I had been quietly working away on the stencils to enable me to spray SKYY and diamonds onto the bow panels, now I needed to buy paint. How great is the Onboard Mobile Web and computer? Yelldotcom provided the answer. A Halfords store about a mile from bridge 23 on the North West outskirts of Nuneaten.
We laboured up the remaining seven Atherstone locks and on route to Nuneaten passed the wonderful British Waterways Hartshill boatyard, all red and blue bricks topped of with a grand clock tower, splendid and if I hadn’t been so keen to get to Halfords, I would have stopped to take some pictures.
We moored just beyond bridge 23, it wasn’t ideal, but we wouldn’t be there long. The road over the bridge was very congested with traffic and Jacquie suggested that we walk it rather than bike it. A sensible suggestion as it took no time at all to reach Halfords. On route we passed a great water feature in the centre of the roundabout, as we approached it we commented on this metal globe, when it suddenly burst into life, spraying a glistening orb of water, seemingly just for our pleasure. We were able to get a good match in both blue and red spray paints, a couple of new paint brushes and we were done.
We moved the boat on through the residential area of Nuneaton, admiring many of the gardens that come right down to the waters edge. Canals rarely if ever flood seriously and many home owners had made the most of, what is now considered to be, an attractive location.
A mile and a bit later, we turned into the Ashby Canal and what a change. All signs of industry and housing had gone to be replaced by a completely rural scene. Small stone arched bridges crossed over the water, which now looked more like a river, the towpath disappearing behind vegetation.
The evening was beautiful, the air cold but clear as we continued up to the Lime Kilns Inn. Unlike most canals, the towpath side of the canal was not always accessible and the guide indicates where moorings are available and at bridge 15 there were good moorings and a water point here and a pub with a car park, which after a pint and a glass of cider for Jacquie, the friendly landlady said it would be fine for our chums to leave their car in overnight. Another plan coming together!
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