July 30 - August 5 Dog & Doublet to Cropredy on the South Oxford Canal

Tuesday July 30 Dog & Doublet to Fazeley Junction (3 ½ miles, 3 locks)

After a weekend to celebrate Flo's 89^th Birthday, we returned to Annie, John with a slight hangover! Dull but dry, so we set off to find the locks set. Liana had a nice chat with the lady living by the bottom lock. The rain started, so Liana steered while John put on his waterproofs and brolly. By Fazeley it was time to stop, as the weather was horrid. Later we bought fish & chips close by, for a change. The Mill craft shops had all gone, sadly. With heavy rain falling, we stayed. John felt ill overnight ….. we think fatty foods don't help. At least Liana slept well.

Wednesday July 31 Fazeley Junction to Polesworth

We slept in and set off late, now it was dry. Liana checked the junction, John came round the corner and a moored boat set off just behind him, surprising him when he looked back!

Liana and others walked the mile to the two Glascote locks, where there was a queue above and below. Boats took turns and crossed over in the central pound, which worked well, despite one impatient boater who didn't want to wait for an oncoming boat to enter our lock. It took a while, but we had a pleasant social event!

We cruised on but stopped at Polesworth, at our previous mooring, as clouds darkened. We had lunch and stayed here, as we both felt tired. Binge watched Downton Abbey bluray set, which we have just discovered we like.

Thursday 1 August Polesworth to Atherstone and on to Sutton Stop

John spotted six boats all pointing our way, when an early boat woke him, so set off just before 0800, much to Liana's surprise. She had thought he was starting the engine to charge our failing batteries. These cut out the inverter when less than about 91% charge, which seems weird. Even if they are only 18 months old, it seems that they have had it, or at least some of them have. John is investigating replacements, but the best cost a fortune. It was only two miles to the eleven Atherstone locks, but we didn't find a queue, happily, although boats were ahead of us. An Australian family in the boat behind helped us up the first two locks, but we got into a steady rhythm and ascended the locks fine, despite a family of ducklings trying to die in one lock with Annie. John managed to shoo them out without harm, eventually. Three volunteers helped us at the top lock. We watered Annie partly, but the tap was slow. John did Loo tanks and Liana did rubbish, The Australian family appeared half an hour later.

Sister Alison arrived, and she and Liana went for our car, taking one car to Cropredy, Oxfordshire and returning in the other to Sutton Stop. John took Annie along the long pound through Nuneaton and Bedworth, past Marston Junction. Arriving at Hawkesbury Junction, he turned Annie and Liana helped her through the Sutton Stop stop lock. After mooring, we adjourned to the Greyhound for a couple of pints. Played Settlers of Catan and watched more Downton Abbey later.

Friday 2 August Hawkesbury to below Hillmorton locks (12 miles, 0 locks)

It's a pleasant, quietly pretty route to Hillmorton. First, after the electricity sub station, you see the M6 and Wyken Arm, now moorings. Anstey has a scenic embankment above the houses. Many loops were cut off about 1830, when they shortened the convoluted 43 mile route by 15 miles! Picturesque Horseley iron bridges sometimes mark their disappearance into the undergrowth. John had to take speedy avoiding action when a hire boat appeared at a bridge hole on a corner. Some offside vegetation was overgrown, and John was taking Annie through a short narrow section when an oncoming boat came on regardless. As the grey haired steerer was heading straight for Annie, John moved to scrape along the side and the two boats JUST missed colliding by inches, as the other steerer turned, too. John commented as we passed “Perhaps you could have waited in that wider part back there, Sir”. He could have said more! He was ready for a glass of red wine once we moored up short of the locks at Hillmorton. Chinese Chicken, peas and new potatoes went down well, as did the big helpings of strawberries and cream – yum!

Saturday August 3 up Hillmorton locks to Braunston and the South Oxford Canal (7 ½ miles, 3 locks)

Liana and Ali operated the locks themselves this fine morning. We met a solitary CRT volunteer at the top lock. John backed Annie to avoid a nice Steve Hudson boat emerging, then entered. Once up, we motored through mainly pleasant countryside to Braunston, apart from the big building programme where the Hillmorton masts used to be. John had his third near miss in three days when a lady driving a hire boat came round the corner, panicked and went into reverse, which resulted in her boat slowing but carrying on remorselessly, straight towards the middle of Annie! John revved up and turned Annie quickly around the other boat, just avoiding getting T Boned! He did comment “Normally it's the lady who dances around the gentleman!” with a smile, as we parted.

