Days 77 to 82: Hawkesbury Junction to Atherstone

On Wednesday 20th we travelled via Nuneaton to moor just before the marina at Springwood Haven.

Slightly gothic look at moorings near the junction with the Ashby Canal

A modern dredger in action (compare the 1870s version seen earlier!)

Entering Nuneaton

Approaching the top lock at Atherstone - the flight is 11 narrow locks in total spread over 1½ miles

Descending the flight at Atherstone - an old lock cottage

An English classic as chimney cover

Charming interior of The Larder, a 1940s themed cafe - the only place on the way we've encountered bread and dripping and Camp Coffee on the menu

The towpath walk into Atherstone from our mooring

Days 69 - 76: Newbold on Avon to Hawkesbury Junction

On Thursday, we set off from Newbold on Avon, first negotiating the congestion around the pub and water point at the Rugby end of the tunnel.  After the tunnel - a short one at 250 yards - a stop for two bags of coal at Clifton Cruisers since the evenings are getting chilly!

Thursday and Friday nights we moored at Grimes Bridge near the village of Brinklow and on Friday went for a circular walk to the village returning via Stretton Stop.  The canal is built on a 30' high embankment here, the edge level with the tops of trees growing below. At Stretton Stop (a 'stop'
is where commercial boats had to pay a toll to the canal operating company) we found an old dredger dating from 1873, the oldest boat we've seen so far.

Notice on the 1873 'spoon' dredger at Stretton Stop

 The dredger's crane

 The spoon - used to keep the canal clear of silt and debris

Evening at Grimes Bridge

Autumn colours beginning to emerge

On to Hawkesbury Junction, where we meet the canal running up from Coventry.  We will be skirting Coventry and Nuneaton and stopping at the attractive town of Atherstone (a favourite spot) before meeting the northbound Birmingham and Fazeley canal for a short section until we turn east at Fradley Junction (another favourite spot) for the Trent and Mersey canal and home.

Near Ansty the canal passes under the M69 motorway

The stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction

Through the stop lock and turning sharp right in front of the Greyhound Inn, where we later enjoyed  a good lunch

Still turning...

Under the elegant cast iron bridge then we turn right again on the Coventry Canal

Next stop, Atherstone

Before Atherstone, we stopped for a few days at Hawkesbury Junction so that Jan could travel to London.

Days 65 - 68: Braunston to Rugby

Next stage was the northern section of the Oxford canal to Rugby, via Barby Marina where we stopped for a night followed by the three locks at Hillmorton.   The entry into Rugby is winding and the new mooring rings are all now before bridge 58.  As it was narrow there, we continued the mile or so to Newbold on Avon and the 14-day municipal moorings there just before bridge 50 and the Newbold tunnel.

The three alpacas at Barby Marina

The top lock at Hillmorton

The unusual paddle gear

Looks like we're coming into Rugby!

The lake at Newbold Quarry Park, next to the canal - originally a limestone quarry and now home to endangered white clawed crayfish and several species of fish

By the lakeside

Brickwork much repaired, on one of the bridges near Newbold

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday nights on pleasant moorings at Newbold.  Next major stop will be Hawkesbury Junction where the Oxford Canal meets the Coventry Canal and we'll continue northwards along this to eventually join the Trent and Mersey Canal.

Days 63 - 64: Norton Junction to Braunston

On Thursday we did the Braunston Tunnel, at 2042 yards the longest in our trip so far and a little tricky due to its S-shape.  We met two boats coming the other way and negotiated passing each smoothly (i.e. we didn't hit anything!). Immediately after the tunnel is the flight of six double locks leading into the centre of Braunston, which we went down with Peter and Helen on their boat Quitula.

Approaching the tunnel at Braunston

Coming out of the tunnel

A plaque commemorating the 200th anniversary of the opening of the tunnel in 1796

Looking back into the tunnel, two boats following

Colourful old signs by a house near Braunston locks

A beautifully preserved cottage by one of the locks

We've seen several of these shepherd's huts on wheels - this one overlooks the locks

Braunston is a very popular centre for canal boats, with every kind of craft and service

Next day, we explored Braunston and walked back up the locks for a drink at the Admiral Nelson pub.  We also visited the marina with its charming rope maker's shop and a variety of boatbuilders and then the Stop House where we were shown some of the Canal and River Trust collection of vintage photographs of boating and canal life.

View from Braunston Marina, showing

the characteristic wrought iron bridge and an old crane

Inside the rope maker's shop asking about a new bow fender for Blue Adeline

Another view of the shop

The pumping station, built in 1805 to pump water back up the lock flight

The Gongoozlers' Rest is a cafe on a narrowboat

At our mooring opposite The Boathouse pub

Days 58 - 62: Gayton Junction to Norton Junction

A quiet few days starting with, at Gayton Junction, picking blackberries, making bread and going for walks.  The blackberries went into a compote with plums, two tbs sugar, ½ tsp of crushed cardomon, juice of half a lemon and a splash of port - then cook until the fruit is soft... lovely!

Collecting blackberries near Gayton Junction

Jan's easy bread recipe (makes one loaf)

For the starter:

170g white bread flour

I tsp easy yeast

1 tsp sugar

240 ml hand hot water

For the bread:

200g white bread flour OR wholemeal flour

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp salt

Put 170g of white flour into a bowl and add the yeast, sugar and water.  Whisk untll mixed, cover and leave for 40 mins or until the mixture is bubbling.

Add the olive oil, salt and the rest of the flour (gradually) stirring until the dough comes together.  Transfer to a floured board and knead until silky, adding small quantities of flour to keep from sticking.  Put the dough back into the bowl and cover, leave for 1 – 1.5 hours until doubled in size.

Knock back and transfer to a  900g (2lb) baking tin.  Cover and let rise for half an hour.  Bake at gas mark 5 for 10 mins on a low shelf then gas mark 4 for 20 mins.  The loaf is cooked when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.  Turn out and cool.

Before we set off on Sunday, we watched a boat being craned out of the canal at Gayton Marina

...and slowly swung into place on supports

Our next stop was Bugbrooke and we walked in to the small village store on Monday.  We'd hoped to do some more painting, but the weather wasn't favourable.  On Tuesday, we headed off to return up the Buckby locks.  The stern gland, which greases the propellor shaft and has to be kept topped up on a daily basis by turning its brass handle had started dripping rather a lot and we decided it should be looked at.  The very helpful proprietor of Stowe Hill Workshop, Robert, checked the alignment of the prop and corrected it - touch wood, it hasn't leaked since.

Very helpful and knowledgable

A traditional pair of working boats, one towing an unpowered 'butty' seen here with the decorated wooden tiller

This slightly creepy sculpture is near a canalside gallery

On Tuesday evening, we moored just below Whilton Marina at the bottom of the Buckby flight of 7 locks and on Wednesday went up the locks to Norton Junction.

We didn't need to open any paddles on this lock - it filled from the water flowing over the top gates!

This lock was refurbished nearly 130 years ago

A waterfall over lower lock gates - due to a gate left open on the lock above

A more tranquil scene

Pretty canalside cottage at Norton Junction

Left to London - but we're heading north to Sawley via Braunston