Thursday 20th March 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 4.

 

Thursday 20th March 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 4.

We started from Braunston and walked the 6 miles (7 in total) to Napton Marina, via Gongoozlers Café on the Grand Union Canal.

 

With John, Julie, Sue, Jem, Margaret, Dot (whose dream may be in one of the pictures), Margaret, Hugh and Linda (11 altogether including us), we walked down the grassy slopes from Braunston Church, through fields of sheep with very young, frolicking lambs, to the canal to restart our trek. It was a bright but blowy day weather-wise.

In no time we came to the triangular island covered with flowering daffodils, where the Oxford and Grand Union Canals meet. The towpath goes over two black and white Horseley Ironworks, 15m span bridges that must be some of the most photographed in the UK. It is from here for about 5 miles until Napton Junction, that the waterways of both canals coincide. We walked to just beyond Napton Junction where the Grand Union Canal departed northwards and the Oxford Canal carries on westwards. In fact, some of us walked this route last June as part of the GUC walks and, as then, we visited the Gongoozler’s café aboard a narrowboat moored near to the Stop House, by Braunston’s historic wharf.

Then, when feeling satisfied, we went back to the triangular junction and along the towpath, first going on top of a (straightened) embankment section called Puddle Banks. Most of the time we were walking into the wind which made it feel much colder than the thermometer would suggest.

We saw many primroses, violets, celandines and some coltsfoot growing beside the waterway. It seemed that more boats were ‘on the move’ than on previous walks this year and in the surrounding fields there were plenty of sheep with young (a couple were exploring some gardens on the opposite bank from us!). 

Most of the time the canal is in open countryside, pretty straight and well away from built up areas. We chose a brick bridge with high sides for a place to eat our sandwiches, thinking that somewhere it would be sheltered from the wind. In the end we settled in various different places as the gusting wind seemed to be in all ‘corners’ around the bridge. After reading the metal notice, we were glad we were walking and not on a traction engine (that required permission to cross).

 Striding out again in Warwickshire now, we saw on the opposite bank the village of Lower Shuckburgh, just off the A425 Southam to Daventry road. We could see the small Gothic style church that was built in 1864, replacing a previous one that had been burnt down. St John the Baptist church is unusual as it has a hexagonal tower and Moorish tiles are on the walls inside. Upper Shuckburgh village, once nearby on Beacon Hill is now deserted and only the privately owned Shuckburgh Hall is there. 

After passing under Nimrod Bridge which carries the A425 over the canal we walked up and over the Grand Union Canal by Napton Junction and Wigrams Turn Marina. Then, shortly afterwards we finished our walk at Napton Marina. Here we saw a line of smart dark blue boats lined up in the wharf being prepared for letting out.

Thursday 6th March 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 3

Thursday 6th March 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 3.

We started from Clifton Road Bridge No 66 and walked the 8.5 miles to Bridge No. 89 at Braunston.

John, Julie, Sue, Jem, Margaret, Dot, Margaret, Peter and we, 10 altogether,  met up at Clifton Wharf by Bridge No. 66 and started along the towpath, only to find that it was just as muddy as the last time (OxC2 on 22^nd February). The weather in the last twelve days couldn’t have been any drier.

 This section of the Oxford Canal is rural and winding and we saw a few cows, plenty of sheep (some with young lambs), several ponies and a goat in the fields along the way. One feature noticeable, especially towards Braunston, were fields showing a wavy appearance as a result of the medieval ridge and furrow way of cultivation. (Villagers cleared the forests and ploughed parallel strips of land by throwing soil towards the centre, so creating the ridges.) Also, the surrounding landscape, although mostly flat and in some parts water-logged, had several obvious small hills. The canal closely followed the 300’ contour line around these hills and, after the three sets of locks at Hillmorton, the 325’ line. The locks were the first ones we have passed while walking, south, along the Oxford Canal, apart from the stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction (where it joins with the Coventry Canal). Originally the Hillmorton locks were built as single locks but were improved to twin (or pairs) locks with inter-connecting pipes so that water can be conserved. The Oxford Canal, despite being narrow, windy and old, is one of the most popular for boaters now and there can be water shortage problems in the summer months (not today though!). At the locks there is a short arm that is a boatyard used by Grantham Bridge Boat Services and a café (the meeting place for the local Canal Heritage Society) but it wasn’t open when we were there.

 

Approaching the locks and for a long way behind them, we could see a whole array of masts that form Rugby Radio Station. The first of the masts was built in 1926 and they were used for telegraph messages. Later on, the time signals for radio controlled clocks etc were transmitted from here. More recently (in 2004 and 2007) all 12 of the very tall (250m - the tallest structure in the UK in 1985) have been demolished. The site, as it is no longer used, is to be developed.  Plans have been approved that includes 6,200 new houses and associated infrastructure, and work is due to start next year.

