Do not moor overnight beneath trees!

Friday 2^nd May; Fazeley Mill marina to Atherstone locks

It was fresh and rather cool this morning, but at least it was dry after yesterday evening’s rain.  When we moored last night our minds were so occupied with finding a shady spot that we completely failed to notice that some of the trees on the towpath side were overhanging the boat, though at quite a height so perhaps that’s why it didn’t register.  Anyway, the nice clean roof was once more covered in bits of tree, the scales from the opening leaf buds, little bits of leaf and twig, willow catkin slugs, all sweepable, but – honeydew!  Early May is prime aphid season of course.  The side of the boat was just sticky and horrible.

Over the Tame aqueduct

We set off at 8.30, and were soon round Fazeley Junction, onto the Coventry and cruising over the River Tame.  It was early and the waterways have been pretty quiet except for the occasional busy spell, so we were not surprised to find Glascote locks deserted – and they were even set for us.

Glascote locks have long had a reputation for being slow even if there is no queue.  The bottom lock was particularly leaky, and a boater (calling themselves the Bard of Glascote) penned this amusing ode, originally on paper or card in a plastic cover as I recall.  Some years ago it was engraved on this brass plate, and I've included it (again) because it still makes me laugh!

I don’t think it’s quite so leaky now but I don’t actually know.  When we were up the top lock, Dave grabbed the broom and swept the roof as it was clear there were no other boats around.  He wanted to get the sticky washed off before the sun got too hot, so we moored at bridge 73 a bit further on.  I went to the Co-op, and to find a post-box to post a get-well card to my brother-in-law, who has just had a new knee.  It is apparently at the garage a bit further along from the Co-op, tucked away beside the car-wash so difficult to spot.  But I saw a postie doing his rounds, and he took the card for me.  Dave had washed off the roof and was busy doing the port side, which hadn’t been so badly stickified, so I started sweeping out the willow catkin fluff and dog fur from inside while he finished.  The starboard side will have to wait until we have a towpath that side.  We went on a bit further to Polesworth Woods, well before the M42 bridge, for some lunch and to take Jess for a walk in the woods.

The lovely woodland and the country park on the other side of the canal are on the spoil heaps of the Polesworth pits.

We went on up the first two Atherstone locks before stopping on the long pound for the night around 4 o’clock.  It was a lovely evening.  Several boats had passed us while we had lunch, and there were a few later on too but generally the canals have been pretty quiet.

The old boat at Grendon, I would think beyond repair now

4 locks, 8½ miles, over the Tame aqueduct