Rugby to Fradley

Ok, while I'm in the mood I thought I'd bring the blog up-to-date. After leaving Rugby on Thursday morning I had a pleasant cruise up the remaining length of the North Oxford canal to Hawkesbury Junction where it meets the Coventry canal. The trip was uneventful and I passed a pleasant day watching the countryside glide by on very open stretch of canal.  The highlight was passing this steam boat coming the other way. It has a very tall chimney and, as the name suggests is powered by a coal fired steam engine. I would not want to be in the engine room on that in the current heat.

The popular visitors mooring at Hawkesbury

After Hawkesbury the temperatures soared and I stopped at several spots, often in the middle of nowhere simply because there was shade.  I spent Saturday at Atherstone as I needed supplies and also because the next 5 miles included 11 locks which I was not looking forward to in the heat. 

One of many shady spots 

I plucked up courage to do the lock flight on Sunday afternoon and moored overnight at Polesworth. The last couple of days have been spent easing my way along the canal a couple of hours at a time culminating in arrival today at Fradley Junction where I leave the Coventry canal and join the Trent & Mersey. I plan to spend the next few days moving slowly up the canal to Shardlow where my eldest will pick up the boat on Saturday for a weekend with some friends.