N Oxford 2 miles north of Ansty

Sometime ago when visiting Coventry we happened to chance on a lovely Indian restaurant called Turmeric Gold. Its far from the cheapest we have visited, but its good, so we went again last night. There are some nice touches like a small fruit drink when you arrive and a canapé before the main course and rounded off at the end with a couple of grapes soaked in something. You have probably guessed we went there last night.


Last night was the coldest so far with a good frost and in the shade the grass was still white.

Unusually for us, after getting well stuffed last night we skipped the full English breakfast and set off in bright sunshine. Today was a day of reflections with a mirror like water surface and low angle sun light.

When we have come this way in the past we have often looked at what we thought was a disused chimney at Bates Timber, but today there was smoke coming out of it.

Most people will know that the canal bridges in Birmingham had holes put in them during the war for the fire brigade to draw water , but some of Coventry bridges were the same.

When this was an industrial area there were lots of storm drains discharging straight into the canal, now its a large housing estate I wonder if they have been capped off.

At Hawkesbury Junction a boat had just come through the lock so it was with us, we just had to hold back a couple of minutes while the last fishermen of the day reeled in, we have seen more today than in the past few weeks.
We were now on the North Oxford canal making our way towards Braunston. As the weather was turning a bit cooler we decided to stop about 2 miles before Ansty against a short length of pilling well away from the motorway.

Today’s Journey

8 miles with 1 lock in 3 hours

Coventry Basin

Last night when we went to bed the temperature was zero, when we set off this morning it was 3° but the sun was out with a clear sky and it felt very pleasant. Bit of an early call this morning when this lot moved in just across the canal. We were away at 10am and as you can see Springwood Haven Marina is now packed out with hire boats.

You just have to take a photo of this as you pass, there are not many left.

The sky was bright blue and the sun warm, the only downside was the reflection off the water into your eyes most of the time. Thankfully we didn’t meet any boats in awkward places.
To the south of Nuneaton the new housing estate has almost reached the northern end of the site backing p to the towpath.

We carried on to Hawkesbury Junction where the long term moorings are almost empty. Just a few boats at each end.

A short pause just after the junction to rid the boat of waste and recycling in the compound at the back of the car park and then we headed down to Coventry basin. Aw we watched the clear blue sky a tiny cloud came from nowhere, then another. It was quite fascinating to watch them form. The basin is as full as I have seen it and we are outside the office block near the steps, there is one slot opposite us by the central area and that's it, boats on the rest.

Today’s Journey

13 miles with no locks in 4½ hours

Springwood Haven

We had rain most of the night but it was fine by breakfast time, the two hire boats slipped by and a boat came down so we made ready to leave, what happened, another boat came passed, so we thought we best follow them before anyone else turned up. Much to our surprise they were still waiting to go into lock 5 with the hire boat ahead of them. The upside, being Wednesday there were loads of volunteers on the flight so we were able to work ahead.We even met a couple of boats coming down at 3 and 2. We had just entered the top lock when another volunteer came on duty. There also looks to be a new resident at the top lock.

 

We left the lock and moored just through the first bridge as food stocks were running low. Opposite work is going on at a pace with cement oversite going in with the help of this giant scorpion, well cement pump actually.

By the time we had finished shopping and had lunch the weather was much improved and we carried on to Hartshill to fill with water, a much better tap than most of them, then on to just before Springwood Haven for the night.

Today’s Journey 4½ miles with 5 locks in 3¼ hours

Atherstone flight below lock 5

We were about to have breakfast when the boat we overtook came by, but for some reason they moored a short way ahead of us, then set off again just before we were going to, so we waited a bit and two hire boats came by both single handed, as we guessed they were being moved from Kings Orchard to another marina. So we were now three boats back for the flight, so we thought we best follow them before anyone else came along.
Then a pleasant surprise the first boat was coming back again, so down to two.
As we passed the Grendon services a lady called out that no boats had gone up the flight this morning due to lack of water and none went up yesterday. When we arrived at the flight there were three boats being moved single handed, an ex working boat that wasn’t going up and two above lock 11. They were there all day yesterday morning because of low levels between 9 and 10. We had only just done ½ hour. At half one the last of the hire boats being moved to Springwood Haven went up lock 11 and we moved forward to the lock moorings. The poor deer that I dragged from the canal was still laying in the hedgerow, I thought the fox’s may have taken it by now.

Because of the low pond they were basically sending one boat down and when that reached lock 10 sending one up, letting water down all the time. By the time the next boat came down the pound was within 300mm of weir and I suggested to one of the boat movers he should go up. All this was being organised by other boaters, I didn’t see any sign of CRT. Once we were away things went well and we steadily made our way up to above lock 6 where we moored for the night just before 5pm. So that about 6½ hours to do 2¾ miles.

