Caxton's Travels

Good friday, April 6th

We finally decided after much to-ing and fro-ing to head south on the Grand Union despite the lock restrictions which are in place because of the water shortages which we are currently suffering from. We left our pontoon in Braunston marina shortly after half past twelve and headed for the diesel pump, we were pipped to the post by another boat so we waited temporarily very close to our original mooring in the marina. As soon as the refuelling point was free we moved PhoenixIII into position and filled the tank with 96 litres of diesel at £1.28 a litre which seems rather expensive for a 60:40 split. With a full tank and a new bag of coal we left the marina, turned right and made our way to the first lock of the Braunston flight. Conscious of our water conservation obligations we waited in the lock to be joined by the next boat to come along, Capercailie. The crew were delivering the boat to a new owner at Stowe Hill and we had a pleasant enough ascent with them to the mouth of Braunston tunnel. We followed another boat into the tunnel and with Capercailie behind us we traversed the gloomy hole through the hill until we emerged on the Daventry side of the navigation passing just one boat en-route. We knew that we would be unable to descend through the Buckby flight but we took a chance and we were able to moor just a hundred yards from the top lock. After eating our main meal of the day we took a walk down to the top lock and paid a visit to the New Inn, not a bad little place but like so many independent pubs a bit tatty and obviously in need of investment. After a drink we returned to the boat so with the fire generating a gentle but constant heat, we settled down for the evening.

We changed our mind two or three times as we tried to work out what we wanted to do before we decided to turn around and avoid the restrictions of the Grand Union. Boats were already gathering at the top of Buckby locks when we untied and reversed the 300 yards or so back to Norton junction. We turned around and were soon heading back to the Braunston tunnel which we reached about an hour after setting off. Although we still had no definite plan when we had turned around, by the time we reached the tunnel we had decided to head for the Ashby canal.

Emerging into the sunlight at the other end we joined the short queue for the locks. By the time it was our turn to descend we had been joined by Frank and Denise on board nb Betty Eccles. It’s always a pleasure to be accompanied by experienced boaters and this trip was no exception. We swapped locks with pair after pair of ascending boats until we reached Braunston bottom lock an hour later. We waved goodbye to our lockmates and pulled over at the boatyard where we caught up with Justin Green and discussed our concerns with recent problems we have had when starting the engine. Justin checked the glow plugs before draining water from the fuel filter, it looks like there is contamination, probably from a damaged O-ring on the filler cap so when we have finished our cruise we will get Justin to polish the fuel, a new service that he provides for boats.

We left Justin’s yard and chugged on to the Boathouse pub where we were fortunate enough to grab the last mooring space. After tying up we went inside and ordered lunch and as usual we were not disappointed by the service, the food or the drinks. An hour later and it was time to move on so we untied and carried on to the service point near Braunston turn where Sue dumped the rubbish and emptied the toilet and I wandered over to Midland Chandlers looking for a new O-ring for the fuel filler – no guessing who had the best deal here then!

And so we carried on, making our way along the North Oxford in the direction of Rugby. We noted the progress made at the new marina on the Barby straight and eventually reached Hillmorton locks. There were a couple of boats in front of us and because BW/CRT have decided to close half of the paired locks, it was a relatively slow descent despite the fact that there were boats coming up at the same rate as there were going down. The afternoon was slipping by as we left Hillmorton and made our way through Rugby and Newbold on Avon, we eventually stopped for the night near Bridge 48, about half a mile north of the Newbold tunnel.

After settling down, Sue phoned Cliff who painted Phoenix III last year to tell him that we would be on the Ashby later in the week. It turns out that he is expecting to be at the Greyhound at Hawkesbury tomorrow afternoon and that is about the time that we will be there. We are all looking forward to this re-union so it is unlikely that there will be a blog posting tomorrow – thick heads all round I suspect!

