Coven Heath

We moved on Thursday to a nice rural spot beyond Chillington Bridge. 

                                 Mark set to sawing & chopping the wood we've collected


 As the weather has turned decidedly wintry, this morning it was time to move on whilst canal was still clear of ice to top up the water etc.
We'd had a hard frost & a dusting of snow overnight but the canal still ice free as we left at 9am.

  The water tap at Autherley was frozen but a bowlful of hot water soon sorted it & the tank was filled plus a 5 gallon container I had bought at Norbury in readiness for this weather.

Lock cottage at Autherley 

 Autherley Stop Lock

On the Staffs & Worcester looking back to Autherley Junction & the start of the Shropshire Union

We moored up just after the junction & walked to Morrison's to top up the cupboards, it was bitterly cold & Morrison's was very busy so it was a relief to get back on board. 
Mark got us underway whilst I stowed the shopping & made coffee & sandwiches, we had hoped to get as far as Gailey but the plan was scuppered as we passed under Coven Heath Bridge to be met by a mini ice floe & a chap on the bridge telling us that it got worse further along. He wasn't wrong, the ice ahead looked fairly solid so we called it a day. Not long after we had stopped a boat passed us & ploughed on through the ice, maybe they had to be somewhere. It was only the 2nd boat we've seen on the move today.


We're now snug & warm by the fire, we  have enough supplies to see us through the next week or so but if there is a bit of a thaw we shall probably move on as I'm planning (weather permitting!) to head up to Scarborough for the weekend on Thursday & the nearer I am to Penkridge the easier my journey will be. 
Tomorrow we are going to get some exercise by walking  along a bit of the Monarch's Way to Pendeford Mill Nature Reserve, if we're not snowed in.....