11-
14 February 2006
Calcutt to Rugby (Willow Wren Arm)
& back
(32.5 miles, 12 locks, 15 engine hours)
Saturday 11 February
Our first trip of 2006 - friends Mary & Chris are joining us for part of it. We've arranged for them to leave their car at Clifton Wharf so we can do a one-way trip with them. We pick them up from Clifton in the mid-afternoon and have about a 20 minute drive back to the marina. As it's Mary & Chris's first trip on a narrowboat, they find it hard to believe that it will take us about 7 hours to get there by boat.
After we've shown Mary & Chris around, it's time to leave the moorings. Ian starts us away and there is a noise I've never heard before - we're breaking ice! Once we are on the main canal there's no ice and we make steady progress through the locks. Mary & I walk from the locks to Wigram's Turn and get back on board when the boat starts heading towards Braunston.
Moor up for the night just past Bridge 103 as on our previous trip and settle down for the evening and a really good natter as we haven't seen each other face to face for several years.
3.5 miles, 3 locks, 1 hours 30 min travelling
Sunday 12 February
No ice this morning just as well because there's no central heating!
Fired it up as per normal but it just turns itself off after a couple of minutes. Dig into our box of instructions for all the kit on the boat and the first thing we find is the warranty - which is for 2 years (Phew). Next thing we read is that after several failed attempts to fire up the system locks itself and needs to be reset - but no instructions on how to do it. This situation will test our theory that we didn't need a stove as back-up heating - we reckoned that we could warm the main cabin using the cooker and just put another jumper on. Run the engine for a short while to heat water for showers. Porridge for breakfast. Nobody says they are cold. Then, for some reason, I try the heating again and it works.
Pull the pins head up to Braunston Turn. Ian and Chris are on the stern deck chatting away. Mary and I are inside, doing yet more catching up. We send steady supplies of tea and biscuits up to the lads who are ignoring the fine drizzle. I take over the tiller from Ian (when the rain stops) to give him a chance to thaw. Having read in Sue's Retirement with No Problem blog her recommendation for Sunday lunch at the Bistro at Hillmorton Locks, we have decided to stop there for lunch. We get there to find them closed for the day as a result of the Fleet Air Arm Memorial. Only thing for it is tor press on to Clifton Wharf and go up to the pub and hope they are still serving lunch when we get there. Finally get fed at about 3pm - long time since I've had powdered mash potato! Shame about that because the rest of the meal was very tasty.
Wave goodbye to Mary & Chris with a promise that we won't leave it so long til we meet up again. Quick word with Victoria - we are keen to have a good look at her new boat, Archie, but will do that on our way back. Carry on towards Rugby and moor up just outside Rugby on the public moorings by the small green. Moorings on both side of the canal here but limited to 24 hours.
12 miles, 3 locks, 5 hours 30 min travelling
Monday 13 February
We are expecting visitors this morning, Gillian and Geoff from Cornwall. Gillian contacted me after reading this website - she and Geoff are hoping to have a boat built and they were keen to have a look over Per Angusta and compare notes on how we went about finding a builder.
We'd exchanged e-mails and, as they were in the Rugby area this week, we'd agreed to meet up. Spent a very pleasant couple of hours with them and they decided that they would go and see Darren Aldridge who built our boat , his workshop is only about 5 minutes away by car.
Having said goodbye to Gillian and Geoff (who promised to let us know how their plan's develop), we take Per Angusta down to the Willow Wren Arm where we could wind and then moor up for lunch. We end up mooring back where we started from this morning as the edge between the Willow Wren Arm and the water point was pretty bad - although it was marked up for 14 day moorings. We simply couldn't get the boat in close enough
Darren's been on the phone and he is coming to pick us up by car to take us back to the workshop, so we can have a look at the two boats he is currently building. I've done a couple of photo montages for him to go on his office wall and promised him two more - I'll be taking some photos of Archie, Victoria's boat, this afternoon for one of the montages.
Once we are back on Per Angusta we set off for Clifton Wharf and a pump-out. The weather's brightening up and it looks as though we'll have a pleasant afternoon. At Clifton, we have a good look through Archie - he's fitted out in Beech, with chrome fittings and looks very nice. I love the chrome diesel stove, the granite worktops and the laundry bin in the rear steps - and Victoria's fish tank is a bit bigger than than the usual goldfish bowl!
Click here to see more photos of Archie on the Darren Aldridge website.
After leaving Clifton Wharf we travel to the bottom of Hillmorton Locks, where we moor for the night.
3.5 miles, 0 lock, 1 hour travelling
Tuesday 14 February
It is bright and sunny today but cold. We decide that we will take a steady cruise back to the marina but the first task is to get up Hillmorton Locks. Shortly before we set off, a Viking Afloat hire boat came past us, extremely close. We join them at the bottom of the locks and it becomes clear that this is their first trip on a narrowboat. Dad knows the theory of the locks but he's on the tiller shouting instructions to the kids. They are keen but a bit too eager to start opening the front paddles without closing the rear ones. Hillmorton Locks are duplicate locks but one of the pair at the top is closed off. We see the Vikings safely through the top lock, wait whilst a boat came down and then go up ourselves.
Although
the weather is cold, it is really pleasant on the stern, just chatting
away and taking turns on the tiller. I don't know why, but I always feel
that the stretch of canal from the Braunston Turn to Wigram's Turn has
particularly blue sky and great cloud forms.We are both wrapped up warmly
- especially Ian - and imbibe of copious quantities of hot tea. The dogs
enjoyed a walk along the canal bank and we put them back on board when
we reach Calcutt Locks.
Don't quite know where I was to get a shot of Per Angusta from this height - I don't remember climbing any trees!
Safely berthed by 4pm. Another mug of tea and then we clean through the boat before leaving for home.
13.5 miles, 6 locks, 6 hours 30 min travelling
PS: When we got home, there was an e-mail from Gillian and Geoff to say that, having looked at several builders, they had decided to go with Darren - he'd taken them to see two more of his boats - maybe I should talk to Darren about starting an Owner's Club!