From andydyke@email.msn.comSun Sep 28 09:26:48 1997 Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 23:40:28 +0200 From: "Andrew L. Dyke" Reply to: canals@blacksheep.org To: canals@blacksheep.org Subject: Holiday week1 LONG [The following text is in the "ISO-8859-1" character set] [Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set] [Some characters may be displayed incorrectly] Hi All, Mary and Brian, take Nb One Moore on the fist leg of this years trip. Written By Mary. Friday 8th August 1997 Evesham - Chatting to Wendy and she remenbered that Evesham Lock closed for lunch between 1-2pm, so set off, managed to get through lock. Went through with young couple who were moving their boat to Welford. Huge cruiser. Very hot. We had forgotten how pretty the river was, also lots of new buildings since our last trip. Several people have waved at the boat and gasped when they saw it was'nt Wendy and Andrew on board, have they sold the boat, surely not. Stopped for lunch at Harvington. Now very, very hot. Saw a heron, he had just caught an eel and was strutting up and down, extremely proud of himself.We went on to Luddington which was packed so decided to continue on to Stratford Upon Avon. The recreation ground was also packed with boats moored , some breasted up, all the way along. We breasted up near the lock. Saw the Evesham Lady, very impressive, had '1' glass of wine!!. Bed 10.45. Saturday 9th Awoke at 8.45am. Moved into Stratford Canal basin saw 2 boats from Lion Hearts Cruising Club at Gifford Park Milton Keynes. Tried my hand at videoing, I feel their could be a bit of deck coverage. Stratford packed, it was the weekend of the Bulldog Bash, bikes everywhere. Did a bit of shopping then chugged. Very hot again today. A german couple helped us with some of the locks so we gave then a ride to the last one. They enjoyed it. We followed a hire boat called Patricia, so all the locks were against us. The crew were Julia and Bob who were celebrating their 28th Wedding Anniversary, Julie says this might be their last after today!. "My nail varnish has melted on my ******** nails". Now 7.00pm we are moored up just before Wooten Wawen and are going to have a B.B.Q. Have decided to get up early tomorrow as today was a bit of a struggle in the heat. Stratford canal extremely pretty, very narrow bridges. Peaceful evenong. Sunday 10th Up at 5.00am. Yes really, but well worth it, so very pleasant, the canal looks lovelly. most of the locks are again against us but its not a problem being so much cooler. We did,nt see another boat until 9.30am, when we stopped for breakfast. At lock 50, Bucket Lock, their is a beautiful house and tiny aqueduct. Lowsonford Barrel cottage spoke to old gentelman who was born in the cottage, he was quite remarkable. On to Kingswood, vast difference here since we last came now has new cutting to avoid going through all the locks, much better. decided to carry on to the pub and eventually stopped at the Black Boy Cruising Club moorings at 3pm. Shower and sat on the back of the boat reading. Bliss. A man askes if the boat used to be called TOGOBO and was once moored at this club, we explained that it was and he scuttled off happy as larry never to be seen again. Wendy and Andrew arrive for just the one, early evening. The Black Boy pub was packed. I hour wait for food so have drink. Great people watching here!. We go into Knowle for dinner at the Greswold Arms Hotel. Fantastic. Wendy and Andrew drive home after dropping us back at the boat. Monday 11th Woke at 8.00am. Much better nights sleep. Can't decide wether its the fact that Brian and I swithched beds or last nights gins and tonic. Knowle Locks were restricted and we waited 45 minutes but eventually went through on our own. Every one against us and they were really hard to do. We stopped at the top and walked into Knowle, very nice, very expensive, lots of fabulous properties. Beautiful church. walked back and chugged off. This was not a pleasant trip, canal very dirty, smelly. few youths about, used the camera pointing at them to stop them throwing stones. I told them it was not a good idea. Glue sniffers, drunks, it was terrible. we decide to get through Camphill Locks. All the doors are shut and locked. Disgusting locks. At Spagetti youths are in the scaffolding, up to no good.Not a pleasant experience, glad to be through this stretch without any trouble. Arrive at Fazely canal, looks much better. Lots of planes, Mary was wishing she was on one, after today. Minworth lock House beautiful, much better, exhausted. nice safe mooring, behind the Boat Pub. Tuesday 12th Walked into Minworth, to Asda, had breakfast. What kind of people go on holiday to Asda?. Bought 2 glasses as we had broken 2. Back to boat, lovely day, set off. The canal is begining to look lovely again. Phoned Wendy and Andrew last night and advised them if possible not to go back through Birmingham. Stopped at Marston Manor Farm Hotel for ice cold drink. Met up again with Julie and Bob on Patricia and invited them on board for a pancake but they declined and were chugging off. We did the same. Arrived at Fazely for dinner but could not alot there so chugged on. Got speaking to a nice bloke with 2 children at