We Start Our Cruise to Llangollen

Dec. 6th--18th

Tuesday, 6th December
We eventually got back to Liberty Belle in the late morning. We were disappointed to find that the marina had disconnected our electric supply whilst we'd been away. We had no way of knowing how long it had been disconnected. We had left two small heaters on to air the boat, but of course they hadn't worked. It's a good job Trev had switched the alternator to "charge only" or it would have run the batteries down, and could have damaged them. So we were not too happy about that.

We left the marina and made our way towards Braunston. We moored overnight at one of our favourite mooring spots, called "Fox's Gate". near Bridge 100 on the GU. We were all on our own, just as we like it.

Moored at Fox's Gate, Bridge 100 on the GU

Wednesday, 7th December
There was a heavy frost this morning, but the views around us were wonderful, crisp and clear.It was a lovely day to cruise, and we went along to Braunston Turn and turned left on to the North Oxford Canal. We passed a few boats, moored and cruising, and eventually moored at the bottom of Hillmorton Locks. We had to stop, it was getting too cold to travel.

Moored at bottom of Hillmorton Locks on the North Oxford
 8 miles and 3 locks

Thursday, 8th December to Sunday, 11th December
We travelled on through Rugby, stopping at Tesco by Bridge 58 for a few supplies. Then we went through Newbold Tunnel, 250 yards long, with its smart new lighting, and stopped at Yates's boatyard for diesel and coal. We were delighted to find that the price of diesel had gone down, and was 47.4p per litre, 4p per litre cheaper than last time. We were quite expecting it to have gone up. We'd passed a working boat just before we got to Yates's and would have bought from him, but he was going too fast to stop! I'm glad we didn't bother, his fuel was 49p per litre.

We went on through lovely countryside, despite the intrusive M6, and moored up at Ansty. We have to stay here for four nights, as we need to go back to Warwick on business. Some times it seems that we can never quite cut the apron strings and get away from Warwick. But we own property there which is rented out, and we have to go back from time to time to sort things out. This time a tenant has given notice, so we must go and make sure all is shipshape and Bristol fashion ready to put it on the market again for rent. We both resent these intrusions to our life, but no pain no gain! In the evening we went to eat at the Rose & Castle, right by where we were moored.

Moored at Ansty on the North Oxford
11 miles and 0 locks

Monday, 12th December
So it was not until today that we could set off again. I think I've extolled the virtues of Enterprise Rentacar before on this website. On of the great points in their favour as far as we're concerned is that they will pick us up at the beginning and drop us off at the end of the rental. For no extra charge. So we had a new Renault Megane Scenic from Friday at noon until Monday at 10.00 a.m. for forty-five pounds. Definitely a much better bargain than owning a car in our situation.

We hit on a cunning ruse to save a bit of time! I would take the car back to Enterprise and ask them to drop me off at Hawkesbury, whilst Trev drove the boat to Hawkesbury Junction. This all worked out well, the only downside was that I had to wait for twenty minutes in a cold wind for Trev to arrive. I poked my nose in the door at the Greyhound pub to see if I could buy a coffee and sit in the warm, but the only person I could find was doing the cleaning and was not English and couldn't understand what I was asking for. So I paced up and down to prevent myself from freezing to the spot and was mighty relieved when Trev arrived.

We filled up with water and set off again. We went through Hawkesbury Junction, and left the N. Oxford Canal for the Coventry Canal. Now we're on a mission! Trev wants to get back to Warwick (yes again!) at the weekend as it's a Boys' Own Weekend! So we need to be somewhere he can catch a train. The best place appears to be Penkridge, on the Staffs & Worcs Canal, and that's quite a distance. So we need to get going.

We skirted Bedworth, always the best thing to do in such a situation!, went round Nuneaton and moored out in the countryside just beyond BW's Hartshill Yard. The countryside here is delightful--I know I've said it before, but it comes as quite a surprise after the urban environment since before Hawkesbury.

Moored near Hartshill yard on the Coventry Canal
8 miles and 1 lock

Tuesday, 13th December
Another good, fine day, but very cold. Trev did all of the steering whilst I stayed below decks and cleaned and hoovered and washed and cooked for England! But eventually I had to come out as we had eleven locks to do at Atherstone Flight. These were very slow to fill and it slowed us down somewhat, but we did eleven locks in two and a half hours, so were pleased with our progress.

