Hawksbury Junction.

 

It was very busy here over the bank holiday weekend, with boats coming from all directions. There is a shallow lock here, which marks the junction of the Oxford and Coventry Canals. In the past the area opposite was known as Suttons Stop by the old working boat people.

We treated ourselves to a lovely Sunday roast lunch with pudding to follow, at the Greyhound Inn. At last everyone is taking advantage of the sunshine and turning a healthy bronze colour. Himself has donned the shorts, but the cool breeze makes it too cold for me to wear mine, just yet!

As it was a bank holiday weekend and the wether was hot  the pub was kept really busy for three days solid. Early the following morning the trolleys were dug out and we walked the three mile round trip down to Tesco in Longford to fill up our store cupboards. Then we left our mooring and took on water at the tap opposite. Down through the stop lock  we made the right-angled turn under the cast iron bridge heading northwards on the Coventry Canal.

Boating Pets.

                          

We had met up with Mick and Rueben several times in the past and they were moored up just around the corner. When I went round for tea and a chat I took some photos of Rueben. He is the strangest dog we have ever met and feels just like a Brillo pad when you stroke him! It is amazing how alike some owners and their pets look! Later they came round and joined us for afternoon tea sat out on the towpath as we actually had another of those warm sunny days.

A lady boater was taking her cat out on a long lead in the early morning sun. It is good to see people taking such great care of their pets. Sadly we see so many posters around the canals appealing for sightings of lost cats and dogs. Once we even saw one asking of the whereabouts of a pet tortoise. he couldn’t have made a quick getaway, could he?

Lambantics!

                        

There was a hollow space opposite our mooring where the lambs came to frolic about, running up and down the steep slope there.

                        

We were quite amused to watch them, as they seemed to be playing hide-and-seek with each other among the trees.

Sowe Common.

                         

We left our lovely mooring spot at All Oaks Wood through Brinklow with it’s tiny swing bridge, then on underneath the M6 motorway buzzing with traffic. How nice it is to cruise at a leisurely pace along the peaceful canals, only being occasionally reminded of the bustle and speed of life on land.

                                 

The Swallows were perched on the wires all puffed up wondering what had happened to  their insect food which usually hovers around on warm sunny days. We hope they can survive this cold wet windy month of May. As usual we passed straight through Ansty because there were no suitable moorings available. The narrow-boat following us looked as though it was travelling backwards! We continued on to moor on a nice long straight stretch of Armco near Sowe Common.

Dentist Dash!

                       

As Oakfield is moored to Armco with no overhanging vegetation I am washing and polishing the outside of it. When the weather is agreeable we also have some touching up and painting to be done too. The Bywater Hotel boat and butty passed by us towing on a long line.

Things were going well until disaster struck during our evening meal, when part of my tooth/filling came out leaving a hole. I phoned the Daventry dentist early next morning and was told there was a free appointment at !2.20pm, so I eagerly took it. This meant catching the bus into Rugby, then changing buses to get to Daventry. So we left  the boat around 10am and after a mad dash catching buses hither and thither, we arrived back on Oakfield exhausted at about 3.30pm, phew! Just in time to wind down with a nice cup of tea before cooking the next meal!

Coventry.

  

It was a dull overcast day so we caught the 585 bus which took us into Coventry for the day, as we needed some things from IKEA. It is usually quite enjoyable travelling through the countryside and through all the little villages en-route. That is if you have a driver who can provide a smooth ride and not jerk your head off at every stop! Needless to say the ride in was horrendous. Luckily not all bus drivers are as bad. Lady Godiva now overlooks the vast pedestrian area which was completed in time for the 2012 Olympics.

Family aboard.

                      

We have spent much of the last two months visiting our families, but while we were in Brownsover our daughter brought our two grandsons for a visit. After catching up with each others news we had a leisurely lunch on board. Then we took the two boys to the nearby park while their mum put her feet up for a while to recuperate! It was lovely to see them again and as usual we were left quite exhausted. 

Soon we were cruising off north and noticed these white cows galloping down across the field. Turns out the farmer had come with their breakfast.  As we cruised slowly past a man relaxing with his coffee on the front of a moored Viking Afloat boat, he called out to us on seeing Ebley Wharf on the side our boat, “I’m from Glawster”

Critters.

 

Moorhens are quite territorial and are very aggressive towards other critters who invade their space. They spend most of their time hidden in the canal-side vegetation, but come out to feed their chicks once they are afloat. Swimming jerkily along, making a click-click sound, they seem almost like mechanical wind up creatures. Are Moorhen chicks the ugliest looking baby birds with their sore looking heads and black bulging eyes?

 

These young lambs and calves were sunning themselves alongside their mothers.

Farewell.

                           

It was such a beautiful morning we decided to walk into Rugby to meet up with our friends before parting company for the summer season. This wide straight pathway leads almost directly  from Brownsover right into the town centre. Since we last walked this route the steep steps over the railway lines have been replaced with a zig-zag construction. This makes it easier for wheelchair, pushchair and cycle users to negotiate now.

                           

When  passing the park we could hear bells, then we saw this moveable contraption where people were trying out  their campanology skills. After an enjoyable chat over drinks and a snack with Lynne and Paul we said our goodbyes and made our way back to Oakfield. Bottle walked and I caught the No 12 bus up to Aldi in Coton Park, then walked back down the hill home.

Brownsover.

                       

This was our lovely porthole view for a while, and when we woke up one morning a spider had woven it’s silky web there, glinting in the sun.

                        

There are plenty of natures clocks and bells around the hedgerows here.

Specsavers.

 

Himself had accidentally plopped his glasses into the canal some weeks back and had been wearing his spare old pair. So, a trip to the opticians was needed and we caught the Rugby bus mid-morning to make appointments for both of us. As it happened we were booked in for eye-tests the same afternoon at Specsavers, luckily. With some time to kill we perused the shops and had a snack in Wetherspoons of course!  Back at their shop we quickly and efficiently  had our eye-tests and were measured up for a pair of new glasses each. Perfick! After two weeks we were fitted up with a smart new pair each.

We can see clearly now that the rain has gone!

Old Boats.

The lovely old Mb Dane alerted me to it’s arrival by the sound of it’s popping Bolinder engine, closely followed by it’s Butty Clara.