Mixed bag, weather-wise…..

I hope all our regular readers will forgive the repetition as I know I’ve blogged about this part of the journey numerous times, but I know we have several new readers this year, so I’m doing it for their benefit. 

We left Brinklow on Tuesday morning under grey skies and with drizzle.  A fairly short and boring trip as far as Hawkesbury Junction, (that’s Hawkesbury in the header pic)  where we planned to spend Tuesday night and probably Wednesday.  Even Ozzy was bored!  We did however, see a squirrel on the parapet of a bridge.

Having moored on the Coventry side of the junction  (surprisingly empty of boats) We went to The Greyhound for lunch, and sat outside as the sun was shining by now.  But not for long – the grey clouds came over again and by the time we had finished lunch, and it became quite chilly.

9.4 miles and 1 lock

Yesterday when we awoke, the promised rain had arrived and we stayed put – I walked Ozzy in the rain, and Rog went and found a local shop for a few bits.  The rest of the time we spent reading, dozing and generally being very lazy.

This morning was lovely and sunny, with quite a stiff breeze blowing.  We set off around 9.00 and I cooked bacon butties for breakfast which we ate on the move.

The obligatory photo of the ever chaotic Charity dock, and what the well-dressed mannequin is wearing this year!

Marston Junction at the start of the Ashby Canal – we may well tootle up there on the way back if we have the time.

Through Nuneaton, parts of which are a bit skanky, but there are some nice gardens to look at.

and we were soon at the top of the Atherstone flight.  We were following another boat, and groaned at the thought of having to fill every lock before we could go down – these locks are such slow fillers, but, as luck would have it, we only had to fill the first two, the rest of the time we either had a boat just exiting the lock as we arrived, or we only had to wait a few minutes for a boat to come up.

At lock No 10 we had to wait as one of the top paddles was broken so it was taking 20 minutes to fill, and a queue formed behind us.

Heading for and in the last lock of the day.  We are now moored below the bottom lock., and the visitor moorings. 

While we were enjoying a welcome cuppa, chairs out on the bank in the sunshine, we saw a strange sight approaching – a giant swan being pedalled by two blokes, collecting for charity  <<<LINK>>>   They looked knackered, poor chaps!  They are pedalling from Stoke to Oxford, in aid of a local hospice, and in memory of a friend’s Mum, who sadly passed away last year.

12.8 miles and 11 locks