Goodbye boat

perfect reflections

Peaceful waters

It was a lovely sunny morning for our last day of cruising. The canal looked lovely with the autumnal trees reflected in the water. Although the weather was perfect we had the canal to ourselves.

Swing bridge at Fradley junction

We arrived at Fradley junction expecting boats to be queuing but I opened the swing bridge to find the short pound between the locks empty. it was too early for the gongoozlers (spectators) so the tow path between the bridge and lock  was deserted.




By the time I had closed the gate and encouraged Lottie to abandon a fascinating sniff the Captain had already reached the lock. I hurried up  to swing my windlass to find a CaRT volunteer opening the gates for our boat. There was a volunteer helping at the next lock as well so we sped up them. That’s what we needed back on the Leicester section where it took brawn to open the gates.

Deserted waterfront at Fradley

Only one mile to the marina

A short cruise later we were back at base. Instead of packing up straight away and abandoning ship we spent the afternoon’s sunny weather washing the boat.

Thankfully the marina is a lovely peaceful place to relax before putting the boats cover on and charging off along the motorways to go home.

 

and one more bridge

the hidden tower




cloth sided narrow boat

Alvecote Marina

After a cold night, which Lottie spent snuggled up under an old sleeping bag, we set off just before 9.00. we were surprised to see four more old working boats lining the canal. Surely they were on the way to a boating exhibition as it is rare to see more than one or two in a week unless they are at a home mooring.



Festive boats

As we approached Polesworth church bells pealed out. Although the bells rang beautifully (not off key) Lottie regarded them suspiciously until they stopped.

tree lined waters

Beyond the town a tall golden tower had been built on a circular hill in the middle of a wooded nature reserve. Last time we passed it looked spectacular but the trees on the hill have grown rapidly and partially blocked the view of the tower. Perhaps it will soon be a secret which only walkers find when they toil up the hill. however the remains of the Benedictine Priory had been cleared of vegetation and could be clearly seen from the canal.

Alvecote Marina had a festive air with its boats decked out in bunting.

We arrived at Glascote locks and joined a queue. It took ages for the first boat to go through over half an hour yet when we descended it only took about ten minutes. We never did find out what the problem had been.



Fazeley Junction

I helped the boat ahead go down the locks as he was alone then worked the lock for my boat. Fortunately the boater behind came and helped me in turn. It is wonderful how friendly most people are regardless of how long or short posh or tatty their boat is.

Art on the building

Having gone down the first lock I went on to help the boater in front as he manoeuvred his boat into the lock. Four crew members from a hire boat clustered round the far paddles ready to whizz them up. It would have been quicker if one of them had closed the gate for the boater. Instead they waited for me to walk down and do it. Perhaps they thought it was my boat!

view through the bridge

After the busy locks we passed through Fazeley Junction then had a lovely cruise through winding canal scenery. There were thick reed beds which narrowed the canal but fortunately we didn’t meet anyone in the narrowest parts. We moored in a peaceful spot along with several other boaters. Lottie was relieved that no brass band, fireworks or church bells disturbed her peace and snored loudly all evening.

flowers at Hopwas village

Brassed off






Lottie on the bow

Hartshill BW Yard

The Captain dug out his trousers as he decided the morning was too chilly for shorts. Strangely it has been warmer heading into autumn that it was in windy August. The mornings cruise was pleasant as we passed numerous allotments through Nuneaton. 

We chose to stop at the picturesque Hartshill. As soon as we moored up the boat directly in front of ours started his engine which was loud and vibrated nastily.

“I’m not having lunch listening to that!” the Captain moaned and moved the boat a few minutes up the cut. 

working Barge

Quiet waters at Hartshill

As he switched off the engine the sound of a Brass band playing wafted over the hedge. Lottie shivered and shook. The band grew louder as if they were marching around the field next to us but there was no sign of people with tubas just cows.

Within minutes we regretted our new mooring but were reluctant to move on again in case there was no mooring before the flight of 11 locks.



entrance to Hartshill Yard

I love music including brass bands but this one grated on the nerves. They were working on a selection of Abba songs with varying success. Dancing Queen was particularly out of key. The band would stop, instructions yelled at them and then off they would go again still off key. By the time they reached SOS I was waiting for the discordant notes and wondering if this band were performing at a fete tomorrow. The Captain loves Abba but he winced at the murderous renditions as if he had toothache.



