BOATS AND CANALS

Ha, Ha, take your time and enjoy your cruise,

_________________
Maurice

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Now moored near Chesshill aqueduct on the T&M, we aee booked through Harecastle at 2pm tomorrow. Lousy reception here so pics will have to wait.



Cheers Graham 

i hope that you are not taking the easy option and you will be 'legging' it.

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Maurice

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Legging is the back up mode.

We are now at the tunnel in prime position.



It has been a,pleasant trip up the locks.



We passed an interesting arm yesterday



Cheers Graham

We are now moored at Great Haywood.

We came down the locks at Stone following a very nice couple in Little Foxes. It felt a bit like boating a through a rain forest at times


We stopped at Stone for coffee and cakes at Bod's in the High Street, a bit up Market and so not cheap but going. Actually I had their sausage roll which was a meal in its own right.

Just outside we met the crew of Little Foxes again and had a long chat.

It has been a pleasant afternoon.
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We have been following a hire boat crewed by an elderly gentleman and his wife. Clearly he is the only active crew member so is really single handing. We arrived at one lock where someone was helping him. The first clue was the sound of rushing water as I approached the lock. All paddles were open top and bottom. I shut the top ones and moved to the bottom to meet two very embarrassed boaters who had assumed the skipper has shut the top paddles.

Cheers Graham

Today hasn't started well. We have lost a small pig in the lounge. Apparently it is used to play pass the pig. A game of such fiendish complexity there are only 3 known players in the UK.

I did an archaeological dig behind the sofa and discovered a fossilised pear stalk believed to date from 2010. I know this because I have discussed it on my group 'Archaeological digs on narrow boats'. The consensus is 2010 with some dissenting voices. It has made a difference to my book on the subject which is now sold out at most book shops.

Then my glasses have a loose screw and I don't have the right screwdriver. I had a plan involving 3 corks, 2 safety pins and a girl guide but only had one safety pin.

Never mind, I had better start the boat I guess.

Cheers Graham

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Maurice

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We are now moored at Hopwas. It was an uneventful day although our chef did run us aground. We don't employ him for his driving though. Tonight's meal was an Italian master piece.



ArmitageTunnel



Colwich lock



Cheers Graham

More great photos, Graham.

Oh! by the way, I hope that you are behaving yourself with Jo being at home?????

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Maurice

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We are now moored just north of Nuneaton. It is only 10.5 hours to Calcutt from here so we should be home tomorrow. It is a good job as the crew is threatening mutiny. I don't know why as I thought they enjoyed the long hours and merciless beatings.

It has been an uneventful day so here are some pictures.







Cheers Graham

PS I have been a good boy in Jo's absence my sister majes sure of that.

Dotterel is home after 307 miles, 3 furlongs and 234 locks. We arrived at sunset.

The crew had a traditional military toast.

'To a mission accomplished and our safe return.'

Cheers Graham

Glad that you have had a good time and thanks for the great pictures and memories.

_________________
Maurice

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Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

Here is a bow camera time lapse from just beneath New Marton Locks to Llangollen Basin.

https://youtu.be/z7bIoDTVIpY

Cheers graham

Thanks Graham so enjoyable to revisit some of my old haunts.

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Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

I was up on the boat recently to have the new cratch template made. The old cratch was put on soon after we got the boat so it has done quite well.



I also touched up the gloss paint on the starboard hull.

Whilst I was waiting for the cratch guys to turn up I had a bit of time on my hands so decided to take a walk to Nelson's Wharf. This is the site of an old lime works, it went out of use in 1945.

This is a view of the Lime works, it has a canal basin and a railway. In the background you can see the quarry.



I walked up a foot path that was just outside the quarry, it was well maintained with a mostly solid surface indicating considerable use in the past.



The site of the works is now a nature reserve but the old canal arm has been excavated and now serves as moorings. There is also a glamping site.

The footpath turns onto the old railway line (L&NWR, Weedon-Leamington branch) and crosses the canal basin where the railway bridge would have been. In this view the works would have been on the left.



Looking in the other direction the basin continues until it joins the main Grand Union.



The path on the railway line continues into a cutting which is now an SSI. There is another path which heads back to the Grand Union at The Boat pub. I returned to Calcutt via the towpath so passed the junction of the basin and the canal on the way back.



It was a nice walk of about 5 miles.

Cheers Graham