MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

First I must apologise for my tardiness in not posting a new blog sooner. In my defence returning to work, my daughters 30th birthday and Christmas just have taken all my energy and time.

So hear it is

HOMEWARD BOUND

The weather has certainly turned autumnal in the last few days, the leaves are falling from the tree’s and there is a dampness in the air, but I love the smells of autumn and the changing of the seasons. The colours are changing to from the vibrant greens of spring and summer, to the browns and yellows of the coming winter. People are lighting their fires, (not us yet) so the drifting smoke adds to the whole scent of the new season.

On leaving Rugeley we headed to Fradley Junction were we turned on to the Coventry Canal, there are only a couple of locks and we were helped through the first by lockees, but by the time we reached the second they had gone for their lunch. But much to our surprise an old friend was on the lock, Julie Hancox, and her husband Phil was steering the boat. We first met when we did the River Thames with St Pancreas boating club, and have met up a couple of times since. They have renamed their boat, it was A Perfect Match, as they met on Match.com, but as a sign of respect they have called it Norwind II, Norwind was Julies fathers boat. We arranged to meet in the Dirty Duck, or to give it its proper name The Swan later.

https://www.swaninnfradley.co.uk/

Then the heavens opened, and boy did it rain, we were so glad to be moored up. When it was pub time the rain had stopped luckily

It was great to catch up with them, they have decided to try continual cruising this winter rather than staying in a marina, its something I have never fancied. So we will see how they get on. The time flew and it was soon time to part ways, hopefully we will catch up again soon, maybe they will come down to Coventry at some point.

The trip to Fazeley was cold and windy, but we got to go to Fazeley chippy for our tea. I got my much anticipated kebab, and the Captain had his fish and chips and curry sauce. The portions were huge and great value for money.

https://www.facebook.com/Fazeleyfishbarfazeley

Next day, and we decided to give Polesworth a miss and moored for the night at the bottom of Atherstone locks. On our way we met up with Rick, a working boatman selling gas, coal and fuel. The Captain got him to fill us up with diesel, no shortages on the cut. After saying earlier we hadn’t had a fire as yet we decided we needed one that night.

There are 11 locks in the Atherstone flight, they raise the canal by 80ft over 2miles.

We set off and at the first lock I had help from the crew of NB Orkney, we chatted and they were only going to the middle pound, whilst we were heading for the top. I hoped to see them at the next lock but the heavens opened and I decided they had stopped to let the rain ease. We just kept going, and eventually the rain stopped and the sun came out. We met a lot of boats heading down the locks, some were helpful, some not, but we made it to the top in a respectable 2hrs and moored up.

Now there are 2 great things about Atherstone, the Angel Ale House and Bates Butchers, which do the most amazing faggots.

https://www.facebook.com/theangelinnrealalehouseatherstone/

https://www.facebook.com/BatesOfAtherstone/

When we set off for the village it was getting late in the afternoon, but I decided to try Bates anyway, it looked closed but the door was open so I went in, I had to shout to get some ones attention and was disappointed when there were no faggots, but the very nice young man assured me there would be some tomorrow.

The Angel was quite busy, I spotted Eric off NB Cherie who we had met in there before, but he was busy with friends. As all the tables were occupied it would seem we would be standing at the bar to enjoy our pint. A lady sat at a table nearby kept looking over, and she seemed familiar. She turned out to be the crew I had met at the first lock, and she very kindly asked us to join them. Lesley and Nigel have been living aboard 7 years like us, and they met on the internet like us, so we had lots to chat about. They are staying out on the cut for the winter, hopefully they will make it Coventry at some point. Lesley is a crafter, making necklaces and bangles out of beads and semi precious stones.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/606636937173737

We had a difficult decision next day, the weather was forecast to be heavy rain all day, but we really needed to get to Hawksbury junction about 11miles away. After I had called at Bates for our faggots we bit the bullet and set off. And yes it did rain the whole time. I was lucky as I could disappear downstairs into the dry now and again, but the poor Captain just had to stay and steer, he did have his trusty golfing umbrella which kept him quite dry, and it was actually me that got the wettest as I didn’t fit under the umbrella fully. I did manage to light a much needed fire on the 3^rd attempt. So by the time we were moored up the boat was warm and cosy and we could dry out. Of course we had to nip to the Greyhound for a pint when the rain subsided.

The final leg of our journey back home to Swan Lane was uneventful, apart from a rude hire boater, who after the Captain had let him come through a narrow bridge first never said thank you, but curtly asked if they could turn in the entrance to Springwood Haven marina, rather than going down to the next winding hole. We said it wasn’t normally the done thing and they carried on.

Back at the wharf, and it was great to see familiar faces and catch up with old friends. Keith was there, as busy as ever, and we have new moorers to meet. Neville and Fliss on NB Edith Annie, and Mickey on Nb Water Rail, we also have a couple more boats joining us, so it will be a squash in the wharf this winter.

We still have one final cruise, we are going to Trinity Marina on the Ashby canal to catch up with our besties Col and Mags on NB Henry.