Fabulous canal art

After a shortened lunch due to Lottie Lurcher trembling each time the band hit a particularly flat note we set off towards the locks. Every now and then haunting strains of dancing queen chased after us down the cut. It’s amazing how far the sound of brass travels.


By the time we reached the flight of 11 Atherston locks Lottie relaxed, as if she could no longer hear the band. The Captain bought a paper then set off down the locks even though it was raining lightly. I have never seen the locks so deserted. Within minutes the rain stopped and we continued peacefully though after three locks we met a boat coming up.

Lottie enjoyed sniffing around while we wound paddles and acted as if she realised where we were. Had she been expecting us to retrace our steps to return to our marina? At the lowest locks we met two more boats. We moored on the visitor moorings below the locks and during the evening were joined by two more boats that had descended the locks. 


Narrow boat bearing carriers sign

After dinner the peace was shattered by fireworks banging and whizzing. Lottie swiftly slid off the sofa and took refuge in the narrow corridor trembling. Fortunately the display was not of long duration.


working boats

As we took Lottie out for her last toilet trip at 11-00 we could hear the locks being worked and see a spotlight cutting through the night sky. By 11.30 two massive working boats had slid through the locks. Almost silently they moored up behind us.

Gold in the water

Hilmorton

Engraved balance beams

After walking Lottie around Hilmorton and exploring the old side arm we set off for Rugby. Soon after we set off it started to rain but stopped before we reached Rugby. For the first time the banks were crammed with boats could not moor to go shopping. I guess people stayed moored up because of the rain. Around the corner there was room to squeeze in between the last boat and the bridge. The Captain went shopping, had a cup of tea then pulled the pins out. As soon as he cruised through the bridge it started to rain. However it stopped by the time we reached Newbold tunnel. A boater approaching had his spotlight on so we expected to meet in the middle of the250 yard long tunnel but we emerged the other side to find him inching nervously towards the portal with three boats queuing behind him.

old paddle gear

short side arm at Hilmorton

At the end of a long straight we looked back and the boats were still in sight – how would he manage in Braunston Tunnel. Though the rain threatened it was a pleasant cruise to Essenhall woods where there was just enough room for us to moor.

boats and crane on the side arm

As I held the bow rope waiting for the Captain to secure the rear a new exotic creature appeared in the canal – something I have never seen in the wild before. The gold fish swam in a tight circle just below the surface of the water his bright scales shining. He circled several times then straightened out and dived into the depths only to return to the surface and circle again. Had someone been exercising their goldfish and it slipped its leash or had they freed their pet when it outgrew its goldfish bowl? It certainly seemed obsessed with circles. However after several expanding loops it wriggled away. I hope it stays away from the surface when the herons are about or its freedom will be short lived. I turned away from the water to read a sign pinned to a nearby tree.

It read: LOST ONE TORTOISE – LAST SEEN ON THE TOWPATH.

How do you lose a tortoise; they don’t move that fast? Did someone take it for a walk and it slipped its leash? If not how did it reach that rural stretch of towpath in the first place? Perhaps it was a closet turtle and cast off its inhibitions to join the goldfish in the muddy waters!

restored workshop

After lunch we moved off without spotting the lost tortoise. Grey skies hung over us but we only suffered occasional showers. A kingfisher livened up the cruise but its bright blue seemed muted under the leaden sky.

We moored at Hawksbury junction at the end of the Oxford canal near two tethered ponies. All we have to do now is cruise the Coventry canal up to Fradley junction to complete the Leicester ring.

Historic Braunston

Braunston Tunnel

Braunston Locks

During the night we could hear the M1 motorway and the railway in the distance but the faint noise did not disturb our sleep.

At 8.55 we cast off and within a few minutes turned onto the main line of the Grand Union Canal. 

lack of boats at Braunston

Soon we encountered a major feat of canal engineering – the Braunston Tunnel. It is over a mile long so the far portal looks like a pinprick of light when you first go in. Another boat followed us into that eerie space their spot light shining a long streak on the water. Two boats approached.

The Captain passed the first easily but was warned that the boat behind had never been in a tunnel before. However the rookie pilot surpassed himself inching past our boat gently- unlike another hire boater who rammed us in this same tunnel 6 years ago.





