Hawkesbury - a Sutton stop

Right! Well here we are on our way to Sutton stop as

promised. . . . . . But I can't finish this bit tonight 'cause that bells are calling again and I'll see; I might do it later. There are some super photos to look forward to.

So here we were: Cracking day, and you wouldn't believe it - another spur of the moment start after a pump-out. Well, I suppose you need to wash your hands after a week or two of being moored up doing spring boating touch-ups and the like.

So on an impulse, off we we went for another trip to the junction, only the bicycle was removed - we weren't going to need it on a short trip. Anyway, here are some pictures of a perfect English spring day (well two actually). It is amazing how much gardening and spring cleaning can be done while under way!!

With high spirits and lots of Spring optimism we thumped our way past the M6 and then Ansty - thought of mooring but decided that a drink in the Greyhound was in order.

Has anyone noticed that there is a 'Super car' graveyard just outside of Sutton Stop? Well, in this weather you could hardly miss it. I have in the past with hat pulled low over 'wind swept brows', however on this day, the owneror gardener was busily pushing a mower between the dead cars and vans. Very noble, I'm sure, but judging from the length of the grass growing under wings, fenders and rusting bodywork, none of them were going very far. I did though catch a glimpses of Jeremy Clarkson and his team looking over the hedge and wondering whether their prides and joy were going to be lurking in a canal side meadow. letting the grass grow under their wheels.

So Here we are minutes later (got her on the plane with the twin diesels for last bit) at Hawkesbury junction!!

Waiting for the stop lock while a boat was coming through, I heard a voice in my ear telling me 'you're going over that bridge boy, whether you like it or not!'

Turning around, I asked 'what??' Only to find that the gentleman giving the order was talking to his large shag-pile Labrador. We got chatting and he was most interested in Gleemaiden (quite a bit of technical stuff). And best of all with cigar in mouth, helped Audrone push the lock gate open. When the gate was again closed, bot dog and gentlemen crossed via the gate - no need for the bridge, I think the dog decided.

Now, there are disasters and disasters, but Sutton Stop is not the place to have a whole branch suddenly caught up in the blades and rudder. Well, if it can, it will and did.

Nothing was obvious as I made an exit from the stop lock and I certainly didn't expect anything. Gleemaiden passed the boat waiting to enter to lock and had to take a somewhat shallow turn, putting the bows through the Horsley Ironworks bridge and nosing slowly into the Coventry canal beyond.

All seemed to go well, but steering a little sluggish, until I put her astern!! All manner of horrid noises erupted from underneath the counter. The worst was a thrashing sound like somebody had lashed a cat-of-nine-tails to the prop shaft using steel wire. It was awful.

Worse was that there were gongoozelers hanging over the towpath bridge at the junction (only about a dozen), but there must have been about fifty hanging around the Greyhound beer garden. I didn't look. pictures show them watching the show.

In the end, with quite a bit of coaxing from the engine, a little help from the wind and the fact that I still had a good bit of forward thrust, Gleemaiden came into perfect line for the re-entry of the lock. I did think of mooring up on the starboard approach bollards, but we both decided that the water point above the lock was a more appropriate place to carry out the weed hatch business.

It was half a willow branch tangled with hawthorn, but with a bit of knife and pliers it was dragged free from behind the counter by Audrone. Maybe we should also keep some secateurs on board. Why is it that you always manage to cut one of your fingers when clearing rubbish from around the blades? Never mind, we found a good mooring about 200 yards further down where we decided that dinner on board was now a good option. And guess what?? No BBQ and no lamb!

It was therefore to the greyhound that we repaired - only to find that we had a good two hour wait before dinner was available, so two two ciders later we were back on the boat cobbling together a makeshift meal, followed by an early night. Putting up the television aerial for one night seemed a bit of a time wasting exercise and besides neither of us could remember whether there was anything worthwhile watching.

An early start the next morning saw us heading back down the canal toward Brinklow. Another cracking day and the wollens were soon off and jackets discarded as the sun rose higher in the blue sky.

