Pooley Park Nature Reserve to Tamhorn Park Bridge, Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
The roof was peppered with them
Acorns! We had acorns falling on the roof off and on last night. At least it was better than the cockerel at Atherstone at 4am sounding like someone was trying to throttle it but not succeeding.
Today was going to be windy. Mick wondered if we should push off before breakfast to hopefully miss the worst wind around lunchtime, but that just didn’t happen. As we got ready to push off another boat had pulled in, ready to jump in our grave. Hopefully they would be able to pull in to make the most of the solar unlike us, but then we are quite deep.
Hello!
Not far round the bend to Alvecote, one day we will coincide with NB Harnser and actually get to meet Brian and Diana to talk to rather than just passing.
Not quite immaculate
We pootled on through Tamworth. I wonder which house it was that the lady would wave at us when we were in area for Tilly’s first jabs when she was a brand new boat cat. The garden with the immaculate lawn and ornaments hadn’t been out to hoover up the few leaves that had fallen overnight, I suspect there would be more before the day was out.
What time is a reasonable time to wait to hear about exam results when you are an aunt? GCSE’s I think I lasted into the afternoon before enquiring. Today I lasted till just before 11am. Josh, my nephew, replied quarter of an hour later. A*, A and another A! He’s been accepted to Manchester University. Brilliant! Well done Josh! I quickly asked if he’d be willing to help us with the Rochdale 9 next time. I haven’t mentioned as yet the Ashton Canal, or the Rochdale up to the Rose of Lancaster or even helping us up Wigan, but there’s three years worth of nephew boating duties on the cards. Needless to say Andrew and Jac are very proud parents, I’m also rather proud of him too.
An old dredger above the locks
Under the last bridge before the Glascote Locks, we pulled in for an early lunch avoiding joining the queue and I bobbed up to the co-op for a couple of things. Our pause was perfect as a boat was just exiting the lock as we approached, so we could go straight in, the wind now a touch extra blowy. A boat arrived behind us, our timing even better as now there was someone else who could open and close a bottom gate.
What are you both looking at?!
The bottom lock required filling luckily the wind just allowed me to pull in, then a lull allowed me to get back on board before Oleanna was pushed to the off side. The lock cottage has scaffolding up, the owners aiming to restore it to it’s former Georgian glory.
The bottom lock cottage
Thankfully the throat of the bottom lock is quite long, so Oleanna could lurk without the wind catching her as Mick closed up behind and lifted a paddle to start filling the lock for the boat behind us.
Straight on please
Two years ago we’d been iced in at Alvecote Marina and when we eventually escaped, the worst of the ice remained over the Tame Aqueduct. Today nothing of the sort, just wind constantly trying to adjust our line. At Fazeley Junction we carried straight on, or is that actually a right? At one point last week we’d considered a route up the Curdworth Flight and up the Tame Valley, Perry Barr, Rushall, the Curley Wurley to Wolverhampton, but right now that isn’t possible because of the chemical spill near Walsall, the canals closed to contain the pollution. We’d decided against it anyway as the rail links wouldn’t be helpful.
There’s a reason for not mooring right by bridges!
We now wanted a mooring without much tree cover and suitable for Tilly. Hopwas maybe, the woods, too woody. A little further on we found some armco, the depth was good, we pulled in a big gap between trees. Tilly was given the rest of the afternoon shore leave just as it started to rain!
They obviously don’t want people looking in, so click the photo to see what’s behind the wall!
The amount of friendly cover kept her busy. So much so that when she did return for some Dreamies it almost looked like she’d taken a dip! It rained for much of the rest of the day, proper really wet rain. Glad we’d stopped when we did.
A touch soggy this outside, it’s still pretty good
Sock photos taken, packages packed and labels printed ready for the next post box. I could now move on to cast on this weeks pair. A lady from Dementia UK has been in touch wanting to know if I’d like to write something about my fund raising to be added to a page on their website. Just need to catch up with myself first.
Say’s it all really!
A little after we moored Mick spotted that the passing boat was NB ScholarGypsy, not Simon on board. This will be the third time we’ve been passed by them this year.
2 locks, 8 miles, 1 right, 62 acorns, 3 red onions, 1 blowy day, 2 many trees, 1 firing range firing, 1 soggy moggy, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
Atherstone Visitor Moorings to Pooley Park Nature Reserve Wood.
Back to the locks
It was raining when we woke. This wasn’t deterring others from being on the move, all of them heading downhill. Oh well we’d have to reset locks and hope that we’d meet a few coming up the flight.
But I’m in one!
The boat ahead of us had not long left lock 6, Mick reset it and we were soon on our way down. The sign alongside the lock makes me laugh. Atherstone Locks 5 minutes walk, yet I’m in one of them! With the lock empty Mick had a go with my technique of opening the bottom gates, pushing them apart and then kicking one back into it’s recess whilst holding on to the other. I think he needs a bit more practice.
Closing up
A boat was coming up the next lock, too late for the lock above to be left open for them, but at least it was being reset for us. As Oleanna left lock 7 a boat appeared behind us, the lady gave Mick a hand with the bottom gates.
