Monday 3rd November.

Hartshill to North of Newbold on Avon. 18.3 miles and 1 lock.

Do you ever have days that begin in a dodgy way, and you then wonder if the rest of the day is going to go the same way?
Today was one of those days. We were awake early as usual. It was still dark outside and a cockerel was crowing in the distance, to announce Monday morning. The clock tower bell at the BW yard struck 7am.Come 8am we were out of bed and having breakfast. Paddy got his walk and we prepared to set off for the days cruising. Just as we were untying the ropes at 9.15am, narrow boat Panther and an Ashby hire boat came past heading the same way as us, so we joined the convoy, behind the hire boat, and that is where the day got off to a dodgy start.The hire boat for what ever reason, was going so slow that our tick over was even too fast to keep us behind them at a decent distance. Keith had no where to go as we were passing moored boats so ended up hitting the stern of their boat. In the distance we could see the largest of the quarry spoil mountains, which is known as Mount Judd.Having passed the moored boats, we had hoped the hire boat would speed things up, but nope they continued at a snails pace, which I suppose is their prerogative I guess. So because they were sitting in the centre of the canal Keith put Hadar up alongside them, hoping that they would yield and allow us past. We did pass them, but not without one of the five male occupants having a go at us. He wanted to know if we had a problem LOL. Yes the problem was they were going so slow we were hardly in tick over. With that we left them to their lot and carried on. These guys had been out for at least a few days and they were heading back to the hire company, so why did they still have to cruise at a snails pace?
We made our way through Nuneaton behind N.B Panther, who then allowed us to pass them. Once we got out of Nuneaton, we were into open countryside once more, and enjoying some lovely views. We continued along the Coventry Canal to Bedworth Hill Bridge (13), on the outskirts of Bedworth, we had just made it through the bridge ’ole, when we saw another boat coming towards us, so we let the gentleman know that Panther was behind us, thinking he would slow his pace towards the bridge. As Keith carried on steering Hadar, I watched as this man ploughed his boat through the bridge ‘ole, with Panther coming through the other side. It looked as though they had collided. We were to find out later it was not just a slight collision. Having arrived at Hawkesbury Junction, I stepped off before the junction to work the stop lock, whilst Keith bought Hadar around the junction and into the lock. We were now onto the Oxford Canal once more.The stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction is known as Sutton Stop, which was named after a family who were toll clerks at the junction. There is the Greyhound pub at the junction, which in the old days used to store the food for the horses, when boats were horse drawn. You can also see a disused engine house. I can imagine when working boats were the kings of the cut; Hawkesbury Junction must have been bustling. Keith can remember the working boats moored stern in to the bank outside the pub.As we worked the Stop lock, N.B Panther turned at the junction to join us, the lady on board came and asked if we had, had any problems with the boat at bridge 13. I told her “We had said to him that they were behind us”. She went on to tell Keith and me that they had reversed their boat, to allow him through, he rammed them in the side, whilst steaming through the bridge ‘ole, leaving them with damage to the front of their boat. They took his BW number and will be reporting him to BW. After he had rammed them, he then went on to ram into the Ashby hire boat, so it was not their day. Hire boats was the theme for the day for us as we met up with a Rose hire boat, which went in to shock when it saw us and steered right across our path. Keith managed to avoid them and the moored boats as they got themselves straight once more.I really like the Oxford Canal, it has some lovely scenery, but it also has the M6 motorway following it to Ansty, where we cruised under the M69 bridge. The roar of the traffic was really loud and we had the same thing when we made our way under the M6 motorway bridge. It was nice to be back into the silence of the countryside once more as we approached Stretton Stop and the home of Rose hire boats. I hopped off to open the small swing bridge which allowed Hadar through. With the diesel derogation now operating, Rose hire boats diesel is at £1.10 a litre.The light was beginning to fade and we had to think about where we were going to moor for the night. We decided to moor up just North of Newbold on Avon.

Tuesday 4th November.

North of Newbold on Avon to the top of Hillmorton Locks. 5.7 miles and 3 locks.

