Wending to Wales: Pause Day 3

It was me walking to the station this morning to get a train to work.  Adrian had spent the night in a hotel in Reading, and returned to the boat this afternoon.  That's now work out of the way, and tomorrow we'll be setting off properly.

Wending to Wales: Pause Day 2

Today was the opposite to yesterday — Adrian went off to the station to catch trains to Reading for meetings, while I was on the boat as I had the day off.  I worked on the boat test I’ve been writing and then zoomed in to a work staff meeting.  In late morning I thought I’d walk in to Rugby to see what it was like.  It’s about half an hour’s walk, mostly uphill.  I went to the Art Gallery and Museum, where there’s currently an exhibition of comics and animation, including a whole wall of comic front covers, and an Aardman section.

From there I walked down one of the main streets to Caldecott Park.  All around town there are big Rugby balls with different designs, I think to mark the 200th anniversary this year of rugby football being invented.

I had a sandwich in a nice little cafe in the park, Hatty Bakewell’s, then walked down over a huge bridge over the railway line and past the retail park where Homebase is, and up past Tesco.  I popped in for a few bits forgotten the other day, then walked up to the canal and along the towpath back to the boat.

This afternoon has been spent mostly sat in the well deck of Derwent6, chatting to Del and Al about all manner of things.  They’re always good fun, and today was no exception.

Wending to Wales: Pause Day 1

A work day for both of us today -- Adrian working at the dinette on the boat, while I walked the 20 minutes to Rugby Station for a train into London.

Wending to Wales: Day 4

As it was a bank holiday, we had a cooked breakfast including very nice bacon and black pudding from the Braunston butcher.  We started a wash load, then set off when the wash part of the cycle was done, having said our goodbyes to the Momentous crew.  It’s a very familiar stretch of water for us from when we were based at Brinklow, but the countryside is still lovely to look at.  At one point we passed a boat going the other way whose skipper knew my name! He said he’d seen us on the Thames ten years ago — so I’m wondering if it was Mike, who formed a convoy with us when we did the tidal section from Limehouse to Teddington in 2014.  The boat looked different, but of course it could have been repainted, or even be a different boat.  If you’re reading this, let me know!

Big things are happening at Blue Haven Marine.  The old building has been replaced by a very tall new one, which seems to have a dock inside with a substantial lift.  There’s also a massive crane, but the boat on the bank to the left of it was on a rather alarming angle — it looked as though one shove would have it sliding back into the water.

We soon got to Hillmorton Locks, scene of many a queue and general hold up.  But today a boat had just left the left hand lock meaning we could go straight in.  One was coming up the paired lock, so we had a one-up-one-down situation.

At the middle pair, the left hand one just needed an inch or two of water to top it up before we could go in.  These are the ones with the poetry on the balance beams.

On the bridge before the bottom lock, Adrian found a radio aerial hanging from a groove in the bridge, having apparently been ripped off a boat, so he removed it!  The right hand bottom lock again needed just a little topping up.  All in all, we had flown down the three locks, all of them in our favour, and without another boat in sight.  And there weren’t any volunteer lock keepers to get in the way either!

We stopped at the water point below the locks to replace the water the washing machine had used.  While that happened, I walked back with a bag of rubbish and chatted to a man walking his ferret.  I also evicted many spiders from the well deck, encouraging them to take up land-based activities in Warwickshire.  We set off again aiming for a mooring by the golf course.  There were lots of boats here, including Derwent6, but we slotted into the one available spot.

This afternoon, Adrian has been working, to minimise the hours he needs to do later in the week, and I have been writing a boat test.  Many boats have gone by, including lots of hire boats that have recently set off.  Some have been too fast, and a few have been encouraged to go slower by boaters nearby.  There will now be a short pause in proceedings, as we both have to work for a few days.

7 miles, 3 locks.  (35 miles, 23 locks)

Autumn Cruise: Day 3

It was a lovely sunny morning as we set off before 8.30, round the corner to Buckby Tol Lock.  It needed to be emptied, but we were soon up and passing the junction towards Braunston.  In the tunnel, it at first looked as though there was a boat coming towards us, but I soon realised it was someone with a white navigation light at the stern.  When we got to the top lock they were just going in, and we joined them.  It was a couple on a very nice little Armada hire boat, which was new this year.  Adrian went and had a look on board as we waited for one of the locks, and was impressed.

There were lots of boats coming up, and we ended up swapping with boats at all locks except the bottom one.  At one of the locks I couldn’t get the gate open.  It turned out that a bit of pole had jammed itself across the corner.  Both boats went out of the other gate, and we told the uphill boats what was going on, and suggested one of their skippers tried dislodging it.

All the traffic meant a bit of waiting at each lock, but the couple we were sharing with were lovely, and we all chatted away.  It’s only September, but the shop at the bottom lock is already gearing up for Christmas.

