Christmas Day in the sun

A merry Christmas Day to everyone,it's a funny Christmas for us this year as we are still in the Canary Island, Lanzarote. The weather today is the best we have had since coming here, so it's up get dressed, breakfast and then off we trot to the local supermarket for some provisions before returning and sunbathing the rest of the day by the pool.

About 1700hrs we head back to the bungalow and get ready for the night out, we have booked Christmas meal in an Italian restaurant on the sea front for 1900 hrs. Once we are dressed and ready to go out we take a stroll with a couple of comfort stop in a few bars on the way, and then arrive at the restaurant, here we have a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings and a nice bottle of rose wine, the meal it's self was better than I expected and was soon demolished,dessert was next and followed by an Irish and French coffee. We then set off to return to our accomadation and that was our Christmas. 

We both decided that we wouldn't buy any presents this year as the holiday was our present, but it was strange not opening anything, but we both know that we can have anything in reason any day of the year, and being in the sun is a much better present.

Another day in the sun

Awoke again to a beautiful sunny morning, the bungalow we are in seems to be damp all the time, we have a heater but the window is soaking every morning, we also noticed that there was mould  come on the walls in the lounge and in the bedroom and every thing felt damp like the bedding and our clothes, so we went to the reception and told them and the result is that we have moved rooms, we now have an upstairs bungalow it's a little bit smaller than the previous one but seems a bit drier.

We spent another day just laying by the pool, which isn't bad for December, we noticed that a few more new tourist had arrived for Christmas week, we then returned to our upstairs bungalow had a nice cooked Sunday dinner, and then we had a bath, something the previous bungalow was missing, we both like our baths so this was bliss, we then settled down for the evening .

A day in the sun

Not really much to write about today, we woke to a cloudless sunny morning, had some breakfast and then moved to the pool area where we  done nothing except read and lay in the sun, we did break for some lunch before continuing our routine, the complex isn't full and with plenty of sun loungers to lay on, a few Brits are here and Dutch and other European holiday makers. Tonight we are heading out for a meal so about 1600hrs we went back to the bungalow, where Denise washed a few dirty clothes out before we showered and got ready for the evening.

We walked down from the bungalow to the seafront, noticing its not as busy as we expected,we stopped in one of many bars that are along the main drag we had a couple of beers before moving down to a restaraunt a little down the way.

The restaraunt is a Tex Mex and we both had the sirloin steak and a bottle of our favourite wine, Sangria de Torres, after our meal we were stuffed so went back to the bungalow watched TV and off to bed .

A new trip but not on water

The last  couple of months we have been back at home,in  Cardiff, normal duties carried on, housework, shopping and all the other thing that keep a household going, Denise worked a couple of nurse bank shifts, which takes us up to December 14th.

December 14th and we are on our way to the airport on our away to Lanzarote an island in the Canary Islands. our flight was a normal flight no delays or problems, we arrived at our destination  and again no problems at the airport we picked up our suitcase and got a taxi to our accomadation at Puerto del Carmen, the place we are going to call home for the next few weeks is a bungalow at Hyde Park Lane, a little one bedroom bungalow on a holiday complex.

We unpacked and payed a visit to the local store for some provisions went back to the bungalow and had beans on toast and went to bed.

The next day we wake to a lovely sunny morning we take a walk along the coast, it was about twenty years since we been on the island and it changed  a lot, it's a lovely island with lovely beaches and the normal beach restaurant and bars which in one of them we sampled a few of their ales. We then went back to the complex and sat by the pool before returning to the bungalow for the night.

This  seems to be the pattern of the next few days, which is what we want a nice relaxing holiday, will let you know when something exciting happens .....

Back on the Grand

Yesterday during our drama, we also knocked the tiller out of alignment so instead of holding the tiller at the twelve o'clock position to go in a straight line , I must put the tiller in the ten past position, which make it a bit awkward to steer, once we are back in the marina I will be able to sort it out

Any way back to today its grey and raining as we leave our overnight mooring we have five locks to operate on the Stratford which we do and then that's the Stratford on Avon canal finished with for the time being as we turn back on to the Grand Union.

