What would we talk about.....

.....if we didn't have the weather?

Its been the main point of discussion with every boater we meet. Since our last post we have had quite a mixture. After the train ride we travelled just a few hours the following day to moor up to visit Dadlington village and more importantly the Dog and Hedgehog for lunch. If you are ever in the area do give it a visit, not the most extensive of menus but an absolutely brilliant meal, not cheap but reasonably priced for the quality and a great atmosphere and a very personable mine host.

We had an eye on the weather when we walked up to the pub over the fields but arrived dry and although we had some rain whilst eating our lunch we walked back in the dry too but it didn't last.

The following day we travelled on to Hinkley where we had to visit a pet shop to get some special food for Tansie who is on a diet due to her problem stomach. It was quite a trek into town and although downhill on the way back carrying 6kg of dog food was not helpful!

We didn't want to stay on the mooring we had so moved down to Bridge 15 which just happened to have a pub next to it. It also happened to have "Button End" moored there too. This boat we had been playing leap frog with since Market Bosworth on our way up and we had had a conversation with Kate and Marc in the pub at Snarestone. Friday was forecast to be a very wet and especially windy day and wind and a narrowboat don't mix as they are flat bottomed so very susceptible to cross winds. So we had decided to stay put. Marc and Kate were going to move on but the allure of a pub  meal and a few jars with us meant that they decided to stay too and we had a very pleasant lunch in the pub.

Moving off the following morning it was difficult to believe that it was/is June (see below) but unbelievably by the afternoon the sun was out and the temperature must have risen 10 degrees. We wanted to go through Nuneaton fairly early on Sunday morning (lying in time for the yobs) so moored near the end of the Ashby for the night. Sunday morning was a pure joy. We started off about 7.30 in bright warm sunshine and Sarah brought me a crispy bacon sandwich and a cup of tea for breakfast on the move - heaven!!

We moored up early just south of Hartshill and had a super walk with the dogs over the fields to Caldecoat and then back to the pub we just happened to be moored near for a couple of drinks before lunch.

We had wanted to be in this area as we had arranged for a TV engineer to call to try to discover what was wrong with the satellite system, not having got a lot of help from the company we bought it from. He duly arrived and found that it appears to be the cable which runs internally from the cratch to the TV cupboard which could be a bit unfortunate as I have no idea how they can repair/replace that but at least we can now get a TV picture by running a wire straight from the dish to the receiver.

Today has been a long day. we were in desperate need of reprovisioning, the fridge being totally empty so another early start this time in cloudy conditions to get to Atherstone and a supermarket. The town is quite a pleasant one and we found most of what we wanted, borrowed the supermarket trolley to bring it back to the boat - I must have chosen the worst one in the line, no way would it be pushed in a straight line so we ended up pulling it - and after a hurried bacon sandwich for lunch set off to go down the flight of 11 locks. That's when it started to rain and the waterproof outfits were given a real test. We managed the flight in two and a half hours as we were lucky that there were quite a few boats coming in the opposite direction so had most of the locks set right for us. As soon as we were through the last we moored up, I took the dogs for a quick walk whilst Sarah got the fire going and we dried out. Tomorrow depends on the weather, if its fine as forecast we will travel on - no locks now for ages - if its wet we will stay put and enjoy the comforts of a home fire!

NB This post should have gone up yesterday but for some reason I couldn't upload the photos so its a day late.

Yes this really is June

Hoddy on the Ashby

Saying goodbye to the Ashby

Heaven on Sunday morning

Teazle choosing lunch

The British Waterways bulding at Hartshill Yard

Nostalga

Really felt as though we were on holiday today as we acted the tourists and went for a ride on the Battle Line steam train which runs from Shackerstone to Shenton which is virtually at the Battle of Bosworth site.

We had left our mooring at the top of the canal yesterday morning in sunshine and the whole of yesterday was a very considerable improvement on Sunday as everyone we met commented!

Since getting the boat we hadn't tried to light the stove as it had been either too hot to contemplate of too cold to have the windows open for the first burn to get rid of the smell so yesterday seemed ideal and we took the plunge and are now able to have the homely warmth of the fire going which obviously in June we are going to need quite a bit!