 A little way along from the locks the canal changes direction by 90 degrees and two rail bridges cross over. The West Coast mainline railway deviates from the canal route here and the familiar sight and sounds of the Virgin trains leave us.

At this point we stopped to view The Old Royal Oak, an imposing canal side PH that is now a Hungry Horse, on the opposite bank. Signs on the front indicated that Braunston was only 1.75 miles away. We questioned this as we were just getting into our stride! Perhaps we (or they) should go to Specsavers!

 

At Tarry’s Bridge there is the county boundary (from Warwickshire into Northamptonshire) and stables have been converted into a series of pleasant cottages with white doves outside.

 

Along the Barby Straight we stopped for picnic lunch and then made good progress to Braunston. In the afternoon we saw an abandoned 1963 ambulance (that wasn’t white anymore), a trio of chickens playing music, a real Muscovy duck and the ‘Boudicca’ narrowboat for sale (12 years old with bow thruster £63k).
 

We finished just before 3pm and made our way up to the village. The little tearoom specially stayed open for us – maybe we looked in need or was it Ian and Margaret’s powers of persuasion?

Saturday 22nd February 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 2

Saturday 22nd February 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 2

Starting from Stretton Wharf and walking the 7.5 miles to Clifton Road Bridge No 66 in Rugby.

We were pleased to resume our towpath rambling after postponing a couple of planned walks due to the exceptionally wet weather experienced lately. The weather today was pleasant with some sunshine and very little wind, but underfoot there was certainly some mud!

Straight away we noticed that more people were around today. They included a ‘pirate’ boat and three men cutting down and trimming trees. One man was perched high above us with his chainsaw and, before passing, some of us had to wait for a short time while the latest slice of trunk was dropped down to the ground! The cutters handiwork was evident all along the rest of our walk into Rugby – quite a long stretch!

 

Also, all along our route were a great variety of bridges, including several iron ones, which added to the attractiveness of this mainly peaceful section of canal. The wrought iron ones, made at the Horseley Iron works in Tipton and recognisable all around the West Midlands area, were generally built to take the towpath over the entrances to canal spurs (now marinas and moorings). These spurs were once part of the old, meandering canal (apparently, boatmen used to say they could hear the sound of Brinklow Church bells all day while travelling about 12 miles around the village). This original Brindley-designed canal hugged the 300 foot contour line and didn’t include many locks (we haven’t seen one yet on the Oxford Canal). The northern section (Hawkesbury to Napton) was shortened by about 11 miles in the early part of the 19^th century and included a new tunnel at Newbold with towpaths on both sides.

  
So, we went through this 186m long tunnel (according to the entrance sign) some of us making echoes, others singing. In 2005 a multi-coloured lighting system was installed (cost £200k) but we saw only two lights on (perhaps the bulbs had blown). Soon after emerging into the brightness again we stopped at The Boat PH for coffees and sat outside, just where the original canalway passed before it was shortened. Whilst there, we heard the distinct sound of a “steam” narrowboat and went back to see Greyhound, a restored working canal boat in Fellows, Morton and Claytons livery, moored. I have found out since that it was built in 1926 with a Bolinder semi-diesel or hot bulb engine that runs reliably for long periods of time at a slow, steady speed. Once in a poor state, Greyhound has been restored and is now based with the South Midland Water Transport Ltd at Alvecote, near Tamworth. It goes around to many rallies and apparently will still carry loads (of coal, sand etc) if required.

   

All along our ramble we heard the sound of trains passing along the nearby railway track and went under the mainline near to Cathiron. Just before, was a pretty stretch with fields of sheep with lambs one side of the canal and wood the other, with patches of snowdrops.
 

 

After Newbold we passed the end of a disused canal arm, across a couple of aqueducts (over tributaries of the river Avon) and into the environs of Rugby. A bit further on we saw the Avon itself, a long way down, where there seemed to be a large pool area.   

Before leaving the canal at Clifton Road Bridge we passed a couple of murals on bridges depicting Rugby’s sporting and railway heritage. These were bright, clear and without graffiti. 
 

We felt good to be out walking along the towpath again, especially with John, Julie, Margaret, Clive, Dot, Margaret, Hugh, Peter and Sue making a nice and cheerful group.
 

Saturday 18th January 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 1

Saturday 18th January 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 1

Starting from near to Hawkesbury Junction and walking  to Stretton-under-Fosse.

We started off from the same place as we did on Coventry Canal walk (9th January 2014), but this time walked in the opposite direction. In no time at all we were at Hawkesbury Junction, otherwise known as Sutton Stop (after the first lock keeper here). It is here that we negotiated a couple of fine cast iron bridges to get onto the Oxford Canal towpath proper. Boaters have to do a tight 'hairpin' bend manoeuvre if coming from the north to join the Oxford Canal or vice versa. There is a stop lock here as there is a 6 inch difference in height between the two canals. Also, we saw the disused steam engine house that once housed 'Lady Godiva', a Newcomen-type engine that pumped water from a well into the canal until 1913.