Glascote Bottom Lock. There was a man in the cottage who was a childrens entertainer and he made the children a sord and a dog out of balloons. he made a teddy bear for me!. He recommended a good pub a bit further up, 2 more locks, Oh joy. Brian is not happy about the speed of One Moore and finds lots of clag round the prop. Saw snake in the water, think its an Adder. went on to The Gate Pub. Lovelly meal, Mary Salmon Brian steak. Very friendly. Walk round village, quite nice houses. Bed early. Wednesday 13th Bit overcast. Boat moored up behind us late last night, Pint Pot,from Linford. Isla works as a science technician at Stantonbury Campus (same place as me) small world. Brian walked in and got a paper and some rolls. Its got very dark, raining off and on.Passed some nice moorings and houses. Went onto Atherstone Flight and the heavens opened. 11 locks and a very nice flight. Brian hurt his knee at lock 6. Arrived at Atherstone at 3pm. Mary went into town, Brian cleaned the boat. Atherstone has been in the past a very lively town. some lovely buildings and beautiful church, very old, mentioned in the Doomsday Book, people very freindly. A lady in a shop I got talking to said that there was still one factory making hats and they will make any style you want out of any material. We decided to move off the moorings at Athertstone as there were a lot of youths about and in fact all the boats moved on. We moored up for the night at Hartshill withn a couple in a hire boat who we have seen off and on before. the rain has now stopped and its a nice evening. We walk into Hartshill to find a pub and telephone. The pub is pretty grotty, all 2.99ukp for everything. Walked back to the boat and had pasta and salad on board. The chap from the hire boat came over, seems he is a Marine Engineer who works in Bristol docks. Brian and he talk about boats. Beautiful evening, moon clear and stars great. Thursday 14th Mary not very well, no not the booze, walked into Nuneaton to find chemist. Taken some tablets now feeling better. Walk to park, Nuneaton was joint first in the Britain in Bloom competition and the flowers were beautiful. The museum was very interesting, local collections of all sorts of things, tea towels, badges, radios, Buddah's , yes even Buddah's. this is also the home of George Elliot, the femail novelist, Mary Ann Evans, who could only get published in Victorian times because she changed her name to that of a man. (Mary likes her). There were many reminders of how important the canal had been in transporting goods around the country. Chugged off again and just before entering the Ashby Canal saw a mink. the Ashby is quite different, very pleasant but very shallow. We moor up at the Kiln Pub. nice moorings but very close to the main A5 road. Somebody asked if we were going to the GIG (Andrew found out later this was Gill and Peter Harper). Ate in the pub that evening, Brian steak, Mary chicken, Brian finished Mary's meal. Back to boat and read a book while Brian watched T.V., good picture. Friday 15th Once again a beautiful morning. No locks on this strech of canal. Very rural, lots of Moorhens but still have seen very few Coots. Stopped at Ashby Boats to dunny dump, no charge, bought some postcards. Chugged on and moored up after bridge and walked into Stoke Golding, very nice, had cold drink in the pub. Went onto Market Bosworth, very pretty, steady traffic of boats going up and down, everyone very jolly. Some very nice properties, one with a 9 hole golf course in the garden. Moored up in shade at 4.30pm. Mary did recki into town. Good pubs and 2 restauants. Market Bosworth was joint 1st with Nuneaton in the Britain in Bloom competition and the flowers are worth seeing. There is also a little steam railway. Walked back into town at 7.30 and ate at softleys, Brain had Monkfish and Mary Lamb, really splendid bottle of house wine, ice cream. This was a lovelly evening. Nice proprietors, chatty. Walked back to boat, still very hot, night cap and bed 11.00pm. Saturday 16th. Late, leisurley start. We walk into town, take some pictures of the flowers, got few provisions. Went into art gallery and bought a picture of a dog that looked like our Lizzie. Lady who ran the gallerywas married in Dunfirmline (Mary's home town) and her husband was in the Royal Navy (same as Brian) told you its a small world. Had coffee and then walked back to the boat. Chugged of at noon. Very hot, still very nice scenery. Steady flow of boats. 2.30pm stopped at Shakerstone and visited the super little steam railway complete with Fat Controler and Thomas the Tank Engine. Chugged to Snasestone and the end of the line. Boat moored up behind us is beautiful 'Seemansub', a German chap on his own cruising the canals and rivers. brian had long chat. Went to pub Brian steak and Mary fish. Not bad but very busy. Bed early. Sunday 17th Have moved the boat this morning, down one bridge to a small picnic area with enough room for one boat and right next to a car park. The boat has been washed and brushed up and looks lovely. Waiting for Wendy and Andrew to arrive with our car for the handover. still very hot. Our Holiday is over. We must now return reluctantly to Milton Keynes in our car. Mary.