Along the Curly Wurly to Brownhills

A couple of weeks ago we wound our way along the Wyrley and Essington Canal — known locally as the “Curly Wurly” thanks to its winding route — to Brownhills, for the canal festival in support of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Restoration Trust. It was lovely along the way to see Mike, who always takes some fantastic photographs of us boating, from a different perspective to the one we’re used to.

Painting in the Sun

Paul spent the weekend showcasing his painting skills, which was no small feat given the heat from the sun beating down on him all weekend. Despite the challenge, members of the public loved watching him demonstrate the heritage art of canal art — from a watering can to a batch of baubles being prepared for the Christmas sales season.

He also spent a good chunk of time chatting with the deputy mayor, who was keen to learn more about the technicalities of boating.

A Very Special Christening

One of the highlights of the weekend was getting the chance to officially christen the Waka Butty, with Christine — one of the festival’s organisers — doing the honours. Fittingly, it was Christine herself who suggested the name at last year’s festival, so it felt like the perfect place to make it official.

Old Friends, New Faces

Events like these are always special. It’s lovely to catch up with friends who come along to visit, and just as lovely to meet so many new faces along the way. Thank you so much for all of your support it really does mean a lot to us.

Onwards to Bratch

We set off again on Sunday evening, making an early start towards Bratch ahead of our next event on 5–6 September. It turned out to be a journey with a few bumps along the way — but more on that (not so smooth) adventure next week!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read