Hiya guys we haven’t sunk, well not yet. We’re well clear of the Llangollen canal now, we left there on 23^rd August after a 3hour queue at Hurlston Locks to get out. Once out the locks we turned left and headed north up the Shropshire Union Canal for a couple of miles before mooring up near Barbridge Junction for the evening. The following morning we made a right turn at the junction onto the Middlewich branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. This branch of the canal was only 10miles and after being on the Llangollen Canal for so long it seemed extremely wide and very straight, we should do the 10miles in no time. Our plans were to head to the Anderton Boat Lift on the Trent and Mersey Canal/River Weaver.

 

Known as the “Cathedral of the Canals” the Anderton Boatlift is near Northwich in Cheshire is an outstanding monument to the canal age. Built in 1875 it was constructed to transport boats between the Trent and Mersey Canal and the River Weaver. Once being operated by pulleys and weights it has now been fully restored to hydraulic operation with the pulley wheels retained as a static monument.

 

We made very short work of the 3 locks and the 10miles and found ourselves on the outskirts of Middlewich by mid afternoon. We ended up staying in Middlewich for the whole weekend as we forgot it was the bank holiday and people had told us it was chock-a-block at the boatlift. Bank Holiday Monday we cruised the final length of the Middlewich branch and turned left onto the Trent and Mersey Canal. We were now only about 10miles away from the boat lift. We cruised for a few hours and then moored up for the day about 2miles short of the boatlift. We planned to get there on Tuesday as this would give time for all the bank holiday boats to move off. It was Tuesday morning, the sun was shining and we were both quite excited about seeing the boatlift. We cruised the final 2miles, which seemed to take a matter of minutes, moored up and went to see the boatlift.  

We booked our place to leave the Monty on Tuesday 21^st August, again we had to be there between 12-2pm. We decided to get to the locks the night before so on Monday we took a very steady cruise back to the bottom lock and moored there for the night, we would be first in the queue for the following day. I’m very glad we made that decision as in the morning the boats started to queue one by one until there were 9 boats waiting to leave. Due to the volume of boats queuing and people running out of places to moor whilst waiting the lock keeper opened the locks early. We had to wait for the first boat to come down the flight then we could go in, by 12.15pm we had cleared the locks and were back out onto the Llangollen Canal.

 

After our brief stop at Frankton Junction we carried on for a couple more miles then stopped for a bite to eat. We found a pub near Hindford, right on the side of the canal Called the Jack Mytton Inn. This is where the life size carving of the grizzly bear was. Why it was there? I have no idea. A couple of hours later we carry on travelling towards Chirk. This is the location of the first of two big aqueducts we had to go over and then straight into a 459yd tunnel.

 

Chirk Aqueduct was opened in 1801, it is a massive brick and stone structure that carries the canal in a narrow (one boat wide) cast iron trough from England to Wales over the River Ceiriog flowing 70ft below also running parallel but up a little higher is the great railway viaduct. At the end of the aqueduct is the Chirk Tunnel, 459yd long and just wide enough for one boat.

 

As we reached the aqueduct there was a line of boats already crossing so we had to wait. Hoping that no other boats would join the boats already crossing we waited with the excitement growing as this was the first big aqueduct we had ever done. It was finally clear and we started cruising across, it was quite breath taking, how small did them sheep look. With the water flow and the narrow cannel it did feel at some points that we were going to stop, also it was quite windy up there so it made it hard to stop the boat rubbing along one side. Part way across Mark hopped off the boat and walked ahead to see if the tunnel was clear. When we reached the end of the aqueduct there was a waiting area but luckily the tunnel was clear. As we went into the tunnel I could see another boat near the other end but was sure it was travelling in the same direction as us. Suddenly a white light came on, PANIC!  The boat was coming towards us so we had to reverse out. As I was reversing the light went off again and then I realised it was kids messing about with a torch and infect the boat was travelling in the same direction as us, I was not impressed. As we travelled through the tunnel, as with the aqueduct the boat got slower and slower and by the end we were nearly flat out and hardly going anywhere. After the tunnel we cruised for about another mile and came to Whitehouse Tunnel, this one was only 191yds long so didn’t take long at all. As we came out that tunnel I looked at the map and saw we were only about 1.5miles from the big Pontcysylite Aqueduct, would we make it today.  We cruised for about another mile and came to the village of Froncysyllte, this village is the last before the aqueduct. We turned a corner to see a line of moored boats to our left and a chap stood on the front of one, we asked how far to the aqueduct, he replied just round that corner, the corner was only a stones through away. He also said we could moor near him, in his mates space as he was away. With a quick decision made we decided to moor there for the evening so we could walk up to see the aqueduct.

 

The Pontcysylite Aqueduct built by Thomas Telford is the most spectacular feature on the whole canal system. It sits 126ft above the River Dee and is 1007ft in length. It was opened in 1805, took ten years to build with an estimated cost of £47,018. The excitement for crossing this structure by boat is due to the fact that the towpath side is fenced off with iron railing but the offside is completely unprotected, there is just 12in of the cast iron trough sitting above the water level to keep you on.

 

We walked over the aqueduct that evening and to tell the truth it didn’t seem that high or long, remembering we were on the towpath side that had quite high safety railings all the way along. As we took the boat over the following morning (12^th July) it was quite a different story, with just the 12in of iron above the water level keeping us up there it was quite scary, it seemed very high and very long. The conditions for crossing the aqueduct were ideal, the sun was shining and there was not a breath of wind, as with the previous aqueduct it was hard work for the boat to get across due to the water flow. It really was quite something crossing it but I think we were both glad to come to the end. At the end of the aqueduct we had to make a sharp left turn through a narrow bridge as straight on led into the Trevor boatyard. Now only 3miles away from Llangollen we were both quite excited that we had nearly made it as it seemed so far away when we left Eaton Socon. We had been warned that the last section of the canal between Trevor and Llangollen was the narrowest and the shallowest and this was the section that I was most worried about getting stuck. They weren’t wrong, it got extremely narrow and we started scrapping the bottom in places. We took a steady plod along the last section staying firmly in the middle of the cut. If a boat came towards us I slowed right down and moved over just enough for them to pass, I was determined not to get stuck. As we twisted and turned along the last few miles we kept seeing a mountain with strange shapes on the top, what were they? As we cruised in to the Vale Of Llangollen we had the River Dee on one side and the mountain with the strange shapes that were the ruins of Dinas Bran Castle on the other, it was quite a view. We managed to find a lovely place to moor right at the base of the mountain where we stayed for five days. When we arrived in Llangollen the sun was shining  so we made the most of it and took Cassie for a walk up to the Horseshoe Fall. We sat in the sunshine admiring the scenery, watching a chap fly fishing and canoeists going off the falls and down the rapids.

 

Due to the weather we really haven’t got out into the mountains as much as we’ve wanted. We did have one good day so we walked up to the ruins we could see from the boat. It was a beautiful sunny day so when we got to the top we could see for miles. In the distance you could pick out the Chirk Viaduct that we had come past. We spent time taking in the views, trying to see the boat and taking photos, we then walked back down the opposite side of the mountain, fortunately this bought us out at the Sun Trevor Pub. The pub was situated on the side of the valley looking over the canal, the River Dee and then right up the other side of the valley to where they paraglide from, we haven’t seen any yet due to the horrid weather.

 

On Wednesday 18^th July we moved the boat, as where we had been moored was about 1mile from the end of the navigable part of the canal. At the end of the canal is the British Waterways Basin (marina) where you can stay for two days and use their water and electricity, a good chance to get all the washing done. It was also nice not to be trudging around the muddy towpaths. Hopefully the rain will stop so they can dry out a bit, but no chance. Thursday night we walked to the Sun Trevor pub as some friends had turned up and they had moored right opposite it. As we sat outside the pub we could see a thunder storm brewing, lots of flashing and rumbling in the distance. It then started raining, no it wasn’t it was that watering system for the pubs hanging baskets splashing us, hehe.!  But it wasn’t long before it was actually raining. As I had taken Cassie with me I couldn’t go in the pub so we all huddled under the table umbrellas. The rain got harder and harder it was pouring off the umbrellas, the barman then told us we could take Cassie in. The rain still got harder, we were hoping it was going stop for the walk home but it didn’t. It would take us about an hour to walk home, the towpaths were completely under water, we got absolutely drenched and covered with mud. 

