Balance beam causes loss of balance

More shower dodging today as we moved from Alrewas to Branston. We didn't get to Willington, as I'd planned, because we drove to Newcastle-under-Lyme to visit fellow BCF member Chris in hospital. In operating a bottom gate at a lock she had fallen down a six feet drop onto the ground and sustained some nasty injuries. I understand that she lost her footing trying to negotiate round the end of the balance beam where it projects beyond the masonry. She is likely to be unable to be boating for quite a while - a bit of a problem as she and Adrian are liveaboards. We were glad to be able to visit, and I think she was glad to see us.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. We were ourselves visited this morning, by Alan and Glenda on Tranquillity, also BCF members. After coffee we set off, descending Alrewas Lock onto the river section.

At Tatenhill Lock we passed Hadley in its idyllic-looking setting. Not quite so idyllic-sounding with the A38 dual carriageway not far away. I have left my camera in the car - this is an image from the timelapse recording.

At some point we passed another blogger's boat, or should that be former blogger? Yes, Granny Buttons was moored up in the locality.

I didn't have quite so far to cycle to retrieve the car - just six miles to Alrewas. My satnav doesn't have the new road at Branston, so I couldn't find how to get to the Bridge pub. In the end I picked Jan up from Morrison's and we drove straight to N-u-L from there. On the way back from the hospital visit we stopped off at the Wetherspoon's in Uttoxeter for something to eat.