A couple of miles lock free as we pass Turners Green and under the 433 yds Shrewley tunnel again and then the first lock of the twenty one lock Hatton flight is in front of us the first four we do by ourselves and then we are joined by two helpful lock keepers Ralph and Brian who help us through the rest of the flight. And then the skies went black and lighting and thunder started and then the heavens opened, and boy didn't it rain. We were ok as we had wet weather gear to put on but the poor lock keeper were getting soaked. I offered them a coat, but they refused anyway ten minutes later the sky brightened and the sun came out. So we got down the flight and we thanked and left our helpers before we moored up for the night.

 

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What a day !!!

The weatherman said it was going to be sunny with showers,....he lied, as its raining again and cold,saying that it did brighten up in the afternoon. We attempted to set off but unusually the engine didn't start first time, so after a few attempts it eventually started,and off we go. Denise must open two lift bridges by winding them up the first is easy for her but the second is a struggle for her but she manages it and under the boat goes.

Denise operating the lift bridge :)

We go under the M42 and pass the village of Hockley Heath with its expensive butchers, then its the first four locks of the Lapworth flight and then its into the main flight of locks fifteen in all and no help today from volunteer lock keepers, but we get it a good rhythm and we are soon getting through them. We clear five more locks then disaster strike, the throttle won't work, it gets stuck in reverse so no forward motion, we right it he middle of the locks so the only option was to turn the engine off and drag the boat through the next five locks, like the old days but instead of a horse,it me doing the pulling.

So we mange to get the boat to a mooring area, I have a quick look in the engine compartment, but can't see anything that looks out of the normal, so we have to phone RCR (river canal rescue) the equivalent of the R.A.C and they send out an engineer.

About thirty minutes later a engineer, a young lad called Kerry turned up, we explained what happened and he proceed to fix the throttle, it was the same problem we had when we were on the Thames a little ball bearing had jumped out of where it normally sits.He fixed it in no time and then I explained that this morning I had a problem starting the engine, so he had a look and found that our fuel pump had packed in. Firstly we were going to stay put for a few days as he had to order a pump from the engine dealership, but luckily he had a spare on his van, so he replaced the fuel pump and we had to pay £50.00 excess but its worth it as we can be on our way again tomorrow.

 

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End of the canal in the rain

Today we awoke a bit late, so we didn't leave our mooring till 10.30 am and its pouring down with rain as it has all night. Denise must operate a electronic lift bridge, she turns a British waterways key and then pushes a button and the bridge lifts I move the boat through and Denise lowers the bridge by pushing another button and then we are all on way.

We wouldn't of moved today in the rain normally,but our batteries are run low because the last few days we have only moved short distances and not enough engine running hours to recharge the batteries. Anyway we are moving,and its tipping down with rain whilst we travel through through five miles of residential areas on the outskirts of Birmingham. No locks to operate today,only the 352yds Brandwood Tunnel to negotiate and then we reach our goalKings Norton junction,which signifies the end of the Stratfford on Avon canal , so we do a 360 degrees turn and return back down the canal.

Prior to leavening this leg of our journey we were told by a couple of other boaters to beware of youths throwing stones at the end of the canal but luckily we didn't encounter them,I think the rain might of had something to do with our good luck.

So back through the tunnel, then at Dickens Heath we stop and visit the local shop to top up with a few supplies, and then its through the electric lift bridge and on a few miles before we moor near Lady Lane Wharf, we light the wood burner just so that we can dry our clothes that we were wearing today and some washing which Denise had done earlier today. The only thing it's make the boat so warm....

 

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Another short move

Weather this morning is back to sunny, but a defiant chill in the air,we leave our mooring once again,we have decided not to travel a great distance, the reason is just that we want to take our time, and we are now entering the outskirts of Birmingham and its becoming more urbanised and we rather be out in the countryside. So we only travel for an hour before we moor just before the Shirley lift bridge which is electronically operated, we are near the newly formed village go Dickens Heath.

Dickens Heath was a agricultural hamlet for 150 years until it was develop in 1997 and was transformed into a modern village providing much needed housing for Birmingham and the Midlands.

