UK Canals - Journey reports

The Last Leg

We left our mooring at 7:40 again with Pat at the helm.  The bike was extricated at the first of Cassiobury Park Locks.   There is quite a distance between the bottom of these two and the next, Ironbridge Lock, but it is such a slow fill that Pat had to wait for the level.   Cassio Lock, however, was full and so the lockwheeler had a long wait.   Common Moor Lock ( it seems that BW cannot spell the name of this lock correctly)  has very badly leaking gates top and bottom.   There appeared to be very little traffic moving, and we only had to wait once, at Coppermill Lock, for an opposite direction boat.  We reached Widewater at 12:00 midday and moored there for lunch and a few odd jobs like cleaning the bike, before moving down to the marina, a pump out (£12 - £14 for non-berth holders) and diesel (55p).    The evening was spent stowing luggage, supper and a visit to the nearby Horse & Barge (no draught beer available). 

PS   Now I have broadband again, I plan to upload some pictures.   Watch this space.

Grove

We set off early as usual in lockwheeling mode this time.  The Northchurch pump was working and the pound below down a bit but with beautiful clear water.  The next lock, Bushes Lock, is due for gate adjustments and is probably the reason why this pound is often low.  Progress was rapid and we caught up with nb Chantilly Lace at Lock 56 after Berkhamsted.  They were going as far as Winkwell and we then continued on alone again.  Pat left to visit Sainsbury at Apsley Lock and was back by the time I had worked through.  I put the bike aboard at Nash Mills for lunch on the go and as we passed nb Kiwi Bach they indicated that they would like to join us.   So, bike out again at lock 70 and progress speeded up again until Grove Bridge where we found a mooring as planned.   There was time to deal with a few odd jobs before supper, some repairs to the cratch cover and cutting up some of the wood which we have collected along the way for the stove.  Tomorrow we will complete our journey back to Harefield if all goes as planned.

The Cowroast Inn

A dull overcast sky and a hint of rain in the air. The Captain lockwheeled all the way to the top of Marsworth while Pat (First Mate) took the helm. At each lock I took the bow rope and took the bow right up to the top gate and then fixed the rope to the back pin. Opening the nearside ground paddle first this approach kept the boat fairly docile with the bows nudging the cill, then the gate and gently moving with the arc of the bowrope so that the bows ended up in the middle. This worked well until we got a metal gate which does not have boards across its whole width. The button got stuck under the gate and broke a link in its chain. My fault! I was just a few seconds slow in asking Pat to pull the boat back.  A repair using a bit of wire coathanger was made at the next lock.  We only passed three boats until the middle of the main Marsworth flight where I made a social boo-boo of the worst kind - I didn 't spot a boat coming down and so turned a lock round in front of them.   We had been obviously following another boat and all the top gates thus far had been open.   Marsworth is a very curving flight and so I looked ahead before closing this top gate and thought I saw the boat ahead manoeuvring into the next lock.   In fact a boat was just about to come out.   Worse still, they could see me closing the gate apparently.  There was a brief comment about wasting water, but this is a myth as far as I am concerned.  Whatever happens my boat has to take one lockful of water out of the pound above at every lock to get to the top whatever happens.  Water is only "wasted" if a lock is filled and then emptied again without a boat moving in it, but otherwise it makes no difference if boats pass in one lock or the next.   The crime I was guilty of was of making the other boat wait, rather than ourselves (if at all).   After crossing the top pound we joined another boat in Cowroast Lock and afterwards stopped at the nearby service station for a newspaper before mooring up for the night. DTV from Hemel Hempstead transmitter and GPRS.  (MF)

Those who frequent the Grand Union Canal will remember Cowroast Lock, the top lock after the climb up to the Chiltern Hills from London. They may not be aware of the Cowroast Inn and its top rate Thai Restaurant.  Leave the lock by the bridge and aim for the main road.  The unassuming pub is opposite. Definitely recommended.

Grove Lock

Leaving Giffard Park we settled down for the long lockless haul through Milton Keynes proper.  Passing Fenny Stratford Lock we passed nb Sanity with Bruce at the helm.   Sanity is another Braidbar Boat and Bruce runs the owners' Yahoo discussion group.   We had scarcely seen another boat before this but suddenly every few minutes we met another pair of opposite direction boats.   Three more were waiting for us above Stoke Hammond Lock, but after that no more until we moored up.  The Soulbury Three Locks were deserted, unusually.  Passing TESCO at Leighton Buzzard Pat leapt off for some stores, while I carried on to find somewhere to tie up for a while.   At the next Lock there is a Fullers Pub converted from an old Lock House - the Grove Lock.   We found a quiet mooring for the night just above the lock and a welcome pint and chat with another boater in the pub.

