Southam

Here I am Rune

Distance 6.7 miles

Total 1702 Locks 86 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2454.5 miles 

A fairly busy sort of day that has got us as far as Southam, 3 miles short of Fenny Compton. We once again passed the boat moored in the middle of a field between Bridge 122 and Bridge 123, and on this occasion I photographed it. Haven’t yet worked out the point of the exercise to have a boat that you put in the middle of a field, surely it would have been easier to put a caravan there!

Tomorrow we’ll possibly get down to Cropredy, I’m not sure yet as there still is no great rush as the Thames is still ‘red boarded’ so we don’t need to get to Oxford before the boards are lifted.

The boat that is moored in a field............

.........for whatever reason!!

Napton

Here I am Rune

Distance 7.5 miles

Total 1693 Locks 86 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2447.8 miles 

Well after our weekend stay in Braunston I think I can say that we are now back on the move for the season. A good trip to Napton Bottom Lock and I would hope to get to Fenny Compton tomorrow aiming for Banbury for the weekend.

The weather was pretty good today although the wind was a bit chilly, this has meant that there have been quite a few more boats on the water, some however not as competent as one would wish! I suppose that it illustrates that you cannot always count on people to be doing what you’d expect. As we came around a right hand corner on the way from Braunston to here we met a boat coming in the opposite direction but fully on my side of the canal. There was no way to get around him so I immediately put the boat in reverse to try to stop, it took him a little while to do likewise. By the time that both boats had stopped there was an overlap on our bows but fortunately we’d avoided a head on collision. He stated that the wind had blown him into my side of the canal but it looked more as though he had tried to cut the corner or had suffered a loss of concentration, anyway ultimately no harm was done.

Also passed another blogger who we have previously met, ‘Maffi’ who seemed to be heading back towards Braunston but only had a very short greeting with him.

Tomorrow back to passing through a flight of locks (Napton).

Braunston

Here I am Rune

Distance 5.2 miles

Total 1693 Locks 86 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2440.3 miles

Achieved the planned trip for the day and arrived in Braunston after a pleasant trip in what could be described as spring weather. Since we have bought another 6 bags of coal today I expect the weather to brighten up considerably from now on! I think we will probably be staying here until Monday but it means I will have to find a local pub showing the 6 Nations match between England and Wales on Saturday afternoon.

Barby

Here I am Rune

Distance 4.2 miles

Total 1693 Locks 86 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2435.1 miles 

After quite a long stay at Rugby we have now moved on to a mooring pretty much in the middle of nowhere, nearest village is Barby, about a mile away. It was quite a busy day for the domestic chores, filled with water at Rugby, emptied the Elsans at Hilmorton Locks and refuelled with Diesel and Gas the The Canal Shop, so we are now fully stocked up. Tomorrow we’ll head to Braunston for the weekend shop.

There are starting to be more boats on the move now that we are into March, we passed about 4 on the way here plus a couple that we saw at the locks. All we need it for the weather to now brighten up. 

Statue of William Webb Ellis at Rugby

Rugby

Here I am Rune

Distance 1.2 miles

Total 1690 Locks 86 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2430.9 miles 

Again just a very short hop to the Brownsover mooring near to Tesco’s to get the weekend shop and also to be a bit closer for a walk into Rugby itself. Will be going in again tomorrow for another swimming session at the leisure centre so hope it isn’t bucketing down with rain.

The plan will be to remain here until Monday at the earliest then to move on toThe Canal Shop at Hilmorton to refill with diesel and get a replacement gas bottle (it ran out yesterday morning).

Newbold

Here I am Rune

Distance 11.3 miles

Total 1690 Locks 86 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2429.7 miles 

A longer day today to get us to the outskirts of Rugby at Newbold so that we will be OK for the weekend shop. Temperature has dropped a bit today and for a period we were travelling through a shower of sleet. Forecast for tomorrow gives the possibility of snow as well so at least if it is too bad we can pretty much stay where we are.

It is funny how, no matter how few boats there are travelling on a given day you can almost guarantee that if you meet one it will be in the most inopportune moment. Today we only passed one other boat on the move, we met on a blind corner by bridge 17 needing a lot of reverse to avoid a head on collision. Other than that the day was without any real drama.