Rumours of Wars

The day started with us realising that we were seriously short of milk and that none of the places we were planning to go through today had a shop. So I ran up to Market Bosworth to get some. We then spent the morning at Bosworth Field Heritage Centre (http://www.bosworthbattlefield.com/) and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves there.

After lunch we left the Battlefield mooring and continued to the head of navigation, getting there about 4.00pm. Work is in progress to extend the canal from Snarestone to Measham and Ashby Canal Trust now owns aall the necessary land to complete this; they just do not have the money!

We winded and went back to a mooring at Shackerstone for the night.

A Happy Event Ahead

That will be Gwyneth joining me at Nuneaton - if all goes to plan.
The plan, of course, involves an early start.
It was stunningly beautiful and clear at 5.30am as I left the mooring to start up the Atherstone flight. There was the usual dawn cacophony of cockerels and peacocks in glorious dissonance, but that is part of being in the countryside.
I was clear of Atherstone after about 3 hours and arrived at Boot Wharf in Nuneaton at 10.40am. When Gwyneth arrived, she was able to park her car at Starline Cruisers (for a donation to their favourite charity).
By the time we were sorted out it was 11.30am, and so we headed towards our destination - the Ashby Canal.
We duly turned onto this waterway and made our way up to the Battlefield mooring where there was a very handy space at the end. Time to stop for the day at 4.40pm.

We still had some energy left, so walked up into Market Bosworth for supper at the Red Lion. The weather stayed fine, if not very warm, except for just a few drops of rain. Judging by the clouds in the distance someone else got the downpour.

A Day of Contrasts

Actually, the only real contrast was between wearing a raincoat or not! On and off showers and drizzle were the order of the day - a least to start with.
I left The Taft at 5.40am, hoping to get within a half-day's journey of Marston Junction (the start of the Ashby Canal) by tonight. By 8.30am I had reached the first lock descending to Fradley Junction. It was a bit slow at Fradley Middle Lock due to an inexperienced boater not realising a gate paddle was partially open. But we soon got that sorted and I turned onto the Coventry Canal at 9.35am. Having passed through the swing bridge I stopped to fill Chyandour with water (and me with coffee). Soon on my way, and Fazeley Junction hove into sight at about 1.30pm.
I wanted to get fairly close to Atherton before stopping so that I could have a good run at them in the morning, so I decided to stop at Bradley Green for the night. Before then, however, was the small matter of Glascote Locks. These had been passed by 2.45pm, and I moored at Bradley at 4.45pm.
The afternoon had been sunny from 2.30pm - a real bonus after the morning's efforts.

How long is a day's boating?

Well, if I am to be in Nuneaton by lunchtime on Wednesday, quite long!
I was away from the F&A at about 5.15am today on a grey but dry morning. There was no other boat moving at all between there and Gailey, at which I arrived at 7.05am.
It was not long, though, before others were up and around and I stopped for a coffee break at Penkridge Lock at 9.15am.
When I arrived at Teddesley I thought I recognised the folk working a boat up through the lock, and it turned out to be BCF members Philip and Heather Barnes. A useful chat ensued about arrangements for the Black Country Boating Festival in September when they will be heading up the BCF presence.
We went on our divergent ways and I completed the descent at Tixall lock at 1.55pm.
The next stop was to replenish the fuel tank at Great Haywood before turning south on the Trent & Mersey canal at about 3.00pm.
Where to stop for the night? Ping - a bright idea - what about The Taft, home to BCF members Peter & Julie Thorn?
I arrived there at 4.25pm and found their boat Maid of Oak http://www.batesboatyard.co.uk/MaidOfOak.htm on its mooring with Peter only a toot away. A warm welcome ensued, part of which was 'cup-of-tea' shaped. He was quite happy for me to moor there for the night, and I was also invited to supper later on, after Heather had returned home.

Cruising Away

The plan to have a swap between Joan & David and Gwyneth & Stephen has been scuppered by the arrival of D & J's new puppy. So we (S & G) decided to visit the Ashby Canal.
In order to do this, I am taking Chyandour as far as Nuneaton by myself, hopefully by Wednesday lunchtime, and Gwyn will drive there to meet me.
So I started from Wombourne at 1.40pm, having half loaded the boat on Friday. Not a lot of traffic around, but the last of a block of three boats was going up Bratch, and there was a queue to come down.
Forty minutes later I was on my way again, and reached the summit level at Compton at 6.45pm.
The Fox & Anchor at Coven was my chosen mooring, and I arrived and was settled for the night by 8.30pm.

The Home Stretch

The promise of a fine morning with rain to follow galvanised me into early activity and I left Compton at 5.40am for a leisurely leg of the journey to Wombourne. There were a lot of boats gathered at Dimmingsdale, including a number of BCF members ( www.boaterschristianfellowship.org.uk ), but it was a bit early for social calling.
I arrived at Bratch at 8.20am and I was able to follow a cruiser down. The weather stayed fine and I was tied up on the home mooring by 9.30am.
A really refreshing, if somewhat extended, post-Easter cruise.

