A great night out at the “Mucky Duck!”

We went to the Swan at Fradley Junction for a meal last night which, as usual, was excellent.  At 9 o’ clock a great variety of instruments were produced and the group started playing and singing some lovely old folk music.  This is a regular event on Thursday evenings and very much reminded us of our local pub when we lived in Devon and enjoyed much the same thing.
After we had eaten we were joined by Jayne and Steve who we met up with yesterday – which brightened up the evening even more!

All the musicians showing their amazing talent.

James with Steve and Jayne from nb Dolce Far Niente – (the latest Braidbar boat) enjoying the music.
We had a great evening, some of us didn’t get home until after midnight, (you know who – Steve and Jayne!)
Today, after having Steve and Jayne on board for an impromptu coffee and a natter none of us got going until after midday when we had all watered up.  We set off down the Coventry Canal while  Dolce Far Niente set off in the opposite direction for the short trip to Alrewas.  We hope to meet again next year guys – have a good winter and thanks for a great evening.

We watered up just as we joined the Coventry Canal.

The footbridge across the entrance of the Coventry Canal.
We hadn’t travelled far when we passed yet another new marina in the process of being built!  This was between 85 and 84 (Streethay to Huddlesford)

You can’t see it from this photo but the marina was exceptionally deep.

Better seen on this photo.
We stopped at Whittington for a couple of hours to put the washing out to dry and pop into the Co-op to get some provisions.  We left at 4pm, cruising for about an hour before mooring up a mile before Hopwas.

Tonight we are on our own in the middle of nowhere.  Fantastic!
We’d just like to say “thank you” to all of you who regularly read our blog – we can’t believe that we can get well over 100 hits a day!  and we even have readers from Russia as well as Europe, the Antipodes and the Americas.  We try to be as interesting as we can but sometimes it can be a load of old rubbish!  Thanks again to you all and for all your comments and e-mails.

Fradley Junction

Yesterday we left Branston and had a brief and leisurely run up to Alrewas (less than 3 miles).  

The lovely church at Wychnor on the way to Alrewas.  Set with the Manor House (hidden) on the hill.
After mooring up we had lovely relaxed day – we had a walk round the village and popped into the wonderful local butcher.  We then went round to the house in Post Office Street offering home made jams and chutneys over the garden wall (honesty box provided) which we’ve used before and can thoroughly recommend.  We spent a lazy afternoon on board with James doing a bit of paint touching up (damage sustained in a lock with an inexperienced hire boater!).
The weather is quite chilly now and we’re keeping the solid fuel stove going during the day as well as through the night.  It’s a Morso Squirrel  stove and works so much better than the Villager Puffin we had on our last boat.  It stays in overnight easily and uses very little coal using the coal inserts we brought for it earlier in the year.  So we’re warm and cosy and Oscar is very pleased!
Today we ventured an even shorter distance to Fradley Junction (less than 2 miles).  We’re planning to have a meal in the The Swan tonight and meeting Jayne and Steve on nb ‘Dolce Far Niente’  who we’ve moored close to and who we met on the Macclesfield Canal a few weeks ago.

Doug and Oscar at Fradley Junction.

A long shot of Fradley Junction showing the Swan (painted white)

The entrance to the Coventry Canal from Fradley junction – we’ll be starting up this stretch of canal tomorrow.

Back on the Trent and Mersey Canal

We are now heading towards the Rugby / Coventry area so yesterday we left Nottingham and headed back (the way came a couple of weeks ago) up the River Trent.  It was quite windy which is not good for boating and, not surprisingly, we only met two boats between Nottingham and Trent Lock.  It’s always a bit of a strange feeling going onto a river – there’s a lot more water about! which is a bit unnerving because the bank, and safety, is so far away.  Not that getting to the bank would be any good as they are usually so high and totally unassailable.  So the anchor should, and is, always at the ready!

The very wide River Trent.

Oscar, insisting on staying outside on a cold windy day, had to wear his jacket.  He is a happy soul regardless of the look!

After, what seemed, an endless section of the River Trent we were back through the Cranfleet Cut, up through Trent Lock and Derwent Mouth Lock and back onto the Trent and Mersey Canal.  After passing through the pretty village of Shardlow we decided as it was so windy and we’d had a long day (for us!) to moor where we’d moored last time….

just outside Weston on Trent after bridge 9. 

Today we carried on in the same very windy conditions as yesterday -  stopping to do a toilet pump out at Stenson Lock.   Further on and, by chance, we met  Geoff and Mags on nb Seyella  (fellow bloggers) at Willington.  A brief exchange was all we could achieve as we were just leaving the service point and Geoff  was trying to get on it.  The wind was so strong it was all we could do to keep the boats under control.   We hope one day we have more time to meet you both properly. 

Geoff getting nb ‘Seyella’ on to the service point at Willington.

Further on we passed Horninglow Wharf coming into Burton-on-Trent.  A special place for us as it was where our last boat ‘Spirit’ was built and put into the water for the first time.

Horninglow Wharf.

This is our last photo of the day.  This is Branston Lock,  which is very exposed, and the wind was so strong that  ‘Chance’ was being pushed hard against the lock wall requiring Doug to push against the side of the boat to get us safely out of the lock.

We are now mooring safely near the “Bridge Inn” where we plan to have a nice Italian meal tonight.

A weekend in Nottingham

We have been having such a pleasant time in Nottingham - moored in the very nice Nottingham Castle Marina since Friday, where the staff and boaters have been so friendly and helpful.
Yesterday we took a walk around the city – the very warm weather seemed to bring the crowds out in the centre of town. 