Easter Sunday dawned with a dose of miserable weather again but we got up and got dressed anyway, knowing that waiting for better things would be a pointless exercise. We were soon on our way from our overnight mooring at Falls Bridge, heading once again in a northerly direction on the Oxford canal. It was a cold and wet wind that accompanied us on our journey but we had no hold ups or incidents as we passed through Stretton stop and then Ansty. We reached Sutton stop just before midday and moored almost at the end of the visitor moorings on the Oxford side. When Cliff arrived a couple of hours later, there was still just enough room to squeeze his boat, Stonewall Jackson in between us and the mooring for the lock.

Once we had secured both boats we joined Cliff and Liz for a coffee and looked at the photographs that they had taken on their trip to America last year. With that out of the way, we made our way to the pub for a drink and to start the re-union properly. We had eaten lunch on board but the Stonewall Jackson crew were planning to eat in the Greyhound so we all thought that we could have a couple of drinks, return to our boats before they could come back to the pub and eat where we would join them later. They booked a table for 6.30 but since we were all still there at 6pm we decided that we might as well all stay and eat. After six hours of talking, eating and drinking we called it a day and wandered back along the towpath to our respective vessels, happy and tired. Sue and I retired to bed before 9.30 but I had a rotten night’s sleep, the combination of two big meals and a belly full of Guinness made for an uncomfortable night but that was still outweighed by the lovely afternoon that we had enjoyed.

It seemed like a long night but eventually it got light and Monday had begun. We set off in the wind and rain, hoping for a mooring somewhere in the Hinckley area. It was a pretty straightforward trip through the stop lock on to the Coventry canal and then back on to the Ashby. We noted some changes to the scenery at the Charity Dock at Bedworth but other than picking up a couple of plastic bags on the prop which we stopped to remove, it was just like so many trips we have made along this stretch. We passed Jim Redhead who was moored near bridge 13 before we passed under the A5 and tied up opposite the Limekilns pub. Sue phoned Cliff to tell him where we were but he needed to pass through to get diesel and a pump out at Trinity marina. At midday we walked over to the pub and had lunch, each having a gammon steak with pineapple, egg, peas and chips. An excellent choice and all for £8 each.

After lunch we walked to the Trinity marina to look at the chandlery there before walking back along the towpath to where PhoenixIII was sitting at the Limekilns. We passed Cliff as he headed towards Stoke Golding and home and reminded him that we would see them later in the week. A few minutes later and we were back on board our boat, the gentle heat from the fire welcoming us home and encouraging us to sit down and relax for the rest of the day.

We were greeted by blue skies and bright sunshine when Sue jumped out of bed at six thirty on Tuesday morning. Half an hour later and she was off, untied and heading north again on the Ashby as I got washed and dressed inside the cabin. We swapped over a little while later, there is nothing finer than early morning boating in the sunshine although the temperature was still quite low. We have travelled this way many times but for the first time ever I spotted a weather vane with a pig on top of it and made a mental note to photograph it on the way back.

We plodded on to Market Bosworth stopping only to use the services at Sutton Cheney. It was interesting to see that all the information about Bosworth battlefield has been removed and half of the offside mooring is no more, all because it turns out that the battle site is actually a few miles away near Stoke Golding. The visitor moorings were pretty much deserted when we arrived at ten thirty so we winded and tied up on the forwardmost mooring position. We took our traditional walk up the hill to the town where we bought the papers and headed for the Red Lion where we spent a couple of hours relaxing. The bar soon filled up with a noisy group of grey haired pensioners, a local walking group we later discovered. We left the Red Lion and returned to the canal after picking up a few items from the local Co-op. We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting outside until it became too chilly to do so We then closed up the doors and watch some television prior to turning in for the night.

Another bright sunny start but we lazed in bed until nine o’clock undecided in what to do. Eventually we decided to set off and run to the lower half of the Ashby where we would moor for the night. It all changed when I had a text message from one our friends, Nigel asking some questions about a caravan that he had just bought. We sort of arranged to meet up with him somewhere in the Hinckley area but when we approached Stoke Golding village moorings and saw that they were empty, we decided to pull in and end our journey. Apart from being a fairly convenient place to meet Nigel we would also be able to see if Cliff fancied meeting up for a drink later in the day. Nigel turned up half an hour later and we spent a pleasant afternoon showing him over the boat and just generally catching up on events.

