Thursday 28th August.

Back to the Marina after a fantastic Summer. We saw lovely parts of England, had just enough adrenaline rushes to keep us on our toes, met up with friends along the way and our boat behaved brilliantly!

The weather was kind to us.

July 1st 2014

August 28th 2014

A few stats to end with. This summer we have done

Total miles 417 

Locks 258

Engine hours 224

Since we bought the boat we have done 760 miles. 

I know that lots of people have been following our progress and we hope to improve on the blog next year. Maybe even a map to show where we are!

Wednesday 27th August

A lovely sunny day as we headed along the Coventry Canal from Whittington. Streethay Wharf was busy and the white lorry in the centre of the photo is on the A38 which we always pass on our way to/from the Marina. 70mph on one side of the Wharf, 3-4 mph on the other.

Passing through the Swing Bridge from the Coventry Canal at Fradley Junction.

A wide sweep as Graham steers the boat passed the iconic 'Swan' (also known as The Mucky Duck) at Fradley. It was quite busy but not too bad.

We were now back on The Trent and Mersey canal and exiting the first of 3 locks from this direction.

A clear run to Alrewas. The village holds an Arts Festival each August. Last year they had knitting round the trees. This time it seemed to be quilting. Knowing how much work goes into this hobby I don't think I would be offering to hang pieces on the trees!

We moored at Branston Water Park where the pub 'The Bridge Inn' serves lovely Italian food. We didn't manage to visit last year so we were pleased that the timing worked out this time. Our friends Kathy and John whom we met on a skiing holiday over 3 years ago were returning from their cruise today to their home in Rugeley. After we called them they jumped in the car and joined us. The map is out seeing where they had been. They are very experienced narrowboaters and they were the ones who encouraged us to cruise the Tidal Thames. A lovely evening to catch up and think about next year's adventure!

Tuesday 26th August

We must have been more tired than we realised after our day of sailing in the pouring rain as we didn't wake until 7.45am which is most unusual for us. 

Graham did the maintenance whilst I walked down into Polesworth for the shopping. We set off at 11am after it had stopped raining - well done Kate for predicting the time of the rain stopping! The sky was very grey but, after an hour a small blue patch was spotted.

This didn't last long and it was 4pm before the sun finally broke through.

Yesterday we had met some restored work boats as we were coming through the Atherstone flight and today we passed the rally which they had been attending. It was at Alvecote and apparently there were about 60 boats there. They have a procession and then are judged by their ability to wind (turn) and then process back. Some boats had already left but there were still quite a few in the marina. We wondered how they had all fitted in.

Hope that this trolley wasn't left by boaters after they had brought the shopping home.

When a canal needs to be drained for repairs, planks are inserted at pinch points along the canal to dam the water. The planks are often stored nearby and this section of the Coventry canal has quite a few bridges which have spaces in them for storage.

We  have moored for the night at Whittington. Fradley tomorrow and then we are definitely on the homeward run.

Monday 25th August

It's Bank Holiday Monday so that can only mean one thing......Rain!

It poured all day. we donned the wet weather clothes and as this selfie shows, we were smiling in the rain.

We left Hawkesbury and headed up past Bedworth and Nuneaton to the Atherstone Flight. We arrived at 4 pm and decided to see how we progressed  down the flight with the intention of stopping if we had had enough. 

Nearly all the locks were set in our favour and we discovered that there had been a working boat rally at Alvecote and the boats were leaving and coming up the flight setting all the locks for us!

We made good time and continued to Polesworth. The moorings here on rings are good for visitors. After mooring just before 7pm we put the radiators on, had lovely warm showers and feel very snug having covered many miles. Apparently the rain is due to end at 10am tomorrow. Watch this space!

Sunday 24th August.

Again sunshine greeted us but for the last few days the early moorings have been lovely and then the clouds roll in and it becomes much cooler. We were only about a mile from Hillmorton Locks. Graham on lock duty and me on the tiller.

There is a good mural under one of the bridges in Rugby.

This tree was down 6 weeks ago and absolutely nothing has been done about it.

We reached Hawksbury Junction about 6.15pm. Here the canal does a hairpin bend after dropping all of 6" from the Oxford canal onto the Coventry. Graham is executing a wide turn and luckily nothing was coming the other way.

And here we are safely on the Coventry getting ready to moor for the night.

Saturday 23rd August

Awoke to blue skies and had an easy passage down the Napton locks as there were quite a few other boaters with large crews to work the locks. We went to the village shop and by the time we returned to the wharf there were lots more people and boats about. Moving them all around the water points and onto lock moorings was a challenge. Luckily we had moored round the corner.

The pub at the bottom of the Napton Flight is called The Folly. We remembered it from 2009 when we were considering moving to this area and visited the canal one day and had lunch there. We thought we would do so again so we spent much longer here than we had planned. 

As we moored after the locks we realised that we were behind a boat called Dolly Blue with a single guy called Steve. Jon had helped him through locks on the Macclesfield canal a year ago and had we been a couple of days earlier Jon could have found himself called into action again!

The windmill for which Napton on the Hill is famous was difficult to see but as we headed away from the village there was a good view.

Onto Braunston Junction where, on Tuesday 8th we had set off down the Grand Union Canal for London. Our loop was now complete and we will be retracing the miles for the next few days as we return to the Marina at Willington.

I have never seen so many different colours of cows in the same field!

