We’ve gone far further than planned today, but more of that later. There was rain in the night and it was still pretty dank and drizzly when we set off at about 8.45. Clifton Cruisers had quite a few of their hire boats in, but the whole site is now pretty much cafe.
Where the canal goes over the River Avon, there are various places where staff can go down and check things. And squirrels have access too.
Our first aim was Rugby for shopping. We stopped in the first available spot (although of course it turned out there were more spaces round the corner) and as we tied up there was a squally shower. I walked down to Tesco to get a few days of food, and when I came out the shop it was like a different day. The skies had cleared and the sun had come out. While I put things away, Adrian walked down to Pets at Home to get Macc some more food. It was about 11.15 when we set off again, in very nice conditions as we approached Newbold and went through the tunnel.
There was someone coming the other way as we entered the tunnel, but they opted to wait the other side even though it’s possible to pass inside. The next major landmark for us was the entrance to Brinklow Marina, or the Marina of Dreams as it’s called by some! Briar Rose was based there when we bought her, and we stayed for a while.
There are some pretty parts of the canal after Brinklow, and All Oaks Wood was also looking lovely in the sunshine.
Our plan had been to stop at the moorings just after All Oaks, but during the morning various stoppage notices had come out. The Ayslebury Arm is closing because of low water levels, the restrictions are staying on at Hatton, and Bosley Locks on the Macc are staying shut. And the canal we’re on, the North Oxford, is a good few inches down. There’s no indication that Atherstone Locks are likely to close again, but we’ll be more comfortable when we’re down them, so we decided we’d carry on and make the most of the warm and sunny afternoon. As it happened there were spaces on the All Oaks moorings, as there always are when you do it need them. The site of the landslip in the cutting just beyond is greening up, but still looks rather stark.
At Rose Narrowboats, there were no hire boats in at all and the whole site looks a bit forlorn. I was actually quite surprised to look up their website and find them still functioning. Adrian got off to swing the little bridge over the narrows there.
Regular readers may remember that the North Oxford comes near the bottom of my list of favourite canals, and the bit from Stretton Stop to Hawkesbury Junction is the worst. First you get the Rose moorings, then the train is right alongside, then there are the long offside moorings, and then the M6 goes over.
The reduced depth of water meant parts of it felt like a struggle too, but at least it was nice weather. Ansty was a possible mooring, and there was plenty of space, but by then we thought we might as well go to the junction. It was about 3.30 when we arrived and moored before the lock. We’re on a bit of a bend, but it’s nearly all on a bend, but there are not many boats here, although we’ve seen a large number going the other way today. Macc had spent most of the journey asleep, so I took him for a walk round the junction and across a field past a building site, back to the towpath behind us.
So we have done today what we’d planned for two days, but there’s no harm in getting Atherstone Locks done a day early.
15 miles, 0 locks. (213 miles, 139 locks)