Monday 21st October - Hawkesbury Junction to Coventry Basin
Today we decided to carry on with our planned cruise and head off down to Coventry Basin.
We left our mooring spot and carried on past the junction, the turning is on the right under the bridge. Yesterday Abi had suggested that we kept the engine bay well aerated to disperse any fumes left from the dud battery. It meant that there was a gap which we were very careful about stepping over and we kept Toby well away from it. We are delighted to report that there is no more rotten egg smell!
This is Cash’s One Hundred Cottage Factory. It was a development of 46 weavers’ houses built in 1857 in Coventry. A shared driveshaft ran through the upper-floor weaving studios, powered by a collective steam engine, allowing home-based silk weavers to operate power looms and therefore compete with their factory-based peers. Such buildings were called ‘cottage factories’. The large windows allowed for the maximum amount of light in for the workers and they lived in the accommodation below.
We arrived in the Basin and moored directly in front of the statue of James Brindley. It looks as though he is peering into the boat but he is very good natured! We went for a walk into Coventry and were amazed at the difference from the last time we were there.
This 57ft high Coventry Cross is the latest incarnation of a 16th century sculpture located on Cuckoo Lane in the city centre. The stained glass windows let visitors see inside the cross which now features a 3D-printed statue of King Henry VI.
The statue of Lady Godiva. The original Lady Godiva was an 11th century noblewoman married to Leofric, the powerful Earl of Mercia and Lord of Coventry. As the story goes, Godiva was troubled by the crippling taxes Leofric had levied on the citizens of Coventry. After she repeatedly asked him to lessen the burden, Leofric quipped that he would lower taxes only if she rode naked on horseback through the centre of town. Determined to help the public, Godiva stripped off her clothes, climbed on her horse and galloped through the market square with only her long flowing hair to cover herself. Before leaving, she ordered the people of Coventry to remain inside their homes and not peek, but one man, named Tom, couldn’t resist opening his window to get an eyeful. Upon doing so, this “Peeping Tom” was struck blind. After finishing her naked ride, Godiva confronted her husband and demanded that he hold up his end of the bargain. True to his word, Leofric reduced the people’s debts.
5.5 miles, 0 locks, 2 hrs 30 mins
Tuesday 22nd October - Coventry Basin
Today we are having another day in Coventry and hope to sort out our WiFi provider. We have been with 3 ever since we started using a router onboard and have always been happy with the service. However in the past year we have noticed a steady decline in adequate coverage to watch TV, open emails, check weather forecasts. So time for a change?
Yesterday, this boat arrived in the basin soon after us. It is nbMinuet, the boat that we originally owned 2 shares in before we decided to buy our own boat. The people onboard had owned shares since 2018, after our time, and are also the oldest owners of shares in the boat. The boat is now moored at Dunchurch Pools just up from Braunston, so we shall possibly see more of her.
These doorways in Coventry Basin were built as coal storage areas. Two large vaults of brick construction, linked at the back, were built into the retaining wall on the north-western boundary of the canal basin in the middle of the 19th century. They were built for coal storage for the nearby gas works, when after 10 years the Coventry Canal Company won back the business from the railways. The Tin at the Coal Vaults is now a venue which has two main rooms, one of which contains a stage and performance area; the other has a bar and seating. Next door in Units 1-4 is an office, rehearsal space, artist studio and large community room which is used to host a variety of community activities.
After successfully changing our WiFi provider from 3 to EE we returned to the boat to install the new SIM card and check that all was working properly. Download and upload speeds are better than we have ever seen, so very happy with that. We went along to the cafe at the end of the Basin, The Playwrights and had lunch there. Chantelle and Sharon were delightful and more than happy for us to sit inside with Toby, so if you are ever visiting, they are well worth a visit.
In the afternoon we walked back into the city to visit the two Cathedrals. This is the modern Cathedral built at right angles to the Old Cathedral. Visiting both Cathedrals was a hugely moving experience, the silence and serenity of the ruins and then the bright light filled space of the New Cathedral has left a lasting impression upon us.
The “Charred Cross". In the January after the Blitz, Reverend Howard asked the cathedral's stone mason, 'Jock' Forbes to make an altar from the rubble and place behind it a cross made from two charred oak beams that had fallen from the roof. Forbes obliged with a sublime piece of craftsmanship and this has become the focal point of the ruins ever since. The words ‘Father Forgive’ are inscribed into the bricks behind the altar.
Two of the huge steel strengthening straps from the roof of the Cathedral had fallen into the shape of a cross during the fire. They were lashed together and put where the ruined altar stood. It is now inside the New Cathedral. Three surviving medieval roof nails were also formed into a cross, the Cross of Nails, now located at the centre of the altar cross in the new cathedral.
Interior view of the new cathedral showing the soaring nave with its modern echoes of Gothic vaulting and Graham Sutherland’s vast tapestry, depicting a risen Christ, hanging behind the hammered concrete altar. Graham Sutherland’s tapestry was one of the biggest in the world at nearly 80 foot high. It was woven in France in one piece over two years on a huge 500 year old loom.
This is part of the ruins of The Old Cathedral. On the evening of Thursday 14th November 1940 at around 7:10pm the air-raid siren sounded just as it had done on many occasions that year. Little did the people of Coventry suspect that this was about to become the most prolonged and devastating attack on any city in the history of warfare to date. 9 hours later the Cathedral had collapsed inwards leaving some exterior walls and the tower still standing.