Todays journey

 

2¾ miles with 6 locks in 3½ hours.

Coventry Canal prior to bridge 50

The Tame otter had a beer delivery this morning before it was daylight. The weather was a bit murky but he had good lights in the back of his lorry so I could see where the noise was coming from. Again just as were were about to leave a boat came by, we followed them to Dunstall Bridge which is in the process of being repaired, once through the bridge they pulled over and waved us passed. They have completed resurfacing the towpath beyond the bridge and are still working on piling the edge. Just before Fazeley we passed this chap who had a word with us as we passed, as we were almost by I noticed a gas cylinder inside the cabin.

We didn’t need water so straight through the junction without stopping. As we approached Glascote bottom lock a boat was just entering, Diana assisted him through bit it meant the top lock was with us. We did consider stopping in Polesworth but decided to carry on to almost where we moored on the way out. Here there is a large hill between us and the railway, which is never that far away for several miles.

 

Today’s Journey

 

9½ miles with 2 locks in 4 hours

Hopwas, Tame Otter

The weather was much clearer this morning but it felt a lot cooler and damper for some reason. These are the heaps of material for the towpath work that has just been left. I don’t know if CRT or another body were due to carry out the work.

We were off just after 10 and as expected met more boats today than we did yesterday. I think this is a new development near Fradley village since we were last this way. It looks absolutely huge with a strange roof line, not visible in the photo.

The sun did try to get out a few times with no success, but the sky is a little bluer now. The biggest thing has been the number of leaves, especially in bridge holes that attach them selves to the propeller reducing its efficiency. We seem to collect more going slowly than at normal cruising speed.
We arrived at Hopwas about one thirty and moored outside the Tame Otter where there are mooring rings and less trees.

Today’s Journey

 

8 miles with no locks in 3¼ hours

Fradley Junction

We woke to a foggy morning, again a boat had been by much earlier. We waited until 11am until the weather cleared a bit before setting off, but we

didn’t go very far, about 150 yards before mooring up again and waited for it to improve. By about half one I could see through the bridge ahead , so we set off. We met a couple of boats, one with a light on which was handy, the other one was in probably the worst bridge hole on this canal, Brookhay Bridge where you are almost guaranteed to lose drive. After this the fog lifted very slightly and at Fradley Swing Bridge the gent who had just crossed it with his dog opened it for us. I winded in the junction and returned to the Coventry Canal to first fill with water and then moor for the night. Last time we were here in July we had to pull off because the moorings were closed to resurface the towpath. The work is still not complete with piles of gravel all over the place.

Today’s Journey

 

3½ miles with no locks in 2 hours

Entrance Kings Orchard Marina

Last night we had a takeaway from Peninsular Cantonese and the fillet steak dishes are very good. This morning we had a few spots of rain that lasted minutes, but again it was overcast with no wind or sun. I had a closer look of the little doors fixed to the fence posts, they look to be made from some kind of modelling clay.Just as were were about to pull away at 10 am. a boat came by, but they stopped for water giving us a clear run. Things went well until Dunstall Farm Bridge where they are surfacing the towpath with what looks like compressed sand. Not only that but they were also repairing the edge in a way I have never seen before. Against the towpath wooden stakes with some kind of fabric, about 250 in front of this is another row of stakes with a solid wooden

 

rail facing the water. Between the two rows of piles they were installing net sausages filled with stone about 3m long, stacking on top of each other and topping them off with a coir sausage. They had all the sausages in a flat tied to the outside of a crane barge, completely blocking the canal and we waited while they installed about ten of them with the help of a chap standing in the water guiding them down.

Then then pulled the flat forward so that we and a boat who had arrived behind us could get through.
Off again things went well with nothing moored outside the Otter pub and only a couple on the long length of visitor moorings at the far end of the village. Here we caught up with a boat travelling slower than I like to go, but not slow enough to overtake. He had passed us when we were moored yesterday so I knew he would be passing moored boats much faster than I would.
The Litchfield Cruising Clun have put on quite a remembrance day display with poppies down and under the bridge leading to their club house.

We carried on and moored for the night by the entrance to Orchard Marina.

 

 

Today’s Journey

 

7½ miles with no locks in 3¼ hours

Fazeley Junction

The weather was fine but very dull today, the first boat went by at 7am.long before we were about. We set off around 1030 as usual.
Over the years we have watched Quarry Bridge Farm develop to where it is today.

On to Polesworth where the water was just running to weir, last time we were this way they had started building this bungalow, it looks as if the owners are living on site in caravans.

