Warwickshire Ring

[adam1uk]

Saturday September 10

 

Warwick

 

Drove to Warwick for the start of the holiday, through some very heavy rain. It was still torrential as we had lunch in town. Got to Kate Boats at about 2pm, and put our stuff on board "Rebecca". Our shopping, ordered from tesco.com, had already arrived and been been put on board. Had a very detailed briefing on how everything worked, and set off for the Cape Locks. We did them with another boat, which then stopped for water. Started the Hatton flight alone, but were soon caught up by another Kate boat, with a crew of four, so shared the locks. It was still raining on and off. Made it to the top at about 6.45pm, so we stopped for the night just before Bridge 55.

 

Daily total: 5 miles, 23 locks.

 

 

Sunday September 11

 

To Birmingham

 

Set off quite early, at abour 8am, heading for kingswood Junction, where we turned down the short arm to the Stratford Canal. Turned north, stopping to fill up with water just after the first lock. There were quite a few boats coming down, including a hotel boat, Wood Owl, which at 70ft took a bit of maneuvering to turn in some of the shorter pounds. Despite the drizzle, the Lapworth Locks still looked very pretty. We'd finished all 19 locks by lunchtime, so we decided we'd aim to make it right into Birmingham that evening. Consequently, we had lunch on the move. Had to open a couple of lift bridges, including one which was electronically operated. We went through the very narrow former stop lock at Kings Norton Junction, and turned onto the Worcs and Birmingham canal. It was nearly 7pm by the time we arrived at Gas Street Basin, where we moored on the visitor moorings, surrounded by Black Prince boats. We walked into Centenary Square, and went on the new big wheel, for great views across Birmingham. As there weren't many people about, the wheel went round four times! Went to the mailbox for dinner. We were so tired, it didn't matter that the bar only a few yards from the boat was both noisy and bright.

 

Daily total: 20 miles, 19 locks.

 

 

Monday September 12

 

Birmingham and Fazeley

 

Woke up early, and walked to the little Tesco at the Mailbox to get a copy of the new shape Guardian. Got underway at about 8am, turning right at Old Turn Junction onto the Birmingham and Fazely canal. Another boat was at the water point, so we decided to make a start on the first of the day's locks. Fortunately, all but one of the Farmer's Bridge Locks were in our favour, many of them with the top gate open. The only people we saw were people using the towpath to get to work. The scenery was very different from the Lapworth yesterday, but there's something special about being on a canal, making very sedate progress, which roads are rushing overhead, and people are working in buildings just a few feet away. On the Aston flight, we met a couple of boats coming up, so most of the locks were also in our favour. At the bottom, we stopped at Cuckoo Wharf for water, and a cup of tea sitting at the front of the boat, as the sun had come out, and it was getting rather warm. There are what look like pretty safe long term moorings at Cuckoo Wharf, with limited access and CCTV, but apparently not a boat on them. After negotiating the rubbish in the canal, including numerous wheels and tyres, and passing underneath Spaghetti Juntion, we continued to the Minworth Locks, and tied up for lunch. We went through the Curdworth Tunnel, and onto the locks, where having seen only a handful of boats all day, suddenly there were loads coming the other way. It was a beautiful evening, so we continued to Fazely Junction, where we moored on the visitor moorings, and went for a walk. A boat belonging to a couple in their seventies moored in front of us. They came over for a chat, telling us they'd lived aboard for fourteen years, and were making their way slowly back to Liverpool, where they moor for the winter.

 

Daily total: 15 miles, 38 locks.

