Star City to Minworth

After our overnight stop at Star City we set off around 8am we were soon going over the aqueduct above the River Tame and under the M6 near Spaghetti Junction. At Salford Junction it was a very tight left turn onto the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and all very familiar as we have been through here a few times now. 

Te River Tame with M6 above

Under a large warehouse built over the canal

We stopped near Erdington and James went off to post his latest commission pen and also pick up a few bits from Lidl to keep us going over Easter.

We were soon on our way again and down the three locks at Minworth and stopped for the day outside The Boat Inn.

4.5 miles and 3 locks

TOTAL 83.5 miles and 112 locks

Catherine-de-Barnes to Star City

There is not a lot in Catherine-de-Barnes and a very busy road runs across the canal, there is a small village shop and a Chef and Brewer pub. We had planned to only stop for the night but on a walk with Dudley we spotted some Ash wood piled next to the canal, as our wood stock has been used and the coal was running low we decided to stock up, although spring is on its way it is still quite chilly. We now let the fire go out overnight and as we are busy during the day it doesn't need re-lighting until around 4ish.

The following morning James completed a commission pen and late afternoon we moved up the canal slightly to pick up the wood, staying there overnight.

Next morning we set off through Solihull and then the Camp Hill lock flight, these are six narrow locks, with lovely old buildings just before them. The flight was well kept and there was hardly any rubbish until we reached the bottom, I guess it was all being flushed down. At Bordesley Junction we turned right and through Garrison Locks and then onwards down to Star City for the night.

Excellent path for cycling but definitely a no mooring zone

Approaching Camp Hill top lock

'The Arches'

And the bottom lock - along with all the rubbish

Such a shame - the old lock cottage at Garrison locks

10 miles and 11 locks

TOTAL 79 miles and 109 locks

Knowle to Catherine-de-Barnes

We stayed the best part of a week at Knowle and very productive it was too. James was getting on with pen making, we now have nearly enough for full displays when the festival and market season starts, he's also had a couple of commissions to complete as well. I had been busy inside giving LJ a massive spring clean and re-varnishing in the bathroom and kitchen.

We were just over a mile away from the Knowle lock flight and I really wasn't looking forward to this one! This part of the canal had been included in the widening scheme along with Hatton in the 1930's so these five locks were wide and they are not particularly pretty either. The widening scheme saw the original six narrow locks being closed and five wide locks replacing them. Like Hatton the narrow locks are still evident as they are now the overflows and the paddle gear on the wide locks are hydraulic like Hatton. Very hard work winding them and very heavy gates, I was glad there were only five. Even so I preferred to be up dong the winding rather than down in the deep wide lock. 

We stopped in Catherine-de-Barnes as it is the last recommended stopping place before Birmingham.

4.25 miles and 5 locks

TOTAL 69 miles and 98 locks

Lowsonford to Knowle

Another lovely spring day saw us leaving Lowsonford going through a couple of locks before reaching the bottom lock of the Lapworth flight, although the first few locks here are quite away from the main flight so I'm surprised they are included within the Lapworth locks. We past a very remote cottage, which I believe is one of two that is still completely off grid.

No evidence of an access road for miles 

The pitched roof house is attached to this one, so guess it has a massive extension

On reaching Kingswood Junction we turned right onto the Grand Union link and then at the Grand Union it was left, onto new waters for us. 

Kingswood Junction

Onto the Grand Union link

and left turn at the junction

The Wide Grand Union

We continued on for a couple of miles before stopping half a mile or so before the Black Boy pub on the outskirts of Knowle.

4.5 miles and 10 locks

TOTAL 64.75 miles and 93 locks

Whilton to Shackerstone

Whilton to Welton Wharf

It was up the Buckby flight again, we were lucky as a few days later it was closed as there was a problem with lock 12, again. We did the first two locks on our own and then waited for another boat to join us up the remaining 5. We carried straight on at Norton Junction and moored up just before Braunston Tunnel in the rain.

3 miles and 7 locks

Welton Wharf to Braunston

A short trip through Braunston Tunnel and then down the Brauston Locks, no one to share with on these but not as bad going down on your own, there were plenty coming up so we thought they would be a few spaces to moor up in Brauston, as it was we took the only one available, but there were plenty of comings and goings throughout the rest of the day, it is literally being in the right place at the right time to get a mooring here.

Entering Braunston Tunnel

And leaving it

That's the locks done

3 miles and 5 locks

Brauston to Hillmorton

We stopped at the top of Hillmorton Locks for a couple of days getting on with a couple of boat maintenance jobs, James was working on the back deck and me the front.

6.5 miles and 0 locks

Hillmorton to Rugby

Down the three Hillmorton locks and at last back to narrow locks, so much easier. These ones are paired and a few were coming up so we didn't have to wait long, we continued on to a very busy Brownsover, to do a Tesco shop and pick up a delivery James had arranged to Rugby Post Office, both successful so the next day we were on our way again.