The Llangollen canal is a feeder canal, it is fed by the river Dee at Llantysilio via the Horseshoe Falls (a large semicircular weir across the River Dee, built by Telford) about 2miles on from Llangollen. This 2mile stretch of canal is un-navigable for us, they do horse drawn boat trips on it daily. The water then flows the 45miles to Hurleston Reservoir and the Shropshire Union Canal at 12 million gallons a day.

 

We waited a short time at Hurleston Junction for the boat in front to go up through the lock and for one to come down and then it was our turn. We were all quite excited about making it to here, this was the beginning of a new chapter to our adventure. We had been told lots of different stories about this canal. We’ve been told it’s one of the busiest canals on the system and that its very narrow and very shallow in places and even the map/guide book reads that we might sit too deep in the water to get to the end, fingers crossed we wont get stuck. We head off towards the first lock, after making slight contact with the wall we’re in the first of the Hurleston lock flight, all full of smiles. We had just 45miles and 21 locks to do before we reached our furthest point at Llangollen. It may sound a long way but it really seemed like nothing after thinking how far we had to go when we left on the 9^th April. Up through the 4 locks and we’re on our way along the Llangollen Canal, not seeming to narrow or shallow at the moment. We cruised on for another 5miles miles with 4 locks dotted along the way until we reached a place called Wrenbury where we moored for the evening. It seemed nice but we hadn’t noticed the caravan site over the other side of the hedge, we definitely wouldn’t be staying here any longer than one night.

 

Sunday 8^th July – We left Wrenbry in the sunshine. The first thing we had to do when leaving Wrenbry was go through a lift bridge. This meant shutting the barriers and stopping the traffic and I’m sure Mark enjoyed that part. The bridge was up and off we went, this was the first time we experienced the water flow on the canal. We got part way through the bridge and came to a standstill, we gave it more power and managed to crawl our way through. I did panic for a second or two thinking there was a problem but remembered I’d been told the water flow gets very strong in the narrow parts. Crikey, what was it going to be like on Aqueducts and going through the tunnels. We had only done a couple of miles when we came to a lock and the people there told us there was a big queue for the Grindley Brook lock flight 3miles ahead of us. What shall we do? Go and queue or Stop at the next pub? Yes, you’ve got it, the pub got the most votes. We stopped for an hour or so and then got going again, by the time we got to the locks the queues had gone. We went straight to the locks, through the first three single locks and then into the staircase. A staircase is where the top gate of one lock is the bottom gate of the next lock so you have to empty one lock to fill another. This was all new to us so we went to find the lock keeper to help. Mark found the lock keeper and frightened the life out of him as he was having a snooze in his hut. As we went into the first lock it all seemed quite daunting with the lock gates twice the height of what we had been use to. As the first lock rose I noticed all the spectators, that makes me even more nervous, but in the end the staircase was quiet easy. We left the staircase and cruised for about another mile until we came to a short arm off the canal leading to a place called Whitchurch. It was such a sharp narrow turn into the arm we had to turn and come back. Once in the arm we moored and stayed there for a couple of days. Whitchurch had all the things we needed before we really started getting into the middle of nowhere like supermarkets, banks and post office etc.

 

Tuesday 10^th July – We left Whitchurch in the sunshine, we didn’t have any locks to do for a few miles instead we had four lift bridges to go under that had to be left closed after passing. Two were footpaths but the other two Mark had to stop the traffic again, not sure they were happy about it but I know Mark enjoyed it. We cruised for a short time longer then moored near a nature reserve called Whixall Moss. It came into existence at the end of the Ice Age, as huge blocks of ice were left behind when the remainder of the ice cap melted and drained off into what is now the Severn Valley. The peat surface remains, in spite of the past cutting of peat for garden use and is an important site for rare insects and plant life. As we got to Whixall Mose we crossed the England Wales border, as we left Whixall Mose the canal then winds this way and that and crosses back over the border back into England again, we haven’t made it to Wales yet! As we cruised through the countryside towards Ellesmere the canal became lined by several Mere’s (lakes that are as broad as they are deep) with many Oak trees planted along side, they are said to have been planted by the Shropshire Union Carriers to provide raw materials to replace their carrying fleet. We then passed through the short Ellesmere tunnel and cruised onto Ellesmere Junction where we moored for the night. The following morning the sun was shining so we had to get going to make the most of it. We cruised for about three miles before coming to Frankton Junction, this is where the Montgomery Canal meets the Llangollen Canal. The Montgomery Canal is now only 7miles long and is now a nature conservation area, due to this they only allow a 12 boats a day onto it. We stopped on the off chance that we might get onto it, not a chance all the places were filled for that day. Never mind we can book our place and visit on our way back.

Saturday 23^rd June – We left Atherstone to find a pub near the canal as we had family coming to visit for Mark’s birthday. We trundled on for a couple of miles and came to a place called Polesworth. We went for a wander around but couldn’t find anywhere we liked so we carried on. Shortly after leaving Polesworth we passed under the M42 motorway where we came across a couple painting their boat, I guess at least it won’t get rained on. We then came to a place called Alvecote with a marina and a pub called The Samuel Barlow, we moored up and went to investigate the pub. The pub was on the upstairs level of the building and with water on three sides there were plenty of boats to be seen. New ones, old ones, ex-working ones and even sunken ones.

 

The following day Mark’s family came to see us and to wish Mark a happy birthday. We had a lovely day having a few beers, a bite to eat and catching up on what been happening.  His birthday wasn’t really until Monday so as you can imagine we didn’t get far the next day either.

 

On Tuesday 26^th June a little worse for wear from the day before we carried on our way. We wanted to get through Tamworth and out the other side to stop at a certain bridge we had been told was good for shopping. After a trouble free cruise through the Glascote locks in Tamworth, over the River Tame, we were at Fazeley Junction, this is where the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal meets the Coventry Canal. We carried on north along the Coventry/Birmingham & Fazeley canal(nobody seems sure where one starts and the other finishes) until we found the bridge(useless fact all the bridges on this stretch have names instead of number). We moored up and walked into Tamworth forgetting my camera so I couldn’t take any photos of Tamworth Castle or the lovely gardens as we walked around. It took us a couple of hours to sort out what we needed and then we were off again to find a quiet place to moor for the evening. We ended up mooring just as we came into a small village called Hopwas. It had a few houses and two pubs. That’s good enough for us, HEHE..! Hopwas was only about a three hour cruise from our next junction. This was Fradley Junction where the Coventry/Birmingham & Fazeley Canal meets the Trent and Mersey Canal. Wednesday (27^th) morning the sun was actually shining so we made the most of it and got going by about 8.30am. As we left Hopwas I was sworn at by a hire boat as they hadn’t tied up properly and there boat nearly came with us, hehe..! The other side of Hopwas we had to cruise past had an area marked on the map as DANGER AREA, it turned out to be an area the army use for target practice, we didn’t hang around there for to long. After passing the danger area we had a lovely cruise in the sunshine to next junction. We moored just short of the junction and took Cassie for a walk. At the junction were souvenir shops, teashops, nature walks and yes another pub. We had a pint, got chatting, had another pint, chatted some more, the rain came so we had another beer and that was the end of that days cruising.

 

