Marston Doles

Took a quiet day off, in a very quiet spot. Evening engine.

Counter: 460.4

0 miles, 1.2 engine hours

Napton Locks to Marston Doles

Timing worked out pretty well for going up the Napton locks. Four lockies on the Bottom lock weren't at all interested in helping us up the flight, but others we met were helpful. Noted that lock 16 listed as Marston Doles Top Lock by Waterways Routes and CanalPlan is called Napton Top Lock in Nicholsons. Lock 14 is called Napton Adkins lock by WR and Nicholsons, Greens Lock by CanalPlan.

Water @ Marston Doles Top Lock.

Tied up on the first Armco we came to after the Marston Doles locks. Seems very isolated

Counter: 459.2

2.4 miles, 8 locks, 2.9 engine hours

Napton to Napton Locks

Slightly later start. Grey, chilly day. Tied up on the 48 hour mooring before Napton Bottom Lock, and walked round to the services to drop off a big rubbish bag, and prospect the mooring above the lock. Brought the boat round, by which time a boat was coming down through the second lock, so we waited for them. Tied up before lunch on the 48 mooring above the bottom lock. Good view up to the village on the hill.

Counter: 456.3

1.8 miles, 1 lock, 2.2 engine hours

Napton to Calcutt and back

Simon took me into Southam for a Tesco shop. Then we headed up to the Calcutt locks and filled the water tank.

Went down the locks with the Irish family and their 3-month old boat Grá. Winded and stopped for lunch. Back up in the afternoon, and turned right at the junction, tying up at Bridge 109, in the same spot as before. Simon & Co left after tea to return to London.

Counter: 454.1

2 miles, 6 locks, 2.9 engine hours

Napton Junction

Came up to Bridge 109 to wait for Simon, Sarah and the boys. Then, with them on board, went back towards Braunston, winded at Bridge 107, came back and tied up on the private mooring outside their B&B at Napton Junction. Late afternoon we all walked up to the Calcutt locks.

Counter: 451.2

3 miles, 0 locks, 2.4 engine hours

Bridge 98, Oxford Canal to Napton

Got going about 9.30. Ran into Mark, Cheryl and Amelia Gibson – they'd come down hoping to meet us. They came on board and we ticked over back to their parking spot. 

Early sun turned to cloud. Passed Napton Junction and winded at Bridge 111. Not much mooring at Bridge 109, so tied up on the rings at 111.

Counter: 448.8

5.2 miles, 0 locks, 2.9 engine hours

Clifton upon Dunsmore to Bridge 98, Oxford Canal

Early start (8.30) to avoid traffic at Hillmorton Locks. Two volunteers at the middle of the three. Beautifully balanced beams on the top lock. As day progressed, traffic got very heavy. Cloud and sun, sometimes quite hot.

Pump-out (£18) @ Barby Moorings to make sure, although the warning light was not yet on, in view of the next few days travel and events.

Turned right at Braunston – new territory. Decided against possible stake mooring in the run out from Braunston. No armco until Bridge 98.

Counter: 445.9

9.4 miles, 3 locks, 5 hours engine.

Stretton Stop to Clifton upon Dunsmore

Wayne the electrician came and together we resolved the wiring. All done and paid up: Pump + 1.5 hours + a £1 box of firelighters: £221.59

Water @ Stretton Stop before leaving. Quicker than expected to Newbold Tunnel. Came through to Rugby and stopped after Bridge 58 for a Tesco shop. Dodgy for an overnight mooring, so came on to Clifton upon Dunsmore, between bridges 66 and 68 – the numbering of the bridges on this stretch is bizarre, with a couple of aqueducts on the approach to Rugby numbered as bridges, and some numbers missing all together.

Counter: 440.9

7.3 miles, 0 locks, 1 swing bridge, 3.7 Engine hours

Stretton Stop

Pump came late afternoon. Jamie ran into problems working out the electrics, and had to leave it for someone else in the morning.

