January 1st 2014 New Years Day
Welford Arm to Braunston
We woke up pretty late on Wednesday, 1st January 2014,
were not used to such late nights! The dogs were great, waited without whining
to go out! The weather again was horrendous, 35 mph winds gusting up to 50mph!
The rain came down hard and fast filling up ditches and streams, Jack enjoyed
running after sticks in the flooded fields while little Yogi did everything he
could to avoid the puddles!
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| Jack loves the shallow pools formed in the fields by the continuous rain! |
We sat in and watched crap telly for the day, walked
the dogs again in the afternoon and then stayed in the warm.
No boats were moving about today, you would have to be
mental or a novice hire boater to attempt moving about in amongst a line of
boats. But we got one, there's always one!!
A hire boat attempting to reverse in the dark and rain
but more concerning in the wind! Apparently they had run out of water and were
trying to get to the water point. I think they realised their mistake just as
they were scraping up the third or forth moored up boat as the wind caught them
once again. They soon changed from reverse to forward and gave up, heading back
the way they came! At last a hire boater coming to his senses!
It's a different day on Thursday. We've been in this 14 day mooring spot now for 16 days so as we
have overstayed by 2 days, we decide its time to move. It's a good day to
cruise, its quite cold, the sun is shining but the wind has eased off making it
a pleasant day. After walking the dogs and preparing the boat to move we set off
back down the arm, not sure if we're turning right or left at the end!
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| Leaving the end of the Welford Arm |
With Yogi safe in his crate and Jack in his usual spot
on the settee we set off. We only went a hundred yards and stopped at the newly
discovered water tap by Welford Marina part 2.
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| This water point is a closely guarded secret, its not in any of the guide books at all! |
After filling up (we had lasted
for two weeks since the last fill-up) with water we set off down to the lock and
soon we were through and on our way back down the Arm.
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| Going down the lock on the Welford Arm, leaving all the lovely fields and meadows behind |
The sun was still shining, low in the sky, it was still
cold. We drunk mugs of hot steamy soup to warm our hands and our bellies. But
we enjoyed our little cruise.
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| The arm is beautiful in the winter with the sun shining |
We got to the end of the Arm and turned left,
heading back down the canal towards Crick.
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| We're on our way to Norton Junction now after turning left at the end of the Arm |
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| A boat goes up the Arm as we come down |
Peaceful, only a couple of boats on
the move and we passed Djinni, Mo and Ricky's boat.
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| Djinni moored up as we slowly pass and look for life! |
No one about (or they were
hiding from us!) we carried on and decided we would stop a little further on.
The wind had started to get up again and I was pretty cold by now.
We stopped
at Bridge 37 near the village of South Kilworth. We'd stopped here last year
and knew we had dog walks all around us. It was quiet here and we could get our
car to the bridge too, but more importantly so could Donna when she picks up
Yogi from us tomorrow!l
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| Our lovely little isolated spot near the village of South Kilworth |
The mooring was completely empty, to our surprise! We manoeuvred
into the space, cut the engine and tied up the boat. After taking about an hour
to defrost and get warm Paul set off on his bike and went off on the 3 mile
journey up and down the huge hill back to Welford. It would have been
impossible to go the towpath way as they were now boggin' after all the rain we've
had! I took the dogs out, Jack was having a great time chasing all the
pheasants we all came back caked with mud! Even little Yogi! Luckily Paul was
back to help me wash down the dogs, they were filthy!
After our dog walks in the morning on Friday we stayed in all day, wind and rain once again keeping us prisoners
in our boat! I baked a cake ready for Donna and the boys to pick up little Yogi
and they were right on time, arriving at 3pm. They only stayed for an hour, a
cup of tea and bit of cake and they were on their way, Yogi very happy to see
his little family again! Off they went, still raining and more forecast to
come. We went back to the boat and decided that Christmas was well and truly over
now, we could get on with our way of living. But first let's wait till this
weather improves!
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| An overflowing stream swells to overflowing in one of the fields around us |
Jacks got his settee back, it's all quiet now. At
least we don't have to worry about stepping on a tiny little dog in our tiny
little space!
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| These sheep were desperate to get a better look, perched up on a tree trunk! |
Saturday 4th January and
it's still pissing it down. Were getting a bit fed up of it all now, bloomin
rain and wind. That's what we've been having continually for the last 3 weeks,
and there's no respite either. Gloom and doom, lights on most of the day!
Paul walked Jack and I went off in the car to the PO
to post a birthday card and a parcel containing Yogis bed that I stupidly
forgot to give to Donna!
