Westport Lake Sunday 8 September 2019

Day : Sunday
Date : 8 September 2019
Start : 0900
Finish : 1700 Westport Lake

I have uploaded our proposed route to Canal Planer AC https://canalplan.eu/journey/12200_cp if anyone wants to see where we are likely to be. It gets updated with actual position each night.

It was a tad cool in the early hours of this morning, not quite a frost but very close to it. We were away at 9am but a couple of boats moored behind us had already passed so it was no surprise to be behind a hire boat at Aston Lock, the good news they were stopping at M&S food hall below Stone lock. When we arrived at Stone locks he was just filling with water while the ladies went shopping so we were able to pass, this gave us a good run up the locks. Above the lock The Star Pub has a new slant on outdoor seating with this row of chairs along the towpath.

Joules Brewery who originate in Stone are building a new Tap House on Crown Wharf and also turning the old fire station into a heritage site.

Our run through Stone with the locks went well apart from a hiccup at Meaford Bottom Lock where the prop fouled just as I was about to enter the lock. I pulled the boat in on a rope and as Diana locked us up I delved into the weedhatch to remove a rope fender that was wrapped round the prop and shaft. As the next lock was in our favour a boater coming down had opened the gates and walked down to see why I wasn't leaving the lock. I do wish people would not go through locks with fenders down. Sorry to those that had to wait for us.

We met up with some old friends at the top of the flight from Suffolk on their share boat.

Just after Trentham lock there are two trees growing in the middle of the towpath, I can't think of another example of this on the system at all.

I am not sure who this group of cyclists where but there were 15 of them making their way along the towpath at a sedate rate of knots thankfully, unlike some we meet.

In Stoke on Trent there is an online mooring site known as "Dolphin shooting fishing and boats" A lady there has a boat with a wicker cratch and sedum top to it, plus the boat is covered with flowers.

At Stoke bottom lock our luck changed with a boat going up the lock ahead so from now we had to turn each lock, in Stoke top lock there was a large dead Pike, I would estimate it to be between 600 and 750mm long, over half the length of a bottom gate, the head section doesn't show as it had sunk.

Festival Park has had a new addition since we were this way last. Waterworld with flume rides and lots of other activities

As we were making good time we decided to carry on to Westport Lake for the night, but when we arrived it was pretty full with all boats except one sharing a ring, as we passed he popped out and offered to shuffle up for us which was good of him. He explained that last night everyone was sharing a ring, but as boats have gone and others come some of different lengths he got left with a gap each side, so when he thought we were looking for a mooring he was more than happy to help. Unlike a boater yesterday we followed, he asked a boater to move forwards or backward and she refused saying she wanted a full 30 feet empty each end of her boat.

Today's Journey16 Miles 15 Locks in 8 hours

Burston Saturday 7 September 2019

Day : Saturday
Date : 7 September 2019
Start : 0945hrs
Finish : 1700 hrs Burston

I have uploaded our proposed route to Canal Planer AC https://canalplan.eu/journey/12200_cp if anyone wants to see where we are likely to be. It gets updated with actual position each night.

Back to our normal sort of time today, 0945 hrs off in the sunshine. Last time we passed here this was just the beginning of a building site, today its established lived in homes right behind the Ashtree cruising club moorings. When we use to moor at Kings Bromley marina I often looked at this shed and wondered how much more it could lean without falling over, its still going and still standing.

We had a brief stop at Tesco in Rugeley, as we pulled in the boat ahead left so we were able to moor right outside the store, I must say most of the boats that went by, it is quite narrow and a blind bridge were moving at a fair rate. OK we were not well tied but its quite a congested area. Once the boss returned with the essentials we were off heading for Colwich lock, we met several boats on the way, one right where there are a pair of breasted Narrowboats moored outside a house, they are as big an obstacle as a wide beam on a narrow canal. We caught up to the boat in front just before the lock and there  was no one ahead of him, with boats waiting to come down it was one up, one down. There were only 8 boats moored between here and Haywood lock which is unusual. After this it was a steady run up the locks until we moored for the night just before Burston lower bridge.
Looking across from the canal there is a rather splendid tree house with a balcony, I wonder if its a glamping let.

Today's Journey14½ Miles 5 Locks in 6½ hours

Armitage Friday 6 September 2019

Day : Friday
Date : 6 September 2019
Start : 0800 hrs
Finish : 1645 hrs Armitage Plumb Pudding

I have uploaded our proposed route to Canal Planer AC https://canalplan.eu/journey/12200_cp if anyone wants to see where we are likely to be. It gets updated with actual position each night.

I looks like we now have a new mooring, don't know whereabouts but we are in the book. We had a nice meal and a pint of Dome Bar in the Samuel Barlow last night. This morning we were awake in go time and as the forecast was for rain later we set off at 8 am. It wasn't early enough because the very heavy rain hit us at Brookhay, we had planned to stop at Fradley.

This canal side garden has always supported loft of ornaments but I think there are even moor today than the last time we passed.

If anyone is looking for a canal side property with a mooring the lock cottage by Glascote bottom lock is up for sale for £250K. Someone has had the paper notice by the lock engraved onto brass and its now attached on the offside.

