We meet again.

0 locks and 6½ miles. Now moored at Bridge 31 Hartshill, Coventry Canal

This morning we said goodbye to the Ashby Canal and started heading North along the Coventry Canal. The forecasted rain didn't eventuate so it was a good cruise. At Valley Cuisers we met up with Sue and Vic on Nb No Problem who had called in for diesel. We just needed a few bits and pieces to move the water pump which has become a bit of a problem as we have to drain the water tank due to the builder's short sightedness in putting the stop cock in the wrong place. We then spent the next 30 or so minutes having a coffee and a good old chin wag with Sue and Vic. Just as well Valley Cruisers were not busy as we were moored on their customer moorings.

It didn't take long to reach our present mooring so we thought we would wander up into the township of Hartshill which is referred to as a suburbanised village. Our initial attempt was abandoned as being too dangerous due to the road from bridge 32 up the hill being too narrow, it was barely wide enough for 2 vehicle's let alone 2 pedestrians with no footpath to follow. We decided to head back down to the towpath along to bridge 33 where we found the proverbial cross country footpath or bridlepath which took us into town. Here we spoke to a local guy who was out walking his dog who pointed us in the right direction. At the highest point of the town the outlook out over Anker Valley was absolutely marvellous.

This area has a history of quarrying dating back 400 years and is riddled with granite quarries some of which are still in use. One that we passed was so deep that a JCB digger working near the bottom looked like a Dinky toy. Scary stuff when you see the lake below where the JCB was working, it makes you wonder how deep is the lake? Of course quarrying produces huge spoil heaps and there is one near here which is known locally as Mount Judd.

While wandering through town we found the ruins of an old castle which has a preservation order placed upon it and is surrounded by a barbed wire fence which makes it look like a WW2 prison camp.

894 locks, 1277 miles, 38 Tunnels, 41 swing bridges and 19 lift bridges since Nov 2006