Coventry Canal Bridge 21 to Spring Wood

Sunny start with promise of wind and rain later. Called in at Springwood Haven marina for a pump out (£22 with blue) and a diesel top-up: 36.01 litres, 30% declaration, £58.89

Engine: 531.2 – 532.3

1.8 miles, 0 locks, 1.1 engine hours

Ashby Canal Bridge 3 to Coventry Canal Bridge 21

Sunny day for travelling. Washing dried well in the early sun. Came back to the Tomkinson Road Rec mooring in Nuneaton.

Engine: 529.6 – 531.2

3.5 miles, 0 locks, 1.6 engine hours

Ashby Canal Bridge 17 to Bridge 3

Bought a gas bottle at Trinity marina, and decided to simply head home, rather than go any further up the Ashby, especially since we managed to drop off a bag of rubbish at the marina. This meant going to Bridge 16, winding, back to Trinity for gas and rubbishy, winding again in the marina entrance We went past NB Brunel three times!

Some drizzle, but for the most part simply a bit cloudy.

Engine: 525.5 – 529.6

5.1 miles, 0 locks, 4.1 engine hours

Ashby Canal Bridge 17

Stayed in place through the weekend. Went to the Hinckley museum on Saturday. Solar panel provided all that was needed for the first two days. Ran the engine on Sunday for a couple of hours.

Engine: 523.3 – 525.5

0 miles, 2.2 engine hours

Coventry Canal Bridge 21 to Ashby Canal Bridge 17

Set out early to get to Hinckley in time for the "Proms in the Park" event. Nice day, little traffic until the last mile or two.

Engine: 519.3 – 523.3

8.75 miles, 0 locks, 4 engine hours 

Coventry canal, Bridge 27 to Bridge 21

Wanted to make a trip to Aldi, so pulled in opposite Tomkinson Road Rec. Caught the 10A as before. By the time I got back it was time for a late lunch, and no prospect of finding a better spot, so we stayed put. Largely dry, and weather set to be sunny for a couple of days.

Engine: 518.3 – 519.3

1.5 miles, 0 locks, 1 engine hour 

Spring Wood to Bridge 27

Called in first thing at Springwood Haven to book a blacking – 31st October. Liz said we could stay on board while it is done, so that avoids travel complications.

In view of the weather forecast we decided to do minimal travel, pulling in just after Bridge 27. Just as well – between sunny spells there was fierce rain and even thunder at one point.

Engine: 517.6 – 517.3

0.5 miles, 0 locks, 0.7 engine hours

Mancetter to Spring Wood

 At last, starting out on our journey! But by easy stages. Back to the Spring Wood mooring for the night.

While we were having a cuppa on the towpath, Andy & Sue Smith came by, assisting NB 10,000 Reasons, followed by Chris Buck. They all stopped for a natter. The conversation suggested Springwood Haven's price for blacking was about par, so we decided to drop in and book it, if they still had slots this year.

Engine: 516.5 – 517.6

1.9 miles, 0 locks, 1.1 engine hours

Mancetter Marina

 Stayed in the marina for church on-line. Cleaned the roof in the afternoon. No need to run the engine.

Spring Wood to Mancetter Marina, via Atherstone

Wanted to get some supplies, so went back to Atherstone and winded at the head of the flight. Tied up so I could walk down to the Aldi – no longer than the walk from the visitor moorings half way down. Then back to the marina for Kat's party in the evening.

Engine: 513.8 – 516.5

4.7 miles, 0 locks, 2.7 engine hours

Spring Wood to Springwood Haven and back

 Alarm for 7.30, and at Springwood Haven marina at 8.30. They agreed to get Rob to fix the leak on the calorifier. Basically, he screwed the fitting tight down, and constructed some pipework to bring everything together. Annoying to find that now gets in the way of where a folding chair has slotted down.

Strikes me that if we changed over the two exit units, they would be in the right position, and take away the need for the pipework. The main thing would be to get the emergency outlet pointing in the right direction.