Audrone got out the blackbird, goldfinch and Robin again and fooled the birdlife in the hedgrows that we passed into talking to a narrowboat. These fluffy toys have realistic bird calls for educating people to recognise British birdsong. They were purchased from Wyvale Garden Centre at Church Lawford, after much testing and laughter - especially when two shop assistance came out of the office and stalked up arms akimbo to find three senior members of the public trying amidst some hilarity, all the birds on display. The second childhood has arrived already, can't wait for the third!!

WE stopped to fuel up at Rose Narrowboats and caused quite a bottle-neck when we had to moor breasted up as the third boat accross the cut to reach the diesel point. They allow you to self declare at Rose, but I'll only say that I din't claim 100% domestic use or 100% cruising. Chap at the counter told me that the officials had gone through his declaration forms last week.

Whilst we were fuelling up a Rose, a boat came by with a couple of well known characters on board. They were Ron and Beryl Wilson. Ron used to be a working boatman and his boat is a cut down and converted 'Josher', according to the chap at Rose Narrowboats. Interestingly, his son is also in the boat business and ownd Les Wilson Boats, but is too young to have been on the working boats. As a matter of fact Ron himself must have been fairly young when the majority of them ceased trading after the 1963 big freeze which was when BW pulled the plug and only a handful of small operaters like Willow Wren kept going for about another five years.

After which we were shortly back at the marina - with bell-ringing to look forward to in the evenin.

Daffodill Sunday

A lot of people around the Revel group of village parishes had been looking forward to 19 April this year when Daffodil Sunday was to be held at Newnham Paddox once again on the property of the Earl and Duchess of Denbigh. So were we, especially with weather forecast looking so good for days in advance.

So the day was! It started off cool but sunny and continued that way and just getting warmer and warmer. But anyway, we English talk too much about the weather, so more about the event.

Got to the grounds at 10:30 and found Emily on the gate doing a Stirling job of directing early visitors and late stall holders to where they could park etc. Emily pointed us in the right direction to the St John's Bell ringers stall where we found Jenny and a stall which was just about ready for business - a good thing too, as there were quite a few visitors already milling around looking at arts crafts, produce and other exhibitions.

Our job for the day was to look after this stall and raise as much as we could by selling merchandise and 'triangles' in the treasure hunt to raise money for the new bells that we are hoping to have installed in St John's tower at Brinklow. It was however the 'treasure hunt' that drew the most interest and many 'triangles' were sold. Of course a lot of punters thought we knew where it was - but didn't, only Bernard who designed the wonderful map of the Revel district knew the answer to that (we hope).

During breaks from stall minding, Audrone and I took turns to walk around the park and lake, to visit some of the other stalls, look at the exhibitions of farm machinery, classic cars and a couple of really vintage petrol and diesel engines demonstrated by Tim Wykes.

The walk around the lake is super, and there were lots of families and people out to enjoy it. The natural beauty of the lake and its surrounding trees, shrubs and (of course) bulbs, is further enhanced by sculptures set along the path at irregular intervals. They are reflective but allusive and the themes vary from classic images to some modern earth-mother iconism. I am sure that anyone walking around the two lakes set in these rural and mainly agricultural grounds would find peace and solace reclining in the many and well placed parkland seats there.

There are of course lots of other things to talk about this day but it is probably best to tell it in pictures instead . . . . . . Oh and this is only the first part of three short catch-up-postings for this week!

So that is about it for Daffodillia, next stop is er. . . . . well yes, SUTTON STOP!!

Hunting, gathering and salvage

Now this has been quite an interesting week. As the month progresses, so the hedges put on more greenery and the lambs beging to disappear - one of the fields in Fennis Field farm now has only sheep where lambs were frolicking last week. Another good recipe for Lancashire Hot Pot in this month's issue. Well well, it isn't really hot pot weather any more.

We have of course, had an extraordinary windy week, with Wednesday being to the breeziest. Now this was a pity for the boat that sells remarkably cheap diesel was due this day and we had taken the cash from the hole in the wall to pay for a top-up. Alas it was not to be.

As it happened, Simon took NB Druss out into the centre of the marina already for a trip out to a suitable mooring point where the canal joins Cathiron Lane. We, NB Hetty Peggler, Suzie Q and Druss were all going to meet NB Ghosty Hill. Unfortunately the engine on Druss went slower and slower as she reversed into the marina and once out died completely. Although at this stage we were unaware of this problem and thought that the reason she was gliding down to the south end of the marina was quite deliberate. We also thought that Simon had plenty of help at that stage.

