We awoke to another damp and misty morning, with a nasty cold breeze – spring seems to have deserted us again. We had a chilly trip to Hillmorton – where I warmed up a bit working the locks. The weather didn’t improve all day, and by 2.30 we were both cold and ready to call it a day, now moored up just short of Rose Narrowboats’ hire base near Brinklow
Access to the water point in Rugby hasn’t improved since I last photographed it for the IWA 2 years ago. The IWA asked boaters to photograph and email to report facilities that were not being maintained properly, so they could build a dossier to pass on to BW – much good it seems to have done! It’s impossible to get up close to the bank, and if you do manage the jump, you sink up to your knees in claggy mud – needless to say we gave it a miss.
Newbold tunnel was still all lit up like a Christmas tree – wonder who pays the electricity bill? If it’s the council I’m very surprised that the lights haven’t been turned off for good! I think I’d rather see them keep a library or some other small amenity than light up the tunnel, pretty as it is, it is an unnecessary expense in these times of budget cuts. You may have got the idea that I’m not too fond of the North Oxford, and you’d be right!! No matter what the season, the towpaths always seem to be either thick with mud because of poor drainage, or, in summer, very overgrown so it’s impossible to walk on them – has BW forgotten this bit of canal?
13.2 miles, 3 locks
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