Bank Holiday Monday.

After a quiet weekend we took the bus on bank holiday Monday to Elvaston castle country park. Situated between Shardlow and Alvaston it is owned by Derbyshire County Council. The castle/house is not open to the public but the 200 acres of park land are amazing with paths to walk and a play ground for the kids. Despite it being bank holiday the weather was very warm and sunny. The bus dropped us at the end of the road down to the park, giving us a walk of about a mile to the park gates. On Monday there was a craft fair in the grounds. Among the stalls were a Cookie stall,cupcakes, jewellery,books.and curry mix stalls. Also there was Derby's Dervento Brewery with samples of their unique beers. For lunch we had a burger and a pint(Marlene had water)I was going to have a Wild boar burger but they had sold out,not fancying the Kangeroo burger I settled for Beef. After lunch we walked round the grounds before leaving to catch our bus home,after that mile walk back to the main road. As we approached the main road we watched the bus pass the end of the road,giving us a half hour wait for the next but nothing could spoil the day.

A trip to the Theatre.

Monday 12th August, we decided to take the boat out of the Marina to give it a wash. It was a bright and breezy day so we then made the decision to trip down the Trent to Nottingham. It was a good run down apart from a slight over heating again. This could be remedied by keeping the engine revs down to 1800rpm. We moored Monday night just past Beeston. Next morning we travelled the rest of the way into Nottingham,passing Jennifer and Graham on their boat Best of Friends. We hadn't seen them for over a year. Mooring opposite Sainsburys we washed the other side of the boat before checking out the Waters Edge pub,just a pint to see if we could get a meal the following day after the afternoon theatre trip. As it happens Wednesday was curry night. Our theatre trip on Wednesday afternoon was a great success. The production was Ghost the musical,it was well performed and technically brilliant but very emotional. After the performance we walked back to the Waters Edge for our curry. Marlene had a korma with rice and popperdoms, while I had Bamquet meal which included a Beef Madras,rice,chips,onion bagies,a samosa,spring roll,two nan breads and popperdoms. Both meals included a drink. Great value at £11-98. We headed back to the Trent on Thursday morning,once again passing Jennifer and Graham and once again we had the over heating problem. At Beeston we locked on to the Trent,taking it easy so as not to overheat,however since then the problem seems to have cured it's self. Our mooring Thursday night was on the Erewash where we were to meet Pamela,Archie and Amberley. They arrived in the evening,it took till eleven o clock to settle the kids in bed, where as the grown ups were shattered. Friday we all had a nice day canoeing(including marlene)with and inflatable canoe Pamela had borrowed. Pamela and Amberley went home Friday evening, while Archie stayed at the boat. It was back to the Marina on Saturday for a social meeting about the approaching residential moorings(more about that later)included was a Hog Roast bap.then back to the Erewash Sunday morning. Pamela,Nathan and Amberley came for dinner and some more canoeing. Sunday evening they went home taking Archie with them. I went to the doctors on Monday morning as I had had a cough for some time,she gave me some antibiotics and steroids and sent me for a chest x-ray. This was arranged for the next day,so instead of going down the Soar for a few days we went up to Shardlow where we could get a direct bus to the hospital in Derby. Returning to the boat I did some more painting,this time on the gunnel and down to the waterline,turning round the following day and painting the other side,returning to the Marina in the evening. Did some gardening yesterday,well sorted the pots out,moving some and refreshing the compost. Staying in the Marina for now,on the Ginger beer this weekend because of the Antibiotics. Next week getting ready for our coach trip to Scotland on the 2nd September.

Visiting time.

Hi there, I bet you thought we'd got lost in Fradley. Since the safety certificate was granted we cruised steadily down the Trent and Mersey back to our mooring at Sawley. In the lower reaches of the canal the water levels got quite low and care had to be taken not to run aground when passing on coming boats. Since getting back to the Marina we have been up to Yorkshire to visit Mum near Castleford, then up to Ripon to visit Richard( our son)Gill and grandson Duncan.then back to Mums and a meal with my sister Jennifer and husband Malcolm, who was celebrating his 65th birthday and retirement. A quick visit to see Marlene's two sisters before heading back to the boat for one night. Next day we caught the bus to Loughborough then a bus to Grantham and on to Colsterworth to visit Pamela,Nathan ,Archie and Amberley. While there we ordered a new fridge as ours had packed up working while we were up Yorkshire. We were at Pamela's for ten days before returning to the boat last Monday. Dinner Monday night was at the Plank and Leggit.The new fridge arrived on Tuesday morning,early(08-30) we then went shopping as we had nothing in to eat.the rest of the week has been quiet,giving us a chance to get our breath back.

A slow run to Fradley.

