Postscript

So, we're home again.  A mountain of washing to do and the garden seems to have transformed itself into a jungle.

By the way, the fourth county was West Midlands (Worcestershire in old money) - a small corner thereof in the south-west of the Ring near Wolverhampton.  Thanks to Martin for this information, though the former working boatman with whom he discussed it described Rings as "only for b***** tourists".

Total: 275 miles, 162 locks, 9 tomatoes

25 days - 3 rain-free. 

There were times when we wondered why we did it. Perhaps our readers did too!

By way of explanation, I offer the following, attributed to Mark Twain:

"Twenty Years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

'Till the next trip...

Au revoir .

Brian meets his match

Off at 8 this morning - unheard of for a Sunday!  Within half an hour we were at Hillmorton locks which we ascended completely on our own.  The pound between the middle and top locks was very low and the boat was touching bottom.  How could this be after all the rain?  Maybe someone had left a paddle up overnight.

A couple of miles further on we met a Black Prince boat on a tight bend by a bridge (as you do); in his efforts to avoid hitting us the guy ended up in a tree but extricated himself saying something like "well that didn't go too badly!" in a Geordie accent.  As we continued Brian said "Do you know who that was? My namesake - Brian Johnson of AC/DC".  My reply was on the lines of "On a hireboat - can't be".  So we decided it was just a lookalike.  But later on my BJ did some research on the net and found photos of the other BJ and his wife, who indeed looked like the woman with the "lookalike" on the boat. So now we think it was that Brian Johnson - or do we?

Eventually we reached Braunston, where we had a brief shopping stop, then turned down the Oxford/Grand Union (for this stretch is both canals at the same time), until we reached our favourite mooring spot.  We did not tie up until Brian had checked we had a good TV signal!  Then it was lunch, and Murray/Federer for the rest of the afternoon, which for a change was bright and sunny.  Unfortunately not the result we wanted, but a great game nevertheless.

So now it's time for our last dinner aboard.  And it's started raining again.  Are we downhearted? No!

10 miles, 3 locks

Wildlife:  Horseflies. Dozens of 'em.  Anyone know what they're for?

Silver Lining

Well, every cloud has one, and ours appeared around 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon when the rain finally stopped (that was after at least 12 hours with no let up), blue skies appeared and the sun came out.  Another glorious evening on the canals in fact.

By this time we'd already decided to stay put and support Andy Murray and as this involved some alcohol proceeding up the locks would probably have been a bad idea in any case. 

So we settled on a plan - a long day today.  And indeed we have had one - slightly over 10 hours cruising which has taken us from Atherstone to Clifton-on-Dunsmore ( a journey which would have taken 35 minutes by road).  We have had more than a few showers and a thunderstorm , but mainly it's been sunny and pleasant.

We now plan to get to a favourite mooring by tomorrow lunchtime, in order to witness the historic Wimbledon final, then gently cruise back to base on Monday morning.

26 miles, 8 locks

Wildlife:  quite a few butterflies today, for the first time.  Also we've been charmed by moorhen chicks - little fluffy black ping-pong balls with red beaks.  Altogether now - aaah!

Rain stops play

Unusually, I am blogging in the morning.  We are moored between locks 7 & 8 on the Atherstone flight and the rain is coming down so fast we can hardly see anything.  Started up the locks at 8.30 this morning intending to put in another long day, but after 4 of them I found I was almost wetter on the inside than out, slipping rather dangerously around the lock sides and ready to stop and have a rethink.

So we have (temporarily) conceded defeat.  I've rung Warwick Hospital and cancelled my appointment on Monday, so that pressure's off.  Just need to get the Chairman back for Parish Council on Tuesday!

1 1/2 miles, 4 locks


Wildlife:  any wildlife with any sense is tucked up cosily in its nest or whatever


Catching up on the last two days (when getting t'internet was a problem):

Wednesday

Set off from Great Haywood through scattered showers mixed with occasional weak sun.  The journey was uneventful and by 1.40 we'd reached Fradley Junction intending to go down the locks, make the turn onto the Coventry and moor briefly for lunch.  However, spotting a likely mooring spot just above the locks we made our way to the bank - and ran aground.  Eventually got off again and as we progressed slowly towards the lock a guy on the side said "You could moor in this space" - indicating what looked like 55ft. "No" says Brian, "too small".  "Oh I reckon you can - I'll pull you in".  So still doubtful we handed him the centre rope and lo and behold we fitted with 1 ft to spare.  What an eye! Wish I had it (see Nantwich).

Brian went to check if the Swan was serving food, but they stopped at 2.30 and as I was not prepared to be seen in public without washing my hair that would have been a bit tight.  Also there was chaos going on below and at the junction so we decided to stay put for the afternoon, cheer on Andy Murray and eat dinner at the Swan.

Had a great meal there and a long chat with a couple who were on their very first narrowboat holiday - they loved it and couldn't believe how much they'd de-stressed in just a few days.  They weren't sure when they'd be able to do it again though as they'd had to pay £700 for just a short break - 3pm Monday to 9am Friday.  We were horrified - no wonder we've not seen that many hire-boats out.