Our lock partners were stopping in Braunston as their son was coming up and they were going to the Admiral Nelson for a meal.  They don’t have to be back until Saturday morning.  We gambled on the water point at the junction being free, which it was; we got a wash load going as the tank filled, and I also popped into Midland Chandler for a bottle of Craftmaster carnuba wax, because we really should give the boat its autumn polish while we’re out.  The next bit of canal is a real favourite.  There’s nothing particularly special about the scenery, but it’s just so typically English, with ridge and furrow fields, rolling countryside, and the view back to Braunston church.

The alpacas were on the bit of grass right by the entrance to Barby Moorings.

At Hillmorton Locks, there was one boat waiting to go in the top lock.  Only one of the pair of locks was operating, and a sign said this was because one of the bottom pair was out of action, so they were trying to regulate the flow of boats.  They went down, a boat came up, and then it was our turn.  We also managed to swap with a boat at one of the middle locks.  But we then found ourselves fifth in the queue for the bottom lock.  I went to get ice creams from the Bistro while we waited.  We ended up being there about 40 minutes; the boat ahead said there had been a long queue at the top when they arrived, so it had taken them about three hours.  CRT were working on the broken lock, which had apparently had its top gate hit by a boat.  It looked as though the collar had broken, and the guys were using huge spanners to put things back together.

The reason everything was taking such a long time was that the working lock also had one top paddle out of action, and the volunteer lock keeper was being very gentle with the working one.  Once down, we carried on to the moorings by Rugby golf course, it being about quarter to four.

14 miles, 10 locks.  (47 miles, 25 locks)

Post Crick: Day 7

 More between-nightshift sleeping for me, while Adrian went for a walk along to Hillmorton and then back to the Canal Lounge at Clifton Cruisers for lunch.  He also did some admin.  One more night shift tonight, and then we can move again tomorrow.

0 miles, 0 locks.  (66 miles, 37 locks)

Post Crick: Day 6

I was at work last night, so spent the day asleep. I slept better than I’d expected, given that it was a warm sunny day and there must have been plenty of boats going past. As I walked to Rugby station for tonight’s shift, Adrian was walking from the station to the boat, having finished work for a few days. On one of the platforms there’s an edible garden in an old trolley.

0 miles, 0 locks. (66 miles, 37 locks)

Post Crick: Day 5

Another sunny start to the day, and this time it continued.  I set off at 8.30, and immediately had to wait why a boat came past the moorings.  A hire boat was also setting off a little way behind me.  All Oaks Wood looked lovely in the sunshine.  Then just after the Brinklow Marina entrance I saw a familiar boat coming towards me — Sheila on Salodin.

I like the fact that the crane at the Armada boat yard claims to be a Tonka.

I passed Herbie at Newbold, but didn’t see Neil or Kath.  I was hoping that I’d timed my arrival at Rugby right, because I needed to go shopping and was hoping for a space to moor.  There was a choice, so I slotted in between two boats in one of the less vulnerable spots (all the moorings are on a bend, but some have more trees opposite, and less room).  The only trouble was that the mooring ring was missing at the stern; the boat behind me was using a very nicely made rope shackle, but I didn’t know if it was his own.  In the end, I improvised using the bike lock that I have for when we feel the need to lock ourselves to a mooring.

After my first trip to Tesco (I did two — the fridge was literally empty) the boat behind had gone and the shackle was still there, so I swapped onto it.  Other shopping was some sealant from B&M Bargains.  When I washed the boat yesterday, I found when cleaning the windows that the cabin porthole glass was a bit loose.  The engine room one leaked a few years ago and had to be re-sealed, so I wanted to do the same again.  I started making a chilli for the next couple of days, and had some lunch.  Then when the water point was free I pushed over to the other side to top up, which didn’t take long.  I’ve come along to the Rugby golf course moorings just beyond the new Houlton Bridge, because they’re handy for the station which will be used for various comings and goings over the next few days.

6 miles, 0 locks.  (66 miles, 37 locks)

West Mids Meander: Day 21

Last night, I had a great evening at a Radio 2 presenters’ event in London, and didn’t get back to the boat until well after midnight.  Adrian went out for a meal at an Indian restaurant.  Also last night he discovered that the fridge had been off for a while, and things in the freezer had defrosted and needed to be replaced.  This morning, after an early trip to the little Tesco just down from the basin, we set off at 8am.  Going this way, you get a much better view of the Cash’s Hundreds, the houses which used to have weaving looms on the top floor.

At one blind bridge we came face to face with a hire boat, prompting lots of reverse from both of us.  We ended up with something round the prop, which turned out to be the fabric from an umbrella.  At Longford, volunteers were out in force litter picking and tidying up, including removing a huge amount of bushes from in front of a wall.

We got to Hawkesbury Junction after a couple of hours and stopped on the water point before the turn.  We filled the tank, got rid of rubbish, and started some washing.  Numerous boats from the opposite direction arrived and made the turn, making the pool beyond the junction bridge rather busy.

