23 November 2015 And so it starts...

We now have the confirmation that our boat build officially started today, woa hooooo.

Summer breakfasts - alfresco

During the school holidays I've resorted to travelling early on my runs down to Exeter to see my mum, in a bid to stay safe and away from the long traffic delays encountered in these parts.  Luckily for me there are alternative routes that avoid the M5 motorway. Its also allowed me some peaceful morning time to eat breakfast outside at some lovely locations around my home town.

My favourite breakfast spot this summer has been around the Exe estuary, where the Exeter ship canal starts, with big views across the estuary to Topsham, Lympstone and Exmouth.

Turf Lock, Exeter - where the canal meets the sea.

We're hoping next year will mean alfresco breakfasts with other stunning views across canals and rivers.

Since August we've been busy getting down the detail of our boat build plans and sharing this with our boat builder, exciting times ahead, with hopefully more to blog about when the build starts end of Nov/beginning Dec.

A long walk, time for reflection and memories

29 April Sometimes you just need some time to yourself, having taken a couple of days off work to benefit from a long weekend I took myself off to the Kennet & Avon, a lovely day weather-wise was forecast.  I packed a very old Nicholson's, and set out from Semmington.  Lots of green, spring flowers and hedgerows bursting with life. It took me an hour and a half to reach here - the Caen Hill lock flight

The base of the middle section of the Caen Hill flight

I had a lovely light lunch in the café near the top, and just took in the view, what a perfect day.  Martin and I have worked this flight a couple of times, even been stopped here mid flight to await repairs to a lock gate that had been lifted off its hinges by a wide beam in front of us.  Suitably refreshed it was time to return to Semmington.

Semmington is there, somewhere way in the distance

 And the reflection, a lovely day with my own thoughts and to remember my dad.

Our unscheduled halt at Barby Marina

Day 11 & 12 A very wet day, and we slipped out of Bosworth Marina just as the workforce were arriving. Another easy day planned and a promise of an evening meal at one of our favourite places in this area.  We stopped at the visitor moorings at Sutton Wharf to dry out and have coffee, very nice and with that the rain stopped although it remained overcast. We moved off again and stopped just a short way further on at bridge 30, easy access for our evening meal.  An afternoon walk was in order and a lazy afternoon, and then it was time to go to the Dog and Hedgehog for a superb meal, good job we'd booked too it was packed, a bit of a surprise being a Monday. Tuesday, again a short day and reluctant to get off the Ashby we stopped for our last night on this lovely canal at Bridge 5.

Day 13  We made our way off the Ashby, and on towards Hillmorton locks the last 3 of this holiday, making our total for the trip 101, 5 tunnels and over 150 miles. the weather was very odd today with a huge hailstorm just past Newbold tunnel, I was told to stay out of the weather so made myself comfy by the back steps. We made it steadily to the third, making sure to keep to the centre channel as the boat ahead had ran aground several times.  Out of the locks we moored against the Armco, we were rewarded with a lovely rainbow followed by a moonlit night.

Day 14  As we cast off today the wind had picked up, we'd also decided as we were within easy reach of the hire boat base we'd make it in today rather than stay out for the last night, so I set to with cleaning and packing.  We soon hit a problem though, a fuel problem, so a call to the hire base after battling the wind to get the boat back into the side, not easy with intermittent engine power. A representative turned up within about an hour, and after dipping the fuel tank decided it wasn't lack of fuel, a few things checked and the ability to engage drive we were underway once more.  for 10 mins all seemed well, but then the same problem returned, another phone call to the base, but not that good a reception with our news. We plodded on again trying one last time, we were now coming along Barby straight with all the moored boats, intermittent power and strong wind, it took all our effort to gain some control, by fending off, by use of boat pole to keep the bow pointing in right direction.  We hit one moored boat very gently and although initially met my an angry owner he soon understood 'why'.  By now we'd had enough, and as Barby Marina was now the next opportunity we made it in, mooring with great difficulty just inside the entrance by the pump out.  Another call to the hire base and our decision made we were adamant we would not be taking it back to their base in this condition. So the same representative came back with a colleague and Martin was soon being taken back to the hire base to collect our car.  A very trying day and now glad to be on our way home, the end of our summer holiday.

