Rugby to Braunston- The North Oxford Canal

It's better not to dwell to much on yesterday, those pesky gremlin's were back and at one point all we wanted to do was go home - but we ain't beat yet!!!

We are seeing a number of these lovely Horsley Iron Bridges . They are where all the loops were cut out around 1830, shortening the original canal by 15 miles.

The new bridges have murals on the side illustrating local history

Hillmorton locks are a flight of three and are duplicated. The lock we are in is 40 years younger than the one along side, a traffic easing measure of time gone by.

Lines of poetry carved into a series of lock gates to commemorate the inaugural year of Canal and River Trust.

More information about "Locklines" can be found on the Canal & River Trust website.

Working water

Captive for a while

Climbs carefully down

The door makes depth

Other inscriptions can be found at Gargrave on  the Leeds to Liverpool,

Huddersfield Narrow and Birmingham and Fazely Canals

Congestion and Trev is on a bit of heave-ho

View from the back-deck tonight. Remnants of medieval 'ridge and furrow' farming remain obvious in pasture  boardering the canal.

10 miles, 3 locks and we are moored on the edge of Braunston.  Tomorrow its 6 locks and Braunston Tunnel and rain is forecast - oh joy!!!

The North Oxford Canal

Its goodbye to the Ashby Canal and back onto the mainline Coventry Canal at Marston Junction.

Just when you think you have seen it all.......

We do like a bit of quirky!!!!

Approaching Hawkesbury Junction. The disused engine house (to the right by the bridge) was used to pump water up the canal from a well.

The engine, called Lady Godiva, was previously used for nearly 100 years at Griff colliery, a few miles up the canal towards Nuneaton and is now in Dartmouth Museum

We take left under this magnificent iron bridge,

and left again to approach Sutton stop lock.

The Greyhound completes this lovely conservation area.

The North Oxford links Coventry to Braunston and is 22 miles long, intruded by the M6

Followed by the West Coast Line.

Chaos unfolds at Stretton stop, the home of Rose Narrowboats.

Newbold on Avon , a pleasant suburb of Rugby, is adjacent to Newbold Tunnel, 250 yards long and built during the shortening of the canal in the 1820's

Our resting place for the night.

14 miles in 6 1/2 hours, 1 lock and 1 tunnel

A taster of the Ashby Canal

At Marston Junction the Ashby Canal branches east off the Coventry Canal. The industry and housing of Nuneaton vanishes to be replaced by green fields, farms and trees.

A typical stone-arched bridge.

The new...

The original...

Moored at Basin Bridge

Originally 30 miles long, the canal now terminates just north of Snarestone. Subsidence from the coal mines near Measham has brought about the abandonment of the final 8 miles.

The present terminus beyond the tunnel.  Ambitious plans are in hand to re-open the waterway through to Moira.  already a new 1/4 mile section, complete with a lock in water, has been constructed.

Moored just outside the south portal of Snarestone Tunnel.

Wildlife moments....

Is he the reason why its so shallow?

doing a spot of dredging

No problem to a man with Lancaster Canal experience!!! 

Speeding- chance would be a fine thing!!!!

Is C&RT adopting motorway practices?

Our wildlife moment of the day was spotting a water vole but it was too quick for the camera.

So this is our taster of the Ashby Canal. It is a beautiful waterway meandering through remote countryside where civilisation is more often than not over yonder.  People we have spoken to have likened it to our beloved Lancaster Canal and is a welcome contrast to urban Nuneaton and Bedworth.

We finished off the weekend with a very tasty meal and a couple of pints at the Corner House in Bulkington- well it would be rude not to!!!!

Atherstone Flight to Marston Junction.

Today's task is 9 of the 11 locks on the Atherstone flight and we have wall to wall sunshine and a early start.

A boat exited the lock as we approached and that pretty much set the tone for the whole flight.

With lot's of pleasant chat along the way.

Canal & River Trust in communication!!!!

It is a very well cared for flight.

After 2 hours of hard work we are at the top.

The canal passes below the town of Hartshill: the attractive buildings in the Canal & River Trust yard are crowned by a splindid clock tower.

What were once quarries and spoil heaps are now landscaped and transformed into nature reserves.

We soon enter the suburbs of Nuneaton, a typical Midland's town of urban sprawl with a occasional green space.

Moored at Arbury Park Bridge......with a problem...the electrics stopped working.....

and await a visit from River Canal Rescue.

A very nice chappy arrived and got us sorted in just over a hour.