In our push to get to Norbury Junction comfortably for Mayday, with trading places at weekends, we have done some early and long days cruising.
With some very low bridges enroute! Mind your head and chimneys!
Now Springtime is upon us, more and more boats are out of marinas or on hire, making mooring up a challenge, as we need a bit more room either widthways or lengthways. So mooring up in the middle of nowhere on mooring stakes (12 as the ground was soggy!), was what we did when we had passed through Rugby.
Lovely to see the wildlife thriving along the canal. This watervole was happy to sit for long periods over the 2 days we moored, nibbling and sunbathing!
We were a bit early to grab a trading spot at Hawkesbury Junction (Sutton Stop), so we moored just after Bridge 5 (Oxford Canal), behind Geraldine and Michael on the Cheese Boat.
Rick and Linda on Auriga, the fuel boat passed us
So did Keri and Dan on their pair of boats
Lister debates getting back on the boat and avoiding the mud...
The mud was getting unbearable so it was a relief to move around to the junction on Saturday morning.
Early morning on Monday, we lined the boats out and carried on our journey
We had a good weekend trading, despite the weather at Hawkesbury Junction and hopefully will return later in the year. Thank you to anyone who came to visit our gift shop!
The Ashby Canal (Marston Junction) - we will go up there again, but no time at the moment
Springwood Haven - a beautiful setting for a marina
Hartshill Yard - very model village - esque!
We moored above Atherstone flight for Richard's doctor's appointment in Market Harborough the next morning. Unfortunately, he got all the way there (via train) to be told it was for the following week (when we will be at Great Haywood!), so a wasted trip and a red face!
I think this is Stiper's Hill on the outskirts of Polesworth - obviously an offroad course for vehicles or bikes
Thanks to the help of several volunteer lock keepers and our friend Rod (who had very kindly offered to help) we got all the way down Atherstone's 11 locks with ease.
Another commission paid and posted out for a horse stable
We moored at Alvecote for the evening and breathed a sigh of relief. Atherstone is not a flight Richard looks forward to, but now it is out of the way, the rest of the journey should be easy!
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