3 miles and 3 locks

Rugby to Hawkesbury Junction

It started off a cold damp day and then after Newbold Tunnel the rain came Dudley seemed to enjoy sheltering with me under my umbrella, he doesn't like going in on his own even if it is pouring. We continued on through Brinklow and stopped at Ansty by this time it was raining heavily and we were getting cold and wet, we had some lunch and dried out then the weather turned so off we went again stopping at a very quiet Hawkesbury Junction, on the Oxford Canal side of the Sutton Stop Lock. We popped into the Greyhound pub and Bank Holiday Monday, well it would have been rude not too and were even lucky there and got the window seat, it soon got busy later in the afternoon though.

12.5 miles and 0 locks

Hawkesbury Junction to Near Nuneaton

Back through the stop lock and then right turn at the junction, which as usual James managed perfectly, onto the Coventry Canal we stopped off just before Gypsy Lane Bridge as we needed to get up to the retail park and Axminster Tools and Screwfix to pick up some more paint as they had an offer on the Red Oxide.

3.5 miles and 1 lock

Nuneaton to Limekilns

We continued up to the winding hole and then it was about turn back to Marston Junction where we turned left down the Ashby Canal, we haven't been down this way since 2012. We carried on stopping just before Limekilns Bridge 15.

7 miles and 0 locks

Limekilns to Sutton Wharf

We were really lucky the mooring on the wharf was free, Mark on Callisto arrived shortly after as he had arranged a delivery for the next day, once he had received that we got a few bags of coal as it seems the weather is turning colder.

6 miles and 0 locks

Sutton Wharf to Market Bosworth

The moorings here were fairly quiet a bit of a difference to when we last passed through, we couldn't get moored then, maybe it's the new marina that has recently opened in Market Bosworth.

3.5 miles and 0 locks

Market Bosworth to Shackerstone

Neither of us could really remember the moorings here, we were booked in for the festival so had a reserved spot, we ended up moored between bridges 49 and 50 so a great spot for festival field. 

2.5 miles and 0 locks

TOTAL 489.5 miles and 413 locks

Stoke Bruerne to Weedon to Whilton

Just behind our mooring at Stoke Bruerne there was some kind of overflow or canal top up from the River Tove, when I looked our this morning there was water being pumped into the canal, I haven't seen this before when passing so not sure if it was because water levels were low in the canal or if it was a timed daily/weekly operation.

Water being pumped from the River Tove

Into the canal

After taking Dudley for a quick stroll we set off round the corner to the bottom of the Stoke Bruerne Locks. Luckily as we got round the corner a boat just pulled off the water point so we had someone to share the locks with, it happen to be a boat we've been playing leap frog with for the last couple of days. It was slow going up the flight as we had a couple of long waits for boats coming down, we finally got to the top where our lock partners stopped at Stoke Bruerne. We continued on to the mouth of the tunnel and the Old Stables where Martin has set up the Ark Stained Glass Studio, he was open so we called in to say hello and put faces to names.

James and Martin outside the Studio

There was a boat stopped just in front of us who had problems with their tunnel light, he had been trying to get it working, as they had been there a while and had no joy they decided to use a mains lamp and one of them sit at the front holding it, they seemed quite pleased we were setting off at the same time and asked if we would like to go in front in case their system failed, luckily they were successful. We only passed two boats in the tunnel and made good progress through and it didn't seem as wet this time. 

The Blisworth side of the tunnel

And the stable on the Blisworth side

We continued on our lock free way passing a few unusual boats, here are some of them.

This one is steered from a wheel at the front - it's even got side mirrors

Remember Reckless?? The boat that Guy built

I got off and took Dudley for a walk it was turning out to be a much longer day, in both time and miles, than we usually do so he (and I) needed to stretch our legs. 

I love this camp site right on the canal side, it's usually pretty empty when we have been by before, but that hasn't been in school holiday time, today there was quite a bit of activity there.

We finally arrived at Weedon, the moorings on the long straight were full so we went under the bridge and moored just after, really handy for the Indian restaurant we visited, also it was much quieter from the train which is just across the canal on the other moorings, there was a bit of traffic noise this morning but not as loud as the trains. There has been a Tesco Express opened in Weedon since we last stopped here a couple of years ago, they have converted the old tatty Globe Inn and it looks good now, it's quite big for an Express so we were able to top up the cupboards a bit before we left.

Moored at Weedon

12.5 miles and 7 locks

Today we did the short hop to the bottom of the Buckby flight outside Whilton Marina again, James needs to catch up on some pen making before we arrive in Brauston.

And moored by Whilton Marina again in the sunshne

3 miles and 0 locks

TOTAL 439 miles and 397 locks