Locks again today with the Atherstone fight of 11 locks. Quite pleasant and easy to operate but slow filling. This meant boats were queueing to get on the flight. This wasn't a problems though as I needed to take on shopping from Atherstone and we were on the flight by 1100 for the 2 and half hour decent. A group of Germans were on the boat in front. They were very courteous and helpful to other boaters against how their stereotypes often make them out to be. Joanne met a couple from Christchurch NZ who have boat here which they use during the summer months and return to Christchurch for their summer each year.
Atherstone is a very old fashioned town originally famous for hat making I think. Very few chain shops and I felt when a shop assistant said "Good morning" it was meant rather than it being something she was told to say. Found a Fry's chocolate cream which I thought they had stopped making. Several hardware stores in the town and an absence of "chain" type shops apart from Superdrug and the Co Op which doesnt count.
For much of its course the canal, which is the Coventry canal, parallels the West Coast Main Line for much of the way. A Pendolino train can be seen in the above photo.
Sadly came onto rain again about 3 and was very cold. Having gone all day yesterday in the rain I cant face that again today when coupled with the biting cold wind. So moored up by 4 which puts us a day behind. Original plan was to go back to base via Stafford but in view of the weather going to take the more direct, heavily locked, route via Birmingham.
160 Miles 108 locks
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