I left Penkridge this morning on the towpath of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal with a favourable forecast of fine weather. The bank was lined with fishermen with impressive collections of rods, long poles for depositing ground bait, maggots, equipment boxes and chairs. In response to my query one of them told me it was a competition and there were thirty of them. Barges were motoring up and down, which must have interfered with the fishing, especially as the competitors seemed focused on the opposite side of the canal, shaded by trees. Many of the barges were holiday hires. Men struggled with maneuvering while their wives' pushed open the lock gates, backside first. As the day went on, the men were increasingly taking off their shirts so their bellys could enjoy the sunshine. On the towpath families and couples were out with their dogs, and I had to be careful to avoid the bikes. Most cyclists were considerate saying "thank you" as I moved out the way, but one pair of youngsters raced past so fast and close I worried they would hit me with their handlebars, tearing off my arm muscles.
Leaving the first of today's two canals I crossed large fields of green wheat to reach Cannock Chase. Much of this area of hills is wooded. I walked on sandy, pebbly paths through birch trees, their delicate leaves obscuring little of the sun, and by hawthorn in blossom. Later a stand of pines was at my side, and I also crossed open moorland. As it was a sunny bank holiday Sunday, Cannock Chase was full of people ambling about with children and dogs. Stopping at a stream for some lunch I watched two young children paddle and splash in the stream, others were having fun crossing on stepping stones.
Leaving the woodland behind I crossed the River Trent and turned onto the Trent and Mersey Canal. It wound through farmland between the river and the main West Coast railway line on which "Avanti" trains raced by. Taking a slower trip, two people were floating down the River Trent wearing flotation devices similar to life jackets, not something I had seen before but maybe part of the recent wild swimming movement.
Ahead I could see the cooling towers of Rugeley power station which is currently being demolished. These dominant features were once a common sight of the Midlands landscape, but are now disappearing as coal fired power stations are being closed. Rugeley's cooling towers will likely be flattened within the year.
Ending a shorter walk today I turned into Rugeley where I am sleeping at the town's Travelodge hotel. After checking in I wandered into the centre. Being Sunday, shops were closed, but I managed to buy a Costa coffee and slice of cake, and even get a haircut. Maybe as I was the only customer the barber took a lot of time, including shaving the hair on the back of my neck, cleaning out the strands which now grow out of my ears and spraying his work with various lemon scented products. I was glad he will not discover that I then had a shower and washed them all out.
Dinner was at an old cinema, now the local Wetherspoons pub, where (after signing in with the NHS coronavirus app under a watchful security man's eye in his bright yellow gilet) I read of the owner's views on the Covid 19 restrictions in one of the magazines left on the tables.
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