Piglet: Hawkesbury Junction - 24th May 2013

On Friday the wind was blowing a gale and it kept raining so we spent most of the afternoon in the Greyhound talking to fellow boaters.

Piglet: Coventry and Back - 23rd May 2013

Joanna left us early in the morning and stuck for something to do for the rest of the day we decided to take Piglet into the centre of Coventry as that was the only part of the Coventry Canal we hadn't done before.

We set off at 10:20 and pretty much immediately picked up a load of rubbish on the prop whilst holding back for a boat emerging under Coney Lane Bridge so we stopped shortly after for a trip down the weed hatch.

When that was cleared we were on our way again.  The wind was pretty strong and cold but at least it wasn't raining.

We passed the rear of the Ricoh Arena where we'd been the night before and could see the cranes inside dismantling the stage.

The trip into Coventry wasn't too bad and it was quite nice to be on an urban canal for a change.

On entering basin via the low bridge our first impressions were quite good.  However with all the "No Splashing the Towpath" and "No Mooring" signs along with a pretty pointless looking swingbridge blocking access to any decent moorings we felt a little underwhelmed.

Turning round seemed to be easier said than done too.  Coventry Basin is a kind of Y shape with the canal entering up the stem and splitting into 2 arms.  No matter what we tried I kept getting blown side on into the bit between the 2 arms.  A helpful passing boat suggested we tie our front rope to a bollard and motor the back end around which worked a treat and we were soon heading back out of the basin as the wind decided to drop too.

An hour or so later we were back where we had moored the night before at Hawkesbury Junction.  Then the sun came out and the wind dropped!

10 Miles 6.25 Furlongs
0 Locks

Muse, Ricoh Arena Coventry

Piglet: Newbold to Hawkesbury Junction 22nd May 2013

Set off from Newbold early at 7:48 am in order to make certain we reached our destination of Hawkesbury Junction at a good time.

Nearing the junction all the visitor moorings seemed to be full but whilst passing through the stop lock, Becky got talking to a CRT employee who said there was plenty in the Coventry direction.  Turning left at the junction there didn't seem to be that many spaces. There were a couple of boats moored between the junction and the water point with at least one beyond it.  Past the last boat there was a grassed area to the left which looked ideal, so we moored up tight to the last boat which meant we were sticking 6ft into a no mooring area but I think we can live with that. I still can't work out why it was no mooring as the entrance to the basin opposite was a fair way away.

We'd booked a meal at the pub on the junction, the Greyhound, and arranged for Joanna to leave her car there overnight so we got on with a few jobs while we waited for her to arrive.

After she'd arrived we went to the Greyhound for lunch which was absolutely lovely with so much choice!

We finished our meal and went back to the boat for a bit before returning to the Greyhound and waiting for our taxi which arrived on time and not long after we were at the Ricoh Arena.

Concert

After the concert we arrived back, had a quick nightcap and were soon off to bed!

11 Miles 5.25 Furlongs
1 Lock

Piglet: Braunston to Newbold - 21st May 2013

Sometime in the past year our friend Joanna asked us if we'd like to go and see the band Muse who were playing at the Emirates Stadium in Coventry.  I'd previously seen Muse live in 2010 so was very happy to take up the offer.

Another bonus was that the Oxford Canal and the Coventry Canal run very close to the stadium so what better accommodation could we have than to take Piglet up to Coventry for a few days.

We set off from Braunston just before 9:30 am and reached our normal stopping off point at Newbold shortly before 2 pm.

We went to the excellent little Co-op to stock up with a few bits and pieces before having a spot of lunch and then a few pints in the Boat which seems to have a new landlord every time we visit!
12 Miles .75 Furlongs
3 Locks

Piglet: We broke the boat! - 29th April 2013

After breakfast and sorting a few things out we decided we’d better go and fill up with diesel whilst it was quiet.

