Ansty

I found the trains a bit disturbing last night and was awake early, but as the locks didn’t open until 10 there was no point in setting off early, although a couple of boats came by to be first in the queue.
Opening the back doors there was a large spider web from the tiller to the back deck and right in the middle was a Damselfly. It looked dead but when I broke the it moved so I was able to set it free. 

I then went to take the exhaust cover off and found this moth resting on it. He soon found it too warm to hang about.

Once the boats that had passed earlier started to lock down we pushed to use the offside lock, the bottom gates leak like a sieve and Diana was unable to open the top gate alone with both paddles up. While I was waiting I looked at the bywash weir and

after giving the marker a good scrub the level is not down that much, maybe 4”. Of course the back pumping is going flat out and probably  replacing the lock usage.

There was a Volockie at the top lock organising and assisting. She told the youngster working the lock to never let go of the windlass while its on the spindle. Very good advice, I immediately lost my grip on my windlass as I lowered the paddle and now have a black thumbnail and bruised . We met boats at all the rest of the locks and there were 4 waiting below the flight with more arriving.
Just before Newbold these cows and very young calf were having both a drink and a paddle, they obviously knew where the water got deeper.

There were also lots of boats away from their home moorings at Newbold its self, so I had a clear shot of this sign, in the past there have always been people and boats in the way.

We met a hire boat in Newbold Tunnel, for some reason he thought there would be room for us to pass if he carried on coming down the middle of the channel, there wasn’t and there was a loud bang.
The moorings at All Oaks were completely full and we carried on passed the cutting which is still closed to pedestrians.
As we approached Rose Narrowboats someone on foot crossing the bridge kindly opened it for us. Diana hopped off and closed it after we were through. Some are so impatient they can’t even wait for the bridge to close fully before crossing.

Luckily we fond a spot to moor at Ansty, the ring spacings are not the best but it will do for the night.

Today’s Journey12 miles with 3 locks in 5¼ hours

Hillmorton

We had a very good run from home despite the warnings on TomTom, most of which had gone before we got there. There was a bad accident at A14-M1 Junction 1 so TomTom took me off at 3, I guess the traffic was backed up to Junction 2.
A brief stop at the Co-op in Crick for a few bits and pieces, we only decided to come away yesterday evening.
When we got to the boat levels were down about 9” and I was a bit worried that when they return to normal Harnser comes up with her gunwale under the pontoon.  I will have to see what we can rig up  when we return. 
We set off straight away hoping to get to Hillmorton locks before they close for the night, but yesterday it seems they started closing with last boat in at 2pm, reopening at 10am. so we are moored up just above the locks waiting.

Today’s Journey

 

2¼ miles with no locks in 1 hour.

Home moorings

We were away about 10, the ex working boats had been going by since about 6AM. We continued North through Newbold Tunnel meeting a boat who waited at the north portal for us although there is plenty of room for boats to pass. We carried on to Lime Farm where we winded in the entrance and retraced our steps past last nights mooring. Part of the old quarry is now a nature reserve, the notice looks really inviting.

As we approached Brownsover we met a working boat loaded with ballast, I pulled well towards the towpath looking at sliding round him and under the bridge , then I saw the rope with a loaded butty on the other end of it approaching the bridge hole, so it was a case of coming to a standstill until they had passed.

Of course there was another boat from the show behind it, then we were off only to meet yet another coming out under the road bridge.
At the end of the Rugby visitor moorings we passed an electric narrowboat, it says its solar but all the others I have seen also have a generator . cant say I was really taken by the shape of the boat, no tumblehome on the cabin sides and narrow gunwales, (remember you can’t access the roof which is totally covered in solar panels.

