Windy ride to Swarkstone on the Trent & Mersey

 We had agreed a departure time of 8.30 with Epiphany so we could share locks.    The day dawned bright and sunny with lovely blue sky but boy was it windy!!!!

...as you can see from Fi's garb!!!!!

Rising in Shardlow lock together.......no problem when there are two boats in....
Very well kept lock house........presumably extended and modernised......

Lots of wellie to get into the locks today...not only the wind but nasty by-washes to catch the unwary on entry to the lock....... Epiphany coming into Aston Lock

Big heavy lock gates....put your back into it Geffie......

...and a helping hand from John....

The crew are obviously tired from their exertions
(one of my blog followers - shown in this picture -  wishes to point out that they were not tired, merely in the standard pose waiting for the gates to go!!!!!!)

Petroc into Weston Lock first

Petroc leaving Weston Lock......note winter clothes!!!

The wind made it an interesting run to Swarkstone today, but luckily the 6 boats coming in the other direction, typically at a narrow part of the canal, managed to do it in sheltered cuttings.......
By the time we came out of the lock at Swarkstone we were back in the wind with a vengeance but there was plenty of mooring space above the lock and we were soon snugly moored up.  
I set off to explore the village for a paper and a couple of things....sadly no shop (there is a pub!!)  but there was a garage on the main road with a small store...no Daily Telegraphs of course but they did have just one loaf of bread.....so we shared it with Epiphany......
Just after I returned to Petroc the first of the forecast squally showers arrived......my timing was superb....
After Barney's tea Geoff left to take him for a walk.  Unbeknown to me John had gone with him and on the way back they went for their evening pint..........so when it began to be much longer than usual for the teatime walk I began to worry..........of course Geoff has as usual NOT taken his phone with him......there was I thinking he was miles away and fallen in a ditch or something..........
Their walk had taken them towards the Swarkestone Bridge and causeway which at approximately 3/4 of a mile long is reputedly the longest stone bridge in Britain.

In 1745 this was the furthest south that the army of Bonnie prince Charlie came in their bid to take the throne of England

It carries the A514 and with no pavement and a lot of traffic they did not try walking it's length

Instead they headed back to the pub!

This storm cloud may have been their excuse...

They also passed the pretty Church of St James in the village which appears to have a chimney at one end.......wonder what the fire beneath is like......

Total distance:6.00 miles 
Elapsed time:3h21m26s 
Locks:4
Bridges:17 
Average speed:1.79 mph (2.98 lock/mph)