Ansty

A slight delay in getting away this morning as last night I could hear a drip on the engine, a very slow one. I had visions of it being the water pump I changed a short time ago, then I spotted it where the top hose goes on the 28mm copper pipe, so a quick squeeze on the clip and top the water up. Strange its taken so long to show its self.

Bit of a restless night with the drip and the trains but a fine warm morning with several boats about but only one of them a hire boat. Coming into Nuneaton we have passed under Judkins Quarry bridge many times but never witnessed anything crossing it, today we saw 5 lorries go over it, it rattled a bit as they crossed.

At Marston Junction CTR have finished work on the piling opposite the entrance to the Ashby, it now has a fender for its full length, been back filled and even has grass on the backfill.

We turned sharp left at Hawkesbury Junction, no I didn’t do it in one and had to reverse before entering the lock, once through the lock we filled with water and disposed of rubbish. I had wanted to go down to Coventry but the canal is closed for a light festival.

Once topped up we were off again, about a mile form the junction is this burnt out and sunken hulk, it was here last time we passed and I think I read it was arson.

By now we had a mooring in mind, a short length of piling midway between bridges 11 and 13, its about as far as you can get from the motorway and there is just room for 2 boats, luckily for us it was empty.

After mooring up and having a cup of tea we went for a walk along the towpath, it was a little after 4pm. when we set off, we hadn’t gone far when I spotted this little chap sitting on the edge of the

towpath, I took the photo with my phone and it was probably only 750mm away from him, its the closest I have ever been to one and as soon as I had taken a second photo he plopped back into the canal. We did get a fleeting glance at a couple more as they plopped in as we approached them.

        

Todays Journey 10½ miles, one lock in 4 hours.