John visited the Midland Chandlers, we moored near bridge 99 after the Old Turn and had lunch. John typed up this blog, before we set off towards Napton. Finding a pleasant country mooring after bridge 99, we used chains on the armco and got the chairs out. Liana played her computer game, Ali read and John had a beer and admired the view of the wheatfield.

Sunday August 4 from bridge 99 past Wigrams Turn and up the Napton Flight to Marston Doles and on past bridge 129 Wormleighton (12 miles, 9 locks)

The night had been stormy, with thunder, lightning and rain. It was a lovely morning, and John set off at 8am the 5 ½ miles to Napton Locks, passing loads of moored boats. We saw a magnificent dairy herd of what looked like dark oak brown water buffalo, with big horns like an Irish harp. We must look up the breed, which was unfamiliar to John. This section of canal is like the centre bar in a capital letter “H”, being used by both the Oxford canal and Grand Union Canal, so is very busy. We saw lots of hire boats. Annie passed through the tightish Shuckburgh turns uneventfully. At Napton we chatted with various folk including hire boaters who were son and grandchildren of the owner of Napton narrowboats, grabbing a free holiday from grandad! John helped two CRT men reach a dead sheep in one pound, by using the propeller to push the sheep towards the towpath. It worked! Reaching the top, we watched a helicopter taking off from behind the buildings there – obviously high flying business executives. We stopped half a mile beyond for lunch, at a favourite mooring spot. John likes the twisty summit level, which has nine miles on one page of Pearson's guide, instead of the customary four! Sadly, the scenery after bridge 126 has been blighted by HS2, as the train tracks should cross the canal near bridge 128, ruining the isolated peace here. We moored just after bridge 129, with a lovely view across the shallow valley North of the canal in the evening sun. We played our nightly games of Settlers of Catan, followed by an episode of Downton in WW1, rather sad. John has started reading Mortal Engines, by Philip Reeve, suggested by daughter Sarah – a weird tale of cities which move across a post-apocalyptic world on caterpillar tracks, but interesting – thank you! Liverpool lost to Man City on penalties after a quality match for the Community Shield :(

Monday August 5 Along the South Oxford Canal through Wormleighton to Claydon Locks and Cropredy (8 miles, 8 locks, Engine hours EH 3874)

With Ali watching at the tight corners and bridgeholes, we enjoyed the unspoilt rural countryside for over six miles, until we reached Claydon. The sunny start to the day slowly clouded over as the day progressed, but it was a lovely trip today. At Fenny Compton we stopped for water behind a boat moored on the water point, so John had to bang in a pin to moor the boat stern. Although it was approaching 10am, the chap came up grumbling about us waking him! He answered John when he asked if there was an Elsan point, but proceeded to grumble and use F words near the girls, as he moved his boat with bad grace. Liana did a “speak to the hand!” gesture, which quietened him.

We passed into Oxfordshire from Warwickshire at the first Oxford Canal lift bridge we met. At Claydon top lock, the old Oxford Canal Co warehouse was being converted tastefully to a cottage. We joined a small queue,chatted to fellow boaters and the time passed pleasantly down the five locks, which are close together in a “thick”. We passed a workboat between locks 2 and 3, and an oncoming boater between locks 4 and 5. John made tea for us to drink in the mile before our last locks. We passed slowly down the last three locks, behind two other boats. One oncoming steerer advised us where there was still free mooring space, before and opposite the new marina, just after these locks and before the village. This we found to be true.

Having found a reasonable rough bank mooring, we used four paired mooring pins to secure front and back (bow and stern to matelots), plus two single pins to secure spring ropes. Hopefully these should help stop the main mooring pins coming out as boats pass.

Walking the short distance to Ali's car, parked by bridge 150 at the bottom of the locks, we checked out the Brasenose Arms in Cropredy. The Sausage and Mash, Gammon steak and Chicken Diane were ok, and the beer was fine. The local convenience store nearby had wine at £10 a bottle, rather than about £6, and bottles of Hobgoblin for £2.99, rather than £1.25 …. was the owner's name Turpin? We gave it a miss. I am sure they will sell out this weekend, anyway.