Thursday 28^th June – As we only cruised for about 3 hours the day before we thought we’d better get a few hours in today. We set off with the sun shining again but how long was it going to last. We came down to the junction where there was a swing bridge Mark had to open. Through the bridge and there was The Trent and Mersey Canal running across in front of us. The canal was extremely busy as further along, the canal and the river Trent join but due to all the rain the canal had been closed and there were queues of boats waiting for it to reopen. Luckily we needed to turn in the opposite direction. We turned left at the junction and head between the rows of boats towards the next locks, just up the canal. We got through the first lock and onto the second, here we got chatting to a lady who told us that it might be flooded further up near Great Haywood, this is where the canal and the river Trent run very close together. Through the third and final lock and we’re off, with 11 miles before the next junction and the sun disappearing more and more behind the clouds how far would we get before the rain started. We had one big place to go through and that was Rugeley. The canal lined the edge of Rangeley for about two miles. We had industrial buildings on the left and a big power station on the right, not the most scenic of places. Surprisingly we did manage to get the 11 miles done without getting to wet. We cruised along side a very flooded river Trent for much of the journey but there were no problems with the canal. Apparently a couple of days earlier the river Trent was right over the towpath of the canal. We moored up for the night next to Shugborough Hall that dates back to 1693 and is now in the hands of the National Trust. We made it to here just in time, as you will see in the photos of the hall the heavens soon opened. In the morning we had one mile and one lock to do and then we would be making a left turn onto the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. The morning came and it was still pouring with rain, we waited for it to ease off to make a move. We tried a couple of time to leave in the lighter showers but it didn’t work, in the end fully equipped with waterproofs we went for it. We had to keep moving as later in the week we were meeting family further along this canal. We trundled up to the lock, through the lock, trundled a short distance and then turned left through a narrow bridge onto the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. Due to the heavy rain I didn’t get the camera at this point. We were now trundling towards a point on the canal called Tixall Wide, this is where the canal opens up into what can only be described as a massive lake and then narrows back down to the canal, the photos really do not do it justice. After a few hours of the rain the clouds passed and it turned into a lovely day with the odd black cloud still lurking in the background. Despite the late start because of the weather we still managed to do 15 miles, that probably doesn’t sound much but it is with a narrowboat.  We skirted round a place called Baswich, along the edge of Acton Trussell, right through the centre of Penkridge (where we drove to, to get lots of bits for the boat including the fridge) and then through a quaint place called Gailey with the Round Gallery, shop and tea room, shame it was closed when we went past. We then moored opposite Calf Heath Marina that had bar called Misty’s. The evening had turned out to be the best part of the day, as the sun was shining we played chase with Cassie along the towpath for a while. We then walked over to the bar, well tried to. We discovered that we couldn’t get to it from this side of the canal. The only way we could find to get across was to take boat over to the visitor’s moorings outside the pub, hehe.!  Anything for a beer, well it was Friday night.J

 

Saturday 30^th June – Another rainy day. Today we only had about an hours cruise to get to where we were meeting family tomorrow. We stayed on the pub mooring hoping to get a break in the rain, it didn’t happen so we left in the rain. Not much to say about the journey really apart from rain, rain, rain, Oh and one of British Waterways work boats drifting down the canal on its own. It made life quite interesting as it was just round a corner, near a moored boat with over hanging trees on the opposite side and to make life even more interesting, right in the middle of it all a boat decided to stop and pick his dog up on our side. No panic, with a nifty piece of manoeuvring we got through and trundled on our way round the next corner to a place called Cross Green we had planned to meet up with family. I did make a quick phone call to BW to tell them about their boat drifting around on its own. With our experience of a BW boat not tied up properly and nearly getting a tiller arm through the window we weren’t going anywhere near it. Sunday we had another lovely day catching up with family and as you will see in most of the photos we have some new plants for the roof thanx to Mums green fingers.J

 

Monday 2^nd July – Later today we would be on the Shropshire Union Canal, so all eager to get there we left in the rain. As the Shoppie was only a couple of miles away it wasn’t long before we were there and the rain had stopped. We moored up just before Autherley Junction (the junction onto the Shropshire Union) to have a bite to eat and take Cassie for a walk. We then joined the queue of boats that had now formed to get through the stop lock at the beginning of the Shropshire Union Canal. It didn’t take long as the lock only changed its level by about 6inches. The stop locks where there to stop boats years ago so they could collect the toll charges for the use of the canal. Through the lock and off we cruised in the sunshine. We seemed to be making great time until we caught up with a boat being towed. They let the boat in front of us pass on the last straight so I guessed it would be ours turn to pass on the next straight. We followed them over the A5 aqueduct and pass a boat yard. Now onto the straight I went to pass them but they pulled back to the middle of the cut so we couldn’t get passed. I followed patiently with another boat right behind but they wouldn’t move. Finally a boat came the other way and told us it was clear for miles so we pushed our way past on a bend saying a very pleasant thank you on the way past, closely followed by the boat behind us. Up to the lock at Wheaton Aston and the towing boats caught up but nothing was said. Through the lock and on we cruised with the canal getting very narrow in places especially leading up to the Cowley Tunnel. When to tunnel was originally planned in 1831 it was going to be a lot longer but due to faults in the rocks it was opened up leaving the short tunnel and the very narrow cutting towards the entrance. Through the tunnel and on towards Norbury Junction we managed to get there just in time to fill up. Whilst filling up the chap at the boat yard told us of an old pub called The Anchor, unchanged for 100years so we thought we’d better go check it out. On the way we cruised under a bridge called the High Bridge with a Telegraph pole built in the top arch and a bridge called the Double Calvert Bridge that carries both a stream and a footpath. As we came up to bridge 42 we could see The Anchor Pub we moored up and went for a wander. It looked like someone’s house but we had been assured it was a pub. There were no lights on so we looked round the side for someone. There was a lady so we asked when she was open?  “I am open she replied”. We went in as she turned the lights on and it was just like walking into her house. The two front rooms had been turned into two small bars and the family lived out the back. We ordered a pint of lager and a pint of bitter. The lager came from a pump but for the bitter she went off down the cellar. She soon came back with a jug of bitter and poured it in the glass. There were tall wooden benches, tiled floors and lovely open fires. After a time more people came in and the room began to fill up, 10 people and the room was full, it was a great night. We found out that the pub had been in her family for over 100years and that she had run it for the last 36years.

 

Tuesday 3^rd July – We carried on towards Market Drayton thinking it wouldn’t take us that long to get there but as we got closer the cut got narrower and narrower. Due to all the rain we’d had there were signs with warnings of unstable ground, watch out for landslides and falling trees, we didn’t want to hang around there for to long. You could see where the ground had given way and the trees had fallen, they had been cleared from the cut and left on the side, other trees were newly down so we cruised around some and over the ends of others. We finally reached the Tyrley Locks just before Market Drayton, great I thought. No, not so great, again because of the amount of rain the run offs on the locks were vicious. Going down the locks wasn’t quite as bad as going up the locks, luckily we’re going down. The run offs connect the pounds between the locks and if the top pound has too much water it will then run down to the next pound and so on down to the bottom lock. Due to the amount of rain the run offs were like rivers and as you come out the locks it first hits the front and pushes it over so you had to counter steer that and then it hit the back and sends you down the pound sideways. We made it through the five locks unscathed but I’ve never been so glad to see the end of a flight of lock so much as those. As we carried on the canal was still very narrow hardly wide enough for two boats to pass. We did meet several boats and somehow managed to pass. I was so glad when we finally made it to Market Drayton, I could give the nerves a rest.

 

I’m sure I told you about a chap we met in Braunston with a boat called Mr Sweep and that we had planned to meet up again in Wales. Well when we stopped in Market Drayton two lads told us that they had seen a boat by that name after the locks at Audlem, about five miles and 20 locks ahead of us. As we were moored in Market Drayton the boats that where towing came past and stopped, at that point we decided we would carry on to get in front of those boats and try to catch up with Mr Sweep. We cruised for about 3 miles then came to a flight of 5 locks at Adderley. We managed the flight in record time, well Mark managed it I just did the steering. We got to the bottom of the flight at about 9pm, we moored up ready for an early start the in morning to get through the next flight of 15 locks at Audlem.        

 

Wednesday 4^th July – Up bright and early to get through the locks and we actually started off in the sunshine. We only had a short cruise until we got to the first lock. Through that one with ease and onto the second. Through that one and only 13 to go. Mark ran up the towpath towards number three when he started waving his arms and pointing. Wondering what was going on I approached with caution. There was nothing to worry about Mark had found Mr Sweep. I think he was as surprised to see us, as we were to find him, thinking he was at the bottom of the locks. We stopped to say Hi and have a cuppa, we then carried on with the locks together. The locks were very busy, which was good because as one boat comes out a lock we go in and that happened almost all the way to lock 11, where it started raining, time to stop. We stopped between lock 11 and 12, which were in the middle of a town called Audlem. The rain never really stopped so we ended up staying in Audlem for 3 days and you’ll never believe it but we found a really excellent pub. It was called The Shoppie Fly and the bar was a narrowboat.

 Saturday 7^th July – Our aim for today was to get onto the Llangollen Canal, we left Audlem quite early with the sun shining. We had 8miles and only 1 lock before we reached the Llangollen Canal. It was an easy cruise with no problems. We seemed to make it there in no time at all. The last bridge before the turning was in front of us. We needed to take a sharp left turn under the bridge onto the mooring for the first lock of the Llangollen Canal. As we came under the bridge a hire boat beat us to the mooring so we had to hang around until he’d gone into the lock then it was our turn. Finally we had made it to the Llangollen Canal.

