So That's That!

The weather yesterday was lovely and calm so ideal weather for us to enter the marina that we will be seeing a lot of this winter. We were going to take on fuel to top up the tank to prevent any air laying at the top of the tank creating moisture when cooled that would go on to promote the possibility of the fuel bug. There is a one way system in the marina so the entrance is near the Aston Lock and the exit through the marina and out at the bottom. The fuel and office etc is about half way down where the water surface is 'pinched' to allow a bridge to pass to the other side. Under the bridge is the mooring for services. Somebody was just finishing taking fuel etc. They had come the wrong way down the one way street! We didn't have long to wait and were soon in the office sorting out the bits and pieces required for our mooring and then filling up with fuel, 78.7p/ltr. We then went round the course again and as we are in the top end of the marina we easily backed in and made fast to our berth

We went for a walk to check out where we were to be staying and looked back from the bridge to our moorings. The building is the Boathouse and No.26 which looks like a very fancy restaurant and bar. Helen had a coffee there when I was at home and it looks very nice indeed. Good for a treat. One of the perks of mooring here is that you get 10% of what you spend on account that you can spend at a later date.

I went home the next day by train to pick up the car and return for Helen and Macy. The marina say that it is 20 min. walk to Stone, but it took me 30 mins, and I have long legs! I did notice that there is a new M&S Food Hall by Star Lock now. The London North Western train was 20 minutes late due to signalling problems. As my connection at Stoke, one stop down the line, was only 20 mins later I was resigned to missing it and having to sort out an alternative. Much to my delight the Cross Country Train that was to take me to Manchester Piccadilly had also been delayed by the signaling trouble so I was fine. My wait for the Transpennine Express to Hull was 45 mins so I was easily on schedule! Just so you all know the trip from Manchester to Hull takes 2 hours. It takes 3 hours from Hull to London. Roll on the Northern Gateway.

I was most grateful to my son who cam and picked me up to take me home despite becoming a new father only 20 hours earlier. I was able to have a cuddle with little Penny Porter later in the evening.

Helen was up early this morning, as she had, to make her own tea I suspect, and she took this fantastic picture looking south to the bridge across the waist of the marina. You can see the service jetty as well as the pump out point an fuel.

Looking towards the entrance one the sun had got up the mist soon burned off and Aston Church stands out like a space ship.

Between the canal and the marina is a mound that has cropped grass with several seats where you can look over the marina or west over the countryside.

 The berths are secured by a wire fence and a moat! There are only a few bridges over the water and they are protected by electronic gates. Each boat is given two little fobs to open the gates and the barrier to the car park.

This is the entrance and the lock is very close by to the right.

There are several jobs that need doing when we go back to the boat. I managed to get a good polish on the roof, but I need to polish/protect the rest before the winter comes along. Still, it looks quite good from this distance.

Our good looks are enhanced as we are moored between two older boats. The electricity is via card into the slot type. I have noticed that despite being on the shore power the solar still contributes so reducing the cost of over winter electricity. I didn't realise this as when the alternator on  the engine is running the solar can  not contribute. I shall have to investigate further to how it happens.

I had an appointment in the morning but as soon as that was completed I head back to Helen to pack up and bring her home. It took about 2hours 30mins so is a good journey. Unfortunately it was raining when I arrived so packing up and carrying the stuff on trolleys up the ramp to the car park was not ideal, however it was intermittent so could fit it in between the heavier showers. The journey back was a bit busier but again was fine. 

The washing machine was on as soon as we walked through the door, and first load is down. I was very pleased to see that the grass wasn't too bad. I have only had to cut the grass twice since the end of March, and the last time it was all looked very dry and I just tidied it up. I thought with the recent rain it may have taken off but no, well within easily cut height.

That is us back home now, but we are already programming in time on the boat. If the weather is half decent we will get out and about as well as doing all the jobs that are required. What a summer we have had! The weather has been superb. I think we have only got damp once or twice. We have not done as many miles, or locks as previous years, but we have been on several new waterways, for us. Over the Ribble to the Lancaster Canal, crossed the Mersey and up and down the full length of the Manchester Ship Canal were some of the highlights.

I will be adding blogs as I think of something to say, and of course there are the summaries of the year along with my accounts after Christmas. It is always sad when we leave the boat at the end of the season, but we now through ourselves into our other life. At one time I thought I would like to live on the boat full time, but sharing half and half, usually, we get the best of both worlds, and two completely different lives.

The end is nigh.

We went to the pub, Clifford Arms, for a meal last night. On the way we stopped for a look at the Essex Pack Horse Bridge.