The next thing was that NB Druss had gone sailing without a mast and wound up against the end of two pontoons at the South end of the marina and without motive power. helping hands started gathering and attempts were made to restart the engine, but to no avail. No cause or resolution has been found yet, but in the interim rescue was needed.

So, Gleemaiden became a salvage vessel, and what a job that was with the wind gusting across the open landscape from the Northwest. As soon as we were away from the pontoon she weather-cocked with the bows trying to overtake the stern while I backed up to the other end of the marina where Druss was pinned against the pontoons by the wind.

Eventually I managed to bring Gleemaiden alongside (didn't have to use much starboard helm to get alongside - the wind did all that). We then roped up butty style like a pair of working boats and waited for a lull in the wind. The port bow thruster was no use since all it did was splash water on Druss's bow - and that was the one that would have helped. There was however the trusty Audrone who managed to push the pair of the pontoons sufficiently enough for us to get under weigh and heading into the wind instead of obliquely against it.

All rather fun really, and I was just starting to reminisce about working boats and butties when we reached Simon's pontoon, or didn't really, because I turned for the wrong side of it and any attempts to get back out into the channel were frustrated by the wind. So we let go, and after some frustrating maneuverings, managed to get Gleemaiden down to the North end of the marina for a good calculated turn into our pontoon. This would have gone fine too, if it hadn't been for some some empty headed twit coming toward me, going out, when I wanted to turn starboard and wide to make a good landing at the pontoon. Would you believe that this twerp was insisting that I pass by port to port???

There is absolutely no sense in making a 60ft boat do another complete traverse of the open water and back again just to satisfy the rules of the road. Of course we don't make that sort of manoeuvre on the cut!!!

Tied up and relaxing, we had a drink and discussed what to do next. Of course bell ringing practice was out for that night and so we had (yes another) barbecue. Much later than planned of course, but lot of stories and adventures were related after the meal.

During the week, some books that we ordered arrived, including one about foraging for food in the countryside (and even your garden). Now you might think that this of no consequence, but Jeeves and Aunt Agatha took to the woods and field on bike and foot. They found an abundance of wild vegetables and herbs and have an appetite for more foraging. If they let me I shall join them.

Now today, Steve from NB K2 is polishing the brass on his traditional and very engine like donkey as he calls it. There is not only brass on this beauty, but some smashing copper work as well. I hope this picture gives you an idea of what a good looking engine Russell Newbury were and why thier owners on working boats used to spend time polishing the brasses.

Big pond little fish. . . . .

Woke up this morning after a wonderful evening spent with Ruth and Neil from NB Nerus. They had invited us across for a drink last night after we had finished our dinner (another barbecue) - a lovely evening, but hardly conducing to writing anything after having safely negotiated crossing the pontoon. . . .


Well, off they went this morning and we surfaced very refreshed to the beginings of what is turning out to be a lovely day. So breaking of the fast over, I noticed the most amazing ripples in the water between us and the pontoon opposite.

A shimering form glissaded toward the window and then slid under the boat, I thought I saw a fin followed by a coat of scales belonging to something large and underwater. An enormous ripple followed by a whirlpool erupted just off the starboard side near our side hatch. I thought of aligaters or crocodiles having borrowed a silly movie from simon about such a subject called Lake Placid (an American horror film lent to us by Simon from NB Druss). But no, it were only friendly and lazy carp who were eating the bread put out for our brooding swans.

Huge things they are though - at least two or three feet long. When I am at the doctor's surgery there is a magazine of that name and it always seems to be on the top of the pile. The thing is that every picture of a carp caught looks the same. So did these, but they are very impressively large, and unlike the fishermen in the magazines, I didn't fancy cuddling one. Do they smell??

Absolutely perfect weather for snapping pictures of daffodill at the marina and a jolly good chance for Aunt Agatha and Jeeves to shuffle off for a ride on their respective velocipedes, while Simon 'The Pieman' mended the tyres and innertubes on his bike which needed attention. It should be noted that Simon's bike is an old Raleigh folding number which having lifted, I wouldn't rate awfully portable unless you were carrying it from the dormitory vestibule to Daddy's car for an Exiat Sunday outing.