The trip today even though short was a nice trip the canal travelled through tree lined banks and the canal water was covered in a green algae that our boat cut through leaving a trail in the rippling water.

Should have a lot to write about tomorrow as we enter into the outskirts of Birmingham.

 

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Not far again,again

Weather is atrocious this morning with rain and wind, we decide that we would make a break for it as we were running a bit low on water, so we donned our wet weather gear and off we set. no locks or lift bridges meant our trip was also an easy one, though the rain makes it a bit miserable, the canal alternates between open land and tree lined, soon we are under the M42 a motorway between the M5 and M6 with everyone rushing in their cars,lorries,coaches and other forms of transport oblivious to our peaceful mode of transport.

Next we take on water at Swallow Cruisers boatyard who charge us £1.00 for the privilege,we were going to moor by here as the local pub was near, but our boat couldn't get near the bank due to the silt building up next to the bank, normally I would perceiver but as its tipping down with rain I decide to carry on.

A little further on near the Earlwood we pull,over to moor and the skies break and the sunshine pours through and stay dry for the rest of the day, just our luck, still we managed to dry our wet weather gear, not a lot else to say today see you tomorrow.sorry no photos today due to rain.

 

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Not far again

Winter is coming, a definite change in the weather, though today is not too bad, but rain and high winds are promised over the next few day,and the leaves are falling off the trees into the canal, towpaths and the top of our boat. We leave our mooring after a quiet night, and we have the last four locks to operate on this canal, but Denise has also to operate two lift bridges before we can moor at Hockley Heath.

We had a bit of drama whilst mooring, I was going to reverse about 200 yards into a mooring when a hire boat came around the corner, but instead of slowing down or stopping untill I had completed the manoeuvre they proceeded right up to the last moment which by then he had ploughed into another moored boat, the lady of the boat jumped off and slipped onto her bum, she was wearing white shorts, and she then proceeded to shout at me, in the mean time I had got stuck...... All good fun of boating.

We had stopped at Hockley Heath because we were running low on provisions, so we visited the local shop where we topped up on bits and bobs and then we paid a visit to the butchers where we bought a small chicken.........wait for it .........at the price of £11.87, we were so shocked that we just paid for it, and it was when we got outside we looked across the road and noticed a car showroom that was selling Rolls Royces and McLaren cars in a small village,no wonder the chicken was so expensive.

On the bright side they have a local chippy, so its fish N chips tonight for dinner, that's if we can afford it .we could afford them a little bit cheaper than the chicken, and very nice they were

See you.

 

 

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Not far but up in height.

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Up this morning after a bit of rain in the night, but bright this morning, we leave our mooring and straight away into a lock one of sixteen known as the Lapworth flight, we were going to stop half way up but as luck has it we are helped by three volunteers lock keepers, so we carry on to the top. With their help its a breeze and it not to long before we moor up for the night, we make the volunteers a cup of tea and a few choccy biscuits as a thanks for the help.

The village of Lapworth sits between the Stratford and Grand Union canals with three pubs, a village store and Post Office,notable residents include Bob Davis aka Jasper Carrott, Andy Townsend ex-footballer and TV pundit and Tony Iommi, the guitarist and founding member of Black Sabbath, who currently resides near the village, also Robert Catesby of Gunpowder Plot fame lived in the area.

 

A ghostly tale from this part of the canal is in the big freeze of January 2002 a narrowboat owner was sitting in his warm canal boat reading when he heard a loud crack and a muffled thump it sounded like the ice had split opened and also the sound of someone thrashing around in the water.He investigated fearing that someone had fell through he ice he went outside with a torch and was unable to find nothing out of the ordinary with the canal frozen from bank to bank.The following morning he spoke to a waterway employee of his concern and was told that he was not the first person to experience this, and then told him that a many years ago a man had fell into the water through the ice after a night of drinking and had died, and since then many persons have told of this ghostly sound.

.

Also at the now closed British waterways office at the Kingswood Junction footsteps were heard walking around in the top room but on investigating no one was in the room and on one occasion during an office meeting the door to the computer room opened and to then slammed shut with no explanation as how or why it had happened.