As we approached Hillmorton bottom lock a boat was just coming out, a blast on the horn stopped the Volockie closing up against us. Second lock it all went wrong, sort of. As I got to the bend below the middle lock a set of bows went across the canal as a Severner came out of the offside lock. I stopped and backed. trying to be helpful I pulled in to the wrong side of the canal to give the ex-working boat a nice wide arc to go round and line up on the bridge, only she turned a tight as possible to get between me and the bank and not pass on the wrong side. I apologised and grovelled. There are now notices on the locks about the reduced hours next month.
I cant say I have noticed this sign post before.

I was rather taken with this garden mobile with an aircraft and a set of spanners.

The moorings along Barby Straight seemed very very empty these days, I always remember it as being solid moored boats.

From here its minutes to our mooring .

Today’s Journey 8¾ miles with 3 locks in 3¾ hours

Newbold

What a lovely mooring last night, it’s the first time we have ever managed to tuck in here. There was supposed to be a meteor storm last night and I sat out on deck around midnight looking at the sky, I could faintly see the stars but it was no where near dark, I didn’t see a meteor. We did however hear a large firework display somewhere. 
This morning there were boats passing around 6am I think and we set off at 9 AM.
Since we were last this way the old Blue Haven Marina which I believe now has connections with Clifton Cruisers has pilled all their frontage, They also have some nice looking floating lodges in their basin . I wonder how long it will be before the moorings all go?

At Hillmorton Top Lock both chambers were against us, so Diana drew the top paddles for us and the Hire boat following, they were more than pleased as it was their first lock and they were dreading it, so we stopped to give a bit of tuition, reenforced at the next two locks. The bottom lock has a lovely show of orchids now on the end of the lock island, they take great care of them not to get them harmed.

After leaving the locks there were very few moored boats until we got round the corner where one was untying as we passed and followed on almost running up my stern as we passed the last moored boat. Once clear I pulled away from him but at the next lot of boats he was there again so after clearing the Clifton Moorings I waved him by. We stopped in Rugby to fill with water the towpath moorings almost empty before setting off again to moor on the two day moorings at Newbold. We had plans for Sunday Lunch at The Marley Mow so Diana shot of to see if we could book a table for 1PM. came back with the reply, “No they were very busy but if we come straight way they would fit us in”. What an obliging establishment, got or drinks and sat down with apologies there may be a bit of a wait. A couple of minutes later a girl laid our table and as soon as the order had been taken for a party of seven she was with us.
What a meal, the beef was so tender, fresh veg, great and very friendly staff. They even supplied a sealable container for all the meat we couldn’t eat. I think next time we will ask for a pensioners portion.

Since I have been sat here trying to write this I have had my own historic boat parade going by.

Today’s Journey 5½ miles with 3 locks in 2½ hours

Kilsby

Boy was it hot last night, louvres in the engine room and rear slide open. Downside was the noise from the A45 and people talking as they walked back from the Marina.
This morning we wandered down to the marina and saw the bridge across the entrance being renamed as Peter’s Bridge. I do wonder what he would think as his reason for leaving the money was so disabled could get along the towpath, not make Tim’s bridge pretty which he could already cross. Had a chat at several of the stands and said hello to people I know via the internet. We found it rather disappointing as there were long periods with nothing happening, we did however enjoy a pint £5-50 a time from the bar and some very nice hot food from Daisy’s Bakin Butty.
We left about 3pm and headed back to the boat to cool down before heading off up the N Oxford for a coupe of hours.
I have tried and tried but still can’t get the shot of Braunston Church through the bridge that I want.

It looks good to the eye but not the camera.
A couple of small caves were enjoying a paddle as there mum laid in the shade of the hedge row .

A few years ago WRG rebuild the south wall of bridge 80, now the north wall is opening up some cracks I hadn’t noticed before.

