Up and up and up (Lapworth)

We thought we'd moor in different stops between Warwick and Birmingham this time, we seem to moor in the same spots as we pass through twice a year, so this time we would try out the pubs that we don't ususally stop at .  We cracked ice from the top of Hatton until Rowington, when a boat had carved a path through before us.  This isn't funny any more, it's March - no more ice please.   We moored at Tom O' The Wood (as we had never stopped there before).  Very disappointing.  The extended bar staff family played the (new) juke box so loud we couldn't hear ourselves talk, until we asked them to turn it down.  The "selection of cask conditioned real ales" turned out to be Bombadier - or - Bombadier.   I can see now that we tend to stick to our favourite mooring points for a reason, gleaned over the years! 
Woke up with a start this morning, I thought we were back on the Llangollen when a boat went passed us at 6.55am, am!!! Ropes creaking, boat jolting, why oh why at 6.55am can't they go past at tickover without their waves catching them up.    Had a lovely ascent up the Lapworth flight, stopping for some wonderful home cooked samosas from The Village Shop. Tonight we stopped at the Blue Bell Cider House on Graham's recommendation  (http://www.contentedsouls.blogspot.com/).   Real ale, "proper" cider, good mooring for the cat, what could possibly go wrong - ha - nothing!  Great proper pub, with friendly bar staff, diversity of customers, and good moorings.   They even had the Spurs Vs Fulham FA Cup match on the telly in the bar.  0-0 draw though, sorry Dave, Spurs didn't win, so you can't have it all.  I haven't posted any photographs, as NB Armadillo (http://www.nbarmadillo.blogspot.com/) is travelling the same route, a day in front of us, and Graham has got much better photos than me.