Off to a good start

A cracking start to the trip today. We left Kings Bromley with clouds overhead, but the sun soon shone through as we approached Wood End lock and onto Fradley. No queues at the locks today and we were soon turning onto the Coventry.

We arranged to meet our friends, and previous owners of Blue Moon, David & Sarah, at Hopwas for lunch. We had a steady run down in the sunshine and moored in behind them. We had a lovely lunch at the Tame Otter and caught up on tales of their last three months cruising since we last saw them. They've clearly enjoyed the whole experience, if not the weather. It was great to meet up again and we may get chance again on this trip.

After lunch we said our goodbyes and continued on towards Fazeley and then up Glascote locks. Some light rain, but not the predicted heavy thunderstorms we were promised. Alvecote was packed with countless working boats attending a rally over the bank holiday weekend. What a great sight to see so many together.

Working boats at Alvecote

Unfortunately no mooring spaces, so we went a little further and moored at Pooley Nature Reserve which is reclaimed mining land. We climbed the spoil heaps this evening and got some lovely views for miles around - we reckoned we could almost see home !!

Tonight we have had a call from our eldest son who is at Leeds Festival and we were able to listen to one of our favourite childhood bands 'The Cure' who were playing there. The sound quality down a mobile phone in amongst 80,000 people was not good, but it was the thought that counts.

The Golden Spot

It is said that you always remember where you were at significant events in history...the shooting of JFK, the death of Princess Diana etc. Well what about three Olympic gold medals in the space of 45 minutes at a home Olympics. The spot where we were moored on the Coventry Canal on Saturday night is our 'Golden Spot' - just beyond Hademore Farm Bridge.

We had decided to spend the weekend aboard with our good friends Steve & Madeleine. The forecast of 'torrential downpours' was not good, but we were determined to make the most of it. We left Kings Bromley just after midday on Saturday in bright sunshine and made our way down towards Fradley. Approaching Woodend Lock, we came across Louise's 'boss' and his partner who were spending their first weekend aboard their new boat 'Fly'. We had a chat with them as we descended the lock and then got through Fradley quite easily, turning right onto the Coventry.

We had a pleasant run down to Huddlesford with Steve taking the helm for a while before mooring up outside The Plough where we stopped for a pint (or two) and a meal. The food was good and reasonably priced, plus it is dog friendly too. We watched the Olympics, seeing the womens cycling team pursuit take gold in a new world record. As we ate, the heavens opened, so we were glad of our surroundings. 

We then moved down to our 'Golden Spot' surprised to see only a couple of other boats on a normally very popular mooring location. The atmosphere inside the Olympic Stadium was electric. It was pointless looking for a friend of ours who had been lucky enough to get a ticket - how lucky was she !!!

We had a great night shouting home Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah (what a race that was). At least we weren't moored too close to anyone else as we were a bit loud !!!

After one of Louises special breakfasts, Sunday saw us travel down towards Fazeley, before winding and heading back towards Fradley. The sunshine defied the forecast of heavy showers until we approached Fradley when we endured 20 minutes of torrential rain, just as we were working through the locks. By the time we cleared Fradley, the sunshine was out again for the run back to Kings Bromley. A great weekend with great company.

An early start back to base

Our final day of this trip started early... very early in fact. At 12.35 AM, we were woken by nb Emu (an old working boat in South Midlands livery) firing up its engine and leaving Polesworth. It had moored up at about 9.30pm, double breasted behind us and the crew scurried off to the pub, but it was a total surprise to be woken at this unearthly hour. I love the sound of traditional engines... I really do, but maybe not on this occasion. It had to pass a line of about 8 boats and then we heard it chugging off into the darkness (it didn't have a tunnel light) for some time.

We left our moorings ourselves at a pretty unsociable time (7.20am) and began the journey back to Kings Bromley. Soon after leaving I was lucky enough to see a kingfisher perched on a branch just above the water with its breakfast secured in its beak. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera to hand, but a lovely sight to start the day.

We passed nb Emu moored outside the Samuel Barlow pub at Alvecote. I was tempted to give it a blast of the horn as we passed, but there were plenty of other moored boats in the vicinity, so we passed quietly on tickover... much to Louises disgust.

We got straight through Glascote locks and then moored just beyond Fazeley and enjoyed a good cooked breakfast. Lots of boats moving in both directions and many with their flags proudly blowing in the wind.

We had a really nice run up towards Fradley and Jasper seems to have really taken to this boating lark and has become quite content to sit and watch the world go by from inside the lifebuoy on the roof, much to the amusement of walkers and boaters alike. Not bad for a 4 month old dog !!

Fradley was its normal busy self for a bank holiday, but we got through without too much of a hold up and also noted that the swallow chicks in the nest at Wood End Lock had fledged whilst we'd been out on our travels. We finally got back to base late afternoon. We have had a lovely break, the highlight undoubtedly being the Coldplay concert, but the boating has been terrific too...  and only 25 days until we're off again.

Huddlesford to Polesworth

The Coventry was more like the M25 this morning. Another glorious warm morning greeted us along with a string of boats in either direction. Everyone must be moving before it gets too hot. We had a bacon sandwich before finally getting a lull in traffic and we headed off towards Fazeley. Whittington was particularly busy with both moving and moored boats, but we had a pleasant journey down to the services at Fazeley office where we stopped briefly. 

On to the two Glascote Locks which fill so slowly, but not much boat traffic now. The pubs above Fazeley were certainly doing a roaring trade as we passed. Pooley Hall looked splendid just above the canal a you approach Polesworth - the former home of Edwin Starr. Now we can't get the song 'Contact' out of our heads!!

Moored at Polesworth

Polesworth is quite busy but we have a lovely spot on the first mooring. We had a bit of time to wash the boat down as it was covered in dust from the marina and apply our new CaRT licence numbers. We are now enjoying a glass of wine whilst sat in the cratch - what a lovely day

Our new CaRT vinyl decals... very smart !!