Sat 19th july Hinckley to Polesworth

With a little sadness I left the Ashby canal behind me...



... and bypassed Nuneaton, alhough I did finally meet a boat called 'Hare' - sadly charging out of a bridge on a blind bend, I'd sounded my horn but hadn't heard theirs - we got away with it, wind notwithstanding.

Atherstone is a sweet little market town full of charity shops (four lovely carpentry books for a pound, in my case) and pound shops in all but name, and a one way main street. Not having studied the journey ahead in great detail, I hadn't realised the Atherstone flight consisted of 11 locks in approx 2 miles - for the last few I knew there was a boat behind me so I was backsetting them as I left, which of course made my steady single-handed lock progress even slower, but they never really caught up. I'm reluctant to backset a lock (start refilling it after leaving it, leaving a paddle or two up as I go) without knowing they're definitely behind me and no-one is coming the other way, but it does help if it works out.

Half way down I passed a lovely 70 year old woman bringing her new pride & joy - a 26' Springer - home, and loving every minute of it. Whilst most people are friendly on the canals, some are distinctly po-faced, and some are loving every second. But that's another post, one day...



Gratuitous evening swan shot:



I moored for the night in Polesworth where a mention of music 'in church', turned out to be a stage behind the church, complete with bar & food stall - and very happy vicar (very sweetly called 'Phil' by all & sundry). Got there, they told me the box office was closed but let me in anyway. Didn't take camera, but I saw the 'Polesworth Rythm and Blues band' - must have been 12 piece plus, all apparently local musicians put together for the event every year. Chatting to the viacr I suggested he put up a banner or poster for passing boaters to see - so many must have passed through or moored up that weekend without knowing anything about the weekend festival.

I walked back to the boat (past the fire station hosting a quiz night, apparently being taken very seriously from what I could see) still appreciating that full moon, lighting up canal from the clear sky - there's something quite magical about moonlight shadows (and the Mike Oldfield soing isn't that bad, either).

Fri 18th July Snarestone to Hinckley

Going back along a route already travelled is fine - familiar with the same landmarks, but different, like looking out of a train window backwards, you see different things. I also had more of a chance to get a picture of this ornamental boat quay, just before going back into the tunnel:



On the way down to Hinckley there's a railway bridge where they haven't restored the track for the steam railway - I tried to moor up against piling to walk up and have a look, but sat the boat on gravel a few feet out - the guide warns against this, I managed to shove off again but didn't get to go exploring.

I made it into Hinckley town in tiem to buy some small storage boxes (much needed) and some fresh veg (always welcome. The town centree I found frankly a bit dull, but that evening I met up with Lee, ex of Willowtree, who pointed out the only decent pub (the Wharf) and curry house (Simla) were next to each other and a short hop from the canal (and Trinity Marina). Lovely food, and a good old natter mainly about the problems of dealing with old-school bigotry, neatly rounded off by bumping into Graham I'd met in the pub in Stoke Golding, who neatly provided a few examples. ;-(

(38l diesel at Stoke Golding)

Thurs 17th July Stoke Golding to Snarestone

Before heading off I walked back into the village to look at the Church. A sign on the locked door promised me I'd find the key outside No 4 of the cottages beside - it wasn't, but a jolly old chap I'd seen through the window listening to something on a huge hifi opened the door when I knoocked holding it. No pictures, as I used a proper old SLR with black an white film (as seemed only fitting) and they need chemicals, and time...

Once on the water I spotted a boat called No Problem, but not the famous one (and they're obviously elsewhere anyway). There'll be a post full of boat names to come at some point, I'm sure...

Speaking of which: here's 'Hare' hammering out of a blind bridge at a rate of knots, appropriately enough;



I was fascinated to see 'real' bullrushes in the banks, and wondered if I'd only ever seen them before in children's books. That can't be the case, surely?



