Coventry Canal:Hopwas Visitor Moorings

Raining again this morning and the weather forecast was for light showers on and off all day.  After Tuesday’s experience of the NoGo/Go, I decided to just go.  It was a good decision.  The rain lasted until about 9:00 am and thereafter was very light and mostly not.   At the Armitage Tunnel I was gong quite slowly and a boat came right up behind me, one that I had passed earlier moored up.   I reckoned that if they were going that fast I might as well let them go ahead and sure thing, slowly they pulled ahead of me and by the time I reached the straight leadingto Woodend I could just make them out in the distance.  By the time I got there they were just entering the lock and gave me the opportunity of getting a pork pie and some samosas bought at Morrisons in Stoke.  Fradley was manned and I had a free ride all the way and the swingbridge was open with other boats use so that I didn’t have to touch it.  I made good time from there. 7 hours 58 minutes.  I’ll get the fire going briefly tonight to help dry off the damp clothes, but it looks as if the forecast for the rest of the week is favourable.