Not far off a string museum in Hinckley!

OK thats a family joke, many years ago we kidded out two lads we were taking them to a string museum with their grandpa who was known to have a dry interest in certain things! 

Tonight we are moored up at the Stoke Golding visitor moorings, a nice mooring we've not used before. We got here after 6pm having stopped off in Hinckley. 

We woke to rain and a harsh north westerly that was supposed to be 15mph but was gusting to well over what felt like 25mph at times. All quite contrary to the BBC web site weather forecast. This meant we didn't set off until 11.20am after Rachel did the engine prep again - I took a photo she doesn't want to be included 

Rachel wanted to visit a weaving museum in the town so we cruised for about an hour and twenty to bridge 17 and walked first to Trinity marina for an excessive lunch of Guinness Cottage pie and bread and butter pudding for me and half a Guinness fish and chips and Apple pie for Rachel. Suitably full we walked up to the town to visit the weaving museum which was small and staffed by a lovely fella who I think was pleased to see us. 

We headed back to the boat and in some wind and late sun got to this mooring. Tomorrow we should make the terminus. We've lit the fire tonight as it got cold overnight on the boat as we both went to bed with cold feet. 

For my brother in law Kev Booth - he liked a pint or two of Bass 

The canal is ok for water but come off the centre channel and you feel the bottom quite quickly- glad Percy only draws about 2 feet.   

On the Ashby and not sure about Nuneaton

We we turned onto the Ashby mid afternoon and as Nickleson's says its a stark ( positive contrast) to the end of the Coventry canal. 

We had a lazy start not setting off until 11.30 am. As it happens as I untied the mooring lines a boat came through bridge 33 north wards. Then as he passed and boat came past the winding hole so we kept hold of the centre line, just walking to get onto the stern and another boat came southbound -we travel slow so I let them go....

Springwood Haven marina is as ever lovely looking and so well presented  - we will stop and get fuel there on the way back.

Nuneaton is remarkable in thats it's unremarkable - not a fan. Might be due to bad memories of being iced in here in 2012. However the canal was clear of rubbish and the locals were happy to say hello as we passed, maybe I'm being hard on the place. 

The one thing I recall about Nuneaton was allotments and well done for that - all very well kept and many people working hard on them. 

As above turned onto the lovely Ashby Percy's birth place. Immediately felt slower and shallow but Percy doesn't draw a lot - 24 inches IIRC. However the section near the mobile homes was showing a lot of the rock  - one to hope we don't meet another boat on the return. 

Cleaned the engine bilge when we moored up and adjusted the water pump belt tension.... always something to do but that's the joy of canal boat ownership !

Few photos today, not in the mood and see notes above about Nuneaton !   

A time limited blogger meet

It was an earlier start today as we had the Atherstone flight of locks to climb - all 11 of them. We were sure the boats all moored below the lock were there for an early start, as it turned out only one had moved off when we set forth at a tardy 9.15 am.

We were in the first lock at 9.30 am having had to empty it. That set the pattern, we were turning locks until we met Adam and Adrian who were on their Autumn cruise link Here  I was lashing up the front fender tyre wrap and didn't notice Adam  ( I should have recognised the voice) had arrive and started talking to Rachel. I've met Adam and Adrian a few times on the cut... at Fradley and on the Caldon plus they visited us at Rachels cottage in West Ashling when she lived down there. A brief chat then we went opposite directions. We had the help of a volunteer at the last three locks and made it to the top in two and a half hours.

We moored and went for coffee and cake in Atherstone.... lots of pubs ! Did a bit of shopping and then headed off just in time for a hire boat to take our mooring. We cruised off to just before bridge 33 where Victoria and her butty came past. I hailed the owner and asked about Joe Hollinshead ( I think that was his surname) random link here he was the fella who did our bow and stern fenders when we had Percy painted in 2015 - I'm sure he told me he was born on Victoria at Fradley  - the steerer said he'd not been on the boat.

  

Well done Tamworth and happy memories

I can't really recall the last time we cruised through Tamworth - I'll have to check my blog for that.... just did and it was when we were bringing Percy back in December 2012 after we'd purchased her. 

Link here ...Click Me 

Our old boat Comet is still lurking in the waters near Fazeley Junction - we last saw here at Great Haywood

Anyhow we set off from our noisy overnight mooring at Sutton Bridge and as we approached the Glascote locks it was evident there was a flipin queue ! As I walked up to see what the state of play was I was joined by a friendly local who also said he too was surprised as he'd not seen a queue at the locks for a decent while  ! All very happy boaters as we helped each other. 

We were soon on our way and were very impressed by the litter free canal, clean towpath and the lovely gardens all kept quite nicely for the nosey boater to gawp at as we cruised through. We alternated the walking deeply missing Leia who would have been on the towpath with us as we walked with the boat. Still very very sad but happy also she had such a good life. She would have been with me on the cruise back in 2012 as Rachel and Callum disembarked at the bottom of the Atherstone flight and I brought Percy home to Fradley on my own. 

A side note or side paragraph ...

I have just re read my post from 2012 linked above. Percy was a new boat to us, 60 foot with a vintage ( in design terms) engine. I had little hand over from Tony, it was in Early December and the canal had frozen over a night or two back...I did the trip back to Fradley in one from the bottom of the Atherstone flight about seven and a half hours in mid winter on my own on a new to me boat. I did it and no doubt saw it as a challenge. Spin forward 10 years and to be honest my confidence is very low for most things nowadays - is that how it is for others I wonder? The trip I did solo in a day in winter  we have done as a couple but over two days ! I am soft and sometimes scared and lack confidence, I wonder if thats age or retirement or just a general mental decline I'm 60 FFS !! 

