22nd - 24th August

I am writing this in retrospect as I did not have the technology with me for the weekend. I drove up to Great Hayward arriving about 1pm. The half mile walk to the boat was the main reason for carrying a minimal load this weekend. We cruised to Handsacre as I knew I could get a bus back to the car. The cruise went really well. It is quite an interesting part of the canal making for a good half day's travelling. The 825 bus is regular and I was back at the boat with the car before dark. Quite noisy teenagers drinking their Strongbow on the towpath. I thought I'd have one too - a Strongbow, not a teenager.

On Saturday I got up, checked the car was okay and left Handsacre. It was a nice, sunny day. I cruised down to Fradley and through the three locks with Last Frontier and behind him Jus' Manatees. All very nice, helpful people. I stopped at Huddlesford as it's an easy walk to Lichfield to get the bus back to Handsacre. My feelings about where I'd left my car were realised when I discovered that my rear passenger window had been broken and the rear seat pulled down (to check for valuables in the boot, I suppose). I called Autoglass and moved the car back closer to where I had moored. Autoglass, who are usually so good, must have been having an off day - as, when I rang them, after an hour and a half, two hours and a half and then 3 hours, I discovered they had referred me on to a defunct outlet. Having discovered the breakage at 5pm I finally had my new window after midnight - hungry, thirsty, bursting and disgruntled with mankind..or should that be mancruel? Not only that but to add insult to injury it's costing me £70 - the excess on my insurance policy.

Up and out early. Made slow progress today but can't really say why. I cruised through Tamworth, stopping just to empty the loo/bin and take on water. There are only 2 locks on this stretch at Glascote and I caught up with Jus' Manatees again. I carried on to Polesworth, where I had stopped on the way up. Just missed the 2 hourly bus to Tamworth so walked - it's about 4 miles. Got a bus from there to the village of Whittingdon where I had left the car. Back on board by 7.30pm. I am going to leave the boat here but I need a rethink about this car/boat business, it's too time consuming and stressful.

Hopefully back next weekend.