We unplugged the shoreline, started up and untied the boat.  The wind was blowing hard again as I backed out of the mooring and I needed a few bursts of forward to keep  us from hitting the boat next door.  Our stern was heading for a pontoon behind us so another burst of forward sorted that out.  I needed a bit more room at the bow so put it into reverse again.  When I had enough room I put the boat into forward again, increased the revs and went in reverse quicker!  Something wasn't quite right here so I put it back into reverse and yes it went backwards still.  Pushing the lever forward still made it go backwards (as did the neutral position).  I shouted to Becky to fend off any boats at the front as I fended off the ones behind before stopping the engine and coasting to a halt in-between the boats on the pontoons behind ours.  A quick diagnosis from a marina worker told us it was indeed the gear cable that had snapped, locking us in reverse.  I did have a quick look at fixing it myself but we were running out of time at this stage to head home so polled the boat back across the marina (not easy in the wind) and back into our mooring.  Thankful that the cable had snapped where it did and not in a lock somewhere!

Overall, a very enjoyable few days and we’ll definitely head back in the Crick direction another day.

Piglet: Crick to Braunston - 28th April 2013

We made a fairly early start from Crick and spying a fox running around above the tunnel entrance we were followed through by another 2 boats.  Reaching Watford Locks we were the first in queue and were told to go down the first lock and wait in the pound for the ones coming up to pass which turned into a 30 minute wait.  The passage down the locks was uneventful and I even remembered that the lower gates of the top staircase lock leak badly and so I had the backdoors shut before I could get a soaking.

We turned right at Norton Junction and it was nice to be on the wide Grand Union again.  Entering the cutting leading up to Braunston Tunnel it was good to get out of the wind although we caught up a much slower boat just before the tunnel itself.  Slowing down I left a good gap between us but even in the tunnel I had to throttle right back at times to avoid catching up.  We met 3 or 4 boats coming though, normally in places where the wall bulged so bumped the sides a few times but nothing serious.

When we reached the top lock we could see the guy on the boat in front was on his own so unfortunately Becky would have to work 2 boats down the locks.  I was hoping for a hire boat with a large crew but you can’t have everything.

We soon got a system going and made progress down the locks without holding the 2 boats behind us up.  The wind, however, was causing issues and we were very glad to reach the bottom lock where we wished the other boat a pleasant journey (he was heading for Manchester).  We moored up on our mooring, turned the engine off and sat down to lunch feeling a little worn out and windswept!  We decided to wait until the following morning to fill up with diesel and went to the Nelson instead.

Piglet: Crick to errr... Crick! - 27th April 2013

When we woke up the wind had picked up and the skies overcast but we set off after breakfast as planned.  But not before opening my Birthday cards 

Around the bends though the wind was absolutely bitter and blowing strongly.  If it wasn’t for the canal passing through lovely countryside I think it could have been one of those days where boating would be a chore not a pleasure.  After some discussion we turned at Elkington Bridge.  The wind did not make this easy and we also picked something up on the prop which made the engine labour but a few forwards and backwards seemed to clear it (which was proven after checking the weed hatch later in the day).  Eventually turned, we headed back to Crick.  Had I realised that not far further on was the A14 bridge which I’d driven over many times thinking “I would like to go under on the canal someday” I think I may had persevered a little longer but that’s one for another day now.

We arrived back in Crick shortly after 1:30pm and just made last food orders at the Red Lion at 2pm.  A quick drink in the Wheatsheaf afterwards and the rest of the day was spent relaxing on the boat watching TV and reheating the Lasagne left over from a few days previous.

Piglet: Braunston to Crick - 26th April 2013

The morning started sunny but before too long was becoming overcast.

We headed out onto the Grand Union, this time turning right towards the locks.  Becky hadn't done any wide locks before but had done enough narrow locks to know what to do.  As we approached the bottom lock there was another boat entering so we were able to share with them.  In the time it took to do the flight the weather went from overcast with a little sun, to hail, to rain, and back to overcast again!

