Is Polesworth worth it?

Thursday 10th April 2014

Morning is the best time of the day to be cruising - at least for us - and the last couple of days have proven that.

Blue skies with a bit of cloud, but sunshine none-the-less; little or no breeze.

The wind and cloud always increase in the afternoon; the chance of rain increases, and we are happily moored up doing whatever we need to do.

Today it was sitting pleasantly out on the towpath enjoying lunch - after which Diane stayed there relaxing away reading; I finished off some work.

The first kingfisher of the season - at Fazeley Junction

Before all of this we had a relatively short cruise from Sutton Road Bridge; filling with water and emptying at the Elsan; through Glascote locks with a painfully slow-filling bottom lock; past Amington and the Samuel Barlow pub at Alvecote, before finally calling time at Polesworth.

doing the locks at Glascote - slow enough to walk around a few
times and have a nap - although not in this pic.

working boats outside The Samuel Barlow

the cap says it all, the face is starting to show it all

Pooley Hall

In the past I have been reluctant to stop here because of poor to no TV signal and the same with internet access, but we had travelled far enough for the day - 3 hours was sufficient - and space was available - so mooring up it was. It also was a small town that offered not a lot too us - but we hadn't previously ventured far into it - this time we did.

we found this old building - boarded up - with the message as below

my Latin is very rusty, but the inscription says
Soli Deo Gloria = Glory to Gold alone
Schola pauperum puerorum puellarum = School for children, girls

Later on in the afternoon, with it still being mild, we took a longer walk around the town - further than we had been before and found some little gems - buildings dating back over 1000 years; a lovely church - spectacular in a modest way inside; and a charming vicar with a sense of humour.

Polesworth Abbey - entrance - new novice awaiting

the house next door

"Get thee to a nunnery"

Polesworth will remain a place that we will not necessarily beat a path to get to but we have determined that it will not be on by-pass.

So, the vicar with the sense of humour ---- after visiting the garden outside the church, we went back inside and the smiling vicar was in the lobby and we had a bit of a chat and he casually asked did we see the fish in the fountain - briefly we had seen them - he was able to offer "the fish when they are awake are goldfish, and when they are asleep they are kippers".

Just was too easy to only look at the outside - you have to discover the inside!

7 Miles, 2 Locks

Totals: 2266 Miles, 1671  Locks, 75 Tunnels, 32 Lift Bridges, 146 Swing Bridges