Having spent a peaceful evening on the mooring, we were up like larks, in fact up with the cockerel that was crowing nearby. I think we are being followed by this cockerel LOL. The kettle was put on for a brew and breakfast laid out. Before I had my breakfast Paddy needed his walk. He is so good at waiting, whilst I get myself ready. No sooner had I let him off of the boat, he cocked his leg, so he must have been bursting to go. Back onboard Marmite was protesting loudly that she wanted her breakfast. She has absolutely no patience when it comes to being fed. She seems to think that she should get her breakfast before Paddy, which of course never happens. Paddy always gets his two biscuits and then I feed Marmite. Peace reign’s no sooner her bowl is placed in front of her. Mean While Keith prepared Hadar for the off, on what was an overcast morning, but not particularly cold for a change.We negotiated Newbold on Avon Tunnel with its posh lighting, and past The Barley Mow pub, which does some nice meals, or at least it did when we ate there back in February. If you are lucky enough to get a mooring along this stretch, you may like to visit the Newbold on Avon Quarry Park. It is a local nature reserve on the site of what was once a Limestone Quarry. There are apparently Muntjac deer there. The first stop of the day was in Rugby, to go food shopping at Tesco, we were fortunate to get a mooring just after Masters Bridge (58). Having trudged our way around Tesco, and got back onboard. I began putting the shopping away as we cruised, but we had only gone a short distance when we were hailed down for coal. So the kettle got turned off and the shopping abandoned, so I could go and unload two bags of coal. The plus side of being a coal woman is I get to natter to the customers. It is always a good time to pass on canal news and to put the world to right. We were soon on our way and heading for Hillmorton Locks. We were lucky enough to find one of the pair of locks empty, so as I opened the gates, whilst Keith manoeuvred Hadar into the chamber. Whilst I operated the paddles, Keith nipped off the boat to empty one of the toilet cassettes. Coming up behind us was N.B Jacana, so I set the other lock for him, whilst I waited for ours to fill. The gentleman was single handing, so any bit of help is always useful. As he entered the lock chamber I shut the gates behind him, and left him to fill up the lock, as Keith was now back from emptying the loo cassette. As we approached the second pair of locks, a boat was already in one of the locks and they had kindly set the other lock for us and opened the gates. This was turning out to be a very nice day, with everyone helping each other. I returned the favour at the 3rd set of locks. One thing I noticed about the lock gear at the locks, they are all very well greased up. The only downside to this was the grease got everywhere, including down my trousers, which will be a pain to get out no doubt. We then decided to moor up just after the locks for the rest of the day. We have such a lovely view of the Rugby radio Arial’s and ponies grazing in the fields. The sun came out as well which was a bonus and gave me the inspiration to get some boat work done. Hadar needed a wash for starters as she had streaks of soot from the exhaust chimney running down her bodywork. That done, I then set about brushing all the mats and putting Paddy’s bed out for airing, it felt damp and smelt very doggy ewww. I really should have washed all the floors, but there is little point when you are moored up on a muddy towpath, due to the fact that workmen have been a long the stretch filling in holes with dirt. So the floors can wait no one else but us has to look at them. I have taken the chance to have a tidy up through out the boat. I like for things to be put away. When living on a boat 24/7 you have to be tidy, as there is very little room to have clutter around about your feet. So even Mog and Dog have their places. A tidy boat is a happy boat that is my motto ha ha ha.

Fazeley to Hartshill.

Thursday 30th October.

Fazeley, to the bottom of the Atherstone Flight. 8.3 miles and 2 locks.

The body clock is still unsettled, so we were both awake at 6.30am, just lying in bed listening to the silence of the morning. When we did rustle up enough get and go to slide out of bed, Marmite was making her self known with constant meowing. Hoping that if she kept on meowing long enough, she would get her breakfast early. Not on this boat she doesn’t, she has her breakfast when Paddy has his, and that is after his morning stroll, so she would just have to wait. Keith and I had breakfast, with our usual cuppa, Paddy then had his stroll and Marmite finally got what she wanted, her breakfast. Peace at last reigned whilst we prepared to leave Fazeley. The first job of the day was to pull in to Peel’s Wharf to take on water, empty rubbish and empty both of the toilet cassettes.

What was a pleasure to see were the recycle bins, for plastic, paper etc. Wouldn’t it be nice of all BW sanitary stations had them?
As we moved off of the wharf, we were flagged down for coal, which was duly delivered to three boats. It seems that some boaters find it hard to believe that the coal business is run by me and not Keith. They do not think that it is right that I should be carrying 25kg coal bags on my shoulder or doing any of the unloading.
Why?
It is because I am a woman.
It seems that some do not see it as a job for a woman, despite the fact that I love the job, and I am more than capable of lifting and carrying 25kg bags of coal. When it comes to paying for their coal, they always hand the money to Keith, who then explains that I am the coal woman, that I am the one who takes the money, he tells them that he just steers the boat ha ha ha, which is true as he does 99.9% of the time. Carrying cargo on a working boat has been a dream of Keith’s for many, many years, and now he has achieved that dream, with our new working boat. We love carrying and selling coal, it feels like we are helping to keep a tradition alive.
So having done our deliveries, we were on our way, leaving Fazeley and Fazeley Junction behind. The weather looked set fair, although it was a little chilly, so we both had our hats and gloves on.

