Look, even a sun hat.

So we really will have to do something about our hose, when are you visiting next Mr Lewis?

Today at the water point we pulled back to fill up and while it was doing so we washed off the roof (swept and rinsed) did I say Reader when we picked WaL up it was FILTHY. The worst it's ever been.  As we were doing so a hire boat pulled in with a pair of brothers.  David pointed out that behind us was the other water tap but they were reluctant to reverse not trusting their helming skills.  We took ages and ages to fill and were very embarrassed about it but they were charming  and when we finally got to level 8/10 we called a halt.  I donated the remainder of the coffee cake by way of a thank you.

Going north, we passed by the old Navigation Inn, it was converted into a house and by golly what a house, have a gander here    HERE   I don't know the area but at 

£1millionK I felt it a bit high.

Nuneaton was clear of rubbish, having seen other blogs showing masses of rubbish in the water we have concluded that someone must be clearing it.

Past Nuneaton the canal opens out into meadows and farmland, we might have stopped overnight but we didn't carrying on to tackle the Atherstone locks this afternoon.

My favourite ducks I used to keep as pets when the children were small.

Pretty face or what?

The Coventry Canal winds its way along the contours of the land, giving great views across the countryside.

My ideal mooring opposite here but they were all taken.

Another lovely brood out with mum and dad.

Great landmark here.

Five volunteer lock keepers on duty here today at Atherstone, they saw us coming and opened the gate.  Then a charming elderly man disappeared and when we rounded the first bend he had prepped and opened the next gates, all in all four free locks.

It was all going so well meeting other boats on their way up that we carried on finally mooring up with only two locks remaining for the morning.

This was where we washed up.  Glorious views, books and a cheeky little sauvignon blanc for company.


Supper was fishcakes sautéd courgettes broccoli and french beans.

Breathe in, maize and Red is the colour!

When we were good and ready this mooring we set off.  We were urmmming and arhmming about where to stop, but as it was a reasonable non cold windy day so it was decided that we would go the whole hog and do the five hours and get to Hawkesbury Junction and therefore my favourite Pub, The Greyhound.

Passing Clifton Cruisers it was a bit of a squeeze, breathe in...

Now we haven't stopped in central Rugby, twice we stopped but way back down the canal and watched rare English Longhorn Cattle nosing about in a smallish field, we can't quite remember when that was but today it has been built on with new houses.  So it was a bit of a surprise when we got here all the moorings have gone, not a boat to be seen.  There you go, that's progress I suppose as my mother would say. 

Rugby canal central, empty of oorings and boats.

I missed the best shot of all three bridges but got the lorry.

Now farming news, here we have maize (Not sweetcorn but fodder for winter feed), not only been drilled (planted), but its up and growing!  
There Mr Lewis... How is yours coming along?

Lovely soil.

Lovely crop of early maize.

 Now there is a lovely small section of open farm land, a bit bendy, just before All Oaks Wood, David popped down to make the coffee and I was driving and concentrating of course, when a shout went up coming from the farm itself, and I saw a cow bolting, making a bid for freedom, I smiled inwardly as cows only ever EVER got out on our farm when all the men were off the premises.  But as I watched carefully and watching the bends and moored boats I saw a farmer hot on the heels of the cow but then oh my goodness was a huge bull hot on the heels of the man and the cow bellowing!  

They went behind the buildings so I didn't see the result of capture or possible deaths, sadly no photos either.  I hope no fatalities.

All Oaks Wood, very lovely if you like trees.

Great sculptured arms of the oaks

The car park in the forest, strewn with McDonalds rubbish from parked cars I should think, but there was Boaters Rubbish too.  Very sad.

We passed NB Beaulieu at Stretton moored up and looking nice.  I googled it and here is the entry for your pleasure.  

HERE.  First registered in 1936, so that's just 83 years old.

A little faded maybe but thats a price to be paid for having a glorious red boat.

Red Boats for ever.

Round the corner and boom onto the slot next to the water point.  Marvellous for the morning to fill up and be away.  

Naps were taken by the one who'd been awake since 4:30am, that's retired farmers for you and supper had in the best pub.

I managed three courses, mushroom arancini, fish and chips and raspberry and almond tart.  We both think it was the best quality and menu we've had there.

Sunshine and showers at Hilmorton

So on a chilly and blowy morning we left Braunston.  It was gorgeous in the shelter and sunshine, but it wasn't to last.  

The famous bridges of Braunston.

You can't see them too well but the ancient field ridges in the sun made a marvellous  frame to the well known church outline against the sky.

Further away but it looks nearer.

Now there's been some talk about WaL and when we come to repaint her, David loved this grey on this boat.  We are in two minds about the red, that is to say I want red again and David really likes this grey.... Luckily we shall not worry about it yet awhile.

