Visitors for Breakfast

We’re on our way to Llangollen and moored at Norbury Junction near on the Shropshire Union Canal last night. This morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we found this pheasant walking along the towpath searching out its breakfast from the boaters moored here. It didn’t seem too bothered by any of the human activities going on. No sooner had the pheasant gone than these two ducks waddled up and quacked for their breakfast.  Here’s Christine dropping a piece of bread out of the hopper window. We cruised northwards during the day and are moored just north of the Audlem flight of locks tonight after a days of mixed sunshine and showers. Tomorrow we pass Nantwich and turn left at Hurleston Junction onto the Llangollen Canal, starting with the four locks at Hurleston. One of those locks is alleged to be the narrowest of all narrow locks so I hope we fit all right.  Check out our progress and see if we fit.

Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 at 21:09
Comments (0) Category(s): Shropshire Union

Moored in the Middle

We’re moored at Sherborne Wharf, Birmingham for just a few more days.  This mooring puts us in the middle of the English and Welsh canal network, ready to head off in any direction we please.  And it’s just 15 minutes walk from Birmingham New Street Station if we want to visit by train.

I know some people are put off by the thought of undesirable problems on the Birmingham Canal Networks, but we’ve never had any problems and I don’t think it’s any worse than any other big city.  They all have their good and bad points and the bad ones start the rumours.

There’s an excellent picture on Live Search, just drag the picture to follow the canal going off the top left of your picture to reach the "roundabout" at Old Turn Junction.  There’s another picture here.

We should be heading northwards later this week, heading for Llangollen in a few weeks time.

Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 22:12
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No Problem on the Thames

Our friends on No Problem are moving their two narrow boats northwards from the Kennet and Avon Canal towards Braunston.  Christine and I helped them into Reading on Monday, then I stayed with them on Tuesday and Wednesday to help them along the River Thames from Reading to Oxford.

Last time I was on the River Thames all the locks were staffed, but now the financial cuts are biting and some of the locks were not staffed and we had to work them ourselves.

The correct procedure is demonstrated here - Sue winds the handle for around 100 turns to open the gates while Vic supervises.

To be fair to Vic he did his share of work throughout the day and we all took turns winding the handles to open and shut the gates and paddles.

We were amused by the sign at Clifton Lock which says “Caution Hole” - but the chalk has almost been washed off by the heavy rain.

There was no sign warning us about the heavy rain but, presumably, then Environment Agency does not consider itself responsible for that.

It was great to be with Vic and Sue for 3 days - and their dog, Lucy, who even allowed me to take her for a walk.

Posted on Friday, May 18, 2007 at 11:14
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Northwards through Napton

We’re on the move again, heading north along the Oxford Canal.  Tonight we’re moored just north of Braunston.

We went to collect the boat yesterday morning, knowing there was still a little work to complete before we could leave - and that the fitting of the final bank of batteries would be left to a later date as the batteries were still on order.

During the morning we heard that the batteries had just arrived at Stevenage to a quick dash there and back enabled us to start this final work around 17:00 and by 22:00 we were completely finished - in all ways.

This morning we had a leisurely start and headed northwards past the windmill at Napton - half visible in the photograph - then past Napton and Braunston Junctions to the Northern Oxford Canal where we are moored for the night.

Posted on Saturday, May 5, 2007 at 20:20
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