Rain is no fun, but new friends are.

 

The morning was grey and the forecast was rain in the morning clearing and a dry afternoon.

So we sat, I had my knitting to do which is so absorbing once you make a start,  oh I'll just do one more row sort of thing, blogging and oh I have a great new book so it's a busy time being moored up.

Well it was wet and not just light rain but heavy and unrelenting rain.

There was a hooting and a figure in head to foot wet weather gear waving... as the figure got nearer the penny dropped and I saw that it was Adam Porter on NB Briar Rose, I felt sorry for him in this awful rain, but he greeted us cheerily despite it.

A few words exchanged then on he went.

Much later when it had stopped we pulled the pins and went on our way.  Since making this detour there had been some pouring over the guide books and head scratching as to how much time we have left with the other places and people we wanted to see.  We agreed that we definitely move today although a gorgeous spot, wind the boat (Turn around) and retrace our steps.  

So onward to Gayton Junction, service the boat, wind and return.  On the way we passed by NB Briar Rose again who were at the most attractive marina Heyford Fields where they were having their boat fixed after a minor problem.  Soon after unexpectedly it started to rain again, so in turn we donned the full wet weather gear, grinning and bearing it.

It was miserable.  We serviced the boat at Gayton Junction, no other boats moving at all, who could blame them?

We passed by this, NB Enceladus, formally own by Blogger Sarah who is also our Commander in a fortnight when we all rendezvous in south west France and board a floating bathtub aka a Le Boat.  

No photos of this miserable stretch due to the rain but then after a short run there was a stretch of long straight armco and I said oh god lets just stop and get warm... A hatch opened on the other boat moored there and Adam popped his head out to invite us in for tea and bikkies, Oh Yes Please.

So it was a delightful end to the day.  We have never met Adam and Adrian in person although almost all our boating friends have.

We had a lovely late afternoon and enjoyed their generous hospitality.

Left to right Lisa half head who is rubbish at selfies, David, Adam and Adrian, all dressed in CART uniforms

It finally had stopped raining and a lovely evening sky.

Supper was cheese on toast with coleslaw.

P.S.   Debby if you see this, we passed by her at Norton Junction and meant to have posted earlier.  

It was yours wasn't it?  She was looking fabulous and well loved but I bet you sold her looking fab.

P.P.S New book is Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn

The Buckby Locks ordeal turned out to be an absolute pleasure.

Well you can see the weather we arrived back to Braunston in.  Glorious sunshine.

Such a change a day or so makes.  We heaved the bags along to the car and a wee bit of food shopping and blimey the car felt much further away.

Straight off the moorings as we were close to the 48 hours expiry time.

Watered up and off we go.

Leaving the water and rubbish point.

This canal shop is still going.  I said to the man I was glad he was still going and he said not for much longer.... I'm 87 you know, I think we will sell it soon.  So does anyone want to buy a shop?

Now Reader you know how I love and appreciate Volunteer Lockies, well this one was rather bossy with the complete Newbies we shared with and YELLED at me from across the lock to change my windlass to the shorter option.  Reader I complied but I'm complaining to you now!

Lord Nelson Pub.

And the last lock with this lovely family who had never done a lock before these at Braunston, two dogs, two very small children, two grandparents, two daughters and on son-in-law all really enjoying themselves.

Into Braunston tunnel.  

Pretty blues along the way.

We had in mind to moor up just before Norton Junction and got in on one of the last spaces.  Very popular place for boats that hardly move.

After a restful afternoon the next day we walked to Welford village just over the hill enjoying a drink in the comfortable garden watching all the while the gathering clouds...  

The weather forecast said heavy rain at 4pm so we calculated we could have their roast and scuttle away to be back on WaL staying dry and we just managed it but by golly it rained hard for a while.

The next morning I was dreading a bit, my back was still causing discomfort, but the plan had been to go down the Buckby Flight renown for being as heavy as hell and bad for crews with back ache.

But I figured that if we did the locks alone then I would helm but if we did with another boat I would crew and it would be easier as there were two of us.

Setting off from Norton Junction moorings on the GU

Oops out of sequence, these shots walking on the lane filled with wildflowers, butterflies and chirping birds in the hedgerow.

Such a pretty gateway.

        

This house had mowed the outside verge and "Claimed" it, sorry Reader but I couldn't resist....

Pretty pretty winding lane to Welford village and delightful pub.

The view walking to Welford village towards Daventry.

I walked to the locks and here's WaL passing the Leicester Arm by and heading for the locks

We teamed up with Angela and Avewren a Welsh speaking couple on NB Damsel, at first I wondered if they were Eastern European, but then there English, spoken and then I was convinced they were from Newcastle!  We seemingly flew down the locks meeting a good few boats coming up.