Sue rang Cliff after we had eaten lunch and then spent the afternoon relaxing on board waiting prior to our walk up to the Dog and Hedgehog at Dadlington.

We awoke around seven o’clock to a blue sky with a light mist hanging over the canal at Stoke Golding. We untied at eight and made our way back in the direction of Hinckley where we stopped for a few minutes to buy some milk at the marina shop. We only paused briefly to drop off a bit of lunch for our friend Jim as he finished off a painting where he moored near bridge 13.

We cruised on down the Ashby, the weather was kind to us but Sue spent most of the time inside baking bread and doing the washing. As we neared Bulkington, Sue appeared with a giant home made ciabatta filled with sausage and egg for me – much appreciated although it beat me in the end and I couldn’t quite manage it all.

When we reached Sutton Stop we encountered a bit of a jam as we joined a queue of boats waiting to pass through the lock. We were treated to a moment or two of entertainment as an Ashby boat failed miserably in his attempt to leave the turn and head north on the Coventry canal. A share boat captain found it necessary to advise us on how and where to position our boat for the lock. I’m always happy to take advice but not from someone who can’t actually control his own vessel.

The rain started just as we left Hawkesbury but it only lasted for half an hour or so and therefore we carried on parallel with the M6 for a while, under the M69 and on through Ansty behind the Rose and Castle. We caught up with Share-boat man at Stretton Stop and watched in amazement as he took ten minutes to find his way through the swing bridge there. We passed him just before All Oaks wood where he had pulled in and moored up for the night – thank goodness!

The sun was shining brightly as we passed through Rugby and concluded our journey ending with the finding of a perfect mooring just below Hillmorton locks. We ate our evening meal out on the deck before feeding the swans and watching the sun go down before returning inside and settling down for the night.

I had a rotten night’s sleep, I awoke to some strange sounds around half past midnight and took about half an hour to realise that there was a gang of men working on the nearby railway line. The noise wasn’t loud but it interrupted my sleep for the next four hours. At six o’clock the sun shone and the sky was blue but by half past seven it was dark again. A mixture of cloud and fog obscured the sun, reduced visibility to around fifty yards and generally made the outside cold, damp and miserable. By half past nine we felt that the fog had lifted sufficiently to untie and make a start to the boating day.

There were only a few boats around as we climbed through the Hillmorton locks noting that the previously closed locks had been unchained and were available for use. Once we had cleared the locks, Sue started the preparation of lunch and made some bread mix before taking a shower. I followed suit with my shower while Sue took over at the tiller, an arrangement which meant that we had made best use of the hot water being generated by the engine. There was a steady stream of traffic around, mainly hire boats, mainly well behaved except one from Rose Narrowboats crewed by children seemingly. Their antics as they passed under a bridge and lost control earned them a sharp rebuke from Susan.

As we passed Willoughby wharf the sun came out and all of a sudden the clouds disappeared, plunging us into a beautiful summer’s day. We stopped and ate lunch opposite the Boathouse pub where we eaten the previous Saturday before we walked up to Braunston village where we did some shopping. The weather had changed so dramatically in such a short space of time that it was easy to forget the cold dank conditions that we had experienced just afew hours earlier.

Returning to the boat we moved on and replenished the water tank as well at the same time carrying out our regular services before turning around in the entrance to the marina. We then basked in the afternoon sunshine as we travelled at tickover speed back to Braunston turn and then made a left turn in the direction of Napton. And that was it really, we just took our time and eventually picked our mooring spot just beyond bridge 100. We spent the rest of the afternoon just sitting out on the grass with a drink just enjoying the April sunshine after I had carried out a couple of minor maintenance jobs.