A steady run run to Glascote locks which were both against us, the top gates on these two are quite heavy. We carried on and moored just before Fazeley Junction. As we moored up I noticed these on the concrete fence posts.

They look like little doors, no idea who put them up or why.

 

 

Today’s journey

 

7 miles with 2 locks in 3 hours

Coventry Canal Bridge 50

Last night we ate at The Anchor, it was very quiet but looking at the number of outside tables and the marque they must host some big events. The food and beer were both good and a reasonable price.

This morning we were away a little before half ten and only met a couple of boats. It wasn’t long before we passed the abandoned, sunken cruiser, just by bridge 30. CRT have affixed an overstay notice to it, but I don’t see it moving any time soon and at the end of the day CRT are going to have to remove it, it would be easier and cheaper to do it now than when it starts to fall to bits.

It wasn’t long before we were approaching Atherstone top lock. the site of the old hat factory has been fully cleared and new foundations put in.

I do wonder how they will tie it all into the old buildings at the back of the site that are presently held up with timbers.

There was a boat leaving the top lock as we arrived so we sailed straight in, there was also a Volocky. now the strange thing, the the rest of the locks, apart from the last two were against us and no sign of a boat ahead. Today was a volunteer work party day at the locks so we had some paddles drawn and gates closed for us, this helped us on our way greatly. Just below lock 5 there is a canal side house, at one time it had something painted on the gable end, anyone knows what it use to say.

So far water levels were good with a good flow coming over lock 1 by-wash but from here on they  were getting a little lower. One of the moored boats in the pound had a nice wood carving in the bows.

Levels were low between 8 and 9 as usual but good enough for us to cross without letting any more water down. At lock 10 we met a boat so the last two were with us and at lock 11 the top gate was wide open. This is where we encounter a problem, we couldn’t fully close the top gate by about 50mm. I could just reach the cill with my cabin shaft and could feel something with give in it about half way along, maybe a fender or a tyre. Poking and turning the shaft it felt more like cloth, maybe a bad or sack but I couldn't hook it with the shaft so I slowly worked it along the cill to the offside of the lock, then slowly up the wall. What appeared at the surface was a deer’s head and I pulled a fully grown deer out that must have been under the gate. Once it was out the gate closed and we were on our way again. The flight had taken us just under 2 hours.
We carried on and at Grendon someone who paid more attention in their art class than they did biology.

We only did about another half mile before mooring for the night away from any trees.

 

Today’s Journey

6¼ miles with 11 locks in 3½ hours

Anchor Bridge Coventry Canal

Last night we ate at the greyhound and luckily I booked a table as by just after 7pm the restaurant was full. Again two nice meals.

This morning was again sunny but soon clouded over and I even had to use the brolly just after Springwood haven. The first job was to slip over and fill with water just before the lock, not the fastest tap but it gave Diana time to empty the waste bin. Once full Diana walked to set the lock, I pulled away and immediately fouled the prop. Down the weed hatch while in the lock and removed a piece of waterproof material complete with ties that probably some used it as a cover on a boat.

During last weeks stoppage CRT took the opportunity to repair the broken edging along the near side of the lock.

Leaving the lock I noticed what looks like a new seat just in front of the old service block, I might be wrong but I don’t remember seeing it before.

 

   Out onto the Coventry canal and we turned sharp right heading towards Nuneaton. On the left hand side there is a long length of long term moorings and at the end one I spotted this stargazer.

We soon caught up with a hire boat that Diana had assisted down the locks, they had got a bit too close to the towpath so stayed there while we passed them, I was able to point out the stern rope trailing in the water. Just after that it was a CRT push tug, the steerer was on the towpath holding it, after we passed he followed us, what a noisy beast that is. I wouldn’t want the job of driving that. Then we caught un with another CRT Workboat, I mentioned to them how noisy the small one was, they said that is why they were trying to get away from it.
The housing development just before you come into Nuneaton is really taking shape now with some houses occupied and others for sale. There seemed to be less boats at Boot Wharf with only a single row in front of the yard.
The sky to the right of us was looking really dark and not long after passing Springwood Haven Marina we had a very short, sharp shower. The diesel at Springwood is more expensive than at Amada, coming in at 162/Lt.
A short way before The Anchor Pub this work flat was trying to stay afloat, I think a bit more rain may see it dipping under, I am not sure it would actually sink as it may have buoyancy tanks.

We then met two CRT volunteers heading down to look at it, I am not sure what one was carrying but it wasn’t a bucket to bale it out.

We have moored outside The Anchor pub where we plan to eat tonight.

 

Today’s Journey

 

8¼ miles with one lock in 3½ hours