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Canal 2012

We have decided to have two weeks on the boat this year. We are going to write this web directly rather than do the blog first, we hope that this will save time and keep our web site more up to date.

Day one - Thursday 5th April

We set out just after 10.00 and travelled via the A34, M40 and M42. Then cross country to Burton and Willington. Traffic was light. We arrived just after 13.00 and as the boat was still being prepared we went the marina cafe for tea and coffee.

We are going to use Ophelia this year, the last time we had her was three years ago. Since we last used her she has been fitted with a new sink and draining board and a thermostatically controlled shower head, both big improvements.

We set sail about 15.30 for Branston. From right outside the marina we followed a very slow boat doing about 2 mph. At times he went below our minimum speed and we had to declutch. I should have overtaken him earlier on but only 1 or 2 stretches of the canal were suitable. Another boat joined the queue.

Just before Horninglow the canal was straight and wide enough for an overtake, a manoeuvre not without its problems. The bow of the overtaken boat tends to be drawn towards the stern of the over taker, keeping them apart requires quite a lot of heavy tiller action. Its very frustrating when people dordle, like Sunday afternoon motorists.

The two locks were soon passed and we arrived at Branston at about 18.30. We pulled up just beyond the Italian Restaurant. No sooner had we tied up than the bloke on the next boat suggested that we should tie up further along, as an overhanging tree made the canal narrow and we would likely get hit by other boats. He was a bit put out when we said we were quite happy where we were. Indeed later another boat pulled up in front of us, right opposite the offending tree. Needless to say no one ran in to us.

We decided to have a Chinese takeaway for dinner. The place is about 1km each way.

Weather wise the day was bright and sunny, though it got cold later on.

Vodaphone Internet connection was good and fast, TV reception good, digital seems to make a difference now that the power has been increased.

Day two - Friday 6th April

The day started bright and sunny. We were away by 9.30. Progress was good until we got to Wychnor Lock were we joined a queue of five or six boats. The lock is still very slow filling even though it does not leak like it used to. We cleared the lock about 12.30, there was still a queue of six boats behind use. Surprisingly at the next lock, at Alrewas, only one boat was waiting, obviously the lock there fills much faster.

We pulled over for lunch in Alrewas, ham and hard boiled egg. We were soon on our way. At Fradley Junction lock 15 we meet one of Ann's work colleagues, Lesley, having phoned ahead when we cleared Alrewas. She brought her dogs along for a walk.

Ann and Lesley nattered while working the three locks, I do not know how women find so much to talk about. Having made the left turn down Coventry Canal, Lesley left after helping with the white swing bridge.

We had an uneventful cruise to Huddlesford, where we tied up near the Plough Inn. It takes about an 1 hour and 20 minutes from the swing bridge.

Since we visited the Plough Inn last year it has reopened only last week with new management, having been closed for 6 months. Both of us had potato and leak soup, followed by fillet steak. The steak was done just right. Edward had oatmeal apple crumble and cream for pudding.

Overall the day remained fine, if a little cloudy later. Internet and TV reception were both good.

Day three - Saturday 7th April

Although bright when we got up, by the time we left at 9.30 it was raining lightly. We had an uneventful cruise through Whittlington and Hopwas to Fazeley where we stopped for water. We then visited the local Tesco Express to get a few supplies.

We had ham and cheese toasties for lunch. We were on the move again just before 13.50, turning left at the junction. We were at the Glascote locks by 14.30. This stretch of the canal seems to have been tidied up since we last came through.

Since lunch time the weather was overcast but dry. By Alvecote marina the sun had come out, but not for long though. We finally stopped at 16.45 by bridge 49, between Polesworth and Bradley Green in the middle of nowhere.

We had a nice view over fields of yellow rape, with sheep grazing in the distance and also a village church. Its not often we stop in the middle of nowhere but we did not fancy stopping in Polesworth nor at the start of Atherstone and its locks. Neither has food available close to the canal.

