Not too many locks

We were starting to repaint the boat so she was no longer in her hire colours. . We wanted to make a holiday of it as well so we decided to choose a route without too many locks.

Thursday 16th April

We arrive back at the boat in the late afternoon having been held up by queues at Tescos where we acquired fresh provisions. . We load the boat and buy a new gas bottle before taking her out onto the canal stopping between the marina and the pub for the night.

Friday 17th April - Good Friday

We discuss where we are going to go over breakfast and decide on Fradley. . Just short of bridge 131 there is a beam across the canal as a bridge. . It looks precarious even though it has hand rails and Jacquie comments that she would not like to try crossing it. . There are ponies and lambs in the field whilst the area in front of the farmhouse is carpeted in daffodils, it makes a lovely sight. . The summit of the canal is full of twists and turns and from bridge 127 you see the next bridge only a short distance away - but twenty minutes by boat. . On the bend by the farm I notice a post with rope marks worn into it, a reminder of the working days of the canal. . As we approach the top lock we stop to give the dogs a walk before starting the descent. . We have to queue at some of the locks, no doubt this will become a more usual experience as on our own boat it will cost no more to use it in the high season. . It takes two hours to reach the bottom where again we stop to exercise the dogs. . The trip to Braunston is uneventful and we turn onto the North Oxford in the early evening. . A little more cruising and we tie up for the night just short of bridge 85. . The dogs decide it must be time to get off and take their own initiative. . Inka is watching the lambs on the opposite bank and ends up in the cut. . Fortunately the easiest place for her to get out is right next to Jacquie so she is recovered safely.

Saturday 18th April

The dogs had me up early this morning so I fed and walked them as well as having breakfast myself all before Jacquie stirred. . She was just about getting up when I set off though we were not the first, two boats had already passed us. . When we arrive at Hilmorton a hire boat is just going down the near side lock so we take the other one. . By the time we leave the bottom lock we are in front. . At midday we allow two cruisers that are travelling faster to overtake but end up going aground. . We tie up at Stretton stop for lunch and a quick look round the chandlery.
When we set off again Jacquie is ashore with three of the dogs, I pick her up at the second bridge. . At Hawkesbury we had intended to take on water but the wind is making it difficult to get in and there is a queue for the lock - we decide to carry on and get some round the corner. . When we get there the water points are in use so we carry on without filling up. . We tie up for the night just before bridge 19 in Nuneaton. . I take Thyme and go to check out the times of Mass for the morning whilst Jacquie walks some of the other dogs back along the canal. . She is fascinated by a water rat which drops into the cut from a low branch, how will he get out as the banks are piled? . She sees it climb onto a bramble but the dogs distract her and by the time she looks back it is gone.

Sunday 19th April - Easter Sunday

When we should have been able to have a lie in Daisy has us up early, she has to get off the boat. . I take her but our attempts to get back to sleep are fruitless and we get up anyway. . When I come back from Mass we have a coffee and set off, the weather is overcast but reasonably bright. . The sun comes out but is frightened off by my sunglasses as we pass what used to be bridge 26, there is only the bottom of the brickwork left. . Here there are picnic tables on a wide area of towpath, the spoil heaps are landscaped and make for a country view rather than the industrial one that the canal would have known in its working years. . We stop for lunch at the Anchor, Hartshill, which we find serves Scrumpy Jack. . On the way back to the boat Jacquie has a chat about dogs and gangplanks with a couple who have a Border Collie.
After lunch we carry on to Atherstone where we fill up the water tank at the top lock, either the tank is low or the tap slow as it takes an age to fill. . We go down the flight stopping below lock five, opposite the Kings Head. . I get on with rubbing down the paint work whilst Jacquie cooks supper. . Afterwards I go for a drink whilst Jacquie writes up the log book.

Monday 20th April - Easter Monday

We have a leisurely start after a walk into town which is easily accessed from here. . We take until midday to finish the lock flight and then stop to exercise the dogs. . When I set off again Jacquie stays ashore with three dogs and walks them to bridge 49. . We stop for lunch just north of Polesworth. . When we set off again I spot a kingfisher but it is so quick it is gone before I can get Jacquie to look. . At Glascote top lock we wait and wait for a boat coming up but the lock is slow to fill. . Eventually I notice that the hydraulic paddles on the bottom gate are not fully down! . I jump ashore and wind down the towpath side paddle and taking the hint one of the boat crew winds down the other one. . There are hanging baskets made out of old tyres here painted white and hung up with chains. . At the second lock I have to clear plastic bags from the prop and pull some out where they have worked their way up the stern tube. . We stop for the night at Fazeley between bridges 76 and 77. . There is rough grass alongside for the dogs and easy access to the pub and shops for us. . The bank is rough making it difficult to work on the boat but I get on with some rubbing down and priming despite this.

