Just round the bend

Tuesday 6^th May; to Springwood Haven marina

We are waking earlier on these light mornings and today we were up early enough for Dave to get an earlier train to fetch the car, so by 8 he was off and walking the two miles to Nuneaton station.  Jess got an early walk too; I decided to investigate a new route, going back along the towpath past a well-known landmark –

- and taking a well-signposted footpath before bridge 24.  The farmer had clearly taken steps to create the route for walkers to take, using weedkiller I imagine.

Look at those cracks in the ground and it’s only early May

And what do you think I could see when I looked across the field towards the canal?

I wonder how many boaters have seen it from this side?

Well-signed footpaths today!

The weedkillered path continued across another field to a footbridge across the railway, then another field, before it rejoined the path we walked yesterday back towards the marina.

This footbridge will need attention soon – some of the wooden treads are looking rather old and there is a rusty hole in the corner of the wall at one end of the deck.  Hope the railways are better at keeping up with maintenance than you-know-who.

Once back at the boat I set to with cleaning.  First the bathroom basin needed plunging (easy and effective), then the galley sink and draining board drains, which were another matter entirely.  Plunging removed a quantity of gunky dog hair, but it needed the full treatment of bicarb, vinegar and boiling water (thanks Jaq, NB Valerie!) and a lot more elbow-grease before they were properly clear.

Dave returned at 12.30, having been able to get an earlier train than planned and was lucky with the connection in Birmingham too.  We relaxed for a bit after lunch – if we had gone home this afternoon we would have caught the M42 at rush-hour, no thanks!  We did a few bits and bobs before going round the corner into the marina at about 3.30 to get all the paperwork sorted, and I bought a couple of Magnums to keep us going.  I swept the roof again to remove the tree bits which had accumulated even though we hadn’t moored under trees, and Dave cleaned the solar panels. 

Once dusk fell the grassy areas between the moorings and the exit were alive with rabbits.  Poor Jess, dogs must be on a lead at all times!

Last night's mooring

The next morning we were packed and ready to go by mid-morning, and arrived home early in the afternoon.  We still haven’t decided where to go on our next trip.

Trip stats;

88 miles, 5 furlongs and 110 locks.

Broad canals; 5 miles 6½ furlongs, 9 locks; Droitwich Barge canal.

Rivers; 8½ miles, 2 large locks; River Severn.

Narrow canals; 74 miles 2½ furlongs, 99 locks; Droitwich Junction and Barge canals, Staffs and Worcester, Stourbridge, Stourbridge Extension canal, Dudley Nos 1 and 2, BCN Main Line, Birmingham and Fazeley, Coventry.

Moveable bridges; 3, all in Droitwich.

Tunnels; 9 – M5, Impney Way and the A449, all on the Droitwich canals; Cookley and Dunsley on the Staffs and Worcester; Netherton and Galton on the Main Line, and Brace Factory and Curdworth on the B&F.  Canalplan gives a total of just over 2 miles underground, though I am not sure whether the two road bridges and the Factory one should count as being underground.