Nottingham centre with its fountains in front of the town hall.
We visited Nottingham Castle which, for some reason, we didn’t see last time we were here.  The actual “castle” was left to ruin and the mansion built in it’s place was gutted by fire (very careless the people of Nottingham!) so the internals of the building are virtually non existent.  Most of the building is taken up by an art gallery which, sadly, exhibits the paintings very poorly.  The basement is taken up by a very interesting “History of Nottingham” exhibition but for £5.50 it was worth it. 
Doug outside the front door of the castle.
From some very timely advice (thanks to Ian and Karen (nb Tacet) we visited the oldest pub in England -  the “Trip to Jerusalem”.  Amazingly, its all built into the rock at the bottom of the castle so inside a lot of the rooms are like caves.  Below the castle there are caves and tunnels which can be visited at certain times – sadly we didn’t have the time!

“Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem” - a very busy place especially on a sunny weekend.

Nottingham Castle sitting high on the rocky outcrop.

Today (Sunday) we planned to meet up with friends Di and Steve, as they were over here from their home in France and visiting their daughter in Nottingham.  We took them out for a trip on ‘Chance’  through Nottingham for an hour or so before lunch.

Steve taking to steering ‘Chance’ “like a duck to water!”

while Di did all the heavy work at Nottingham Castle Lock!

Steve, Di and James enjoying yet another warm day in Nottingham.  Yes, that is Champagne in those glasses!

Steve being so confident at steering ‘Chance’ with his glass of bubbly as well!  Show off!!!

We moored up again in the marina and had a lovely meal at the Waterfront Bar in glorious sunshine.  A lovely day and we hope to see you both again very soon…..
Tomorrow we will head out of Nottingham and back onto the Trent and Mersey Canal towards Burton on Trent.

Arriving in Nottingham

Today, Friday, we arrived in Nottingham having had a great run down from the MGM boatyard yesterday morning.  We saw two boats on yesterdays’ journey – solitary stuff!

Here we are at Bishop Meadow Lock having left Loughborough.  Strange weather most of the day – we seemed to be in sunshine all the time but had threatening clouds in front which made for some terrific scenery.

Further down the river we passed Normanton-on-Soar  - a very well- healed village with some lovely river frontage properties. Like this one?…..

or this one?….

or perhaps this one!

Further on down, passing through Zouch (wonderful name!), we saw the chain operated ferry which carries people across the canal for 25p per person – well you get what you pay for!

After nearly 6 hours cruising we decided to moor up near Kegworth  just above the Deep Lock.  An idyllic spot as you can see.  We didn’t realise it was right under the flight path from East Midlands Airport! (and the planes don’t stop at 11 o’clock like the trains do!)

Today we did the rest of the River Soar – continuing the delightful surroundings…..

but Ratcliffe power station had to get into one of the shots.

After leaving the Soar we did the short Cranfleet Cut, getting to Cranfleet Lock which took us down onto the River Trent and into Nottingham.

Tonight we are moored in Castle Marina, where we’ll stay for the next three nights.  The staff here are very helpful and friendly – the chandlery even lending James their entire stock box of             o-rings overnight so that he can do a small job on the throttle lever – very kind.  We shall have a walk into the city tomorrow morning.

28 miles and 13 locks.  Thurmaston to Nottingham

Back on board…..

After a week back at home in Sussex,  Doug and Oscar returned to Leicestershire today after spending last night at Vicki and Tom’s (eldest daughter).   Oscar finally met his little nephew Ernie.  As you can see from the picture Ernie was desperate to make friends although Oscar was slightly more reluctant!

Ernie finally getting his own way and cuddling up to old Uncle Oscar!

‘Chance’ in the tunnel getting a full overhaul for the winter.  There were some terrific winds which threatened to lift the tunnel – hence the strapping 0nto one of the trollies that ‘Chance’ is resting on!  The idea being that twenty tons of boat will not move in a hurry!

‘Chance’ nearly ready to go back into the water having had its new blacking– the protecting grills still have to go on the bow thruster tubes and looking a bit naked without the front fender button.

The view which James had each morning while on the slipway –the back of the boat is about 10 feet in the air!

‘Chance’ went back into the water on Monday.  The morning of the re-launch was extremely windy but it had to go ahead as the slip was required for other work.  Miraculously,  just as the stern entered the water, the wind dropped and we were able to quickly and safely get out into deeper water without the wind blowing the stern round.  It was a bit like ripping a plaster off quickly!

‘Chance’ now at rest on a borrowed mooring on the MGM “island” and looking extremely smart.

Tomorrow morning we will set off towards Nottingham, where we hope to be for the weekend.

Back at Home!

Seems strange to be back at home  for a week, after such a long time away on “Chance”

Oscar enjoying being back on the coast….

Selsey Life Boat station and all the moored fishing boats.

Its been lovely to be able to walk along the beach twice a day with Oscar, and last night the sunset over the Isle of Wight was fantastic, sadly my camera phone doesn’t do it justice.

You can  just make out the cliffs at Bembridge to to the left of the Sun.  And looking inland it looked like this!

An almost double rainbow!
“Chance” is now all blacked and is going back into the water on Monday,  James is getting all the other jobs completed next week, before Oscar and I return on Wednesday.  Its been great to come home for a week, but we are all looking forward to getting cruising again as we hope to be in Nottingham to catch up with friends next weekend….