Bits and pieces

After a late start, because of taking the bedding to a launderette, we headed up the final five locks of the Atherstone flight. It was great to find volunteer David giving a hand.

In fact we had a lot of help all the way up, from other boaters coming down, to the two CRT folk on the top lock.

Then it was a cloudy, rather damp run through to Springhaven Marina, whose chandlery I needed to raid for a 25 Amp fuse and a Jubilee clip. We finally tied up in Nuneaton on the moorings by "The Dumbles", a wild, recreational area of land. 

The mooring spot was chosen so I could walk to the headquarters of Midland Chandlers to pick up some items I'd ordered over the phone yesterday. My various calls to them had produced a range of responses to the idea of dropping in to HQ to pick up stuff. But they do say on the website that you can do so, provided you're not expecting a showroom and a till.

It's just an industrial unit, soul-less and bald, half-mile from the canal. I had to ring the bell at reception and wait for someone to bring down my order to one of the roll-up doors. But in the end it worked very well and I got what I'd wanted. Kevin was keen to emphasise that I should not make a habit of it!

I was was going to say that we are looking forward to a quiet night, in spite of the railway track running parallel to the canal. But as I write, two motor bikes have just thundered past down the tow path. Totally illegal, of course, and highly dangerous. I'm hoping it's not an indication of what the evening will hold. I don't want us to be in bits and pieces.