Long time no see ! I haven't been keeping this blog up-to-day I know - life just seems so busy what with full time work, Jandai, the allotment and all those boring everyday things you have to do. So I'm going to devote some time now to tell you what we've been doing over the summer on the canals.
We've been spending some weekends either at the marina or out on the canal, but I'm not going to bore you with those ...... just our longer holidays during the summer.
Fri June 26-Sun July 12
17 days
miles: 259
locks: 155
liftbridges: 15
canals: T and M; Staffs and Worcs; Shroppie; Llangollen
highlights
- longest time ever on a narrowboat for us
- glorious weather, loads of sun and only 2 "iffy" days
- no significant queues anywhere
- Dai's birthday while we were away
- waking up to birdsong every morning
- Janice wore shorts whole holiday
- Ponty Aquaduct
- Welsh sheep spotting by Dai
- some excellent Real Ale and food
- no laptop/phone/Blackberry for 17 days
lows
well, there are no real "lows" on a narrowboat holiday, but here's a few things which weren't so good !
- Foxxie Dog decided to chase a rabbit sitting on canal bank - trouble was we were crusing down the Llangollen and she was on back of boat and can't jump 12' from a standing start! Dog Rescue Plan activated! Result - one embarrassed soaking wet dog and 2 wet owners from the shaking.
- horseflies love Janice (hate Dai) - I looked like I'd got the lurgy, couldn't stick a pin in my legs for huge festering bites!
- no restaurant in Llangollen with Welsh lamb on the menu (but the lamb we bought from the butchers was well nice)
- bashing the boat in every lock going up the Audlem Flight
- despite buying a satellite system before we left, we never actually got a satellite picture (now solved by the nice Sat Man)
- Hoggies bought in Llangollen were just sad giant cornish pasties
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Fri Aug 28 - Sun Sept 6
10 days
miles: 132
locks: 91
liftbridges: 6
canals: T and M; Caldon
We decided to do the Caldon as we kept hearing this was a lovely canal. Yes, it is a lovely canal but not as lovely as we expected - our overall impression was the Leek Arm was delightful but the Uttoxeter Arm was so shallow and we kept scraping the bottom. However, none of this detracted from a great holiday.
Part of the Shroppie was closed for repairs so we did meet a lot more boats on this trip on the T and M and consequently more queuing at locks. Weather was mixture of sun/showers/cloud/thunderstorms.
Couldn't get thru Froghall Tunnel as Jandai too high.
We really have to change our mindset when out cruising now. Before Jandai we hired narrowboats and used to have long days. Now, there is no need for long days!
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Fri Sept 18 - Sun Sept 27
10 days
miles: 135
locks: 47
liftbridges: 0
canals: T and M; Coventry; Ashby
We really loved this trip - I was really surprised how nice the Coventry Canal is and the Ashby is lovely.
highlights
- another week off work!
- weather a bonus with lots of sunshine
- Huddlesford Junction on Coventy Canal Festival with lots of fantastic boats (yes, we managed to squeeze through without hitting another boat)
- man on allotment in Nuneaton threw us a bag of potatoes
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our next holiday is over Christmas and New Year - not sure when when we are leaving (probably Boxing Day) and returning to Marina on Jan 3
