Look at the blossom on this tree! Beautiful.
Old shepherd's hut - hope you're reading this New Dave cos we thought of you!
It wasn't long before we reached the village of Ansty and for the first time, there were no moored boats lining the canal as traditionally has been the case, with oncoming boats, on the bend....
The M69 looms above the canal
We arrived before Stretton Stop (a swing footbridge across the canal) to be faced with to Rose Narrowboat new hirers just setting off on their holidays coming straight for us in between the off side moored boats and towpath moorers. So we were 4 abreast as we passed each other and I'm afraid the butty 'glanced' it's stern against a loosely tethered boat , but no harm done.
Stopping for a brief drink and breakfast, Scooby makes friends with a boater's puppy
Spring lambs everywhere!
Hebe with a patrol notice - how could someone abandon this lovely little boat?
Passing one of the marinas along the North Oxford Canal, boats moored in the entrance, we slowed down. The crane in the yard was moving an entire workshop, good job it wasn't windy!
Approaching the 250yard Newbold Tunnel - first tunnel this year, just a little one
With a folk music event called Flooded In (in aid of the victims of the recent flooding) being held at the Barley Mow pub in Newbold, we moored further down the towpath in to do our bit. It would be rude not to.
No need for the tunnel light in this one! However, someone we had already passed, had left his light on, we reminded him of course
We met up with a couple called Lindsay and Pete from their narrowboat Happy Daze and had a quick drink in the pub listening to some of the music before we called it a night. The following morning we discovered, thanks to another boater, that our wooden tub from off the front of the butty had gone for a swim complete with geraniums! This happened the following night (Lister had barked but we couldn't see anyone) but this time the geraniums in the other tub went for a swim as well. We moved that morning, not surprisingly! A drunken prank the first time, pure vicious vandalism the next!
Lister deciding whether to jump off the butty whilst we moored for water before Hillmorton locks
Friends of ours, Ann and Keith from narrowboat Oakfield, met us at the waterpoint before Hillmorton locks with the generous offer of helping us through the 3 pairs of single locks.
Flicking off the cross straps and loosely holding the line, Richard lets me steer the butty onto the other lock
Ann is responsible for all these great photos, so our thanks to her.
Scoob takes it all in whilst we 'lock up' the butty
Luckily all the way, the locks were empty, ie all in our favour, so Ann and Keith opened the gates and helped with paddles, making them so easy for us!
Me on the butty, lining up for the last pair of locks
Coming out of the top lock ready to moor up
We enjoyed doing locks with a crew, it was so slick, it was untrue! I offered Ann and Keith a job, unpaid with lots of antisocial hours but lots of drinks, but they declined, hey ho......
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