Another bright but chilly day greeted us on this Saturday morning. We had decided to return to Braunston so that we could get home and have a full day there on Sunday. Despite the fact that we knew that we had to continue travelling away from Braunston first, we knew the journey was still a relatively short one. We were in no hurry to leave our mooring but finally made a move just after ten o’clock, heading for bridge 107 where we would be able to turn around. As usual this section of the canal had a steady stream of traffic in both directions but we had no trouble in making our necessary manouvre. We passed a couple of day hire boats along the way but our only ‘interesting’ moment came when an oncoming private boat appeared to lose control and run into the bank. After hanging back to allow them time to recover their position we discovered that the family dog had decided to take its first swim in the canal without warning. By the time we passed by, the canine was back on board none the worse for its experience but the humans seemed to be still in shock after the event.

We arrived back at the marina just after midday and with our neighbouring boats missing from their berths, it was easy to reverse on to the pontoon despite the fairly strong wind.

So that was it, our holiday was over. We hadn’t been anywhere new but we’d had a good time just pinging around from place to place, visiting old haunts and seeing some old faces.

Our weekend sort of started on Thursday when we travelled to Braunston after work. After eating our evening meal of chicken breast wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese and pesto, we took a walk around the village only stopping for refreshment at the Old Plough and at the Boathouse before returning to our part time home.

Work sadly continues to intrude and Friday was no exception, the trip to Basingstoke in Hampshire is one that I often make but not normally from Braunston and not normally with Sue either. Thick fog clung to the landscape as we made our way along the Daventry to Banbury road before we joined the M40 at junction 11. We stopped just off the A34 around 8am a short distance from the Peartree interchange where Sue left me and boarded a bus bound for Oxford city centre.

I collected Sue from the same location at half past one, she had endured a hard morning’s shopping followed by lunch at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant in Oxford before returning to the Peartree park and ride.

We were back in Braunston an hour later and we wasted no time in getting ready to leave for the weekend. Unusually, the new engine started with some difficulty but eventually spluttered into life. It proved to be a tight squeeze getting the boat out of her berth but as usual we persevered and left the marina by the private entrance. We had no plans as such but we headed off in the direction of Napton, passing the junction and tying up near the Bridge Inn. We had our evening meal and then took a walk to the pub for a bit of exercise and and a quick drink before returning to the boat for the evening.

It was a misty start to Saturday morning by which time we had decided to turn around and head for Stockton on the Grand Union, a place that we have visited on a number of occasions. We had a delicious cooked breakfast as we waited for the visibility to improve and by nine o’clock we were ready to move on. We saw a few boats climbing the three locks at Calcutt but we travelled down on our own. We saw very few boats on the move as we made our way to Stockton where we eventually moored just before the bridge where the Boat Inn sits.

The mist had well and truly disappeared and we had already enjoyed a couple of hours of blue skies and sunshine before we tied up on the straight above bridge 21. We sorted ourselves out before we started our towpath walk down to the village of Long Itchington. After visiting the local Co-op store we stopped off at the Buck and Bell where I sampled a couple of local beers and we shared a light lunch, a sample platter of bread, hummus, vine leaves and peppers stuffed with cheese. After leaving the Buck and Bell we made our way to the Cuttle Inn just to see what it had to offer and it was alright. We then made our way to the opposite bank and visited the Two Boats where we had another drink before climbing the towpath back to our mooring. We enjoyed the last couple of hours of sunshine on the back deck before we retired for the evening after having a shower. Our pictures of the village are in the gallery: Long Itchington

The last weekend in March as usual means that the clocks move forward an hour as we embrace British Summer Time. Most countries around the world do the same thing but it is known as DST or Daylight Saving Time but I like the fact that we have BST. In my mind it is a statement that time belongs to Britain, re-inforced by the fact that the centre of world time is the Greenwich meridien. Regardless of whether we ‘own’ world time or not, we still have to alter the clocks on board so after we’ve done that and drunk our first tea of the day, we headed off and turned at Kate Boats before starting our journey back. A wide beam would not have been able to continue past this point as the picture clearly shows, presumably hire companies can do what they like when it comes to blocking the canal.