Thursday 14^th June – We thought we would get an early start today but not likely as it was a very rainy morning. We finally got on the move by 10.30am. We intended to get off the Oxford Canal and onto the Coventry Canal or maybe even onto the Ashby Canal today. The junction for the Coventry Canal (Hawkesbury Junction) was about 5miles so with my slow trundling we should be there in about 90 minutes. We cruised along the last part of the Oxford Canal going under the M6 near Brinklow and under the M69 near Ansty. With no locks and just the one swing footbridge that connected a boatyard, it was an easy cruise to the Junction. There was a queue of boats waiting for the lock at Hawkesbury junction but it didn’t take long to clear as the lock only drops or rises about one foot. After the lock we have to turn right under a bridge and then immediately right again through a very narrow cut under a footbridge and passed the Old Engine House. We were now on the Coventry canal and surprise, surprise it started raining again. We stopped for a bite to eat to let the rain pass. We then carried on and after a short time we could see the entrance of the Ashby Canal, how narrow.! Would we get round without hitting it.? Yes we did, just.

 

The Ashby Canal is a 30mile stretch out on its own. It was used for moving coal from the Ashby coalfields. Due to subsidence from the deep coalmines the canal is now only navigable for 22miles and terminates 1mile after going through the tunnel that passes under Snarestone village.

 

We only cruised for about one mile on the Ashby Canal when the rain started again but with luck on our side we came across some nice moorings. We just got moored and the hatches closed when the rain came down and it was pretty much torrential then for the rest of the night. Much to our surprise the sun was shining the following morning so we set off and cruised for a couple of hours till we reached Hinckley. We moored up to find bread and milk but strangely enough ended up at a pub. It was called The Marina and was right on the edge of the canal. It was lovely sitting out in the sun watching the boats going passed but how long would it last before the rain returned.? We had a couple of beers and then headed back. It didn’t last long, as we arrived back at the boat the rain started and we had a massive thunderstorm. We waited about an hour for the storm to pass then moved off. We decided we would cruise for as long as possible before either the weather or the light stopped us, at 8.15pm the weather finally stopped us, we moored at Market Bosworth just 6miles from the end and found some fish and chips.

 

Saturday 16^th June – The weather hadn’t changed much, a mixture of sunshine and showers again. Because of the weather we didn’t bother rushing around to get away, we caught up on a few jobs and then at about 10.00am we headed off during in a sunny spell. As we were about to leave a boat pulled up and the chap aboard warned us about the mooring restriction further down the canal because of fishing matches. We trundled on down towards the end of the canal and it was a trundle as we caught up a boat even slower than me. 1.00pm we finally reached Snarestone, the village with the tunnel running underneath it and the last one before the end of the canal. We moored to have some lunch, as we didn’t want to follow the slow boat through the tunnel. After being sworn at by a fisherman for not even being in the way, we moved and moored near the entrance to Snarestone Tunnel. Which was quite handy as the steps nearby went straight into the garden of the local pub called The Globe. We went for a walked through the village above the tunnel, ok it was after a couple of pints. We walked to the end of the canal so we knew what to expect the following day. It was fine, quite wide and a 70ft turning point so we shouldn’t be a problem, well not for us anyway.

 

The following morning (Sunday 17^th June) we came through the tunnel and headed to the end where someone was already turning. We waited and waiting, the guy wasn’t having a lot of luck, he tried turning one way then he tried another way and he still wasn’t round. I think if Mark hadn’t helped him we may still be there but it did turn out that he hadn’t had the boat that long.

 

We got turned and headed back through the tunnel, away from Snarestone village and towards the fishing matches that were taking place till 1pm. To make a change it was a lovely sunny day, we passed the three guys in the canoe and then cruised into the fishing matches. After being sworn at yesterday it was quite satisfying making them all move. We arrived back at Market Bosworth about 1pm for just a short stop to fill up with water or that what we thought. The water point was right opposite a turning point. The restaurant day boat had to come along at that time and want to turn, he’s 70ft, and the turning point is 72ft, we were right in the way. We tried pulling the boat right back to boat behind us but still there wasn’t enough room, we ended up having to reverse the boat out along side the other moored boats. Finally he managed to get turned and we could finish filling with water and get going again. As we cruised on toward Stoke Golding where we planned to stop for the evening, I slowed down for a narrow bridge and to my surprise I saw Cassie take a flying leap onto the tow path, I guess she really needed that wee. I quickly reversed and managed to coxes her on to the back of the boat with a bag of crisps, we’re now very careful at bridges, hehe.!

 

Monday 18^th June – We had quite a late get away this morning as Mark had a few things he needed to do to the engine. We got away by midday and headed towards Hinckley. We stopped at the marina to fill with diesel then carried on, yes the sun was shining and we didn’t even stop for a pint at the pub on the marina. We didn’t get far though, on the edge of Hinckley we stopped to get eggs just as it started raining. Luckily it was just down from the Lime Kilns Pub so we stopped on there mooring. It hammered it down again for several hours, by the time it did stop it wasn’t worth carrying on so we just moved the boat across the canal onto the public moorings. Tuesday’s weather forecast was looking good so we decided on an early night and an early start the following morning to get a good days cruising in. We wanted to finish the Ashby, get back onto the Coventry Canal and get passed Nuneaton before we stopped for the day.

 

Up early the following morning (Tuesday 19^th June), the sun was shining, it was time to go, we left the Lime Kilns about 8.30am, well that’s early for us, hehe.! We had 5miles then we would be back out onto the Coventry Canal. It was quite a slow cruise back to the entrance of the canal as this section is quite shallow and it slows the boat down. Eventually we made it to the entrance just as a hire boat wanted to join it, he was going so fast he had to go straight passed, Hehe.! You can just make out the two people on the back of the boat in photo 64.

 

We stopped for breakfast shortly after joining the Coventry Canal as neither of us fancied stopping any closer to Nuneaton. After breakfast we made a move and cruised right through the centre of Nuneaton with no problems. After another couple of miles we came across The Anchor Inn right on the side of the canal so we thought it would be rude just to pass by, hehe.! Like usual we had a couple of beers and then got on our way. We cruised onto Atherstone where there is a flight of eleven locks. We couldn’t find anywhere we wanted to stop so we started going down the flight, in the end we did the whole flight and found an excellent mooring at the bottom.

 

Wednesday 20^th June - It was so windy we decided not to move, we spent the day catching up on all those jobs you cant do whilst cruising along. We then went for a walk back along the towpath into Atherstone Village. According to the map/guide there isn’t much in Atherstone but much to our surprise there are lots of shops, banks, takeaways and it seemed every other building is a bar or pub. Too much for temptation we had a few beers, got some takeouts from the bargain booze shop and then ordered a pizza to have canal alfresco style.

 

As the weather for Thursday (21^st) was rain all day and still windy we stayed put again. I’m so glad we did, the canal is so busy, all the boats are making there way to the boat festival at Braunston this weekend. I thought we had moored far enough away from the lock but at one point the boats were queuing past us for the lock.

We first saw the blacksmith, his wife and the boats on TV so when I saw them go past I couldn’t resist grabbing Mark and Cassie and going to see them. We walked up the canal towards the Braunston lock flight. By the time we caught them up they were in the second lock. I asked if they would mind if I took some pictures of the boats and from that moment we started to chat. One of the boats was built especially to have a forge in the front, he just rolls up the covers when he’s working and the other boat they lived on. They told us how they travel around all summer to the different shows and festival then stop in the Dudley area over winter. We helped them through the lock flight chatting all the way, they were lovely people and as they were in the last lock he threw us a lucky horseshoe and they cruised off he shouted, “don’t loose that horseshoe”.

 

The narrowboat Dover was also from the same TV program. It was moored in Braunston Marina waiting to be sold. With Dover they showed an ex-working boat being restored. It was then filmed on the Grand Union Canal travelling along its original working route between London and Birmingham.

 

All the rest of the boats in the album Boats Along The Way are just ones we’ve come across on our journey.

