The old Bentley Arm

Having spent yesterday doing not a lot, reading and rugging, we had and early start this morning ready for the long haul up to Wolverhampton. I think it takes longer to rip up the fabric strips and cut them to length than it does to make the rug. Rug number 2 is about half complete.

The morning had a definite autumnal feel with quite a lot of mist hanging around the canal. We struck lucky with the first ten locks of the flight being in our favour, actually had to empty the eleventh and thought we would have the remainder of the flight against us. As we were working up through the lock a boat entered the lock above on it's way down so not only was the lock in our favour, I didn't even have to nudge the gates open to get in!

We only met one more boat coming down. The water here is crystal clear, whether that is down to water quality or just that the lack of traffic means the silt on the bottom doesn't get stirred up I don't know.

Anyway we had a good journey,we managed the 22 locks (including the stop lock at the junction) and 2.6 miles to the services at Broad Street basin in three and a half hours. The early part of the journey was in glorious sunshine but towards the top of the flight the sky clouded over and we had a brief shower.

After we dumped the rubbish and emptied the loo we decided to head for the moorings at the, now disused, Bentley Arm. Tomorrow we will head for the Anglesey Arm and Chasewater.

Today's journey 4.2 miles, 22 locks and 1 tunnel

So far this year we have travelled 646.7 miles, 534 locks, 49 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 26 tunnels

In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels

Since Ray retired we have travelled 1848.4 miles 1620 locks, 105 swing bridges, 61 lift bridges and 66 tunnels