Chilly in the shade.

My mooring last night was not picturesque and I discovered this morning that the sun would never really shine on the boat until late afternoon, so it was cold in the boat first thing, very cold, but I was going to move so I didn’t light the stove or put the heating on.

At 10:15 I set off with no real destination in mind I was just going to cruise until I found a mooring that I liked the look of, preferably with line of sight to the sun.

I nearly had my first ‘contact sport’ moment not long after moving off, preparing to pass a boat coming the opposite way in quite a narrow section I moved over to the right to give him room when suddenly my boat violently tilted towards him as I ran aground this pushed the bow towards the other boat which was now almost alongside and it was only good fortune and some quick tiller work that avoided a crunch, it was close and lucky that the ‘grounding’ effect did not worsen or continue but I breathed a sigh of relief and we both smiled at each other as we passed, later I found quite a few objects inside the boat had been shifted from their positions by the sudden tilt.

It was a cold wind blowing across the open fields but some lovely views.

And some nice tree lined sections.

This boat was absolutely covered in rivets, you may need to zoom in to see them.

Past Burton Hastings which I may stop at on the return leg and then beneath bridge 12 which I liked the look of.

I was curious that my Pearson’s guide gave reference to ‘Lime Kilns’ on the map and I wondered what a lime kiln was, turned out it was a pub! it looks like it could be quite nice in the garden if the sun is shining so that may also warrant a stop on the return leg J

The visitor moorings at Hinckley were fairly full so I didn’t bother with that either, on past Trinity Marina, which looked very nice if you like the idea, with a Brewer’s Fayre pub and Premier Inn adjacent, ideal if you have visitors who don’t wish to stay on board!

There were available moorings after the Marina but lots of moored boats on the offside so I carried on and found a nice sunny spot just before bridge 19.

I had a cuppa and then put a load of washing on, whilst that was going on I had a dabble at applying colour restorer to the side paintwork, I only got about half way across the name panel when I gave up due to back pain and general lethargy, maybe I’ll do more another time but I have to paint the bow area and the well deck storage boxes and the....... well I have lot’s still do, so polishing the sides may not take priority, although I will finish this panel at least.

Tonights mooring

Totals Today: 5.5 miles

On to the Ashby Canal.

The weather was clear this morning so at 9:30 I set off, stopping at the services to offload a bit of rubbish and take on water and then heading  North along the Coventry canal towards Marston Junction.

 Some lovely little canal side patio’s.

And this very well maintained property with an almost all glass extension and what looks like a roof seating area.

I always slow right down when passing moored boats, engine to tickover, it amazes me that this speed business is what boaters seem to complain about most and yet so many don’t slow down, yet I thought this was a bit uncalled for J

Naughty rude gnome!!!!

Passing Charity Dock where there is a very strange mix of objects and boats.

Immediately after bridge 15 is Marston Junction, turn right for the Ashby Canal, it cuts back on itself a bit and although there is plenty of room it’s quite hard to judge the point at which you need to begin the turn because you can’t see the angle until you’ve gone a bit past, but I made it around without mishap with just one long burst of reverse to halt progress before adding more power to turn the boat more quickly.

The Ashby canal is about 30 miles long, although only 22miles is navigable at the moment, and currently passes from the remote Marston Junction to Snarestone, originally continuing on to Moira, there is a section of restored canal from Donisthorpe to Moira and maybe sometime in the future the restoration will be completed from Snarestone to Donisthorpe making the whole length navigable again.

It is also lock free, therefore 44 miles of cruising through rural countryside with little effort and I am going to take my time to enjoy that!

The bridges look lovely, stone not brick, so far

although bridge 5 where I have moored for today not quite so picturesque.

I stopped here to have a look around so I walked for about a mile in each direction but there’s not much to see, I popped into a ‘Spar’ shop in Whitestone and got some milk, and then back on the boat I decided to try and bake a bread pudding, my mum used to make lovely bread pudding and I’ve never found one to match yet, I doubt my effort will either but it’s filling the boat with a lovely smell!

Tonights mooring.

Totals Today: 5 miles : 0 Locks

Time slips by

I have been here at Hawkesbury Junction a few days now

 very warm sunny days but very cold nights and foggy mornings. I managed to get my doors finished, along with the edging to the storage boxes in the bow well deck and the solar panel box.

So this morning I took a walk into the village but it’s nothing special, I posted a couple of letters and bought some eggs in the store and headed back to the boat.

At 1pm I headed along to the pub to do some Gongoozling of my own, armed with camera and newspaper.