Whilst passing under the bridge to Kettlebrook Wharf, we saw this great sign,

and the first bonfire of the year being built, and if it’s size is anything to go by, they will have a fabulous time. We then arrived at Glascote locks, and this time there was no queue to sit in for 1 hour and 20 minutes. We cruised past the boat yard of S.M Hudson, where several grey primered boats were sitting waiting for their turn in the queue to be finished for their new owners. It was onward past Amington and Alvecote, where most of the Canaltime hire boats were out on hire. Now that the leaves are dropping off of the trees, we got to see the remains of the Benedictine Alvecote Priory, although there is very little left of it now, it still looks quite impressive. It was not long before we were under the M42 motorway bridge and into Polesworth. We noticed that from Alvecote to Polesworth the veg pledge, had been taken very seriously, with neatly cut grass and beautifully trimmed hedges.

We were fortunate enough to see the men and the tools that had been given the job. Who ever has the contract to do this section of the canal, is certainly doing a lovely job. So often boaters moan about how the towpaths and hedges need cutting back etc, well we were more than impressed by what we saw.

The Coventry Canal at this time of the year is really lovely, with the leaves on the trees changing colour. The canal at times it is joined by the River Anker and the railway following the canals path, so there is always something to look at. The area is also covered by arable land and some old and impressive oak trees line the canal. We decided to stop at 1pm below the Atherstone Flight for our overnight mooring. Earlier in the morning I had put a couple of Cornish Pasties in the back stove, so they were ready for eating, along with a nice hot cup of coffee. Our day ended listening to a generator running on the back of the boat behind us for three and half hours from 5pm till 8.30pm. I kept thinking if this carries on till 9pm, I will have to go and say something. As all good boaters know that engines etc. should be turned off by 8pm. But at 8.30pm it did eventually groan to a halt.

Friday 31st October.

Bottom of Atherstone Flight to Hartshill. 4 miles and 11 locks.

Oh what a fabulous morning we woke up to. Jack Frost had sprinkled white dust everywhere, it was glorious. Keith and I were both a wake at around 5.30am. I was woken by an owl calling, a cockerel then joined in with his own version of the dawn chorus. Because we were both awake, I got up made us a cup of tea and stoked the back stove fire, to revive its dying embers. Having drunk our tea and lay in bed thinking about getting up, we did crawl out from under the covers, fold the bed up and hide it in the cupboard. 8am and we were ready to leave the overnight mooring and head up the flight of 11 locks. With there having been such a hard frost, it was a little slippery in places, so I did have to be careful around the lock.

Special care was taken when pushing open the gates, because the engineering bricks with the locks are paved with were slippery, they prove very little grip for the feet. Having exited lock 1, Keith headed on to lock 2 whilst I shut the gate behind him.

It was a breath taking morning, and so peaceful for most of our journey up through the flight. As we arrived at lock 7, we were surprised to see Brian Jarrett’s narrow boat Kyle, out of the water at Barry Hawkins boat yard. Brian was on the BCN Explorer Cruise with us. We did not see him around, so carried on our way. Coming out of lock 6 was a Canal Cruising hire boat, with Peter and Karen the owners of the Canal cruising onboard with George their dog, they had been out for a few days and were heading back from Banbury. It was lovely to see them as we will not get another chance until we are back in Stone next autumn. At lock 5 we encountered N.B Gleemaiden going in the same direction as us, and in front of them was N.B Black Pearl, who was single handing. N.B Gleemaiden bought two bags of coal off of us whilst they were working the lock. With us all together, we helped each other out as you do when working locks, and it was not long before we were at lock 3, where N.B Black Pearl managed to catch his rope around his propeller, so pulled over to let us both by and to untangle his rope. We arrived at the top of the flight, where Tony the lock keeper greeted me with a good morning. He even called me Princess, awww how sweet, now I feel special. We decided to moor up so we could go and have a look around Atherstone. The last time we did that was back in 2005, when we had our other boat, so it would be nice to see if anything had changed. Our visit to Atherstone was a brief one, nothing new to be found. We looked in all the charity shops and walked on smartish as a couple of foreign lads started throwing punches at each other. I suppose in an ideal world someone should have intervened, but not one person went over to stop them, instead they just stood and watched or like us moved on. In an age where you do not know what someone is carrying on them, you do have to think before you take any action. As it was, within a few minutes a police car turned up and they were both then sorted out. We made our way back to Hadar, where we found a note under the back hatch, asking if we could deliver another two bags of coal to N.B Gleemaiden, which we were happy to do. Keith then got us underway as I prepared lunch, which we ate on the move. We did not fancy staying in Atherstone overnight, with it being Halloween, the last time we stayed in Atherstone with our other boat, youths tried to pinch our bikes off of the boat's roof. We made our way to Hartshill, which is home to a pretty British Waterways Yard, with its splendid clock tower (someone needs to change the time). So this is our mooring for the weekend, whilst here we shall take a walk in to Hartshill.