We have had a couple of busy days (covered 24 miles and 1 lock!) in great boating weather. We met Stowe boaters Sue and Barry on nb James Henry yesterday afternoon at Hawkesbury Junction and had a great time catching up during which time along came another couple Barry and Linda on nb Southern Cross who joined us.
We are now on the northern part of the Oxford Canal which although having been straightened in the early 1800's still winds its way through the countryside. There are only a few moorings between Hawkesbury and Rugby and tonight we are moored just past bridge 66 near the golf course.
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| Our mooring near Rugby tonight the golf course is on the right |
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| This old viaduct is near our mooring tonight. Its the old Rugby to Stamford line of the LNWR built in 1850 and closed in 1966. |
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| When we arrived at Hawkesbury Junction yesterday afternoon we saw 6 working boats making their way to Wolverhampton to collect coal for sale next winter- this is Southern Cross a Star class built in 1935. |
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| nb Stanton a Town class built in 1936 next to the old pumping station |
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| nb Towcester a Town class built in 1937 towing butty Bideford a Town class built in 1936 |
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| Another fine garden at Bedworth |
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| We saw this hire boat which has a bit of style |
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| There used to be telegraph poles like this all along the canals, now replaced by fibre optic cables buried under the towpath |
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| Another one of those names |
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| We just managed to pass this sunken narrowboat close to bridge 18 near Nuneaton |
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| Hartshill Yard used to be a lovely working yard for British Waterways, its now up for sale -hopefully whatever happens to it will take into account its heritage |
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| As we came up the Atherstone flight this group of ponies were next to the lock with two foals one of which is sound asleep by the fence |
