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.