Shiny is Good

With nice shiny hull and other re-painted bits I set out from Caggy's at 9.15am with fine weather promised until at least midday. How long would a scratch-free boat last? My answer, in the shape of Factory Locks, was not long arriving!
"If you want a scratch-free boat." said the man at Caggy's, "don't move it!"
I reached the top of the 21 at Wolverhampton at 11.45am, just as the first drops of rain disturbed the surface of the water. Time for an early lunch.
So I started off down the 21 at 12.20pm, leading a procession of others until No.15, where another boat set-off from a lunch-time break in the pound before 16. Nevertheless, I reached Aldersley at 3.45pm - somewhat like a drowned rat. A left turn here and a break in the rain saw me arriving at Compton just before 5.00pm.

Caggy's Here I come!

A fine day for a short trip through the tunnel to Caggy Stevens' Boatyard at Tipton in readiness for dry-docking next week and hull blacking etc.

Day the Fifth (and last)

A lovely sunny day to finish our trip. We left Merry HIll at 9.00am to head for Withymoor Island where I am leaving Chyandour for a couple of weeks before going to Caggy's for a bit of TLC.
Arrived at Withymoor at about 11.00am and after coffee, I went home for transport and Gwyneth packed whilst I was away.
An altogether enjoyable post-Easter break.

Day the Fourth

A lot of locks on the horizon today so we made an early start. The rain that was falling when we woke had stopped by 8.00am and we made good time to Wordsley Junction and up the first 8 locks of the Stourbridge flight. We got to lock 9 at 9.30am - but were still there at 11.00am!
The pounds above the next four locks were almost dry and there were 4 boats trying to go up. BW arrived and let some water through from the Fens Pools and eventually we were on our way again.
After a bite of lunch at the top of the 16 were set off for the next lot at Delph. Here we were much assisted by a local 'obbler and we arrived and moored at Merry Hill basin at 3.30pm. Apart from those spots of rain it had been another fine day.

Day the Third

Left Kinver mooring about 9.00am and pottered down to Whittington Horse Bridge to wind - this seems to be a new winding hole - very pretty - goes right into someone's garden!
Then back to Kinver and on to Stourton to turn onto the Stourbridge Canal. We decided to turn into the Stourbridge Town Arm and see if we could get a mooring somewhere near easy road access.
Fortunately there was an unoccupied space inside the private mooring area, and we got permission to stay the night.
I stripped off the alternator and David came and picked me up to take me to an alternator repair facility at - wait for it - Wombourne!
Whilst I was away, Gwyneth wandered into Stourbridge for supplies. The re-conditioned alternator was ready after a couple of hours and David brought me back to Stourbridge where I was soon able to fit it and restore charging facilities for the batteries.

Day the Second

The red light has not gone away, and the water leak has become more obvious.

At the exhaust end of the engine the exhaust manifold heat exchanger (Polar 1800) is a rubber end cap with a spigot tube for the connection to the skin tank. This cap has split along a seam in the moulding. A temporary repair with gaffer tape has reduced the flow, and the possibility of getting a replacement will have to wait until the company who bought out Polar a few years ago returns from its Easter break on 12 April.

So we left Stewponey at about 9.00am heading for Kinver, where we wanted to take the opportunity to walk up to the rock houses on Holy Austin Rock, which is in the care of the National Trust. The lower level houses are opened at weekends and Bank Holidays.

We arrived safely at Kinver by 11.00am and did some shopping before climbing up to the Rock.

There are some superb views along Kinver Edge, although the wind was really blowing gustily from time to time as we walked.

Day the First

Not of Creation, of course, but of a mini cruise after Easter.

We left Wombourne about 2.00pm, having repaired the shower mixer tap which had threatened to jeopardise the whole enterprise. I discovered that there are no isolation valves fitted on the water supply to the shower mixer so, when it leaks or needs to be disconnected, no water is available anywhere in the boat because the pump must be switched off!

The weather has been very kind, with sunshine all afternoon. We pottered down the Staffs & Worcs towards Stourton, meeting a number of boats en route. We arrived at Stourton just after 6.00pm and moored on the 24hr mooring above Stewponey Lock.

What will tomorrow bring?

Well, there is the small matter of the alternator light shining fairly brightly all the time. Is it the alternator? Is it the Adverc unit?

Then there is the water that appears to be escaping from the engine somewhere! I suspect a perishing water manifold end cap. As it is a special, I have no idea what we shall do if it finally bursts.

What fun!

I will keep you informed of developments.

Day By Day

This will contain daily blog reports when travelling.