Last Day.

 Yet another lovely day, if a little breezy when looking forward to slotting into our berth at the marina.

The local duck brought the kids round to see us and they were as engaging as ever. We got going hoping that a wide beam wouldn't come round the corner before we got underway. Yesterday evening we had two pass by. going towards the Junction. They always have a co-pilot as it is impossible to see down each side (as it is on a narrow boat without moving) and both couples seemed extremely nervous of the whole thing. We were thinking about how they managed to get here from Braunston as there points where it was quite tight for us to get through when a narrow boat came round the corner following them and he said that they had just collided with moored boats and carried on! I can't see what pleasure there is in moving them about the place. I think they obviously give a very generous living space and would be perfect on a mooring, but we get most of our pleasure in moving about the system and seeing our country from a different point of view. That wouldn't be the case if we had a wide beam.

Just before we went round into the Warwick and Napton Canal, or now the continuation of the Grand Union. Post points to Braunston, Oxford and Warwick.

As we came under the Napton Junction bridge that was obviously part of the widening scheme of the 1930's we met a boat that was off in the Braunston direction.

Are we on the Staffs and Worcester? This little building is tucked away near to the Calcutt top lock. I thought that it would be the valve house where the water from the reservoirs are let into the canal, but looking at old maps it would appear that the water is fed into the system on the Oxford Canal near the junction.

In the 1885 map extract you can see that it looks like the water enters the system to the south on the Oxford Canal. It also reveals that a little building was in the position of the one in the photograph all that time ago. What is it?

We went down the locks on our own waiting for one just coming up the middle lock. They left the top gate open of the middle but before we were in the top lock a couple of boats arrived at the bottom and drained the lock. We were able to swap when they left it. 

We soon turned into the Sunrise Basin of Ventnor Marina and headed for the service point there. When I later went to pay I was flabbergasted when I was told that it was £1-35 a litre WITH the moorers discount!! That is a ridiculous increase in price as the last time we paid it was 95p! Reading blogs etc it seems that normal prices at present ar a few pence over or a little under £1 a litre at the moment. And again I know prices are going up at the moment, but £1-35 is getting very close to the price you pay at a normal garage forecourt at not red diesel prices.

It seems the dry dock at Ventnor has started to be utilized by Black Swan. Have they moved away from Sawley Marina or just extending? What do folk think about their services? It would be very handy if required.

We will be back aboard around the middle of September.

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.

Spit and Polish.

 Once again a bit of rain before we got up, and by the time we were ready to leave it had gone again. That is the way I like it.

Not far after we left was this shallow cutting that had a narrow channel cut through the rock. We didn't meet anybody so I can't confirm that it is wide enough for two boats, but contrary to visual appraisal I have to assume that it is!

As we approached the Marston Junction bridge Helen went to the bow and when she gave me the thumbs up that all was clear round we went. Apparently it is a pretty hard turn to make but we made it in one, despite me nearly bottling out and reversing. I'm not sure it would be possible with a full length boat without springing yourself round., and I didn't see a post to use for this.

I saw this milepost just after the junction and it appears to be a milepost for the Coventry Canal. Somebody has painted 13 on it and you can make out 13 A carved on the right face. It is 13 miles to the top lock at Atherstone so that fits in. I wonder how many of the mileposts still exist as I can't remember seeing many.

Charity Dock is having a clear-out. All the plastic cruisers that were stored on top of each other on the right have gone. There is still a fair old jumble sale though.

And Stig is still lurking behind a bush.

We found a mooring on the long straight after Charity Dock as this is the last time the towpath will be on our port side. I need to wash that side and hopefully get some polish on. It was a low tow path and the day was dull so not too hot. It took me three hours just about but looks better for doing.

We then got underway to Hawksbury Junction. The water points before the turn were free so we topped up.

The old pump house may need a bit of work to stop the ivy and shrubs in the chimney taking charge. I suspect that it wont be high on C&RT's list.

There was the usual melee at the turn and mainly due to folk not communicating their intentions very clearly. There was a 'turn' on at the Grey Hound but you didn't need to be there to hear it! The group had a very large catalogue of 70's and 80's hits and it went on for quite a while. I know as once throught the stop lock we moored about 3 places up and I decided to wash the st'bd side of the boat too. This is what you get when you have had a week or more of sun. I should drink more liquids. Mind you it looked great after having done it. Mind you I couldn't lift me arms above my head afterwards, but as the band had managed to complete their repertoire and packed up all was quiet and we headed for a pint at the pub. With much effort I can confirm that I was able to lift a hand hold a pint weight to my lips, at least a couple of times!