It was a very dull start to the day, meteorologicaly speaking that is, but we were underway by 1000.  Hayward Lock, the first of the day, seemed to set the tone for the day a small queue at the bottom, and a larger one at the top, so everybody going one up one down. We didn't need to stop at the services, which was a shame as there was room at the junction with the Staffs and Worcester.

The Trent and Mersey meanders along the floor of the Trent Valley and the scenery is pretty splendid even on a drab day like today.

Weston Lock was no exception to the waiting as we continued the one up one down routine. There was a C&RT work boat that followed us into the lock heading south.

When the canal arrived it meant that coal dropped in price and the brine of the region could be extracted and boiled to produce salt that was then shifted by canal. Near Weston on Trent is the village of Salt and Shirleywich which had a small arm for the works. In the Weston arm we saw this old butty, and there is definitely no need for false rivets in this build. 

The rich countryside of the Trent Valley attracted lots of the rich and famous and Sandon Hall. It was bought by the 1st Baron Harrowby in 1776. The house was damaged by fire in 1848 and rebuilt. The current owners are the 8th Earl and Countess of Harrowby. This must be a garden feature that maybe used as a wedding venue as part of the house and grounds has been given over to that venture.

Also in the grounds, peeping over the top of the trees of the parkland is a monument to William Pitt the Younger that was erected in 1806 who did in that year.

On the other side of the valley is Weston Hall that started out as A Dower House in 1550. It was extended in 1660 it was extended to a three gable building with three pitched roofs. In 19th century it was purchased by Shrewsbury Settled Estates and the fourth pitched roof added as is seen today. In 1950 the Godwin Family bought it and converted it to flats. It became very run down and in 1992 a local businessman bought it and spent 9 years in restoring it and changing it to a restaurant, venue and with rooms.

This ornate bridge was built for the Sandon Hall Estate. They also got their own station!

Sandon Lock has some nice buildings by it as well as a lime kiln. Helen calls these mini locks after all the wide locks we have been doing this years.

The geese seem to be in the same mood as myself. The weather being gloomy suits my mood as our cruising for another draws to a close. Hopefully we will be able to get down to the boat for a short cruise or two, and to do a bit of work too.

The couple in the boat ahead of us that we helped through Sandon Lock were 88 and 85. They were an example to us all, and I hope that I am as fit as them at that age. A few bends later we found them stuck on the tow path side. We stopped and gave them a tug off to get them underway. They have a Russel Newby engine and a deepish draft.

Not far before Aston Marina the reflection of the bridge bode well for no wind as we found our way to our berth.

And that then is that for another year.

Heading homeward.

Slept like a (well behaved) baby last night as it was very quiet. Even the trains didn't wake me up. We set off after only a couple of boats had past us this morning.

We were soon at Huddlesford Junction where it just struck me how dependent we are on electricity as maybe indicated in the photo, but a solar flare could well stop it all in it's tracks!

I have never noticed many of these simple miles tones on the canal and I'm not sure whether they were placed by the Birmingham and Fazeley or the Coventry Canal Company? I am also not really sure where they are indicating distance from? The 21/2 miles refers to Fradley Junction alright, but the 5 miles doesn't correlate to either Ogley Junction at Huddlesford which is only a couple of miles away. The next junction is Fazeley Junction which is about 8 miles away. Hopwas is about five and a half miles away but why post the distance to there? 

The Swan was getting a spruce up as we took the turn to head north up the Trent and Mersey. There was a boat in Junction Lock, but just closing the bottom gates.

We thought that a boat must becoming down at middle lock as somebody was dropping the lock. However it seems that the volunteers here at Fradley have been issued with different life jackets than else where as they don't have the orange coloured ones that help you pick them out from a distance. We were also helped up Shadehouse Lock, so Fradley was left behind very quickly.

There are some lovely stretches of tow path on this length. No bike highways and with copses and fields, with occasional seats to take the weight, it is a walker friendly path. We were a little delayed at Woodend Lock but again were soon on our way again.

The shed at the Phoenix Yard was up for sale in march this year for the princely sum of offers around  £750,000 for conversion to a 3/4 bed house with moorings for three boats. The business must be moving out.

Through the bridge is Kings Bromley Wharf. I love the pebble dashed chimney. Apparently there was a creamery set up here in 1884 by local people in response to the depression in agriculture after the Free Trade Act. They had to concentrate on products that could not be supplied from far afield so decided to club together and by milk to trade and use in the creamery. It was called the Trent Valley Dairy and Produce Co. Ltd and started with 60 shares at £5 each. They also dealt in eggs and cattle. The business kept in private hands until 1930's when it became part of United Dairies. 