Lock 8 we waited for one to come up, by which time the boat behind us was closing in. The Atherstone flight take quite a while to fill, but are quick to empty. The gap between 8 and 9 is only small and a boat was coming up in 9. Mick passed the information on to the lady following us, she looked at her watch, were they in a hurry? Hopefully this would make a gap between us as I’m not one for being pressured at locks especially when I’m at the helm. As the bottom gates of lock 9 opened I could see another boat arriving, ideal we could leave the gates open for them and hopefully give ourselves a bigger gap.
There’s one coming!
Here Mick hopped on board, time for a sit down for me. The super dooper painkillers have just about warn off now and I suspect the gel I’ve now got isn’t quite as good, so a sit down was a good thing.
One of them ran back to say to leave the gate open
We met another two boats at the last two locks of the flight making life easy for both us and them. Now we hoped there’d be space at the services. One boat which was just about to leave, brilliant. We pulled right back so another boat could pull in infront they’d just had a delivery of new batteries which are heavy beasts so to be able to pull up right alongside where they’d been delivered on the bank would help.
Being observed
Water, yellow water, rubbish and a refresh of Tilly’s box we were good to move on ourselves just as another boat arrived. We paused on the towpath a little bit further on for lunch before continuing.
Jules Fuel boats were in the dock and the sign writing on Bream was being finished with a 0 on the inside of an engine hatch door.
Round through Polesworth, under the M42, no HS2 bridge here, this stretch was cancelled. Then alongside the wood. Last time we passed here it was all wonderfully golden with autumn, we’d made a note of it. Just far enough away from the motorway we pulled in, tried a few times to get to the bank, trying to not be under the trees for the solar, only half succeeding.
Hooray!
Tilly was awarded tree climbing time, she sampled a few. A wonderful dead tree down in the gully looked like it was about to come to life in a childrens novel.
What a great tree
Time to get the latest pair of socks finished. I’d opted not to carry the yarn across the back in the round, but to go back and forth to create a motif, this would hopefully keep the sock stretchy. Yet I now needed to seam up the edges I’d created, without loosing stitches in a seem. I’ve watched several youtube suggestions, none of which would help. Then I decided to basically add a stitch to hold the two sides. Pinned out on a strip of foam I was able to weave in yarn between the two sides, then with a crochet hook these were made into stitches. Not quite invisible, but fairly good. If Lucy or Cheryl, or anyone else knows of a better way to join two edges together that isn’t going to loose me a stitch like mattress stitch does please let me know. The remainder of ends were woven in in front of the TV, another pair of socks completed, the next pair will be much easier!
Humph
6 locks, 5.3 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 2 hoses confused, 1 clean pooh box, 1 boat in a hurry, 3 golden retrievers, 1 wood all to herself, 2 many walkers! 1 dancing tree, 1 gold leaf to visit next time, 4 awkward seams, pair 32 finished.
Every morning, as we put the cross bed away, we are finding fish in our bed! Of the cat nip variety. Nobody knows how they are getting in under the duvet every day and no-one is claiming responsibility either!
I wonder how they get there?!
Before anything else this morning I needed to contact my doctors surgery. Unfortunately the pain killer I’ve been on for nearly a month has brought back an old problem, extra medication was prescribed last week to help with this, but it was a touch too late. I filled out the forms, had a phone call from a receptionist asking if I could go to the surgery this afternoon! I explained about being away from Scarborough for the summer, when asked when I’d be back, ‘Well I don’t know, it might be 8 weeks time or it might not be until the New Year’. But if I did need to see a doctor I could be there tomorrow. She went away to hand it back to the doctor.
Half an hour later another phone call from a Paramedic Practitioner who listened to everything. She was surprised that I hadn’t been given the extra medication to start with. Pain killer to be stopped, keep taking the new one for three months to settle things down and she prescribed some Ibuprofen Gel to be rubbed into my knee which should help with the pain. She nicely prescribed me two months worth of everything so I wouldn’t have to request them again, also saving on the prescription costs. All sorted within an hour! I made sure I thanked her for saving me a trip to Scarborough.
Levels are down
Our departure had obviously been delayed this morning. The sun was out and the Carefree Cruising crew next door were busy polishing out some scratches before returning to base.
Past the Rothern Base, plenty of boats in there. Past the Hartshill Yard with it’s lovely clock. The canals level obviously down as we passed spillways that were bone dry and the water a good six inches too low to flow over into them.
Mafting, Yorkshire for a touch too warm!
This family must have been mafting this morning on the outskirts of Atherstone. A neighbouring house for sale.
For Sale. I personally don’t get the GREY thing. Click photo for details
The Hat factory above the locks looks even more dilapidated, there was a fire here recently. Kay from Welford, as she cruises around the network selling her canal ware, posts interesting bits of history about the areas to her face book page. One of the latest was about the hat factory.
The Hat Factory
I recently passed by the old Britannia works at Atherstone. Each year it looks a little sadder as more windows are broken. For so many years this hat factory, and so many others in Atherstone, reflected the twists and turns in society, global events and local life.
