The Horn Blower

The Murkster back to knocking our legs from under us, his usual self, thank goodness.

Perfect timing for one of only two locks today, gates open, sailed straight in. Rising, we heard horn blasts coming from a boat just rounding the bend behind, figured whoever was in the x-large red t-shirt must have wrongly assumed we were setting the lock against them. A beautiful morning, mist rising from the water and perhaps just the tinsiest bit of Autumn in the air, we had ten lock free miles ahead. Travelled on, before slowing up for the long gone Armitage tunnel, now a narrow cutting with bridge over the top. Checked ahead, headed in…at the same time as a boat in the opposite direction. Reversed out. Waited. ‘All clear behind,’ called the guy from the boat as it emerged. So we had another go. Faced with a headlight, reversed out, again. Finally decided to do what the sign tells you to. Nick walked all the way ahead and phoned back, almost walkie-talkie territory, yikes. Pushed off, by which time the red horn blaster marched on by, ‘tail gate them!’ she boomed, ruddy faced, frowning at her frail elderly mother on the tiller. 

Armitage Shanks

Out the other end Nick stood waving me over, the trigger happy horn blower had announced they’d be COMING BY as they ‘had a schedule and liked to travel at between 16 -18,000 rpm’. Bewildered, they’d only caught us up due to two reverses back through the cutting, we waved them on through, and proceeded to creep along behind at a deathly pace. Finally pulled over for a water stop and watched her chug away blasting her horn continually, resulting in a mexican wave of heads popping from cratch covers. You get all sorts.

Stopped for lunch at Rugeley, with Morrisons just 0.15 miles away we got busy on the food runs. Well stocked, we travelled out into rolling hills. Another shout out, but this time from a helpful, sane boater telling us the workboat ahead had good diesel at 72p a litre – we had some of that.

Past Cannock Chase, one more lock before tying up at Shugborough for the night and a barbecue success…finally.