Leaving Stockton behind we made our way back towards Napton but stopped for breakfast just before bridge 19. Another gut-busting cooked breakfast of top quality bacon, sausage, black pudding and egg was enough to set us up for the day and so we set off for our ascent of the Calcutt locks. We waited at the bottom lock while two boats ascending swapped with two on the way down, by the time that those two emerged we had been joined by another which had just pulled out of the marina. We rose through the first two locks together and in an effort to save water, waited for a descending boat and set the locks accordingly. Our plans were scuppered when another boat pulled off the diesel point to ‘steal’ the top lock, well half of it at least! We left our companions behind and joined the lock thief for the last of the Calcutt flight. First out of the lock, we made our way to the junction at Napton, turning left and starting the journey back to Braunston.

We were of course enjoying yet another beautiful day and we decided to stop near the village of Lower Shuckburgh where we could visit the Victorian church that we had admired many times as we passed by on the canal. We weren’t disappointed although it is disheartening to find that like so many other churches, the one at Shuckburgh is locked for security reasons. Lower Shuckburgh

We returned to the boat by way of the footpath that crosses the canal at bridge 105 and then after we untied, we started the final leg of our journey back to Braunston. The fantastic weather had ensured that the canal was full of boat traffic but it was good to feel part of it all as we made our way through the sunlit countryside. It was tickover all the way from Wolfhampcote back to the marina, passing the Boathouse pub we noted that the moorings were full as was the car park and every table outside.

Half past two and we were back in our our berth in the marina, relaxed and satisfied after the weekend which had been blessed by lovely weather. We cleared up the things that we needed to carry to the car and then it was time for us to leave, back to our other life on dry land.

We’ve had a busy winter with one thing and another, so much so that we’ve not actually been out on Phoenix III since mid November. The last month has seen us working on the interior of the boat which now sports a new oak floor as well as a rebuilt front step with matching door inserts and TV cupboard. We got everything installed and finished off this morning so after running up the engine this afternoon we were able to undo the strings and set off for a short hop along the cut. The wind was gusting as we exited the pontoon but we made it around in the desired direction and paused on the loading bay briefly to take on water before emerging on to the Grand union in a northerly direction. As usual it was tickover only until we reached Braunston turn where we took a left and headed in the direction of Napton. It felt very liberating to be out and about again in the fresh air. The sun was heading for the horizon but the wind wasn’t too cold as we made our way in a westwardly direction. Our very pleasant jaunt ended when we reached bridge 102 where we tied up for the evening.

We were awake by 6.30 as the sun started to make an appearance over the horizon, warming the boat, making it creak and groan as the steelwork expanded trying to take the wood panelling with it. A cup of tea each followed by a couple of coffees helped us to drag ourselves out of bed by nine o’clock. After a light breakfast we ventured out into the early spring sunshine and headed off in the direction of Flecknoe, just under a mile away. As we walked away from the canal we could see and hear a boat with a brass instrument playing crew member. The music floated on the wind, following us up the hill towards the village and then there was a sudden fanfare as the boat approached bridge 102, a novel warning to the boat approaching from the other side or perhaps the boat was a part of the Ryanair empire?

We soon reached the village and had a quick wander around, passing by the village hall and then on to the local church where of course we had to resume “Suzy’s boneyard tour”. We checked out the location of the local pub, The Old Olive Bush; too early for a drink but noted for future reference before we turned around and headed back to the boat. Along the way we stopped to speak to a woman on horseback who pointed out some highlights of the surrounding landscape.

Returning to Phoenix III we had another coffee and a slice of cake before we set off to bridge 107 where we could turn around and head back to Braunston. Blue skies and bright sunshine provided the backdrop to our return journey and upon spying a clear mooring outside The Boathouse, we tied up again and bought a pint of bitter and a glass of wine to accompany our homemade lunch. It is only a short hop from there to the marina so after we had eaten we completed our journey, loaded up the car and headed back to our dry land abode.