Many of the hatmakers on the factory floor were young women – often still teenagers, working long hours in the factory. Legislation through the Victorian era and into the 20th Century offered some protection for these women, especially when the local government factory inspector turned up to check everything was legal.
In this account in the 1930s the factory owners were fined for the excessive hours the girls were working. 14 hour days, rather than the legal 12 hours. Interestingly the court was asked to take this as a first offence for Wilson and Stafford (the owners of the Britannia works), however a dig into the archives reveals a fine for a similar events in 1912, when Wilson and Stafford were fined over issues of excessive overtime and not displaying the legal requirements on the walls of the factory.
The excuse of the owners for the 14 hour oversight is, through 21st Century eyes, quite bizzare. Basically they claimed the introduction of new machines was so exciting to the young women no one wanted to stop working! Though interestingly the factory inspector notes that other factories in the town were sticking to the 12 hour working day.
Factory work was, for some women, a way to escape the drudgery of domestic service where young women went to work, and often live, in their employer’s home, taking on all domestic work and often child care. However, work in a factory was far from easy and long hours, often in noisy, dusty environments was hardly an easy way to earn a living, especially when the employer added another 2 hours onto an already long working day.
As we approached the top of the locks we could see three volunteers, then a forth, a boat sat in the lock with the top gate open. We trod water for quite sometime. Was the owner the person chatting to a volunteer, looking at a map on a phone? No it was the chap looking through the books and DVDs by the volunteers station. Eventually he’d chosen what he wanted and started to move out of the lock.
Two volunteers helped Oleanna down, sending Mick on to open the next lock. They then refilled the top lock to send some water down the next pound looking quite low. Down the second lock, a boat was ascending the third. I pulled over to hover towards the bank, stopping about 2ft out, grounded, this pound was low too. The uphill boat came past with a volunteer, I hoped their movement would help drag Oleanna off the bottom, but it didn’t.
Reverse, HARD reverse, nothing! Forwards, nothing. Mick came and pushed with a pole, first the stern then the bow. Some movement then a sudden stop. A chap came from a boat below, the two of them now pushing. Oleanna was sat on something, the bow would move but not the stern. Mick walked back to the lock above, the volunteer having left the top gate open, no downhill boat in sight. Mick closed it then lifted a bottom paddle. The wave from above along with the other chap pushing the stern got Oleanna off what lay beneath. Another volunteer walked past, ‘think we’d best let some water down’. Yep that would help!
Thank you Mr Man
Finally we were in the lock and descending again. Into the fourth lock, below a boat on the water point another boat facing uphill a fifth or was it now sixth volunteer by the fifth lock. Crew walked up, then walked back to their boats, finally someone thought to walk up to help with opening the bottom gates.
Such a pretty flight
Here I could pull into the side, the boat on the water point had gone down. Mick had peeked ahead as much as you can do under the road bridge and not seen anything coming. The person at the helm of the down hill boat hadn’t said anything so gates were closed, only for a chap to turn up two seconds later wanting to bring his boat up. Gates were opened again, boat brought in. I decided to tie up and wait. I’ve been refraining from doing this as much as possible, but now it would be wise to do so.
Chat chat chat chat chat!
Too much chatting with volunteers and not enough paddle operation going on. The lady at the helm didn’t give Mick the thumbs up to lift his paddle, then eventually she got through to her partner and got him to lift a paddle, she’d spotted that we were waiting, he was oblivious!
Oleanna waiting for her turn
I also don’t push the bow out at the moment, the bow thruster can do that job for me. This meant I got a disapproving look from the lady going up hill. Well I suppose I comment on people steering with their bow thrusters but that’s normally when they go into locks and they must have a fixed tiller and not be able to use it to steer. Today I used the thruster to get away from the bank without wincing with pain, my super dooper painkillers now starting to wear off.
Last lock behind us
Down the last lock of the day, two spaces on the moorings, we needed one so grabbed it quickly an uphill boat found another space. After lunch we walked into Atherstone. Time to find a shop that would sell me an 18th birthday card for my nephew Josh, whilst I spent time selecting Mick headed on further to pick up my new prescription. We then found a bench to sit on to write cards and popped them in the post.
Birthday card
The Co-op is now a Tescos, Aldi is still Aldi and opposite. We worked our way round Tescos stocking up for the next week. Only one check out was manned so we used a self service one which really was stupid. It couldn’t cope with things being put in the bagging area, I don’t know how many times we had to call someone over to help us! Mick did very badly at avoiding a Geraghty strop!
I’m getting bored of reading these, but just as well I did with the last pills!
Back on board Tilly was given a hour and a half. It’s not a very interesting outside this one! Well until she came in still with half an hour to go, the woofer from the boat behind was being taken inside, Tilly could have the rest of her shore leave. At 6pm, cat curfew she wasn’t back. Mad cat woman on the towpath. Half an hour later more calling and meowing. Another half hour later more shouting! I gave up. Mick took over and of course he took all the credit as Tilly appeared from just the other side of the hedge! Where’s my dingding!?! Not sorry for being late!