We had chicken escallops, mash and peas for dinner, along with peaches and cream for my pudding.

Internet and TV reception both good.

Day four - Sunday 8th April

Today turned out to be a long day. The day started overcast. We were soon at Atherstone locks. Fortunately there were many boats coming in the opposite direct, so the locks were in our favour and opened by others. Even though it was, by then, raining quite hard other boaters followed the correct etiquette and waited rather than do a sneak fill and waste water.

We cleared the top lock by about 12.30. As our last lock was filling a convoy of five more boats suddenly arrived making six including the boat already waiting. Some were in for a good wait.

We motored on for a short time to clear Atherstone, then pulled over for lunch. We made turkey sandwiches with sauerkraut.

After lunch we motored on towards Nuneaton and Hawkesbury Junction. The weather had brightened up a little. A boat was turning at the 70 foot turn in Nuneaton. It then proceeded at a snails pace through the rest of Nuneaton until the Ashby turnoff. Often we had to put the boat in neutral to prevent us catching up.

Finally we got to Hawkesbury Junction. I made a flawless and magnificent U turn on to Oxford canal. Naturally there was a hire boat tied up on the lock bollard area, with no intension of going through, making getting off again a little awkward. We had to wait briefly as a 70 footer came through the lock and it needed the room to make the U turn in the opposite direction.

We had hoped to stop at Hawkesbury but no mooring was available. We move around the back of the village, but the moorings were poor and the pub had closed down. We decided to try Ansty but no moorings were available so we decided to move again. Unfortunately we picked up another slow boat and had to follow it for what seemed ages. Why do people go at such slow speed, they should pull over and let others pass. Real Sunday afternoon motorists.

We decided to tie up just before bridge 26 at about 19.00, making it a long day. We had bacon, beans, mushrooms and toast for dinner.

While TV reception was good, the Internet was patchy. Seemed like the tower could not handle traffic as Monday morning it worked fine.

Day five - Monday 9th April

It rained in the night and thru most of the day, with some short dry periods. We were off again at 9.30 heading towards Rugby and beyond.

The first incident of the day was Ann announcing that the gas had run out. As I was steering there was nothing I could do about it, Ann does not like steering particularly if there is an oncoming boat. The next thing I saw was Ann at the front of the boat and the clanking sound of gas cylinders. I was worried as she had never done it before.

When I smelt gas at the back of boat all efforts were made to get Ann to come and steer the boat so I could see what was going on. Fortunately we had a clear straight stretch so Ann took over the tiller. When I got to the front of the boat Ann had managed to partly undo the hose connector but had not closed the valve. The residual gas in the cylinder was leaking out. I closed the valve and completed the change over.

The second incident was just after Newbold Tunnel, at the water point. While pulling the boat back a little I slipped on the wet grass and my feet ended in the water. My right foot bumped on the boat and it felt sprained. I changed my trousers, socks and shoes.

The area around the water point was not particularly level with grass tapering down towards the water. Most have hard level surfaces.

We then carried on over the top of Rugby and stopped for lunch by the golf course, near bridge 67. After lunch we moved on to Hillmorton locks arriving about 14.30. There are three pairs of locks. A British Waterways employee was there to supervise in an effort to save water, particularly by preventing the draining or filling of locks without a boat in them. Fortunately there were enough boats coming in the opposite direction so we didn't have to wait.

By now it was it was becoming quite wet and windy, so we moored up before bridge 79 at about 16.00. Finding moorings with food close by seems to be difficult on this stretch of the canal.

This early stop allowed me to catch up on the web page and Ann got on with some reading on Kindle.

We had potato and beef soup, with bread rolls for dinner. Had my usual pudding. It rained all evening.

Internet and TV reception both good.

Day six - Tuesday 10th April

The day started with bright sunshine, which lasted most of the day. We followed in a convoy of several boats to Braunston. The canal is quite wide and the countryside attractive with smallish green rolling fields. Many fields had sheep and baby lambs.