Angela was a great help plus we had a good laugh all the way down,  it's funny how you can make a connection quickly with complete strangers.

Two hours later saw us moored up racing against the oncoming grey clouds and strong wind just picking up again, we got in at a most attractive place called Weeden Bec, lovely open views all set for tomorrow's rain all morning forecast.  

Minutes later a cloud burst.

Our mooring tonight.

 

We played Sh*t Head again and I was no better dammit!

Supper was Halloumi cheese, egg and avocado salad. 

You stinking pile of rubbish!

No not an insult to someone but this morning David and I loaded up the rubbish left by a previous Boater into bin bags and took it to the first rubbish disposal point and yes Reader it stank.

Two big strong boxes that contained engine parts.  I was hoping for an address on the printed label but no.

Quite a long run for us today, from All Oakes Wood along through Rugby, then on and on to Hilmorton Locks and then out into the countryside for a nice mooring.  There were quite a few boats moving about today, more than we had seen so far.  Fingers crossed that they were stopping in Rugby for shopping.

The tall trees of All Oaks Wood, a few trees leaning....

A few more trees leaning, don't look at the ugly rubbish.

There are a few picturesque moorings before the outskirts of Rugby, we have not yet managed to secure one, but today this was only half an hour into our journey.

Idyllic if you hate neighbours. 

WaL leaving the first lock at Hilmorton.

Below the locks are a few permanent moorings, alongside one unoccupied place was the contents of a boat, I asked the lock keeper if there had been a fire, but not.  He said a boat had sunk, it had been refloated, and the owners had just thrown out the unwanted furniture, cushions and more onto the bank.

This is just shocking to me.  I feel if I were a volunteer here each time I was on duty I would heave one bit away to the rubbish point,  if the guilty were to present him/herself I would happily shoot them, if that's too strong then life imprisonment.

Oh look nice vintage boat for sale.

Anyone interested?

After a right bun fight at the top of Hilmorton locks when after not seeing many boats suddenly three then another arrived to descend.  One crew member slipped on the crumbling brick work so others went to administer first aid in the form of hot tea, one floated and bumped into others as no where to moor up, very short lock landing and again long term moorers right up close to the locks,  luckily we slipped through the melee and got out of the way.

Since we have been through here some changes.  I think we knew houses were going up but if they were in evidence I've forgotten.

Some ugly as houses that I won't be buying.

Then this boat yard has changed beyond recognition.  That mast behind the central building is a zonking great ocean going yacht.

Finally we reached what we thought was a super place to drop anchor.  We snugged up close to the boat behind and after a long day spent the afternoon in the cratch, reading, knitting and myself getting thrashed wholesale at cards. 

There are a few lovely spots to moor up in on a sunny day and we think we snuck in one of the nicest.

Supper was hake in batter with homemade  sweet potato wedges.  

Knitting is coming along and has to be finished by August for that baby's arrival.

The next morning early David went out cycling and at about 6am was doing a recce of the moorings in Braunston, when he returned he reported that there was plenty of spaces available.  That was good as we needed to pop home for a couple of days to see my mother, David takes that opportunity to play golf.  

We sat at the beauty spot until later afternoon and then set off for Braunston.

Halfway there it was drizzling and on arrival it was raining.  Yes Reader you've guessed it, Braunston was pretty full, it seems all the world and his mother had heard that the following day was going to be wall to wall rain and had taken all the spaces.  We inched through ....  One space we tried but it was too close to the bridge, on we went past curtains twitching and other pitying looks were seen, Oh there's a space, off I got with the rope only to see it was reserved for the hire boats.  

So reversing back (Very nicely I might say) we turned and got on the very last slot immediately before the GU turns south towards the Napton Flight.

By now it was wet.

I packed only the few things we would need and the next day we walked with bags up into the village threw off the wet coats and drove home.  

It was one of the worst journeys home ever with thick spray.  Cars and lorries without their fog lamps on were invisible until you were almost on top of them.

At Heathrow it had stopped, home to a cold house and an empty fridge. 

Marvellous.

Sunshine and pubs

Last night we sat out for supper in the warmth of the lovely spring day.  This is what happened next. 

The next day we went awalking.  Up the canal to the first bridge and sideways.

It was positively hot and I brought a sunhat into force and along the way we watched the first farmer to be cutting grass.  

So peaceful but these two had rock music BLARING out.

 

Look carefully and you can see WaL in the centre.  Beautiful countryside.

This is the entrance to the land slip works, not that much to see from here but you can make out the temporary "Road" they had to put in to access the canal. 