A leisurely walk yesterday afternoon with the dogs was interesting in that we saw a hidden camera over a badger set beside the canal and then a videographer with a crew of about 6 including a sound recordist with a huge amount of equipment round his neck. No idea what they were filming but is was notable for the fact that as I walked through the throng the sound recordist nudged a colleague and said "Look a man with a real camera"  (I was carrying my 35mm film camera which I'm playing with at the moment)

So today we had our trip down memory lane. The station is only about 5 minutes walk from where we are moored and we arrived bought our 2 OAP tickets for us and 2 dog specials (£2 each) and waited for the train. We have to say that the sight and sound of a steam engine takes us both back to a childhood of going to a main terminus in London and being filled with the smell and the noise of engines and soot and smut everywhere but what a sight! The trip only lasts for about 20 minutes but the tickets enabled us to do the journey as many times as wished during the day - something for the anoraks! Instead we walked up to the battlefield and then over to Sutton Cheney wharf for lunch. Then a quite meander back to the station for the trip back. Probably the biggest surprise of the journey was how laid back the dogs were. I thought they would be terrified of the noise but it didn't seem to worry them at all and indeed Teazle really enjoyed the view.

The view from the top of the Ashby Canal

Interesting mooring post near the top of the Ashby

Old railway bridge at Shackerstone

Hoddy showing off her chimney

Ah the sight of that smoke

Teazle watching for passing rabbits

Wheres Noah?

I knew I shouldn't have complained about the heat! The last couple of days have not been brilliant but we haven't really got too wet. However today the dogs decided they need to go out at about 5.30 this morning and the rain at that time was somewhat heavy to say the least. We are currently at the top of the Ashby, a more peaceful spot in middle England you would be hard pressed to find and I think the views are quite stunning, I'll tell you when the clouds lift!

We have had a good couple of days since I last posted with a super fun and leisurely lunch with our friends John and Louise in Market Bosworth on Friday who are now on their way back home to go back to work, poor them. We spent the night there and then came on up to the top of the canal yesterday and intend working our way slowly down taking in the local steam museum tomorrow and then the Bosworth battlefield on Tuesday and then back to Stoke Golding.

We feel sorry for all the organisers of Jubilee events and for the crews on the craft taking part in the pageant on the Thames. Our day has been very much an indoor one with me (David) spending the morning cleaning my brass horn and light. Having done it and being asked by Sarah if I had put it back up I told her that there was no way I was getting it dirty again and for any tunnel we came to she would have to sit on the bow with a torch. The idea didn't go down too well.

Having done that I ventured out with the dogs and got wet from head to foot and then back to a well earned bear and pork chops.

Higham on the Hill

Baptist Chapel Higham on the Hill

Stoke Golding church

Pumping station at the top of the Ashby Canal

Not sure what to do now. I've finished reading the books I brought and Sarah has pinched the Kindle with my other reading material on it, the satellite seems to have busted so no TV (anyone reading this who understands satellite TV and finders etc  - help!) I cant go outside and polish any brass, ah, just had a thought; I bought a kit to try making rope fenders so I'll dig that out and see if I can succeed, if not the weathers so depressing I could always make a noose.... no not really absolutely loving the experience!

Update 30 May 2012

Its hard to imagine its Thursday already and I did the last post on Saturday. Mind you we have to keep asking each other what day of the week it is as they all merge into one.

Having negotiated Watford locks on the Saturday we were faced with the large double locks at Braunston and these can be a real pain if you are on your own. Luckily as I was walking the dogs on Saturday evening I started talking to the Kerry and Jan and found they were due to go the same way so we arranged to go through together which helped Sarah no end. It was incredibly hot so we decided that we would stop soon after Braunston but that was a mistake as it was too hot to enjoy even sitting on the towpath and we would of had a slight breeze if we had kept going.

The following day saw us though Hillmorton locks which were single locks but with very stiff paddle gear on the middle lock which caused a bit of sweat for Sarah but at least they were the last locks we would face for a while as the rest of the trip up the Ashby is lock free.

As we turned right onto the Coventry canal the couple in a boat coming towards us started waving frantically and I couldn't think what was wrong until I realised that it was John and Louise in Bluemoon, our old boat that we had arranged to meet during the way on the Ashby. Timing was unbelievable, no way could we have planned it, so we both tied up and adjourned to the pub for a few jars and a very enjoyable lunch after which we carried on for an hour onto the Ashby and moored for the night.