They also seem to grow walkers in the fields round here:



Stopped at Market Bosworth for a breif explore; the road up into the old square seems to be mostly new houses being built. The steam railway passes through but there's no access to the (closed) station. Further up at Shackerstone the [steam railway] station wasn't technically open, but a guy working on carriages (also a director of the line, an ex BR railway fitter and owner of 5 shirehorses) showed me how to climb in and was quite happy for me to have a look around and peer in windows:



Life's hard for a volunteer run steam railway; they only really make money, he said from the 'Thomas' theme days, and they're run on such a tight franchise it's hardly worth doing. More exciting for me are the 'Ivor the Engine' days that happen occasionally, although they can surely only appeeal to the parents, not the children?

There's also this sign nearby, which I have no idea about, but I like the bitterness of it... The pub in the vollage, the Rising Sun, was closed weekday afternoons (takes me back, that does) so I took a photo of Tortoise through the trees, and carried on.



and then ran out of canal at Snarestone (dreadful flat picture, it was raining, but symbolic nevertheless):



In the evening I got to know a few of the 'residents' (which kind of explains why someone wopuld need to run a generator on a 48 hour mooring), and rewired my batteries with the new cables done for me at Midland Chandlers - much tidier now. Later I walked back along the towpath and over the tunnel to the Globe pub, walking back by the lane in the moonlight.

Weds 16th July Rugby (Newbold) to Stoke Golding

On the way into the library I'd spotted a proper picket line at a council depo, on the way out I got chatting to a good old fashioned reporter-with-notebook and photographer combo scouring the streets. I also found a few charity shops, inevitably.

Newbold tunnel is short, with a towpath - to make it more pedestrian friendly is was floodlit with coloured lights - difficult to photograph without going into manual settings, but I gaveit a go (it felt a lot more light than this, it's just that the floodlights were so bright and confused the camera):



On the way to Marston junction I passed a boatyward that looked like a pile of boats; this was spotted in a corner:



I turned on to the Ashby canal at Marston - it instantly felt slower, quieter - I was dithering whether to do this diversion, but I was soon glad I did.



There was even a boat which would be perhaps more in keeping with my political leanings...





I passed through Hinckley, knowing I was stopping there on the way back, and went on to Stoke Golding, where I continued my habit of wandering into the public bar of the local at 10.30 at night.

Weds 16th July

Still in Rugby, in town to find some internet to post the past few day's entries, some of which will get fleshed out a little more in the future. The ebay treo has complete crashed & wiped itself, even, so no more mobile internet, I'm afraid.

There's a council workers strike here - saw a cheery picket line near the station on the way in to town, takes me back. In other good news the Co-op are buying Somerfield - more fair trade stuff in Brentford, then, as my local supermarket - a smallish Somerfield - has always been decidedly lacking in this regard. I'm also fond of the random special offers they seem to do on electrcial goods - the big DAB radio I have on the boat was £20, for example.

15th July - Weedon Bec to Rugby (Newbold)

Passing through Braunston Tunnel I got the trumpet out, it sounded great - this one you can see both ends, so I knew I had the tunnel to myself. Can't help wondering if it was audible either end, though. The idea of daily practice to see what lip I can get back hasn't happened, but it's fun to have along.

I shared Braunston locks with a friendly holidaying family from Nuneaton - various locals hanging around tried to yell instructions at the son, which was annoying - no-one gives instructions but those responsible for the boat in the lock, thank you very much. I ambled past the shiny 'replica' boats in Braunston, but stopped off at Midland Chandlers and had some battery cables made up before the turn onto the North Oxford - a significant moment as I'm now away from the route I've taken previously, where I carried on and headed on to the south Oxford instead. A few miles in there was a line of four or five boats all moored up a good few boat lengths apart, in the middle of nowhere - obviously not together, so why moor up near each other? If it's too save other boats slowing down so much for them, they could be a little closer... one woman pointed out there was a prison close by, but I'm not sure that in much of a reason. ;-)

I decided to carry on through Rugby - first single locks on the journey, too, with a little help from a local who was sitting on the beam as I arrived, and moored up weill after nine just before Newbold Tunnel.

