Monday 16th March - Goodacres Bridge to Hawkesbury
A much nicer day, warmer and with lighter winds. So, we decided to move onto Hawkesbury Junction. Dave did most of the driving and he negotiated the left turn back onto the Coventry Canal beautifully.
As we were approaching our moorings for the night I spotted a sofa in the canal, you do have to ask yourself how it got to be there? No direct access to a road, did someone carry it and dump it? I wonder why?
After mooring up and having some lunch, we went for a walk back up the canal to the Newdigate Arm. It is still in water for a short while and a footpath runs alongside it and then follows the route of the disused railway. Beside the canal is The Miner’s Welfare Park which is a 1920’s established public space created on reclaimed colliery land to provide recreation for miners and their families. The wrought iron gates to the park are still in existence.
Good to see the trees beginning to come into bud before the leaves appear. Spring is definitely on its way.
The end of the Newdigate Arm, the footpath continues as the Coventry Way.
7.25 miles, 0 locks, 2hrs 42mins
Tuesday 17th March - Hawkesbury to All Oak Wood, Brinklow.
Today we left our moorings quite early, stopped to put on water and then Dave drove round the Hawkesbury Junction turn and I prepared the stop lock back onto the North Oxford Canal. The stop lock is all of 6 inches, but meant that water levels could be managed between rival canal companies.
A canal side house by Bridge 4 Tusses Bridge. The garden is littered with remains of cars, vans and caravans, but I wonder how they got there? There were several old VW Beetles, Ford Cortina, Saab and even a Porsche in the bushes. Amazing!
We moored up at All Oaks Wood after a very pleasant cruise and after lunch we walked into the village of Brinklow. The village sign even has a narrowboat going under a bridge, signifying the time when the canal used to pass through Brinklow.
The view from the top of The Tump is spectacular with a 360 degree view of the whole of the county of Warwickshire.
Brinklow was a timber castle built as part of William the Conqueror’s northern campaigns in 1069 but it was needed as a defensive site for a relatively short period and hence was never reconstructed in stone as happened at nearby Warwick castle. Locally the site is known as ‘The Tump’. It is unusual as it has two enclosures with double ditches.
8 miles, 1 lock, 2hrs 54mins
Wednesday 18th March - Easenhall Lane to Kent Road Bridge 69
Today we left Brinklow and headed towards Hillmorton. A lovely sunny day with a real feel of spring in the air.
Newbold Tunnel, wide enough for 2 narrowboats to pass, it has passageways both sides of the canal although the one on the left is gated and no longer in use.
We eventually arrived at a quiet mooring just before Hillmorton Visitor Moorings below the locks. We moored up for the night and Toby and I walked on into Hillmorton.
7miles, 0 locks 1 tunnel, 2hrs 36mins
Thursday 19th March - Kent Road Bridge 69 to Bridge 103 “Green Sheds”
The next morning we climbed up the three Hillmorton Locks and headed towards Braunston. We were blessed again with beautiful weather making the last few days of this cruise a real joy.
Following the contours of the canal, the church spire in Braunston seems to move around, this is a good shot of the church and the windmill to the left. Once in Braunston we turned right under the wrought iron bridge and headed out towards the “green sheds”.
We moored at our favourite spot, but the tree has been cut down, so it looks a little different. The “green sheds” can be seen in the distance.
The weather was fine enough to sit out on our chairs for lunch and enjoy the afternoon sunshine.
In front of us was nbShear Maddness, they sell go-kart tyres as fenders. We already have two which we salvaged from various canals, but they are getting very squishy now so we decided to buy 2 new ones.
10.25 miles, 3 locks, 4hrs 18mins
Friday 20th March - Bridge 103 “Green Sheds” to Ventnor Marina Sunset Basin
The final day of this cruise, a gentle cruise down to Napton Junction, right turn onto The Grand Union Canal and the final 3 locks at Calcutt.
This is the entrance to Sunset Basin where we have our new mooring. Turned right and right again onto the service pontoon where we filled up with diesel and bought a replacement gas bottle. Then a gentle reverse into the new mooring.
The resident swans have built a nest behind our pontoon, the female is sitting prettily on the nest whilst her mate keeps an eye on her and the surroundings. They didn’t seem too worried about Toby and to be fair, he wasn’t too bothered by them either.
Here is Ella between the silver boat and the blue boat, second one in from the left. We have a lovely view of the open water from the front of the boat and also the sunset at the end of the day.
From the front of the boat the sun is setting on this cruise. We are returning to Worcester for about 6 weeks and our next cruise in May, will be exploring the waterways of Birmingham.
4miles, 3 locks, 2hrs 12mins
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