Hawkesbury Junction/Sutton Stop

We departed All Oak Wood at 9 am ready for our planned visit to Rose Narrowboats. We needed gas and a pump out of the holding tank. On reporting to the office I was given the news that no pump outs would be done today, this despite the fact we had arranged it, and delayed our journey by one day to accommodate them. I was therefore not impressed, especially when the excuse was that the three people there did not know how to use the machine, we even offered to do it ourselves to no avail. Moral of the story, don't rely on Rose Narrowboats again.

We decided that it would be better to return to Brinklow Marina and get the services done there, rather than carry on and take a chance, so that meant a three mile round trip. Brinklow Marina were friendly and even offered us a free night mooring, but we wanted to push on. It all worked out well as the sun, which had been a bit intermittent in the morning came out fully in the afternoon, and the temperature rose accordingly.

Our journey took us beneath the M6 and M69 motorways, and on arrival at Hawkesbury Junction we were able to moor about 100 yds prior to the stop lock. This junction is sometimes called Sutton Stop, named after the family that used to operate the lock in the past. We are now at the northern end of the Oxford Canal and only a few miles from Coventry City Centre. Once we pass through the lock tomorrow we will be on the Coventry Canal.

Although so close to the city it still feels rural here. One benefit is that the mobile phone is connected to  4G here so we have taken the opportunity to download some films using Three all you can eat data. Each movie is taking about 15 mins to download so by the end of the evening we should have quite a few stored on the sky box.

       

The photo above shows the silhouette of the chimney for the old engine house, which was built in the 1800s, housing an engine to pump water from deep wells into the canal. Tomorrow we turn right at the junction and head towards Nuneaton. Once the boat was secured it was off to the Greyhound PH. which has prime position at the junction for refreshments.

Totals 11 Miles