We are now well and truly heading home to Market Harborough and it feels as though summer is over.  At lunchtime we moored halfway up Atherstone flight, in the rain, and after eating lunch and lighting the fire, headed into Atherstone to pick up some provisions from Aldi.  Now snuggled in front of the fire eating cake and drinking coffee made with milk.  Don't think we will be going anywhere else today as it is still raining.

In spite of the rain, today was a good day.   Atherstone locks were busy as usual, but that makes for plenty of people to talk to at the locks.  Met a couple out on a Kate Boat.  They had been talking about having a boating holiday for several years and this is their first trip.  They are really enjoying themselves with the exception of being given advice from another boater in a pretty negative way.  Shame because even the most experienced boater was a novice at one time and we all get it wrong sometimes (me more than most probably).   Also met some potential winter neighbours who seem very sociable.

We had a busy few days after leaving the Caldon Canal just over a week ago.  Heading down through the locks at Stoke on Trent and through to Stone.  Moored up overnight at Stone and ended staying the next night as well.  Had a meal in the Star, a Marston's pub right next to the lock.  There was a special offer on the grill menu, buy one get one free, so I had a steak and Graham had a mixed grill, a real meat feast.

These bottle kilns used to be a common sight around Stoke on Trent

The industrial end of the Caldon Canal

More industrial scenery on the Caldon Canal

From Stone we had an uneventful few days, with the exception of meeting a very strange bloke at a lock.  We chatted in the usual way that you do whilst waiting for the lock to fill/empty.  Never met the bloke in my life before but he managed to have a conversation with me that included the words 'perky' and 'orgsasm' (he said them not me).  I was a bit taken aback but decided to treat it as a joke.  Graham was less than amused when I told him!

Just beyond Rugely we met up with Sheila and Jim (not Tom, sorry Jim), who we met at Keadby last year.  They now have their own boat 'Islonian' and it was good to catch up over a couple of beers and another meal out (whoops not going to lose much weight at this rate).

At Fradley Junction we turned off the Trent and Mersey and onto the Coventry Canal.  We found a good mooring in the middle of nowhere and stay put for the weekend.  The dogs had a wonderful time running in the fields and swimming.

Truly loves to swim and is very tolerant of me wrapping her up in a towel

Not sure that she likes it though!

The toll house at Fazely Junction

Some old working boats seen on route

an old working boat exiting the bottom lock on Atherstone flight

Jeanie Deans coming into the bottom lock

The moorings at Atherstone are pretty busy but we managed to squeeze in.   Hopefully tomorrow we will still be floating.  But last time we moored here on our way up the flight, the pound was virtually empty next morning because someone had left a paddle up.