Wednesday 16th January 2019



We left the morning early on a dull looking morning. Again, going over old ground, we didn’t see a single boat moving and yet this would be a very busy section of canal in the summer season.

We saw our first snowdrops on the bank, a jay and a bullfinch and passed within 6 feet of an unconcerned looking squirrel sitting on the bank eating something held in its paws.

We had intended going as far as Rugby to go shopping at Debenham’s, M&S etc in the retail park there. However, Brenda is still not feeling too good and probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it and it began to rain, so we moored just before Hillmorton locks and will save Rugby for another day. We both feel a day or so not moving will do us good.

I was talking to a local guy and he said that the 6,000 homes being built along here was just the initial application and that the plan now is for a new town with its own infrastructure and approach roads from Rugby, Hillmorton and off the A5. The housing will come down to the canal side and the properties fronting the canal are expected to sell for over £1,000,000. This always amuses me, 30 years ago people wouldn’t have dreamed of living beside a canal, now they are all des-res. When completed, the place will be almost as big as Rugby itself. Most towns we have passed through in our travels seem to have their own new building programme but nothing quite on this scale.  

The rain got heavier as the day wore on and the tow path became a sticky quagmire.



Weather: cold but clear in the morning. Rain in the afternoon, becoming heavy.



Day Total: 0 locks; 4 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 1.6

Overall Total: 327 locks; 693 miles; 31 tunnels; 6 Swing Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 428.5

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