In the evening we played Settlers of Catan for the last time: Liana 5 games, Ali 3, John only 2 :(

July 25-26 Gas Street Birmingham to Dog & Doublet Bodymoor Heath

Thursday July 25 Down Farmers Bridge and 8 Aston locks to Aston Cross Business Village visitor moorings

After our Jazz night, Liana wanted us to get down the locks early, before it got too hot. However, it was already sunny when we set off before 0800. We were worried about Honeypie getting heat stroke, so Liana tried to keep her cool by making her sit in the shade and wear wet towels. She wasn't happy to stay on board alone, as the engine sounds frighten her. We soon established a rhythm, a modus operandi, for working the locks: It's interesting that this can vary from lock flight to lock flight, depending on such things as closedness of locks; type of paddles (gate and/or ground); number of bottom gates (2 usually, 1 on BCN), lock ladder availability and position of bollards at lock. Liana made sure the next lock top gate was open, then opened the bottom gates for John to drive Annie straight into the next lock, close the top gates, open 1 or 2 bottom paddles and get back on Annie as she dropped in the lock chamber …... etc.

We completed the 13 farmers bridge locks by 1015, and John found a shady mooring just past the top of the Aston flight, on the offside. It was one of those 1980s quality jobs which have been left unmaintained, sadly. However! First, we got out shears and yard brush, swept up broken glass, litter and leaves. Then we spotted a gang of Community Payback young offenders with their supervisor tidying up, and Liana had a word, after which they improved on our work. It was too hot to carry on, so we hid from the sun until 1700 (5pm), when clouds appeared. John backed Annie the short distance to the Aston top lock, which had its top gate open! All the locks were set for us, and seven out of eight top gates were open – we think this may be due to their balance, rather than boater idleness: Whatever, we were grateful, as it helped us! We moored on excellent visitor moorings with rings after lock 8/11, by Aston Cross Business Village. The small shop close by was just closing, but Liana managed to get us beans, orange squash and two Classic choc ices – hoorah! It was very quiet, felt safe and we chatted to a security guard who passed by later. We all cooled down as the shadows lengthened.

Friday July 26 Aston Cross Business Village to the Dog & Doublet pub, Bodymoor Heath (9 miles, 14 locks)

Not as hot, but warm. Liana took the train from Aston with Honeypie to collect the car from rugeley. After completing the last three Aston locks. John took Annie to Salford Junction and on to the three Minworth locks. Liana had a yellow cloth for HP (and a lazy eye) and was treated very well by a lady, who organised help for her at the next station, believing her to be partially sighted! Liana was bemused, but loth to be rude, so went along with it – probably good, as the route to the other platform was indeed weird!

Reaching the Dog & Doublet, Liana walked up the Curdworth locks to meet John at lock 2. It was not as hot, so HP was ok. Annie was following a boat, so we had to fill each lock, until we moored on rings at the end of the moorings before the pub.

“We” decided to go home, but regretted it when we hit all the Friday night traffic. Started off badly when John put in right street, but got wrong town on the Sat Nav!! Popped in on Liana's mum Flo in Nottingham, home by 10pm, thankfully …. and Liana started the washing!

July 18-24 up to Gnosall then on to Birmingham

Thursday July 18 Coven to Wheaton Aston

Friday July 19 Wheaton Aston to Gnosall

Saturday July 20 at Gnosall Canal Festival

Sunday July 21 Gnosall to lunch at Wheaton Aston then on to visitor morning by Pendeford stop gates

Monday July 22 Rachel's Birthday. Up the Wolverhampton 21

Tuesday July 23 Wolverhampton to the Black Country Museum, Dudley with Michael Scott

Wednesday July 24 Our 38^th Wedding Anniversary. On to Birmingham Gas Street Basin, with a visit from Michael & Wendy Scott