All the times we have crossed the aqueduct at Tamworth over the River Tame, I have never noticed this Pill Box at the far end.

I thought I best top up with diesel, I have always found Fazeley Mill Marina to be competitive, today they were 76p for domestic, last time I filled up I paid 85p, it was a short detour but worth it.

Back to Fazeley Junction and up the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. We passed a moored boat with an unusual wind turbine, an axial one, I have no idea how efficient they are, but I would rather that than spinning blade tips above my head.

At Fradley Junction it was hard left, just as a boat had gone by in the same direction we were going. By now the sun was out and the sky was blue, time to take the raincoat off. There is a kind of raft moored on the private moorings by cafe, I am not sure what its purpose is, it looks as if its made to take an outboard engine and also a bit like a ferry. Some one will know.

The boat ahead of us was a single handing lady, but she was well on the ball with her boating skills, tucked into the bottom gate, up and crank the paddles, at which point Diana arrived after closing the swing bridge to lend a hand. As there was a boat coming down I had to wait for, Diana went up to Shadehouse lock to lend a hand but was back as I drew the top paddle to bring Harnser up the middle lock. As the weather was now so nice we decided to push on a bit, at Wood End lock I saw a proper compost toilet with flowers growing out of it.

We met several boats as we continued on our way, mooring for the night opposite the allotments just before The Plum Pudding at Armitage.

Today's Journey 22¾Miles 5 Locks in 8¾ hours

Polesworth Thursday 5 September 2019

Day : Thursday
Date : 5 September 2019
Start : 1000
Finish : 1530 Alvecote

I have uploaded our proposed route to Canal Planer AC https://canalplan.eu/journey/12200_cp if anyone wants to see where we are likely to be. It gets updated with actual position each night.

Thanks for the two replies last night, Firstly there was a man tending his Bees, just after I did the blog and secondly the things on the overhead power cabled called Stockbridge dampers. There is always someone who knows the answer.

Yesterday evening the wind got up and it rained, I was quite pleased we sleep at the back. By this morning the sun was back and after hearing Rick on Auriga chug gently by we thought it best we got up. It was 10 when we set off and stopped at the top of the Atherstone flight to fill with water and dup rubbish. We met quite a few boats in the flight and a couple of boaters enquired if it was me that produced this log, sorry I didn't ask your names but I did note one boat was called Holly.

I think they may have bit of a problem getting this boat that is in Barry Hawkins yard through the flight.

It was the lock by his yard where I had to feed the swans, not something I normally do, but in this case they were all grouped by the top lock and would probably have gone in the lock as soon as we opened the gate, so I tempted them away with bread. As soon as we were in the lock and I stopped feeding them they were back by the gate.

A little further down the flight were these flowers in memory of a lady that died on the flight at lock 8 back in July. Really the remains of these need removing as the flowers are all dead but I never feel I should touch them.

Once clear of the flight we carried on past Grendon Dock where we were greeted by a spotty dog, we first had one when I was a kid and then another when I first got married.

A rather interesting boat in Polesworth called Brenda May, not only did he have 2 masts with imitation birds and other items , he also had some snakes made from tyres and what looked like a gorilla sitting on the bows.

We carried on and moored opposite The Samuel Barlow at Alvecote, where we hope to have a mooring for the next 12 months, but they look pretty full so we will have to see what the man says when he gets back.

Today's Journey 8½ Miles 11 Locks in 5½ hours

Mancetter Wednesday 4 September 2019

Day : Wednesday
Date : 4 September
Start : 1010
Finish : 1440 Mancetter

I have uploaded our proposed route to Canal Planer AC https://canalplan.eu/journey/12200_cp if anyone wants to see where we are likely to be. It gets updated with actual position each night.

As expected it rained overnight but was dry and sunny when we set off, although the sun was nice the breeze was a little cool. Not long after leaving we passed the wooden tar boat, Dane. This is the third Thomas Clayton boat we have passed this week.

I wonder if anyone can tell me what these T things are on the high voltage electricity pylons, there seems to be one, sometimes two each side of the insulator.

As we approached Sutton Stop there are some nicely restoredlorries in the canal side field, a little further on there is a collection or un restored cars just rotting away.

On the lead up to Sutton Stop lock a cruiser was having bit of a problem with his inexperience and the wind, the result was he slid along the side of every moored boat on the offside. As we worked through the stop lock I saw a CRT boat head off along the Coventry Canal, I was hoping that he would turn off down the Ashby Canal which he did just as we caught up with him.

Charity Dock seems it have collected a few more curios as well as a few more boat, but it was still easier meeting a boat there than all the boats moored at Nuneaton where 2 boats can just pass. Nuneaton surly must be the allotment centre of the UK.

I would be interested to know if anyone has ever seen any disable people fishing at Hartshill, there is a section of towpath reserved for them.

We planned to moor a short way before the Atherstone Locks with a view to being at The Samuel Barlow tomorrow night so we pulled over at Mancetter shortly before the rain came. Directly opposite where we are moored is a collection of multi coloured Bee Hives, I assume they have bees in them.