We only met a few boats coming towards us but all of them the Captains were wrapped up well in thick winter gear, mostly including hats and scarves.

The beautiful NB Duxlandyn

My goodness, we counted fourteen ducklings, didn't she do well?  How many will make it I wonder.

It was a fairly uneventful run up to Hilmorton but when we got there I was cold.  I chose to do the locks to warm up a bit.  There was a volunteer on duty and thank goodness for that as I couldn't wind the paddle, there was only one working.  

He was walking down to his lunch and stopped to wind the second lock's paddle for me too for the same reason.

David coming around the corner at Hilmorton locks into the last one of three.

We moored up below the locks and around a corner, in the shelter of a chunky hedge, very convenient too as a storm was coming in over the weekend and we were off to London in the morning to celebrate our youngest daughters birthday, I can hardly dare tell you but my baby was 30, which makes me feel about 73. 


It was a fabulous weekend, we all went to her favourite restaurant   HERE  its simply amazing, I have now been here three times.  And when David goes on his Men Only golfing trip to Florida I indeed to go again and a spa day and shopping and have my hair straightened not that I'm feeling left out or anything.

Dropping down into Braunston.

The weather forecast said rain later.  D was up and checking the forecast and then it rained.  
So we delayed leaving Norton Junction or I should say I delayed getting out of bed.   

Then as I was comfy with tea and a good book....
"I think we should go, there's blue sky all around!"  
Now of course the half baked plan had been to go early through the Braunston tunnel, if you don't know it Reader it's quite a long one with a nasty dog-leg at the beginning if you are going our way.

So we set off, it was chilly so I was putting on suitable thermals.  As we approached the tunnel a boat pulled out.  Not usually a problem, he didn't make us brake or anything but it very quickly became apparent that he was a single hander.  Large groans from wife here.  This can, not always, but can mean that wife is doing all the work for two boats at the six Braunston locks.

Into the tunnel and all went well, we only met one boat and no bumps or tinks at all.  We got to the queue of boats waiting at the landing and we were number 3 of four boats, Result!  Single hander went with the first boat who had several crew and we went in with the hire boat which had crept up behind us also with three crew.  
I love it when this happens.

Well, after the first lock I warmed up a bit and took off my outer coat.  After the second lock I took off my second coat.  At this point I went forward to prep locks and then of course the heavens opened and we all got a good soaking with my coat out of reach.

Finally down and out of the bottom lock, unusually for Braunston there were masses of moorings.



We walked right around the moorings in Braunston looking to see if we could spot Al & Del of   HERE  but they weren't to be seen, but David did buy a bargain of a broom in the shop here, a long handled one for £1.99 

A nice sky and reflections here in Braunston, right around the other end.

The beautiful church and the even more beautiful rectory at Braunston.

In doing so this couple of injureds both had leg ache, him from a squash match last week and mine from being a bit too enthusiastic at Aqua a few weeks ago.  We have to pop home in a week or so and I think I'll book a couple of physio appointments...

Supper was sausages and cauliflower cheese.  Lip smackingly good.

Short flit from Bridge 22 to Norton Junction.

So sadly without seeing a single hare, we departed from this gorgeous mooring.  It was sunny, for a while and then it wasn't.  We saw a dead ewe on the canal side, I looked away, I guess it might have been a fox after its death....

Crick was pretty empty, but we didn't stop.  I put a coat on to do the Crick tunnel as when we went through the Husband's Bosworth tunnel I got a complete dripping on as it has small streams cascading onto boats, I then froze.  But only a drip or two in the Crick one.

We came out the other end where the wind was blowing and the noise from the M1 got louder.

A small queue at Watford Locks for us, then the lockkie set us off.  He had already filled the bottom locks for us when as I got sight there was a lady in pink emptying the last lock!

I yelled like an old fish wife in the distance and she stopped then a bit sheepishly.  Turns out they were inexperienced Hirers and hadn't seen the sign for crews to sign in.  As we left the last lock passing the sign we saw it was pointing to the canal, hopeless if you had walked from along the canal as they had.

Nicely there were spaces for us at Norton Junction.  We spoke to another boater who had followed us down, she said she hadn't decided whether to turn left towards London or Right towards Braunston, isn't that just about the best thing about boating?  Shall we go here or there?

At six we met friends Sarah and Andy, not only do they have a narrowboat but they have two and were on their way home from a fabulous ten days aboard NB Enceledas reaching Bugsworth Basin    HERE

We all had a good supper at The New Inn, reasonably priced and huge servings.

I had lasagne, salad and chips, I couldn't even contemplate dessert.

Watford Flight

Lovely blossom here every year.

