Over Winter 2013/2014 and a new Start

Barby Moorings on the Oxford canal wasn't quite what we expected but it afforded us security for the winter.

Barby Moorings

Ian and I planned to spend 8 weeks between January and March in Spain and we needed peace of mind while we were away. Barby Moorings provided just that. We went into the marina towards the end of October and we were given a lovely bank side mooring.

Before embarking on our Spanish holiday, Ian arranged for Windown to be put into ‘Winter Storage’ a no-frills mooring at almost half the price. This suited our needs as we were not intending to be around anyway and the financial saving was an added bonus.

We thought that Winedown could do with a new coat of paint. We had attempted to have her painted in 2013 but to no avail. While in Barby Moorings, we renewed our endeavours and after much deliberation, settled on boat painter, Ptolomy Lane of TJS Professional Boat Painting Ltd. His work was indeed professional and we were very pleased with the results. Ptolomy finished well within the timescale that he gave us and we were able to leave the marina early in May sporting our ‘New Coat’.

Lizzy & Simon with Ian

We left Barby Mooring on Friday 16^th May and had only been out for an hour when we came across Simon and Lizzy Oakden on their widebeam  ‘Les Chenes Riverain’. We were invited to stop for tea but that turned into an evening drink and we didn’t get on our way again till next day. Oh well…That is boating. Our first social get-together on the Cut for 2014!

Simon and Lizzy turned eastwards towards Braunston while we left the North Oxford canal at Braunston Junction, continuing on the Grand Union canal towards Napton Junction. Our first locks for 2014 were the three Calcutt Locks followed closely by the Stockton Flight. A rude awakening to energetic boating!

At the bottom of the Stockton Flight we met Maddy Forth (from whom we bought Winedown as a project boat in 2006) and found ourselves moored alongside her boat Newdigate for 3 weeks! Maddy had asked for Ian’s help with her boat and in return, he was able to use her well stocked workshop to finish some repairs.

Steam-driven working boat, President

While we were moored alongside Newdigate we had the pleasure of seeing the last remaining (restored) steam-driven working boat ‘President’ and her butty ‘Kildare’ steaming along the canal. They were on their way to the boat show at Crick. On our travels, we have seen the pair on a few occasions but the never cease to move me. There is still something to say for the old technology!

The Butty, Kildare

I must just say that during the three week period that we were in Long Itchington  it was not all toil. We moved the boat to the Blue Lias pub for a break and later camped at the Crick Boat show with our friends Gary and Trevis and their boys Thomas and Stephan.

Thomas & Stephan on the buggy

We picked the best day to camp since it rained on the days before and after we went. The campsite was bogged down in mud and tractors were being used to pull cars (and even 4x4 vehicles) out of the mud. Our camping gear had to be taken to the camp side in a buggy because Gary couldn’t get his car in. Fortunately, our pitch was firm and as the day went on, the ground around the campsite started to dry out.

While moored at the Blue Lias we were joined by Simon and Lizzy on ‘Les Chenes Riverain’. A wonderful  surprise. Of course it didn't take long for the beer and wine to appear as we toasted old friends and new alike.

Before long, it was time to move on and start our boating season in earnest.  With several jobs completed, we felt that we had earned the right to start our ‘Summer Exploration’ and left Long Itchinton – home of the Warrickshire Fly Boat Company; and Maddy – on Sunday 8^th June.

Passing through Leamington Spa, we moored at The Cape (lock 25) just on the outskirts of Warwick. Intending only to stay overnight and move on the next day, we realised how close we were to Warwick castle and changed our mind.  The original Warwick Castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 Over the next 700 years this medieval castle was developed into the castle you see today. It was well worth the time spent. 

Warwick Castle

As might be expected, the ownership of the castle had passed through many hands. Over its history of nearly 1000 years, Warwick castle has been owned by 36 different individuals; has had four periods of crown property under seven different monarchs and has been the family seat of three separate creations of Earls of Warwick. It has been the family home of the Beaumont, Beauchamp, Neville, Plantagenet and Dudley before it was granted to the Greville family by James I in 1604. The castle remained the property of the Greville family until 1978 when it was bought by the Tussauds Group. 

Warwick castle was the first of our history lessons. On Wednesday 11^th June we continued on our way, heading for the Stratford-on-Avon canal which joins the river Avon at Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare 450 years ago.

But first we had to climb the Hatton flight of 21 locks. It was at the bottom of the Hatton flight that we met narrowboat Umbrellas…