It was very bright and pleasant, although distinctly cooler, as we prepared to set off.
We had to wait a few moments to allow a boat to pass us - we then followed it all the way to Sutton Stop where it pulled in for a lunch break.
The canal is rural for the most part, sometimes with trees reaching right across which makes for interesting scenes when the sun tries to shine through the canopy.
The Oxford Canal was an early 'contour' canal which meant that it was built minimising the number of changes in level with few cuttings or embankments. This meant that it was much longer than 'the crow flies'. As engineering technology improved, newer canals were built much straighter with considerable savings in operating times and costs. Eventually some of the older companies had to make improvement to compete and the northern half of the Oxford had many sections 'straightened'. In many places it is still possible to see the ends of the old loops, some of which (but not the one above) find present day uses as moorings.
Some sections now resemble the famous straight cuttings of the Shropshire Union. Here, boaters are asked, for the present, to slow down as the embankment is weak and may possibly collapse.
Part way along we could see work is being done to ensure the proper operation of a culvert which helps drain water out of the banks in a controlled manner. Recent collapses elsewhere on the system have led to extended closures (thankfully the Liverpool branch one has just today re-opened). With many of the older assets originally poorly documents, and perhaps even forgotten, it is unsurprising that sometimes things go wrong. Yet, many canal users, boaters and towpath walkers, are unaware how important these features are when it comes to maintenance. Saving costs on the invisible parts is not a good thing but we do need reminding of their importance.
Stretton Stop and the small footbridge across the narrow section has to be opened and shut all the time. After we passed, another boat was waiting in each direction but people from the boatyard that is partly on the opposite side from the towpath insisted on closing it so that they could cross before the next boats passed.
All day we had to contend with narrow spaces and oncoming traffic! Bridges are inevitably places where one boat has to stop to allow the other through but we also had a number of lengthy stretches where boats were moored on both sides and there was not room for two boats to pass without some careful manoeuvring.
Just after passing Ansty (and under the M69) we saw this unusual field feature. At the time we wondered whether there had been a railway bridge here (bridge 12 is missing on the maps) but the OS map has the legend Ansty Waste Bridge. This made no sense so later we followed it up.
The old OS maps gave no indication of a railway line and the name only started to appear in the early 20C. Eventually we discovered that the term 'waste' was used, in the context of field enclosures, to refer to a piece of common land that was not usable for farming.
Shortly before Hawkesbury Junction we passed the entrance to the Wyken Arm, which led to Wyken Colliery and a large loading wharf the other side of where the motorway now runs. The arm is no home to the Coventry Cruising Club and their moorings. The towpath bridge is at an odd angle to the canal as this is also the end of one of the straightening works. Just to the left of the bridge the canal originally ran in a large loop to a spot about half a mile further back along the current line.
We passed through the stop lock and reversed back down the Coventry Canal a short distance so that we could use the full range of services. There was enough room for us also to stay here temporarily whilst we finished our lunch.
A footbridge close by has an interesting sculpture of canal bird life including a large swan. It also leads up to the nearby estate and a small convenience store that sells newspapers, only five minutes away. Alas they did not stock the paper we wanted.
We now set off along the two and half miles of the Coventry Canal that takes us up to Marston Junction with the Ashby Canal. In the distance we could see a dark cloud and a definite heavy rain storm. Would it pass our way?
Well, yes it could and for a time we needed proper waterproofs and hats - at least the person steering did! However, it cleared as quickly as it arrived.
A short stretch of bungalows adjoining the canal all have very well maintained gardens.
Charity Dock boatyard is well-known for both its shambolic state as well as its innumerable dressed figures that keep changing. Some we have not seen before
but The Stig is still there, even if Top Gear has moved elsewhere.
At Marston we turned onto the Ashby Canal. There are no locks on this canal but there was still plenty of traffic to avoid.
Although we were no treated to a pleasant afternoon, some serious rain was still never far away.
Two lines of electric pylons cross each other alongside the canal. One of them has had to be re-configured to pass under the other. It is not often that one sees such as this.
Work is in progress repairing the offside bank on a long bend. (Actually no-one was on site this late in the day!) The part by the work boat only had the posts and vertical netting but further on the coir rolls had been added and wires attached to other poles placed back from the edge to help keep it all in place. presumably there is a further stage when the gap is backfilled with dredgings.
Just a bit before Hinkley itself we found a good spot to moor and one with a tv signal - much of the previous run had trees in the way. Christine took the opportunity between two slight showers to pick a container full of juicy blackberries.
16.7 Miles - 1 Lock
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