Birmingham and Back - Our Short Trip 2012

 Brenda locking at Foxton

 For our 2012 trip we planned to go to Birmingham with Brenda and Mick on their narrowboat ‘Ada Apple’.  For anyone who doesn‘t know, Brenda is Ken’s sister.  This was always going to be a short trip and we planned to leave mid June and be back around the end of August.  This was also always going to be a challenging trip.  The day we set off I had my first cycle of my third round of chemotherapy.  We were going to have to return to Peterborough every three weeks for the duration of the trip for me to have my treatment.  Oh well, so be it, we will do it!

I should also tell you that sadly we no longer have our little Max.  He was such an adventurous little soul, but he adventured a little too far one day and had an argument with a car.  RIP Max.

 

RIP Max

The trips home were only the first of the problems.  We had a drought and there was not going to be enough water for us to get through to the canal system on the Northampton arm of the Grand Union canal.  The arm was only going to be open at certain times.  So we were on a tight schedule.  Then there was a chemical spill which held Brenda and Mick up at Stanground so they could not join us to set off as planned.  We waited at Peterborough Cruising Club for four days till they could join us.  It was a very lazy, laid back and frustrating wait.

Eventually they arrived on 27^th June and we set off at break neck speed up to Northampton to get up onto the canal during the open window.  We were only about a week behind our original plan.

 Drinks with friends

As we invariably do we stopped at Northampton Boat Club for the weekend.  Lucky us, our visit just happened to coincide with a party.  Met old mates and caught up on the gossip as usual.  The weather was still rather nice at this point.  However, the following day, by the time we hit the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union the heavens opened and it rained all the way up.

As I wasn’t quite as fit as I would have liked we decided that I should take the boat through the locks while Ken does all the hard work.  I was very nervous to start with, but after a few locks, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.  Brenda was adamant that she wasn’t going to take her boat through and continued to do the locks while Mick took the boat.  She soon decided she wasn’t going to be outdone by me so took the helm of her boat and followed us through the locks.

So our trip began and continued uneventfully.  We hit the pubs and cruised leisurely for the next three days.  Then it started to rain.  We arrived at Kilby Bridge and moored up.  We couldn’t go any further.  A visit home was required and news was the Soar was flooded.  This was going to hamper our trip.

After a week and home visit done we managed to move on to Leicester.  Only to be delayed again.  Quite a few boats were moored at Leicester and it ended up like an impromptu boat rally.

 Boat Rally Leicester!!

Eventually we were able to move on.  We visited the Dudley Living Museum, which we loved.  Then onto Birmingham itself, which we absolutely loved.  We wanted to stay longer, but by this time we were on a tight schedule to get home.  Ironic!! Two reasons, the Northampton Arm was going to close and Brenda and Mick were booked to go abroad.  It really wasn’t going too well.

We did have a good time, but it is always better if you feel free to go at your own pace and not be dictated to.  So, we high tailed it back to Peterborough.  The weather was on and off as it had been throughout the trip.  We got back on 29^th August, a week before the arm was due to close.

 Loved this big fella in Birmingham

The plans for 2013 are in the making.  This will be a big trip starting on 5^th May 2013 and we plan to be back around end of August or September.  I will up-date you shortly on the route.  My plan is to blog once a week.

Apologies and an up-date

 I’d like to apologise to everyone for not finishing this blog in 2011 when I really should have done.  Several things got in the way and life thew us a curved ball.  My health didn’t seem quite right although we couldn’t put a finger on it at the time.  It was another two months before it became clear what was the matter.  Unfortunately I had to start chemotherapy for the second time.

But, back to the last thirty days of our round trip to London.

At this time we were experiencing some fantastic hot weather.  It was perfect for travelling so we decided we would head off down to Lechlade so we could say we had ‘done’ the whole of the navigable Thames.

Well, I have never come across such a wriggly river route, not to mention we had no guide book so didn’t know how far, where to stop or what facilities were available.  It turned out – not a lot!!  A very strange journey.  Unfortunately we found it neither relaxing nor picturesque.

 I tried a bit of bread making, but it didn't go to plan!!

We were pleasantly surprised by Lechlade itself with its profusion of antique shops.  The pub on the river, aptly named ‘Riverside’ does lovely food, best chips I’ve ever had.  We only stayed for a couple of nights here and looked forward to getting to Abingdon.

The plan was to moor at Abingdon for the best part of a week to wait for Brenda and Mick to catch up with us.  They had been on their own agenda but we were all meeting up to attend a surprise 50^th birthday party and then travel the rest of the way home together.  We had a brilliant party.

The weather was fantastic and Max made himself the talk of the towpath with his antics.  Mainly hiding behind a bush and jumping out to scare the passing dogs.  He also indulged himself trespassing on other people’s boats.  I’m glad to say no-one seemed to mind him being nosey.

 Max checking out the neighbours

We set off for Oxford in the blazing sun.  We couldn’t have wished for better weather.  My son Kam was meeting us in Oxford and travelling with us down to Banbury.  It was meant as a short relaxing break.  However, no sooner had we picked him up and the heavens opened for the next four days and his break turned into a washout.  It was his first proper introduction to boating – I’m sure he thought we were completely barking carrying on down through the locks to Banbury in torrential rain.

 One very brief dry spell

The sun came out at Banbury and Kam got on the bus home.  Typical!!

Our trip from Banbury all the way to Northampton boat club was disappointingly very uneventful.  The sun shone for the most part and we only stayed over night at each stop.

We stayed at Northampton boat club for the whole weekend and helped the club celebrate their 100^th anniversary.  Saw lots of old friends and caught up on the gossip.

From there we were anxious to get home.  I don’t know why but he nearer we get to home the quicker we want to get there when the time comes.  The Nene can be tiresome and when the weather changes and turns cold all of a sudden (which is what it did), home just can’t come quick enough.

 Strange colours in the sky

We arrived on our mooring at 17.30 on 31^st August 2011 after 100 days of travelling.