It took an hour and half to get to Braunston itself, we thought we were much closer. There the canal is narrow and cluttered with moored boats but in no time we turned right towards Warwick.

Again the countryside is attractive. Eventually we turn right again at Napton Junction, other boats in the convoy went straight on towards Oxford. Shortly after turning we arrived at Calcutt locks, at about 12.40. We paired up with the boat which passed us earlier at bridge 79. They were returning from a short Easter Cruise to their base at Ventnor Farm Marina, located just after the locks.

We stopped for lunch at about 13.40 near bridge 21. Although we were there for an hour only one boat passed us in our direction, and that pulled over nearer bridge 21. We moved on to Stockton locks and waited for another boat in our direction. A lady walker said these locks did not waste water as they have a pump back system, the water at the bottom lock is pumped back to the top.

We went through the first lock at 15.30. As we moved in to the second lock, we heard a shout and saw a boat entering the first lock. We waited for them and then paired down the other seven locks with them. An old lady steered the boat and her husband helped Ann with the locks. A second lady helped for a time until a heavy downpour, then she found she had cooking duties to perform on the other boat.

We pulled over at the Blue Lias pub at about 17.30, in bright sunny weather, and had a meal later on. Soup, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and sweets. Rating typical.

Internet reception was poor, only 2g. We did not try the TV.

Day seven - Wednesday 11th April

Again the weather started bright and sunny. A boat was waiting at the Itchington lock so we went through the next two locks together. We were first out of the 2nd lock so when we reached Bascote locks we found another boat was waiting in the lock. We paired up with them through the staircase lock and the next three locks.

Two boats were coming in the opposite direction which helped with work load by them leaving lock 17 open as they had no following boats. The old lady, steering the other boat in our pair, suggested keeping the boats together leaving lock 16 and entering lock 17. It seemed to work well, moving between locks at a tick over with the boats touching. You learn something new each day.

The old lady said the next lock, Welsh Road 18, was just short distance so Ann and the old lady's husband walked. It turned out to be a good seven hundred metres and the husband was in need of a rest, so we went through locks 18, 19 and 20 alone. Fortunately boats were travelling in the opposite direction to refill the locks after us.

We took on water just before lock 21 and then entered the lock. At that moment the original boat we had paired up with arrived. We paired through locks 21, 22 and 23.

After the locks Ann made Salmon sandwiches and tea for an on the move lunch.

Ann had arranged to meet her Aunt and Cousin by the Tiller Pin pub. Unfortunately the pub had no suitable mooring so we pulled over by the Lidl Supermarket. They drove round to meet us.

Later we moved on through the next two locks (Warwick Cape Locks) and pulled over at a popular mooring area, by now we were both worn out. The local pub looked at bit basic so we had a meal onboard.

The boats we teamed up with the following day all moored at the Saltisford Canal Centre which is about nine hundred meters further on. The centre is located in an arm off to the left. Had we known about it we would have stayed there.

Internet reception was good, but the TV pictures broke up, no doubt due to the proximity of the flats.

Day eight - Thursday 12th April

Again the day started bright and sunny and mild. We moved up to the first of 21 locks up the Hatton flight. A second boat joined us within about 5 minutes. They were a retired couple.

Initially most of the locks were against us as another pair of boats were ahead of us. This means we had wait while the locks were emptied and then each boat goes in separately. Getting the first boat in and snug against the wall slows up the process.

Later on either because the locks are closer and someone could go ahead and prepares the next lock, or else a boat coming down leaves the gates open, or boats with a larger crew work two locks ahead and ready the locks for you; then we took the boats out of the lock and into the next one touching all the way. This saves a considerable amount of time.

At one point two oncoming boats were tied together. We came out of the lock and went either side of the oncoming pair and then managed to rejoin prior to going in the vacated lock together.

Part way through the heavens opened up with rain and hail. At one point the hail hide the next lock. We all saw the rain approaching and managed to get our water proof coats on. We should have put our over trousers on too. Our jeans and shoes got soaked.