Thursday 10^th May, prop day. It started a lovely sunny day. That was great as Cassie and I had to wander around until the prop was done, which should have taken about 3 hours, not that bad if its a sunny day. 11.00am the marina rang to say they were ready for us. We turned the boat and headed to Braunston Marina. We turned into the entrance with me expecting someone to take over and steer it into the dry dock, but no.! They waved us on, I have to get it in the dry dock, panic..! They did help a bit with some shouting and tugging of ropes. Finally we’re in the dock, tied up and we’re off the boat with Cassie. They started to empty it, this would take about 45mins as it works on gravity and has to empty in to a stream about 150yards away which then eventually finds its way back into the canal. Finally it was empty and work began, Mark was aloud to go down into the dry dock to see what was going on but ended up helping. Every thing is going fine till they found we needed a longer prop shaft, as there wasn’t enough room between the prop and the boat. One big problem they couldn’t get the old shaft out. Some bright spark has welded the bearing on. They decided they were going to grind the bearing off and put a new one on. As the grinder came out Cassie and I went for a walk up the towpath. We walked up to the bottom lock shop in the drizzle. When we got back Mark was stood talking to someone not looking happy. They had started to grind the bearing off then his boss told him he wasn’t allowed to do it. But before deciding this they had cut off the anchor bracket that Mark spent hours making before we left, he was not happy. There was no way of getting the old shaft out, all they could do was knock the original shaft as far through as they could. Six hours later and after a lot of banging, shouting and even swearing (not from Mark) the job was done. The boat was re-floated, moved out the dock, turned and we moored on the side of the marina, where we would stay the night as its now 6.30pm. Not bad for a three hour job.! We were so glad to get the boat back, one knowing the job was finally done and two having somewhere dry and warm to sit down. Then the hunger and thirst set in. It was time for a bag of chips on the way to the pub for a beer or two I think was well deserved after a very trying day.

 

After yesterday all we wanted to do was get as far away from that marina as possible. We filled with diesel, water and bought Cassie a life jacket, which she is absolutely petrified of and then we left for Napton on the Hill. We cruised along the very twisty, shallow, narrow South Oxford Canal in the sunshine but soon the cloud began forming and before long the drizzle started. After cruising for about three hours we reached Napton at about 1.00pm. There was a flight of nine locks and an open pub, the pub won. We had a few pints, a bite to eat and a laugh over some games of pool with other boaters. After the pub shut (they all seem to shut about 2.30-3pm) we ended up staying at Napton the night as it didn’t stop raining.

 

Saturday 12^th May. We wanted to start quite early to be first in the locks but no chance. By the time we got to the first lock at 830am they we’re queuing. There were two boats waiting in front of us, by the time we got in the first lock they were queuing right round the corner from behind us. By the time we reached the second lock a chap from the British Waterways turned up to check all the locks were ok. As he walked back down the flight he drained a few of the lock pounds. This meant we could open the gates and go straight in. That saved some time and effort. By 11.30am we had reached the top of the flight. Just round the corner we found a lovely place to moor (no pub) for a break and for Cassie to have a run around. We left for Fenny Compton about 2.30pm, on the way just coming up to a bridge Mark shouts stop, a lamb had jumped in the canal. We finally stopped and moved the front of the boat to side, right next to the bridge, hoping another boat doesn’t come through as I’m pretty much broadside across the canal now. Mark jumps on the side to pull the lamb out. The lamb swam away and then manages to climb out by its self. 4.30am we arrive at Fenny Compton with a bang as I hit the second for the two bridges entering Fenny Compton Wharf and yes there was a pub with people outside to see, but at least I was far enough in front of the hire boat we had overtaken earlier for them not to see, HEHE..! Time to stop for a rest (beer) must be getting tired if I hit the bridge, well that’s my excuse. As we sat in the beer garden we got talking to a chap who had also just had a lamb jump in front of him in exactly the same spot, we decided it must be the lambs favourite pass time.

 

The follow morning (13^th May) it was slightly drizzling, we decided we would make an attempt to get to Cropredy. We had nine locks, a flight of five then a flight of four and several pubs to get by. As we reached the first lock the rain got heavier and heavier. Between the locks there really isn’t anywhere to stop. We carried on getting wetter and wetter. We made it to the bottom lock of the first flight where all the other boats had stopped but we carried on. We were so wet now it couldn’t get any worse. We reached the next locks, I don’t think we had a dry thing on us, through the locks and into Cropredy. It was busy, would we find a place to stop? Eventually we found a place, only a 20 minute walk from the nearest pub, The Red Lion and what a lovely pub, a great selection of real ales. I think that’s why Mark had a slight wobble and fell against someone’s boat oops! When we finally got back to the boat it was good night from him.

 

Monday 14^th May – Yesterday we had decided if there were any chance of rain today we would not be going anywhere. It was raining on and off again, my mind was made up I wasn’t going anywhere, well maybe to the pub. The rain eventually stopped so we went for a wander around the village and yes ended up back in The Red Lion. By the time they shut at 3.00pm the sun had come out and we decided to move on towards Banbury. We had been told not to moor in Banbury so we stopped what we thought was just short of Banbury. We walked into Banbury, which ended up being about two miles and yes we ended up in yet another pub. This time it was called The Old Reindeer. It had a dog-hating cat so we sat outside for a time until it got to cold. We then ventured in hoping not to come face to face with the cat. Luckily the cat was in the other bar but it was still keeping an eye on Cassie. As usual we get chatting to the local and time gets away. We really needed to get going back too try and beat the dark, it was like a route march back to the boat not helped by Cassie chewing right through her lead. Cassie was really good and stayed by our sides and we managed to reach the boat just before dark. With no lights for a couple of miles its very dark down the towpaths.

 

On Tuesday (15^th May) morning we moved the boat just inside Banbury. We found a spot between some other boats. Getting chatting to them they said there had been no problems there at all but it might be different right in the centre at weekends. The one small problem where we moored, there was a bakery that operated 24hrs and it was noisy. Couldn’t here it from the pub though, HEHE..! We stayed in Banbury for the rest of the day shopping and catching up on jobs.

 

Wednesday morning turned out to be lovely and sunny so we set off again towards Oxford. It wasn’t long before the sky began to get very black. The rain started as we got near to Kings Sutton. We came along side some nice moorings so we decided to sit it out there and see what the weather did. We got moored just in time before the heavens opened. The rain carried on and on so we decided to stay put for the rest of the day. When the rain finally stopped we took a wander across the fields to the village shop, no pubs open it had gone 3pm, back to the boat to sit out the rest of this very wet day.

 

Thursday (17^th May) was not looking good, it was still raining. We wanted to get to Aynho Wharf to day, not just because there’s a pub there, we had visitors coming on Friday morning. The rain eased up so we decided to make a dash for it, all we needed was a couple of hour. Its only about three miles with two locks. One of the locks, Aynho Weir Lock was where the River Cherwell and the canal cross. This had to be crossed with care if there had been heavy rain. Great we had had plenty of rain. We approach the lock looking for the level indicator boards, we couldn’t see it. Mark set the lock and we carried on. Whilst sitting in the lock we noticed the indicator board. The water level was up to the top of the amber, not far out the red. Amber - proceed with care, Red - stop. Oh well we where across now. Lets hope we don’t have much more rain else we may get stuck here on our way back. Last stretch to Aynho Wharf and the sun was still shining. We arrived just in time to squeeze one pint in before the pub closed at 3pm, we did however have a couple of beers later on that night.

 

Friday morning we had family coming to see us and it was looking good as the sun shone. After a couple of beers and a bite to eat we went for a cruise down the canal to the next turning point. We needed to turn around, as we would start heading back in the morning. We need to be back at Napton on the Hill just after the bank holiday as we have family visiting. We needed to go under a few lift bridges, one of which took Mark right off his feet, and through one of the deepest locks on the Oxford Canal at 12ft deep, turn and then get back. The weather was now looking unsettled and the wind had got up. The lock and bridges were no problem but turning was quite interesting. We started turning and the wind blew us back, eventually we got turned and we headed back. We made it back without getting wet again. The wind was getting stronger and stronger, if this carried on we would not be going anywhere in the morning.

 

In the morning the wind was still blowing, in the end we decided to make a move. I was still not sure if it was a good idea. After being blown all over the place for a couple of hours we where back at the moorings near Kings Sutton where we had stopped earlier in the week. We stopped there again as steering the boat in that strength wind was quite a battle. We sat it out there for the rest of the day hoping the wind would drop for tomorrow.