Leaving Braunston

original Oxford Canal bridge

We entered the locks after the tunnel and waited for the boat behind to join us. Often people don’t wait but rush on alone. However the locks can be worked quicker with two boats as one crew member can go on  ahead and prepare the next lock and open the gates while the other crew member closes up.

on the Oxford Canal

We flew down the locks aided at the third by volunteers painting all the woodwork as they set the lock for us and opened the gates. They worked the paddles carefully so as not to smudge the wet paint and waved us on our way. We also met boats coming up so those locks were waiting for us to go straight in.

Below the locks our companion boat moored up but we cruised on through a strangely deserted Braunston. Normally there are boats queuing to go up but there were only two moving along the canal and there was plenty of places to moor. Braunston was a bustling settlement in the days of freight as the Oxford and Grand Union Canals met there.
 

We eventually moored for lunch beyond the junction with the Oxford canal opposite sheep filled fields.



Barby straight

At 1.30 we set off again enjoying the warm weather. A boat passed with girls sunbathing on the flat roof as if it were mid-summer. Lottie also enjoyed stretching out on the sunny  rear deck. In contrast to the Leicester section the Grand Union Canal had more boats moving, many of them hired. On the long straights there was always a boat in sight but then I could see over a mile down the canal.

 


restored garage

We passed an old canal side garage that had been lovingly restored to its former glory with its old signs for Pratts Motor Oil intact. the complex also boasted of an old phone box, a dove cote and a wishing well. 




Wishing well and cottages

We arrived at Hillmorton (the first of the narrow chambered locks) to find one of the paired locks being repaired. Well it was cordoned off behind vivid orange mesh with work boats surrounding it but six fluorescent jacketed workers were supping tea in a barge. I guess it was their tea break as it was 3.00.


Unusual garden furniture

We descended the other lock finding the paddles and gates light after so long on the heavy wide locks. At the lowest lock on the flight the easy to operate lock was worked by volunteers. We needed help like that back on the arm wrenching wide locks where there was no one.

We moored below the flight and went in search of ice-creams. It was lovely sat at the lock side cafe relaxing in the shade.



Watford staircase locks

Heron flying away

We had a lazy breakfast but still cast off at 8.50. We cruised under overcast skies but the views were still lovely. A couple of light showers touched us but it was a light mist that soon cleared. By mid morning the sun had cleared the clouds away. Our boat annoyed a heron who flew off in a huff. 

Carved tree near Welford

I steered through Husbands Bosworth tunnel. I have steered through tunnels before but always handed back to the Captain in wide tunnels when boats approach as there is only a few inches clearance when boats pass. This time I stayed at the helm and passed two oncoming boats without connecting with them, hurray. The going was slow as the canal was shallow with accumulated silt but the rural views made the slow going worthwhile. That’s what boating is about.

During our lunch break the Captain decided to see if we could get down the Watford staircase tonight and promptly set off again. In places the canal narrowed to the width of one boat but we were fortunate not to meet anything at these parts.

Watford staircase locks

At one point an adder swam across the canal right in front of the boat. He wriggled his body from side to side exactly as if he were on land holding his head a few inches clear of the water. He slithered up the far bank slowly as if he had enjoyed the dip.

We passed good moorings a few miles from Watford locks even though it was past four o clock knowing that if there was a long queue we might have to wait until morning. At 4.50 I found the lock keeper who nodded casually.



“When this one comes up you can go down,” he said, pointing to a boat in the lock below. After a wait of just seven minutes we passed into the lock – amazing after yesterday’s three hours and ten minutes wait. Again we appeared to be the last boat through as nothing appeared while we descended the staircase and three single locks. At the bottom of the flight we filled with water and brewed tea but the canal was deserted. We moored not far from the bottom of the flight with a view through a narrow belt of trees. Nothing passed us all evening.

deep but easy to open gates

lock chamber with bridge

 

Foxton frustration



peaceful morning

We started the day in lovely sunshine with mist curling up from the fields. As we locked down we met six boats so the locks were usually in our favour. They were lighter than the ones further north apart from the odd sticking paddle. As we were low on supplies the Captain decided to stop and walk into a large village blessed with a supermarket as there was no other food shop within easy walking distance before Rugby.

