I have completed my first proper week's cruising and it has been good fun despite a couple of very wet days. I started out from Tamworth after having a nice walk along the River Tame and around the castle and the park there. I moved on up to Fradley village and the next day I went to visit the National Memorial Arboretum, because I had never been there despite passing this way two or three times. It is so much bigger than I imagined and really pleasant to walk around. The central memorial is stunning. I am sure it is a peaceful place for those who have lost someone through hostilities. The next morning I met one of my single handing boater friends on her way down to Gloucester via Braunston and Hatton and the River Avon. Sounds like one to put in my schedule for another year. I am, at the moment, on canals which I have done before so I tried to stop at places I like and hence I moored at Great Haywood where I bumped into another of my single handing boater friends!! Only a short hop the next day, stopping at Weston and from there onto Stone, where I met one of the canal traders, Lorraine that I had bought a hat from at the floating market. I also just missed Phil and Jackie whom I have known since I first got the boat. They left early before I had surfaced. I have tried to walk over the 10,000 steps recommended but some days I couldn't quite make it. Looking back though I averaged 10,000 a day so that's ok then.

The National Memorial Arboretum

The National Forest Way

My old deckboards

New deckboards

One of the Tamworth pigs