems.  We were at the boat by lunch time and as nobody had been onboard the week before we were able to get straight away.

We were heading south which brings us to a small town called Armitage where the canal was once a a tunnel only wide enough for a single boat.  Now the top has been taken off and replaced by a bridge but the canal remains narrow.  This is where the walkie Talkies come into their own.  I walked ahead to check for other boats and used them to advise the helmsman.

Some of you may recognise the name Armitage particularly when coupled with the word Shanks.  The shot shows some of the pallets stacked in the yard which in true "potteries" tradition backs on to the canal where once the goods would have been loaded and transported away.