We had very secure moorings on the services side behind the Black country Museum: Now they open the new swing bridge at 1645 (4.45pm old money), so you can't cross it to get to the access gate with a CRT padlock. The old bridge by the tunnel is locked, too. A side gate on our side has a combination lock, probably for the Dudley Tunnel folk. We set off after breakfast along the old Brindley line, winding along on the Wolverhampton level. Liana walked Honeypie until the Tividale viaduct, which passes over the canal from the Netherton tunnel. John took Annie into the large (and not too shallow) basin at Tipton, and found a lady liveaboard moored there: This could be why there were many fewer lilies. We carried on past Oldbury, to find masses of scaffolding supporting work on the raised M5 section, below which the canal curves, past the Stewart Aqueduct. Once through the summit tunnel, we soon reached the three Smethwick Locks, where we had good chats with a large merry Christian out walking with his family, then with a boating couple coming up the locks. It was after 1300 / 1pm when we reached the crowds at Brindley Place, to meet Michael and Wendy Scott. We all lunched at the Mailbox Pizza Express, then toured the Oozells, Icknield Port and Soho Loops before returning to Gas Street. We tried the beer and cider at the reopened James Brindley pub, now called the Canal House . It was Jazz night, so we enjoyed the music, including later as we ate spaghetti bolognese together on Annie. It's good to catch up with our old friends.

July 13-17 Rugeley to Coven

Saturday July 13 back to Rugeley

Sunday July 14 Rugeley to Tixall Wide

Monday July 15 Tixall Wide to Penkridge

TuesdayJuly 16 Penkridge to Gailey

Wednesday July 17 Gailey to the Fox & Anchor, Coven (3,5 miles, 0 locks)

This morning John woke up late, had liver, bacon and mushrooms, then ran the engine to charge up the dodgy batteries. Then he got on with fitting packing to the stern gland, which has been dripping rather too much, recently. While he was at it, he used nappies to dry out the bilge. Annie's 55hp Isuzu engine has a manual pump to take out the old warm engine oil, so John did this too and replaced the oil filter before adding new classic marine engine oil, with no additives, perfect for low revving (600 – 1250 rpm mainly) narrowboat engines. Liana sorted out the boat, got rid of rubbish and helped John tidy up afterwards: He needed Swarfega and a shower!

Friend Andrew messaged us asking our location, as he was in the area. Unfortunately we missed him – John now knows how to switch on his ringer sound – sad or what?

After a pleasant hour or two dawdling along, we moored by the Fox & Anchor pub at Coven, one of our usual moorings ….. although this time, we're eating on board, I am told. Rachel may be bringing her dog Honeypie for us to look after for a while, so this is handy, being close to the M54.

July 1 - 5 Braunston to Rugeley

Monday 1 July Braunston to Brinklow after bridge 35 (miles, 5 locks)

Liana, Dave and Phil moved cars this morning, leaving two at Alvecote and returning in the third. Meanwhile, John and Jan moved Annie down the two bottom locks in the sun, then filled up with water by the Stop House. John moored Annie briefly at Midland Chandlers to get oil filters, then we set off Northwards, once Liana had passed Jan her camera! After lunch, Dave steered Annie to get practice with a longer 60 foot boat, ready for their new boat, soon to be revealed. John steered Python for the first time, with Phil keeping a careful eye. John took Python through the three Hillmorton locks smoothly. We had a good chat as we went along, and things went fine, with only one bit of excitement: As John was close to a bridge hole on a corner, a hire boat appeared, moving quickly on the wrong (ie our) side. He discovered that Python, being ballasted light at the front to get close to the bank for vegetation cutting, veers to the left when put hard in reverse! As it happened, this worked well, and John signalled the other boat to continue passing on the wrong side, while we stayed near the left side bank. Clearly, reversing needs to be alternated with a bit of forward gear to steer in the right direction. Dave said Annie was a dream in reverse, as she just slows down in a straight line!

John took Python through Newbold Tunnel, and was impressed with Annie headlamp, looking back.

Dave and Liana moored Annie just past bridge 35, and John breasted up Python with her, as it was too shallow next to the bank. Liana's chilli con carne with rice and a couple of beers went down well as we all chatted before bed!