 

 

Tuesday September 13

 

Fazely to Hawkesbury

 

Another sunny day, although not quite as hot as yesterday. Left Fazely Junction at around 8.15am, and got water at the top of the two Glascote Locks. The next locks, at Atherstone, turned to be the slowest to fill we had ever come across. we stopped for lunch at a pub just after lock 6. It was quite busy in both directions, and with the locks being so slow there was plenty of opportunity to chat to toehr boaters. The top lock was against us, and I could see a boat approaching to go down, so I opened the top gate for them. The family on board, parents and two teenage girls, seemed a bit bemused by the sight of a lock. Once in, they were all reaching for ropes, so I told them they wouldn't really need them. I closed the gate, and one of the girls asked if she should open a paddle. It turned out the only other lock they'd done on their holiday so far was the very shallow one at Hawkesbury, so they were a bit overcome. We continued through Nuneaton, arriving at Hawkesbury Junction at nearly 7.30pm. The moorings were very busy, so we had to go past the junction to find space. We moored, underneath power lines and within earshot of the M6, and had a quick walk around before it got dark.

 

Daily total: 19 miles, 13 locks.

 

 

Wednesday September 14

 

As we'd gained so much time by doing a couple of very long days, we had time to travel into Coventry. We set off just after 8am, and the clouds soon cleared and the sun came out. It took just under two hours to reach Coventry Basin, which turned out to be beautifully restored, and very pleasant. We moored up, and Adrian saved the life of a pigeon, which had fallen in the canal and had discovered it couldn't swim. After it had been fished out, the pidgeon found it couldn't fly, and had to stut about in a rather embarrassed fashion, drying its feathers. we walked into the city centre, and spent a couple of hours looking at the Cathedral, going round the shops, and (eventually) seeing medieval Spon Street. Back at the Basin, we had an early lunch at a cafe, then turned the boat around and filled up with water. Back at Hawkesbury Junction, we turned onto the Oxford Canal, doing our only lock of the day, the smallest fall on the network. Our mooring for the night was at Newbold-on-Avon, where we got what appeared to be the last space, before going for a very good dinner at the Barley Mow.

 

Daily total: 21 miles, 1 lock (and that was only 6 inches)

 

 

Thursday September 15

 

It rained during the night, but was dry, if cloudy and dull, by the time we set off. We stopped for water at Rugby, and visited the Tesco near the canal for some supplies. By the time we reached the paired locks at Hillmorton, it was raining on and off. The left hand lock of each pair was set in our favour. As we arrived at Braunston at lunchtime, the sun came out. we moored just after the turn, and walked up to look at the marina and the locks. We stopped for lunch at the Admiral Nelson, then continued our walk to the entrance of the Braunston tunnel. We bought postcards and stamps at the little shop, and went into the chandlery to buy a new lump hammer, to replace the one Adrian had accidentally dropped into the canal as we moored up! The sun was still shining when we set off again at about 3pm, but within minutes, black clouds had appeared, and the rain had started. I happened to be steering as the rain turned torrential. I was soon soaked to the skin. Once the rain had stopped, I went for a shower and a complete change of clothes. At Napton Junction, we turned right onto the Grand Union. We stopped at about 5pm at the top of the Calcut Locks, because it looked as though it was going to rain again. Sure enough, it did, and it continued all evening.

 

Daily total: 17 miles, 3 locks.

 

 

Friday September 16

 

Got underway early again, at just before 8am, immediately doing the Calcut locks. The Stockton Locks came next, where we again crossed with the hotel boat Wood Owl. We stopped for water after Lock 11, opposite the Blue Lias pub, and popped into the little shop over the next lock, for new batteries for the camera. The Bascote Locks were next, including the staircase pair. It was a lovely day, so we stopped for lunch on the front of the boat near Bridge 31. We arrived at Leamington Spa at about 4pm, and moored at the visitor moorings. We walked into town, having a cup of tea at the Pump Rooms cafe, and looking round the shops and the park. In the evening, went for dinner at Piccolino's.

 

Daily total: 10 miles, 23 locks.

 

 

Saturday September 17

 

We were up early, packing, cleaning, and generally getting the boat ready to return to the boat yard. We were on our way before 8am, and arrived at kate Boats at just about the same time as everyone else, at about 8.30. We unloaded our luggage, and were on our way home by 9am, having had a great week.

 

Weekly total: 109 miles, 120 locks.