Up and up and up (Lapworth)

We thought we'd moor in different stops between Warwick and Birmingham this time, we seem to moor in the same spots as we pass through twice a year, so this time we would try out the pubs that we don't ususally stop at .  We cracked ice from the top of Hatton until Rowington, when a boat had carved a path through before us.  This isn't funny any more, it's March - no more ice please.   We moored at Tom O' The Wood (as we had never stopped there before).  Very disappointing.  The extended bar staff family played the (new) juke box so loud we couldn't hear ourselves talk, until we asked them to turn it down.  The "selection of cask conditioned real ales" turned out to be Bombadier - or - Bombadier.   I can see now that we tend to stick to our favourite mooring points for a reason, gleaned over the years! 
Woke up with a start this morning, I thought we were back on the Llangollen when a boat went passed us at 6.55am, am!!! Ropes creaking, boat jolting, why oh why at 6.55am can't they go past at tickover without their waves catching them up.    Had a lovely ascent up the Lapworth flight, stopping for some wonderful home cooked samosas from The Village Shop. Tonight we stopped at the Blue Bell Cider House on Graham's recommendation  (http://www.contentedsouls.blogspot.com/).   Real ale, "proper" cider, good mooring for the cat, what could possibly go wrong - ha - nothing!  Great proper pub, with friendly bar staff, diversity of customers, and good moorings.   They even had the Spurs Vs Fulham FA Cup match on the telly in the bar.  0-0 draw though, sorry Dave, Spurs didn't win, so you can't have it all.  I haven't posted any photographs, as NB Armadillo (http://www.nbarmadillo.blogspot.com/) is travelling the same route, a day in front of us, and Graham has got much better photos than me.

Up we go - Hatton

What a fantastic day for boating.  Had a quick visit to Rachel's in Kenilworth while we were in Warwick.  Set off this morning after a visit to Kate Boats for the essentials, and UP Hatton flight we went.  Unfortunately all the locks were against us - but hey - we had all day, so no rush, plus I needed the excersise after being on the Ashby and Coventry without doing locks for so long, got arms like Arnie's now.  Makes you feel good now that "March" is in the date and knowing spring is on it's way.  Lots of people out walking, all happy, smiley and chatty.  We even saw a butterfly (a real one) and a dragonfly (not so real but very beautiful).  Captain Cat very pleased to be back in the countryside after a couple of days in a town.  She won't be impressed when we get to Birmingham.

Motley Crew hit the Two Boats

Waved goodbye to Matilda Rose this morning, Dave's gone with them to give a hand up the locks - these hydraulic paddles seem so much harder to wind, or is it me getting old?  We've had a few days together in Long Itchington, and some very jolly outings to The Two Boats.    Dave's glass is empty, hence the perplexed expression in the above photo!  We will now be heading west on the Grand Union, and MR heading east.  Very nice to meet in the middle and lovely to catch up after almost a year.  I've been able to upload photos to blogsite for the first time in ages, thanks to Graham's USB extension cable, I can now fix the dongle up to the top window and get an adequate signal, simple when you think about it.

He's going to need a bigger pump.....

Sorry picture of a beautiful old butty above Hillmorton a few days ago.

Long Itchington

We've braved the weather - although it's not as bad as we thought it was going to be - and are now in Long Itchington, where we'll stay for a few days (rain on the way). We had a late start, due to Captain Cat bringing us a present at 4am - a rather fat & feisty mouse. Dave managed to catch it & put it in a container to take outside, but stumbled & mr mouse promptly jumped out of the container and ran behind the fridge. Unfortunately the fridge wouldn’t budge, so went back to bed so as to start dismantling the kitchen in the daylight. Now there's not much room on a boat as you know, so removing the fridge isnt that easy. After struggling for an hour the fridge was free - and so was the mouse - no where to be found. Another hour later, after gingerly moving all furniture round the living room - mr mouse shot out from under the setee with me shouting "there it is, get it get it", not much use to Dave who had his back to me (and the mouse). I missed it, so the search started again. Eventually cornered the mouse, after he tried to make a break for it through the bathroom, and put it outside. At least this mouse didn’t run up Dave's trouser leg, like the last one Captain brought in! Dave was holding up the washing machine at the time to try & look underneath it, so couldn’t do much about it, thankfully it only got to his knee .... but that’s another story.

Boaters Welcome at The Folly, Napton

The Folly at Napton is "under new management", and actively encouraging boaters to visit, with the enticement of free wi-fi internet access, just thought i'd pass this on.....

A Little Detour

Moved from Barby Hill after getting a top up of diesel from Gosty Hill, that'll be the last time we see Iain and Alison till the end of the year (thanks again for getting us out of the mire in Snarestone!) We planned to get to Napton, but with the snow falling and temperatures dropping, Dave decided he'd had enough of looking like a snowman and we stopped in Braunston, with a lovely view of the church. Today - what a lovely day for cruising, so nice infact that Dave decided to travel most of the way on tick-over - what's the rush - we have all day! Tonight we are sampling the "under new management" Folly at Napton, a slight detour we know, but we'll turn here at the bottom of the locks and head on up the Grand Union. As the weather is due to get alot colder over the next few nights, we thought (this time) we'd get frozen in nearer civilisation, and a water tap! Dave always gets nostalgic when we come past Bridge 112 between Wigrams Turn and The Folly, its site of the old Peter Nicholls boat building yard, now derelict, where Sans Souci was built. As for The Folly - its nice, but just not the same now (dotty) Lotty isnt here and the huge fireplace now has a wood burner instead of the open fire. However I am using their wi-fi connection as we've been unable to get a signal at all over the last week, so it can't be all that bad!