It was soon our turn to go under the bridge, and then through the stop lock onto the North Oxford Canal.

The next section is not that interesting.  We managed to get past a couple of slow boats, and just pushed on in the sunshine.  When we got to Brinklow Marina, where we used to moor when we first had the boat, we turned in — in order to catch up with Mark who’s now the harbour master there, and Del and Al from Derwent6.  We spend a good hour swapping news from the last couple of years, which seem to have been quite eventful.  It was really great to see them.

The locks at Hillmorton currently close early, with the last entry at 4.30.  We knew we wouldn’t get there in time, so went through Newbold and Rugby and moored at the golf course.

20 miles, 1 lock. (249 miles, 247 locks)

Autumn Cruise: Day 4

As I had my breakfast this morning, a squirrel came along the towpath, stopped by the dinette window, and spent a few seconds just looking in. Not long enough for a photo though. It was beautifully sunny first thing this morning.  At about 8am I went and set the top lock, which was only about a hundred metres ahead of the mooring.  It was half full already so didn’t take long to top up.

Hillmorton Locks are in a bit of a state at the moment.  These locks are paired, so there are two side by side.  But one lock of each pair is currently out of action.  And at the middle pair, the one that is working has bottom gates that appear to be on their last legs.  The walkway is falling off, so you can’t go across it.  These are the busiest locks in the country, so it’s pretty poor.

I was just pulling the boat out of the middle lock when a volunteer lock keeper appeared and said he’d walk round and close the other gate.  The next pound was very full, with water gushing over the top gate.  I used only the paddle on my side to fill it, as the footway across was under an inch of water.  Once I was in the lock a lady on her way to work closed the top gate for me, as it was her most direct route to her office.  However, she also didn’t like the look of wading through water, so I invited her to cross the back of the boat instead.  By now the lock keeper was back and worked me down.

There are massive earthworks going on in connection with the new town, Houlton.  Then before Bridge 66 is the new bridge across the canal to connect to Houlton.  The bridge name and number have been moulded into the concrete, and the main structure is being clad in brick — red for the parapet, which has a wavy top, and blue engineering bricks below.  When it’s finished, it won’t look as bad as some modern bridges.

I carried on to the Rugby moorings.  This is another place where you take a gamble: do you stop in the first place in case there’s no space round the corner, or carry on and hope for the best?  I carried on and found a reasonable spot on the correct side for Tesco.  All the moorings are on a bend here, so none are ideal really — but it doesn’t really matter just for shopping.  In total I made three trips to Tesco, one of them on the way back from Homebase and Wickes which are a bit further down the path.  The reason for the DIY stores was to get some sealant, so I could re-do the seal round the shower tray.  The finish isn’t very professional, but it’s done.

 At lunchtime I started to set off across the canal to the water point, but had to wait for a boat to come by.  It turned out they were looking for a space so waited for me to move.  While the tank filled I put for washing on, including my boating jeans covered in lock-wall slime, and had lunch.

When the tank was full I set off to turn around.  One option I’ve seen people use is immediately beyond the road bridge — but Paul Balmer doesn’t have it marked as a winding hole on the Waterways Routes map, so I didn’t attempt it.  It’s not far to the next place anyway, along by the entrance to Rugby Wharf.  Once turned around, I passed last week’s boat test boat again, and continued to the golf course moorings.  I have a chilli on the go, and Adrian is due to arrive on the train just before 6pm.

5 miles, 3 locks.  (38 miles, 23 locks)

October weekend - Day 1

I finished my night shifts this morning, and drove up the M1 to Brinklow Marina, with a brief stop at Tesco on the way.  There was patchy fog on the motorway, and the marina was also shrouded in mist, although the sun was trying its hardest to get through.  Adrian's on a course in London, and will be coming up later.

It was 10am when I arrived, and Briar Rose felt very cold so I immediately lit the fire.  I unloaded the car, unpacked, and got the boat ready for cruising.  By 11am, I was reversing off the pontoon and turning onto the North Oxford Canal towards Rugby.  It was a really lovely morning, sunny but with a nip in the air.  The leaves are turning yellow and red, and it was so still that there were great reflections.

We've travelled this stretch so often that there no longer seems much point in taking photos.  However, the canal was looking lovely today, and there was a view right through Newbold tunnel.

I met my first boat of the day at Newbold, then three in quick succession at Rugby, just where the aqueducts form a couple of narrows.  Just before mid-day, I reached the golf course and moored up on the piling, leaving enough space behind for one more boat.  I had a quick shower and a sandwich, and then heard a boat coming in to moor: it was Doug and James on Chance, arriving for a pre-arranged rendevous.  They came on board for tea and home made ginger biscuits, and a good natter.

Adrian will be getting a train up to Rugby this evening, and will come to Bridge 66 and walk along the tow path.

3.5 miles, 0 locks.