Yesterday was very relaxed as we only only moved a few miles up the Ashby but in the afternoon John and Louise caught us up (they had gone into Coventry for the evening to see Coldplay) and we showed them around our boat, met Jasper their adorable Border terrier puppy properly and introduced him to our two who were both rather standoffish. And then the rain!  A real downpour and John and Louise who were going to move on decided to say put. I waited for the rain to stop before walking the dogs but got soaked anyway as I couldn't find the footpath and ended up walking through waist high grass to get back to the canal.

Today started off dry and cooler so we decided to move on a few miles to Stoke Golding and visit the village which the guide book says has one of the finest churches in Leicestershire. It might well have but unfortunately it was locked up when we tried to get in! Sign of the times I suppose. It then started to rain so we adjourned to a pub for a glass and then came back to the boat where I did a few chores like putting cup hooks up. Bonus for today is that I have seen 2 water voles to add to yesterdays sparrow hawk.

So that's us up to date and here's a few photos from the last days.

Moored near braunston

Sunset near Braunston

Dawn (or there abouts!) the following morning

Braunston church from our mooring

Moored near nowhere in particular

Teasle trying to be a dogs dinner

Iris growing on the banks of the Ashby Canal

Typical stone built bridge on the Ashby

Near our mooring on the Ashby

Leaving comments

Its absolutely pouring down outside at the moment with thunder and lighting having accompanied the rain earlier so I'm updating the blog rather than take the dogs for a walk!

Its also been pointed out to me that not everyone can comment on the blog and I had set it up so that only registered followers could but I have now changed ti so that hopefully anyone can. It would be good if you would leave a word or two, just so that I know that its being read! You should just need to click where it says comments below and then you can write your own.

I'm posting this now just to check that the comments section appears. Full details of our last few days will follow shortly.

We're on our way!

After any number of false starts for various reasons we are at last under way for a long trip on Hoddy. The plan is to be out until the end of September and the plans at the moment are to start by going up to the Ashby canal where we are going to meet John and Louise who bought our old boat "Bluemoon". After that who knows, we will just take it as it comes.

We arrived at the marina yesterday and stocked up with provisions and set off this morning in glorious sunshine. Its the Crick boat show next weekend and I had wondered whether we would find ourselves going against the flow of boats coming to the show and in particular finding that we had to pass various boats in Crick tunnel. As it happened the tunnel was clear and when we got to the top of Watford staircase we immediately followed in two other boats so really no hold up at all.

Sarah managed the locks in spite of her broken ribs and the lock keeper was really upset when she told him about them when she started struggling with lock number 5 and he helped out on the remaining two

From there it was just a short run to Norton Junction where we had decided to spend the night. We usually moored opposite Whelton Marina but this spot was taken by two boats full of boy scouts so we motored on to the turn and have found an idyllic spot near bridge 8 with panoramic views over the valley watching cows contently graze as the sun dips down over the horizon. Magic!

Here's a couple of pics from the two days:

In the marina

Where we are at the moment, Just up from Norton Junction

Just checking on the new neigbours! In fact they didn't stay as we had the last point on this stretch where it wasn't too shallow to moor

A week in May

Following Sarah's dramatic fall down the stairs at home our plans for cruising have had to be somewhat revised but we have been up at the boat since last Thursday doing some odds and ends, including getting the satellite dish working (and that's a story in itself!) and managed to get 2 days out on the cut on Saturday and Sunday which were really gorgeous days, much the best weather of the week at the attached photos will show. You'll also see that Teazle and Tanzy have settled into life on board and are quite relaxed about things!

Saturday evening Leicester Arm GU Bridge 40

 North Kilworth Leicstershire

 The terrible twosome!

 Last night from our berth in the marina

 Today in the marina - about 10 minutes after I got back from walking the dogs!

 We go back home tomorrow for Sarah to have some physio on her neck, shoulders, back etc etc and then hope to get back to the boat next week and set off properly, probably to the Ashby canal which is free of locks, just have to hope that we find plenty of willing helpers to assist on the locks to get there as Sarah is still somewhat lacking in strength at the moment! If anyone wants to sign on as a lock monkey CV's to this address!!!