An early start

Well earlier than yesterday.
We thought we would get ahead of all the boats so together with Epiphany we set of at 0730.   We paused in Willington to use the sani station and set off again with Epiphany ahead.  The run through Burton-on-Trent was not what I had expected.  I had imagined it would be very industrialised but it fact it was a pleasant stretch and there would have been several good places to moor.  A clear run through the first two locks on a bright lovely morning, just the time to be up early on the canals.   The first lock was Dallow Lane lock and it is the first of the single locks.  It seemed so small after some of the locks we have been in recently and it was only 3`6" deep.  
5 more locks pretty evenly spaced followed but before the 3rd lock another boat snuck in which slowed things down a bit.  There were two on board but the gentleman on board had fallen down the steps in the morning and landed on his wife and he came off best........she was hobbling around with a stick and I think a badly sprained ankle...so no good as crew....this left him single handing.
At several of the locks we saw the famous new bollards which BW had put in, no doubt at great expense.

There are 3 of these placed along the sides and the close up view below shows how well they are faring.

Most of the bridges on the route were quite low but not as low as on the Erewash so were able to put our flower tubs back on the roof.

 One bridge was higher but rather narrow

Will we make it

Close run thing

Breathe out again

For about 6 miles along this stretch the busy A38 is right alongside the canal and very noisy it is too.

After Wychnor Lock and just before Alrewas, the River Trent makes a brief appearance and joins the canal for a few hundred yards.  Sod's law dictated that this was the stretch that we would pick up something round the prop.   We managed to slowly limp along to the lock landing before the Alrewas Lock where Geoff was forced to make one of his forages down the weed hatch...it was only weed and nothing worse.

By this time Epiphany had moored just above the lock and had called to say that the boat behind was moving back slightly so that we could fit in also....very hospitable......

So another 6 1/2 hour trip, we must stop these long days.......but a very good mooring spot and I was able to sit on the bank in the sun all afternoon.   

We have had a planning meeting with Epiphany and decided we can afford a rest day tomorrow so we hope to go to visit the National Arboretum.