Once through the locks it was time for the tunnel.  I’d not passed through Braunston Tunnel for a good 5 years and not steered through it for 14 so I had pretty much forgotten how not straight it actually was!  I knew about the slight ‘S’ bend but would it be too much to make the walls straight?

We only met 2 boats in the tunnel but it was still nice to be out of the other side.

Reaching Norton Junction we decided to turn left onto the Leicester Line which would be a first for us (not that I’d been the other way before either).  We were really glad we did, it is a lovely stretch of canal and one we immediately said we would definitely do again.

We passed the rear of Watford Gap services and were soon on to Watford Locks.  I’d never done a staircase like this before so was looking forward to it.  We moored up behind another boat at the bottom of the locks and Becky went off in search of the lockkeeper.  She came back after booking our passage up and we waited for the last boat to come down.  About 35 minutes later we were on our way with Becky repeating the phrase “Red before white, you’ll be alright.  White before Red, get a clip ‘round the head” (something the lockkeeper had told her to remember in which order to work the paddles).

It didn't seem like long before we reached to top and soon we passed under the M1 and into the countryside again.  I’d heard that Crick tunnel was very wet so was prepared for a soaking but at least the sides were fairly straight!

We moored up by the marina at Crick where the wind was blowing us about but it wasn't too bad before taking a walk up into the village for a look around.

After returning to the boat to get changed we headed up to the Red Lion for a few drinks.  Walking into the bar it was like entering a contestant for the most stereotypical English Pub competition!  Old wooden tables and chairs, horse brasses and collectables everywhere, leather bound menus with typed inserts which were obviously changed regularly and the lovely smell of homemade food!  Oh, and someone that I used to know during my days regularly volunteering for the Cotswold Canals Trust who had just moved his boat to the marina!  We'd previously met by boat a few years before.  After a brief catch up, Becky and I sat down with our drinks and thought we would just take a look at the menu.  One rib-eye steak and a vegetable cheesy bake later we left and headed back to the boat for the night feeling very full and commenting on how good value it was.

The next day we planned to head for Welford.

Piglet: Napton to Braunston - 25th April 2013

We awoke to a lovely sunny morning and the sound of lambs in the field next to us.

After breakfast we headed back down the flight.  I could see that the ‘crew’ were stopped on the towpath by some CRT people and hoped that it was nothing serious.  They were told that some of the pounds were very low and they would be letting water down so if we got stuck it we would re-float before long.  The boat that was moored next to us cast off behind us so there would at least be another lock full of water coming down immediately behind us.

The lower pounds were extremely low with the one above the bottom lock a good two to three feet down with the mud barge that had been floating the night before now high and dry.

We managed to pass without incident but there can’t have been much water under us at times.

By now the sun had really come out and it was turning into a lovely day.

Napton Junction was reached and passed.

Once again at Bridge 101 the Greenfinch came back to hitch a lift with us for a bit having this time tried to fly in the front doors.

Before long we were heading back around Braunston Turn and towards the marina.  Safely on our mooring we quickly headed up to The Admiral Nelson for a spot of lunch.  At the bottom lock there were boats waiting to go up, including Mike Askin’s Victoria, when the stoppage cleared.

After a lovely lunch we headed back to the boat and said goodbye to our friends.  We were meant to be joined by another the next morning but they had car trouble so for the next few days it would be just Becky and I.

Piglet: Braunston to Napton - 24th April 2013

I woke up early and thought about where to head off to figuring that up Braunston locks and through the tunnel would be a good direction to head in.  I did think about heading down Stockton way but thought that might be a little hard going for friends who had not experienced canals before.

The previous evening had shown that the pump out toilet was a little more full than we’d originally thought so figured that it might be a good idea to pump it out (the cassette and spare were empty thankfully).

Shortly after 9am we set off out of the marina by the lower entrance, up the canal and in through the main marina entrance to the pump out point.

The girls decided it was then a good time to visit the village shop and butchers so off they went leaving us two men to do the dirty work.

After pumping out the girls weren't back so we decided to take a short trip to Braunston Turn and back to kill some time and then at least we were pointing the way.