Wednesday 23rd October - Coventry Basin to Ansty
Decided to move on today and return the way we have come. Once out of the basin we stopped at the water taps to top up the water, but neither tap was working, so we continued heading for Hawkesbury Junction where there is a water tap before the junction.
This is Electric Wharf, a mix of modern housing and historic warehouse buildings. The bridge is a modern pedestrian and bicycle bridge.
Daimler Wharf, the site of the disused Daimler factory has been earmarked for development with an Arts Complex, housing and community spaces.
On the front of this building is ‘Coventry Canal Company’, this final stretch of the Coventry Canal is known by the locals as ‘five ‘n half’ referring to the distance into the city centre.We moored for the evening at Ansty and Dave took this picture of Ella from the pub garden directly opposite the boat. The moorings were very busy and we were lucky to fit in right on the end.
9.5 miles, 1 lock, 4hrs 12mins
Thursday 24th October - Ansty to Brinklow Moorings
A lovely sunny start to the day and Dave drove the boat whilst I put the hoover round.
We passed CRT hard at work dredging the far side of the canal. They paused working whilst we went past, I think they were using the dredgings to bank up the new towpath on the other side.
As we were approaching Bridge 27, Johnsons Bridge, the gearstick began to fail, I couldn’t get forward or reverse propulsion and the gearstick was spinning round. We managed to pull the boat in through the bridge hole and secure her to the bank and called RCR and also Dave walked down to Stretton Stop where the Rose Boatyard is to see if there was anyone who could help us. An engineer from the Boatyard arrived before RCR and soon sorted the problem. The spindle had worked loose and gradually became completely detached. All he did was tighten the spindle and hey presto we had a connection.
We carried on past the Brinklow slippage and this area looks worse than it did when we came this way 2 and a half weeks ago. Any more heavy rain and this could end up in the canal, hopefully they will continue the retaining wall to stop this happening.
This is the offending gear stick, now in neutral and pointing straight up to 12 o’clock. Ever since we have had the boat neutral has always been at about 2 o’clock, so it took a little getting used to. At least we know what to do if it works loose again!
4.25 miles, 0 locks, 2hrs 24mins.
Friday 25th October - Brinklow Moorings to Rugby
A pleasant cruise through to Rugby, the leaves are definitely beginning to drop off the trees now and land in the canal. Much ‘chucking off’ the leaves from the propeller as we are going along. The colours really do look stunning.
How lucky are we? A delightful mooring in Rugby on the park side just before the water point, 1 day mooring but that suits us fine as we shall move on tomorrow. We had a wander back into the retail park in the afternoon and replaced essential items of clothing and then a quiet time on the boat.
5 miles, 0 locks, 1hr 54 mins
Saturday 26th October - Rugby to below Hillmorton
We had a slow start this morning, Dave went back to M&S and stocked up on food for the next few days until we get back to the Marina. He also found the iced spiced buns which had sold out yesterday!
We moved the boat forward to use the water tap and once we were full again we began our short journey towards Hillmorton. We are both amazed and very happy with the gearstick as we have got used to the new position. For as long as we can remember it has always been fairly wobbly, but now it is firm and very responsive, meaning that the slightest movement increases or decreases the engine speed very quickly.
We passed Clifton Cruisers and they were very busy getting boats ready to go out for this week. It is half term week for many schools and as the weather is so good at the moment it is a perfect choice for a late holiday.We passed this boat under the bridge, not moored but being held by the rope by the lady and the gentleman struggling to undo his weed hatch. His propeller must have become fouled and he needed to get down to it to free it before carrying on. Dave checks our weed hatch each night but fortunately we haven’t had any problems.
We found a pleasant mooring spot below Hillmorton, out in the country, with the sound of trains passing at infrequent intervals. Plenty of sunshine on the solar panels which is just what we need!
2 miles, 0 locks, 48mins
Sunday 27th October - below Hillmorton to above Dunchurch Pools Marina
A stunningly beautiful start to the day, bright blue skies, with light wispy clouds, the clocks went back an hour last night so ready for darker evenings.
We were moored up ahead of this boat ‘nbSilver Fox’ of Foxes Afloat fame. Colin and Shaun sold the boat 2 years ago and moved to the highlands of Scotland. Our thoughts and best wishes go to Colin over the next few weeks.
We cruised up to the water point below Hillmorton Locks and filled up with water before beginning the ascent of the locks.
Dave took a sneaky photo of the Volunteer’s Hovel, just to compare with ours back at Diglis. It seems much larger than ours but with a whole lot more stuff! Today is the last day of the season for these volunteers so they were tidying up around the locks.
Ella approaching the last lock of the day, not a breath of wind, so able to hover safely mid stream whilst the lock was being made ready for us.We moored opposite open farmland just past Barby Farm, sun all day on the solar panels keeping the batteries nicely topped up during the day. Dave went for a walk down to Dunchurch Pools Marina. This photograph shows the service pontoon we moored at a year ago when Dave was taken off the boat with his broken leg, it was blowing quite hard that day, not like today.
4.25 miles, 3 locks, 2hrs 30mins
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