Anyway we pressed on to the top, taking about 4 hours overall. We pulled over for a late lunch at about 14.15.

At about 15.00 we moved on to Turners Green, about an hour away. As we came out of Shrewley Tunnel the heavens opened up again, but without the hail. Ann stayed below, under the hatch. I suggest to her that it was a good time for some steering practice, but she didn't agree. The shower soon passed and the sun came out.

We arrived at Turners Green 16.00. We had dinner at the Tom O' The Wood restaurant, we heard that it had reopened about 6 months ago. Edward had chicken Caesar salad and steak and kidney pudding, followed by cheese cake. Ann had half a roast chicken in a basket and creme brulee with a brandy spoon.

Overnight one could hear both trains, probably heavy freight, and traffic, not the quietest of spots.

Internet reception was only 2g, we did not try the TV.

Day nine - Friday 13th April

We got underway about 10.00, it was overcast and quite cold. Earlier on there was a heavy mist, but some sun shine drove it off. After an hour and a half we arrived at the five Knowle locks, there had been very little traffic.

The sun broke out as we started to climb the locks. The first lock was in our favour so only needed open the gate. By the time we had filled the lock another pair of boats was coming down with a swarm of crew. They left the 2nd and 3rd gates open so we simply had to close the gates behind us and fill. Ann drove the boat in to the 3rd lock, but Edward open the paddles rather quickly which moved the boat about a bit.

Edward opened the 4th and 5th locks. We completed the last lock at about 12.30. A lady saw that Ann needed help closing the last gate and rushed up. She also arranged a bottle of gas from Goldbrough's yard, at the top lock, where she kept her boat. She remembered she need help with that gate too.

After taking on water and getting rid of the rubbish, we moved on a short distance to just before bridge 72 for lunch. A really nice spot overlooking the country side, in bright sunshine. We had bacon sandwiches.

After lunch we moved on to Copt Heath Wharf, were we had a pump out. Ann had caught a whiff of something earlier on and was concerned. The bloke only charged for one pump out as there was little in both tanks.

We moved on the short distance to Catherine de Barnes where we tied up for the night at about 15.30. We had to use pins at the front, for the first time this holiday. We then went to the local Spar for a few essentials.

We went for a meal at the Boat Inn. Edward had mushrooms and stilton cheese on toast followed by grilled salmon with salad. Ann had cod and chips. For pudding Edward had apple crumble and Ann chocolate fudge cake, both with cream.

Internet reception was 3g with good signal strength but access was slow, TV reception was good.

Day ten - Saturday 14th April

We started off at about 9.15. The weather was bright and sunny. The journey was uneventful, with no boats about. This part of the canal is quite pleasant with several old wharfs. Near bridge 91 we meet a group of fishermen having a competition. There was a line of them all the way to Camp Hill locks, where we arrived at about 11.35.

The six Camp Hill locks are narrow and took about 1 hour 15 minutes to negotiate, the fishermen had also occupied several of the lock ponds, which was a nuisance. We then turned right at Bordesley Junction toward Salford Junction (Spaghetti Junction). We continued a short distance to the first of five Garrison Locks, where we had short lunch break.

We started off again at about 13.35, this part of the canal is less attractive as it is surrounded by many more derelict building than the previous stretch. The five locks took about an hour. We then turned right at Salford Junction.

The repair work going on under Spaghetti Junction is much more extensive than on out previous visit, with massive amounts of steelwork going in to support the carriageway. Some of the foundations could also be decaying as they were being excavated with temporary dams to keep the canal water out.

We were on the last stretch now, with the three Minworth locks. A short hail storm occurred at about 15.45, otherwise the weather had remained sunny, but was now getting rather chilly. We arrived at Curdworth at about 17.30. Actual travelling time was about 8 hours.

We went for a meal at the White Horse. Edward had onion soup and then chicken, leek and ham pie with salad. Ann had a rib eye steak, with mushrooms and chips. Edward had a berry and Mascarpone tart with clotted cream.