Some more natural topiary - what do you see?



The guide book advertises two good pubs by Bridge 50 - 'The Boat' has closed down, so I went to the other one, who cliamed it had closed down due to the new management of their pub. ;-) very sweet locals in there - all chatting & debating sport quiz questions - where was the football world cup held in 1954, anyway? Various community singing of old hits, too, and from the accents I'm definitely in the midlands now. ;-)

Mon 14th July - Cosgrove to Weedon Bec

Stoke Bruene locks (pre-setting last one, grumpy lock keeper) Blisworth tunnel, Helen, Plume of Feathers food, Neil & wife doing up boat.



Topiary just before Weedon (I think it was there, anyway)



(more to add on this one)

Sun 13th July - Wolverton to Cosgrove (!)

A useful morning of pottering & tidying, as Carol was coming up for the afternoon to Wolverton station, having worked late the previous night. Once collected, we did the short trip to Cosgrove and had a long lunch in the Barley Mow, before walking Carol back to Wolverton for the train, bring my bike for a quck journey back. In the evening Mike drove up from Milton keynes and we tried out the Navigation for more beer (for me) - very much a two miles, one lock and two pubs day. Good to do.

Before Mike arrived, I had time to mount the horn properly, and also temporarily wire in a headlight - essential for the tunnels coming up.

I'd spotted previously that the screws holding the centre line T had started to sheer and had stopped using it, so I was able to drill, tap & remount that. I tried mounting it futher forward, 1/3 along the boat as I'd read somewhere - as it turned out, a failed experiment, as it's far too far off centre to hold the boat securely with only one rope - nice to pull the boat along on, though. part of the reason for moving it in the first place is that I'd realise I'd put the stove more less at the same centre point, leaving the chimney in the way. I'll try remounting it a little forward of the original point, so it ends up wrapped around mushroom vents instead. ;-)

I moored up close (but not too close) to the stone bridge - pretty at night, too:

Sat 12th July - Leighton Buzzard to Wolverton

Collected much beloved friend Shay from Acton Centralk station, and made the journey up to LB together. We were briefly tempted by the pleasures of the Leighton Buzzard Carnival, but Shay was only up for the day, and wanted a boat trip with access to as train back to London at the end, so we pressed on. Always a difficult balance for me - stay & explore, or get the distance covered. I am keen to see places and make the most of them, but also it seems a shame for the summer to be used this close to home.

I made sure Shay sat out on the front deck before we hit MK, and of course she loved it - it's an essential pleasure, I think, memorable from the first time I was ever on a boat. Otherwise we passed the day in lots of chat and a bit of fruit cider - I always find the bit around MK a bit tedious - all very nice, but not very interesting... we made it most of the way to Wolverton, so had time for a pint in the New Inn before the short walk to the station. I pulled up behind several other boats just before the bridge there, and found myself grounded on gravel. An odd night, as the boat didn't rock about gently as I moved around.

(40l diesel at Willowbridge)

Thurs 10th July - Slapton to Leighton Buzzard

much sunnier day, but only a short run up to Leighton Buzzard to get a train back to London. Just pulling out of the mooring in the morning, I spotted the boat next door - attached to an intriguing looking workshop boat (welding boat pic)- was selling pots & braziers made from gas bottles. It wasn't easy to tie up again until I'd worked through the lock, so I walked back and bought one - a neat way of having a fire canalside or at home, and always good to support people making a living whilst living on the canal.



On the way into LB there's a couple of brick wharves, one of which has narrow gauge railway track on it. It remember finding this first years ago when I cycled up the Grand Union, and have always meant to find out whether it's a local transhipment thing, or part of the original network of lines that the current steam railway there forms part of.



No trip to the Wheatsheaf this time (it was 11am, after all) but had a quick & fruitful pillage of the charity shops. ;-)