Sleep tight...

 

 

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Two day of retracing our waterway

The last couple of days the weather has been great, nice and sunny, we left our mooring at Wooton Wawen and the canal makes its way through open farmland, and its  not long before we are passing the village Preston Bagot and Yarningale aqueduct again. Then we reach Lowsonford where the Fleur de Lys pub is and this is where we tie  up for the night, we don't visit the pub this time bit have dinner on the boat.

This morning we got up and its a loads of locks again before we moor up at Kingswood Junction,prior to mooring we have a pump out after a long trek trying to buy a card to operate it, this pump out is a self operating one and uses a card to start it pumping once  emptied we moor and have a clean of the boat before settling down for the night.

 

Take a close look at this picture try to spot the car in the tree

See you tomorrow

 

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Back over old waters

Another great sunny morning which for the time of year is fantastic, we have our breakfast before going shopping in the local Sainsburys. We stock up on a few essentials and then back to the boat and off we set again.

We are retracing our journey back down the Stratford canal so its a few locks and then we see a marina where we thought that we would have our toilet pumped out, so we pulled in spoke to the girl who told us that it was their turnover day with  there hire boats so we couldn't have a pump out, I can't believe it as it only takes 15 mins at the most and they could of made £15.00, I said this to the girl and she said she couldn't be arsed as it wasn't her company...... No wonder so many companies go bust if they have employees like this .

So we took on some water and left and carried on with our sixteen locks for today, we eventually reach Wotton Wawen again and decide to moor up for the night, so we tie the boat up and walk over to the pub for the a shandy and find that's closed, so we head back to the boat and I head to the local farm shop for a few things and guess what ? This  is closed as well, nobody wants my money today.

So,back to the boat and its a shandy on the stern before we have dinner and settle down for the night.

See you tomorrow

 

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Easy Sunday

Today we awoke to a beautiful Sunday morning, and no need to get ready to move, as we are staying put today. So its breakfast and then we have a little walk around Stratford, there's a little market and we have a wander, Denise bought a couple of tops, and then we have a walk around the rest of the town, there are to many tourist spots to talk about so have a look on the web sight.

http://www.visitstratforduponavon.co.uk/

We don't partake in any of these as we been here a few time before but make our way back to the boat, put the chairs on he back and have a day people watching. Then its dinner and more people watching, and then a pleasant surprise our niece Lisa and her hubby Dave turn up with mince pies our first of Christmas, a nice few hours with them before they leave us to settle down.

 

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Bardland

Left our mooring a bit of a grey morning but later turned into a nice day, we encounter another trough aqueduct at Wotton Wawen this  one goes over the A34 and was subjected to lorries hitting the underside a damaging the aqueduct till a sign was erected. Next our first lock one of sixteen we were only going to do eight today but where we intended to moor was next to a motorbike scrambling track so what with the noise and dust we carried on.

Unfortunately most of these locks were against us so we had to empty them before using them, the canal is flanked with trees and bushes with the occasional glimpse of open farm land as it meanders towards Stratford Upon Avon.We then cross Edstone aqueduct a major aqueduct at two hundred yards consisting of a cast iron trough carried on brick towers as it spans the valley and railway line.

We then pass the village of Wilmcote and Mary Arden's house, thought to be William Shakespears mother home but it has now be discovered that in fact she lived thirty yards away at Glebe farm, but is still  a place to visit.

Back to open countryside as we descend towards Stratford which can occasionally be glimpsed in the distance, then the canal drifts through light industrial surrounds before drifting through a residential are and then we are in the middle of one of the U.K. tourists hot spots .

We moor right in they middle of the town in the basin where tourist in their hundreds a milling around, eating ice creams or baguette bought from floating narrowboat stores. Shakespeare Memorial Theatre is a across the basin where the Bards famous plays are acted out to the paying audience every night, from Macbeth to Romeo and Juliet.

We moor up and then do a bit of food shopping and return to the boat to. Sitting on the stern and people watching,, we then have a welcome visit from my eldest sister Carol, her son James,his wife Sam and there two children Callum and Findlay, we have drink and chat before they leave and we settle down for the night.

 

 

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