Tixal Lock

A fairly early start as Katkatkat, G, "The Mate", Clickychick and I set off for another week on Solace.  We had a trouble free run and arrived at the marina in the early afternoon.  The next job was getting everything onboard.   This is a little time consuming as it requires wheeling everything along the pontoon to the boat.  As we like being moored out "in the wild" we carry an awful lot of food.  Canalside shops are a little few and far between.

As soon as we were loaded we cast off, heading for the Staffordshire and Worcester canal (Staffs & Worcs).   Not a long trip as the junction is only a few hundred yards from the marina.   First we passed through "Tixall Wide" the story goes it was required as the owner of the land would only allow the canal if it looked like a lake from his home.

Then the first lock of the trip Tixall Lock shown in the blip.  This lock has a "Lock Keeper's Cottage" beside it.  Sadly the days of Lock Keepers and Lengthsmen have gone and the cottages sold off as private homes.