 

Sunday 20^th May. What a difference a few hours make, the wind had dropped and the sun was shining. We headed back to Banbury to moor near that noisy bakery again. We stayed for a couple of days so we could stock up on supplies and find Cassie a vet, no problems just her wormer. We left Banbury on Tuesday 22^nd May with the sun shining. As it was such a lovely day we were going to see how far we could get. We really wanted to get back to Fenny Compton Wharf but I bet because of the lovely weather everybody would be on the move. We approached the first of thirteen locks we needed to do before reaching Fenny Compton. There were two boats waiting. The first went in as we got there, short wait then we were in. We didn’t bother rushing, as we would only catch them again at the next lock and the next and the next. As we approached Cropredy there were signs warning of dredging ahead. Two boats and ourselves where waved on passed the dredgers but there was only room for two boats and there was also one boat coming the other way out of the lock. They kept waving me on but where was I going to go, I decided to reverse back passed the dredger and go in behind it, that would allowed the boat coming out the lock to get passed. We then moved up passed the dredger and just hovered in the middle of the canal until one of the other boats moved. We finally got through the lock and continued on our journey. The two boat in front had both stopped so hopefully we would have a clear run. We got through the next ten locks without any problems, meeting a few other boats along the way and then it was just a short cruise, arriving in Fenny Compton by 3.45pm. We stayed in Fenny Compton for several days catching up on more jobs and a few more beers. The weather had changed for the best, typical as we weren’t moving anywhere. Cassie got pecked on the head by a vicious swan so she’s now got a little bald patch, hopefully her hair will grow back. On Saturday 26^th May the sun was shining so we decided to move off towards Napton on the Hill, it was only about a two hour cruise away. Before we left we filled up with water. At the water point Mark got chatting with a guy who had a boat called Muchgigglin it was styled on the old working boats with the most beautiful sounding Russell Newbury engine. After filling with water we then had a steady cruise towards Napton on the Hill following Muchgigglin. We had planned to stop at the top of the Napton Lock flight on the fourteen day moorings for a couple of days, we would then move down a couple of locks to be near the campsite that my parents would be staying at. We reached the moorings just as it started to rain we stopped but Muchgigglin carried on down the lock flight. We waited till the rain had cleared then went for a walk with Cassie down the lock flight. I was so glad we had moored at the top, it was total chaos through the locks. With it being the school holidays virtually every lock had a hire boat in it and a queue of them waiting to go through. We wandered to the pub got a couple of pints and sat near the first lock to watch the chaos. Eventually Muchgigglin came out the bottom lock, I think he was glad that was over, I’m glad we opted to walk down. Well that was until the heavens opened walking back, we got absolutely soaked. The weather forecast for the next few days wasn’t good either and it was right. It rained none stop all the next day, typical bank holiday. We sat with the fire blazing watching all the hire boats getting soaked this time but by the end of the day we had had enough of sitting on the boat, playing cards, me loosing at chess and watching rubbish TV. We decided to risk walking back down to the pub. We got the umbrellas out and off we went. It didn’t seem to bad till we got out into the open and nearly got blown away but we fort the elements and made it to the pub, soaked again but at least we got a pint, hehe.! It was no better walking back either, we must be mad, all that for a beer hehe.! Monday (28^th May) morning it again rained and rained, more cards, more loosing at chess and more rubbish TV. The afternoon seemed to be brightening up, the sun was trying to come out. After a while we decided we would move down the couple of locks I mentioned earlier. What a great idea that was, the heavens opened again but one good thing we did get the mooring space we had planned on. Oh and one other thing we were now only a thirty minute walk to the pub, hehe.! and yes we did take advantage of it only getting slightly wet going there. We spent a couple of days with my parents doing thing and going places. On Thursday 31^st May we planned to have a cruise back to Braunston and then my parents would get a cab back to where they were staying. Up early Thursday morning and the weather was looking ok. All the checks done on the boat and we’re set for the off. Braunston was about a two cruise after we get out the bottom lock. All the locks went to plan, we were out the bottom lock and on our way to Braunston. After cruising for a while the weather started to turn and the rain began, then the heavens opened, I was wet again. Nothing I can do about it just keep smiling well that was until we ran out of diesel and just had to float till we hit something to stop us, luckily there were no other boats to hit. We came to a stop right in a narrow part of the canal, after some pushing, pulling and shouting at a hire boat for going to fast we got clear of the narrow part. I was sure we had just run out of diesel and there wasn’t any other problem. Luckily we had carried fifty litres in reserve under the engine boards all the way from Eaton Socon. Mark poured the fuel in the tank and turned the key, churn, churn, churn. The starter battery was getting flatter and flatter, was it going to start.? But with the last bit of power in it the engine started, we were off again. We made it the rest of the way without getting that wet, there were just some very threatening clouds and some loud claps of thunder. We moored in the first space we found as it seemed really busy and we thought we’d have trouble finding another space and that was right, Braunston was absolutely packed with boats and people. By the time we had had a couple of pints, a bite to eat and a wander round the day was nearly over and everybody was tired and ready for a sit down, ok ready to fall asleep.

 

We have pretty much stayed in the same place after getting back to Braunston waiting for the side hatch to be done on Friday 8^th June. We did move the once, on Saturday 2^nd June we moved for diesel, water etc and what a once that was. We were filling up with diesel in Braunston Marina with another boat waiting to do the same when the guy from the other boat managed to fall off the front of his boat into the canal. He was not a young man and was having trouble getting out. With people shouting advice from all directions we manage to pull him out. Apart from a soggy watch and wallet the chap was fine and we moved off. Still staying in Braunston we tried to get back to where we had been moored but being lunchtime by now many boats had stopped and our place had gone. We stopped on the Mill House Pub mooring opposite where we had been moored. We decided to have a beer and wait for the other boats to move and then push it back across. Whilst sitting on the pub balcony having a beer Cassie was messing about in the ivy growing along to front when she pulled out a £5 note, so that was another round, hehe.! Eventually a boat moved and we pushed over to the other side where we planned to stay till Friday, side hatch day.

 

The rest of the week was quite uneventful apart from one incident. On Wednesday 6^th June we were sitting on the Mill House balcony again when the coal boat came along and we asked time to drop us two bags outside the pub and later we would push the front of the boat over to pick them up, seemed a good plan. After a couple more beers we wandered back to the boat, untied and pushed it over, we got the front over to the other side, all going to plan, Mark puts the coal on the front and pushes the front back. I’ve got the middle rope pulling the boat back thinking everything is ok when a chap runs down the towpath and tells me there’s someone hanging off the front of the boat. As Mark pushed the front back over and jump back on he missed but managed to hang on to the side so he didn’t go right under. With the chap now holding the rope I went to the front to find a pair of hands clinging on and a head peering over the side, after dragging him back onto the front deck it was then time for much laughter.

 Friday 8^th June we had the side hatch fitted, it all went to plan and we had the boat back by mid-afternoon. It was nice to have something go to plan after all the problems with the prop. We then stayed outside Braunston Marina for a couple of days to get some paint on the new hatch. On Tuesday 12^th June we moved to the beginning of the North Oxford Canal just outside Braunston ready for an early start the following morning, well that was the plan. That night we had a few beers and said buy to some really good guys we had met. The following day didn’t start quite as early as planned, we finally got away by 11.00am. So it’s Wednesday 13^th June and we’re finally on our way to Wales. We got a few hours cruising in before the rain came, we made it just north of Rugby where we moored for the night. Well guys that’s us pretty much up to date finally will up date again soon.

Thursday 26^th April – Day 18. After being moored in the same spot for a few days we decided that we had better move the boat as we had now been on a 48-hour mooring for 3 days. Just up the canal are some 14-day moorings so we’re going to moor there but first we got the bus to Rugby. We needed banks, drill bits, engine hot water hose and some general shopping. The bus driver was a crazy driver there and back. It was a white knuckle ride both ways and on top of that Rugby was naff. Hardly any banks, no drill bits to be found anywhere, no decent food shops and we had to walk miles for 2 meters of hot water hose. We were so glad to get back to the boat.

 

It was time to move the boat. There are some 14-day moorings just up the canal at Braunston Junction. This is where the Grand Union Canal and the Oxford North Canal Meet, we headed off towards moorings. We got to Braunston Junction and turned left. BANG.! Oops I hit the wall. A guy on a passing boat shouted “don’t worry you’ll miss it next time”. We tried to moor just down from the junction but no chance, due to bank corrosion we couldn’t get within 3ft of the bank. We cruised down to the next turning point turned and came back. As we came back towards the junction I slowed right down and moved over so Mark could jump off, he run down to the junction to see what moorings were there. Mark shouted, “There are moorings to the left”. I moved off again, making a hire boat slow right down, hehe.! we turned left at the junction, that guy was right I missed the wall that time. Excellent we had found a mooring that should be easy to find, near a bridge and within walking distance of the pub. We planned on staying in the same spot for a few days as we had family and friends coming to visit.