Tuesday 21st April

I spend the morning painting the boat whilst Jacquie walks dogs does the shopping and some general boatwork. . After lunch we turn in the junction and head home the easy way - the way we had come. . At least that was what we though but entering Glascote bottom lock the engine stalled. . Touch and tell was pulled into the lock and some youths offered to help going to empty the top lock. . Jacquie works the lock whilst I dive down the weedhatch. . I still have not cleared the prop when the lock is full and there is now a boat waiting to go down so we are bowhauled through the short pound between the locks. . The lads seem to enjoy it but I don't, having to use a knife to cut a shirt off the prop. . I have finished when we get to the top, however, and before we leave Jacquie rewards our helpers with coke and biscuits. . We stop for the night at Polesworth where we had stopped for lunch yesterday, as we are mooring Jacquie lets Inka off her chain and she jumps ashore followed by Hearing Dog puppy Carla. . She won't go far she says as he jumps off having stopped to grab two leads ... 15 minutes later! . In the evening whilst I am busy painting I hear a loud toot and tap on the window to tell Jacquie to get the camera. . President is on her way past towing Kildare who gently nudges us in passing, the President website suggests that this was Kildare's "maiden voyage". . The steerer apologises but it is their paint work that is immaculate ours is still being done up. . As it is evening the photos turn out a bit on the dark side.

Wednesday 22nd April

I start the day with more rubbing down and priming whilst Jacquie walks the dogs so we do not get away until mid morning. . As we approach Atherstone locks Jacquie sees a heron, she has a habit of being inside and missing much of the wildlife we pass. . Zany goes up the flight ahead of us and sets all the locks for us as they leave. . We stop opposite the Kings Head once again at lunch time and go off to do some shopping. . When we return Lillian Rose who had been following us up the locks is ahead, we have to wait for them at every lock and progress is slow. . Waiting for lock two Jacquie notices new houses being built that will have a view across the canal of a car junk yard! . At the top we stop for the rubbish point then move on to Valley Cruisers for a pump out. . We stop for the night at the Anchor and I get on with some more painting. . Jacquie has had mats drying on the roof and when she removes them gets her coat stuck to the new paint. . I have to get the white spirit out to clean it before we head to the pub for meal and a drink.

Thursday 23rd April

It rained overnight which makes the towpath muddy for Jacquie when she walks three of the dogs whilst I move the boat, but it is a lovely morning. . There had been four boats moored with us overnight but only one is left when we leave despite it being before 9:00 a.m. . Chatting to one of the crews I was told that the Landlord of the Boat at Newbold had sponsored a Hearing Dog the previous year. . Later in the morning Jacquie again gets off the boat to walk the dogs but due to the condition of the towpath gets to be a bit behind. . As the boat draws ahead Carla decides to follow and jumps in valiantly trying to keep pace. . She is retrieved and we carry on to Hawkesbury where after working the lock I take over the dog walking. . Inka is spooked by concrete post lying across the path and jumping back from it ends up in the water. . It is a day for mishaps as we loose a dog blanket crossing Ansty embankment. . It had been drying on the roof and blew off sinking very fast, we fished around for it but without any luck. . On this occasion we so not stop at Stretton Stop squeezing through as there are boats all around. . We do stop at Falls Bridge, however, and top up the diesel tank, it is 75p a gallon compared to £1.20 at the marina. . Talking to Mr Yates we find that his wife was the daughter of the Viking Afloat manager at Whitchurch. . She had known the boat in her hire days and had even painted the coach stripes on the sides. . The trip through the tunnel and up the locks at Hilmorton is uneventful and we stop for the night at the top.

Friday 24th April

The weather is not suitable for painting so we have a lazy start and then head to Braunston for lunch. . The wind is strong so we stop at the water point for more 'ballast'. . Moving to the visitor moorings we walk up to the village for supplies then after a cup of soup we set of again. . As I have twisted my ankle I rest inside leaving Jacquie to fight the wind and the rain. . With good waterproofs it is only her hands and feet that get wet. . At Napton junction the rain has abated so I take over for a while and take us as near to the Folly as we can get but still north of the winding hole. . Jacquie walks the bitches back along the canal to Peter Nichols yard and admires the boats whilst I walk the dogs in the opposite direction. . Later we walk past all the moored boats to sample the pies at the Folly.

Saturday 25th April

We make an early start to go up the lock but there is a boat ahead of us. . My ankle is still troubling me and Jacquie has trapped a nerve - it is not going to be a easy climb. . To make matters worse as Jacquie gets off the boat to wait for the bottom lock the tape recorder we have been using to take notes for the log slips from her pocket and into the cut. . As it was a birthday present I had given Jacquie earlier in the year I try to retrieve it by feeling the bottom with my feet but without success. . It is busy at the locks with a boat overtaking us whilst I change my clothes and another following behind so I have to explain what I was doing in the water. . The boat ahead of us is working single handed and runs aground before the fifth lock up. . Having got her free and up the lock I have to help a boat coming down that has also run aground. . None of this does my ankle any good and by now I am limping. . Jacquie meanwhile is getting very frustrated not knowing what is going on and holding the boat on the rope is not doing her back any favours. . In the long pound below the top two locks we are held up again when a boat pulls out in front of us, despite having four adults on board they do not help the single handed boat. . At the top we stop for a well earned break and some lunch after which I set off leaving Jacquie writing up the log book, we arrive back at the marina in plenty of time to by what we need from the chandlery.

Sunday 26th April

Reluctantly we say goodbye to Touch and Tell to return home.

©Michael Cobb 1999

index

top

Knytshall home page

This page last updated 14/07/99