Tuesday 2 July Brinklow to the Anchor Inn, Hartshill (miles, 1 lock)

This mooring is a lovely setting, looking across to a pretty farm. John saw granny taking grandson to feed the livestock, before we set off in the sun. We have moored here before. We started the day with Liana's bacon butties. Dave, Jan and Phil steered Python, while John followed with Annie. We all moored before the stop lock at Sutton Stop/Hawkesbury Junction, and ate Liana's ham and cheese toasties for lunch again – yum! After homage to Bacchus at the Greyhound Inn, we moved the boats through the lock, turned through the bridge and reversed to the services, where John had help from Liana and Jan to carry all the loo holding tanks to the Elsan point, and we dumped rubbish and recycled glass. John led the way northwards, past the Ashby canal junction and through Bedworth, where we all marvelled at the dummies and decorations at Charity Dock. We all enjoyed the sunny day, passing old mine branches, quarries and spoil heaps. Nuneaton looks quite tidy as you pass through. We passed the photogenic CRT yard at Hartshill, happily still used, and moored outside the Anchor Inn, as recommended by Jan & Dave. They were right! Three of us had a great meal of local butcher's faggots, Phil had Hunters Chicken, while Liana had tasty chicken a la crème with (soggy) chips underneath it. Mine host was full of good humour, and we all had fun.

Wednesday 3 July Hartshill to Bradley Green, below Atherstone Bottom Lock( miles, 11 locks)

Thursday 4 July Farewell to Python and crew. Bradley Green to Hopwas (miles, 2 locks)

Friday 5 July Hopwas to Fradley Junction and on to Rugeley 14 miles, 3 locks)

June 26-30 at Braunston for the Working Boat Rally

Wednesday 26 June at Braunston (Engine Hours 3757, 0 miles, 0 locks)

We have decided to have a chilled week here at Braunston.

We popped into Bottom Lock Chandlers and saw Diane plus Annie's builder Phill Abbott. They are closing their chandlers and moving their boat building business to Braunston Marina. Finding 50% reductions in the Wharf Narrowboats chandlery in their closing down sale, John bought new shiny pigeon box brasses, aneroid barometer, ventilator brasses and lots of replacement double switches on solid brass back plates, a boathook support, elastics, stainless steel shackles, etc etc. John bought their last 14mm rope to make two extra long centre ropes, useful for river locks, plus chain to make a mooring chain from (we have the rings), all for £140, with 50% off. We went back twice more later for other bits and pieces!

We had decided to have a full breakfast at the Gongoozlers Rest narrowboat cafe by Braunston Marina. John enjoyed his breakfast, although their sausage is not too good. After a walk around Braunston Marina and quick visit to chandlery and shop, we walked up the hill to the village. The impressive local butcher was cheery, and we bought a couple of pies plus two each of four different types of his sausages to try! At Tradline Fenders John bought thinner rope to make Turks Head knots from, to decorate the tiller. The new shiny brass ceiling ventilators and three switches look fabulous. The old switches now look tacky! We had a drink at the Admiral Nelson, chilled in the sun and watched tv later.

Thursday 27 June at Braunston

We walked up Dark Lane to the car with dirty washing and rubbish, which we dropped off at Midland Chandlers. John bought red oxide primer and clips to use with the rear boat cover. John spent the day making eye splices and back splices on the new centre ropes, plus checked and remade the back splices on the older ropes. He needed friend Norman's dad's wonderful knot book (pub. In the 1930s) to remind him what to do. Liana took the car to Nottingham, washed all our dirty washing, plus went shopping with mum Flo. After visiting garden centre and eating together at the Willow Tree down the road, Liana left her mum and returned to Braunston. We also saw Chesterfield canal trust working boat Python pass us to moor in the marina for the Rally this coming weekend. We watched England women beat Norway 3-0, playing well.

Friday 28 June at Braunston with Jan and Dave Warsop

We had a pleasant day walking around Braunston village and the marina area. The village butcher looks impressive – we bought two each of four different types of their sausages, including unusual black sausage/pork sausages. We did a few jobs around the boat. As they were selling their boat, friends Jan and Dave joined us in the evening to stay with us over the Working Boat Rally weekend and after, when we all took Python on to Alvecote. We met Pythoneers Dave Atkinson and Paul, too.

Saturday 29 June Braunston Working Boat Rally

After Liana made us all a full English breakfast, Jan and Dave disappeared to get Python ready for the day, with Dave and Shirl Atkinson, plus Sently, another Pythoneer.

