Tardebigge

I said today would be different. The sun was shining for an early start and the drive up to Stoke Pound at the bottom of the Tardebigge Lock Flight between Bromsgrove and Tardebigge village. Chas 'n' Ann from Moore 2 Life were friends from long ago, Chas & I worked together in a former life & we have kept in touch ever since. They were on their travels from the Droitwich Canal and finding their way back to Kings Norton Junction - this would mean going up the Tardebigge Flight.
We met at the prearranged location and after a short 'catch-up' we were on our way.

With Ann's vast experience and my bit of fresh muscle we soon dropped into a rhythm and in only three hours we were moored beside the Tardebigge pumping station (now an Inn) in time for lunch.

We all enjoyed a lovely hearty soup made by Ann before having a long chew over the past, present and future. We will all meet again soon.
I cycled back to the car to go home, stopping to admire a couple of cottages which were sprouting aerials -

Somewhere in the back garden of the top picture there is an 80m 3 element beam which can be lifted by crane and rotated as required. I suppose, being that far 'out in the sticks' the background noise levels are lovely and low.
It was a lovely day, meeting up with and helping old friends and the weather stayed good all day.