So, with such a lovely start to Easter I thought I would put some photograpsh of the marina and the daffodills. Suppose I should put one of the bike mending too. But here are some more attractive ones of Audrone doing a few odd jobs and enjoying the spring sunshine. And of cours, some more daffodils. Hang on a minute, is that our boat that someone is sitting on? Looks awfully like K2 if you ask me.

Easter and All That

Well well well, it is Easter and St John's at Brinklow rang in the special service with some well executed rounds and call changes with only four glitches that called for bad striking - three of them mine! I imagine that we also called the URC service to worship as well, given that theirs was also at 10:30.

Audrone has been for a long bike ride and also to visit Aunt Agatha (AKA Pip from Hetty Peggler), while I labour over the blog. I finally found out how to include other links on to this one, so it just goes to show that self-learning can be achieved. One is so used to being trained or taught everything these days, that you tend to forget that even pilots, drivers and of course computer users had to teach themselves at one time.

A new toy has been purchased in the way of a camera. Bought to replace the old digital Nikon that we had - a useful enough item for taking snapshots etc, but not high enough in megapixels or telescopic magnification for taking pictures of wildlife or getting anything published in magazines etc.

So now we are learning to use a brand new Samsung WB500 camera which does all these things and so many more that I have spent a whole day reading the manual and following up with practice shots and experiments with the machine itself. This has to be done via the computer screen, because there is no such thing as a printed manual anymore. Although there is a brief and flimsy folder that tells you where to do your research and most stridently how to dispose of the 'item' when it has reached its 'use by date'. The latter would assume (probably correctly) that in three years time, a £269 camera is no longer of any use whatsoever and that you will be be buying something new. You certainly won't be selling it second hand - nobody wants our Nikon, even as a gift.

Needless to say, I took some pretty silly pictures by way of practising the use of said camera, after which an enjoyable barbecue was had, despite the cold weather and drizzle. It was a rather muffled up barbecue chef slaving over the coals tonight.

It's all a bit naff really.

Sutton Stop and back - a Sunday outing

All week long I have been opening up the Met site for Church Warden and looking at the five day forecast to see what Sunday would bring. Each day it promised sunshine all day and lovely spring temperatures. Come Saturday this had changed to cloudy with sunny periods with a max of 14.

So we decided to go ahead with our plan for a barbecue at Sutton's Stop (Hawkesbury Junction in Nicholson's and Pearson's guides). This should entail a two or two and half hour trip - although one pessimistic loony here told us it would be four hours each way.

Six thirty on Sunday brought the predicted sunrise in a clear sky and things certainly looked good, so after a hearty breakfast, I set off to St.John the Baptist church to ring in ther 09:00 Palm Sunday service. Brinklow was bathed in morning sunlight and primroses speckled the grass in front of the church - very spring.

Didn't stop for the service - bellringers are renowned for sneaking out of the tower and heading to the pub instead, but not at 9 o'clock! So down to the shop for tom sauce and bottle of wine for the barbecue. But wait! not allowed to purchase from the off licence until 10:00am on Sabbath, so back to the boat.

A trip to the garage at Newbold reveals that this rule doesn't seem to apply to 24 hour garages with an offie attached so, fill the tank and shopping bag and back to the boat.

This is going to be quite a long day. The next job is a pump-out, the details of which I am sure can be left out: suffice to say that the mission was accomplished by 11:00 when our visitor and fellow traveller for the day was due to arrive.

With Emily through the gate and having moored her La ndrover at pier 17w, We headed out of the marina and turned left (for a change) on our way to hawksbury junction. Emily proved to have a wealth of local knowledge as we motored down Cathiron straight and past Brinklow before reaching Rose Narrowboats (http://www.rose-narrowboats.co.uk/) where we let Mr Mercury through the pedestrian swing bridge before continuing on our way.

There was a forty mile orienteering event this Sunday, which meant that on the towpath, adjoing footpaths and bridlways were throngs of walking and jogging competitors with whom the crew had frequent conversations from the stern. There were also many farm animals about, some drinking from the canal.