5 locks, 4 miles, 3 boats swapping, 7 maybe 8 volunteers, why don’t they have a volunteer at each lock, be easier to monitor levels and problems that way, just saying, 200g Fenbid, 56 more pills, 2 cards in the post, 3 bags shopping, 1 Geraghty strop, take cover! 1 stop out cat.
Our mooring had been planned with today in mind. With the temperatures forecast to reach the 30s we wanted to stay put in the shade. No working through locks getting over heated, the only one who might be doing that would be Tilly. 8.5 hours of shore leave were awarded and off she went.
Exercises, pills, breakfast, blog writing all the usual things that happen on Oleanna in the morning. Cloud cover kept us cool for much of the morning, but when the sun came out it did get a touch hot.
Towpath shade
The chairs came out onto the towpath in the shade. What we thought was going to be an unpleasant day turned into quite a pleasant relaxed one. The knitting came out and a heel was turned before lunch.
Heel turned
As we’d come through Bedworth the other day I’d sent our friend Frank photos. Frank grew up in the area and has told us tales of playing around the coal boats at Black Bank wharf. Today he gave me a bit more information.
‘A little bit of history of the wharf it was common to find as many as 12 pairs of narrow boats awaiting loading at the wharf on a Sunday only two boats could be loading at a time, the loading was done by hand by a small gang of about 4 men, in 1937 they were paid penny 3 farthings per ton per man’. ‘Black bank was connected to the Newdigate Colliery which was 2 miles west of the Coventry Canal’
This got me looking at the side by side maps of the area at The National Library of Scotland. Several collieries were shown, but could I find Newdigate? A social club still exists, but nothing obvious. Then I spotted it Coll, a railway leading to it from Black Bank.
The line of trees across the centre was the Mineral Railway, canal on the right, colliery top left
A six inch map gave me a lot more detail. On the modern map you can see exactly where the Mineral Railway was by the obvious line of trees. Frank also pointed out that his family lived just south of where the railway crossed a road. Below is a link to the side by side map
Newidgate Colliery was formed by Sir Francis Alexander Newdigate in 1898, two shafts were sunk known as Frank and Lilah. By 1914 underground fires had meant the mine was in serious trouble and was sold off to Newdigate Colliery Ltd. The old pit bottoms were sealed off and new ones constructed 115ft above, productivity remained low until in the 1920’s when it was decided to only mine the top section of the Warwickshire Thick coal seam, it then became profitable. In 1966 Newdigate became the first colliery to produce 7,000 tons of coal from a single coal face. In 1982 the colliery had exhausted it’s workable coal reserves so ceased production. More info can be found here.
Thank you Frank, I like looking at old maps and don’t do it often enough, but having a reason today kept me busy for a good hour.
The cows came for a paddle and drink
Tilly stayed by our chairs, tree climbing a little bit too much with her fur coat today. A boat that had moored up in the afternoon was a Carefree Cruising boat, they had two dogs on board, both on leads. We chatted as the lady walked to the marina, she’d be keeping her dogs tethered as one of them would have liked Tilly as a snack.
Temperature, HOT
When it was ding ding time Tilly quite happily retreated into the shade of Oleanna, after a mouth or two of food she became our temperature gauge. It was long cat hot!
A barbeque this evening of marinaded turkey steaks with veg and haloumi kebabs. I’d requested fewer coals today as we’d had enough to cook three times as much food at Long Buckby. But today with lack of window kindling the coals weren’t quite enough. The great kebab rest had to be abandoned and the kebabs laid on the grill, the old fashioned way to get nearer to the heat. At one point I even lifted the grill and all the food off for the coals to be given a tousle to increase the heat. This worked but sadly the turkey steaks being quite thin had dried out with the slow cooking. They were tasty but a touch dry.
Slow cooking
The only downside of this mooring is the chap on his electric bike. Yesterday he passed us several times in turbo mode, sorry did I say passed, rocketed would have been a better description! Dressed in black with a scarf over his face, was this to stop him swallowing flies or more likely worn as a disguise. This evening he went past at a considerate speed, with people on the towpath I think he had little choice. I’m relieved Tilly wasn’t out when he’s passed in rocket mode! At the other end of the cycling spectrum there is one cyclist who has been past twice now, who stops and gets off his bike to walk it past us. Very considerate.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 Carefree Cruising boat, 0.75 of a sock, 3 paws, 1 slow day, 6 inches to the mile, 1 history lesson, 1 Frank shaft, 1 long cat, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, can somewhere get three? 0 flying ants, 2.5 turkey steaks, 4 veg kebabs, 2 slices blackberry and lemon drizzle cake.
Last night we were treated to a wonderful sunset. Over the last few weeks sight of the evening sky hasn’t been too good, so I’m glad we carried on moving to this mooring as there’s a bit more to see outside.
Breakie wasn’t going to be a cooked one, but ended up being so
The Geraghty zoom with breakfast. Subjects covered included spring chickens, under pinning, hang glider commuting and pollarding.