It was raining when we awoke on Sunday morning, not particularly heavy rain but the sort of constant drizzle that soaks to the skin. We decided to have breakfast and wait for the rain to stop which it did at twenty past ten. We untied and headed for the bottom lock, passing a Rose narrowboat whose crew had decided to tie up and observe the lock before attempting it themselves. We didn’t take too long to ascend the flight despite there being quite a few boats working in both directions and there only being one set of locks open. The sun was poking through the clouds by the time we had cleared the flight and from thereon in we enjoyed a nice relaxing cruise back to Braunston. We stopped at Midland Chandlers to pick up a few bits and pieces before making our way back to the marina where we tied Phoenix III up where she belongs. We spent an hour or so carrying out a few jobs before we locked up and headed back to the car. The weekend had been both pleasant and successful and we started looking forward to our next outing as we drove home.

After a peaceful night, except for the sound of the odd passing train, we sorted ourselves out and were ready to move off by nine o’clock. It was breezy and the sun was obscured by white cloud but it wasn’t particularly cold. We rounded Marston junction a little while later and joined the Coventry canal. The mannequin population at charity dock, Bedworth has expanded and there are now a number of cameo scenes along the bank. We only encountered a couple of boats before we reached Sutton stop and were able to drive straight into the lock without waiting. As we left, we could see a Willow wren hire boat approaching so Sue got back on board in the lock and we left them to it. The crew, a stag party, made an interesting approach to the lock but by the time we reached the Longford bend, they had managed to get the boat into the lock. We encountered another stag party on another Willow Wren boat between the M69 bridge and Ansty but like the first they were well behaved although it was still only eleven o’clock.

The picturesque journey down the north Oxford was peaceful enough until a boat emerged from Brinklow marina causing us to stop rather quickly to avoid a collision. We weren’t so lucky as we emerged from the tunnel at Newbold on Avon. Despite there being enough room for two vessels to pass, the incoming boat still managed to hit us on the bow as he entered.

We stopped shortly afterwards and made a short trip to Tesco on the outskirts of Rugby. Our shopping trip didn’t take long and by three o’clock we were off again, hoping that we would find a mooring near Hillmorton. The hire boats were out in force as we completed this part of our journey but it passed without further incident. We found a mooring at the bottom of Hillmorton locks and tied up there for the night. We decided to go for a walk after dinner and so we headed in the direction of Hillmorton itself. We had only walked a few yards when we encountered ‘Big Phil’ with the braided hair and a couple of other refugees from the Ashby canal. It took us just under an hour to walk up to and through the village before returning to the towpath above the top lock. By the time we reached the Ashby pirates, they had a barbeque on the go so we passed the time of day and then returned to Phoenix III where we settled down for the evening.

We’ve decided to take PhoenixIII back to Braunston this weekend. The forecast for next week is somewhat unsettled and that casts a doubt over whether she will be blacked and back in the water for next weekend. Rather than face uncertainty, we will just have to put the hull blacking off until another time. After dropping the car off at Braunston marina we drove back to Hinckley where we settled our mooring fees and filled the tank with diesel. Shortly after five, we started our journey towards Marston junction and the Coventry canal. With darkness due around eight, we planned to find a mooring before the turn. Stopping briefly before bridge thirteen, we dropped a bag of tomatoes fresh from the greenhouse off with our old mate Jim. We met a couple of Ashby boats heading back to base as well as a pair of working boats heading for the festival at Shackerstone. At half past six we found our mooring just beyond bridge four and the West coast main line. There was just time for dinner on the back deck before the sun went down and we retired to the lounge for the evening.

