Whittington, Hopwas, Fazeley Junction and return to Whittington!

The last few weeks, I have neglected to update the blog as I have had not a deal to share with everyone.  Work type things and lazyness, truth be told, have prevented it's revision....

Moored safely at Whittington for the night

However, today, I was given the unenviable task to steer the big boat towing the butty (steered by Martin, my eldest) over a few miles for the first time all on my own.  Richard has been at work, so the responsibility of moving the pair fell to me.

Narrow bits all the way on the Coventry and usually with a bridge thrown in the mix!

About time, I hear you cry!  Only been living aboard for the past 5 years!  Ok, short distances with Richard on the boat, yes, I have partook in this task, but never on my own.

Not many outside the Tame Otter in Hopwas today

So off Martin and I set from Fazeley Junction this morning.  An hour later we were weaving through the narrow little village of Hopwas, where we had moored on the way down to the junction.

Martin, already quite an expert on the butty, never quite gets excited at the prospect of steering

Hopwas was busy with moored boats and I was dreading getting the boats through before an oncoming boat would halt my progress.

The beautiful willow on the way through Hopwas

But, we were lucky, no boats moved until we came out the other side.  I started to breathe again!

Approaching Whittington and ooh it's tight!

Before we arrived on the outskirts of Whittington, an emergency stop was needed as an oncoming boat came around a blind bend into the same bridge hole I was nearly in.  I didn't panic, which surprised me, as I put her in reverse and came to a stop without any paintwork being touched on either boat!

Scooby loving his position on the flight deck with me

The butty didn't jack knife, so Martin jumped off and pulled the boats back with the centre line, allowing me to jump off and bring the motor into the side out the way.  We let everyone go past, just like buses, so nobody was being held up by us and we carried on to Whittington.

Lovely Whittington

Nearing our destination, we gently tiptoed through Whittington, so we didn't disturb the neighbours, but then...

And the award for the most sensible mooring spot goes to....

We rounded the final bend for the final bridge on our maiden voyage, to be greeted by Mr Stupid and his insanely moored boat leaving exactly one boat width passage between him and the offside privately moored boats.  But hey, we passed between, where cigarette paper would have struggled!

A mooring space greeted us before the long bend and we grabbed it.  Our voyage will continue tomorrow, in our attempt to get to Fradley village......

Alvecote, Alrewas and return (18.5 miles, 10 locks)

Misty morning at Alrewas

Since the Alvecote Gathering, we have made our way steadily to Alrewas, on the Trent and Mersey Canal, and as a result of promises of work, we turned around and have started back onto the Coventry Canal.

Weaving our way through Tamworth and some gorgeous gardens on view

Setting off early in the morning, we dealt with the 2 locks on the outskirts of Tamworth, in order to miss the usual congestion which occurs there.

Fab plethora of gnomes (there must be a collective term for this phenomena?)  on this raised part of someone's garden

Tamworth was a delight, as always, to weave through as was the pretty village of Amington.

Brand new marina at Streethay called King's Orchard - might check out their winter mooring prices

We moored at Fazeley Junction, and decided to have a walk to the out of town shops on the edge of Tamworth, we had visited this time last year.  A good walk, but luckily we remembered to take the trolley!

Lovely butty called Kenneth - newly built with undercloth conversion, I suspect and hydraulic drive!

For our overnight mooring, we carried on to just past the village of Hopwas and spent a couple of days enjoying the peace and quiet.

Richard's brother's nickname

Blackberries everywhere, we spent lots of time gathering what was ready and then forgot to use them!  We wanted to get soem apples to go with them in a crumble and then forgot, durrr!

Me on the butty tiller, giving Martin some time off!

Fradley Junction was the destination for the weekend, in the hope that we could open the shop for the last time before we packed away for the winter.

The big boat in the junction lock at Fradley going downhill

Unfortunately, it was really quiet for the whole weekend and it wasn't just us, the Candy Boat reported the same downturn in visitors.  I think autumn must already be here!

View back towards the junction and The White Swan pub

Moorings at Fradley Junction

Martin is still recuperating after his fall off the stern of the boat whilst putting his bike on the roof at Alvecote.  He had broken his fall with his ribs it sounds like, but was adamant that his ribs felt fine, it was just bruising.  However, since then, every time he sneezes or coughs, the pain seems to come back with a vengence!  I think we should have insisted on getting him checked out, but hindsight etc....

Sunset at Alrewas

After dropping down the next 4 locks at Fradley, we moored outside the village of Alrewas, ready for supper of fish and chips from the Alrewas Fryer.  Very much looked forward to!

The A513 at Alrewas - much better with a bit of mist!

Martin has had confirmation of a welcome full time job in engineering in Tamworth, so we have turned around to go back in that direction on the Coventry Canal.  Myself and Richard can now base ourselves in that area for work for the winter and start thinking about what to do about the butty.........

Alvecote Historic Boat Gathering 2013

Firstly, I would like to say thank you to our hosts for a wonderful weekend at this year's gathering! We had a great time, made new friends and booked for next year!

Panoramic piccy, courtesy of Martin, of the Gathering

I would also like to say thank you for everyone who took an interest in my little shop and didn't just walk past!

My little gift shop ... with me inside

It made for a very sociable and friendly weekend and makes the hours of slog over paint and thinners worthwhile!

Excellent turnout of historic boats this year

Over the weekend, we had a boater's breakfast each morning and bands playing in the afternoon and evenings.

