Friday 25 May 2018

Moving on towards Shardlow

Friday 25th May
On Tuesday morning we left Stoke Golding as we were up and about early, breakfast over with we left just after 6.45am. It was a cooler morning but bright. We had an uneventful cruise but a nice one and when we were approaching the end of the Ashby canal I went to the bow to let Kev know if it was clear to turn right onto the Coventry canal. there was a boat coming through bridge 15 so we waited a few minutes while he passed and then when it was clear we headed onto the coventry canal.
Approaching Marston Junction
Boat now passed.

Always makes me smile.
When we got to the top lock at the Atherstone flight there was a boat just about to leave the lock so we were able to head straight in. There were 2 lockies on this lock who were happy to work the lock for us so I stayed on board while Kev went down to the second lock to set it for me but there was a boat coming up that one too so I waited while it exited the lock and then passed it in the pound, there was another lockie on there too and yet another boat coming up too so it was quite good. After the first 3 locks we were behind a boat going down the locks and no more lockies to help so we had to fill them each time. When we came down lock 9 we moored for the day and I sat in the sunshine while Kev did an oil change! Not a bad deal!!
Moored below lock 9
On Wednesday morning I put a wash on before we left  to go down the last 2 locks. Another cloudy start to the day and pretty cool to what we had been used to recently.
Kev waiting for lock to empty.

 Lock 11 
Approaching Fazely junction

Lots of new building at the junction.
We moored at Sutton Road bridge as Kev wanted to go to Asda at Ventura park for a collapsable bucket while I stayed with Jaz on board. When Kev returned we headed off once more, the sun was out and was getting warmer again so by the time we got to Orchard marina we moored just after bridge 85.
Yesterday we left just after 8am and headed to Fradley and as we got through the swing bridge I got off and went to the junction lock where the lockie said they were letting water down as there wasn't much  further down. When Kev turned right to the lock he didn't have long to wait. By the time we were down Bagnall lock at Alrewas we were surprised to find the moorings were empty until we were through bridge 46 where it was full, not that we wanted to moor and so we went down Alrewas lock onto the river section and moored before  we got to Wychnor lock for a bite to eat and let Jaz stretch her legs. We then headed to the lock where a boat was coming up and when we got to Shobnall fields we managed to moor for the day, Kev washed the boat while I went for a walk onto the playing fields with Jaz.
Well this morning (Friday) was dreadful weatherwise! We put on our wet gear and headed for Dallow lock in the rain,  we stopped briefly at Horninglow basin to empty a cassette and set off again, we didn't see any other idiots  boats on the move until we were getting close to Willington, and when we got through bridge 23 and passed the services we found a mooring and so we will stay here for the rest of the day and we will go for a game of pool and a couple of beers later this afternoon then Kev will go for a Chinese takeaway for us. Tommorow, back to our Marina, then home for a few weeks.

We had some visitors .

Monday 21 May 2018

Sun, Sun, Sun.

Tuesday 22nd May
We have had a lovely few days on the Ashby canal, the weather has been absolutely fabulous. Last Thursday after Kev had managed to get the boat painted where the damage was on the bow, we had a late cooked breakfast and while Kev washed up I took Jaz for a walk across the field alongside of our mooring.  It was a lovely day again and we had a quiet cruise in the sunshine withe no mishaps!

Trinity Marina
Triumph motorbikes factory.
When we were through bridge 27 we looked for a mooring and we managed to get moored but not ideally as it was close to the road and although it isn't a busy road there is a lay-by next to the mooring and lots of people park here to feed the ducks and have a walk.
Not ideal, with having Jaz.
There were a couple of boats moored further back on good moorings next to the field where you can walk across into Stoke Golding, thats where we wanted to be and so we sat and waited for a while to see if either of them would leave and then both of them looked like they were getting ready to go so Kev walked over to them to ask them if they were leaving to hang on as there were another two boats coming and we didn't want to lose a good spot. They kindly waited while the two boats had passed and so Kev reversed back onto one of their moorings. We spent the next couple of days there and managed to have our first couple of BBQ's there!
Its a man thing!
Misty morning, followed by sunshine again.
Looking towards the road.
We had a walk with Jaz up the road to Dadlington to the Dog & Hedgehog and sat outside in the glorious sunshine, this pub is very popular and apparently the food is very good, it has good views too.
On Saturday after doing some washing, I sat and watched the wedding and then we had another walk over to the Dog & Hedgehog with Jaz, it seemed to be getting warmer each day. On Saturday evening we had a walk into Stoke Golding and went in all 3 pubs, plenty of people out and about too and as we were walking you could smell plenty go bbq's going on as everybody was making good use of this super weather!
On Sunday morning we left our mooring and headed off, there was a boat moored at the roadside mooring and the lady on the boat recognised our boat and said she read Carol's blog and sometimes read mine too. I forgot to take a photo of Nb Sonia Louise!
Anyway we cruised on until we got to the services at Sutton Cheney and filled with water etc, it is a very popular spot here and the car park and the cafe there was very busy.
Heading towards the services through bridge 34.
After we had a full tank of water, emptied 2 cassettes and got rid of a large amount of rubbish we were on our way, as we passed a barge that was tied to a couple of trees, well we thought it was tied up! The bow of the barge started to move across the canal as the rope on the bow had come undone!