Watching the world go by
Boats came past for much of the day. Hire boats and plenty of Historic boats heading to Alvecote Historic Boat Gathering. It’s hard to find any information out about it on the internet, well we’ve not had much luck. We believe it will be on the Bank holiday weekend. We should be through there by then.
Great view, sadly I didn’t fancy the walk back down the hill so missed out.
Low on milk Mick walked over to the marina to see if they had any basic supplies. Only being asked for milk every six months or so, they don’t bother. So it was up the steep hill to find Budgens at the Texaco garage. Great views across to Bosworth Battle Centre and Stoke Golding on the Ashby Canal.
A brief moment of bathroom floorness
I pottered about whilst Tilly enjoyed a sausage day, a Chorizo kind of day. 9 hours had been allotted and so long as she didn’t find the ants nest and get off her t**s she was guaranteed to have a good day, just hope she doesn’t use it all up today!
I needed to get on with knitting, so other things were left until later in the day when it might get too hot for wooly things. This pair are a little behind where I hoped they’d be, but I’ll get there.
Who you looking at!
Across the way cows came for shade under the trees. A nosy at us sitting inside seemed to be on their to-do list. One cow wanted a drink, instead of moving to where the bank is lower it tried to drink from on top of the roots. A lean a touch too far whilst still being nosy meant a stumble and a quick recovery stopped it from falling in.
Oooooooo!
NB Olive, Taylors Aboard have recently posted three vlogs about the Basingstoke Canal. We don’t tend to watch vlogs but when you’ve met someone who makes them and travelled with them then it’s an interesting watch. When Josh first mentions us, he is a little bit worried that we might be ‘know it alls’, thankfully that changes. In a later episode he remembers a tale I told him wrongly, but if you were that boat you and I know the true details. There must be at least one more episode to come. If you are interested here’s a link to the first one that we are in, just wizz through the bits about vans and belts etc and get to look at the lovely canal in the sunshine.
Not a bad mooring
Late afternoon we got the chairs out on the towpath. Tilly stayed close in case it was food time. When a new neighbour came past with their Dachshund we took Tilly inside. After all she’d made use of all but half an hour of her 9 hours shore leave today and she was exhausted! Good job really as the occupants of the ants nest we’d moved to avoid, they all decided to set off for a flight. It was like a plume of smoke coming up from the nest and plenty more to follow.
Flying tonight!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 weather station not working, 1 weather station to be added to the Christmas present list, 1 confirmation, 9 hours, 1 exhausted cat, 46783653268 ants, 1 sock completed, 1 quiche, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 closing ceremony.
Ansty Visitor Moorings to Cat Junkie Mooring, Coventry Canal
No shore leave before breakfast, just exercises. No matter how much she practices she still can’t get her leg behind her head! Rubbish!! We were soon setting off a bit of dampness in the air.
I had a look for information on Ansty yesterday, Wikipedia. ‘Ansty has been cited as “the most boater-hostile village on the canals” because of the huge number of “no mooring” signs.’ Very true. Other information found was that before 1066 the main landowner was Lady Godiva and St James Church dates back to the 13th Century but in 1856 Sir George Gilbert Scott rebuilt quite a lot of the building. It’s a shame I wasn’t in the mood for walking the 1.3 miles there.
These are around every fifteen feet along the embankment
We tried to pull in at the water point just through the bridge. Quite a strong wind pushed the bow right over the canal and Mick found it hard to get the stern in. Oleanna was doing a Suez! I had a rope coiled all ready to throw round a bollard at the bow, but I was too far away to guarantee hitting the bollard and my rope wouldn’t have been long enough to get back to me. A boat approached, they slowed right down, no option with the canal blocked. A chap walked past from the moorings, he told us the canal was filled with rocks where we were trying to get in. We gave up as a bad job and quite quickly got ourselves facing the right way again, reopening the navigation.
Didn’t there used to be a field with Showmans caravans in it, or interesting trucks? I only caught the glimpse of one truck behind the trees. Then a decorated archway, a marquee giving shelter to tables laid out most probably for a wedding. Just round the bend the car and VW camper van graveyard is extreamly overgrown, just rusting roofs visible amongst the tall grasses.
Pylontastic
Pylons fill the sky all buzzingly heading for the big electrical substation (for want of a better name for it). Then round the last bend to Hawksbury Junction. Here we pulled in for water and remembered that we should have pumped out the yellow water when the towpath was on the port side! A volunteer helped boats through the lock, more heading onto the North Oxford than the Coventry Canal.
The A team were going to get a touch of a refresher at the lock, so I was glad that the volunteer seemed to be on their lunch break. A paddle needed lifting before the gate would open. Pain killer aided pushing of beams, hands loosing their windlass callouses and Mick at the helm for his first narrow lock since Isis Lock in Oxford. We made it through without difficulty, well the lock is only 10 inches deep!
Lots of room to moor once we’d turned right, we had a pause for lunch. A lady pulled in as we were pushing off again, she’d been on the Ashby ‘it’s low up there!’ The Ashby is at the same height as this stretch of the Coventry, but it is quite a shallow canal.