Great Linford

We wern't the first off the mark this morning.  A boat woke me coming by at about 5 am.   When we were ready to go at about 7:15 we were surprised to see how many boats had in fact left.  Two boats of stag party returning their boats to the Gayton Marina base were among them.   As we were preparing the top lock the lockie came by, went to his shed, got his windlass and put on his life jacket and set off down the flight.  We picked up another boat, ERIN, in the long pound and found that the lock-keeper was setting locks for us all the way down.  A lone boat was in the bottom lock coming up and we were out by 9:00am.  ERIN crew stopped there for breakfast.  We stopped for water and rubbish disposal then on again for Cosgrove.  Boy!  Does this lock need a bit of grease!  The squealing  noises made when winding the paddles was ear wrenching.  I hate to see mechanical things like this neglected.  Perhaps an oilcan should be part of the ship's inventory.  At Wolverton, where the metal steps lead up to the main road, there is a huge development of residential accommodation going on.   The remains of the railway carriage works where my grandfather used to work are also being demolished.   More flats I suppose.   Anyway, we stopped there for shopping at the nearby TESCO.  Finally we found a mooring in Great Linford at the North East corner of Milton Keynes near the Giffard Park Pub.   A sunny day, but cool nevertheless.  Showers promised.

Buckby

A much more promising day weatherwise.   We set off towards Hillmorton and Pat dropped me off with the bike at bridge 69.  As yesterday she was nervous about handling the boat in the locks herself, but needn't have worried.  The locks were in our favour and with two opposite directions as well.  She managed the 80 degree turn before the middle lock perfectly, but I had forgotten that the bow needs to be on the top gate going up at Hillmorton.  There was a bit of a runaway as the lock filled which Pat couldn't hold on the engine.   Proceeding on, all the hire boats that had poured past the previous evening and scattered themselves along the canal were waking up and soon we were in a small queue going towards Braunston.  As always there was a lot of traffic in the Braunston Locks.   We teamed up with Mona Lisa with a skipper much after my own heart using similar techniques, so Pat really enjoyed herself and gained enormously in confidence.   The boat ahead had moored up for lunch at the top, but by the time we got to the end of the tunnel we had caught up with the boat in front of them.   No moorings at the top of Buckby, but below the lock a boater kindly moved his boat back for us to make room.    Good DTV from "Sandy".   GPRS.   Today the weather had improved steadily, the wind had dropped and the afternoon was spend polishing the brass and sitting out on the grass.  One of Pat's great curries completed the day - oh and a pint or two at the canalside pub.

Rugby

A very windy night with the back doors rattling in spite of the extra catch I fitted.   WE left early at 07:45.  Cruising along it is evident that the towpath is is very poor condition in places with totally overgrown vegetation, deep mud and occasionally total collapse.  This latter prevents access by mechanised mowers, so probably the reason for the other problems.  Evidence of DEFRA cuts?   The grass banks at Ansty, previously giving the village an attractive well kept look were also overgrown.  At Grimes Bridge we came up behind a slower boat just off its mooring and followed it all the way to the other side of Newbold Tunnel, the tunnel resplendent with its multicoloured interior lighting.  Passed Tony Haynes' boat Dreamcatcher at Stretton Stop with its large SOW banner.   Then we came across Lapworth at Falls Bridge - no sign of Sean.  We found a mooring on the TESCO side at Master's Bridge and went shopping.  Not a pleasant experience.   It was heaving (well it's Friday I suppose).   Good ATV from Sutton Coldfield and 3G phone.  Then I did something outrageous.   Waxed one side of the boat!  It will rain now!

Hawkesbury Junction

Bright and even sunny this morning.  Anxious to try and crack the Atherstone Flight before it gets too busy we left Polesworth at 7:10 am.   We needn't have bothered.  At the first bit of straight we saw the tail of a boat disappearing round the corner ahead.  As we approached the bottom lock another boat was loosening mooring ropes.  Pat has never taken the boat into a lock before, but with her painful wrist we thought this the best option.  I would lock wheel and do the locky bits for her while she stayed on the boat.   She was very nervous, mostly I think out of fear of making a fool of herself.  Her fears were unjustified.  Every entrance to the locks was a greaser (aeronautical term for a very smooth landing).  Our revised team made very good progress only hampered by one idiot who seeing boats coming, expedited a departure off moorings above the second lock up, jumped the queue and cut up a boat coming down through a bridge hole in the process.  There were of course the inevitable opposite direction boats as well. Using the bike was a great help as it was possible to set the next lock, then nip back to see Pat out and shut the gates from the lock below, lift a paddle for those behind and still be at the next lock before her.  So we reached the top at around 11:20 where we took the local waters and Pat nipped off to the nearby stores.  Resuming our journey we caught up with a boat in front exactly at Hawkesbury Junction at around 16:20, then had to follow through the stop lock.  For a change there were moorings on the bend.   No sooner were we inside the boat when the rains set in.

