Ansty

Here I am Rune

Distance 7.9 miles

Total 1688 Locks 83 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2366.2 miles

After a few days non movement by Newbold Tunnel we took advantage of an excellent sunny day to potter a bit further up the North Oxford as far as Ansty. We have decided to revisit the Ashby Canal which we last travelled up in July 2014 visiting the Bosworth Battlefield as we went. The hope is that by the time we have pottered up to the top of the canal at Snarestone Sanitary Station (try saying that after a few drinks!) and then back down again it will be getting to the end of the winter stoppage programme and we can start thinking of getting moving again by heading off towards Oxford.

The day’s cruise was excellent, albeit a bit cold, but bright and sunny. There were a few boats out today, brought out by the fine weather and school half term. The only confusion that we seemed to have got into today was at bridge 42. It wasn’t a major drama but was created by someone re-writing the rules of the waterways. You approach bridge 42 on a right hand corner for those of us travelling north. There was a boat moored quite close to bend but not really a problem and as we approached a boat was coming the other way through the bridge. What should have happened was that we both turn to starboard and pass one another port side to port side. What actually happened was I turned to starboard and the approaching boat turned to port, so we were heading directing at each other. There was a woman on the front deck who was making some sort of indications but it wasn’t clear whether she wanted me to pass on the side that she was indicating, or whether she was indicating that they were going that way, the only sensible response was to stop. Unfortunately as soon as you put a narrow-boat into reverse it has a habit of skewing across the canal.  Funnily enough an Australian couple on the moored boat seemed to think the event was their fault and were repeatedly apologetic, they didn’t realise that it was nothing to do with them but entirely due to the other boat turning the wrong way, I did try to explain. After a few minutes of shunting back and forward we were once again on our way.

Tomorrow we will stop off at Hawkesbury Junction for general housekeeping (water and toilet cassette) then carry on to Bulkington Bridge at Bedworth where there is a short walk to the nearest supermarket to stock up for the weekend, it won’t be a long day’s trip.