 

After a great weekend showing family and friends around the sights of Braunston and consuming a few beers we decided that on Monday 30^th May we would go down the Oxford Canal to Cropredy, a quaint village famous for holding one of Europe’s largest folk festival that began in 1979 when Fairport Convention held their farewell concert there.

 

Before we left I had to see a man at Braunston bottom lock boatyard about our side hatch, I wanted the wooden doors replaced with steel ones. Now finding out he had been called away we had to wait till 2pm. We reversed the boat back round Braunston junction, without hitting it again.! and went back to the moorings near the marina to wait for the chap I needed to see to return. By now the wind had picked up and it was blowing us all over the place. Just after 2pm we took the boat to the yard and he said he could do it for us in about 4 weeks that will be the end of May. I then had to turn around. It was narrow, windy and with boats everywhere, which one would I hit.! But to my surprise and I think everybody else’s I managed to reverse round and off again without even getting close to another boat. My steering must be getting better. With how windy it had got and the time we had lost sorting out the side hatch we decided not to move today. We would stay on the 48-hour moorings outside the marina and move off in the morning, well that was the idea.

 

The following morning, Tuesday 1^st May – Day 23. I remembered it was my Birthday and thought I’d better have a few beers to drown my sorrows at being 36. A few hours later we had had a few beers and Mark had bought me a new tiller pin with a 3.5 inch high brass Hedgehog on it, now I’ve got to think of a name for him. After a couple more beers it was back to the boat for a snooze.

 

Wednesday we decided not to go to Cropredy as we need to be back by the weekend to meet visitors. We are going to wait until the new prop has been fitted on the 10^th May and go whilst waiting for the side hatch to be done at the end of May. Hopefully that will be all the big jobs done.

 

Whilst sitting at Braunston, which has been a couple of weeks now we’ve got to know some lovely people, especially one chap with a boat called Mr Sweep, we’ve had some beers and great laughs together. He’s moved on now but hopefully we’ll meet up again in Wales. We’re almost beginning to feel like locals now. The café boat knows the breakfast order, the locals all say hello and the barman is now saying “The usual.?”  Not that we’re in the pub that often, hehe..!

 

That us pretty much up to date just one thing to add, Cassie took her first swimming lesson yesterday (8th May), she jumped back from another dog straight into the canal. Dont think she will be doing that again in a hurry.

 

 

Sunday 22^nd April – Day 14. We’ve decided we would try and make it to Braunston today. We need to go up The Buckby Lock Flight, through Braunston Tunnel, which is 2042yards long and then down The Braunston Lock Flight. So that 7 locks, 1 tunnel and another 6 locks over 16 miles, we should make it today.

 

We left at 7.30am, it was a mild, sunny morning. We were about to join the main Grand Union Canal, at the junction, we need to turn right, it’s very narrow hoping there wasn’t a boat coming the other way, Mark shouts it’s all clear and we turn on to the Grand Union. There were boats moored both sides as far as the eye could see, not a cruiser in sight. It seems so narrow after being on the rivers.

 

We’ve finally made it to the Grand Union Canal and we’re on our way towards where “ONE WAY OF LIFE” originally came from. Ever since we bought her it’s been our dream to take her back to Braunston ourselves and today it may come true.

 

We cruised for a couple of hours then stop to fill up with water and have breakfast. We set off about an hour later towards the locks, lets hope we meet another boat to lock up with. We get to the locks with no other boats that want to go up so we go it alone. We reach the top lock about 2.30pm, as I walked up to the lock there’s a pub right on the lock, with loads of people to watch as we go through, this will be the spot if something is to go wrong. We get the boat through the lock without any mistakes, so no entertainment for the onlookers. It’s thirsty work doing them locks so we decide to stop for a cold beer, we get chatting to a couple with a boat so we have another and another by this time it’s nearly 6.00pm OOPS.! Guess we’re not going to make Braunston today, the tunnel will have to wait until tomorrow.

 

Monday 23^rd April – Day 15. Up early this morning after yesterdays unscheduled stop at the pub. Today we have Braunston tunnel and Braunston Locks to do. Leaving early we’re hoping we won’t meet another boat in the tunnel. We left Buckby Lock at about 7.00am, weather not great as there’s rain in the air. The closer we get to the tunnel the more I’m hoping we won’t meet another boat coming the other way. When the tunnel was being built around 1790 they came across quicksand’s, which led to a mistake in direction leaving it with an s-bend in the middle. The previous day we had spoken to a couple that had their side hatch door catch taken off as they tried to pass a boat at the s-bend.

 

The tunnel was in sight, as we enter I cannot see a thing, waiting for my eyes to adjust. The further we went in the less I could see. Mark got the big torch out, that was a bit better. With the engine just off tick over it felt the tunnel would take forever. As we chugged through, the entrance still only seemed a stones through away and the exit was nowhere to be seen. Eventually we turn the s-bend and I’m sure a very faint glimmer could be seen at the end. I upped the pace a bit as I know the tunnel was straight now. The exit is getting bigger, I up the pace again and again, it was getting lighter and lighter. We finally reached the exit approximately 30mins later. I’m glad that’s over.!

 

We head on to the Braunston Lock Flight, we had six locks to go down. We moor to go and sort the first lock. As we got to the lock we realise that the pounds between the locks are very shallow, infect about 3-4ft lower than they should be. We would get stuck if we go through. Quick call to British Waterways and there’s a chap on his way to sort things out. He arrived and flooded the pounds for us. We were on the move again. They were wide locks so two boats could go in together. We joined up with another boat called Gray Boots to go down the locks. At the bottom we cruised up to Braunston Marina and moored in the exact spot that we originally bought the boat from. We’ve made it. Our dream has come true.

 

For the next few days we stayed in the same place watching the comings and goings on one of the busiest parts of the canal network.

 

 

The next couple of days were going to be spent relaxing, meeting up with friends and possibly having a few beers. Thought we would be able to have a lay-in but Cassie decided we’re not so still up bright and early.

 

We had spoken to the guys at Gayton Marina about putting a bigger prop on the boat for us but they couldn’t do any thing till the end of May so we decide to carry on ringing around. I rang Braunston Marina and to my surprise they say they could do it on the 10^th May. They needed to know loads of information about the boat to make sure they ordered the right prop. Whilst gathering the information Mark came across a snapped bracket that holds the expansion tank to the cooling system, that was not good but at least we were in the right place to hopefully get it sorted. Off with the bracket and over to the marina we went. They could weld it for us but not right now as they had to get the hire fleet ready to go out, it would be done by about 2.30pm. Excellent, that gave us time to take Cassie for a walk and an excuse for a cold pint, the first time in a pub for several days. On the walk back we called in at a farm for fresh eggs and there were several very young lambs running around Marks legs, Cassie was not sure what to make of them.

 

As the cold beer had been so nice we got back to the marina just a little later than anticipated, the hire fleet had gone and the bracket was all done. Back at the boat and the bracket fits perfect, so that was that problem sorted.

 

It was a lovely day wandering around the canals, watching the boats coming and going, chatting to the passers-by about their adventures on the canals.

 

The following day we met up with friends who had a boat moored at Gayton Marina. They offered to take us out on their boat. I was looking forward to that as it meant I didn’t have to steer, time to relax and take in the views. We left Gayton Marina and headed north up the Grand Union Canal. It was lovely cruising along in the sunshine. The way we had gone was the way we would be taking our boat soon so I knew what to expect. After about an hours cruise “yes you’ve guessed it” we reach a pub, it was The Wharf at Bugbrooke, that’s good timing, it’s 12 o’clock, opening time. After a bite to eat and a few beers we continued cruising north for a while but then it was time to turnaround and head home, not all bad thought we still had a two-hour cruise back home.

 

It had been a great day, catching up with friends, cruising the canals in the sunshine.

 

Day 10 - Wednesday 18th April. We're hoping to make it to the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal today. We have approximately 17miles and 16 locks and we will be there. Setting off at 7.15am in the sunshine we get ahead of all the other boats that had moored up in front of us, one of which was the slow coach we had followed in the fog several days previous.