We passed through Atherstone



GOAT AT ATHERSTONE LOCK!

and through more lovely countryside to Polesworth. From here we went through Tamworth and the two Glascote locks, and arrived at Fazeley Junction, where we filled up with water and moored for the night. At Fazeley, the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal goes off to the left, all the way up to Birmingham. It was late in the afternoon when we tied up, and we were glad to get inside and warm up.

Moored at Fazeley Junction on the Coventry Canal
11 miles and 13 locks

Wednesday, 14th December
We set off around ten o'clock and made excellent progress again. We've been so lucky with the weather. Although it has been cold, it's stayed fine and we've been able to cruise for about five hours each day. Trev did all the steering again, whilst I got on with domesticity down below. He had a magical moment when he came to within a metre of a kingfisher on an overhanging branch. The route was rural all the way, the only intrusion being the Ryknild Street at Streethay, now a very busy dual carriageway. But even this had its compensation. Someone had been busy along the verge between the canal and the road and had chopped a load of trees down. The wood was lying there for the taking, and so we loaded up the top of the boat. Now Trev has plenty of work to do when we stop, sawing it up in to stove sized pieces.

We continued on to Fradley Junction, where the Coventry Canal ends and joins the Trent and Mersey Canal. It was very busy here, with boats moored two and three abreast, there was just enough room to steer between them. We moored up just beyond Kings Bromley Marina, in a lovely peaceful spot, with one other boat. Trev did some sawing until it got too dark to see. He only cut himself once........

Moored near Kings Bromley Marina on the Trent & Mersey canal
13 miles and 3 locks

Thursday, 15th December
We travelled to Rugeley where there is a Morrison's right by the canal.So we pulled in and shopped. Then on again and out in to delightful countryside, through pretty vilages, past Shugborough Hall and in to Great Haywood, where the Staffs and Worcs sets off left at the junction, through Birmingham to Worcester. The Trent and Mersey continues on northwards.

We needed water and to offload rubbish,and surprise, surprise, there were two boats moored on the water point, neither of which was taking on water. One of them appeared to be unloading everything from the boat in to a car, the other one was being fitted out. This seems to be more and more the case, this mooring of boats quite indiscriminately, wherever it suits its owner and hang the rest of us. I got off the boat and said we needed to fill up with water. The man who was fitting the boat out didn't reply, the man who was emptying his boat said we could breast up to him. So we did. It was difficult to get the rope across his boat, as the cratch cover was down and I couldn't reach to get on to the bow. In the end he 'generously' opened the cratch cover so that I could walk through. It really was most annoying and he made no offer to move.

Eventually we filled up with water, threw all of the rubbish in to the bins, backed up to the junction and set off down the Staffs and Worcs Canal. It was getting dark, but we only had a short distance to go. We wanted to moor on Tixall Wide, another of our favourite moorings. It's where the canal subsided due to mining and it is a wide expanse of water more resembling a lake than a canal, with lots of wildlife. There was a beautiful sunset.



As we were watching the Midlands News on the television this evening, we heard an item which told us that Central Trains would not be running this weekend. This is the very train that Trev intends to catch. So all of this cruising over the last five days has been in vain..there are no trains from Penkridge!!!!!!!! I really can't understand why it's so difficult to run an efficient transport in such a small country.

Moored at Tixall Wide on the Staffs & Worcs
11 miles and 2 locks

Friday, 16th December
It was a very windy night, the wind howled across the Wide and lapped against the boat as if we were at sea. Ellen McArthur thought she had it hard, she should have been here last night!



CHOPPY WATERS

It was till blowing wildly this morning, and we put off leaving until about 11.00 o'clock, by which time it was slightly better, but still cold and blowy.



A VERY COLD DAY ON THE STAFFS & WORCS

We had decided we would travel as far as Acton Trussell (what a lovely name) and do the final bit of the journey tomorrow, but in the event it wasn't as cold as we had feared and the weather improved during the day, so we continued right in to Penkridge. We shall stay here until Monday. Trev's cousin and her husband live here, and we shall visit them. Trev's cousin's husband took Trev to Wolverhampton to catch the train, so all was well on that front too.

Moored at Penkridge on the Staffs & Worcs
9 miles and 5 locks

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