Wandering Canuck

On the move again.

I left Braunston Marina yesterday, with the Fannin brothers along as crew. We are heading toweards Nuneaton on the Oxford (and Coventry) canals so I can have the boat completely painted. A wonderful day to start a winter cruise: the sun was out, little wind, and temperature about 8 degrees from 1pm. We set out and got to the Hillmorten marina, outside of which we moored for the evening. A pub supper, and then sorting out of arrangements in the boat. Off we were in the morning, with a wake-up call at the Hillmorten locks- the first for Liam and Tom. We arrived at Hawksbury junction, through the stop lock sharp turn onto the Coventry Canal, and then moored for the night. We’ll be to Nuneaton tomorrow. Tom’s comment is “the canal is relaxing and the views are very different than the usual travel methods. I have seen animals (kingfisher, heron, pheasants), and history is from such a different perspective- especially the history connected with the vital role that canals and boats played. We still have cell phones, and internet, though, so we are not completely isolated as the original canal people obviously were.”

All quiet on the canal front, though it is getting a bit nippy. There were small patches of crystalline ice on the water yesterday as we had a cold night. Today is much warmer, and all hints of frost are gone. I’m enjoying the challenges of change ringing bells, and have met a number of very kind folk through the fraternity of campanology (though NO one calls bell-ringing that!).

Am preparing for a short cruise to take the boat in for a complete paint job. This will also be the first (of many, I hope) where I am taking a couple of fellows along as part of their gap year experience in Britain. They are prepared for the cold, but this is a short trip, and will still be a good introduction to canal cruising.

The best of the season to all: I hope that some of the peace and tranquillity of canal life can be a part of your holiday season.

Take care.

All quiet on the British front. Remembrance weekend is the event- and that is a different experience than Remembrance Day in Canada. Such a major single event at Saints, a specific Legion event in many Canadian communities, and a REALLY big deal throughout Britain. There is a palpable feeling of remembrance (understandably so) here in Britain. History is such an immediate, regular , and real experience here, (even though recent history here includes the battle of Bosworth 1485, Hmmm).

I was intrigued, as last week as mom, dad, and I ascended the Watford locks, that there was a Spitfire doing aerobatics just ahead of the locks. I tried to get photos, but the plane was so low- I have a lot of fly speck pics, or out of focus leaves, but this was the best.

aerobatics over the Watford locks- a surprising airshow!

There is something very special to see and hear a plane like that, flying so low and doing things that made the plane so special during that critical time for Britain.

I continue to experience the challenges of learning about change ringing of bells. Physical, mental, and a team activity. There are more than 45 towers with ringable bells within 15km of Braunston, so there are no shortages of opportunities.

The final installment for Mom and Dad.

We arrived back in Braunston, having climbed the Buckby locks, after mooring overnight in Bugbrooke. The church there was completely in the dark and scary, suddenly huge spotlights came on, illuminating the spire and church. Ethereal! We had supper in the Five Bells pub, and wandered back to another great, sheltered mooring, and listened to the raindrops on the roof.

After having lunch in the same cutting and leafy tunnel we had been but 4 days before, we returned through Braunston tunnel, only meeting two boats in the fifteen foot wide (but curvy and varying) tunnel. Makes for particularly cozy passage in the dark! Down the Braunston 6 locks, and put away the lock windlass for good on this trip. I moored in the best mooring space, just outside the marina at the famous (for me) bridge where I have posted pictures of several times. Stayed there over night, listening to the bells of the church, the fireworks all around, and a howling wind in the trees above.

Today (Sunday) we went to the Braunston Church where I am learning to ring the bells, had a brief session as they rang for church and showed mom and dad the belfry. Then, into the mooring for the next month in the marina at Braunston. All through with engines. They depart for Canada tomorrow morning, so it is off to Heathrow for a fun drive in the fall leaves. We’ve had a great time.

The lock experts! you can’t tire us out!

Onward! We went through the Crick tunnel for the fourth time, as we headed south. We went down the Watford locks we had gone up the day before, and then headed towards London on the Grand Union Canal main line, through the Buckby locks towards Bugbrooke, where we are staying the night. We have turned around again, in a VERY tight winding hole (turn-around-place), and are pointed back north so we can make the run to Braunston tomorrow, in preparation for mom and dad’s being set free from lock slavery, into their return to Canada. We had a delightful supper at the Five Bells pub, though a bit pricey! The weather continues to hold, with only a few hints of rain today. Fireworks in the village of Bugbrooke this evening, punctuated by the sound of the main-line railway about 800m from our mooring. Sounds hideous, but British trains are really quiet compared to Canadian ones,  and also MUCH shorter. Really no issue at all.

We arrived back in Crick, having toured from Braunston,

Braunston Locks

and up the Braunston locks, past the infamous pub where I was poisoned earlier. We then traversed the Braunston tunnel, finding that, indeed, meeting a boat is possible without collision. We then moored in the idyllic cutting just after the tunnel. We climbed into Welton, hoping for a meal at the pub, but it was closed. This pub, the White Horse, had memories from my first boat trip, where I learned about skittles.

Braunston tunnel and idyllic, tranquil mooring

We gently toured up the Grand Union Leicester line, through the Watford locks, and then up the canal, aiming to turn around north of Yelvertoft, and return to meet Dad’s shirt-tail relatives at Crick. All good, we did, and met Shirley and Brian Morris, giving them a ride through the Crick tunnel (twice- we had to turn around and take them back to Crick). All good. Had a lovely visit and they didn’t even get seasick!

Watford staircase locks from the top!

Lots to report, but first, thanks to all who post replies or comments. I appreciate your interest and input!