Wildlife was in abundance and in particular birds in the hedgerows. The wild birds kept up a lively conversation with the fluffy toy ones that we bought at Wyvale nursery - which goes to show that the makers claim the these stuffed toys have bona fide calls for 'educational purposes' is true. A blackbird and a robin to wit(sic). Audrone kep[t them chirping by pressing their buttons.

The sun was well over the yard-arm by the time we reached Ansty, so wet rations were broken out and we cruised onward and closer to Hawkesbury junction, passing a garden full of dead 'classic' and 'super' cars and a few other unidentifiable pieces of motoring has beens.

When we arrived at the junction, the Greyhound was teeming with Sunday afternoon revellers and their families - at least outside was, we didn't see inside. Gongoozlers thronged the towpath and lock side, even leaning over the towpath bridge. Unfortunately for them we didn't touch anything or run aground before negating the stop lock again and heading out to find a mooring for our barbecue.



We found a great spot not far back down the cut from the junction nice deep earth to sink the pins into. So we moored up and fired up the barbecue. The wind was up a bit, but the sun still shone and conversation flowed freely between passing boaters and towpath walkers.

The district was of course the heart of the warwickshire coalfields and has a very rich industrial history - there is still a huge power installation alongside the canal not far from where we were moored; but the scene was rural and very tranquil from where we were moored.

Well this time the barbecue worked perfectly, though for those who think is going to start cooking things in 7-10 minutes, it doesn't. But properly loaded with charcoal, does an magnificent job and could easily cook enough to feed eight people three times over if you planned it right. The plates keep up a cooking temperature for a long time after you have done your first lot, you could use it for another two or three rounds!

This has another advantage in that the whole unit can also be then closed and kept burning slowly while the steerer straddles it to keep warm as the afternoon chill creeps in on the way back to the marina. Not a patio heater, but a counter heater - most efficatious for semi trad boats.

A foxton trip

But not by boat - we decided to drive up to Market Harborough to do a bit of shopping and slumming in the estate agent windows, with a thought to purchasing a property in the district.

It certainly is an attractive town; bustling and looking well heeled. The old Jacobean market building which has also been a grammar school was originally constructed in 1618, and now the schoolroom has been converted to a function room for nefarious purposes. St Dionysius Church is also a splendid architectural feature in the town centre. Anyway, lovely pub lunch at the Three Swans, one of John Fothergills establishments that he has written about in his book Three inns. It was also known to Robert Aikman and LTC Rolt, since the arm was one of the earliest re-opening accomplishments of the IWA.

Since we intend to take Gleemaiden into these waters early this year, we thought that it might be an idea to visit the Foxton Locks. And so we did arriving mid-afternoon.



If BW are going to charge £2.00 for a parking ticket in their pay and display, that is fine, and probably good for revenue, but when the machine refused me a ticket and still took my £2.00 coin, I left a note in the windscreen rather that waste more money - it certainly did not give the coin back again.

Another £2.50 would have admitted us to the museum/shop half way up the flight between the inclined plane and the lock reservoirs. But we continued up the path to the lock keepers cottage the top lock. Why didn't we bring our BW key - there is a box there which dispenses free information brochures to passing boaters.

Anyway there was plenty of information about the lock keeper's house and the inclined plane (or boat lift as they put it) as well as about the locks themselves - we got some pictures, but they are not as good as those in the canal books and magazines. So, I don't suppose we really needed them. I have to say that the visitor facilities, plaques and look-out points do give a spectacular aspect to this famous piece of industrial archaeology; the view of the rolling countryside is also absolutely smashing.

Can't wait to take the boat up there. Have to get everything right though, it really is a gongoozler magnet!!

Over under and through in one day

This was supposed to have been written yesterday, but by the end of it all I was so knackered I fell asleep after mooring up at Newbold. What a glorious day it was!

Forecast by the Met at Church Lawford to be sunny if a little bit chilly, we set off at 11:00 heading for Easenhall crossing bridge 38 and heading north according to OS map 222. Anyway, we missed the footpath to Easenhall and saw it on our port side as we passed on the bridleway. So a revision of the route had us passing through Harborough Magna and striking across the fields toward Cosford Hall Farm.

