Swarkestone

Today we left Alrewas in sunshine around 9:00. Alrewas lock was busy with dog walkers, joggers and some simply enjoying a bit of spring weather. The golden gorse and the pale fluffy pussy willow looked at their best.

Alrewas Lock and walkway

Wychnor Church and footbridge

The river section, Trent of course, near Wychnor looked atteractive. We passed through Wychnor Lock onto the straight section taking us down to Barton Turns. The noise from the A38 intrudes all along here making it a length of canal that probably doesn't feature in anybody's favourites list.

After Barton Lock we passed Bollinder powered Dane with butty Clara going the other way - a great sight. The weather gradually got colder and cloudier as we approached Burton. The wind also increased.

Dane passing Albert
Butty Clara

At Branston Lock Maggie found a frog struggling to swim in the canal close to the lock gates. We used our large net to rescue it.

Rescued frog
 
Burton was quiet being Sunday but the canal was not busy either.
 
Where else but Burton-on-Trent

 
Colourful Visitor Moorings at Shobnall Fields

We moored up and took lunch by Horninglow Wharf. NB Moriarty, which used to belong to our friends Lyn and Bob Doyle, was moored close by.

Horninglow Wharf

Spikes of Butterburr
(identified from The Concise British Flora in Colour by W Keble Martin) 

After lunch we carried on through Stenson, where the lock was causing difficulties for some "Canal Time" boats going towards Burton. We moored up for the night at Swarkestone, just above the lock. I took the opportunity to do some boat maintenance and carried out an oil change.