Well Traveled Route

 Dull but warm and dry seemed to be the way was set to be as we let go and continued on our way from Rugby

Soon after setting out we crossed the River Avon, which is actually running through a pool at the is point. In the photo you can see the duckweed covered pool. The pool was created in the River Avon to drive the Brownsover Corn Mill. This was created in the early 1800's. The river flowed through the mill driving the wheel and there were a series of weirs and overflows to ensure the flow in the river below and the level of the pond. The mill buildings would have been where the railings are among the trees at the far side of the pool. The pool was extended in 1902 to form a reservoir for the Rugby Water supply. The mill burned down in 1956 but had been disused for a while before that. As you pass over the aqueduct you can see the channel at a lower level than the pool and this is the overflow channel.

This picture is of the mill taken after the pool was widened in 1902 and from roughly the same angle as the modern one but from the level of the river not the canal. (and a bit further away of course).

There seems to have been some good broods of cygnets along this canal with four being the minimum number seen. They have all been taught to beg from passing boats at an early age.

The number of wood pigeons never seems to go down. It would be a ready source of meat that is 'wild and natural. I would have thought in this day and age of farmers markets and food miles etc somebody would have exploited this as they are really pests and eat vast amounts of grain in the field, and the added sin of waking me up too early in the morning! I would have thought that filleting and making pies etc to sell would have brought them more into the main stream. It ages since I last ate pigeon but it wasn't a bad taste at all.

There was a bit of chaos at the bottom of the lock.The hire boat was waiting for the boat to leave the port hand lock and the boat to the right was waiting for the boat in the lock to leave to turn the lock ready to enter. The hire boat was from Springwood Haven, but this was their first serious lock and it was slow going. By the time they were leaving the lock we were just opening the top gates to leave also! We should have realised!

By the old arm between lock 2 and 3 is this mile post.

We took pity on the hire boat as the voluntary keeper at the took had prepared a lock, but as we were first out of the middle lock we could have taken it but let them have it. We then waited for a boat to come down who later turned out to be none other than bloggers Pip and Mick from Oleanna. I had a few words with Mick as they lowered down and then spoke hello to Pip as she passed on her way. Hello and goodbye. This look only had one top panel but even so we were still only just behind the hire boat leaving.. The proceeded ever so slowly weaving across the canal and stopping at every bridge or narrow and passing boat.

Near the Wharf Pub moorings was this boat with what looked like camouflage paintwork on the stern. It obviously can't be working very well as I saw it!

The hire boat studiously did not look behind so rather than have to proceed in stop start mode we just gave way to every oncoming boat, waiting before where there was a narrows caused moored boats or offside vegetation, and it worked most of the time. By the time we had passed down Barlby Straight etc we had caught them up again. Fortunately they had had enough and pulled over at the moorings before Dunchurch Pools Marina. They managed to bash a boat as the came in though. I was wondering whether they had the boat for two weeks if they were doing the ring or if they would have to turn round and go back to be within the week? As we got out into the country the sky got a bit black in the distance but stayed dry and warm all day.

All Saints Church at Braunston stands out on the horizon for quite a distance.

There were a couple of boats at the junction when we arrived. One went to the the right just before us and one just after us.

We carried on past all the usual places to moor as we wanted to be close to the junction for the morning and ended up just after Bridge 108. Despite the road it was quiet with nobody about and I got several jobs done that should have been done earlier but were put off, but as this was to be our last night for now they had to be sorted now.