Polesworth Sunday 23 February 2014

We woke very early this morning to the rhythmical sound of Donk Donk Donk in the distance but getting louder. It then changed to Donk tDee tDee Donk tDee tDee but much slower. What I have just tried to describe is the sound of a Bolinder single cylinder engine slowing down to pass us. We didn’t feel a thing, I think it was about half four and still dark.

The weather forecast for today was not good with very light rain all day, however we were very lucky and only had the slightest of showers for a very short time, but the wind was very squally at times. I think we met 4 boats all day.

I wonder how many of these there are around now and when this one last had wires attached to it. There is a whole generation that have never seen one. 

As we approached The Anchor Pub this lot came round the bend,mind you, just before that I met a Canadian canoe in a bridge hole, he was on the correct side but had been hanging to the bank and just popped through.

A short way before Atherstone this sign is set in the towing path, I had seen it before but never read it. Hopefully if you click on it it will open big enough to read. On the offside of the canal there is a large hole full of water, at one time there was a boat moored in here. There is a very narrow strip between the hole and the canal, less than 6 feet. The reeds have grown up at the narrowest point which looks as if it was going to be an entrance I wonder why it was never connected to the canal?

It looks as if spring is on the way, the ducks are mating and the pussy willow is coming out, the temperature is certainly spring like.

I rather like this sticker on the CaRT shed at the top of Atherstone locks. I would like to get hold of a couple of these.
All the locks were with as but a few had leaked off. The carved statue as disappeared from the flats at the second lock down.

The crocodile still guards the field where the horses are between the canal and the railway, I wonder how old he is now.

Its on the CaRT stoppage list for work on the railway bridge part way down the flight but we didn’t see any evidence of it. They have fitted some new lock gates on the flight but have left all the sawdust in the down side of them, I would thought that would be the ideal environment for rot to set in.

The old lock gates are still on the CaRT work boats moored below the flight, complete with the iron worn, I am surprised no one has nicked that for scrap. 

On the outskirts of Polesworth by the disused swing bridge a lady held her hand up for me to stop, I couldn’t see any reason to stop so carried on through the bridge hole when she told me her husband was bringing the boat from the other direction, I still couldn’t see another boat but found him round the bend pinned against the bank by the wind.

We carried on through Polesworth and moored on the visitor moorings on the far side of town where there is a nice concrete edge and mooring rings, I am getting lazy in my old age.