Back to boat blogging the whole trip was very nice, the canal between Atherstone and Polesworth was beautifully wooded and the sun was shining so much we had put sun tan cream on ! We visited the services at the bottom of the flight and as all the armco moorings below the lock were taken we put pins in away back so Lilly could go exploring in the dark. 

I am a tool !

The best one in the tool box on the boat Why do I say that  - my ears and nose are very good at picking up changes to the engine. On the cruise today the engine smelt different. On closer visual inspection and some close nose sniffing it turned out to be a very slightly loose exhaust stud allowing some residue to fall onto the engine I could smell it burning off ! Nipped up the bolts. When back at base I'll replace the two exhaust gaskets. Also cylinder 1 nearest the stern is running slightly cooler ( I used a remote temp sensor to gauge that) Again nor wanting to fiddle while cruising I'll adjust on the last day back to base.

Another slow start and we were off to give the noisy A38 a fly by before heading off into the country towards Fazeley junction. Again the HS2 works loomed close to the canal - not crossing it but active the other side of Streethay.

Nothing much to report other than stopping to help the Fountains grass cutters one of which had got his mower bogged down in the soft towpath, I tried a rope to the boat but it was well and truly stuck. I left them as they were calling for a winch.

Always nice as you approach Hopwas through the woods. We tied up at Sutton bridge and did a bit of shopping. Not stopped here before and doubt we will again. We were serenaded to sleep to the sound of what I have to assume were stolen cars being bounced off their rev limiter as they must have been racing between the traffic islands. 

Dominated by HS2

Day two of the cruise to the Ashby (Rachel's choice) saw us departing Wolseley bridge after it seems the 'rush' if it could be called that had happened. We didn't have a boat behind us all day, and we do cruise slowly.

An uneventful passage  along a well known stretch of canal to us. Everyone we met seems in a positive mood (except me) apart from the boater who complained he was meeting too many 12 foot wide boats, ironically telling me this as he sped past us as I was getting ready to untie ! Familiar places only changed by the seemingly relentless addition of ever more new housing estates, all with very unique names hiding the fact they were clones of similar estates across the country. No wonder the rivers are ever more having sewage discharged into them from the extra surface water sent their way - another rant for another day !

I did say we didn't have anything behind us but there was a steady flow of traffic towards us, all we manoeuvred around the bridge holes and ever present encroaching off side vegetation.   

Rugeley was quieter than I was expecting, we of course had boats to contend with around the nasty turn by Ashtree boat club.... Also as we approached the Armitage narrows  - I was the walking lookout a boat was coming through so I signalled to Rachel such - and she slowed and held right channel, their crew lookout came marching towards us/me with a flat hand lifted in command, more than once pumping it forward in a Moses like pose to reiterate her boat was coming through. Funny lady, as I approached I reassured her we were aware of her boat, this got a shrug as she walked passed saying nothing, her husband also gave no eye contact. Now I have been dressing like a tramp so far on this holiday so maybe I wasn't to their taste, they could have had an argument, she might have needed a wee or tea or food who knows. Politeness costs little however your mood and me being a moody sod is an expert on moody politeness. 

Ever onwards the day taking longer than the 4 hours we had planned each day to be we approached Kings Bromley bridge and an over polite hire boat crew stuck their boat right into the bank. As we passed I thanked them for their consideration and asked if they were stuck, I think we are ok was the ladies reply but as we slowly introduced canal between us  ( or I did) they were quite stemmed up. Maybe I should have stopped and reversed but I didn't by the time I looked back  ( I avoid the seemingly standard glance back at boats I've passed  - it's a test of endurance as it's like an itch you have to scratch) they were getting some boat pole action going  - all part of the holiday and maybe a story to tell.

I was saddened to see Woodend cottage all fenced off - I know the last tenant who was asked to leave and take all the moored boats due to access issues when the white elephant that is HS2 is built around the canal.  If this is progress I don't like progress.

We turned onto the Coventry with a bump ( out of practice) and headed for the Coop moorings as we call them at Fradley village  - and as we arrived late they were full, never known it before ! So we donked on in the hope the 'BW boats' only one bit of armco was free by Fradley water works... and it was and the sign had gone also so I have to presume this is now a one boat bit of armoco on this stretch. A bit of A38 noise and a few cars on the road but not too bad a place to moor (we have moored there before albeit taking the risk)

To the Ashby - maybe

We or rather Rachel has planned this cruise for some while. Many things have prevented us from getting to Percy let alone cruising so it was nice  - albeit delayed by the Queens funeral to arrive on Tuesday to set off to canals cruised many times but not recently. 

It was close to 5pm when I reversed out of our marina berth and turned left towards Rugeley and Fradley. It was only ever going to be a short evening cruise to a place where Lilly could explore after dark. We took a gamble on getting a mooring at Wolseley bridge and struck lucky tying up at 6.30pm, quick shower and off to the pub for a mediocre meal.

This hot air balloon wasn't going very far at all, just up !

It was a better evening than forecast, the autumnal light fading as we neared our destination. 

Those who follow canal boat YouTubers will recognise this boat as we dd as it approached - Holly the cafe boat - no sign of Zero ( their main boat)  or Jo and William Link Here