Our date with Ashby

Day 8 Our second week enjoying the lack of big locks and the sound of the bird life we made our way onto the Ashby Canal, tranquil and very different in character to the Rivers we'd travelled on and certainly no big towns to get through.  We moored for the night at Bridge 5, enjoying the evening sun and the sunset.

Day 9 A big day for us as we were heading for Bosworth Marina and our first overnight stay, and a taste of what will be in store for when we moor our own boat here. Not a rushed day we enjoyed the pace, but did get caught behind another incredibly slow boat, having to knock out of gear to keep our distance, the wind had picked up in time for our arrival at the marina, typical! still we arrived at the water point outside and filled the tank.  Two smiling people greeted us Sue and George who now own Caxton.

We turn into the marina entrance and under the bridge, and felt the full force of the wind in our faces, this could be interesting.  After a couple of attempts to get alongside the pontoon (we now know the marina is big enough to pirouette with a boat) With some great boat handling in difficult conditions Martin brought the boat in safely, boat secured we were soon enjoying the great company and hospitality of Sue and George.



Our first view of Bosworth Marina from the water, very exciting

Day 10 Switch off day, doing what we want, when we want.  We ventured up the hill to Market Bosworth, we've done this every time we've visited the marina during the construction, its a lovely town and the walk is easy. A pint in the Red Lion, a read of the Sunday paper, some bargains purchased from the Co-op store, we ventured back down the hill.

A mooring with a view

Our goodbyes made to Sue and George, we settled in for our second night, making the most of the evening sunshine and the sunset.

Days 6 & 7

I've left the second half of our holiday blog till now, due mainly to lack of time but also as something nice to think and write about during the winter.

Day 6  Leaving Shardlow early morning we took the opportunity to fill with water, we're pretty careful with water usage but like most boaters don't like to miss the chance of filling, with no other boats around it was ideal. The day again was full of sun, quite warm to begin with although as the day wore on it got colder, we passed a CR&T guy walking the path logging boat details, very re-assuring to see.  Stenson lock was soon in sight, and I steered into this, making my request to Martin 'please be gentle with the paddles'.  Just a little to early for refreshments at the Bubble Inn instead we timed it just right arriving at Willington at lunch time.  When we left making our way towards Branston Water park the clouds got darker and darker, we were now also held up by a boat in front with lots of crew and much running around, I never like to see this and we decided to hang back and let them sort themselves out, we had a cup of tea and some cake whilst we waited for them to clear the lock, luckily for us they pulled over before Bridge 34, curtains pulled and not sign of anyone as we passed.  Our day ended   above Barton Turns lock, plenty of wide grass bank and a handy pub for dinner, where we were made very welcome and enjoyed our huge dinner.

Day 7  Earlyish mornings appear to be a trend on this holiday, but we are both used to them in our day life, we planned to motor on a bit and stop for breakfast at a suitable spot, that turned out to be Alrewas and probably a mistake, we were having our breakfast when a boat departed from behind us, no problem we thought, they'll be clear of the lock before we get there, plus the lock now has some really useful stays to keep the bottom gates closed, complete with operating instructions. Over half  an hour later we made our way to the lock, me walking and Martin steering, I found that there were two boats waiting below the lock, nothing coming down, one a share boat and the other the boat that had set off whilst we were having breakfast.  It was a very, very slow trip to Fradley Junction, with boats stacking up behind the two in front, I went forward at each lock to try and move things along which I think worked but the lady on the boat in front would do everything but work the locks, talking to anyone and everyone instead.  I know boating is not a race and we certainly take things at a slower pace taking it in turns to work the locks or steer the boat, but this was so slow, minus tick over is almost going backwards.  It did however give me the chance to photograph my first kingfisher, not too clear but you can make it out, we've seen so many on this holiday.