All done, we stayed in the boat out of the heavy rain
and winds, every now and again clearing the windows of the condensation that
was obscuring our view to the outside world.
Sunday the weather was
cold, sharp and bitter. There was frost on the ground and lots of layers of
clothes were needed. After our walk over frozen fields we decided to move the
boat a little way, somewhere new.
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| Grey and cold today but we decide to move on |
So we set off in the bitter cold, more cuppa
soups were consumed in copious amounts! There were no other boats on the move,
the winter landscape all brown and bare. We went a couple of miles to Stockley
bridge no. 31 and spotted a spinney beside the canal, loads of wood laying
about.
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| View from under Bridge 31 at our little corner mooring spot |
So we pulled over and tied the boat up, had some lunch and went to
investigate! Paul then went to get the car on his bike and after only a short
while he was back with the car.
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| The pile of wood all ready for Paul to chop up for the fire |
We went off to collect the wood and after
dragging lots of wood back to the boat Paul set to and cut it up into good size
lengths to fit across the roof of the boat.
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| I think 4 feet are better than two here, just managing to stay on the slippery towpath |
He walked Jack and when he was due
to return he had a surprise visitor with him! Our mate Lyndz had turned up to
find us and she met him while he was out! She came knocking on the boat! I couldn't
believe it! What a great girl!
We had a lovely afternoon chatting, catching up with
all the news. Jack was so excited to see her! We went for a dinner at The Wharf
Inn in Welford, full plates full of good grub! And it was on Lyndz! Wow! We had
a lovely time but when we got back to the boat she had to go back to her boat,
dark and late, I could totally understand! We'd had a fantastic day, what a
lovely surprise!
Monday the rain hit us
hard again for most of the day. We didn't venture far, just far enough for Jacks
walks! Tuesday it was raining again, we walked Jack,
went food shopping in Rugby and walked Jack again! He's getting so muddy every
time we take him out and hates being washed down after every walk! But he's always
filthy!
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| The sun came out at last.... a good day to cruise |
Wednesday 8th January was a better day.
The sun was out and it was a bright crisp day. There was very little wind and
the sky was a beautiful blue. I took Jack out for his walk while Paul collected
some more wood, and after another wash down we set off down the canal.
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| The canals are quiet here, nobody around at all! |
We cut
through the cold water like a hot knife through butter, gliding along with only
the noise of the engine disturbing the peace of the countryside.
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| Looking under the old bridge towards the thundering lorries on the A14 |
As we came to
Yelvertoft we pulled over and filled up with water and dumped our rubbish. We
were soon on our way again, cold but enjoying every minute.
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| The water point (on the left) in Yelvertoft |
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| See the state of this towpath ... You can also see the rope worn corners of the bridges from days long ago |
After a mile or so we'd
arrived at our Cracks Hill mooring spot from our previous journey.
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| Beautiful Cracks Hill ..... again! |
We loved it
here before so we decided we'd stop here overnight again, just to go up the
hill orn more time! We'd only gone a couple of hours but when you're standing
still on the back of the boat in the middle of January for two hours that's
enough! The skies were grey now, the wind was getting up. It was cold!
We had a hot soup, a yummy BLT and we were sorted. I
took Jack out up the hill while Paul sorted out some wiring for the inverter in
the engine room. when I arrived back home the heavens opened and down came the
rain! In bucket loads! And it kept coming too! There's so much water laying on
the ground, rivers are flooded and the ground is full up!
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| Such a lovely spot, we've got a great view of the hill from here! |
We didn't have a very peaceful night, the rain was
hammering on the boat all night making a constant drumming over our heads.
The next morning, Thursday 9th January, was a soggy one.
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| The army of workers.... how many men does it take to chop and tidy a towpath? Apparently 7! |
Paul took Jack out and I was faced with an army of
C&RT workers coming down the towpath, armed and dangerous! There were 7 of
them; they were all dressed in fluorescent hats, trousers and jackets. 5 of
them were yielding hedge trimmers and chainsaws, two were on the blowers and
one pushed the twig munching machine. By the time the 5 cutters and the man on
the munching machine had all passed, it was the turn of the 2 blowers. They put
their machines on full blast and were supposedly blowing the twigs away, but
instead of blowing twigs into the hedge they blew sloppy mud and puddle and
gloop all over the boat!
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| This is the state of the towpath near the back of the boat, mud and gloop.... |
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| The boat was splattered with mud and soggy leaves.... |
I was mad! I know they were doing their job but they
showed no common sense or consideration to us at all! So my next job was to
clean the boat down! Not something I really wanted to do here and now but
easier to do before it dries.
