Wet Wednesday

We do apologise if our posts sometimes seem weather heavy but the weather does play such a major factor in the enjoyment or not of our cruising.

Audlem Top Lock

So having apologised here we go again! The forecast was for rain and we can confirm that it rained, and rained and rained today as we descended the 15 locks on the Audlem flight.

One of the locks on the flight

Hunters Moon outside The Shroppie Fly

Still, our reward is our first visit to a pub, The Shroppie Fly, for a much needed pint.

Tomorrow we are booked into Overwater Marina for a weeks stay.  This is quite a milestone because it was from Overwater that we set out on our narrowboat adventures back in May 2012.
What a lot has happened in our lives since then!

From Staffordshire and into Shropshire

The Shropshire Union Canal or Shroppie, as it is known by the boating world, is a truly beautiful waterway. It is unlike many canals because it is fairly straight and not wiggling along its way. This was achieved by Thomas Telford who built embankments and cuttings to accommodate the canal. Some of the cuttings are rich in vegetation with canopies of green whilst others are hewn from rock. There is even a short tunnel which had been hacked out by man's brute force.  The embankments offer wonderful views across the mainly agricultural countryside to distance hills.

The hedgerows have taken on their summer colours and many of the fields have turned golden already, we even saw a combine working the other day and it's still only June!

The only significant town on this stretch is Market Drayton but there is a peppering of small villages along the way and numerous pubs.

One of the main things we have noticed is the quietness. No motorways,  no railways, only little country roads and no aeroplanes. Just the noise of the countryside,  sheep, cows, hens,dogs, birds and waterfowl. It is so peaceful!

The prettiest water Point we have ever seen!

At Wheaton Aston

Look who came along for a ride.

Anyone know what this pescky creature might be?

Swifts or swallows?

Back on board

It was with great sadness that we returned to Great Haywood to  continue on the next leg of our journey.  Our great friend and  brother - in - law  Steve, died on the Friday that we returned home. He had battled with cancer for six months and he and Jenny's sister, Rosie have been so strong together and we were so lucky to have spent so many happy times with them over the years.

After a week of sizzling temperatures our return on board bought much cooler and unsettled conditions. This leg was to take us from Great Haywood, south along  the Staffs and Worcs Canal to Autherley Junction where we will then proceed  northwestward up the Shropshire Union. The Shroppie will take us to Audlem, which is where we bought Hunters Moon back in 2012. We have always promised ourselves a trip back to Overwater Marina to hopefully link up with old friends.
Our old friend the wind was back as we made our way to Penkridge, which made for challenging conditions and Tomotina had to come indoors again, now laden with masses of green toms. During our absence the geraniums have started to bloom, at last, and the pepper plant has tiny baby peppers on her. Very exciting. Tomotina has been travelling back and forth with us to keep her in peak condition and we'll watered!!!

Saturday morning dawned bright  and less windy and we made good progress to Autherley Junction. Having turned right we were confronted by a boat reversing into the stop lock and wanting to reverse out of the junction!  Something neither of us had encountered before! ! The hire base just past the junction on the Shroppie cannot turn boats round so if hirer's want to go unto the Staffs and Worcs there is no alternative to reversing . Most unexpected but sorted by us reversing a little so they could pass.

Autherley Junction

We cruised a short distance along the Shroppie until we found a beautiful mooring . So far it is certainly living up to its reputation for being a beautiful stretch of canal.

Sunday brought more overcast and rainy conditions so we have had a short day and have moored a little north of the pretty village of Wheaton Aston. Once again surrounded by farmland.

At Last!

Well, it is 6.00pm and at last the sun has broken through! More to come tomorrow apparently!  Let's hope summer has arrived at last!

We have had a much better day today, not only have we done a full days travelling but the wind has dropped, at last! It has also been warmer, so all in all good cruising conditions. But, it has been so busy on the cut.  There has been a constant flow of boats coming towards us all day.  Obviously, everyone on the water has taken advantage of the good conditions.

It is good to see 'our green and pleasant land' in all its summer glory with the green fields of wheat, barley and corn sprinkled with the bright red of poppies and the oil seed rape has now turned to green.  The hedgerows and towpaths are every shade of green and speckled with the last of the spring blossom, the shepherds purse and the elderflowers in full bloom and the sweet aroma of honeysuckle fills the air.  What a 'wonderful world'.

Fed up with the wind!

