Nuneaton to Hawkesbury

11th September

Well very nearly up to date with the blog at last!!

The last couple of days we have been moored the closest we could get to the Bermuda Industrial Park near Nuneaton, so James could visit the men's toyshop, Axminster Tools and Machinery, and it happens to be the largest of their six stores. It's just a short stroll from the canal up there and on our first trip he got a different type of glue to try, the second trip this morning was to replace an £8.75 collet which unfortunately took a dive into the canal, after an hour and a half looking round we came out with a chuck set costing a little bit more at £130, but I suppose it could have been worse there were some individual ones at close on £200.

Nuneaton's Axminster store

The weather has been gorgeous and James has been doing some woodwork on the lathe, while I have been busy with my sewing machine, it's all been very industrious on LJ and with the sun on the solar panels to power it all. I did venture out to pick some blackberries but it was very disappointing not many collected I guess it is getting a little late for them now, especially as they were so early this year.

There was some work, or possibly survey, being done on the bridge behind us, which a raft arrived for. They set up a scaffold on it and had to keep moving it out of the way for the boats to pass by.

The scaffold raft arriving

Our little neighbour for a few days, she enjoyed floating on her own reed raft

After our little shopping trip this morning it was wise to move on before James could think of anything else he needed at Axminster, that's the problem being near shops - we spend money. We continued on past Marston Junction where the Ashby Canal goes off, past Charity Dock, then arrived at Hawkesbury Junction, where we spent the winter in 2012/2013. 

Charity Dock

This collection seems to grow every time we pass

We did the 180 turn at the junction past the Greyhound pub, which was quite busy for a weekday, on to the Oxford Canal, through the stop lock and then moored up just after.

The familiar view of the Pump House at Hawkesbury Junction

The Greyhound on a lovely sunny day

Moored up just after the stop lock

3.5 miles and 1 lock

Total 439.75 miles and 362 locks

Atherstone to Nuneaton

8th September

We left Atherstone in glorious sun this morning saying good bye to the lovely dog who had been keeping her eye on us during our stay. 

Everything started to look very familiar to us now we are back on waters we have traveled a few times before.

This stretch also bought back memories for us both as it was here we traveled when we very first hired a boat from Lime Farm Marina back in April 2011, that was the beginning of our narrowboat dream, which we made reality when we bought LJ in December the same year and finally moving permanently aboard April 2012 just a year after having fallen in love with the idea.

We passed by Hartshill where CRT appeared to being doing some work, they are such lovely buildings there and I'm sure a lot of history.

Hartshill Yard

Just a bit further along there was a stretch of about 500 feet where there were 'no mooring' signs, it was reserved for disabled anglers, I wonder how often it is used and if it really needed the whole stretch reserved, it didn't seem busy with boats there and the tow path was in good condition for a long way.

No mooring between bollard and the back of boat right in the distance

We stopped briefly to pop into Nuneaton and it was good to remember where certain shops were, we got some lunch and sat in the well maintain George Elliott Memorial Garden. We made another short move just past bridge 17 as that's the closest we can get to the Bermuda Industrial Park where James wants to visit the Axminster shop tomorrow.

One thing I have noticed being back down in the Midlands is that canal and locks all seem much better looked after than the North West where they seem very neglected.

Moored up near Bridge 17, Gypsy Lane 

7.5 miles 

Total 436.25 miles and 361 locks