By The Way: Stone to Handsacre - Mon-Fri. 6 locks, 17.5 miles, 9 hours

MONDAY

We made the short journey from Stone to a small village called Weston.

We found a lovely pub the Saracen Inn, where we had dinner. The food was great, Rod had Black Pudding, Pancetta and mushroom, with a fried egg to start.

I had the fish goujons to start they were beautiful, made me wish I had been my usual creature of habit and had fish and chips for my main!

All washed down with a very nice bottle of wine.

Whilst we have moved in December the Movember theme is still running, I think it is here until at least 2014!!

TUESDAY

We continued on to Shugborough Hall, the ancestral home of lord Lichfield. This took us back onto the stretch of the Trent & Mersey we completed back in early September. Last time we turned towards Wolverhampton, this time we continued towards the Trent.

The River Trent runs alongside the Trent & Mersey for the next 5/6 miles.

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday was a work day for Rodney so I took the opportunity to take George for a long walk along the Trent.

To get to the Trent we had to cross the narrow old bridge clearly built before the arrival of cars.

The river Trent and the River Sow merge just before coming under the bridge.

We then walked along the river.

We took a bit of a mystery tour hoping that we would ultimately make it back to the canal, we were obviously still on the edge of the Shugborough Estate.

This has to be one the most ornate railway bridges in the country.

The weather was really rough on Wednesday night and through out Thursday, but luckily no trees came down near us.

THURSDAY

Didn't move today as Rod was working, we won't have moved even if he wasn't given the wind!! Surprisingly a couple of boats did go past battling to stay in a straight line.

I took the opportunity to put up a few Christmas decs.