A view from the footbridge over the junction.

Coventry Canal heading north Left, Oxford Canal heading South Right,
actual junction beneath me.

The old engine house where boatmen once received their orders.

I sat for about 2 hours reading the paper and watching the few boats negotiate the junction, it was very quiet and all the boats made it look very easy and gave me nothing to laugh at, spoilsports! 

Another one makes it look easy, he got around ok.

Just one hire boat made the turn a seven point attempt, when I thought they were going to do it in one, but the lady steerer looked like she had planned it that way and did not even get close to being flustered.

I think my time here is done so weather, as usual permitting, a move tomorrow.

A walk around Coventry city center.

I don’t like shopping centers, nor particularly do I like town centers, city centers or anywhere that is overly busy and in my opinion often often ugly.

So I set off with the usual lack of enthusiasm, camera to hand and wallet closed.

I’ll just post the pictures I think and let you see some of what I saw.

Quick picture of the basin before heading off to center.

Entrance to the basin viewed from walkway over the ringroad.

No idea what it was but I like it compared to what surrounded it.

The pretty side of the square.

Describing picture below.

Another pub I walked past, what's wrong with me!

Coventry Cathedral

Sorry I could not move the Sun, Coventry Cathedral again.

So as can be seen I did not take any pictures of the University, the bus station or the many coffee houses, fast food outlets, and retail chains, I did however visit Wilko to buy some varnish and then got lost, as I frequently do in these places, not knowing which entrance I had used to enter the complex and having finally got back outside found I had come out of the wrong one at the furthest point away from where I actually wanted to be.

Overall it wasn't unbearable, in fact I quite enjoyed it, Coventry seems like quite a nice city.

After a quiet night in the basin I left yesterday at 9:35 and with a stop at Tesco on the way headed back to Hawkesbury Junction, when I arrived the sun was shining and so having purchased the varnish I needed while in Coventry, I set to on prepping the front doors which are in a very poor state, I will stay here until they are done, weather permitting, I am on the 7 day moorings so I have time,  more on the progress of that later.

At some stage I will have a proper look around here and may even indulge in a bit of Gongoozling from the front of the Greyhound Inn.

Sent to Coventry......

.........no I chose to go there.

The forecast today was good and I had the urge to move on to Coventry passing through Hawkesbury Junction which I will stop at on the return leg.

So at 9:10 I cast off on the 3 mile or so trip to the Junction, it was fairly uneventful although you soon know you are arriving by the sudden increase in moored boats.

Approaching Hawkesbury Junction

First you have to pass through the shallow lock which I am informed is where the area got it’s more communal name of ‘Sutton Stop’ as it was the surname of the lockkeeper who took tolls from the passing boats in the early 1800’s.

Lock ahead below the bridge.

Hawkesbury is a famous canal community and a conservation area, with the ‘Greyhound Inn’ pub right at the junction where the Gongoozlers take much delight in watching any unfortunates who make a mess of the tight turn formed by the junction when travelling from the Northern approach of the Coventry and joining the Oxford canal, many a laugh for them and no doubt some abuse back from the boaters as they pass the pub having recovered steerage.

Left To Coventry, Right to the North.

I am about to turn left here to head for Coventry but if you are coming into the Junction from the right the canal turns through 180degrees back on itself to head down the Oxford, the pub is just behind me in this picture and evidence of failed turns can be seen on the damaged edging below the bridge on the left, imagine that with another few boats turning in differing directions as well J

A quick stop just to empty the Elsan and offload more rubbish and then off again passing beneath the M6 a brute of an ugly bridge.

A bit slow going due to shallow depths and debris with not much to see apart from bridges and industry until you reach the Ricoh Arena where Coventry City play, I’ll get a picture on the way back.

Past ‘Cash’s Hundreds’ 3 storey terraced homes built for Joseph Cash’s workers with accommodation on the ground and first floors and weavers looms on the second floor, although it was intended to build 100 only 48 ever got built.

Compare those to these new ‘modern’ homes.

You are then faced with a large development on the left and a new footbridge  before arriving at Coventry Basin.

Visitor Moorings on the right leg.

Quinquireme on the far side.

After sorting out where to moor and getting myself reversed in I had a need to venture into the weed hatch again.

In among that lot was a pillow case, I thought the engine was a bit sleepy.

This afternoon I walked around the city, more on that in the next post.

Totals today: 8 miles : 1 lock

P.S. Late afternoon N.b. Briar Rose turned up, another blog I follow, I've just looked at their blog and they've posted this evening and Quinquireme got in a picture on it.