We awoke to another beautiful sunny day and after some breakfast we untied and left our mooring just after 10 o’clock. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Marston Junction where we met a convoy of boats heading south, the first three were all from the Ashby hire fleet, heaven help the fourth in line. We plodded on up the Ashby but the time just slipped by and soon the warehouses on the A5 came into sight. We pulled up at the Limekilns despite the fact that all the moorings were full and tied on to Jim’s boat Billie. One or two people expressed concern that we had tied up there and another boater offered a mooring alongside his. Jim has a fearsome reputation in these parts but he’s our friend and when he appeared, of course there was no problem. So we sat and had a couple of drinks with him and his friend Rosie. It took a few minutes for the penny to drop when we realised that we were in the presence of the most famous canal pair on television, Rosie and Jim.

We started the last leg of our journey with the final half an hour back to Trinity marina. The trip had been excellent, it all seemed too good to be true and unfortunately that turned out to be the case. Moments after we turned into the marina, an alarm went off indicating that the engine was overheating. We switched off and drifted until we came to rest alongside the posts at the end of the pontoons. We then manouvered using poles and ropes into our new temporary berth on ‘C’ Pontoon.

A subsequent inspection found a split hose which was replaced by the installer, so no harm done!

We had no more trouble overnight and awoke refreshed on Saturday ready for the next leg of our journey. After a delicious plateful of bacon and eggs we set off just before nine o’clock. Needlessly, I kept checking the control panel but the new engine was behaving perfectly as we made our way north on the Oxford canal. It is difficult to put into words the feeling of freedom that boating brings and on this occasion that freedom was enhanced by the feeling that our mechanical problems were well and truly behind us. We each showered along the way making the best use of the hot water being generated. There was a light rain shower just after one o’clock but by that time we had tied up after making the turn at Hawkesbury.

After spending another lovely weekend in Braunston Marina we moved the boat up to the bottom lock on the afternoon of Sunday 7th August. By Saturday 13th Justin (JG Marine) had removed the engine and welded in a pair of new engine rails. The new engine was delivered on Tuesday of the following week and by Thursday afternoon it was installed and ready to go. Later that evening we moved our boat the short distance back into the marina. The new beta38 engine seemed so much quieter than the old CMA and once again we were happy.

Friday afternoon saw us back in Braunston ready for yet another maiden voyage, this time with a new engine. After transferring our stuff from the car we were ready to set off at half past two. A long slow crawl past the many moored boats around Braunston meant that it took us more than half an hour to get under the A45 road bridge. Seven red spires were adorning the off side of the canal, some artists work no doubt. We ploughed on through the afternoon sunshine grinning and laughing as we went along, appreciative of the fact that our mechanical troubles were well and truly behind us.

There was a decent amount of traffic around as we made our way along the north oxford canal. We saw that the new marina at Barby was open although it needs a lot of work still before it becomes fully established.

After passing through the locks at Hillmorton, now singles rather than pairs, we trundled on to Rugby where we moored for the night near bridge 58. We took a walk down to the nearby Tesco before returning to the boat for our evening meal.

Later, as we sat and enjoyed some music we found ourselves under attack from some local youths who had decided to throw missiles at our boat. Armed with a halogen torch, Sue gave chase to those brave souls who could have been no more than eleven or twelve years old. They ran off into the night and that was the last we saw of them.

When we bought our narrowboat we inherited all manner of items left behind by previous owners. One of those items is a board game called “The Narrowboat Game”. We played the game and it is enjoyable without being too demanding. Subsequent internet searches yielded no clues about the background to the game. The only clues are in the box, The rule book has some credits on the back stating that the original concept was by Sue Harvey while Roy Harvey designed and produced it, the copyright is theirs, dated 1994. There is a leaflet in the box too which states:

“The Exciting Boating Game for all the family.

Captain your own narrowboat around the canal system. There are locks to negotiate, a tunnel to go through, an aqueduct to cross, as well as hazard squares and detour squares to avoid. Breakdown vans are called to repair your boat in the event of a mishap. Climb aboard and select your one or two week narrowboating holiday and Good Luck!

This family boating board game is for children of all ages. However the game contains small playing pieces and is unsuitable for small children. We recommend the playing age is from 7 upwards.

Distributed on the Inland Waterways by LOCKMASTER CRAFTS”