Suttons Stop Friday 25 September 2015

I don’t remember the trains being so noisy or running so often as they did last night.
This morning a boat went gently by before we were up, I guess it was an ex-working boat by the sound of the engine. We set of at 9-15 in bright sunshine rapidly meeting lots of boats. It wasn’t until I looked at the Waterways Routes map that I realised just how big the loops where that got cut off when they straightened the canal. This one is just north of Clifton Cruisers and they use the stub of the arm, marked as a “Winding Hole” for mooring boats. The symbols on the map by bridge 66 indicate what services are available. The purple banner is the time and mileage, there is one every half an hour travel time.

As we approached Rugby someone had a bonfire the other side of the hedge, the sun playing through the trees and smoke looked nice.

Newbold Tunnel really didn’t need a headlight, the sun quite low behind us illuminated the whole tunnel from end to end. No flash was used for this photograph and its not been doctored at all.
I still took a photograph as we emerged from the far end because I liked it. 

There were only a few boats moored at All Oakes, where have they all gone?
The Canal and Rivers Trust obviously read Narrowboat World as Victor pointed out the buoy was adrift. now its fitted with a nice chain.

At Ansty there use to be a very useful bridge to cross from the tow path moorings to the Rose and Castle pub, it was bridge number 15. Unfortunately they didn’t do that good a job of it and the walls that are left are now parting company. All four corners are like this. By now we had a boat very slowly gaining on us but at no time did he get close enough for me to invite him to pass, eventually he eased off and we pulled away a bit which made things more comfortable.
We pulled in to moor for the night just before Suttons Stop opposite the long term moorings, we are on the bend but only get on and off at the bows so not a problem. Since we have been here Diana has polished the Port side of the boat and I have given all the spots of rust on the roof another bash of rust preventer.

Today’s Journey 14¾ miles in 5 hours