So who knew Brinklow had a castle?  Not me, But seeming David found it early one morning just as the sun was rising and here he is on the top of it.  Tiny bit awkward as on the top "Sunbathing" were a courting couple who weren't best pleased to see us..... at least he was topless and not her.

A Motte and Bailey construction

Brinklow church from the top.

We had a drink in both pubs and then ambled back to the mooring and WaL and enjoyed the lovely sun.  Brinklow's High Street is packed full of period cottages spanning hundreds of years, yet I neglected to photo any of them, sorry Reader.

Later the wife on the last boat to arrive was having pin trouble after some 70 year plus old hooligan boater on a vintage boat pulled her pins out of the ground.  David after a nudge in the ribs, went off to lendahand.

He stood there chatting to her for some considerable time and even after the husband returned with the dog post walk David kept on chatting to her.... The husband's body language told a story I can tell you, did David notice????  He did not and after about 40 minutes he ambled back.  Both boats from our marina and they were on a jaunt down to Oxford.

Another lovely warm evening without midges biting too.

Supper was cheese salad again to use up the bits left in the fridge.

 

Approaching D Day.

We enjoyed our afternoon in the sun here with the lovely open views over the fields.  

We set off the following morning not too early carrying on southwards.  In my opinion this is the nicest section of the Coventry canal and this mooring is the nicest mooring of this section, south of the locks at Atherstone and well north of Nuneaton.

Some years back, we found ourselves mooring up on this canal north of the junction with the Ashby canal, we were completely on our own on a post industrial section of the canal with only a few dog walkers passing by, it was scrubby land but oh my goodness not anymore. 

Open fields, great for the solar and lovely views (No owls though were heard)

Definitely a landmark.

I meant to have counted the porcelain cups? but got distracted.

This is what hove into view, a zonking great set of offices.  Its not a surprise it got planning permission as it hasn't spoilt an area but it was just a big surprise since we were last here a couple of years ago.

On we went to where...?  Obviously The Greyhound at Hawkesbury Junction.  

A place I cannot pass by on the boat without visiting.

Fairly busy with moored boats when we arrived and we got on quickly at the end of the line of moorings but on armco, after we were settled we trotted along for a 4pm booking at the pub, there were a few mooring spaces left but we were just fine at the end.  

It was still sunny and several outside tables were available.  So instead of the bar staff just crossing off our indoor table booking, I cancelled the booking on the website as instructed but oh people my age were very happy with a book and a pencil and a rubber.

 Supper was for me calamari with honey and soy sauce, gorgeous then chicken korma very generous with the chicken too.  

No room for dessert and home to the boat for coffee in the cratch.

By now the remaining mooring spots were all taken and the pub was as usual excellent for people watching.

Women in heels and dresses, boaters, men in high-vis jackets, couples with prams but not so many now old men in flat caps nowadays but all the same fantastic.

 

The next day pretty early we topped up the water and made the sharp turn now onto the North Oxford canal.

Did I tell you already that some years ago while visiting friends on their ocean going yacht in Dartmouth,  (Indeed they had recently crossed the Atlantic from the Caribbean) we popped into the small maritime museum there and there was a display all about the engineer who was local to the area who had invented the steam pump that was located here in this building below at Hawkesbury.  Quite a surprise.

The pump building and WaL coming past it. 

WaL coming round the bend

The Greyhound pub last night.  If you haven't already been there I suggest you go quickly.

This was taken from the ideal spot the previous evening for us to give points to the helming as they passed by, not many boats and a high standard of helming.

He he comes.  I was judging him too Reader.

 

This next section I find deadly dull so I went inside to clean up.

So today was Friday 17th May...... remember what's happening today?

Yes correct, the land slip was due to open.  Suddenly there was a boat coming towards us, then another and another and a whole line of narrow boats who must have been ready and waiting.  I called to one man and he said it was absolutely fine.  This was correct.

First glimpse of the work achieved.

The fallen trees and it must have been many had landed on the other side of the cutting so much work had been done to clear that debris.

This is the vast space that's been left.  

The other side of the cutting

Two landslips in all.

More work to be done to stabilise the whole site.  But a tremendous job.

Oh and another tree here....

I understand that for this weekend it was free passageway then on the Monday it was restricted opening to allow the contractors to continue the work.

We managed to get on the moorings at All Oaks Wood just down the way from here.  The boat we were following kindly bunked up a bit to let us in to what proved to be the two of the best spots.

We got the chairs out in the sun and what was right in front of us?  Three cardboard boxes, two carrier bags of boaters rubbish, a life rubber ring all pushed into the hedge.

Nice,   

Boaters rubbish, what's wrong with people?  There are rubbish point in both directions from here.

Supper was chicken salad in the sun, with the fabulous view over the countryside.  We moved our chairs away from the rubbish.