Another week gone since my last blog,where does the time go. Last Saturday found us moored outside the Dog in a Doublet pub at Bodymoor Heath. The weather was warm and sunny,time to sit in the garden with a pint or two. When the evening cooled we went in to the pub and got talking to the land lord who came from Sheffield. He told us how he cooked his pies and Lamb Shanks. About a mile further on is Kingsbury water park where we spent a lazy Sunday walking round the lakes. On Monday we came to Fazley Junction where we turned left heading back toward Fradley Junction. We have a week to get there so we can meet up with an examiner who will do our Boat Safety Certificate. We stopped at Sutton Road bridge to shop at Sainsburys and buy a new saw to cut up the logs we collected when Stephen and the boys were with us. We moored at Hopwas that night and took the bus into Litchfield on Tuesday morning. Moving on on Wednesday we moored in a quiet spot(well apart from the railway track)between Tamhorn Park. One night there while we did a little more work on the boat. Thursday and Friday we moored near Fradley Village,then yesterday we moved up to the Junction mooring on the Coventry canal just before the Junction. Last night with the weather still warm and sunny we walked to the Swan and sat out side watching the boats and talking to some local people and another boater while enjoying a pint or two. Today is a lazy day before we meet the boat examiner.

Twenty Seven Locks.

Eight thirty Wednesday morning we headed to Farmers bridge locks,thirteen locks dropping 81ft. Arriving at the top lock we were approached by a man who said he had seen us before,turned out he was from Lemonroyd marine near Methley in Yorkshire. That means he last saw us in 2009,pays to give your boat a name people remember. The Farmers Bridge locks drop down the edge of Birmingham with a couple of them actually under buildings. It took us an hour and a half to get to the bottom lock and that was with some help from a canal trust volunteer. A mile further on we came to the top of the Aston Flight another eleven locks. On from there we got to Salford Junction where we turned right onto the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. Lunch was eaten on the move before arriving at the Minsworth locks,only three this time. We moored just before Curdworth tunnel, five and a half hours and Twenty Seven locks behind us. Thursday we stayed where we were and did some more painting. Later the rain returned,luckily the paint had dried. In the evening we had a visitor,a young man on his way to work when his bike pedal had come loose. He borrowed some tools and soon fixed it. Once again it was waterproofs on before setting off. Stopping at Curdworth to do a spot of shopping. Carrying on we dropped down the first six of Curdworth Locks,mooring at the top of lock seven. The rain didn't last long but it never does when your dressed ready for it.

Wolverhampton locks, closed.

Leaving Gas Street on Friday morning we moved to a mooring on the main line where it should be quieter on an evening. Walking into the City Centre so I could get my perscription filled,was probably a mistake the place was a mad house after the quiet of the canal. Checking the weed hatch I found a length of rope and part of a jacket wrapped round the propellor,this may have caused the over heating problem. Heading up the main line on Saturday morning we elected to take the old line at Smethwick junction. The three Smethwick locks lead off to the right of the main line. It's an interesting journey with the canal running under the M5 at times. It was made more interesting with the wind and rain on Saturday morning. We had intended to moor along the old line that night but arrived at The Black Country Living Museum without finding somewhere suitable,the mooring at the museum is a secure mooring with a locked gate on the towpath. It was like stepping back in time when we entered the Museum on Sunday morning. All the buildings have been rescued from their original positions in the black country and rebuild in the museum creating a canal side village complete with mine,workers institute,chapel,shops and of cause a pub. Most of it is set in the 1930s,with a AJS motorbike selling for £37-10s,I wish. It was a lovely day and dispite the rain the time flew by. This morning we should have been going through the twenty one locks at Wolverhampton and on to the Staffs and Worsceter canal,however,last night we found out that lock twenty had serious safety issues causing the whole flight to be closed. so, today we returned to Birmingham down the main line and once again moored on the main line near the National Indoor Arena and the National Sea Life Centre.

Over heating engine.

Tonight we are moored in Gas Street in Birmingham. Last Wednesday we walked into Warwick and looked round the church,then had lunch in the local Wetherspoons. We were surprised how small Warwick town centre actually was,in it's defence it still has a lot of independent shops with just a few of the chains of shops you see in most towns. Thursday we did the Hatton flight of twenty one locks,climbing 146ft 6ins this took us three hours forty minutes. The locks are large locks holding two boats and we were lucky to share the work with another boat crewed by Tim and his Mum who had just moved on to their boat. The weather was kind to us until just before we found a mooring and the heavens opened. By the time we got moored we were soaked. Mooring on the link between the Grand Union and the Stratford and Avon canal we had a quiet day(well not that quiet as we were moored next to a railway bridge). Saturday we walked over the fields to Baddesley Clinton a National Trust property it was a nice warm sunny day until we arrived back at the boat when the rain came. At least our timing was better this time. It cleared in the evening and we went for another walk. Fourteen locks on the Lapworth Flight kept us occupied on Sunday morning leaving the last four to do another day. Cleaning and washing were the order of the day on Monday,boring but it has to be done. We visited another National Trust house on Tuesday,this time Packwood House. The gardens here are great. In the afternoon we did the last four locks of the Lapworth flight. After we had topped up the diesel tank we were planning to moor at Hockley Heath for the night,however just before the lift bridge on the approach to Hockley Heath the engine over heated,so we moored quickly where we were. I don't know what caused it to over heat as I check oil and water every morning and they were fine that morning. Yesterday and today we completed the Stratford canal and took the Worcester and Birmingham canal into Gas Street.