Warwick to Napton

Tue 25th Sep  Warwick Tesco to Splash Bridge 29 before Bascote Locks.

Hugo caught a mouse this morning and brought it in alive as a gift. James caught it and released it back in the bushes.

Moored at Tesco in Warwick

We visited Tesco for milk before we set off, and then we reversed back over the two aqueducts, under a bridge and round a corner before we could turn round in a winding hole. Our bow thruster makes this otherwise daunting task quite easy.

We stopped at Morrisons for muffins, and also bought some nice yellow roses.

We passed Leamington Spa and Radford Semele, and paused by the rubbish bins at Radford Bottom Lock to dispose of rubbish. James took some items off the propeller.  As were doing this, another boat arrived from behind, so we shared three locks with them, before stopping for elsan and water at Fosse Wharf.  The other boat went on, so we were on our own again for the next locks.

Fosse Lock no 20

There was an overgrown tree obstructing the view at Wood Lock, so if a boat had been coming out of the lock, they couldn’t have seen us, and we wouldn’t have seen them.

Obstructed view at Wood Lock 19

By now we were looking for somewhere to moor. We tried several places where there was piling, but we found ourselves on the bottom. We went up through a further lock and finally found a deep mooring with a nice view before Splash Bridge but we had to use mooring pins.

Moored by Splash Bridge

Sunset

Hazel was not feeling very well, and suspected that her meal at the Indian Restaurant was the culprit.

6 locks, 6 miles, 1 mouse

Wed 26th Sep  Splash Bridge 29 before Bascote Locks

It was hot and sunny.  We put our chairs out on the bank and stayed put as we are not in a hurry and we had a nice view.

Hazel caught up on the washing, James caught up on the blog, and Hugo caught a mouse.

No boating today. No photos either.

Thu 27th Sep  Splash Bridge 29 to Bridge 19 Calcutt.

Dawn

There was an autumnal air this morning, with mist over the meadows, followed by a warm sunny day.

We had Bascote Locks in our favour. There are two separate locks, followed by a staircase pair.

Approaching Bascote Locks

Bascote staircase pair

We paused for water and rubbish facilities at Bridge 27. There were four huge bins for general waste, but no recycling opportunities.

We stopped again on bollards at Long Itchington and had a very pleasant walk across fields to the Co-op. The village is spread out, and has several pubs and a stone built church. There are some very old buildings, and one had an unusual blue plaque.

Long Itchington

Blue plaque

As we set off again we passed between the Two Boats Inn and the Cuttle Inn, which face each other across the canal. The two Itchington Locks were both in our favour, but we passed the Blue Lias Inn, and found that the Stockton Locks were not in our favour, with a boat going up three locks in front.  We crossed over with another boat half way up the flight of eight, and then had two set for us.

Stockton Locks

Meeting another boat

Soon after the top lock there is another pub called the Boat Inn.  Perhaps their mooring only takes one boat, but the pub at the bottom has a longer mooring and can get two boats in. J We stopped there for a meal and were pleased that we did, as the food was beautifully prepared. They also had Cheddar Valley Cider.

The Boat Inn

The pub was on a busy road, so we moved on another mile to between Bridges 20 and 19, where we found a peaceful mooring.

Moored near Calcutt

Yellow Rose

We are hoping to moor somewhere to paint the side of the boat from the gunwales down wards, so we are looking for a mooring with low piling.  We are also not sure where to go for church on Sunday. There are really only two possibilities – Napton or Braunston – both traditional Anglican churches where we have visited before.

14 locks, 4 miles, 1 mouse

Fri 28th Sep  Calcutt to Napton.

We had an early phone call from Stephen Carter about the Parkhead Boat Festival this weekend near Dudley, asking if we were still available if he were to give us a lift.  Tim Clark had been scheduled to lead the worship there at the Sunday service, but Tracey’s Dad had been rushed into hospital, so they were both back on the South coast in attendance.  So we agreed to step in.  That solves the dilemma of where to go on Sunday, doesn’t it?

We phoned David Litchfield who was very relieved that we could be available, as he had been let down by the local churches, and then by Tim’s unavoidable absence.  This was the first time that a service had been arranged at this festival.

It was bright and sunny, but cooler this morning, with a fresh breeze.

We were getting low on diesel, so James checked diesel prices, first with Wigrams Turn Marina - £1.01. “No I just want the basic price for heating only”  “That is the basic.”  We rang Calcutt Marina. “84p”. No contest really.

After we set off we spotted a boat following us a little way behind so we went slowly and waited at the first of the three Calcutt locks. It was a very tatty boat and they had bought it just two days earlier and they needed fuel, the same as us.

As they came into the lock which James had set, one guy was standing on the boat ready with a windlass, but he didn’t get off. He waited until the boats had risen in the lock, while James did all the pushing of gates and winding of handles. Hazel suggested he went to set the next one.

Sharing Calcutt Lock 2

We shared the two locks, and we went onto the diesel pontoon and filled the tank. When the two guys tried to do likewise, they couldn’t get their diesel cap off. The whole boat was rusty, with peeling paintwork.  They eventually managed it.

We left them and did the third lock on our own completing the final part of the northern Grand Union to Wigrams Turn. We turned right towards Napton to find a suitable rendezvous mooring for Stephen to collect us.

We moored on rings before bridge 111, where we hoped we could meet Stephen at the pub, The Bridge at Napton.  James went to investigate the car park, and discovered that the pub had closed and was now being refurbished as a private house.  There was still a wide entrance drive, although there was a gate across before the car park. Plenty of room for Stephen to get in with his camper van as long as he doesn’t need to stay too long.

Our mooring at Napton

The ex pub

James unearthed all the painting gear from the bows, and transferred it to the stern, under the canopy. He sanded the starboard side gunwales down to the rubbing strake, where we always get scratches.

We both sat in the bows in the sunshine, out of the wind which was coming from behind.

3 locks, 2 miles

Sat 29th Sep  Napton.

Dawn at Napton

James painted the first coat on the starboard side. He couldn’t open the Owatrol can as the plastic spout had seized up since the last time it was used. He had to cut the spout off and transfer the contents to an empty milk bottle.

There were many boats going past, sometimes as many as six in ten minutes in one direction. There must have been long queues at Napton Locks.

Busy Canal

We had a run through of songs for the morning and ended up with a short list of seven. We’ll refine it when we see other people before the service tomorrow.

James chatted to a guy on the next boat who wears what looks like a pentagram, and yin and yang earrings. He said it was Taoism, and said it was a branch of Buddhism.

We spoke to David and ascertained that PA would be provided, and we arranged a time of around 8am with Stephen Carter.

Hugo caught a mouse, and then surprised us by catching a small bird. He has only caught about three in his life of fourteen years.

We got all our gear ready for an early start in the morning and had an early night.

No boating today. 1 mouse, 1 bird

Next:  The Parkhead Canal Festival tomorrow, and finding somewhere else to finish the boat painting before going to Braunston.