Boats 'winding' (turning round) in the 'layby'

As we were told originally, to moor in the 'layby' alongside the Cheese Boat, the 'winding competition' (turning around without hitting other boaters or edges of layby) would require substantially more skill than before!

Paul and Viv on Whitby negotiate the winding area

Our boat Comfortably Numb stats :
Day 1 - a direct hit broadside from Minnow - thanks Graham! Several glancing blows from other boats, fended off successfully by Richard from the roof of 'Numb!

Day 2 - moved out of 'layby' to the safety of the towpath leaving the poor Cheese boat to repel boarders!
Day 3 - still hiding out of the way, where we stayed whilst the evening Illuminated Boats parade finished.

View of the causeway with moored boats alongside

The Cheese Boat sustained 2 direct hits, moved and scored again - Minnow playing pinball again!  Apparently, one of the incidents was whilst the CEO from Canal and River Trust was aboard!

Sickle with Alan and Kath, Jan and Dave aboard, ready to tackle the 'wind'.

Alan on Sickle managed a full 360 degree turn in one!

Paul and Viv on Whitby returning after 2 x 360 degree turns after each other, attached to another full length boat, faultless performance!  The got some cheers from the balcony, I can say!

Elizabeth - oldest converted narrowboat on the system - if I got that correctly

One of the wonderful old working boats at the gathering

Biddie and Olive - owned by friends Rod and Tracy 

At breakfast on Sunday, Jan and Dave, who volunteer to help with the fundraising boat for the Chesterfield Canal Trust, told us the bilge pump had been running on and off all night!

Python on Day 1 still floating well!

Had we got any overalls to spare as the original slow leak had became a not slow leak and action was needed!  Richard donned his bright orange British Sugar overalls and went to have a look. Yes, it was a leak and it needed sealing quick.

Winding competition on Day 1 - all going well so far!

Jan and Dave secured a tow to a wharf nearby, where hopefully Python will be safe for now until repairs can take place.

A beautiful sight of all the competitors in the Illuminated Boats parade winding in the 'layby'.

My mum had come over to stay on Sunday night, so we had gone to the Pretty Pigs at Alvecote for a carvery during the evening.  It was worth the visit, as it was cheap and a large plate full!

Peacefully moored out of the way during the rest of the weekend

Tuesday morning, we moored behind the butty once the Candy Boat had moved off towards Fradley, and filled up with water.  As there was now space on the towpath side of the canal, we pushed across and had a quiet day enjoying the rest!

Blisworth, Braunston, then on to Alvecote (58 miles, 28 locks and 2 tunnels - phew!)

So we are moored at Alvecote outside the Samuel Barlow pub awaiting a hopefully busy Bank Holiday.

Lister reclining whilst the journey continued from Blisworth

We have had quite a long journey, broken only for the weekend break in Braunston.  The dongle reception has been intermittent, hence the lack of updates and today is slow.

Passing through Braunston with Martin on the butty.  I am a bit redundant, but good at making tea!

I had missed the earlier part of the journey, because of the need to visit Lincolnshire for a couple of days.  A lift from Richard's brother brought me back to the boat where Richard and Martin had moored above Norton Junction (Junction between the Grand Union to go south, north to Leicester, or west to Braunston).

Stormy skies above Braunston (junction to go south to Oxford, west to Coventry, or north to London/Leicester)

It was great being able to show Martin all the sights around these historic locations.  Martin and I had a little jog around the village, to try and get back into the fitness thing.  We will try to keep it up!

It's all so lovely!  I still am taken aback by the sheer beauty of our canal system.

During the time I had my shop open, I was introduced by a friend to Terence of Canal Art by Terence.  Esteemed canalware artist, Terence produces exquisite pieces of work, usually by commission, through his website.  He was very gracious in his welcoming of my work and I was quite encouraged by his comments.
I tend to send people to him and Julie Canal Art by Julie, if they require a watercan painting, ie a more bespoke piece of work.

Coming through the 250 yard tunnel at Newbold

We stopped briefly at Rugby to do the shooping at Tesco and then back for a good push for Atherstone.  We were disappointed that we couldn't show Martin the lovely light display in the tunnel at Newbold.  The bulbs have obviously run their course or been broken.

Hawkesbury Junction - U bend to negotiate!

At Hawkesbury Junction (left to Coventry basin or right in a U to go to Nuneaton), I had jumped off earlier to set the lock (approx 1 foot drop) for the big boat.  I steered the butty around the bend as Richard tried to improve on last year's 'U bend in one!'

A little reverse should do it!

Ok, he had a little reverse as we hadn't taken it wide enough, but it was still a pretty faultless performance.

And we are round!

But like last year, no one watching clapped or cheered as I hoped they would!

Straightened up nearly 

Now to pick Martin up

And we continued on along the Coventry Canal towards Nuneaton.

Another sunken/recovered boat!

Overnight, we moored above Atherstone locks, ready to challenge the flight in the morning.

And another on a tight bend with an overhanging tree on the offside!  Come on CaRT!!

In the morning, Martin and I remained with the big boat to fill up with water and do the rubbish and toilets, whilst Richard began the flight of 11 single locks.

Lister reclining again....

We caught the boss up, as the water pressure was so low, we gave up after half a tank.

The water levels in the pounds were very low as well, and a boat was actually unable to get any further down near the bottom of the flight, due to it's deep draught.  This recovered and the bottle neck eased and all boaters completed the locks eventually!

The boat yard before Alvecote with lots of old boats being repaired etc

We arrived at Alvecote and moored the butty outside the pub and the motor alongside the Cheese Boat, much to Michael's delight!  Bring on the weekend!