Oh dear, it ended up completely across the canal! OOPS!!
Market Bosworth Marina.
We moored just passed Market Bosworth marina to have a bite to eat and let Jaz stretch her legs, there are aome moorings just passed the entrance to the marina with rings to tie onto, there is also a sign saying £5 a night to moor there! So we moored just passed these moorings.
A moorhen in her cosy nest.
Bit shaded but lovely.
This heron was in front of us for a while.
Snarestone tunnel.
The basin, were we turned.
In the above photo you can see the now opened stretch of canal that was previously closed, we didn't go any further onto the new section as we wouldn't be able to turn around as the winding hole further along is only  50 ft wide so we were told and as we are 62 feet long I think we would have been pushing it! We were going to moor in the basin but decided to head back through Snarestone tunnel and moor, as there are good moorings and open fields. Once we had got moored we had a walk to the Globe pub for a cold beer.
Lovely Morgan car.
We left Snarestone yesterday mooring and started heading back along the Ashby canal.
These geese have their hands full.

Managed to spot Nb Sonia Louise, nobody on board.
When we arrived back to the moorings at Stoke Golding there are plenty of moorings so we moored almost in the same spot as we had left on Sunday.

Thursday 17 May 2018

Happy Birthday Jaz

Thursday 17th May
Today Jaz is 3 years old! It doesn't seem 3 years since we got her when Ben & Michelle who bred her delivered her to us when we were on the River Avon.
 
She has grown up lovely.
Yesterday morning it was cold and breezy as we set off, what a difference to the previous day when we were in t-shirts but now we were in sweatshirts and I had my coat on too! After Kev had got through Sutton stop lock I walked with Jaz over to the services while Kev turned onto the Coventry canal and reversed back to the water point where I met him. While he filled with water etc I took Jaz across the fields for walk.
 At the water point.
A nicely decorated bridge.
When we set off from the water point the wind had picked up and it was bloody cold, unbelievable after all the lovely sun we have had.
 This house is still for sale.
A big difference to when it was the pub!
Nothing coming as we approach the junction.

Turning onto theAshby canal.
All clear ahead.
It was still very windy as we were cruising on the Ashby, we passed a few boats heading in the opposite direction, we had a bit of a mishap at one point as there was a hire boat heading towards us and as we got closer to it their bow started to veer towards us and so I went into reverse quickly but we still hit the other boat! The man on the tiller said he was aground and there was nothing he could do, I must admit from what we could see he did have his tiller the correct way but his stern was stuck. If I hadn't gone astern then it would have been worse. 
Only took the paint off.
Kev rubbed it down after we moored and put primer on it, this morning he has painted it and it is fine.
Who said there was no Nessie!
Coal Boat Aurora.
As we got moored we saw the coal boat Aurora coming round the bend towards us so Kevasked him if the had diesel and so he pulled alongside and filled R&R up.
Lovely quiet mooring, bridge 13 behind us.

Tuesday 15 May 2018

Plenty of familiar boats about1

Tuesday 15th May
We left Braunston on Sunday morning, while Kev let go I walked to the bottom lock with Jaz to open the lock gate for him, a boat had come up before we were ready to leave so it was full although I had to open a paddle as it was leaking. When Kev was in the lock we swapped places and when the lock was empty and I was out of the lock Kev walked with Jaz with me following slowly. We stopped at the elsan point to do the usual emptying of the cassette! With Kev & Jaz back on board  we set off again.
Passing the boathouse pub.
3 Eastern Europeans  fishing at the junction.
A few boats in the new Dunchurch Marina. 
A nice morning for cruising, a bit cool first thing but warmed up nicely as the day went on.
Looks like the construction of a new bridge.
This is on the outskirts of Rugby.
It looks like there is a new road leading to this new bridge which seems to start from before Hillmorton locks on the opposite side to the towpath side.
A familiar boat close to Clifton cruisers. (note the boat ahead of us)
The new owner of  Nb No Problem

We had been following a boat after the new bridge construction, now I know you should not be in a rush and we certainly aren't and we don't go fast but this boat was that slow Kev spent more time out of gear than in gear! The boat in the picture above is the slow boat and we followed it all the way to the moorings at Brownsover where they pulled over onto the 24hour mooring and tied up,we moored on the towpath side as the moorings were full. They didn't stay though so what they stopped for I will never know.
We were going to pull across when they were leaving but there was a boat that had just tied up behind us so we told them they could have the mooring as they were meeting family and we would stay where we were. We went to Tesco for shopping and then once we were back on board and had unpacked it all, I went to the retail shops while Kev sat outside the boat with Jaz.
Another familiar boat moored at Brownsover.
Yesterday was my birthday, and we wanted to get to Hawkesbury Junction so we could go for a meal in the Greyhound pub. We had a nice cruise in the sunshine again and as we got to the moorings at All Oaks Wood we spotted another familiar boat...
Nb Muleless.
We slowed down and sounded the horn, but nobody came out, think they were hiding from us!
Bye!
When we got to the moorings at Hawkesbury junction there was only one boat moored so we pulled in behind it.
Moored in the sunshine.
We got our chairs out and sat in the sun with Jaz, a small boat came up to moor behind us with a woman who was single handed so Kev helped her moor up, she had a dog and so Jaz was very happy as they played with each other for most of the afternoon. We wanted to book a table in the restaurant at the Greyhound pub but they were full all night but said they started doing food at 5pm and if we wanted to eat in the bar that should be ok. So we went over at just after 5pm and it was packed with people sat outside but it was fine inside so we got a table easily. We had a lovely meal and we decided to stay put today and we have booked a table in the restaurant for tonight as today is our wedding anniversary.