We pootled along. Spot the difference since last time at Charity Dock. Don’t remember Richard Carpenter and his partner or the pink rodeo pair with the merry-go-round horse. Was the queen there last time? At the end of the run the cruisers seemed a little bit more organised, maybe the dry dock was in use and they’d been shuffled round to gain access.
Across Marston Junction, the Ashby not in our cruising plans this year. A glance at our Waterway Routes map showed us just how much canal used to stretch off to the west. The Coventry Communication Canal, Arbury Canals, Seeswood Canal amongst others. Frank do you remember these as well as the arm south of Bedworth?
New
Should we stop sooner than planned, good tree cover for a stretch, we carried on, there was somewhere better for Tilly further ahead. The new building we saw going up a couple of years ago has huge windows and a roof garden and it looks like they’ve added access to the next bridge across the canal, looking after their workforces well being.
Through Nuneaton, busy with moving boats. Someone had hired a day boat for their 60th, much raucous laughter and singing from it as it returned to base, a balloon trail left behind it. Sweetcorn was growing in the allotments alongside the canal. We don’t remember seeing signs for the local green spaces before. We also don’t remember scraping the bottom so much!
Nearly every bridge hole needed gliding through. We caught the bottom whilst being a few feet out from the towpath, I could hear drawers inside Oleanna opening. Two boats came past, both with high revs giving them only slow propulsion forwards, turning the canal a very dark brown. The level was low.
Level’s down
Soon new hirers came towards us, Springwood Haven is now an ABC hire base. We pushed on just past the marina, some moorings we have stopped at before already occupied, but up ahead with trees on both sides was the Cat Junkie Mooring. We pulled in, adjusted our position for the optimum amount of shade, thankfully avoiding a big ants nest. This will do us whilst the temperature rises.
Tilly was quickly out exploring. Trees, friendly cover, a good dusty path to roll on, perfect. So perfect she stayed out half an hour after cat curfew! It didn’t matter too much as having the doors open was handy whilst I did some cooking.
Yummo!
A quinoa quiche base was baked ready for use tomorrow, new style chicken curry sat on the stove top bubbling away and to make use of the mass of blackberries Mick keeps picking I baked a Blackberry and Lemon Drizzle Cake. The recipe suggested icing it, but I refrained as there was way enough sugar in it already. We had a try of it for pudding this evening, very tasty it was. Click on the photo for the recipe.
1 lock, 10.9 miles, 1 right, 1 straight on, 1 full water tank, 1 low canal, 1 cake, 1 curry, 1 quiche in the making, 1.5 hours shore leave, 2 taken! 1 Mrs Tilly’s stamp of approval.
An earlier train to Rugby today. I got to the station in very good time, I might even have been able to catch the train before the one I’d planned, but that was running very late and still hadn’t arrived by the time my train was wending it’s way in towards Birmingham.
HS2 coming into town
HS2 has sections of viaduct now visible from the train. Four structures sit high heading to pass the old Curzon Street Station building which currently sits surrounded by fencing with dumper trucks moving shades of brown stuff around it. The tram obliged and arrived a minute after I had and whisked me to Brindley Place.
Athletics on the big screen and billowing deck chairs. Boats were departing the moorings, 2 for Farmers Bridge and one heading off towards the Soho Loop. A couple untied their boat, bow hauled it away from Sheepcote Street Bridge. They moved a boats length then stopped two bollards between themselves and the next boat. I counted paces as I passed, 16! I almost made a comment that ‘My boat wouldn’t fit in that git gap’, but refrained as I know they’d have replied that there was plenty of space elsewhere, which there was, but come late afternoon there might not be for a late arriving boat.
Today at the dentists I saw Tom the hygienist. It’s the third or fourth time I’ve seen him. On our first meeting his rocking from foot to foot and scrumishing his hands together whilst he talked slightly worried me, now he makes me think of a Hamster waiting for a fresh toilet roll or some nice sunflower seeds to come his way.
Hello!
A peek from Liberty Place Footbridge before heading for the train. NB Waterway Routes was at home, the back doors open. I knew I’d be told off by Paul if I didn’t say hello, but it was just a touch too far to shout. Mick was slow to respond with a phone number and it was starting to rain. I waved even though I knew I’d not be seen and headed back to New Street Station before getting too wet.
It’s going to have an empty life as it was out of service!
After lunch and with Tilly home it was raining properly, but we really wanted to move. Up to the water point to fill up, dispose of yellow water and watch a chap walk across to the car park with one of those big chunky C&RT posts with mooring signs on it. He then popped it in the boot of his car. It did look like it had a rotten base and had fallen over, wonder where he took it?
Post into the boot
Not far to travel today, just another mileish to the Newbold moorings near the Barley Mow, plenty of room there. Tilly was given shore leave and we rang the pub to reserve a table. Maybe we needn’t have done so as there was no competition for seats, once Lizzie had arrived there were four punters in the pub. Maybe it was good that we had booked as they didn’t close their kitchen early.
Lizzie, Mick and Pip
A Barley Burger and two rump Steaks. Just as good as two years ago, the plates just as cold too! We had a lovely evening with Lizzie, more time to be able to chat than at her birthday party a few weeks ago. She’s promised to come out and see us somewhere as we head northwards.