At Willoughby Bridge we had a slight altercation. As I approached the bridge passing the moored boats a boat came the other way, I continued on and so did he. I was half way through when he hit the concrete towpath edge and barrelled out hitting me, pushing me over hard to the off side and coming down the inside under the bridge, I had visions of us being wedged under the bridge. I backed off and got my bows clear of the bridge but he sat tight, then he backed up, boas against the towpath and waved me through, stuck my nose through only to find his stern hard against the off side bank, so I backed out against the towpath in thick mud with my bows just clear of the bridge. His crew member who was definitely drunk as a skunk pushed his bows off almost falling in. He then cam through the bridge hitting me again. As they approached the bridge we saw a beer can fly from the boat over the hedge so I suspect they were all very well lubricated. The one on the bank had a small black dog, I not only saw it but he kept telling me, along with black lives matter. I wonder how many more they hit before mooring up. No it wasn’t a hire boat stag party, it was three men, old enough to know better on a private boat. It probably took a quarter of an hour to get through that bridge and no one watching.
Passing Barby Wood Bungalow just below the reservoir this telegraph pole looks to be in the hill side at 90° and not standing upright.

We continued on passed our mooring and along Barby Straight, then through a couple of bridges before mooring for the night just through bridge 75.

A few photos from Braunston today

 

 

 

 

Today’s Journey

 

5 miles with no locks in 2 hours

Braunston

We were away from home quite early for us, around 9AM. no point in going earlier unless its a lot earlier as you just get snarled up heading to Norwich. Quite a bit of traffic but no real hold and we were at the boat at mid day. Needless to say as I set off backwards out of our mooring the wind picked up and I had to turn into the wind to go through the bridge, a bit of black smoke. The canal was very quiet and only met two boats . This boat was moored under the M45 I see CRT are sending Christmas Cards early this year and had left one on his back door.

Dunchurch Pools Marina now have there towpath gate open during opening hours so that people can use their new café, They have a number of signs along the towpath showing the way.

We made our way to Braunston hoping to find a close mooring and didn’t do to bad, we spotted a couple of likely spots but of course were hoping for something better, We went all the way to Braunston Turn and winded round the triangle before heading back to just beyond 89 where there is a short length of piling with a boat already moored to it, we got the bow rope onto the piling and a stake in at the back, not ideal and I have to haul the bow closer for Diana to hop on and off with her gammy leg. Once moored we walked passed all the ex working boats, chatting to several people ending up at the Bottom Lock shop for an ice-cream before returning to Harnser for dinner.

 

Today’s Journey 5 miles with no locks in 2 hours

Gilwern

A leisurely start today as we didn’t have far to go so it was 10-20 when we set of following a cooked breakfast, needed to use the eggs and bacon up.
I have no idea why this group of young cattle decided to gather on this bridge.We met a couple of hire boats and a private on all in nice places as we made our way to LLanfoist where we stopped for a while for a look round. We passed

under the canal in the old tramway route to the far side of the canal, there are a couple of reproduction tub on a sort bit of rail but its quite overgrown. The old wharf is now holiday lets and the entrance to the tunnel from this side has been extended and built over, the old tram way running to the right of the picture cut unto what is now lawn and the driveway to the house 

The old tunnel entrance is several feet inside the square entrance you can see above. Its all rather dark and damp down there, not from the canal above  it leaking but streams coming down the mountain.

 

 

We then went for a walk round the village ending up down at the garden centre for ice creams, well the sun was well up by now and it was hot.
We pushed off again and I couldn’t resist a selfie in the windows of the wharf as we passed 

Just around the bend from the wharf was this floating garden. Even the fenders had flowers in them.

We then stopped at Govilon and walked through the chapel yard and di a circular walk of the village before coming back to the boat and doing the final bit back the the hire base. We are moored right outside a pub again so we had a very pleasant evening sharing pizzas with the American couple who also returned to the hire base the same time as us.

Today’s Journey 8¼ miles in 7¼ hours including stops. This is the end of our Welsh Canalboat holiday and we have had some cracking weather and met some very friendly people. We leave the boat in the morning, but have decided to spend another day  in Wales before driving home.

Today’s Journey8¼ miles with no locks in 7¼ hours including stops.

Some pictures of the boat as requested by Barbara