Coming back towards the stop house we could see our shopping party had returned so we moored up next to the marina entrance to have breakfast.

I suddenly had a feeling that I’d seen an email stoppage alert which mentioned Braunston Locks.  Having had deleted it off my phone I could not see what day it was for.  Luckily someone in a CRT jumper walked past and we were able to glean off him that the stoppage was for the next day but would be over by 4:30pm but this was going to be too late for our friends who wanted to leave us earlier than that.  No problem then, we’d head off in the other direction.

I reversed the boat back to the marina entrance where I started to turn round.  Halfway through doing so a widebeam came into view around the bend by the Stop House.  I finished turning and was just about to say “Thank you” to the widebeam when he shouted to me that what I had done “wasn’t very smart” and how I “should have stopped my manoeuvre and let him past”.  Whoever he was made me have to explain to my friends that not all people on the canals were grumpy and most were very relaxed and friendly.  I won’t say the name of the widebeam but its name didn't mirror the personality of those on-board!

That incident aside we headed off in the direction of Braunston Turn and turned left towards Napton.

At Bridge 101 a Greenfinch came and sat on our rear fender for a few hundred yards eyeing up the cabin doors and at one time trying to get in.

When we were around the Shuckburgh area I had another thought and after a few conversations we went to plan C and instead of turning right at Napton Junction, we carried straight on onto the Oxford Canal.

When we reached to bottom lock there were 2 CRT volunteers to help us on our way up the locks who told us of a stoppage the following Monday at the top locks in case it interfered with our return journey.  It didn't as we were planning on coming back down the flight the next day.

We met a few boats coming down the flight which meant we had an easy run up, turning in the Old Engine Arm and coming back down one lock to our mooring for the night.  Shortly after another boat come down the lock and moored in front of us.

After a shower and beer or two we walked down the locks to the Folly Inn where we spent an hour or so with the main debate being should we stay and eat there or go back and have what we have on the boat?  It was decided that it might be best to go back and cook on-board.

We had lovely steaks purchased from the butchers in Braunston and with the empty wine bottles and beer cans stacking up we decided to call it a night.

Piglet: Tuesday 23rd April

Arrived at Braunston mid-afternoon and unlocked the boat, turned on the gas, etc. and slowly ferried our stuff from the car to the boat whilst waiting for our friends to arrive.  They arrived an hour or so later and we welcomed them on-board with a glass of wine and beer.

After showing them around the boat we went for a pleasant walk to the bottom lock and back pointing out different boats and canal features.

After eating dinner and consuming a few more bottles of wine it was time for bed.

Piglet: Liquid Water

Thankfully we woke up to a sunny morning, floating ducks and moving water for our return trip to Braunston.

Piglet: Piglet Meets Ice, 3rd March 2013

Once again the diesel heater came on as it should, but shut itself off after about 90 minutes which was annoying.  However this wasn't a problem as we were on landline electrics so the immersion heater was heating the hot water.

I got up and went to light the fire in the front cabin to get this area warm.  Opening the curtains something didn't quite seem right.  The water around the boat wasn't moving!  This was the first time I'd been on a narrowboat in ice.

Anyway, it was nice being able to have a hot shower at last now the water tank was full.

Becky got up, had a shower and we both had breakfast discussing what to do that day.  One suggestion was go to look around Daventry and go out boating for the day tomorrow.  I went to look at the canal and found that the ice was thicker there than in the marina.

Shortly afterwards a crashing noise was heard coming along from the direction of the bottom lock and a boat appeared breaking its way through the ice.  I figured as the locks were shut, the stretch past the marina would be little used so to see a boat on it breaking the ice suggested to me that the canal around the Turn would have more traffic so would already have a path through the ice.

We decided to go and head out to the Folly at Napton.

While I was getting the boat ready a boat left its marina mooring and broke a path through the ice.  There was no excuse now.