Ran engine after inverter was left on overnight: SOC 54%.

Counter 437.2

0 miles, 1.2 engine hours 

Stretton Stop

Jamie determined that the shower pump's motor is the problem. New one ordered.

Getting cold, so lit the stove around midday. Ran engine at 6.

Counter: 436.0

0 miles, 1.4 engine hours 

Bridge 4, Oxford Canal to Stretton Stop

Shower pump failed again last night, so 8.30 start, intending to get to Rose Narrowboats quite early, for them to look at it. Phone call at 9.15 elicited that they had insufficient personnel to look at it today, but would do so in the morning.

Dull day, and generally dull countryside, with occasional horseflies.

Tied up at Stretton Stop after filling the water tank. Needed a spring because of the quality of the mooring.

Counter: 434.6

6 miles, 0 locks, 2.8 engine hours

Coventry to Bridge 4, Oxford Canal

Up to Hawkesbury Junction and turned right on to the Oxford Canal. Increasing sun, though our mooring spot is a bit too much in the shade for good solar. On round the corners from Bridge 4 (Tusses Bridge).

Water at Coventry Basin as we left. Ran a wash load while travelling. Tightened the Jubilee clip on the shower outlet, to avoid having to remove the hose to replace the clip.

Counter: 431.8

6.5 miles, 1 lock, 3.5 engine hours.

Coventry Basin

Rakshabandhan festival in the basin – lively and noisy. Lunch was Sunday roast at the café. Afternoon we went to choral evensong at the cathedral

Latter part of the day saw a fair bit of sunshine, so we didn't run the engine.

0 miles, 0 engine hours

Coventry Basin

Dull day, with rain. Coffee in the basin café, and then mostly indoors. Gave a polish to Erin Mae's RH side – it came up better than expected.

Needed to run the engine late afternoon.

Counter: 428.3

0 miles, 2.1 hours engine

Coventry Basin

Walked into the city centre to see the sights.

Counter: 426.2

0 miles, 1.4 hours engine

Marston Junction to Coventry Basin

Grey day. Patches of both sunshine and drizzle. Taps at Hawkesbury Junction very slow.

Tied on on pre-booked mooring, Jetty C. Bollards just about the right distance.

Counter: 424.8

8.5 miles, 0 locks, 4.4 hours

Nuneaton to Marston Junction

Only a short trip, as we needed to stop at Marston Junction to pick up an Amazon delivery from a shop up the road. Nuneaton water continues to be a lot cleaner than it was the first time we came through here.

Counter: 420.4

3.5 miles, 0 locks, 1.4 engine hours

Atherstone to Nuneaton

Did a bedding wash in an Atherstone launderette, and completed the shopping in Co-op and Aldi. Got under way by 11.30, and had good help up the 5 locks from volunteers and boaters coming down. Cloudy and damp with some moisture in the air.

Stopped briefly at Springwood Haven Marina to get a 25A fuse and a Jubilee clip. Tied up after Bridge 23 in order to walk to Midland Chandlers HQ at Century Park, to pick up the items I ordered over the phone yesterday. Shower pump working again with replacement fuse.

Counter: 419.0

5.5 miles, 5 locks, 3.2 engine hours

Polesworth to Atherstone

Dull, cold day, with some precipitation. On our own for most of the journey, but got in a queue when we came to the Atherstone flight. Good to have some help, but we had to hang around a bit.

Shower pump stopped working. Probably the fuse.

Tied up on the visitor moorings at Atherstone. Big shop at Aldi.

Counter: 415.8

4.3 miles, 6 locks, 4 hours engine

Fazeley to Polesworth

Water at Fazeley.

Not much traffic, just one boat queueing in front at Glascote locks. Dullish day, with some sun. Great to have the alternator stuff sorted and working.

Tied up on Polesworth visitor mooring rings. Added the Blue for yesterday's pump-out

Counter: 411.8

10.1 miles, 2 locks, 3.5 hours engine