Went back to the Spring Wood mooring for the night;

Engine: 513.1 – 513.8

0.5 miles, 0 locks, 0.7 engine hours

Mancetter Marina to Spring Wood

De-winterising – the calorifier junction was leaking slightly. Turning the junction piece down tight took it 180˚ past where the outlet and emergency pipes fitted. Not something with RCR's remit, and for their sister to come and do a repair was going to be very expensive. Rang Springwood Haven – she said to ring again at 9 a.m., though it was to be their hire-boat turnaround day.

Decided to simply turn up in the morning, so took Erin Mae down to the mooring spot just before the marina.

Engine: 512.1 – 513.1, 1 hour

1.9 miles, no locks

Spring Wood to Mancetter Marina

8.30 start to get to Mancetter to talk with Kathryn about our berth. All straightforward, and ran a wash as we moved. Decision to take a berth very straightforward – and it appeared to have been the last one she had. So both she and we were pleased.

Tied up on 15B, and will move across to 16A when NB Shadow moves out tomorrow. Neighbours will be Anthony and Emma.

Counter: 510.6

1.9 miles, 0 locks, 1.2 engine hours.

Nuneaton to Spring Wood

Called in at Springwood Haven Marina to check berth availability – negative. On recommendation, checked the Mancetter site and rang them – spoke with Kathryn. Arranged to call tomorrow between 9 & 10, to check out the site and see if a mooring has become available.

Tied up a few hundred yards after the marina – good mooring opposite a large grassy slope. Talked with NB Ruby, who moor at Mancetter.

Ran the engine in the evening, because travel time had been limited. Shockingly, SOC this a.m. was 55.

Counter: 509.4

2 miles, 0 locks, 3 hours engine time

Oxford Canal, Bridge 12 to Nuneaton

Cloudy day, a few drops of rain, bright sunshine late afternoon.

Took on water at Hawkesbury Junction, in spite of the slow tap, because of uncertainty of plans.

Stopped just after Bridge 21 on the Coventry, and took the Nº10 bus to the Kingswood Road Aldi – very useful connection, with a regular 10/15 minute service.

Moved the boat on a couple of hundred yards to armco opposite the Tomkinson Road Recreation Ground. Feels a good mooring.

Counter: 506.4

8.7 miles, 1 lock, 4.6 engine hours

Stretton Stop to Oxford Canal, Bridge 12

Facing towards Hawkesbury, the hose was not long enough to get water at Stretton Stop. Couldn't see the water point at Ansty, or perhaps there was a boat permanently on it. Tied up equidistant from M6 and M69, between Bridges 12 and 11. Relative peace and quiet, compared to what would follow.

Neighbours said they had moored near Springhaven, and couldn't hear the trains.

Counter: 501.8

4.2 miles, 0 locks, 1 swing bridge, 3 engine hours

Stretton Stop

Horrible day – glad not to be travelling!

Engine service @ Rose Narrowboats. Jamie did it – very thorough, if a bit pricey. Email invoice to come on Thursday. Changed oil in both engine and gearbox. Topped up anti-freeze. Greased (Amber silicone grease) the nipple on the drive shaft.

Ran the engine in the morning, both for charge and to prepare for the service. Continued running it again after the service to really build up the batteries.

Counter: 498.8

0 miles, 4 engine hours

Rugby to Stretton Stop

Ran the engine early, as once again the inverter had been left on and SOC was 40%. Tried to fill the water tank before leaving Rugby, but the tap was hopeless. The one at Newbold would have been hard to get on to, and anyway had someone else on it. Eventually got a pump-out (£20) at Brinklow Marina, and filled the water tank as well.

Tied up, as arranged, on the service wharf at Rose Narrowboats, ready for the engine service tomorrow. Jamie appeared, promising that it would be extremely thorough!

Counter: 494.8

6.3 miles, 0 locks, 5.4 engine hours, SOC nominal 93.

Rugby

Quiet day on the visitor moorings. Walk to Next for an Amazon package, and Tesco for a few items. Ran engine morning and evening. Central heating for an hour in the morning while engine was on.

Counter: 489.4

0 miles, 3.4 engine hours

Bridge 78, Oxford canal to Rugby

Started the engine early. Easy run through the Hillmorton locks, with help from two lockies. Tied up shortly after, to walk to the Aldi in Hillmorton. Long, but useful. Came through to Rugby and moored before Bridge 58.

Counter: 484.4

6.5 miles, 3 locks, 2.9 engine hours