The end of August meant the resumption of my travels on the canals so I set off again from where I left off in Vlog 184 – Fradley Junction – and went up the Trent and Mersey canal towards Handsacre, in the process managing to look like an utter incompetent as I bashed into another, stationery, boat at a lock queue.
A few weeks ago, I cruised past what remains of the Lichfield canal, now used by the Lichfield Cruising Club, and mentioned that the canal is under restoration. In this vlog I’ve been to meet the team who are heading up that restoration and see the scale of the works underway.
A brief chat about things I’ve been doing lately while paused on a mooring during August including the boat-tubers annual summer barbecue.
No, this is NOT a vlog. Hence the title. No, there is no commentary, that’s deliberate. No, it wouldn’t be “better with music”. This video will not be for everyone – they never are – but for those who enjoy a few hours of uninterrupted slow TV from the bow of a canal boat: enjoy!
At the end of July 2019 I was delighted to welcome fellow vlogger Karen Nisbet to the boat, visiting all the way from New Zealand. Karen lives and tours NZ in her caravan, filming her travels on the channel “Travelling K”. She was in the UK for several weeks, touring the sights, visiting other vloggers and meeting viewers.
By mid-July it was time for the final gentle amble up the last bit of the north Coventry canal to Fradley Junction. The main thing of note was how thick the overgrowth was not only on the offside but the towpath side as well – and quite a lot of weeds growing up within the canal itself. I’ve been told this whole area is earmarked for a good cut back by CRT’s volunteer team and you can see it really does neeed it!
Filmed at the end of June and start of July, this video captures the very few miles I did in the narrowboat between Fazeley Junction and just past Hopwas. En route I picked up food supplies from a supermarket and plumbing supplies from a DIY store.
I had a party in Kent to attend so once again put the boat into a marina this time at Alvecote. Upon my return, I continued journeying along the Coventry canal, now heading west, stopping a few hundred yards short of Fazeley Junction, having gone through the two locks at Glascote.
After staying in Atherstone due to a week of non-stop rain, I finally had a nice day when I felt like moving on, and took the opportunity to descend the eleven-lock flight.
With my time on the Ashby canal come to an end, I took my narrowboat back onto the Coventry canal and headed north, through Nuneaton and it’s well-tended back gardens and allotments, and up towards Atherstone where I’d spend a few days while the heavens opened.