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| The new 'Winter Permit Holders Only' moorings opposite Crick Marina.... only one boats been there all winter! |
The day got slowly brighter but still quite windy, by
11am we decided to go for a little cruise. we went towards Crick, very quiet
and still, no other boats moving, we saw hardly any boats moored up either.
As we passed Crick Wharf we spotted the army of 7
workers, who had now become 8! Still cutting, munching and blowing! But now a
stronger team! Aaaagghh!
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| Into the tunnel we went.... |
Into the tunnel we went chuggin through the soggy,
drippy wet tunnel, headlight on.
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| Water dripping down from every orifice..... |
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| ... until we emerged into the sunshine |
After a mile of being rained on we emerged
wetter, but still smiling, out the other side. The sun caught us unawares as we
came out of the dark tunnel, it blinded us as the suns reflections in the water
dazzled our view. Squinting from the rays we adjusted to the brightness of the
low winter sun and we went on our way.
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| Moored up by Watford Park |
We only headed another mile and decided to stop at
Watford Park again, we liked it here last time. So we pulled over and tied up the
boat. We had a lovely walk with Jack over the lovely meadows, he got filthy
again, as usual, and after a good clean up with warm soapy water he was allowed
back in the boat!
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| Watford Park, lovely walks had by all! |
It was a cold day today, the wind was bitter, and it
was nice to be back in the cosy boat. We had a quiet night here, spoilt only by
the low hum of the traffic from the M1. But it didn't bother us too much.
On Friday it was
another bright and sunny day. After we walked Jack we set off down the canal
towards Watford Locks, 7 in a flight, all narrow locks.
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| Going under the M1 bridge, the first of 7 locks just past the bridge |
We went under the M1
bridge and immediately we came to the first lock.
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| And looking back at the same bridge from the top lock |
Paul went off to let the lock
keeper know we were there, and back he came saying we can go straight down.
There were two lock keepers on duty, a husband and wife team who were volunteers
at the locks. And they were great! They helped us all the way down.
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| Put your back into it boy! |
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| Help is always welcome at locks, especially from lovely smiley people like these two |
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| Only one more to go.... |
The man went
and set the locks ready for me to go straight in while Paul and the lady worked
the lock I was in! We got through the whole flight of 7 locks in 35mins! That's
a record for us at 5 mins per lock! And it was still sunny! What a day!
At the bottom of the locks we filled up with water
(the water tanks, not the boat!) and we were soon on our way. We only had a
couple more miles to go today so we poodled along slowly, going past Watford
Gap Services; the canal is so close to the motorway here you can feel the rumble
of traffic through the water!
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| Cruising past Weltonfield Marina |
Leaving the motorway behind we passed Weltonfield
Marina and we were soon at Norton Junction 14 day moorings.
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| Just fitted into the last spot on the 14 day moorings at Norton |
There were several
boats already moored up and we slotted nicely into the only space left, and it
was still only 12.30! The towpath was good, we had a lovely spot. We had our
lunch and took Jack out over the 'now empty of cattle' meadows, lovely grassy
hills all around us. Paul went to meet his brother at the New Inn pub and
within an hour he was back and the car was here! On Saturday the weather was wonderful! Not a cloud in the sky, not a ripple on
the water. We walked the meadows again with Jack and chatted to other boater on
the towpath. Everyone was out, cleaning, chatting, some enjoying a drink on
their boat deck in the sunshine! It was truly a wonderful day! We did some
jobs, cleaned some windows and chopped some wood.
After Jacks afternoon walk we had a bright idea of giving
Paul a haircut with the dog clippers! It didn't really work though, just took
some chunks out and glided over the rest! We also didn't have a comb I could
use so we ended up using Jacks comb too! Not my best effort! But it'll grow
again! (We've now bought real man's clippers to do the job properly!)
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| Waking up to ice on the canal, it didnt last long tho! |
Sunday 12th January was
also a lovely day. It was a frosty cold day but the sky was bright blue and
there was a layer of ice over the surface of the canal. We had a lovely walk
and because there was a hard frost overnight Jack stayed clean and dry!
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| Jack has a lovely romp around with a ball on a string he found! |
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| "And look mum, I've finished my walk and Im still clean!" |
We had a visit from my little boy (27), Deane and his
wife Marie. They were on their way home to Norfolk after going to the motor car
show at the NEC in Birmingham and couldn't stay long. It was lovely to see
them, we had a good old catch up and after an hour they were on their way
again.
Monday we stayed on the
boat. We were waiting for Jules Fuels to come and deliver us some coal and diesel
and gas. We sat down to lunch about 1.15am and Sod's law, there was the putt
putt putt of a working boat pulling up next to us! So we filled up on
everything and they went on their way and we finished our cold cheese on toast!
