An early start to get to my favourite place

It was cold, no really really cold.  Today David had his winter golf wet weather gear, plus two more layers.  This included marino wool base layers x 2.
He set off at 7am mostly to avoid the strong winds forecast this afternoon, and about a five hour trip to get there.

It certainly was as cold as it looks

All Oaks Wood.

The moorings were almost empty, on previous trips they have been rammed.

Mind that chimney.

Glupy towpath.

Now I have included this lovely bridge to show where the old canal came in and out and the new version after the bends had been straightened.  

Its very interesting and you can read all about it  HERE  read 30th April 2016 on NB Seyella's blog.

Fab bridges.

We reached Stretton and I was on my best behaviour, last time coming through here, I had hopped off and opened the wee bridge, as another boat was minutes behind I left it opened and got back onboard, to the total fury of two ladies who came out of the office and told me off good and proper despite my apologies, they got hold of the long stick and whacked the bridge shut like a teenager slamming a door.  

I didn't want a repeat performance, who would?  I got early and hurried along to the bridge which was obscured by all the moored hired boats.  
It was open!  No other boats in sight so it must have been left open a good while, "Good morning" I called across to a man in overalls, he cheerfully waved and said he would shut the bridge.  
What a difference two years make.

Coventry's outskirts coming into view.

Pretty sure its a Kestrel   HERE

M6  I always feel super smug to be laughing at those poor people up there.

At Ansty, this whackety bridge has been tidied

Some peoples treasure is other folks supreme tat, but my first car was a VW Beetle.

Sweet Spot mooring 

We arrived about midday at Hawkesbury Junction, washed hands and hurried along to have lunch.  A great lunch.  I love this place and in the past have had trouble pacing myself so today I ordered a starter followed by a starter then obviously dessert.
For non boaty friends, maybe like a new Reader from Brazil, (Hello any Brazilians by the way), this place was a major intersection on the canal system back almost two centuries ago, it was known as Sutton Stop due to the Sutton family who lived in the white cottage below and to whom the tolls due were paid to for the passage from one canal company to another.  The Greyhound Pub here serves terrific food, in terrific quantities.  ( A couple next to us had fish and chips, the fish was the size of a small baby).
So on a freezing lunchtime we had the very last table available in the place!  

The Greyhound Pub.

On the right, the North Oxford Canal arrives and the white building is where the Sutton Family lived and you paid your toll to.  The boats come forward, under the bridge where I took this photo and do a U turn to continue north onto The Coventry Canal

Later on after I had had Thai Fishcakes then steamed buns filled with crispy belly of pork oh and a portion of chips then Key Lime and Pistachio Pie with mojito sorbet and reaching the boat 50 paces from the pub door, we both napped in the sun filled cratch, read then napped again, then the sky change to that.

You can guess the rest.