Mike55

The Caldon, is a lovely canal - probably my favourite. I was going to visit it early September, but they closed Hazlehurst Locks to save water by ensuring as much as possible of the water from Rudyard Reservoir (after which Rudyard Kipling was named) went down to the T&M rather than Froghall. I believe the locks are open again now. Don't miss it.

I have a recollection of a 'Real Ale Guide to the Waterways' done with CAMRA, late 70s or early 80s?

I thought the inclined plane at Foxton would take two narrowboats or one widebeam per caisson, so possibly not the first, although probably the first in recent times.

If the question is how to charge your laptop, you've got 2 options: mains charger powered from an inverter, or a 12V car charger (assuming your boat is 12V). My work laptop is a Lenovo, and its input voltage is 20V - not all 'universal' car chargers will step up the voltage plus they've got to have a Lenovo type connector (rectangular on mine).

I thought you had to use wood ash rather than coal ash for this?

One potential advantage of the ABC takeover is the greater number of other marinas available for reciprocal mooring. We wanted to leave our boat at the Pridewater marina at New Mills but they didn't have space. As both Pridewater & ABC allow mooring at their other marinas at no extra charge, this should give more options. Whether it'll make up for any negative changes, is another matter.

Probably won't affect use of the facilities at Fazeley Mill Marina, but ABC Leisure have just acquired the marina from Pridewater Estates along with their other 3 marinas.

Directly opposite that industrial outflow waterfall that makes you want to pee all night. It's not as if the pub's anything special.

I too came through Nuneaton today (heading north), but didn't see anything similar. Did spot 2 shopping trolleys in the canal & the remains of 2 more on the towpath (removed by magnet fishers?) by bridge 18a. I've overnighted in Nuneaton before without problems (near Boot bridge). It's not a scenic place but there are a lot worse.

We went past Bosworth Marina, on the Ashby, today for the first time for over a year. Just outside the marina signs have appeared stating visitor mooring £5. Bearing in mind that this is the towpath side, can they do this? Unsurprisingly the boats that were moored were just beyond this area. We weren't intending to moor there today, but were considering it on our return to visit Market Bosworth. I'll be damned if I'll pay £5 to moor on the towpath though. Has anyone else come across similar elsewhere?

We've used Atherstone station a few times, it's only a few yards from the Coventry Canal visitor moorings. Direct hourly trains to Crewe, Stafford, Tamworth, Nuneaton, Rugby, Milton Keynes & London with connections from these to numerous other places.

If you restricted your cruising to those canals that were never derelict, you'd be missing out on some gems that you nowadays take for granted. So it is with the canals currently being restored, in years to come people will just consider them as part of the network.

The coconut count from Coventry Basin to Hawkesbury Junction earlier today was 62, so about 11/mile on average.

Yes, they do keep the lights on all night in the basin, which doesn't help sleeping, especially when you're used to mooring in the countryside.

I'm not moored there, and wouldn't. Last night I asked a hire boat to move up so that they didn't have half a boat length between them & the next boat. This would have allowed me to moor without infringing that space, but also make best use of the available space. They refused. So I moored on the other side - no problem for me. Once the place had filled up later, the last boat to arrive moored to the 2 bollards in the winding hole. They shouldn't have, but I sympathise with their predicament, caused by other's inconsiderate mooring. Tonight, the hire boat has moved up, & no one is moored in the winding hole.

Well, I've learnt something today.

Currently moored in Coventry Basin. One half of the Y is taken up by the hire boat company, but the other (on right as you enter the basin) is 7 day mooring, as is one space across between the legs of the Y. Mooring prohibited (in theory) in front of shops on right. If space tight could moor between shops & Elsan block. Note, water point is outside basin. Basin seems to be an oasis, walk into city centre over ring road isn't great, but it's fine. Don't miss Cash's Hundred Houses near bridge 2 on way in. Canal is narrow & seems shallow too in places, with rubbish, including numerous coconuts. Goodness knows where they came from. It's worth the diversion from Hawkesbury Junction.

Never had a problem with Harecastle. Went through Gostly Tunnel in June (VERY narrow & low) and found the ring of light from the upward angled tunnel light very effective at picking out the roof line. I can see the advantage of an light at the back illuminating the roof, but up to now I've managed with a decent flashlight and/or an LED headlamp.

LED lights are great inside the boat and for any application when you will have them on when the engine isn't running, however they seem unnecessary for tunnel lights. I can't foresee any situation (other than testing) when I would want the tunnel light on without the engine, which will happily supply more than enough power to run it. You don't need a lot of light to see where you're going in a tunnel, so why have a really bright front light and risk blinding oncoming boaters. As the OP demonstrates, it's in your interests not to. In tunnels we always put all the cabin lights on & open all the curtains - keeps the ghosts away, and helps with seeing the tunnel sides. Our tunnel light is also angled upwards - helps to see the roof IMO.

Didn't say it was.

Laziness.

Be careful what you wish for - oddly many (well some) humans actually like to be in the company of other humans rather than just communicating via electronic means. I could work from home a lot more than I do, but I prefer to create a clear distinction between work and home life by going to the office. What would the social and mental health effects be of what you suggest? There's more than enough social isolation in this country already.

Depends on whether you think HS2 is bad or not...

Geese make excellent guard 'dogs', as they can't be silenced with food - if alarmed they're just noisy. Personally I'd never stopped feeding bread to ducks etc.

Mine came with the boat too and I've been impressed with them - even more so having read the experiences of others with the imitations. I had found versatile-flooring, but I'm fairly sure they're imitations. I'll e-mail/phone them and ask the question to be sure.