Left at 08:40 arrived at 15:50
Its a bright cool morning, I didn’t have a good night, I could hear the motorway even with the stoppers in, I was unsettled so therefore the dogs were the same, they got Derek up at 3 for the toilet. Derek said it was a full moon, maybe that was something to do with it?? We were off for 8:40, there have been 3 or more boats out already, Derek says they are all heading for Hawksbury Junction, a stop lock. You only have to move a foot or so of water but all the usual lock rules apply so there is usually a queue. Passing the village of Ansty there are lots of houses overlooked by the canal, we are 6ft or so above them, so there are no moorings along the Street section, peeping toms be aware, you would be able to see in their bedroom windows, so sensible precaution. Opposite the houses is a field with 6 or more horses in it, on the right hand side, just under a bridge, there is a rare breed farm, I remember it from before, tiny Falabella horses and Jacobs sheep can be seen, some of the sheep are quite tall with brown spots on them, I thought they were Jacobs but they seem too tall, there are some smaller ones, so who knows. The field of corn has been harvested and the large rolls ofhay are placed all round, its starting to feel like autumn, there is also in the mornings a nip in the air. Lots of fields with cows in today and there are quite a few duck families, I think the late spring has effected all the wild life, the babies of the last two families looked too small for this time of year, they should be a lot bigger by now, lets hope they survive the winter. NBs have been passing on at regular intervals, then a rather ghostly Tug (Stourbridge) was coming towards us, it was a pale greyish colour and looked quite aggressive as it approached us, very butch.!!! Got to 9:50 we were at Hawksbury , there was a hire boat in the little lock, so one out and us in, all done before 10,there was someone on the water point, we turned right under the bridge on to The Coventry Canal Corridor and then on to Mancetter. We saw quite a few boats that we had been frog hopping with, Sapphire and Sam, being two of them. After coming through the corridor, passing permanent moorings, the canal got wider, the sun was now shining on the front of the boat so it was more pleasant in the cratch, I had been on the back with Derek for a while and it had been warmer there. A Coot family were swimming about, there baby was stretching its enormous feet standing on the nest and twere were a few Moorhens, adults only, doing there funny little head bobbing thing. Approaching Bridge 13, I remembered this was where we had to wait in 2011, we were stuck behing 2 barges, one had got stuck, it had a full cargo hold, in the bridge hole. They had to empty the coal out and pile it up on the side of the canal, pull the barge through the hole and then pack it all back in afterwards, it was an exciting day that day. Just before bridge 14 there were some beautiful terraced gardens leading to moorings at the bottom, behind them appeared to be a Chalet Village, then on the end, a fantastic looking house, it was in the process of being done up. It was very very large so it might be two properties, Derek and I remembered that it used to be a pub. It will be splendid when its finished, lots of glass with a large glass viewing room on the end of it overlooking the canal. There was what I suppose could loosely be called a Marina? A tableau at the side, was full of mannequins, gnomes, a carousel horse (that was really nice) and then further on at the side, chickens. The majority of the boats were really scruffy and uncared for, behind them were piles and piles of scrap of every king, I spotted a few tractor seats. There were some people so say working on their boats, wood, shaving and mess everywhere, it was really sad and made me want to get the gloves on and sort it out, oh and to order the biggest skip possible. In the end pile of rubbish was a beautiful cat, he obviously was used to the chaos and just carried on snoozing, soaking up the sun. The Ashby Canal was to the right of us, we’ve not been on that bit, Derek probably making a mental note of that as we pass. Nuneaton was a typical town, lots of houses backing onto the canal and also lots of allotments, the produce there looked vry abundant, corn on the cob, marrows and every other kind of veg you could think of plus lots of flowers. The only thing letting them down are some of the sheds made with old mismatched doors, shabby not chic, me thinks. Properties further along on the left hand side had some lovely gardens with lots of bright flowers, there was a garden with 2 swan planters on the wall, I know they are a bit kitch, but I want one!! Stopped at bridge 20, I was goint to find the craft centre mentioned in our companion. Set off, I asked a young man if he knew the way, he didn’t, he came from Tamworth. I walked down the main road, asked a young lady who was obviously going to work, she thought it might be in the Museum, I walked down to the Museum with her chatting as we went, it wasn’t there, but the young lady in there told me where it was. I actually thought I knew where to go but my sense of direction is so bad, thought I better ask someone. I trolled back up the road, and went through the underpass I had seen from the other side of the road when I first set off, there was the Craft Centre, over the playing field, yippee, found it. Rang Derek to tell him what I was doing and went inside for a little look see. There were some nice shops, a florist, card maker, cake maker, a printing set up and photographer and the best one a Silversmith Jeweller. Some of the shop units were shut but I went into the Jewellers, bought a pair or earrings, silver and amber, with some of my Birthday Money, Thanks Sis, show you them when I get back, got a little cross stitch kit and a piece of fabric for crafting. I decided not to have a coffee and went back to the Esmerelda Cafe, ringing Derek on the way to tell him to get the kettle on and make us a sandwich. I was roasting when I got back, the sun was shining brightly by now, we had our lunch and set off at 1 to the next bridge. Bridge 21, Derek went with our trusty trolley to get some provisions, I was truly shattered, I had almost reached the Town Centre of Nuneaton so it was as bad as walking between lock flights. Bridge 24 there was a lovely “Canal Side Cottage” it was a pebble dashed property with a large viewing patio over its side extension, it managed to look pretty despite the pebble dashing (Im not too keen on it). It had white paintwork and a lovely white pailing fence with a rose arch over the little gate, the garden was very pretty with lots of lovely bright flowers. Stopped at Springwood Haven, a Marina, home of Excellence Afloat Hire boats,shop, chandlers etc. We saw it in 2011 when it was just being developed into a Marina, they certainly made a good job of it. Its very clean and tidy, the moorings are nestled in grassy banks with the car park above them and there are seats dotted around for you to take in the views. Derek got gas and some more bits and pieces, ice creams being some of them and we set off again. The hire boats from here are some of the smartest on the canal system.All along the canal since we left the built up part of Nuneaton (if were honest its a bit tatty, sorry) the landscape has opened up and is really lovely and to complete the sunny picture, the rabbits have been hoping about the fields and hillsides quite unpurturbed by the us the gongoozlers. Hartshill, stopping for water, a British Waterways yard, it has a lovely clock tower on the main building, a few barges and vans and a sign stating Landgirls Cookery School ? sounds interesting. There seems to be some one living here as well, a skip is full of old cupboards and carpets etc. Apparently the Manager used to live in a property at the back of the little enclabe. Its all very intriquing and maybe next time we see it it will have been developed further and tidied up. We wend our way passing little clusters of moored boats some on the towpath side, others on permanent moorings on the right hand side of the canal, we came to rest behind a locked up NB opposite open fields, just after bridge 36, known as Rawn Hill, Mancetter at 3:50. The man from the NB came back when we had got settled and got tele but its very quiet with just a few dog walkers and plenty of mad cyclists. We are moored not far up from Atherstone flight of 11 locks, but thats tomorrows tale.
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