Heron fishing

We reached the nearest mooring only to find it taken by a long narrow boat. Either side of the moored boat were deep reed beds making mooring impossible. Normally the Captain would shrug and cruise on but he knew there were no other shops. 

Why are you in our field?

He pushed the nose of the boat up to the moored boat so I could get off then threw the rear rope over the reed bed. I pulled the boat over and we moored with the rear stuck out the other side of the reeds. The Captain had just banged the rear mooring peg in when the other boaters returned from their shopping trip and moved off.

The Captain sighed, moved the boat forward and fixed it to the metal piling making our stern less of a target to other boats.



Foxton pub and cottages

The walk into the village crossed two fields inhabited by curious young cows. they eyed us thoughtfully but didn't follow us. I was glad not to be chased as though Lottie can probably out run them I cannot. 
After a relaxed lunch chomping on our new supplies we set off for Foxton locks. The sun grew hot but we were chilled as the last of the wide locks were behind us. 


On arriving at Foxton at 2.50 I sought the lock keeper out to book our passage up hoping to go straight up as three boats were ascending. Typically he was near the top of the 10 locks. 

towpath below Foxton Locks

He noted our boats name and said there would be an hour to two hours wait as six boats were already booked in to go up and five more waiting at the top to come down.




the bottom of the inclined plane



Foxton locks consist of five locks in a staircase a short linking pound and five more staircase locks. Because you cannot pass in staircase locks we would have to wait until the six boats had gone to the top and the five boats had come down before we could start. However the lockkeeper assured me we would make the assent today.

entering the lowest lock chamber - at last

We walked Lottie along the lower canal then looked at the inclined plane while we were waiting. The inclined plane was a method of moving boats sideways up and down the hill in special cassions on rails. Whereas the locks would take an hour to work when the inclined plane was operational in only took a few minutes to travel the same distance. After our walk we stopped for ice-creams and watched the boaters arrive.

looking back from the lowest lock chamber

However two hours passed without any sign of the boats coming down. New boats arrived but when they asked for a slot to ascend the locks they were told they were too late. Then news came down the locks that a boater had flooded the pound causing a long delay. Would we make it up today or not? It was gone five when the first of the boats came into sight three locks above us. Unsure what time the lock keeper worked to it seemed unlikely that we would ascend that evening.

One down (or up) nine to go

Another boater came back with a rejection and the news that 6.15 was the latest time the last boat would be let onto the flight. 



nearly half way up

Time ticked away and the gates opened before us. Four more boats to go – no the lock keeper had five more boats coming down. However the hire boat opposite us was moored at the pub and its crew wanted to stay the night to eat there.

The second boat to emerge brought entertainment as he wanted to turn to the Market Harborough and there were moored boats everywhere.

the pound between the two staircase locks

“I’m bound to make a hash of this,” he muttered as he started the turn. It was tight. His rear fender stroked our side as he turned into the bank. For a moment I thought he would become wedged across the canal but the fender slid sideways and he somehow completed the turn with inches to spare. With him through the swing bridge our attention turned to the next boat descending.

By 5.45 the lock keeper appeared and confirmed that three boats only would make the climb. The hire boat skipper asked if they could stay behind and the bearded lock keeper agreed.

“Can we have his slot?” a tall man promptly asked. 



Still climbing

“I’m afraid not,” the lock keeper replied. “I’ve turned several boats away before yours so it wouldn’t be fair on them.” The tall man tried to persuade the lock keeper but he padlocked the lock as soon as our boat passed into it. The time was one minute after six and we were the last boat ascending.

Normally Foxton locks are heaving with boats and onlookers of all shapes and sizes but as we followed the other boat up we had the place to ourselves. It was beautiful as the setting sun shone on the gleaming white balance beams and lock bridges. After fifty minutes we glided out the top lock leaving the keeper to padlock it. Around the corner the Captain pulled over to the visitor moorings but Lottie saw the full scale sculpture of a bronze pony and barked frantically.



time to rest

Was she afraid of the strange pony or was she warning it off? The Captain didn’t wait to find out but cruised round the corner. His first attempt at mooring was doomed as the canal side was silted up but as the sun went down he found a good mooring and secured the boat - just in time.