Tuesday we went to the launderette in Daventry. It was a
scummy launderette but our washing was clean and smelt nice! We got home by 12
and I made some butternut squash soup in preparation for the arrival of big
brother Matt and his wife Jo. We all had a lovely lunch, Jo and I went walking
the fields with Jack while Paul and Matt had a couple of games of chess. When
we got back we all had cake and a cuppa! They went on their way and in the
evening we went to the local pub, The New Inn and had a fantastic meal. It
started to rain on the way back and it carried on raining all night! On Wednesday
we went shopping in Daventry, filled up our fridge
with a week's worth of food. It had stopped raining in the afternoon and Paul
took Jack out for his walk.
Thursday 16th January we set off for Birmingham. We'd got some wedding preparations to
sort out which included going to the Registery Office to book a time and date
for our wedding and going to Jimmy Spices to book a table for our guests.
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| We spotted this on a wall by the canal in Gas Street Basin |
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| Gas Street Basin, with Jimmy Spices behind the boats moored up |
All
done, we headed back home, stopping in Rugby for a KFC! Paul sorted out an
appointment to book the car in for its MOT and I took Jack out for his walk. Friday
was another wet day, I took the easy option and
stayed in the warm while Paul took Jack out. At lunch time he left to get the
car MOTed and I took Jack for a lovely walk over the fields.
On Saturday 18th January after Jack's walk we moved the boat up to the water point and filled
up with water.
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| We moved the boat up to the water tap and filled up the tank, then we pulled the boat back to a new space! |
We pulled the boat back one boat length away from the water
point and tied up. Paul chopped up some more wood while I went into Daventry shopping. While I was out the
diesel/coal boat was on its way past and he stopped and filled up three gerry
cans of diesel and we got more coal. So were full up now, have loads of diesel
and coal and two full up gas bottles. its drizzley and chilly today, not a nice
day. Paul took Jack out while I stayed in the warm! Again!
Sunday and Monday bought two days full of fun and surprises. Paul had arranged all
sorts of stuff secretly and now he was putting it into action. We went over to
Histon near Cambridge for a surprise get together with nearly all my family.
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| Here's the motley crew.... love em all for making the long journey especially for me! |
Donna was there with Calvin and the boys, brothers Matt and Pete came with
their families and little sis Milly came with nephew Jack! Nearly a full house,
it's a pity son Deane couldn't make it, that would have completed my immediate
family. But we all had a great time, lots of yummy roast dinners with the most
enormous Yorkshire puddings you could imagine! Followed by an amazing purple birthday cake made by Donna, it not only looked good, it tasted great too!!
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| Donna's masterpiece, it was beautiful outside.... |
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| ... and inside too! |
After a lot of laughter and
general sibling banter, we left for our journey back to Jack on the boat.
On
Monday 20th January it was my birthday, not just any birthday but a BIG one, the
big 5-0!
We set the alarm for 6am. Haven't done that for a
while! We left the boat with Jack and drove over to Woodford to see Lyndz and
Anna, they were dog sitting for the day. Jack scurried off for a walk with them
without even a glance back! So we headed off towards Northampton, well
Whittlebury Hotel to be prescise! It was a hotel spa, the most amazing place to
relax in hot bubbly jaccuzis, three saunas, three steam rooms, ice caves,
hotbeds, foot baths, fruit and ice face washes, hot and cold body showers .....
We had a lovely buffet lunch included too.
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| No photos allowed but we sneaked this photo of Paul in the jaccuzi.... |
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| .... and me on the heated beds! |
There were water beds to relax and
chill on, there were sleeping areas and all day fruit water and herbal teas and
fruit were laid on! We had an amazing day, never been as clean and pure as we
were on that day! Have a look for yourself - www.whittleburyhall.co.uk
We left at 5pm and headed back to pick up Jack. After
a text to say they were at the pub we went to the Dukes in Woodford. We arrived
a bit late, the traffic was terrible.
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| Lots of lovely people at the Dukes in Woodford, Karen even made the long train journey with Josie the dog! |
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| I had lots of lovely presents and cards to open, even got some scented socks from Karen! |
As we went in the pub there was a chorus
of 'Happy Birthday' and lots of lovely people had come to the pub for my final
surprise! There was a lovely birthday cake with a photo on it that up until a
week ago I didn't know existed!
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| My second birthday cake! This photo was on somebodys blog, Paul stole it! |
After a couple of drinks we all headed off for
drinks etc at Pete and Junes, the marina owners house and thoroughly enjoyed
our selves. I haven't laughed like that for ages!