As we had breakfast this morning my GP surgery called. They prefer you to contact them via the website rather than phoning. Last week I had sent them a message asking if I would be able to attend the walk in xray clinic in York, They had called to tell me I could, I confirmed that I already had, the lady said well we now both know that you can do this. So hopefully in future it may save some people a five week wait.
Todays volunteers
A slightly damp start to the day, waterproofs required just in case things got wetter, thankfully they didn’t. Not far to the top of Hillmorton Locks. A boat was just exiting the top lock and it looked like Nick Wolfe on Aldgate had everything in control. Mick popped us straight into the open lock, Louis and John were the volunteers on duty today.
Keen crew on the right
A boat was just pulling up below and a hire boats crew were running along the towpath to the lock alongside us overtaking the waiting boat. A lady came up and apologised to Mick for not having left the gate of the lock below open for us, no problem we hadn’t arrived when they were leaving it. She helped with the lock allowing Mick to walk down, he stopped to chat to the chap waiting below.
NB Holderness just going into the lock
As the bottom gates opened it was going to be a bit of a squeeze past their bow, gently I came out nudging the bow over when I could to avoid contact. Thankfully Oleanna’s B team didn’t make contact with the boat below as it turned out to be Tony from NB Holderness. Thank you for asking about my knee. Shame I didn’t know it was Helen at the lock, but without peoples boats as reference it’s often the way.
Captive in the lock
As I departed the middle of the three locks it was obvious a boat would be coming towards me, their crew having just arrived at the lock. Thankfully neither boat was in each others way going round the bend, another boat was just coming through the bridge so I had to tread water. The area where the orchids grow at the bottom lock seems to be getting bigger. Sadly today the flowers were already dead, but you could see how many there had been. Another boat arrived to come up, Hillmorton, busy as ever. I wonder if it will be the busiest lock on the network this year after the landslip to the north cut the route in two for quite some time?
A constant flow of boats
For the last two days we’ve seen so many Clifton Cruiser hire boats coming and going from base. Other hire bases we’ve seen have been full of boats, so it was a surprise to see only three boats moored up where you normally have to squeeze past them breasted up. A lot of hire companies are offering big discounts at the moment. I had a look at the Hoseasons website for Clifton Cruisers, they were the only boats not discounted on the list.
We now trundled round to find a space near to the Station, but also not too far away from Tescos. There were a couple of rings available at the end of the moorings close to Boughton Bridge. Not quite as close to the station as further back but there would be the option of a bus from nearby. We pulled in, willow trees overhanging on the opposite bank, tip toed around so much dog c*ap. The chap in the boat in front offered to take a line, very nice of him, maybe it would have been nicer if he’d offered to move back the 18 empty paces behind him. His answer was they weren’t stopping long, just to go shopping! Mick hammered a spike in and we asked if they could let us know when they were about to push off. They kindly did a couple of hours later, we pulled right up to the next boat, leaving enough room for another boat behind us.
Loads of room today
Now moved up we steadily walked to Tescos, a constant stream of boats looking for moorings. Today we’d get ourselves partly stocked up and then do a click and collect for tomorrow for other items and all those things we keep forgetting about, which hopefully during the afternoon and evening we’d remember.
On return Tilly was allowed out, she also played hopscotch with the woofer pooh. A double mesh fence prevented her from getting very far, so this outside was exhausted quite quickly.
3 locks, 3.1 miles, 1 straight, 1 blogger, 18 pace git gap, 2 boxes discounted wine, 1.5 hours shore leave, 1 exciting email conversation, 2 gravitationally defiant pairs of trousers, 1 sad gits meal, 1 more in the freezer.
Boats boats boats! So many moving boats this morning, maybe this is where everyone is. It’s always busy in these parts as there are so many marinas and not many locks. Clifton Cruisers also seem to be doing a good trade compared to most hire bases, we’ll see how many boats they have in when we pass their base.
It’s cosy in here
With supplies surprisingly low for breakfast Mick cooked us up some eggs and mushrooms on toast instead of the normal porridge oats. We need to do quite a stock up of basic things when we reach Rugby. Tilly took up residency within the airing rack which at times gets positioned on the sofa for ease of getting past, well it’s not much of a climbing frame when it’s on the sofa, but I may as well make use of it, plus there’s nothing better than freshly laundered socks and pants to sit on!
Time to move off ourselves. We managed to pull out without having to wait for too many boats to come past, but soon found the boat in front was slow. A boat soon showed itself behind us, we all kept to a reasonable distance and headed northwards.
A wide bridge
Some stretches of the North Oxford were straightened to cut journey times and the bridges were kept wide, Widebeams are allowed to cruise up to Dunchurch Pools Marina if they have booked passage, an email to warn narrower boats is sent out so you can stay put as the canal wasn’t really built for widebeams. Past Dunchurch Pools the bridges are that bit narrower.
A narrower bridge
I scanned in on the pump at the marina, it could have said £1.01 a litre, but I couldn’t be certain. We’ve heard that it’s a good price, maybe it’s better than Rugby Boats now.