Today's Pretties

Maybe Hawthorne, possible Blackthorne.

Pretty blue, no idea what.

Grand Union canal immediately above the Buckby Locks.

Hello Peter how are you?

So we enjoyed our evening at the Laughton Hills.  

The next morning we (David) collected the car from Debdale on his trusty Brompton.  Over the winter he had it serviced at home,  the bill whilst smaller than last winter's bill was substantial and I can confirm to you Reader that he has now paid out far more than the initial cost of the bike.  However, he does cycle miles on it and a daughter says its still much cheaper than the gym.  So back to the point of the story, we nipped off to visit lovely friends Ed and Jane who have a fabulous B&B, in fact the very B&B we four (The boat Sharers and us) stayed on we think ten years ago when we very first visited the Crick Boat Show.

Lovely to see them again and I left with a huge coffee cake in my hands, a present from Jane.

Ed is a sheep farmer and confirmed to us what we could see that the land is very very very dry.  Reader you may not have noticed but this winter past has been a a dry one with not nearly enough rain.

So this is silaging and its similar to haymaking but different.  Cows love both, but its easier to make silage with modern tractors.  This usually takes place in May,  David reckons its about three weeks early, another sign of global warming except today I am wearing a vest....

This lovely old, really old boat was on the side, you can tell it's age non boaty Readers as it has a wooden hull, now I can't remember the name, and sadly I can't be 100% sure but it could be NB Dane, if that is correct and please do tell if you know there's a link   HERE  

We were delighted to see Peter.  Reader you may remember that we first met Peter our very trip out on WaL.  He's a boater of many years standing and goes out on this boat that he fitted out himself.  He's ex RAF, and avid bird spotter, reader on his kindle and plane spotter, there are many of which here as there's a nearby airfield.  Oh and Peter is 90 this year.  We always stop to chew the fat and hope that we might be doing so well at that age.

Note the shirt and tie, the boat is immaculate too.

Almost at our destination but this bridge caught my eye, its been completely repointed.  Looks wonderful, pity the other side wasn't all done too.  Saving money I guess, wouldn't it be wonderful if they could save all the old bridges.

This is my second favourite mooring, actually where we met Peter. Its mostly had winter wheat growing in it making it a favoured place for hares, that is to say giving them cover.  I love hares.  

At this spot two years ago I spotted many, you'll have to look back if you too like hares to see them.
Okay, I've found the lovely hares  HERE

Spring sewn beans growing here this year, I am very disappointed.

So supper was the very last of the delicious left overs from Easter.

Later than usual but we're away....

We arrived at the boat the other day Reader, oh the joy of it, a hot sunny day, David in shorts and a tee shirt and myself in a skirt without tights, this event usually only occurs way later in the year.  I guess that's global warming for you.

We got to the boat and if you can believe it, WaL started first time, a nice surprise.

We hadn't intended to leave the marina but we did, we hadn't intended either to go much further than the delightful mooring down the canal, but we did and certainly I hadn't intended to do the Foxton Flight, but to sit in the glorious sunshine and watch some appalling helming coming out of the locks into the basin where one female driver came out of the lock at speed, failed to achieve the handbrake turn necessary and ploughed into the hatch shutter of a moored boat on the other side of the basin.
I held my hand over my mouth as it happened in horror.  Thankfully the shutter remained in tack and in place, she then reversed at more speed and rammed WaL amid ships.  

The lockkie came down to tell us that instead of a two hour wait we now had a five minute wait and we were to proceed up the flight to half way and wait for the five boats to descend.

Result.

Lots of visitors here, willing hands to help get us on our way.

Then a short hours cruise to of course the glorious Laughton Hills.  I heard a rustling in the reeds but the occasional sighted Water Vole was hiding.  A Red Kite was playing on the wind right above WaL though, I was only slightly disappointed as I had said to David I wanted to watch the buzzards, neither of which we get to see at home.

Right opposite the marina entrance, right next to a No Mooring sign, so that's okay then. 

The first ever departure in shorts.

Half way up the ten locks at Foxton, we have had to wait here several times before mostly getting bashed by the passing boats, but not today.

It's a bit of a tight fit for us.

Arriving at the lovely beautiful Laughton Hills, there's that Red Kite.

He/she flew so languidly overhead but still so hard to get a photo, it went up and down the canal coming back the minute I'd put my camera down.

Supper was a cracker, our daughter is a big fan of Yotam Ottolenghi, she has his "Simple" book and as a treat for Mothers Day appeared as if by magic and cooked up a feast, she then repeated the treat on Easter Sunday (David cooked a small turkey) and she did the rest, so we brought the leftovers up. 

Fantastic

Yep I could eat like this all the time.