    As we sat in the pub we could see the bridge over the junction of the canal. The Britannia Foundry was founded in Bath Gate, Derby by Weatherhead and Glover in 1818. They won a reputation for quality castings of ornamental urns, temples and window frames for churches etc. Many of the period homes in Derby will have Britannia Foundry balustrades and hand rails too. In 1837 the business was taken over by Marshall Baker and Wright and they soon started to make castings for the blooming railway companies such as bridges etc. especially after 1840 when Derby became a centre of the railway industry. In 1848 the business was acquired by Andrew Handyside where they made track turntables, stoves and baths as well as the products previously fabricated. They exported bridges to the Indian Railways and to Australia, South America and Japan Foundries for brass, malleable cast iron and motor engine cylinders were added over the years, but in 1911 the company went in to administration. Several attempts were made to keep the company viable but by 1932 it collapsed and all that is left to show now is Handyside Street in the area of the foundry!

I wonder if the bridges in India are still there?

Passing into Pylon Country.

 There were no ill effects of our partying last night and we were off in the normal time frame. It had been raining until about 09:00, but it was warm and no wind. Opposite the entrance to the Bosworth Marina is where the old gas works was and now is a housing development. Just the other side of the road bridge was the wharf and then a brick works, and once again this has provided land for a large housing development. I think this is logical building on the site of old industry, but I'm not sure that there is any social housing in there and where they all go to work?

These cows were just a bit slow at getting up after the rain had finished.

We pottered along in the shallow water and the sun came out. We needed a few things so stopped at Stoke Golding to visit the farm shop at bridge 25. They had all we needed, and not expensive, so saved a walk up to the village.

 

Tom get to the farm you have to pass the old railway station and the bridge over the line. It certainly still looks like a station but the line has long gone. Just to the south of Stoke Golding station the railway splits into two. The main route of the Ashby and Nuneaton railway, that was jointly built by the Midland Railway and the London and North Western Railway, headed off to the south west and they two company's also built a branch that went to Hinkley, opened in 1873. It was a double track liner and it was likely it was part of the negotiations between the Midland and LNWR and as the main traffic was coal and there was a well adapted junction at Nuneaton, so this line was never used. In fact is was never passed as safe to use and in 1900 the track was taken up. It was officially abandoned by Act of Parliament in 1914! Money to burn in those days it seems.

The wharf at Stoke Golding was one of the main ones on the canal and obviously had a house for the wharfinger. The the pump out cart is a little unusual too.

This is next to the Hinkley Arm. At the end of the arm is the Wharf pub and a house called Port House. Next to the wharf was a patent brick and tile works along with lime kilns. The pit where the clay was dug from has been repurposed as a lake for the use of the Sea Cadets, and they were making full use of it on a lovely warm day like this one.

This high tension electricity pylon looked like a giant emerging from behind the hill and set me on admiring the structures. I have posted 1656 posts since I started and in December 2015 I wrote a blog about the pylons I had seen that year and it unbelievably the 6th most popular of all time.

I can tell you that the pylons that have the insulators hanging down are for when they are in a straight line. I can also tell you that the single wire at the very top is not a transmission wire but acts as lightening conductor for the array.

Just before Burton Hastings two lines of pylons cross. It is quite interesting how they do this. One line of pylons is dipped under the other. The cable from one side of the structure goes to this low pylon on one side of the route to be crossed and the other side goes to a similar one the other side of the big pylon. You can see here that the conductors are horizontal and this indicates that the line is not a straight line and is obviously bending around the pylon on the other route.

This is the two lines of pylons just before they converge. Again you can see that the one on the right has horizontal conductors showing that this is the line to be dipped under the other set. I believe this is an M5 deviation tower. On the left are the more common L6 type.

There is a fair bit of controversy about having to erect a lot more transmission towers across the country to get green electricity from where it is produced to where it is needed. I quite admire them. I wouldn't one in my back garden but seeing them striding across the hill side is quite inspiring. Maybe they could have a go at designing a new style of pylon that looks 'better' or more interesting!

We stopped for the night near to Burton Hastings and had an hour or two on the towpath in the sun before heading in for our tea.

Happy Birthday.

 Another nice day and off at our normal time of around 09:30.

These are the mile posts on the Ashby Canal. I think they have been changed recently to reflect the assumption that the canal will be opened all the way to the end. Funnily enough on the old OS maps the mileage is given as a total of 31 miles and the northern terminus as Reservoir. This refers to the Reservoir Colliery that was on the east bank at the end of the canal.

Soon after the tunnel and our moorings was Gopsall Wharf. This seems to have been set up when the canal opened. It seems to have a small warehouse and shed and they were there at least until 1920's. The canal north of Snarestone was closed in 1966 so coal could not be loaded at the pits. Instead a temporary wharf was set up in Market Bosworth. This was deemed not really a long time solution due to traffic problems. In1967 the idea of Gopsall Wharf being used came to fruition in 1968. When the land was leased from the Crown Estates and the Coal Board and British Waterways came to an agreement about the costs of improving the wharf and dredging the where necessary. The local fishing community were very pleased as they had resorted to buying a narrow boat and allowing its members to take it up and down in an effort to keep the weed in the canal down.

From the Burton Observer of February 1968.