About to leave Fazeley Junction

We have been making very slow progress along this pretty stretch of canal, which takes us up to Fradley Junction. The winds are very challenging so we have  stopped early for the past couple of days, which is a very pleasant pattern of travelling but it would be so much better if the sun would shine instead of being plagued by these leaden skies and it is not particularly warm either! It is very strange to see boaters wearing padded anoraks, wooly hats, scarves and gloves in the middle of June!  Still, better conditions are forecast so let's hope the forecasters get it right this time!

Strange bedfellows - terrapin and baby moorhen

Sculptures from car tyres

Jenny's tomato plant, Tomotina, laden with little green tomatoes is not enjoying the gusty winds either and is looking a little sad, so she has been bought into the bow, which makes a rather tight up the pointy end of the boat but hopefully she will be happier there until the sun comes out and the wind subsides!

Protecting Tomotina!

Due to the cool, windy and sometimes wet weather we have only managed one bbq so far on this trip. It always seems such a  shame not to be able to take advantage of the long evenings at thus time of year. However, we have enjoyed taking refuge in a couple of hostelries and sampling some local ales instead! Well, someone has to do it!

Travelling at last

Our journey today took us through Atherstone and down the flight of 11 locks and although the clouds were threatening to make  our descent wet we remained dry and we even saw the sun peep through from time to time.

Carefully into Atherstone Top Lock

We settled on a beautiful mooring just before Polesworth for lunch and decided, once again to stay put for the afternoon during the course of which we were joined by several other boats.

On towards Tamworth tomorrow.

Hartshill

We made a cautious start with our shiny, beautifully sign written boat.

Carefully does it!

Our departure from Springwood Haven Marina was a little like saying farewell to a new found family. Hugs and handshakes were shared with everyone commenting on the transformation of Hunters Moon and particularly the wonderful job Jon had made of the back panel! We feel very proud!

Proud Owners!

After fuelling up and much waving we pointed HM in a northerly direction. The cold wind was more reminicent of November than June so we were well wrapped up. Rain was threatening and the wind making travelling conditions challenging so we got to Hartshill, found a mooring, lit the stove and snuggled down, warm and cosy and listened to the rain hammer down! Jolly boating!

A New Beginning for Hunters Moon

Sid and Jenny are sitting here tonight on the new Hunters Moon talking about the experience of painting her and remarking on how the signwritter, Jon Leeson has put our personality onto Hunters Moon. To say we are delighted is an understatement.  There were tears of joy when we saw the wonderful art work Jon had created for us from the original sketches that our friend Sara had designed for us.

The whole panel

We have had two days of wonderment watching the first brushstrokes evolve into a thing of beauty.  What a talent!

Stunning!

Early Stages

Jon in the Zone

The Crown

Taking shape

Concentration!

Our Registration No.

The signature

The van

The man!

Complete!

The folk at Springwood Haven enabled us, through their encouragement and practical help to achieve a very well painted boat with beautiful artwork.  We are truly grateful to all concerned.

A trip back home and signwriting begins!

After our sunny, warm, lazy days on the Ashby Canal we received not so good news from home so decided to put the boat into Springwood Haven Marina and return home.  Our new found, friendly team at the marina were only too happy to help us out with a mooring.  We settled the boat in and left for home that same evening having confirmed our return on Monday 5th June to be ready for Jon Leeson, the signwriter.

Our journey back to Nuneaton on Monday was eventful.  Firstly, the M3 was closed northbound so we had to take an alternative route before getting caught up in the official diversions, which added 30 minutes to our journey not the 2 hour delays we heard about later for those travelling north on the M3.

We then heard there was an accident on the M6 in the Coventry area causing 2 lane closures so the sat nav gave us an alternative route, which took us right through the centre of Coventry, not what we really wanted. However, we arrived at the marina safely if a little bit later than anticipated.

At this time the wind was building and by the time we had unloaded car and sorted out the boat the rain had started and before we knew it there was a real storm blowing up and due to continue until well into Tuesday with winds getting stronger and stronger.  AND we had to get boat into the polytunnel!!  Manoeuvring a narrowboat in windy weather is not an easy task especially into a narrow tunnel. We checked the forecast and it was due to be no better in the morning, maybe worse so we took the decision to move in the evening.  Sid being a master at boat handling did an amazing job and we didn't hit anything. In fact, the caretaker at the marina, Andy, on hearing an engine starting up and thinking what fool is taking a boat out tonight, came round to the tunnel to lend a hand, if necessary. It wasn't! But it was so good of him to be there just in case.

We were so pleased to have taken the decision to move because it was far worse in the morning with stormy winds and driving rain.  It also meant that the boat was dry for Jon to start work on.

We have had an emotional day watching our boat come alive again and take on her personality plus!
We will save photos until she is completely finished tomorrow!