Too busy in Braunston

A photo taken by a local photographer, John Garghan (http://www.johngarghan.co.uk/) who stopped to chat when we were at Lapworth and he was searching for another narrowboat -'noproblem' whose blog he follows - now he's following us too!

Thursday 25 June
We didn’t get out of bed until 10 o’ clock this morning, goodness me! How on earth will we go back to ‘normal’ life when we return to New Zealand?! So we didn’t set off until around midday, following a bacon sandwich for breakfast - bliss.

It really is a very pleasant existence living on a narrowboat, getting up when we feel like it, moving as far as we have the time and inclination or staying put if we fancy it. Though you can't get anywhere very quickly, that's the whole beauty of it! Of course it does help to have 6 months to wander at will, it's not so relaxing if you have to get somewhere in a hurry!

The 'Two Boats' pub that we drank at on Wednesday evening

There were quite a few locks to get through once more, but we did manage to double up this time which certainly helps to reduce the workload. Our first double ups were a family of mum, dad, daughter and grandad. I loved the daughter who, when I said we were having an English wedding and my 50th birthday party all on the same day in September, said she couldn’t believe I would be 50 – she thought I was only about 30! Must’ve been because I had my ‘Barry’s Riverboat’ cap on and glasses, so she couldn’t see the grey hair and wrinkles! Barry says she probably thought I was on the boat with my father, haha, very funny!

Chatting with 'dad' on the double up in the lock

Bizarre what some people have on top of their boats!

The family on our double up boat moored up here for lunch - looked lovely but we'd only just set off!

Lots more locks to go yet ...

The next boat we shared with was a ‘traditional’ narrowboat on their way to a working boats' gathering at Braunston, where about 50 working boats will be on show. They told us a story of how the canals around Stratford almost weren’t rebuilt as the people there didn’t want them – they lower the tone of the area, don’t you know! But one of the supporters of the canals managed to get himself a Lord Mayor position so of course he got the canals in – good for him! That has been my motto many times in my midwifery career, 'if you can't beat 'em join them and infiltrate and influence from the top'!

Snug as bugs in a rug!

The Traditional narrowboats have their engine in the centre of the boat

A working boat on their way to Braunston. One of the men on board has come over from Florida specially for the festival, he's originally from Wales and has just bought a very old working boat to 'do up'. He knew the people in the Traditional narrowboat - he'd sold them a working boat when he was 14 and hadn't seen them since, some 20 years ago! It's a small world on the canals ...

Some almost grown cygnets, very beautiful

Front view of the Traditional narrowboat and little Northern Pride, bless her!

Specially for Keith, Graeme and Gary and anyone else who drinks Tui in NZ - the bloke on board was English but goes to NZ regularly!

Napton junction - the Oxford and Grand Union canals meet

There can't be much light coming in through this window!

Lots of narrowboaters have dogs on board - very 'English'!

A real peace & love boat!!

We consequently didn’t stay in Braunston which was our original plan, as it was packed full of boaters there for the gathering. So we carried on until almost reaching Rugby, not stopping until after 8pm. Barry went for a bike ride to explore the area as usual ...

Coming to the Braunston Junction

Bridge at Braunston dated 1834

More friendly dogs watch us go past ...

Our only look at Braunston which is a shame as there is supposed to be a 'fine selection of old buildings ...' there

Twilight at the double locks coming into rugby

Looks like a tongue sticking out of the locks!

Some images of two very picturesque working boats Barry found just outside of Rugby who will be going to Braunston in the morning ...

A sliver of moon at sunset from the front of the boat - just beautiful, oh happy days ...

Re-discovering England ...

Wednesday 24th June
After completing the insurance claim form, we had to return to the library to photocopy it and then off to the Post Office to get it sent. So we had another walk around Warwick and found even more little nooks and crannies for Barry to photograph! I've visited Warwick previously to go to the castle with family, but have no recollection of actually looking around the city (is it a city or is it a town? In England you can only be called a city if you have a Cathedral, whereas in New Zealand as soon as your population is more than 30,000 you become a city!). Though the shops aren’t wonderful and seem to be spaced out between 2 or 3 different parts of town, it has a really cosmopolitan atmosphere and we loved the market square where people were sitting drinking wine and beer at 11 o’ clock in the morning!

Huge town square with two cafe bars to sit outside on sunny days

East Gate in Warwick, one of the four gates into the ancient town. Under the arch was where Barry previously photographed the doves


One of two 'Pillar Post' boxes at the town gates

Barry says this is a Rastfarian house!

Two sundials, one set to daylight saving and one isn't!

The bear is the sign of Warwckshire - not a very good advert for the police having a caged bear!

Spread 'em Sandra!! These used to be prisoners' doors

How would you list this one Jim - 'Handyman's dream' , or 'a nice little doer upper' maybe?!

We left our moorings at 1150, just before our deadline to leave at 1200, and headed east towards Braunston & Rugby.

A moorhen's nest next to a mooring for water

We stopped just after lunch in Royal Leamington Spa. It’s apparantly called ‘Royal’ because Queen Victoria stayed there once, so they wrote to her and asked if they could be called ‘Royal’ and she said yes – as simple as that!!! Hilarious. I don’t think I’ve ever visited Leamington either. That is one of the many joys of this trip, seeing an England that I never even knew existed – both on the canals and in the towns, cities and villages that most people by-pass on their way somewhere, usually by driving at great speed on motorways wanting to get from A to B as quickly as possible without time to smell the roses on the way. We feel very privileged to have this opportunity.

Leamington has a Royal Pump Room, similar to Bath but no actual waters to be seen, just the exhibition – but it was free! It’s amazing that in days gone by it was thought to be beneficial to drink the saline water and eat everything BUT fruit and vegetables.

Coming into Leamington. Wouldn't like to step out those doors!

Pub opposite where we moored up. Loud Pink Floyd playing!

One of the Georgian streets of Leamington Spa

The Pump Rooms

The Hamman - Turkish style steam room

We also had a walk around the very pleasant Jephson Park (and an ice cream), where there were lots of groups of teenagers making the most of the fine day. I think it must be exam time so many of them are off apart from going in for exams.

Jephson Park

Geese seem to love weirs!

Church in Leamington

Moving on along the canal, and a few more locks to work - it was the most beautiful blue sky day and we both took advantage of the sunshine and stripped off! Barry did most of the locks as my eyes were really playing me up.

Barry managed to get a photo of us together!! Well sort of! Looking down my cleavage!

Bollards! Unusual mooring pins

Beautiful 'rapeseed' field, such a glorious yellow colour and striking against the almost clear blue sky

This is the life ...

Lock reflections

Barry taking a self-portrait

And another lock ...

We noticed last night a comment from my hosts at Evesham Lock on one of our blogs and knew that they had started out on the same canal as us last Saturday. I had just been thinking about them when we went past their boat ‘Anghara’ (I think I’ve spelled that correctly?!) moored up! So we stopped and had a chat with them, how lovely it was to see them – especially as Barry had forgotten to take a photo of them both before we left the lock. They have 16 days off to go as far as they get on the Oxford Canal.

Christopher, Joan and Sandra

Almost the end of the days travels ...

Cooling down, last lock of the day

Leaky last lock!

Then on to our final stop of the day at Long Itchington, dinner and a drink in ‘The Two Boats’ right by the canal. Unfortunately we had no internet coverage, so the blog will be posted tomorrow …