It was after we crossed a style making a turn to the south that we decided to stop in have a bit of a rest on the edge of a ploughed field. Very pleasant it was too, the sun was shining and birds chirruping in the hedge. But what were those chaps doing on the other side of the field? Were they farmers? Hmm. Then Audrone said:

'Here comes farmer Joe' and sure enough a quad bike was puttering toward us. When level he stopped and I said:

'Lovely day'
'Yes it is, but this is not a good place to sit and enjoy it given that this is a clay pigeon firing range.'
'Oh' said Audrone, 'I thought it was a public footpath'.
'It is, but you are sitting in the fall-out area and likely to be showered with spent pellets - but they have stopped shooting since you have been here, but would you please carry on with your walk so that the club members can carry on with their shooting?'

Of course we did! Then past the hedge to the next field was a warning sign saying that shooter would stop while walkers passed through - not knowing this, we passed ourselves off as sitting ducks.


Following the path along and veering off to the north, we walked over the Newbold Tunnel - the eastern entrance being clearly defined where the twin line of trees ends. Then finding ourselves on Rugby road, we retired to the Crown for a cider and got out the OS map for the route home.


The choice was the towpath, being the most direct and hopefully not muddy. Moored next to bridge 50 and washing his boat while taking on water was Andrew Denning with Granny Buttons who had quite a bit to say about the new BW water points - here is Andy Denning's site:

http://www.grannybuttons.com/granny_buttons/

Just before entering Newbold Tunnel (and not for the last time this day), the sound of a single cylinder diesel made itself heard popping along the cut under the bridge coming up behind us. 'I'll bet that is a Bolinder' said I in know-all fashion. And as the boat Pelican entered the tunnel, this was confirmed by the steerer, who told me that it was an eleven horsepower single. I must say, it sounded very distinctive in the echoing chamber of the tunnel and indeed accompanied us all the way back to bridge 38 where we left the towpath to get back to the marina.

Very sore feet after such a long walk, but no rest, for exercise builds the appetite and we were longing to try out the new barbecue (see blogs passim). This we did very successfully in the evening sunshine, even though it was chilly enough to warrant a scarf as well as a windproof jacket. Still it was very enjoyable and the barbecue worked perfectly sitting on the stern locker.


The day was not yet finished - still plenty of sunshine so we decided on the spur of the moment to take the boat for a run up to Newbold, tying up just as the sun was setting. Just the way to end the first day of summer time.



So we went over under and through the Newbold Tunnel all in one day!

A new gadget for the summer

Last week Summer seemed to be just around the corner, so I started thinking of towpath barbecues and other summer delights when out cruising. However I also realised that the missing item for this sort of entertainment was the barbecue itself.

So thumbing through last year's Canal Boat magazines I found the review on different types that were considered suitable for boating - not all of them looked that good to me, however, last summer we had almost decided on one of them called improbably; Son of Hibachi Grilletto.

Having found a suitable supplier on the Internet (I want one of Those.com), placed the order and presto, the courier delivered it to our doorstop (I mean gate) today. Now having assembled all the bits, I would dearly love to try it out, but the instructions are very clear about it not being suitable for indoor use!!

The Iceman Cometh

This is probably rather a strange way to start a blog which is devoted to life on a narrowboat, but the fact that it is supposed to be freezing again tonight, reminds me that time is running out for taking a trip to Tromso with the promise of viewing the northern lights and staying in the Ice Hotel.

The latter will no doubt thaw shortly, given that the birds here are starting to get into their frisky spring antics. There are still some cabins available for a 14 day cruise according to a travel website. But this also means that we can make an early start to the cruising season in the Midlands here at any rate and save ourselves a few thousand pounds. . . hmmm, anyone for Stratford in February?

I have been strictly ordered not to discuss laundrette visits, shopping or cups of tea on this forum, so I will only bring up disgusting subjects like pump-outs and black water bilge cleanouts instead.

On the subject of shopping though, does anyone know where one can obtain a wine rack that coulld fit neatly under the gunwale next to the dinette table? Our present solution is a carry box provide by TESCO. Somebody also suggested that a built in one in the engine bay is a top idea for keeping your reds at room termperature.