I ran the engine in forward gear while still on the mooring and this broke the ice behind us so we could reverse out.  I will mention that to the owners of the boat next to ours as they had difficulty in January reversing out in ice.

We set off at 11am and reversing out wasn't a problem.  As we took a slightly different line through the marina to the previous boat you could hear the ice scraping against moored boats as we passed.  It was quite odd to see ducks stood on the ice either side of us as we went down the narrow path carved by the previous boat.

Turning on to the main canal wasn't a problem and we followed the path through the ice past the marina entrance.  Here we saw the boat that had come past earlier so unless something else had moved the ice would only have been broken up to this point. Crunch crunch crunch could be heard as we encountered our first bit of properly frozen canal.  Past Braunston Road Bridge and the Boat House pub the canal was free of ice which was a relief.

Turning on to the Oxford Canal it was obvious no boat had been before us that morning as the ice was right across the canal and as far as I could see into the distance.  It was too late now to turn back so we continued crunching our way forward.  The noise was quite loud from the back of the boat and at the front it was amazing.

As we approached the cutting at Wolfamcote the ice got thicker but we still had no problem breaking it.  Had it got much worse I planned to turn around but it got easier when we got to the more exposed section where the wind was breaking the ice up a bit.  We met a couple of boats coming the other way so knew from here the channel would be clear.

Eventually the ice cleared altogether.  Before Wigram's Turn (the junction where the Grand Union Canal splits from the Oxford and heads north) we met Nick Wolfe's 'Aldgate'.

Approaching the junction we saw 2 boats come out of the Grand Union and turn right in front of us.  I hoped these weren't going to moor at Napton as the visitor moorings there are busy at the quietest of times.

As we approached the Bridge Inn the lead boat winded round so we held against a boat on the moorings until they had finished turning.  Once they had turned, the 2nd boat did the same.  Once the 2 boats had moored up we continued on our way but still couldn't decided if the Bridge Inn was open or not.

As usual there were boats on the moorings at Napton so we winded and backed up towards the locks a bit to moor in a space next to the wooden ice breaker 'Pelican'.  Having moored up we decided to go for a couple of drinks then head back just in case the ice was bad the next morning.

We arrived at the Folly and could see it was busy with Sunday lunches so we bought our drinks and sat down on a pew in the lower room.  We could see the lunches looked really good and once the landlord had wafted a few under our noses on the way from the kitchen we decided to stay moored at Napton that night and have lunch in the pub and we weren't disappointed.  Becky had roast beef and I had roast pork and it was lovely!  We even managed to have desserts.

After a couple of hours we returned to Piglet and watched TV for the rest of the evening.

Piglet: Braunston, Saturday 2nd March 2013

A welcome noise to be woken up to is the sound of the diesel heater starting up and more importantly keep running.  Thankfully this is exactly what happened this morning and by the time I wanted to get up the boat was feeling quite cosy.

I turned the heater off and went to light the fire.  It took a few goes this morning but I was quite out of practice but after a while it was roaring away nicely.

Breakfast consisted of a few slices of toast as we'd not been to get any supplies so far.

From November 2012 the fresh water system on the boat had been drained down to stop any freezing of the pipes if the temperature got cold enough so the first job of the day was to go and fill the tank up with water.  I replaced the shaft, boat hook and plank on the roof as these had been stored in the front cabin over winter and they were quite in the way!

I started the engine and while that warmed up we decided whether to use the tap in the marina or one of the ones out on the Grand Union Canal.  We decided to use the one on the canal as then we could go for a short trip.

We reversed out of the mooring and through the marina to the second entrance and turned left.  Turning right would have taken us to Braunston locks which were shut for maintenance and there isn't a tap down there anyway!

We moored just in front of the Gongoozler's Rest café boat and ran out the hose to the tap.  I closed all the taps on the boat (left open over winter) and started filling the tank.  Meanwhile Becky went to the café boat and bought a couple of coffees.  After a while I opened the taps and turned on the water pump and thankfully water appeared out of all the taps after a bit of spluttering and splashing.

