1st July. I spent most of the day laying in groceries and visiting the Coventry Transport Museum. The Museum was free and was very worthwhile. Coventry having been the centre of manufacturing for everything from bicycles to motorbikes to cars to commercial vehicles.
2nd July. Stuart went off to fetch the car and Anne and I went to the arena in front of the Transport Museum to watch the Olympic Torch leave on its next leg at 7am. We were surprised how many people were there to watch it go. We then took a gentle cruise down to Hawkesbury Junction where Stuart met us and they loaded up and left. After filling my water tanks I cleaned the boat and settled down to some work.
3rd July. Left Hawkesbury at 7.30 and headed for the Ashby Canal which is lovely and rural. Stopped at the farm shop near bridge 23 and bought some farm made sausages and a fat prok chop. Stopped at Stoke Golding for lunch and for a walk into the village to see the church which is billed as the prettiest in Liecestershire but was unfortuanately closed. Final stop was at Sutton Wharf on a pontoon with access to the Battle of Bosworth vistitors centre. Walked through to the centre to collect a brochure for the steam train from Snarestone where I will moor up tomorrow and take the train back to the battle site.
SOME OBSERVATIONS
The branch of the canal running from Hawkesbury to Coventry Basin has undergone a lot of spruceing up. There are art works, benches, story boards and decorative fencing to hide the demolished factories. The basin in Coventry is clean and well ordered. Gardens have been planted and facilities for boutique shops created, although in the current economic climate not many have been taken up. The Ashby Canal is very rural and the Ashby Canal Association has been very active. I saw them at work trimming the trees. Again there are story boards and information. Good moorings have been provided to combat the shallow sides and the whole thing is a pleasant experience. However non of this gentrification changes the fact that there are “bad elements” in society. On Sunday evening in Coventry I had obnoxious kids jumping on the boat and pushing the horn. When I went out and told them to get off my boat I was treated to a loud and obscene abuse. At the farm shop yesterday the farmer’s wife told me about her husband having been attacked twice and that although Stoke Golding was a “nice village” there were “a few bad apples” who got drunk and had been giving boaters a hard time. The notice above is on the tow path near where I am moored. All sad indications of an apparent increase in antisocial behaviour.
4th July. On a brighter note I have had a great day. Cruised down to Skackerstone this morning and took the Heritage Train back to Shenton to visit the Battle of Bosworth Museum. On the way back I stopped at the Market Bosworth Station and walked the mile or so into the little market town which is a solid example of middle England. Caught the last train back to the boat in the sunshine which stayed long enough to facilitate sitting on the deck for a few hours and a quick walk through the village. Now it is raining again and the last two showers have been quite heavy!
6th July. After a 23.5 mile dash over 9 hours I am moored up at Hartshill on a solid towpath to wait out todays deluge. Following the wettest June on record we are forecast to receive one months rainfall in 9 – 12 hours! Could get even soggier!
7th July. Cruised through to Polsworth today including the 11 lock Atherstone flight. Walked into village to find Police Station, there isn’t one but there were quite a few policemen around. More on that in a mo. I spotted the boat “Lade Shiela” between the 4th & 5th locks at Atherstone. This is the one in the Police notice on the Ashby Canal so I wanted to report it. The Police presence in the village was because of the flooding and road closures. The River Anker is in serious spate. One is isolated from all this on the canal!
9th July. What a long day. Over 28 miles and 8 locks which took, including a stop at Streethay Wharf to buy diesel, thirteen hours! Knackered, just about does justice to how I felt on arrival back in my mooring at Aston, tinged with a fair dose of relief. No sooner had I got the awning up than the rain, that had held off all day, started again.
10th July. Still raining. My cousin Susan is driving across from Liecester to visit today.
16th July. After several days messing about in Stone with medical things and doing minor DIY on the boat John and Sandi Fowkes arrived today and I was able to get out on the cut again. It was pouring and we only went as far as Stone.
17th July. Up to Burlestone today for a visit to the Wedgwood Factory and Museum. Such a lot to see that I just get a little more on each visit! After that we cruised south again and got as far as Br 86 which is close to the pretty village of Burston where we visited the church and had a pint at the pub.
18h July. Into Tixal Wide and off to visit Shrugborough Hall today where Sandi learnt the finer points of cheese making and enjoyed a taste of gracious living! The day ended with a lovely soft sunset and on our way back to the boat Sandi and I were treated to the sound and sight of a Song Thrush.
19th July. Back to Aston Marina and a start on clearing up in preparation for our departure to Wells tomorrow. John and Sandi took me out to dinner at the Marina Bistro where we enjoyed a selection from their very good new menu. A nice finish to a good visit.
20th July. Woke up in Wells this morning to the treat of a lovely Green Woodpecker on Jon & Nicki’s driveway. This morning I am going into the showroom to help with some paining for the re-arrangment that they have planned.
Wells has sponsored swans all over town at the moment. They are very decorative and festive. In the evening I took Jon, Nicki, Charlotte and Marian out to dinner to celebrate Jon’s 50th which is on the 25th Jluy and Marian’s birthday which is on Monday. We had a very good meal at “Goodfellow’s”.
I think I have to show you more of Wells and more of the Swans. They are all over town, sponsored by various groups for charity, at some point they will be auctioned off. Jon has one on his forecourt that he and the other businesses there have sponsored.
25th July. Cruised to Tixal Wide today. I could not get an O2 signal to sort out the phone so gave up in disgust and came to my best place on the canals.
26th July. Cycled to explore Cannock Chase today and really enjoyed a 21 mile ride.
27th July. Cruised to Penkridge and moored up just below Filance Lock. Got hold of O2 on line and got phone connectivity sorted out. Went to the Crossed Keys pub to watch the Olympic opening ceremony which was awsome.
28th July. Left Penkridge quite late after a walk into town to buy the weekend FT and cruised to Cross Green in readyness for an early start tomorrow to get through the narrow cutting before the traffic builds up.
29th July. Onto the lovelt Shroppie today and moored up at Wheaton Aston.
30th July. A long and wet day as I cruised through to Market Drayton, 19 miles and 5 locks over 8 hours. Now that I am moored up the sun is shining! I am hoping that the sign writer will be able to come over and finnish off the boat tomorrow. In any event I will stay here for at least two if not three nights. I am well ahead of schedule. Todays cruise took me through the interesting inland ports of Norbury Junction and Tyrley Wharf and under one of the oddest bridges on the canals.
capetocarpe 