I love the fact that the Armitage Shanks factory is built on a curve. I wonder how difficult this makes fitting machinery etc. There were some loos in the yard, but not too many. Maybe this is a sign of the depression, or just that everything is 'just in time' these days.

Just after the factory is a tight bend round the Church at bridge 60. And this was the first and only heron we had seen for two days, but before that there had been one every couple of hundred yards. Why is there less food here, or do they prefer the Trent that is not very far away at all.

We caught up the boat that had left had left Woodend Lock ahead of us just as we approached the Armitage Tunnel 'narrows' so were able to follow them through. They moored up just before the water point and we just topped off and carried onwards.

Rugeley was, as usual, pretty full but we just carried onwards. Helen enjoyed the gardens as we passed. People seem to really go to town with them these days. If they had done it the year before they will have been able to really enjoy it this summer.

Here we are once again crossing the River Trent on an Aqueduct and with a boat just approaching, good timing or what?

It must have been a high tide, or heavy flood on the Trent to get so high and dry. Doesn't look too long before it will be lifted in the water.

It started to drizzle and slowly got to be light rain after Colwich Lock. I like the setting of the lock cottage, with the 'facilities' at the bottom of the garden and the bridge at the bottom of the lock. It is a shame about the railway line so close.

We just carried on until the moorings before the Haywood Lock over looking the Shugborough fields and just got inside and warmed up.

Fun in the sun.

Fortunately the buzzard chicks did not get up too early this morning as it was all quiet when we set off.

 We were moored just round the corner from Rawn Hill. It isn't one of the highest peaks in the country, or even the county, but it is an impressive feature as you round it on the canal.

We didn't go very far as we stopped at Atherstone to get the paper and a few bits and bobs. As we were coming alongside we managed to pick up some boaters rubbish, that is a plastic watering can with a line attached in the propeller.  I cleared the culprit while Helen went off to do the shopping. We were soon under way again and at the top lock where there was no queue.

Helen took the helm and the lock keepers helped us down to lock 5 so we were flying along.

Helen just coming into Lock 5 in the sunshine. What a beautiful day for doing the locks. As we got to lock 6 I thought that a boat had left the bottom gates open, but when I got there it was a very shiny boat with a chug chug engine, all the buckets and mops you would want and the obligatory massive can of Brasso, (I think it was a 'new' boat rather than a heritage boat) was coming into the lock. It turns out that he was towing a butty and so was doing most of it by bow hauling. It seems he had been causing a bit of a hold up. It wouldn't be my idea of fun really, but each to their own.

At Lock 8 I was approached by a lady and her husband. I was wearing a blue shirt so I learned afterwards that she thought I was a volunteer. She asked me if I knew the history of the flight of locks. I did my best to give some information, but it turns out that her Great Great Uncle had been the lock keeper on Lock 8 and she was looking for the  lock keepers house. I told her that there would not be a house at each lock and he would probably have lived at the top or bottom. She then told me that he had drowned in Lock 8!!! It seems that he was drunk and was walking along by the lock and fell in! There were no ladders in the lock so couldn't get out. He must have been very drunk as I would have climbed up the gate.

It took us longer to do these 11 locks than it did the 21 on the Hatton Flight. The Sunday drivers were out today who did everything at a very 'cautious' speed, but we got there in the end. There were places on the cut where the trees made tunnels to travel through, which did give a little shade.

I had never noticed it before (I think) but the obelisk to the east of Polesworth is to commemorate the Chapel of St. Leonard's at Hoo that was demolished in 1538. It seems that the site was uncovered when the railway nearby was built in 1847  and it may well have been commissioned by a local landowner between 1850's and 60's. The monument may have been moved to it's present site at a later date.

A little further on is the pillar of Rememberance was erected by the work people and owners of Polley Hall Colliery for the men from the mine who fell in WW1. It was unveiled in 1921 and has 32 names on.

The head gear of the mine winding gear lies next to the visitor centre. There is a country park on the site now. The collier was the first to generate its own power, from excess steam, and the first to have it's own pithead baths. The mine closed in 1951.

There were no queues at the Glascote Locks, which seems to be unusual so we were son on out way towards Fazeley. As we passed over the Trent Aqueduct there still seemed to be plenty of water in it. I wonder what it will look like at Shugborough?

As we were at the bottom lock of the Atherstone flight the boat coming up stated that the one that just left had lost a fender. I just said that I hope it isn't us that finds it. Helen and I talked and we decided to do a survey along the way. We would check every moving boat and every moored boat on the tow path side to see if it had fenders down on the outside. I said I expected about half to have fenders down at all times.  If a moored boat had fenders down on the outside we thought thought that it would indicate that they would leave them down all the time. Between Polesworth and Whittington we passed 97 boats. 52  boats had their fenders up and 43 down with two that obviously would be down except that they had been ripped off and just the rope was left. It shows I was almost right. We are going to refine the check tomorrow, only looking at moving boats and differentiating between hire, private and cruisers to see if it correlates. 

