Congestion at Newbold tunnel

Wednesday 16^th July; All Oaks Wood to Houlton bridge/golf course

It was cool and pleasant this morning after yesterday’s rain.  Boat traffic started early and it was busy for the half-hour before we left – then we had to wait again for more boats to go by once we were ready to leave.

Meadow cranesbill growing by the mooring.

One of the other moorers had a weather station on the roof – they said there had been less than half an inch yesterday in all those downpours.  Not enough!  It was dry today and soon warmed up as we cruised, and the canal quietened down too with apparently few boats on the move.  That’s because they were all between Newbold and Rugby.  There was no-one emerging from Newbold tunnel as we approached, but as we entered we could see a boat at the far end.  They had chosen to wait for us to come through.  It was lucky we didn’t need to stop for water, as there was already one boat filling and another waiting.  There isn’t much space here between the tunnel and the bridge, with the water point and a bend to add to the fun.  We were ok and so was the boat that waited for us, but coming up behind them it was a different story.  One boat had just come through the bridge, and we could see another waiting beyond it.  The visitor mooring starts there too.  Luckily the older chap who lives nearby, and is often seen recording the numbers of passing boats, was around and went forward to ask the approaching boats to hold back while we came through and the other boats got themselves into the tunnel.  

Good man

We slowly inched by the waiting boats and through the bridge.  Three more boats were treading on each others heels so we crept between them and the moorings to get out of their way.  Another decided to pull in and wait for things to calm down.  But no-one got in a mess and we were all fine.

There is a stretch of permanent mooring here too.

We went on towards Rugby, hoping for a mooring at Brownsover as we needed a stock-up shop in Tesco.  And we were in luck – the last mooring on the water-point side was free, so Jess could have some Frisbee-time too on the wide grassy picnic area.  After a day and a half of long trousers it was definitely back to shorts, sun-hats and Factor 50.  After shopping and lunch there was plenty of time to get beyond Hillmorton locks if we had wanted to, even though the last entry is at 3.15 (like many flights they are on reduced operating hours to conserve water).  But we had no need to hurry, so moored by the golf course shortly after Clifton Cruisers and Houlton Bridge.

There was plenty of time for baking so with most of the hoppers out and a good breeze to dissipate the heat of the oven I made a cake.

Five and a half miles