A Dank Day on the Coventry..

Hawkesbury Junc to Hartshill, Coventry Canal, 8.25 miles 0 locks

I like Hawkesbury Junction, but come out along the Coventry Canal, OK the countryside is there to be seen from a narrowboat with trees and bushes very picturesque, but there are so many areas just behind that are just awful.  So much wasteland.. presumably relics from times past of quarries and in-fill with rubbish and just left.

I went walking around the area yesterday.. once again very difficult to follow the footpaths because there are no signs, but to be honest the whole area round Hawkesbury out of the canal view has just been left to go ‘rotton’.  A far cry from the Nene Valley where excavation workings have been turned into Nature Reserves

Today then, on came the winter stuff… it was a right dank morning more typical of November, and coming out of Hawkesbury most of the residential moored boats had their fires on, and the smoke hung in the sky.  First out came the gloves, then the scarf was found at the bottom of the boot cupboard covered in everything that had been dumped in there since last winter!!  Was OK though after Vic got the brush to it, and soon it was keeping my neck warm.. Gawd next it will be the good ol’ thermal underwear.. I have to remember where I put that first though!

Met Jennifer and Graham with NB Best O’ Mates before we left Hawkesbury having met them way back in August at Prickwillow on the River Wissey while Vic was painting the water tank.  They were off in the other direction to Coventry while we continued on through the horrible Nuneaton… Gawd that place is just awful.. all sorts of rubbish in the canal.. arm chairs included… darn it I didn’t take a pic of that for Furbs!  Sorry Furbs, I will take one on the way back!

For those that don’t know Furby has often commented about rubbish in the canals.  One comment from Furby suggested that I clean up the canals before taking photos!!   Ha, not the case, just I don’t ever think about taking photos of rubbish… I did on this occasion though last year.. see what we caught on the prop in June 04 in Blackburn!

So an uneventful trip to Hartshill today.. A lovely British Waterways Yard here..

I dunno, whenever I come past this place there is never a soul about, and today was no exception.  maybe it will get busy when the routine winter canal maintenance starts in November.  There does seem to be a lot of blue tugs moored up as you can see.

Lucy had only gone a couple of miles along the towpath this morning when I noticed she was rubbing her face on the ground a lot.  Poor lass, after getting her to get on the boat at the next bridge, only one eye was open.  I had no idea what was wrong, nor could I see anything actually in it, so this afternoon’s amble was called off.  By early this evening it seemed much better and she stopped rubbing it.  Seems OK now.  If it flares up overnight there is a vet at Atherstone to get it checked out.. think it will be OK though.