Wilmcote

The Mallard’s breeding season must be just about over as the males are starting to look decidedly scruffy as they go into their eclipse phase, when they look almost identical to the females.

At least one male has still been active however as we saw a female brooding her newly hatched ducklings on the towpath.

We walked back to Yew Tree Farm this morning. It’s more of a craft centre than a farm shop with small designer shops selling everything from garden furniture & flowers to lingerie and second hand books.

The log store is huge but I don't think they'll be selling many at this time of year.

The food shop had a few fresh veg & home baked loaves but mainly sold expensive jars of preserves, local cheeses & bacon. We bought a very nice pork pie for lunch and then reversed back onto the aqueduct to change one of the gas bottles which ran out last night. We seem to be averaging around 8 weeks per gas bottle which seems very reasonable to me seeing that I cook most days and make all our bread and cakes too.

This was a perfect photo opportunity and I was despatched down onto the road to take a few snaps.

After changing the gas we carried on slowly down Bearley Lock and then over Edstone Aqueduct which is 200 yards long and takes you across the valley, with the railway and road below.

We’re now moored at Wilmcote and as usual we were lucky to get possibly the last spot. We're just beside an overgrown footpath with a sign I have never come across before.

It’s very busy here with lots of boats queuing ready to go down the next 11 locks. We keep hearing from boats going the other way that Stratford Basin and river moorings are full, but hopefully as we've pre-booked for the festival we should be OK. I want to have a look round Wilmcote tomorrow and then we’ll probably move on later in the afternoon after the morning rush for the locks.