The church in Hartshill was a surprise. The interior was enormous, white, with a false ceiling, installed in the late 1930’s. Very startling and different from the Victorian exterior. Very friendly and welcoming folk there.

A large storm of hurricane proportions was forecast for Sunday night, so we decided to find a well sheltered part of the canal for the evening. I knew of a well sheltered space that I have been to previously (and posted pictures- see Oct 19.), but we were just too far up the canal to get there, so found a place just outside Nuneaton. Storm didn’t materialize until about midnight, then lots of rain and wind- we felt the rain, but only heard the wind- such was the protection offered by the trees and hedges along that part of the canal.

Off we went this morning, and the canal was bursting full of water (the automatic level control run-off places in full use). The weather was blustery and rainy, but our waterproofs worked, and we had no issues, making very good time. We arrived back in Braunston, just as the light from the sun faded into the cloudless sky. Moored up, and then prepared to go to the local pub for supper, in the now dark evening. Dad stepped out of the boat, saw the streetlight, and made for that. Unfortunately, the light was on the opposite side of the canal, and we have definite proof that he has not yet mastered the skill of walking on the waters yet. We fished him out, and the only casualty was his hat which floated away until he reminded me of that, and I saw it going down for the third time. Glad that was only his hat, though!

The Old Plow pub was a warm and welcome place to have our evening meal.

Tonight is a clear, starry sky night: that fall image that is so welcome after a storm. Reminds me of those nights, far from towns and lights, that are so special: crisp fall air, geese flying south (Canada geese- bet the Brits wish we had kept them at home!), and clear starry skies. A great end to a great day of fall canal travels.

We have proceeded south, back down the Coventry canal, having turned off the Trent and Mersey. We went into Atherstone after doing the 11 locks on the way there. The weather had been predicted to be lousy: rain and wind, and cold, but we had a great day. There was wind, but sunny breaks and no rain at all until 8:30 this evening as we walked back from the pub (the third we had been in- and that is saturday night- the first two were rowdy, crowded and no fun at all). We ended up at the Anchor Pub, along the towpath, and had a great meal and evening. Rain on the towpath as we walked back- but of little impact. We’ll go back to Hartshill tomorrow morning for church, then on our way smartly as there are hurricane winds predicted for tomorrow evening, and we know of a place to shelter from nasty weather- about 5h from here. We’ll advise as to progress and results.

Hartshill is a quarry center, where the area has been exploited for stone since Roman times. We could have moored a little further up the towpath, near the Anchor pub (see above) but that is right beside a monster stone processing place where they make granite stuff in all shapes and sizes. Noisy, too- all that rock breaking!

We are continuing to have a great time. Mom and dad are wizards in the locks- and yet they appreciate finding the locks set for us (which means that they are ready for us to directly enter, instead of having to empty or fill the lock first to adjust to our level(canal talk)).  The weather has really been overall kind to us, given this time in late October. Having clear skies, and not yet freezing cold, is certainly appreciated. It is amazing how much better the day is with sunny breaks!

We decided that we should retreat from the flood waters, and have returned up the trent and Mersey canal, back to Burton on Trent last night, and on to Alrewas through another, very small section, of river/canal. The water was very high, Dad stood by with the anchor in case we had engine troubles, and we powered through the fast current. All good, and it was a lovely day to continue. Rain was forecast for the night, and we thought, better go when we can.

We are in Alrewas, a very pretty village, with a great pub for supper (William IV). We intend to return as we came, back to Braunston and then examine options (there are 5) for touring from Braunston in a different direction. All good, because a canal, toured from a different direction, is actually quite a different experience.

We are still enjoying the boating experience, and Mom especially appreciates the narrower locks that we have for the rest of the journey back. I think both of them found the wide locks a bit of a struggle: the gates and paddles are just that much tougher to handle, so not doing the River Soar isn’t that much of a disappointment!

Lots to report today: this was an eventful one. Clare joined us yesterday in Burton upon Trent. She came by train from London, and we hustled along to be able to meet her there. We had been able to attend church in the little village of Wittington, where the people in the church were very friendly and welcoming. They even invited me to assist with the bell ringing- but I’m not ready for that yet. The bell ringers are certainly keen to include visitors!

The weather has been showery, and so we try an arrange stops somewhat with an eye to those rain showers. However… We toured along, and had a break for lunch, but found that the locks changed to wide locks and the gates and paddles are much heavier. Mom has managed brilliantly (she will come back with awesome upper body strength!) Clare had a great time exploring the boat and the many sights and sounds that canal life offers. She helped with the locks, but had twisted her knee, so the variety of unplanned, irregular activities of the locks proved challenging.

We had a pub and mooring in mind, but they were full and so pressed on until the last vestiges of daylight left us with fewer choices of where to moor. There IS a pub in Barrow upon Trent, so we braved an ‘interesting’ mooring spot (plank, spikes, and the near side in the mud), and then through the rain, wandered into the village to the pub. No food… So, the nearest village was a mile away (??) so we walked along a busy road, in the dark, raining, and Clare with a bum knee. We made it, and supper was fine, but hired a cab to get back to the boat.

Today, on we went, arriving in Shardlow, at the junction of the Trent and Mersey Canal, the Derwent river and the Trent River. The light was red, so upon investigation, realized that the recent rains had swollen the 2 mile stretch of the Trent River we needed to travel, to get to the Erewash Canal to get to Long Eaton, so Clare could catch her train. No passage! So, we are moored in Shardlow, and will either have to wait out the flood waters, or to turn around and return along the Trent and Mersey, to choose another path. We’ll advise.

Here is Clare, Mom and Dad, enjoying the liquid sunshine just outside Shardlow, as we continue our British canal exploration. All part of life aboard!