We awoke to another very different day - the sky was already bright blue but very much chillier. The morning continued that way although by the afternoon the sun had warmed everything up somewhat. Extra layers still needed.
Armada Wharf had signs that they had sold out of diesel. Perhaps they have had a better end to the season than they expected. All reports do suggest that it has been difficult for canal related business to predict their level of trade this year, often varying dramatically from one week to the next.
Another sunny canal view - but not a boat, lock or bridge in sight! What is our photographer coming to?
These three seem content that no rain is expected today.
We could not read the sign on this piece of fencing as it was in small print and facing the wrong way (for us). However, it seems to have been regularly ignored.
About 45 minutes later we came across this work site where it seems that the towpath is being renovated. Rothen seemed oblivious to the obstruction they were leaving over the weekend. No real need to leave the workboats doubled up. Just beyond we saw another piece of fencing with what looked like the same notice except that here the fence was now flat on the ground!
The canal was definitely very much busier today and we gradually joined a line of boats - here you can just see two boats ahead and there were another two behind us.
And then the two became three. We certainly found that, with almost no overtaking opportunities, the pace of the convoy is at the speed of the slowest! And the slowest is always at the front . . .
When we arrived at Hawkesbury Stop Lock there was inevitably a queue but we opted to have lunch by mooring just before. By the time we set off again the queue had disappeared. No pix of the lock as the sun was in the wrong direction and, with the service block having its own queue we were a little busy finding a way of emptying the elsan and then getting to an unoccupied water point.
We continued up the Coventry Canal, with yet another obligatory photo opportunity, Charity Dock. We could not easily see all of it as there were boats moored - we do not recall them in that spot before.
The Stig is still there!
After Marston Junction this huge new industrial development began to loom into view.
As we came close to the canal end of the site we could see that it is still being finished off. Rhenus is a German company providing supply chain logistical services on an international scale. Basically, a lot of big sheds, large fleets of trucks and significant computing power (perhaps located in one of the equally huge data centres we saw near Slough) Looking at old maps we see that it is built on former agricultural land. not one of the many coal mines or quarries that once dominated Bedworth.
On the other side of the canal is a very large housing estate just beginning to take shape.
With the sun close to setting we finally moored just after Boot Wharf, opposite the allotments.
18.5 Miles - 1 Lock
Cows laying down mean is IS going to rain (although there is absolutely no scientific basis for this!)
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