As you pass boats you always say hello to anyone sitting at the front and then to the helmsman at the back. We greeted the lady at the front but when the stern passed it was steering itself! We wonder if they had rigged up some sort of control so that it can be driven from inside. We kept looking back but no one appeared and it kept quite a straight course. Very strange.

Friday 22nd August

Better weather today and some blackberry picking by Claydon locks as Jill and Jon helped us. Jon showed that he had remembered the correct technique for holding a boat ( Well done Jon - heading for the next level badge!)

It was a straightforward run down to Fenny Compton where we enjoyed lunch in The Wharf pub before our guests caught the bus back to Banbury and we contined through the North Oxfordshire countryside.

It seemed very isolated at times despite the fact that it is in the centre of the country. HS2 is destined to pass this way. We shall see if it is ever built.

Having reached the summit, we started the descent to Napton. Time was getting on and we guessed that all the moorings would be taken as the hire boats line up for their return to the base tomorrow. We did pass through a couple of locks and moored at a very pleasant spot just before the main flight. 

This sign on a lock building seemed very appropriate.

Thursday 21st August

Jill and Jon arrived at 11am and after coffee we set off through the lock and lift bridge in the centre of Banbury. The weather was good enough to enjoy ice creams at Cropredy. The sign has seen better days.

Whilst in Broadmoor lock - interesting name, the engine hours clicked onto 1000.0. Just time to take a photo before dealing with the currents in the lock which have been quite strong on this section.

Jill and Jon continued with their sterling work on the lock beam gates. The weather was decidedly chilly and we even had to put the heating on for an hour after we moored.

Just to prove that Graham can accomplish other tasks than helming.

This duck was certainly having a bad hair day!

We moored just before the Claydon flight of 5 locks.

Wednesday 20th August

Having met quite a few hire boats yesterday we decided to make an early start and cover a few miles before the holiday makers started off. We were on our way by 7.30 am and the mist over the canal was lovely.

We passed through the Heyfords and came to Somerton Deep Lock. (12' and the deepest on the narrow canal system). Graham certainly looked a long way down and the gates and paddles were very heavy.

The adjoining lock keepers cottage was well kept.

A pump out at Aynho Wharf followed and I suggested to Graham that we had a 'Boaters Breakfast' at the nearby Great Western Arms pub. We had been recommended the pub by fellow boaters. Unfortunately they didn't serve breakfast! It was back to porridge on the move.

Aynho Weir lock has a fall of only 8" but it has a diamond shape. Hard to keep the boat in a straight position and Graham was sometimes in splendid isolation in the middle.

Quite a few lift bridges on this canal. Some of them can be left open like this one but others have various methods of opening. I did wonder if I held onto the chain whether I would go up too! Graham did one and it turned out to be electric so he only needed to press a button!

In case we were lost there was this helpful sign in the middle of nowhere.

One lock just for you Evelyn and George.

We arrived at Banbury at 3.30. A good mooring spot close to the station to pick up our friends tomorrow. Time for a look around and to see Banbury Cross - not the original, and the lady from the Nursery rhyme -Ride a Cock Horse. We last visited Banbury on a bitterly cold January in 2009 when we were decding where to live in England. It is a town which embraces the canal and the new shopping centre has been built around it. Good facilities for boaters and it seems to have a lot to offer for shoppers. We've identified a pub quiz for tonight so will pop along there. It will be the first of the holiday. They are generally quite hard for us with modern music rounds and film/TV questions.

Tuesday 19th August

Leaving Oxford we stopped for water and I noticed this tree growing on the opposite bank. It shows the pressure which roots can exert on the concrete sides.

Shipton Weir lock was a diamond shape, the first which we have ever encountered. No photo as it was pouring with rain which was a contrast from the sunshine when we left Oxford. 

Near Enslow there is a Satellite Earth Station or maybe the locals just want a better TV signal.

The next photo is for Mel who kindly told me all about an unusual tea room called Jane's near Pigeon Lock. It spreads out along the canal and apparently does delicious afternoon teas. Unfortunately it is only open at weekends. This photo is to prove that it does exist.

We moored for the night just before Lower Heyford.

Monday 18th August

A quiet day today as we spent time at Nigel's house washing and ironing to replenish the wardrobe for the final 2 weeks. We are moored opposite the Italianate tower of St Barnabus' church. The chimes are loud but we slept very well.

Nigel finished slightly earlier today and joined us about 8.30pm for an excellent Indian meal in Jericho.

Sunday 17th August

Tim and Chris walked into Abingdon to the Patisserie and so we were able to enjoy croissants for breakfast. There was quite a queue for water at Abingdon Lock. There really could be more water points for hoses along the Thames and in more accessible places too. The wait did enable to crew to hone their bow hauling skills as we moved the boat along!

Karen and Steve had been due to join us in Oxford but an infected tooth scotched that plan so they joined us for the day. We enjoyed a lovely lunch at The Isis Farmhouse by Iffley Lock followed by a cruise along the river. 

Bob and Bert were both interested and wary of life on the water. The men sensibly retired to the stern.

We passed a rowing regatta at one point and I had never realised how low the cox sits/lies in the boat. Definitely wouldn't fancy that. 

We turned into the Oxford Canal at Isis Lock and so it was goodbye to the push button variety and time to get the windlass out again. Well done Tim!

Chris and Tim set off by train back to Marlow and then Nigel joined us after working a long day 

( finishing 9.00pm) for supper on the boat. He lives about 500 yds. from where we are moored so we are catching up with the washing and using a fast wifi connection. 

The Thames adventure is over but we still have the Oxford Canal to enjoy.