We made our way home in the dark, ice and fog and put
lots of wood on the fire to quickly warm up the boat.
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| The boats just visible in the fog |
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| ... and a boat breaks its way through the thin ice and the thick fog |
On Tuesday we did sod
all! It was really foggy and icy, so we chilled and relaxed from the last two busy days just popping over to Paul's
mums in the afternoon. While we were out yesterday, Mo and Ricky from nb Djinni
had moored up behind us and they popped round for a cuppa and piece of birthday
cake.
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| The boats moored up on the built up canal, looking from the lovely fields Jack loves |
Wednesday 22nd January bought
us a brighter day, so nice we decided to do the 5 miles, one tunnel and 6 locks
to Braunston.
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| Leaving Norton mooring, Djinni in the distance with their chimney puffin away nicely! |
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| We make the right turn onto the Grand Union Main Line on our way to Braunston |
It was about 10ish when we left and we chugged up to the junction
and turned right.
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| Just leaving Braunston Tunnel, heading towards the 6 double width locks |
A couple of miles and we were at the tunnel entrance, through
the tunnel and at the top lock. There was one other boat in front of us but
that meant all six of the locks were empty; we wanted them full!
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| In one of the Braunston Locks waiting to go down |
So we slowly descended
the lock flight and out the bottom lock and into the hub of Braunston.
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| As we leave the bottom lock there's boats everywhere |
Boats
being worked on, marinas still moving boats about, workshops and wharfs and
hire boats lined up three abreast along the towpath for the winter. We crept
through Braunston so as not to upset anyone and pulled over to the water point
to fill up the water tank and empty our loo.
After washing the boat down with the water hose we
were on the move again, under the road bridge and we pulled up on the 14 day
moorings just down from The Boathouse pub.
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| This was a lovely little spot, over the hedge are the most wonderful field |
We tied up the boat, Paul went off to cycle the 5
miles to pick up the car and Jack and I had a lovely walk over familiar fields.
It's now got cold and damp, we settled in the cosy warm boat.
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| Looking towards the Boathouse pub (were moored right near here) from the lovely fields we walk Jack over every day |
Thursday we went
shopping in Rugby. We filled our fridge once again and after our dog walks in
the driving rain we stayed in the dry and warm for the rest of the day. Friday
was a jinxed day! We found water under our floorboards
after we discovered the boat was tilting over to one side. After taking out the
doorstep we examined the water pump only to discover there was a leak coming
from the screws that hold it together causing a small, but over-time significant,
water leak. While Paul was dealing with that I was cleaning up and had swept
around the fire and the rest of the boat. I took the rug that was by the fire
to the side hatch and shook it over the water. There was a plop and I realised
really quickly that the fire riddler was wrapped up in the rug and it had gone
straight into the cut! Oops! So the magnet came out and I fished around
dragging it over and over the area for ages. I used the fishing net too, all
with no luck. It's still under the depths of the canal....
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| Down the canal as the sun sets.... |
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| Looking under the bridge at Happy Daze snuggled into her little spot |
I also wanted to use the printer but it stopped working, the ink was empty!
Oh blow!
After Paul fixed the water pump and sponged up lots of
buckets of water he then went to Daventry to buy some more ink! He's my knight
in shining armour!
On Saturday the king of
all storms came to see us! Paul was out with Jack and the sky was getting blacker
and blacker, then the heavens opened! It was thundering, hailstones, lightening
heavy, heavy rain and winds with gusts of up to 50 mph!
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| Jack loved the old railway line, full of lovely rabbit smells! |
They got home soaked,
poor Jack always seems wet now! No sooner does he dry off from his morning walk
he's going out on his afternoon walk and gets soaked through again!
The rain quietened down by the evening and we went out
in the car to Rugby to the Pictures to see '18 years a slave'. Good film, great
KFC! Sunday was dreadfully wet and windy again,
we stayed in most of the day. Paul chopped some wood we'd been collecting. everybody is staying indoors today, it seems! It's very quiet here, only a couple of boats
going past all day, no one walking about, and those walking dogs have their
heads down and just want to get home! The towpath is one huge long slushy wet
puddle that stretches the whole length of the canal now, the grass is covered
and means its 'wear your wellies' all the time!
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| View from the bridge. We'll be heading this way in a week or so... |
Monday comes and so
does the rain, again. All day long; light and heavy showers, wind gusting all
around us. I manage to get up to the village to get bread and milk and Paul
choped up some more wood. We both got wet, again. And so did Jack.
It's Tuesday 28th January it's still bloomin' raining
....