Pythoneers were busy, so we both had a great day going round the stalls, admiring the moored working boats. The sun was scorching! As usual, we spent the late morning watching the boat procession from our favourite vantage point on the famous cast iron double Old Turn bridges, made by Horseleys in the late 1800s. Seeing pairs of working boats doing three point turns around the island is always entertaining, for a variety of reasons! When unsuspecting boaters arrive in the middle of the chaos, stewards try to help them navigate through, but it can be lively. We lunched on turkey, stuffing and cranberry rolls in the Gongoozler's Rest. In the beer tent, we met boaters and local bell ringers, who invited John to ring the church bells before the marina church service tomorrow.

In the evening, we had a few pints and a meal at the Admiral Nelson, sitting in the shade, as the sun was so hot. Sently and John had filling mixed grills, and everyone enjoyed their meals. Shirl, Dave, Sently, plus ourselves and Jan & Dave, had an amusing time together, with plenty of repartee. Oh yes: Liana and I are now becoming members of the Chesterfield Canal Trust.

Sunday 30 June Braunston Working Boat Rally

John had to dash to ring the bells, as we got the time wrong!. He rang Plain Hunt, Grandsire Doubles and Plain Bob Doubles (ok, ok, this is just for ringers who may want to know!!) with the local ringers plus two other boaters, including Elaine Scott, who rang wearing her traditional canal boatwoman's bonnet. The local ringers welcome boaters, and practise on Thursday evenings at 1930. Jan & Dave went to Python, who was one of the last two boats in Sunday's procession, so would set off about 1 pm. AJ Canopies quoted about £1550 for a rear canopy, when we popped in. We were invited to be on board, so, after a quieter morning at the Old Turn watching boats, we returned and enjoyed being part of the procession, for the first time. Dave Warsop did a great job steering Python, while we chatted to our CCT friends and looked decorative!

In the evening, we first ate the tasty chicken a la crème with rice Liana had prepared on Friday, then adjourned to the beer tent to enjoy the excellent band and cheap, tasty beer. As it got later, and kegs emptied, the beer got cheaper, first £2, then free! We were all exhausted (a euphemism?), so slept well (some people loudly!).

June 15 - 25 Gayton to Crick, Foxton, Crick and Braunston

Saturday 15 June Gayton Junction to Furnace Wharf, Nether Heyford (5 miles, 0 locks)

Sunday 16 June Nether Heyford to Stowe Hill (1.5 miles, 0 locks)

Monday 17 June at Stowe Hill with a visit to National Trust at Canons Ashby with Jan & Dave Warsop

Tuesday 18 June Stowe Hill to New Inn, Buckby Wharf (6 miles, 7 locks)

Wednesday 19 June Buckby Wharf to Crick (5.5 miles, 7 locks)

Thursday 20 June John at Crick painting Annie while Liana pops home (0 miles, 0 locks)

Friday 21 June Crick to Yelvertoft and beyond to bridge 27 visitor moorings (5 miles,0 locks)

Saturday 22 June Winwick bridge 27 to Foxton (13 miles, 0 locks)

Sunday 23 June down and up Foxton Locks, visited by Rachel and her church group (6 miles, 20 locks)

Monday 24 June Foxton top lock to Crick (18 miles, 0 locks)

Tuesday 25 June Crick to Braunston in the rain (9 miles, 11 locks)

After a rainy night, we waited until after ten, when the rain abated a bit. We passed through Crick Tunnel with no one else around, to emerge into light rain, which seemed to last most of the day, sadly. We joined the queue as sixth boat at Watford, and Liana helped at the locks while John emptied a couple of loo holding tanks at the top lock Elsan point.

At the bottom, Liana managed to get a young man to register with the lock keepers, rather than start coming up the locks, with six coming down!

The rain was coming down heavily as we reached Norton Turn, so John stopped for lunch before Braunston Tunnel. He needed a change of clothes, too. The cutting before the tunnel had a lot of overhanging branches (CRT please note). Later, we passed through the slightly twisty tunnel by ourselves, which must be a first. After waiting for the following boat NB Sarah Kate, we passed down four locks together. Spotting a free berth in that longer pound below the Admiral Nelson pub, we moored up for the week!

We watched an excellent soccer game between Japan and Holland this evening. Japan played surprisingly well, with quick, neat passing, and closed down the bigger Dutch girls, not giving them time to play their usual game, clearly frustrating them. Japan were very unlucky to give away a penalty in the last minutes, to lose 2-1. What a good Womens World Cup this has been.