11 1/2 miles, 2 locks

Thursday

At last! A great sunny day when boating is a sheer pleasure.  We started at 7.50 am and finished at 7.10 pm, stopping at Fazeley to replenish supplies and indulge in a fish & chip lunch. Moored just a short distance from the bottom of Atherstone locks ready to tackle the flight, most likely in the rain, judging by the forecast.  Why are we allowed summer only at the rate of one day a week now?  Is it the recession?

19 miles, 4 locks


Wildlife

We have 2 or 3 resident spiders on the boat, who've done a great job keeping us free of flies, mozzies and other unwelcome beasties.  This however is the handiwork of a neighbour, seen early yesterday morning:

The rain is easing off (very) slightly.  If things improve, we may set off again, otherwise, we're here for the day and night.  Watch this space!

Grounds for Divorce

We'd intended an early start and a long day today, but that was scuppered when we realised the sink was blocked, and the Captain had to spend an hour underneath dismantling the plumbing, poking about with sticks, hitting his head and generally grumbling about the uselessness of varifocals for this sort of job.  The cause - moi - without thinking I'd rinsed coffee grounds down t'plughole last night.  (However - the outflow from the sink is now better than it's been for some time, so it's an ill wind....)

Anyway, we eventually set off southwards under threatening clouds which delivered their showers now and then.  Through four locks, at each of which we met someone who was moaning about the weather and saying they were ready to give up, moor up and abandon their trip.  One of them was so fed up he'd booked a last minute deal to Spain!

We took on water at Great Haywood Junction and that marked the official end of our circuit of the Four Counties Ring.  Now here's a question - what are the four counties?  We know we've been through Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire, but what's the fourth one?

We stopped just beyond Haywood Lock for a late lunch - Staffordshire oatcakes with bacon & cheese (and in Brian's case chorizo & egg as well).  Just as we were thinking of setting off again, it started to rain (there's a novelty) so we decided to stay put.

Well, with a view like this - wouldn't you?

Shugborough Hall



10 miles, 5 locks

Wildlife: 

"I'm up here ducking responsibility for the blocked sink (they're both quackers anyway)"

Stoned

Off at 8.30 this morning because we wanted to stop in Stone to do some shopping - and the wisdom is that you need to be there before lunchtime to get a mooring.  Very true - we had to go down all 4 locks through the town before we found anything, but found space about 300 yds beyond the main road to the town centre at 11.30.

Off to the shops then - and looking at the list it seems we need quite a bit of heavy stuff (bottles, cans etc!).  So I'm wondering idly if we can get a shopping trolley when we come across a great old-fashioned hardware store - the type that sells everything you need and a lot of things you didn't know you needed.  And there it is - a black "bag on wheels" that folds up into a little bag no larger than a sheet of A4.  Only £6.99.  We head to the Co-op and head to the checkout with our laden trolley - will our "little" bag cope?  Oh yes! Beer, Coke, tonic, plus a pile of lighter stuff so it doesn't feel put upon - and off we trundle.  I'm so impressed I go back to the hardware store and buy another one.

I really like Stone - it's a bustling, friendly little place with loads of independent shops and character in spades.  It really values its connection with the canal and the Welcome sign describes it as "the birthplace of the Trent & Mersey canal".  What does this mean we wonder? - is this where they started digging?  Will have to research further.

A boat on the road? Surely not

 No - all part of Stone in Bloom











Back at the boat, the rain is bucketing down and it's not long before our "let's have lunch and move off" becomes "let's just stay here".  Plenty of others have the same idea it seems - there's not a free mooring to be seen.

4 miles, 8 locks

Wildlife: nothing of note, but as a postscript to yesterday - we were visited for supper by this lot

- a pair of swans and their 9 cygnets 

Gone to pot

After keeping Andy Murray company until his late-night victory, we rose late-ish this morning and after breakfast ambled down to Barlaston for some supplies and a Sunday paper.  We found an excellent Londis convenience store so bought more than we'd originally intended - and at last I have found some pink grapefruit juice!

We'd already decided to stay put today and catch up on some painting and cleaning, but another heavy shower put paid to that.  I researched the nearby Wedgwood factory on the net and found that their Visitor Centre restaurant does a Sunday roast, so there we went - and very good it was too.  We decided to leave the visitor centre and museum for another time - a weekday, when we can also do a factory tour.  But we visited the shop and, contrary to my grumblings yesterday, I was reassured that we can and do still make high quality goods in this country.   Also went to the factory outlet where I couldn't resist  two mugs - one says "I love mornings, I just wish they came later in the day" and the other "As you get older three things happen.  The first is your memory goes...and I can't remember the other two"  (Brian is now in fits of laughter because I had to unwrap that one to remind me what it said).

The man who started it all - Josiah Wedgwood

Note the very appropriate planters!

 








By the time we got back to the boat, the sun had started to put in an appearance, so after a read of the paper for our digestion's sake, we set to some domestic activity.  The boat is too low and the grass too high to allow for touching up paintwork, but Brian washed the starboard side and bow and stern decks, while I cleaned the windows and some of the brass.  Brian was soon complaining that the sun was making his work all streaky - there's no pleasing some people.

So, after a cup of tea, we are relaxing in the early evening sunshine having reminded ourselves (again) that it isn't actually all about the boating.

0 miles, 0 locks

Wildlife: just ducks