Kingfisher near Fradley Junction

Our day finished at the Samual Barlow pub, Alvecote, just short of Polesworth our day 9 mooring last time we did this route.

Up and down staircases gets us onto the glorious rivers

Our 2 week holiday is over but here is a short run down of the two weeks starting with days 1-5.
Day 1.  We left Napton promptly just before 2pm, having loaded all the gear we might need for 2 wks on a boat during the autumn (full wet weather kit, winter layers, sun cream, shorts T-shirts, you get the picture).  We'd even had a cup of tea before the yards man came to show us the workings of the boat.

After 1½ hours cruising we came to Braunston where we were soon negotiating the locks, sharing with another boat we made good progress, they had crew so I went ahead to set the locks ahead, whilst helping an older couple. Despite tales of very low levels in the pounds the previous day everything was good for us.  We stopped just before Norton Junction for the night.

Day 2.  An early start, Watford Locks were the first for today, having booked in we were told to proceed, making light work of them we stopped for breakfast overlooking the fields above. A wonderful sunny day and we finished by descending Foxton Locks, and an evening walk to the Shoulder of Mutton for a well earned Chinese meal.

Day 3.  We had a later start (late for us) we planned to get to Kilby Bridge, a wonderful hot sunny day again, and the one thing we hadn't packed we could have used - sandals.  We waited and shared the double locks with another hire boat, we were surprised to learn from them amongst other things that they hadn't been informed of what the cill was in a lock, or the importance of keeping forward of it, we shared some knowledge with them.  An easy day for us and an early finish, which we celebrated with a pint in the Navigation.

Day 4.  A long day so an early start, with the aim to get past Thurmaston at least. At Aylestone met a single hander just leaving the lock, so I asked him to wait for us at the next lock.  At Aylestone meadows the single hander  was indeed there as well as a local canal enthusiast who helped us through the next three locks.  We don't generally stop in cities, being country types we usually try and just get through them, we could've stopped though as Castle moorings were empty.  At lock 40 we were slowed up, having taken the tiller I found I couldn't steer the boat, suspecting a fouled prop I threw a line to Martin and we (he) opted to pull the boat in then out of the lock before investigating the problem, a white T-shirt being the culprit and rather luckily it came free very easily, this is the first time in the years of boating  we have had to venture down to the weed hatch, lets hope we don't become too familiar with it. We enjoy these river sections especially given the late summer weather, and reached Thurmaston later afternoon, having tried the Hope and Anchor past the water park last year we thought we'd like to try and get somewhere different, so Mountsorrel was to be our destination. At Silby lock we were starting to run out of good daylight, so having spotted NB Seyella moored I dared to knock for some advice from Geoff, after introductions Geoff kindly helped us through the lock and we were on our way, a short (quick) while later we were mooring up above the lock at Mountsorrel, and rewarded ourselves with a hot shower and a wonderful meal in the Waterside Inn.

Day 5.  A misty start but full of promise.  This is our river day and a day we enjoyed so very much. We'd gone past the Plough Martin was busy taking photos, so at 11.30 the time was right to have a coffee and use the free Wi-Fi, the stay turned into a lunch break too, with idyllic weather we could savour the day, bliss. We made our way off the Soar and onto the Trent, at Sawley Locks we were the first of three boats, I checked the locks to so if either was empty and then tried to get the BW key into the slot, no luck for me! no matter what I tried I just couldn't get the key in, a climb down the ladder and see how Martin can fare, needless to say he only tried the once, the gates were opening I was steering into the lock, a short while later we were approaching the moorings in Shardlow by the pubs, with a space just the right size, lovely, and help given by another boater to bring us neatly into the space.  A perfect end to a perfect day, two days ahead of where we got to on last years holiday, a restful second week perhaps?
 

Normanton-on-Soar