Hinkley to Grimes Bridge, on the North Oxford Canal

Last nights sunset at Hinkley.

Travelled 14.4 miles, worked 1 lock in a time of 5 hours 20  minutes.

We left our over night mooring at Hinkley at 9am with the sun out, it was a little chilly after what was a cold night, but the sun soon warmed things up as we cruised.

At the Lime Kilns we passed Azalea.

and Tench and Ilford. 

11.05am we were at the junction of the Ashby and Coventry Canal. We said farewell to the Ashby Canal and hope to see it again another time. 

Just as we were about to turn right to head towards Coventry, a boat was about to try and turn on to the Ashby, thankfully they spotted us and waved us out of the junction, as we passed them by I thanked them and we all went on our way.

It was onward past the Charity boat yard, which must be one of the most photographed, it certainly makes me smile when we pass because of the quirky dummies which are around the boat yard. The sunken wooden boats are a very sad sight, to think not so many years ago they would have been put to work.

Just past the boat yard contractors were cutting down the vegetation.

Not sure that allowing such a lot of vegetation, especially the reeds to go into the canal is a good idea. A lot of prop fowling material and eventually it will rot to silt the canal up even more. If that had been on the Leicester Line, they would have put the vegetation on to the offside bank out of the way.

By 12.10pm we had arrived at Hawkesbury Junction.

I stepped off the boat at the narrow and worked the lock whilst Keith made the turn.

I thought this was very apt, because it did not seem to apply to three boats we met today at sharp bends and in bridge 'oles. The first was met on a bend which he was clearly travelling way to fast towards and so hit us bow on and bounced off us into the reeds. The gentleman steerer and his friend never said a word. We always slow down for bends and especially for bridge 'oles, because you cannot always see what is coming in the other direction. 

Having had a good days cruising we stopped at Grimes bridge and took the last available mooring between a couple of boats. As you can see Paddy and Marmite wasted no time in getting out into the fresh air.