Atherstone and onwards

We spent the weekend plus a bit at Atherstone, I think we had it all weatherwise, rain, hail, strong winds, sunshine but no snow!

We are moored in about the same spot as where we had the goat on the boat last year. No goat this time but we did have a rabbit for a couple of days. Treat brought it on board, still alive of course and then lost it under the bed. We looked for it and couldn't find it so hoped it would reappear and one of the cats would catch it. The next day, Sunday, we looked again, no sign of it and no indication from the cats that there was anything onboard worth hunting. Then in the early hours of Monday morning I woke to find three of the four cats surrounding my left boot, hiding right down in the toe of it was the rabbit, uninjured. Ray took the boot outside and shook the rabbit onto the towpath where it happily ran off none the worse for it's experience.

This morning I walked up into Atherstone to visit a shop that sells herbs, not the usual cooking ones but medicinal ones so I did a bit of stocking up. Mullein, eyebright, passionflower and eucalyptus. when I got back we were ready to move.

Except that when I started the engine there was no water flow on the raw water cooling system. Turn the engine off check the filter and pipes. Start the engine again, still no water flow. Stop the engine, check the water pump and drive belt. Start the engine again, water flow even though we hadn't adjusted anything. I walked down to the lock to set it expecting Ray to come cruising towards me. No sign of movement, so I walked back. You guessed it, engine off because there was no water flow. On the sixth attempt we actually got everything running and were able to move, and we still aren't sure what the problem was.

We made our way down through the remaining six Atherstone Locks, stopped at Bradley Green to get rid of our rubbish then made our way towards Nuneaton. We moored short of Nuneaton just after Polesworth for the night. The first job tomorrow is elderflower picking for our first batch of elderflower champagne.

We are slowly making our way to Birmingham with the intention of travelling down to Bristol to see the new arrival in about 10 days or so.

Today's journey 4.3 miles and 6 locks

This year we have travelled 280 miles, 245 locks, 6 swing bridges, 13 lift bridges and 2 tunnels

In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 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 2358.6 miles, 2006 locks, 117 swing bridges, 74 lift bridges and 73 tunnels