Nosy neighbours

Today went even better than planned, we completed our on the Ashby Canal, couldn't resist this photo.

You've got to love the sign! Not only was this swan nesting halfway along stretch of long term moorings, she was less than 40 feet from a JCB digger which was digging out what appeared to be a new marina! 

Once we were on the Coventry we made good progress, I was reminded why I don't like Nuneaton, there is so much rubbish in the canal, some of it might just be careless littering which has blown into the canal but some must have been deliberately dumped in the canal. It is a pity really because a lot of the owners of canalside properties obviously take a great pride in their gardens and their outlook is spoilt by the rubbish.

We reached Atherstone by early afternoon and decided to go down the first five locks before mooring up.

Now living on a narrowboat you get used to people having a nose as they walk past and then being very embarassed when they realise someone is on board. Today's nosy neighbours were completely oblivious to that fact. Imagine my surprise when I looked up from my coffee to see a peacock peering through the window , not a very common sight on the towpath. That, however, was not the last visitor to Morgana. As usual we had allowed the cats out when we moored and they had gone to make friends with a young goat in the field next to the boat, no problem. When the cats came back the goat followed as far as the fence, then about five minutes later I heard a knock on the boat, you've guessed it, it was the goat. Then he actually climbed onto the boat! Ray went out the back to coax the goat back onto the bank but before he could the goat had hopped back off. A passerby told us the goat is always boarding boats!

No photos of the neighbours unfortunately!

Today's journey 12.4 miles and 5 locks

So far this year we have travelled 165.9 miles, 111 locks, 4 swing bridges and 5 tunnels

In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels

Since Ray retired we have travelled 1367.6 miles, 1197 locks, 60 swing bridges, 38 lift bridges and 45 tunnels