Wednesday 9th January 2019



We finally left the Ashby Canal today. We had spent 34 days travelling and exploring the 22 miles up, 22 miles down and of course the walk along the unrestored last 8 miles. We thoroughly enjoyed the canal although the lack of amenities was a challenge.

We slowly cruised down the last mile of the canal and passed once more, onto the Coventry at Marston Junction and then on down to Hawkesbury Junction. Unusually, Brenda spent the whole time out on the back end enjoying the day, normally she would spend her time inside either cooking or cleaning, it made a nice change to have company.

At Hawkesbury, we visited the long over-due sanitary station. There have been no rubbish disposal facilities since Sutton Wharf on 30th December, 10 days ago.  Once watered and de-rubbished we reversed to the junction and passed through the stop lock onto the Oxford Canal, the third canal of the day. It had been so long since we had operated a lock we couldn’t remember which end of the windlass to use.

Once moored we adjourned to the Greyhound to sample their mild again. Had a lovely hot, brown, crispy ploughman’s baguette with it. There was a group of live-aboard men in the bar off boats that we had regularly seen when we were moving between Hawkesbury, Braunston and Coventry. I don’t know if I envy their life, but would they be any less lonely living in a house as opposed to a boat. They certainly seem to have their own social network.

Back on the boat we had Braunston butchers’ pork chops with black kale colcannon. We are headed back to Braunston to visit Midland Chandlers, and waste a few days, and must call into the butchers as well.



Weather: a fine but cold day.



Day Total: 1 lock; 4 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 3.0

Overall Total: 324 locks; 663 miles; 30 tunnels; 5 Swing Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 414.9








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