A kestrel (?) keeping an eye on us
We followed on behind the slow boat. All the way down Barby straight, a good idea to keep your speed down, especially when passing a breasted up pair, they didn’t need to alter their speed as they’d be going at tick over all the way.
A chicken has joined the witch and skeleton on the wishing well and the tree house has been totally taken over by the tree. A lovely vintage car now sits on manicured grass, it’s been a while since the vintage ambulance was last seen surrounded by long grass. The new house at the end is still being built. Electric cables hang from the ceilings and areas of exterior wall still need cladding, will they be wood or render?
Coming round the bend by Wharf Farm the boat ahead met a rather faster moving boat, they made contact and then spent time sorting themselves out. The mound of rubbish by the boat yard, is it getting bigger, it’s certainly an eye sore.
What a load of rubbish
We’d considered carrying on to find a mooring near Tescos in Rugby, but the going had been so slow we abandoned it. Pulling in where The Wasp (NB Lilliyanne and NB Blackbird) had moored ten years ago below the railway embankment. It’s not as noisy as you’d imagine and proved to be a good place for Tilly as fairly soon after we arrived her catch was confiscated!
Just around the bend
Time to look up some reference for the next pair of socks, a touch of colourwork required for these. I worked out a pattern then selected the yarn, pair 32 ready for casting on, just the rib at the top of pair 31 to finish. There’s still 7 pairs of socks up for grabs, ideal Christmas presents in aid of a great charity, just saying! And talking of Christmas, today we’ve had our first enquiry for digs from someone in the Christmas show. If we end up with two people wanting digs then we shall stay on the boat till the new year, better have a look at the winter stoppages!
Next!
Tilly came and went, Well I was looking for something!She came and went so much that the Dreamie pot became empty.Just what am I going to come home for now! Don’t worry a new pack of Beef Dreamies was opened and someone stuck their face in the pot straight away. Fresh Dreamies, that extra crunch!
How can the Dreamie pot be empty!?!
0 locks, 5.6 miles, 1 very slow boat, 2 near misses, 1 direct hit, 4 hours shore leave, 4 shades, 1 background, 1 prescription alteration requested, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 vanishing bird.
Weedon Bec to 1 lock down from the top of Long Buckby Flight
Before breakfast Mick returned the hire car, picking up a Saturday newspaper and a few bits on his way back. I did my exercises and Tilly just ignored me, she was too busy shouting at the back door to be let out, I in turn ignored her! In fact today the amount of shouting at the back door was so much that it would have been quite nice not to have a cat! When we were cruising Tilly camped out on the top step so that we could hear her and see her when we opened the hatch for whatever reason. Well you keep deserting me and I just want you to know that I DONT like it!!!!
Mud weight being retrieved
The yellow water was pumped out ready for disposal at the next elsan and then the mud weight was pulled up from the shallow depths. it had served it’s purpose very well and had been tested this morning with numerous boats passing.
Time to make our way to Long Buckby, around three and a half miles on the flat. All the usual things to see, the crane, the glittery boat on the towpath (are they on official moorings?), familiar boats and of course the couple by the bridge and their dog. We had lunch before the locks.
As we pushed off we could see a boat already ascending the bottom lock. Then behind us a boat came into view, would we have a locking partner? Oleanna came into the lock, rope up to Mick to help pull her across to make room just as the boat behind us turned into Whilton Marina!
Looking behind
We gradually worked our way up the locks all bar two set against us, never managing to catch the boat ahead up. At the two in our favour we met downhill hire boats. The first crew, according to Mick, had been lucky not to have cilled their boat. Dad lifting paddles to fill the lock even though it was already full and the gate was open, he then didn’t realise he’d have to close it before emptying the lock. Then as he walked to lift a bottom paddle the boat was drifting backwards with no-one at the helm, Mick fortunately stopped him and explained why it was such a bad idea. Soon a young lad appeared to look after the helm, his steering skills were aided by hitting both sides of the lock as he came out, thankfully he avoided collision course with Oleanna!
Plenty to help push the gates
The next hire boat had an experienced crew and I was the one who may have set course for collision as the gates opened, I managed to gain control and actually looked like I knew what I was doing! We also picked up a very enthusiastic family who were keen to open and close gates for us, saving Mick some umphing.
With one lock left to do we decided to call it a day. If we carried on up we’d be wanting to fill with water and any shore leave that was still being shouted about would be cut shorter. So we pulled over opposite the pretty gardens and a good distance away from the road.
Click the photo for details
Some pork mince had been defrosted, we had space on the towpath to sit out, time for a barbeque. A slight experiment with the mince. I grated an apple into it added seasoning. It was quite wet so then added some gf bread crumbs, an egg and some Szechuan pepper. Made into Kofta on skewers they rested in the fridge.
Verdict was that they lacked a bit of a punch, maybe some wholegrain mustard or chilli flakes would have done the trick. None the less it was nice to be sat outside. When we’d arrived we were one of two boats, now the bank was full, including the hire boat with no idea.