As we approached Hopwas I was taken with this line of pylons marching across the countryside. After stopping close to where the Coventry and Birmingham and Fazeley Canal met we moored up and went to the pub!

A lovely day on the cut.

As it got dark the nearby house decided to start a bonfire and as there was very little wind it rose up and dropped down on us. I had been thinking of washing and polishing the roof. I was so glad I didn't as I had to wash the boat roughly in the morning.

The season of mellow fruitfulness seems to have started today. The view back to the bridge from our mooring.

It seems that the land slip in the cutting after All Oaks Wood has multiplied, at least from the number of buoys. However I think that they marking the ends of trees that have fallen and just been sawn off.

I was surprised to see a combine out yesterday and today there is still baling to do. I loved the stripes. As we approached Streton I could see a hire boat trying to moor up before a C&RT work boat and pusher tug. As we got closer I saw a blue hose come snaking out from the bow and a girl with a clipboard standing by the tug. I was a little worried and just asked if they were looking for water? They said they were so I told them where to find it, just after the little footbridge. I have no idea what possessed them to think that you could get water from a tug. I suspect it was just that it was blue! Where they were going to attach the hose I have no idea. By the time we had cleared the bridge and were half way up the straight they still hadn't come round the corner to Rose Boats!?

In the 1830's the face of the Northern Oxford Canal was changed for ever as the snaking bends of the contour canal were cut off by the cuttings and embankments of improvements. The arch to the left was not one of those loops but was built to serve Wyken Colliery that opened in 1862. That is until the M6 Motorway was constructed in the late 1960's. The whole length was opened in 1971. The route of the motorway took the arm of the Oxford that served the colliery and this new part had to be built to replace it. The colliery closed in 1991.

As we approached Hawkesbury Junction we passed the site of Longford Power Station where it reminds me of Chernobyl with the lamp posts still there. In 2014 the land was for sale fro £5 million and planse were passed for a 225 berth marina. The permission would expire after three years so must have gone by the by now.

The substation on the opposite side of the canal and the pylons really makes me fell I am in the War of the Worlds movie, or some other Sci-Fi film.

It seemed pretty quite at Sutton Stop with plenty of room on the Oxford and Coventry sides. I voluntary Lock keeper helped us through and we then had to make the turn of 360 deg. I managed with just one helm movement which I was pleased with.

Looking back there was nobody applauding my great skill, so I can only assume there were no boaters drinking there, or everybody does it that way any way!

Today has been absolutely wonderful with the sun hot on our backs. The light is just that less harsh late summer light, and the dark greens of the fading leaves contrast with the myriad red berries, hips and haws of the hedgerows. It has been a real joy to trundle along the cut today. After Hawkesbury there seems to be very little traffic to worry about.

Just by bridge 14 the house that used to be the Navigation pub and has been converted to a large house with 75 metre moorings is up for sale. This is in the garden by the bridge. Helen had a look and it is on the market for offers over £1 million!

I'm not sure whether it is just me, but I think that Charity Dock has been cleaned up a little. The best tableau has always been the motorway pile up that is the scrap heap by the dry dock. It would take hours to move all the boats to get access to the dock me thinks.

The lone tree is hanging on. Just as we approached Nuneaton we met a day boat at a bridge hole. I was full astern and I could see the panic on the face of Grandma at the front and even the blokes at the stern. The later didn't seem to realise that they could also stop, or even go astern on their engine too. We must have been inches from a bow to bow meeting but just pulled clear in time. I'm glad they could laugh about, and they just said that they had no idea what they were doing and thanks. Not that it was there fault in any way.

As we passed Mount Judd I was again drawn by the is cottage in the evening light. The moorings in this part of the world seem to be administrated by Waterside Moorings! Is this just an arm of C&RT or have they got another company in to do the collection and penalties?

There was nobody on the water point at Harts Hill so we stopped for a top up. I love these buildings with the rounded ends that were part of the Canal Company Yard.

We were aiming for Atherstone but decided that rather than take pot luck on their being a mooring late on we would stop in the countryside with views of fields and woods. As soon as we stopped we could buzzards calling and the field opposite we could see a couple of young exercising their wings flying from tree to tree. Later a parent was eating a catch in the field. As soon as we were moored up I had the roof cleared and washed it then polished it ready for the winter. I was ready for a beer afterwards though.