A Spring in my step again on the way to Atherstone

Today - Alvecote to Bradley Green, Coventry Canal, 5 miles 0 locks
9th-13th November – Moored Alvecote

At last the virus that had been keeping very much down has just suddenly disappeared.. the very few walks with Lucy that I had done over the last two weeks have been draining although I had only gone less than a mile on each occasion.  Vic let me sleep until I we ready each morning, sometimes as late as 11.30am, but it was obviously needed.  It has been one of the worse and longest lasting virus type illness that I can ever remember having, and it has kept me from having the energy for doing anything, even to the point of ‘can’t be bothered’ even thinking of doing a blog.  Tonight though I feel completely revived.. Lucy is happy to see ‘Mum’ back to her normal self..

Yesterday, the first day without feeling awful, I cleaned the whole boat through.. sorted out a load of brasses to put on ebay that have been hanging about since I bought some a while ago just to get the canal theme ones.. they came with others you see, so I don’t want those, also on the list was to clean all the brass on the boat and to wash the windows and the slashes of mud gained from Lucy hopping on and off during the rain.. but Vic put a stop to most.. pose he was right..

But today has been better.. we set off from Alvecote, our home for a week, and collected a Tesco order from the road that leads to the Canaltime Hire Base, then topped up with coal from the huge Simpsons coal yard in the same place.. In fact I shoved 5 bags on their trolly and happily wheeled them about 100yds to No Problem.. see, feeling good now I am!

Leaving Alvecote spied Banstead and Naples the two boats that used to trade coal. ha they were moored right outside the coal yard, so if someone wants to start a new narrowboat coal business buy the two boats, Banstead might have been sold though, it was up for sale for a whopping £75,000!! Now off the market from Boats and Outboards.  Naples is still for sale on My Appolo Duck for a more modest £26,000.

I really enjoyed the few miles we did today, we decided to put the back canopy down to get some good fresh air into our lungs after being moored for quite a few days.. there are a few trees left with leaves on, and the trip was pleasant behind a very slow boat who we learned later the skipper of which was on just his second trip ever… so he can be forgiven for being slow.. anyway I was in no rush..

Now I have no idea whatsoever about this yard..

It was so busy, with Canaltime Narrowboats four abreast across the canal, and in the dry dock there were another three of four, plus more hanging around the place.. it was very busy indeed with the workforce happily working away on them with radios on at full blast above the welders, grinders and other high pitched heavy duty tools.. someone will know where this is I am sure!

Spose all their boats are getting a once over now the season is over.. I am amazed how many of their boats are at Alvecote, one morning I counted 28.. then there are this lot, and of course there are still a few about cruising!

One boat that isn’t cruising is this one spotted some 200 yards from the canal!!

Gawd knows how it got there or why…

I am really looking forward to the Atherstone Flight tomorrow, the weather is going to be good apparently..

Oh before I finish, I must point you in the direction of the Moore2Life blog.. in fact I am going to put an extra picture on here today.. pinched it from you Chas! (f)

Chas and Ann came through Newbold Tunnel with the festival lights on a day or so ago but didn’t take any pictures, but I persuaded Annie to go back along the towpath with the camera.. hey what a superb pics she got too, there are more on their blog!