On to Hawkesbury Junction

Monday 23rd March

Oops, it’s Wednesday evening and I’m getting behind again ….  How do other bloggers manage to keep up-to-date?

There was a gleam of sun when we got up though it soon clouded over.  It’s a good spot here below Hillmorton Locks and we had the sun till quite late yesterday.  In spite of the proximity of the railway it was pretty quiet too.  We got going pretty early as we wanted to get to Hawkesbury Junction this afternoon.  The first thing of interest was three hedgerows which appeared to have been netted, just the 25 yards or so closest to the canal.  Why?

We stopped at Brownsover, which was deserted, to empty a cassette.  NB Peregrine moored while we were there and the owner came over for a chat – he has only recently moved aboard and is on a steep learning curve!  but seems to be enjoying himself.  We gave him directions to Tesco.  On our way out of Rugby we passed under this bridge – the slogan always makes us smile.  To the left is painted the names of two late ‘old gits’.

It was jolly cold once the cloud came over.  Meg likes to be outside with us but doesn’t have a thick coat like her collie parent, so she has a little fleece coat and a bit of old sleeping bag to keep her warm – but she still ends up going inside.

We stopped at the super moorings at All Oaks Wood for lunch.  Near Rose Narrowboats Meg was greeted/warned off by these woolly characters – not just hair the owners have to deal with by the slobbery looks of them!  

The towpath in the cuttings after the M6 was pretty wet and boggy; though some stretches have been built up you couldn’t keep your feet dry in between them!

It was cold in the cuttings but out in the open the pussy willows are lovely.

We moored at the end of the Oxford, just two boats away from the stop lock.  So far this trip we have been able to moor where we want with no trouble at all.  To celebrate, we went to the Greyhound for a meal.  The last time we managed to both moor here and get a table, the children were with us – twenty years ago!  Even then we only just managed to get a table and have wanted to return ever since.  Well worth the wait.

14 miles, no locks, 1 swing bridge at Rose Narrowboats