Narrowboat 'Amy' arrived from the 'Turn' direction and moored in front of us wanting to use the tap when we had finished.  They had been in Braunston for a week or so and were heading off up the Grand Union once they'd filled with water and turned around.  The stoppage at Calcutt Locks was meant to have finished on Friday but I recall an email from Canal & River Trust amending the stoppage until 8am on Monday and checking on my phone I was correct.  The owners of 'Amy' didn't mind a few more days in Braunston and the guy was quite happy as he could get a decent pint in the pubs.

After an hour the tank was looking nearly full so we stopped filling as we knew we weren't going to use much water and wanted to leave the tank with some space in it as we wouldn't be draining it again when we left the boat.

We cast off and headed up the canal to Braunston Turn where the Grand Union meets the Oxford Canal.  This isn't the original site of the junction however, that was where the entrance to the marina is but in 1830 the Oxford Canal Company straightened their line a bit and built an embankment known as Braunston Puddle Banks cutting off 5 miles of winding canal which caused the juntion to move to its new location.  

The Oxford meets the Grand Union at 90 degrees like a lot of junctions but here there is a triangular 'traffic island'.  Winding at the 'Turn' involves turning left onto the shared Oxford/Grand Union section down one side of the triangle, reversing down the other side of the triangle and returning the way you came which makes up the 3rd side.  This isn't too problematic but I have seen it done with a motor and butty which must be interesting!

We arrived back at our mooring in the marina just after midday (Becky having vetoed my suggestion of a pint in the Boat House).

We plugged the landline electrics back in and turned on the immersion heater to give us hot water now the tank and calorifer was full.

Locking the boat up we took the short walk into Braunston village and headed for the butchers who asked if we'd come by submarine!  Here we bought our supply of meat and veg for the next few days before heading to the store to get a few bottles of wine, etc.

Dropping the shopping back at the boat we took a walk up the locks to the Admiral Nelson for lunch.  We'd first gone to the Nelson the previous October and loved it however we learnt that it was to close again as it had been sold.  Thankfully the tenants were able to raise the money and buy the pub themselves so it is now a Freehouse.  

We took as seat in the bar as the restaurant was full.  Becky ordered a Cajun Chicken Burger and I had Gammon, Egg and Chips.  There was a bit of a wait as they were short staffed but the beer and wine were as good as always so we didn't mind and we certainly didn't mind when the food arrived!

We left feeling very full and walked up the lane, across the field and footpath back into the village thinking we'd have a drink in the Old Plough.  The last few times we'd been there it wasn't brilliant but it looks like it has new management and the pint of Doom Bar I had was quite nice.  The landlady, obviously taking time out from cooking, came and engaged us in conversation and was very pleasant.  Unfortunately we were the only people in there but I hope she makes a success of it and it goes back to how I remember the pub during the Braunston Boat Show days.

We returned to the boat, lit the fire and watched TV only having the Pasties we'd bought from the butchers at around 8pm when we felt hungry again.

Piglet: Under the cover of darkness. 1st March 2013

This was to be the first time we had travelled to Braunston after work on a Friday evening.  The journey didn't really take any longer than it did normally which was good to know.

When we arrived, everything was in darkness and it felt like the middle of the night even though it was only just gone half eight.

Apart from a couple of hours in early February, Piglet had been shut up since December so was looking very cold and dark.  We turned on the 12 and 24 volt electrics (the 240 volt was already on to power a couple of heaters) and the gas and pressed the 'go' button on the Webasto diesel heater.  This thankfully burst into life in a plume of water vapour out of the exhaust.  We lit a fire as well to help bring the temperature up and soon heat inside was climbing past 15 degrees.

We had brought some Chilli with us so while that was warming up on the hob we made the bed up and stowed a few other bits away.

After eating we watched TV, had a few glasses of beer and wine and headed for bed.

I'm still here...

Please don't think I haven't posted anything since October last year.  I'm writing trip reports and back-dating them but have just realised it looks like nothing's been posted recently.