Braunston

 After popmaster we cast off, being 11:00 lots of boats had already passed us heading for the locks, Four boats had stopped at the water point so we waited with one other boat to go up the first of three paired locks manned by a volunteer.

Exiting the bottom lock

During a sedate cruise we saw two predators looking for lunch, the kestrel did manage to swoop down and take off with a small mammal in its clutches.

  

Buzzard

Kestrel

Mooring near to Dunchurch Pools  I walked down to look how the marina is progressing.

One basin is occupied.

This is a huge marina

Good views from these widebeam berths

Towpath bridge under construction

The following day we headed into busy Braunston for supplies from the chandler and butcher. Then headed out to a rural mooring

Fat boats will lose a lot of paint getting to Dunchurch marina

Braunston

Fire has melted the cabin on this aluminium boat. 

Hillmorton

Watched the Lions v Hurricanes before we pulled pins, a good game  even though the result wasn't what Gatland would want.

After a few descent days of weather we were back in jeans and fleeces.

Farmland both sides of the canal until we are through Newbold tunnel then we are at the outer residential areas of Rugby. At Brownsover opposite the water point there are new mooring rings at 10 foot intervals nearly all the way to bridge 59, a welcome addition for those wanting to stop for Tesco's.

Bridge art.

Desperate farmers illegal poppy field!

Brownsover ring

We stopped for a couple of days in Hillmorton there's a handy Co-op and post office close by. This morning we treated ourselves to a full english at the Canalchef, proprietor Lesley said she could tell we were 'boaters' because we took our tea without milk or sugar! .......Nah she probably saw the cork orb attached to my keys.

NB Badsey outside Canalchef

Canalchef

St. John the Baptist  - Hillmorton

 The graveyard appears to of been cleared and lawned and the headstones now all line the outer fence

Longford marina

While the water tank filled we washed the port side and roof, these new cycle paths throw up an awful amount of dust. As did the two motorcycles using the tow path as a short cut just after midnight.

There is a scruffy bunch of long term moored boats with accumulated rubbish opposite the water point on the Coventry but around the corner on the North Oxford the long termers are all well kept craft with neat gardens.

Too early for any Greyhound patrons as we turned onto the North Oxford canal through the shallow stop lock. Though there are many electric pylons in this area, the coal power station is long gone, there are plans to turn the Longford power station site into a 225 berth marina - planning was granted in 2014 and is in place for three years so they better start digging soon.

Artist impression of Longford marina

Not long after the turn the landscape is agricultural with shallow valleys and woodlands.  

Interesting branch cratch board.

 We passed a lot of traffic today, possible heading away from the boat festival at Braunston.

Hollyhill bridge.

The swing bridge at Rose narrow boats Stretton stop was open so we cruised through.We observed the hire fleet were all single file which made a change from the last time we passed through here.

Looking back to Stretton stop

Ska

Our friends Glyn & Christine joined us for a cruise from the marina back down the Ashby & on to the Coventry canal where we stopped for dinner at the Greyhound at Hawkesbury Junction aka Sutton Stop. 

After our friends left for their hotel we decided to stay put for the weekend. Today a SKA band were playing a two hour afternoon gig in a huge marquee in the pubs grounds. They played tunes from Desmond Dekker, Toots and Jimmy Cliff to the Specials and Madness, some quite well others not so much - but everyone had a good time, sunday roast in the dining room afterwards and back on board by 19:00. 

The Embezzlers

Ashby Canal

It's 5pm and 30C

We have slipped off the Coventry canal on to the Ashby canal which in it's heyday transported coal & clay out of the mines at Moira.

A tranquil rural waterway meandering on a level 26 mile pound means, lucky for Sue, there are no locks to sweat over.

I have uploaded some pictures of today's 6 mile trip, I hope you like bridges as much as I do.

The start of the Ashby

Looking back to the Coventry canal

Lloyds farm bridge

Bulking road bridge

Bramcote road bridge

Mill bridge

James bridge

Dratleys bridge

Goodacres bridge

Mills bridge

Limekiln bridge (Watling street A5)

Railway bridge

Nutts bridge.

Coventry road bridge

We have stopped in Trinity marina for the night to test the inverter on shore power - all is ok.

Finally we have our inverter back

I must say I'm not impressed with Mastervolt service. They quote a ten day turn around on receipt in Holland. It was removed from the boat on the 29 April despatched on the 4 MAY and was delivered back to our engineer on the 17 Jun.

Still it's nice to have it back after it's prolonged holiday abroad, the inverter powers the washing machine, charges the chrome book so I can blog,k and most importantly the radio so Sue can listen to Popmaster on Radio 2.  

It's nice to have had a few days of glorious sun shine for a change, we are way behind schedule, I had expected to be close to the Thames by now. No worries it's the travelling we enjoy more than a particular destination. Coming across a mobile sheep shearing crew in a field is just one of a multitude of observations made as we creep along.