| Totals for the trip | Start and finish | | 157.5 miles, 103 locks
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| Thursday 25 August 2011 | Brinklow Marina | | 11.5 miles, 3 locks
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| Rather a breezy return but I made it - and stern first too. Power umbilical attached,
good internet signal established, pontoon swept of goose shit. Home sweet home!
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| Wednesday 24 August 2011 | Willoughby | | 2.6 miles, 1 lock
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| A leisurely day with a late start, having had the hydraulic tiller control replumbed to remove
any repetition of the leaks of yesterday. It was such a nice day that the lunch stop turned into an overnight stop with
the afternoon spent reading on the towpath. Then, when the clouds rolled up, a walk back to this
'artwork in the canal', Seven Spires by Steve Messam, passed earlier, part of the
FLOW programme.
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| Tuesday 23 August 2011 | Braunston | | 9.0 miles, 12 locks
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| I have discovered a good use for the M1: it's bridge over the canal at Watford provided
a place to queue for the locks in the dry.
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| Monday 22 August 2011 | Crick | | 12.6 miles, 2 locks
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| A veritable blackspot as far as internet access goes.
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| Sunday 21 August 2011 | Welford Arm | | 7.9 miles
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| | A late lunch stop turned into an early overnight stop: such was my battle with the wind that I decided, having successfully
moored halfway along the Welford Arm, I would stay here for the night but take a walk into Welford. The only shop in the village was open but
didn't have what I wanted. The reservoir that is currently keeping the arm topped up is just as low as the one we saw yesterday. The numbered
graduations are 0.1 metre, so the level is 3-4 metres down. This photograph is taken from about the normal water level.
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Welford reservoir - also very low.
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| Saturday 20 August 2011 | Foxton, above top lock | | 0.2 miles, 10 locks
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Saddington reservoir - a sad sight.
| John and Judy arrived just as I was negotiating the top lock - don't they know when to turn up - but I had had
help most of the way up the Foxton flight. So we did a walk to Saddington to look at the reservoir that should be, but isn't,
feeding the section of canal between here and Leicester. It's not surprising there is a problem!
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| Friday 19 August 2011 | Foxton Junction | | 9.9 miles, 12 locks
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| A lovely sunny day partnered through the first few locks by a boat with a crew of four (Nigel, Veronica, Elaine and Caroline)
and through the remainder by Ken and Annie again. The locks were open only from 10am to 2pm, and with a bit of give and take by BWB, all five boats
that started his morning made it through. Tomorrow the Foxton staircase awaits.
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| Thursday 18 August 2011 | Kilby Bridge | | 5.4 miles, 9 locks
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| They said it was low and they were right - about 25" below the normal level in the first pound, judging by the 'tide mark'.
But we scraped through and reached Kilby, 'we' being a couple from Fleet.
It's raining now so I am content to follow their example and tarry a while.
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| Wednesday 17 August 2011 | Kings's Lock, Leicester | | 7.7 miles, 7 locks
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| What a contrast from last year: now there is too little water. The section ahead has restrictions (9am to 4pm),
so I have moored up for the night rather than risk getting stuck with no help at hand. I'll be ready to go whenever the lock opens
in the morning. Unfortunately, that meant the short people were short-changed when they came to visit.
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Wot no green! With conditions so benign, amazing.
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Jessica and Oliver only got a ride of 100 metres.
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| Tuesday 16 August 2011 | Thurmaston | | 10.4 miles, 7 locks
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| A crew two days running: this time John and Judy.
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| Monday 15 August 2011 | Loughborough | | 13.5 miles, 11 locks
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| A glorious day for weather, scenery and company. Both the boys seemed to enjoy themselves.
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The last lock of the day; what a way to arrive in Loughborough.
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This step is just my size!
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| Sunday 14 August 2011 | Shardlow | | 17.0 miles, 6 locks
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| Quite a long day but good weather and I have made my target for today, within half a mile anyway; I'm in the
right place for tomorrow morning. I'd forgotten how big some of the last few (double) locks were!
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| Saturday 13 August 2011 | Branston Water Park | | 6.2 miles, 5 locks
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| This is a haven of peace, a welcome rest from the roar of the A38, and since I am cream-crackered after
a trudge back from the nearest supermarket, this will do nicely for the night.
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Branston Water Park - a welcome buffer between me and the A38.
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An unusual colour for a wild rabbit - caught grazing on the towpath.
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| Friday 12 August 2011 | Alrewas | | 18.4 miles, 6 locks
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| Thursday 11 August 2011 | Polesworth | | 7.5 miles, 11 locks
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| Through the Atherstone flight after a short delay while BW divers refloated a sunken boat - thought to be
due to the weed hatch not being properly secured. There's a lesson for all boaters!
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| Wednesday 10 August 2011 | The Anchor Inn, Hartshill | | 17.8 miles, 1 lock
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| A great start, with Geoffrey at the helm for much of the day and Bryn flattened by an early towpath walk.
The Anchor Inn does not get a mention in my Nicholson canal guide but
it should have - the lamb in particular was superb.
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| Brinklow Marina | |
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| Off at last! I tried to do this trip in April/May but there were too many problems.
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