Internet and TV reception were both good.

Day eleven - Sunday 15th April

Again a sunny start to the day, but a chilly wind. As soon as we got through the short Curdworth tunnel, we meet a row of fishermen.

The first seven locks were uneventful, most having to be filled, with only two boats coming up. Edward increasingly thought that we had something on the propeller, as coming out of White Bridge Lock (6) was quite difficult. At lock 7 we meet another row of fishermen.

Finally we pulled over just before Double Bridge Lock (8) and cleared the propeller. There was a trouser belt, which needed a knife to clear, plus some plastic tubing and plastic bags.

We then completed the final four locks, plus taking on water at Bodymoor Heath Bridge, and pulled over for lunch by the nature reserve. It had taken about three and a half hours from top to bottom, about half an hour extra due to the fishermen and propeller.

We had a short lunch and then moved on to Hopwas, about two hours away. For the first part Ann stayed below reading her Kindle. The weather remained bright and sunny with an increasing nip in the wind. We arrived at Hopwas about 16.30.

We went for a meal at the Tame Otter. Edward had pea soup followed by grilled salmon and salad, Ann had a rib eye steak with mushrooms and chips. We both had a berry and Mascarpone tart with clotted cream.

Internet reception was good, but the TV was watchable with the occasional pixelation.

Day twelve - Monday 16th April

As we are ahead of schedule we are having a lazy day and only travelling about 1 hour to Huddlesford. The sun is shinning brightly at this moment, 9.15. Ann is reading her Kindle while Edward did a few chores then updated this web page and surfed the net.

At 11.30 we moved on a short distance to just before Tamhorn House Bridge, tying up on a wide bend with a better view of the countryside. Ann continued with her Kindle.

At 13.30 we had bacon and egg sandwiches and tea.

At 14.30 we moved on to Huddlesford. It took about an hour, the weather remained sunny, thinking about it we have probably never seen this stretch in sunshine before. Two walkers managed to keep up with us all the way, we went slightly ahead at times but they caught up when we had to slow down for moored boats. We tied up in a favourite spot, close to pub.

By now we had run the engine the necessary five hours to charge the batteries, so we turned the engine off. Its not distracting running the engine while moored.

We had a meal at the Plough Inn again. Ann had filet steak and chips then trifle and cream, Edward had onion soup followed by gammon steak and egg then gooseberry crumble and cream.

Internet and TV reception were both good, though passing trains pixilated the latter.

Day thirteen - Tuesday 17th April

It was wet and windy in the night, the later blowing wavelets noisily against the hull. At 8.00 it was raining, the forecast for the day was heavy rain. By the time we started out, at 9.35, the sun was shining though the wind was nippy.

We arrived at the water point, by the swing bridge, at Fradley Junction at about 11.00, where we topped the tank up. We had to walked another boat a small distance as it was blocking the water point and our hose was not long enough.

Still in glorious sunshine we turn north into Fradley locks and proceeded on to Alrewas, arriving about 13.00. There we had lunch. While Ann read Edward had a brisk 20 min walk to the Coop to get milk.

We left Alrewas at 14.00 and had an uneventful cruise to Branston, arriving about 16.35. We noticed the Little Chef at Barton Turns was boarded up.

We decided to have cod and chips from the local chippy. Another brisk 20 min walk. I just avoided a heavy downpour.

Internet and TV reception were both good.

Day fourteen - Wednesday 18th April

The day started overcast so we put all our wet weather gear on. We left at about 9.10 and after an uneventful cruise we arrived at the marine at 12.00, with no significant rain.

After a quick sandwich we left for Nuneaton to visit Ann's aunt and uncle, the latter being in hospital. It rain hard much of the time.

On the way back to the boat we picked up a Chinese in Repton.

Later we started packing.

Day fifteen - Thursday 19th April

We vacated the boat by 10.00. Again as we travelled it rained heavily.

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