Polesworth

Moored two feet from the bank it was expected that we find ourselves aground this morning.  However, putting the engine into reverse and pushing from the bank finally got us off.  Surprisingly, even at the late hour of 8:00 am (for us) other boats were already on the move.   We needed diesel and Streethay was not far off, so we could not arrive too early.  We got very prompt and firendly service and were soon on our way after retrieving another plastic bag from the propellor.  Pressing on, boats seemed to appear at every bridge hole necessitating hard reverse, the guaranteed way of picking up plastic.  This part of the Coventry Canal has not yet had the dredging that the Staff & Worcs has benefitted from and supports very heavy traffic, so further erosion is inevitable.   We stopped briefly at Hopwas so that Pat could get a paper and then aimed for Polesworth.  Passing Fazeley we expect Glascote Locks, usually a busy spot as isolated locks tend to be.  We were not disappointed.   The queue stretched back to the railway bridge - about 7 boats.   As always a chance to chat and meet new folk.   Ahead of us was a couple of Kiwis who to their surprise found that the Canaltime boat in front was also crewed by New Zealanders.  We had a wait of 1 hour 50 minutes in intermittent heavy rain showers.   Pat has a painful thumb and it is not good for her to be using the windlass, so it is an opportunity to encourage her to manage the boat in locks instead.  The Kiwis back set the next lock for us which was very helpful and oppopsite direction traffic at the top gave us a quick getaway.  Sooner than expected we reached Polesworth and its tidy moorings.   No decent TV signal here though as were are behind a hill.

Fradley Junction

Technically it was raining again as we left Radford this morning, but only a few drops.  Otherwise the weather was quite bright but with threatening black clouds in the distance.  The cruise alongside the sodden plain by the River Sow and the busy railway line was essentially uneventful.  Tixal Wide had its usual complement of moored boats. Do you get a plaque for this?   Tixall Lock was waiting for us, but after Great Haywood Junction traffic built up and we were now having to queue for the locks - but there are only two until near Fradley, so no worries.   Pat's wrist is playing up, so I have forbidden her the use of a windlass and she now manages the boat in the lock which all works very well.  We stopped at Rugeley for the supermarket and then set off again having lunch on the move.  No conflicting traffic at Armitage Tunnel which is a longish stretch of single line working.  Nearing Kings Bromley we saw two boats ahead and sure enough, there was a queue at Woodend Lock.  Just as we entered the heavens opened for 10 minutes.  Its amazing how everyone just laughs it off.   Once we had our place in the locking sequence there was no further delay to speak of other than waiting for opposite direction boats.  Pat was waiting on the front of the boat to leap off and swing the bridge at the junction, but little luck with moorings.  We are on paupers row, right at the end near the bridge and aground about 2 feet from the bank.   During a moment of idle thought on the way I was asking Pat "Why don't we see dead ducks?.  We see lots of baby ducks and adult ducks, but no dead ducks".  "Duck knows," she said!

Radford

Guess what!  It was raining again this morning, quite heavily to start with.   We left Wightwick at 7:20.  Pat went ahead and set the next two locks and then left the boat at Compton to visit the local Spar shop for newspaper and essential supplies while I worked the nearby lock very slowly and then waited there for her.  As usual, in the rain, I work with bare feet and shorts.  Wet grass soaks shoes but bare feet dry almost instantly when out of the water.  Nonetheless I was a little surprised to see a chap come by shirtless and soaking wet who obviously found this more comfortable that walking around in soaking clothes.   Once above Compton we were on the top level and began the long haul to Gailey Lock where the descent begins.  After Autherley Junction we began to meet lots of opposite direction boats, though thankfully, none in the narrows through the rock cutting.    At Gailey I was attracted to the empty wharf by the diesel pump, but they were "too busy" to serve me and suggested Teddesley, but when we got there the place was closed (Monday!).   Continuing on we met a very enthusiastic family working thier first lock on their own.   They did very well, so top marks to Anglo-Welsh at Great Haywood.   Stopping on the old wharf at Radford we visited the "Radford Bank" pub.   No decent beer here, but good for food last time we were here.   Good digital TV and 3G.

Wightwick

Sunday: It was raining again this morning.  A couple of fishermen walked by the boat with their massive luggage trolleys in tow reminding us that it was Sunday and that we might meet more along the way.  Sure enough, round the first corner a fishing competition was being staged.  Large umbrellas rose from the bank at regular intervals like a crop of large mushrooms.  Perhaps it was first thing with a new day of opportunity ahead, but even in the rain they were a cheerful lot.  And I mean lot.  Pat nipped up to the local shop at Swindon and bought the inevitable milk and newspaper, whilst I carried on alone for 10 minutes.  The Staffs & Worcs locks are a bit of a problem for the unmanned boat I find.  Usually one puts the bow up to the top gate, because that's where it will always end up.  However with these locks, no matter how careful you are with the paddles, the boat first runs back and then takes a running charge towards the top gate.  We lost a glass dish yesterday with this performance, so now I remain on the boat at the back of the lock and only get off near the end to help with closing one paddle to save Pat crossing the gate again.  At the Botterham Staircase pair with its massive bywash in the top offside wall for when one forgets to drain the bottom lock first, I got into a discussion with a boater about whether or not it is more efficient for boats to go down in sequence or alternately and now agree that it makes no difference.  A boat takes a lockful of water with it on its journey however you look at it.   The three Bratch locks were almost clear, with one boat on the way down, so no delay there.  By now the sun was appearing and the sharp showers less frequent. We reached Whitwick at 13:50 and decided to call it a day, since good mooring opportunities do not present themselves for a while.