 

We cruised at a steady pace alone the Nene counting down the locks one by one, wishing we were now on the canals. We had cruised for several hours and were wanted somewhere to moor up but that was the problem with the rivers, it never seems very easy to find anywhere to stop unlike the canals there's lots of places to moor. We've done 11 locks and according to the map there's a mooring just before the next lock but again we've reached the next lock with no sight of any mooring. We carry on towards the next lock, we pass a boat named Rose Marie the chap on board calls over to say he'll catch us up to share the next lock. We wait for him at the lock and we carry on through the next few locks together. He asked where we're off to and we ask him, we're all going to the same place. He advices us that we won't make it to a safe place for mooring up overnight on the Northampton Arm today. We end up calling it a day quite early as he tells us about the mooring he is heading for near Weston Favell. We reach the mooring by 4.15pm, seems early but we had done 9 hours cruising without stopping today. So tomorrow all we have to do is 3 miles and 3 locks and we're there, The Canals.

 

Day 11 - Thursday 19th April. Up early, all excited because we would definitely be on the canals today. We leave the mooring about 7.30am and head towards Northampton town centre. We go right through the middle of the town, a good chance to go shopping. We stop for a short time then we're off again. We're through the last lock and on the final stretch of The River Nene. We can see the Carlsberg Brewery. The Northampton Arm must be close, Mark shouts "It's up that turning". Oops.! I've missed the turning. I reverse and swing round, and we've made it, we're at the first lock of the Northmapton Arm.

 

The locks on the Northampton Arm are so narrow, after being on the river with all that space, we now only have a few inches of space to spare, and here endith the nice paint work. We have 17 locks on the Northampton Arm to do before we reach the main Grand Union Canal. The first part of the canal was quite a struggle with it being very shallow, full of rubbish and some part totally over grown with reeds. We made it to the Rothersthorpe locks, 13 locks one after the other. The sun is getting very hot making it harder and harder to do the locks. After a few bumps, scraps and one small slip-up... that's me slipping off the boat but not quite falling right in, just the one leg in lock 11, we make it to the top lock. After a short cruise we make it to Gayton Marina, a great sight as we plan to stop here on the Northampton Arm outside the marina for a couple of days. A welcome break after 11 days of continuous cruising.

6.30am and we're up and about hopeing to get an early start to Standground Lock. This is the manned lock at the end of the Middle Levels after that we're out onto the River Nene. We're about a four hour cruise away so we need to leave by 8.00am as we're booked to go through the lock at midday.

 

I look outside and guess what.!? It's another extremely foggy morning, bet we don't leave on time. 8.30am and it's still very foggy, 9.00am we decide to take a slow trundle down the river, we can't be to late leaving as Standground Lock closes at 3.00pm on a Sunday.

 

Chugging throught the fog, thinking we're were going slow we managed to catch another boat up, how slow was he going.! our engine was just over tickover and that is SLOW...! With him not letting us past and no way of overtaking we just had to follow. One good thing following him was seeing if he would fit under a very low bridge we were approaching, if he did we knew we would fit. He fitted then so shall we. After a while the fog seemed to be lifting and with that he seemed to be picking up the pace a bit, just in time for Ashline lock. Luckily the lock was open and the boat infront could got straight in and we tied up on the landing stage. They we're soon off again, we were in the lock with no rush to allow them to get ahead, hopefully..! Out the lock we took a slow cruise through Whittlesey waiting for the sharp bend we had been warned about. Surly it couldn't be that sharp.? But it was! Will we make it in one turn..? No. Reverse, forward, reverse, forward and we're off again without touching the sides. We're out of Whittlesey and on our final stretch to Standground Lock. This was a slow chug again as this part of the middle levels is very shallow and narrow. We made it to the lock by 1.20pm a bit late but better late than never. On the other side of the lock we stopped for a break to let things cool off. After a couple of hours break we're off again and we're finally off the Middle levels and on to the River Nene in the middle of Peterborough. We need to cruise for a bit longer as we've been told not to moor here overnight. It's a long cruise out of Peterborough but we've made it into the countryside, ideal for mooring over night.

Saturday 14th April - day 6. Up at 6.30am to get an early start on the Middle levels. This is the river that runs from Salters Lode through the Fens to Peterborough. It's ment to be Narrow, shallow and full of rubbish, sounds nice..  NOT..! to make things worse it was rather foggy outside to. We leave at 7.15am, fog no better. We have a slow cruise in the fog till 9.00am when we reach Outwell for a short break. There not wrong about it being narrow, shallow and full of rubbish, i would like to add twisty to the list. We reach Marmont Priory Lock at 10.40am and finally the fog has cleared. We wait a short time for a boat coming the other way but then we're off again. The sun is now out and its getting hotter and hotter again. After a couple of hours we've make it through March and past Fox's Marina. We're now thinking about mooring up for lunch, where will we stop.? We come round the corner and there's Flood's Ferry Touring Park with a pub and visitors moorings, looks like a good place. Oh no..! engine has over heated and stopped. Good job the touring parks there, we're gonna float into there bank and it looks like the pubs open. Mark jumps on the bank to try and stop the boat but slips, luckily only one foot in the river. The boat comes to a hault and we pull it back to the moorings. We leave the boat to cool down, we also cooled down with a couple of cold beers. After chatting to the owner of the site in the bar he tells us we can stay over night if we want. That sounds like Saturday night sorted then, a few early beers in the pub and a fresh start in the morning. With the lovely sunset over Floods Ferry it looks like it gonna be a lovely day tomorrow. The engines running fine now and we should be off the middle levels by lunch time tomorrow.

Its been a busy few days and some days no signal for the internet so we've got a bit behind. This evening, Wednesday 18th April we have a good signal, we've moored up early so here's our chance to catch up whats been happening.

 

After the small problem of a sheared bold it was all sorted and we where off on the Wednesday(day 3) as planned. Leaving the mooring by 8.00am we cruised in the sunshine for about an hour until we reached Ely. We had a short stop for supplies then back on the move again by 10.15am. The weather was getting hotter and hotter. We cruised for another two hours and then stopped at Brandon Creek to allow the boat to cool down. We were so close to Dever now there was no need to push on in the midday sun. We spent two hours on the mooring then started our final approach to Denver. The time flew by, we were at Denver. This is home of the big sluice that stops the whole of the Gt Ouse from being tidal. 

 

We moored up and took Cassie for a walk to take a look at the route we would need to take through Denver Sluice. This would take us on to the tidal Ouse, a ten minute cruise and we would be at the next lock called Salters Lode. This lock would take us out onto the middle levels toward Peterborough.

 

Hopeing to go through Denver and Salters Lode on Saturday. We need to talk to the lock keeper to find out the tide times and when we will be able to go for definate. He's not at the office now until tomorrow, we will have to pop and see him in the morning. It's time to chill out now with a couple beers and see what tomorrow brings.

 

Thursaday 12th April - day 4. It's another sunny day. Going to see lock keeper about tide times. Much to our surprise due to the tide times we will have to go tomorrow(Friday) not Saturday as we wanted. So we've booked our place, we have to be at Denver Lock at 3.00pm Friday. Spent most of the rest of the day watching other boats coming, going and getting stuck on the sand banks due to very shallow tides.

 

Friday 13th April - day 5. What a date to go out on the tidal river for the first time! 3.00pm couldn't get here soon enough. Finally it arrived. Off to the landing stage at Denver Lock. The first boat got slightly grounded but managed to drag it's way out. We've got to wait for the tide to come in further for deeper water. The lock keeper opens the lock and calls us in. Here starts the nerves, the door opens and the tidal river is there! The lock keeper tells us it's all clear to go. We're off..! through the narrow channel out of Denver Lock, straight out to the middle of the river, straighten up, cruise to Salters Lode, 10 minutes and it will all be over or as I thought. As we approach Salters a boat comes out and gets grounded. We have to stop. My worst nightmare is coming true.! We're now being blown across the river towards the sand banks, trying my hardest to keep the boat in the centre, it's not happening, we're against a sand bank but suddenly the other boat begins to move. Full power and we get away from the bank and start heading towards the lock but there's another boat coming out behind him, will he get stuck yes, no, yes, no and hes off, we keep going up to the lock, just past the lock we turn doing the 120 degree turn that lines you up with the lock mouth, we're lined up spot on, in the lock we go. Oh no we don't.! we're stuck on the sand. We have to sit and wait for the tide to come in further for deeper water again. After a short wait we manage to crawl our way in. Hooray we're in...!!!!! On the other side of the lock we moored up for the evening and a well earnt beer.