It seems the coal run did not get going until June 1969 when 100 tons of coal a week from Donnisthorpe Colliery were loaded at Gopsall Wharf and taken to Watford. 5 pairs of boats were used and they were profitable as they could do it for 2 or 3s per ton cheaper than by road. It would be even better if they could get a backload.

There is that dappled shade again.

And another of these bridge reflection pictures, just as we leave Gopsall Woods.

I wondered what the ornate bridge rails were right next to the aqueduct over the River Sence. It turns out is was the original road to the Shakerstone Station

We were moored up just before Bosworth Marina as today, 2nd August, was an important date, Helen's birthday. On the road up to the village was the old workhouse. It was opened in 1836 and was for 200 inmates and cost £3,000. It was a union of 28 local parishes. The one (and a half) story building to the right is called the board room and was added in 1905. It was later used by the local council. In 1979 the cruciform building behind the facade was demolished retaining just the front part, to make way for a housing development. The property is flats by the look of it.

We had plenty of time so we had a look round the church and had a nice chat with the flower arranger in there. A terrible picture of a carving on the rood screen.

St. Philips was built on the site of a previous church. This building was started around 1325 and finally finished in this form in the middle of the 1400's. The Victorians had a go at changing it, but it is largely the same.

We had a lovely meal at the Black Horse. It was steak night so we had a..... steak! We even had a pudding. It was a fine feed.

On the Market Place is the Dixie Independent School. There was a school in the town in 1320 but it got the present name in 1601 when a bequest for the school was left by a local man Sir Wolston Dixie. He had made it good as a merchant and also became Lord Mayor of London. In 1969 the school closed as local comprehensive grew. In 1987 a trust had been set up and the school was re-opened as an Independent school for boys and girls.

We swayed our way the mile down to the canal and an early night after a lovely day. Happy Birthday Helen.

3 stone Lighter, Congerstone, Shackerstone and Snarestone.

 It is certainly quiet at night along this canal, and not that much traffic either. It was Yorkshire Day today and we celebrated by pitying everybody we saw for not having the great good fortune of living in the Ridings, the largest County in the country. I did notice that even at this fairly early stage in the Paris Olympics that Yorkshire would be 4th in the medal table where as UK as a whole would be 5th! Yorkshire would have been 12th in the table at the London Games!

A day boat went past as we were letting go but as it happened we couldn't go very fast anyway as we were obviously much deeper than they were and it was never a problem.

The sun was out again and it was very warm. I noticed this field with horses and donkeys in. It looks like the donkey has an added fringe to keep the flies out of the eyes, but not the horse.

At Bridge 44 you enter the SSSI and funnily enough instantly the canal seemed to get deeper as wit the same revs. we were going faster. This top end of the canal (at the moment) is the best bit too, especially with the woods providing dappled shade on this beautiful day.

Despite running close to the Battlefield Line we saw and heard nothing. We found that it only operates at the weekends. We got to its terminus at Shakerstone and rounded the Medieval Motte of a castle. It is surrounded by fish ponds too. I think that these were from a later manor house that was very close and the motte was used as a view point in its gardens. In WWII it seems that the Motte was 'used' as an air raid shelter! I'm not sure how, maybe they put up a large Anderson shelter type building in its shelter.

Going through Gopsal Woods was magical as the cool of the shade was so pleasant and then we were treated to a kingfisher sitting still just about long enough for me to get a picture, even though it was so far away. We were then buzzed by a buzzard that came out of the woods on the tow path side low overhead to a field on the other side with some prey in its beak to be mobbed by a couple of young.

A pretty special part of the canal. I wonder how many don't get this far due to the shallow waters?

There seemed to be plenty of cars and people at Gospal Wharf but couldn't tell what was going on.

One thing that this canal doesn't have at the moment is weed. There were just one or two patched of lillys but not obstructing passage at all. There are a few lengths of reeds that have grown to restrict the canal to single way but not as bad as some we have traveled recently.

Near to Snarestone there is the old railway bridge of the Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway Line. It was constructed by the Midland and London and North Western Railway. The purpose was to carry the coal that was going on the canal. The route opened in 1873 and closed to passengers in 1931 and all traffic in 1971. A short section was opened to an opencast mine in 1977 to 1988.

We were then at Snarestone Tunnel that is only 250 yards long, but even though it is so short they didn't seem to make it straight!

We got to the end and moored up by the water point to fill up and have a look at the Ashby Canal Association shop. Helen managed to find a few books that she had been looking for and I got a couple of canal books, more for a contribution as anything. We bought some lovely pots of ice cream and had a chat with the bloke manning the shop whilst we ate it.

After eating our ice cream we backed back up to the winding hole and turned round as we thought that the moorings on the other side of the tunnel were nicer. There is a length of canal completed to Bridge 62 and with a winding hole but as it was only for 52' boats we didn't ask to be allowed to head that way. Once moored up we enjoyed some reading in the sun before heading for a pint at the packed Globe pub just up the towpath above the tunnel. It was heaving at 5pm!