Today's Journey12¾ Miles 1 Locks in 4½ hours

Ansty Tuesday September 3 2019

Day : Tuesday
Date : 3 September 2019
Start : 0940 hrs
Finish : 1545 Ansty bridge 12

I have uploaded our proposed route to Canal Planer AC https://canalplan.eu/journey/12200_cp if anyone wants to see where we are likely to be. It gets updated with actual position each night.

It was much quieter than expected last night and we didn't hear much of the trains at all, tonight its the Motorway between the M6 and M69

There were quite a few boats on the move this morning so we were away in reasonable time. A boat had just passed but the Hillmorton locks are paired and although the boat ahead were already setting their lock when we arrived we were able to draw the paddles on the second one for them. CRT have carried out, I hope, a temporary repair to the middle lock beam, this is the third beam failure I have heard of this trip. There was a Volockie at the bottom lock who assisted with the bottom gate as Diana had shot off with the rubbish. The new housing runs well down beyond the lock and a new road to serve the development is being built, this crosses the canal just before Clifton Boats on a smart new bridge with brick facings. It has the bridge name and number cast into the concrete lintel, so I hope CRT don't plan to change it any time soon. There is what looks like a Gyrocopter sat on the wharf at Clifton Cruisers, maybe its a new venture they are going into.

A family, well maybe mum, calf and friends were enjoying a drink in the canal but were not impressed with the slight wash we made so went off to join the rest of the herd.

The compulsory stop at Rugby was made to visit Tesco where my Tesco credit card was rejected, a phone call gave an explanation, they sent me a new one 2 weeks ago and have cancelled the old ones, so its the debit card now until we get home.

There were very few boats moored at Newbold and thankfully the tunnel was quite dry, this is a very large tunnel with a towpath on both sides. many years ago they fitted coloured lights in the tunnel but over the years these have been slowly failing and now non work at all.

Rose Narrowboat have an unusual boat moored there, its an old spoon dredger from when canals were dredged by hand. One man would work the winch that had a chain running down to the spoon while another man would be on the T handle of the spoon at the end of the long shaft directing it into the silt. Between them they would drag it into the silt and then up to tip it into the boat.

As we approached the famous Ansty "No Mooring" area the offside appears to be subsiding, this is where one of the old in filled original loops of the canal joined the new straight cutting all these old loops are visible on Waterway Routes digital maps. We carried on a bit longer until we were about half way between the M6 and M69 hoping this will be the quietest spot, since we have been here another boater has joined us on this short length of piling.

Today's Journey 13¼ Miles 3 Locks in 5 hours

Hillmorton Monday 2 September 2019

Day : Monday
Date : 2 September 2019
Start : 0920
Finish : 1520 Hillmorton

I have uploaded our proposed route to Canal Planer AC https://canalplan.eu/journey/12200_cp if anyone wants to see where we are likely to be. It gets updated with actual position each night.

We said goodbye to Connie who had been staying with us for the weekend and set off on a cooler but sunny morning. We were somewhat surprised how Nelson Wharf has developed since we were last this way, Moorings well down beyond the old railway embankment and another large building.

We arrived at the bottom of the Calcutt flight to find a boat waiting for us to join them in the lock to go up, which was a pleasant surprise, I hadn't seen them at all. We were soon on our way with only a few inches of water holding the gates of the second lock close. As we came up we could see people working the top lock and there were two more boats coming down, could it get better, yes. There was a boat at the top waiting to come down behind them, so our locking partners who so kindly waited were off into the sun. We on the other hand stopped and topped up with water. As we set off I could see that the reservoir was around its normal level.

With the tanks full it was on to Napton Junction and sharp left to Braunston. Passing the long term moorings on the puddle bank these sheep decided that to lay against the side of one of the moorers cars would be a good move.

There is an old wooden boat moored along there at the moment and on the side it says "Thomas Clayton No.19 Conway"a little further on, on the North Oxford canal we passed another Thomas Clayton boat "Spey"hopefully this one is not full of water.
We chugged on to Hillmorton to find that firstly there is no longer anyone selling diesel. The Hungry Horse or The Old royal Oak, is now The Waterside and run by Green King and then just round the corner there is a large housing development going up.

We only went a short way further on to moor for the night just under Moors Bridge, its possible that we may be on a long term mooring, the notices are somewhat contradictory but it has rings , the only down side is the close proximity to the railway which seams to have a train every 5 minutes at the outside.

Today's Journey 14½ Miles 3 Locks in 6 hours

Birdingbury 1 September 2019

Day : Sunday
Date : 1 September 2019
Start : 1610
Finish : 1720 Birdingbury Bridge

I have uploaded our proposed route to CanalPlanAC if anyone wants to see where we are likely to be. It gets updated with actual position each night.

We decided to move on this afternoon after the CIBC auction just after 4 pm. in the company of Narrowboat "Black Pig" with the assistance of several of the other CIBC members who had been at the rally. We had a good run up meeting a couple of boats on their way down. We only went as far as Birdingbury Bridge opposite The Boat Inn

Today's Journey ¾ Miles 8 Locks in 1¼ hours.