So, off we set along the Oxford Canal and appreciated the company of Sue, Jem, John, Julie, Dot, Margaret and Clive on this winter's day walk that was decidedly wet underfoot. We passed the signpost telling us it was 77 miles to Oxford and began to snake along this straightened stretch of narrow waterway that was once a busy trading route for transporting goods, particularly coal, from pits near here to London. Now it seemed in need of a little bit of TLC and we didn't see one boat on the move throughout the walk. We did see an interesting garden and had to avert our eyes as it seemed that someone was having a bath. Apparently the mannequins are dressed differently; sometimes as cowboys, other times as police.

For the first part of the walk others features clearly visible and audible  were the M6 (and later the M69) motorways, large pylons and substations. What once was very much a rural backwater is now on the outskirts of Coventry.
One of the dead-end spurs of canal left from straightening the very wiggly 'Brindley' contour canal in the 1820s and the building of the M6 is now used by the Coventry Cruising Club (others by narrowboat hire companies further along).
 Instead of hugging the 300' contour line around the hills the canal now goes across aqueducts and embankments have been built up. One of the embankments near here collapsed in 1963 spilling tons of sand and clay.

We walked into Ansty past a gaggle of geese and diverted from the canal a short distance to The Rose and Crown PH for our picnic lunch and a hot drink or two. Feeling refreshed we continued on, picking our way through deep muddy patches in places, but making good progress.

 We passed Ansty Hall, now a Macdonald 4 star hotel that looks down on the canal and went across Hopsgood Aqueduct, another newer straight part of the canal. At this point the London Euston to Birmingham mainline railway is very close to the canal on the opposite bank and
many Virgin pendolino type trains passed by.

Then it was under the M6 motorway and the end, with the Rose Narrowboats base, came into view.

We  ended the 7.75mile walk, then went to the local Farm Shop in Stretton-under-Fosse for a cuppa before making our way home.

Thursday 9th January 2014 Coventry Canal walk from near Hawksbury Junction into Coventry centre.

Thursday 9th January 2014 Coventry Canal Ramble.

We, that is John, Julie, Linda, Margaret, Sue, Jem and us, walked along the Coventry Canal from near Hawkesbury Junction, the 5.5 miles to its end basin. Our walk finished  very close to the city centre, and as a prelude to walking the Oxford Canal we wanted to explore the Coventry area.
It was cloudy and chilly to start with but, during the walk, we had interludes of bright sunshine and no rain.  We went through many puddles along the towpath but none were too deep.
Early on we went under the M6, which wasn't noisy at all, and saw, on the opposite bank, the imposing, 32,000-seater Ricoh football stadium. This has had a short life with mixed fortunes. It did host a few Olympics football games in 2012 but, at present, Coventry City home matches are played at Sixfields Stadium, Northampton.
In the 1990s the whole length of our canal walk was developed into an outdoor art trail with over 26 pieces of sculpture as part of a regeneration scheme. We spotted many of these pieces, associated signs and information boards and even sat on one!

While going over  the aqueduct we noticed  the fast flow of the River Sowe, which meanders through Coventry before joining the River Avon at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

By some allotments it seemed that Santa hadn't got stuck up a chimney but up a tree. I hope that there weren't too many disappointed children.

Here was a little bit of green; mostly we saw evidence of Coventry's industrial past and the sprawl of urbanisation. Sadly, but realising we were seeing it at the worst time of the year, much of the canal and sides showed an unkempt appearance, bareness with rubbish and neglect.

It was here, on The Snake in the Grass by Lizzie Alageswaran and other artists, that we sat and ate our picnics.

A more rural scene when approaching another bend in this low budget 'contour' type canal without locks and on this day with very little in the way of traffic: one boat moving and a few swans and wildfowl.

We were intrigued by this building as tall, industrial at the upper level but more domestic lower down and with so many chimneys. Later we realised that they were the Cash's 'Topshops' built in 1857 for the silk ribbon weavers. Skilled workers were housed below the light, airy factory above and, the enlightened Quaker employers provided allotments, and a nearby park. The scheme wasn't fully finished. Some houses were hit by bombs during WW2, but the remaining buildings are listed and mostly flats. Cash's still make name tape ribbons, bookmarks and woven cards and are based on the outskirts of Coventry.

To commemorate Coventry's car industry, here is another artwork on the trail, Daimler Heritage Marker by Robert Crutchley. In 1897, close to here, the first car  factory in the UK started production. By the canal, there is a large area that has been cleared, awaiting development. Courtaulds the manufacturers of artificial silk, Rayon and other plastics and textiles including carbon fibre, also had a large base around here and it is hard to comprehend the scale of industrial operations there must have been at one time so close to the centre of the city.

This is Electric Wharf where there was once a very early, coal-powered power station serving the nearby industries and communities. The buildings have been converted into eco-houses and flats. Some industrial features i.e. steel girders, brickwork have been retained, old materials reused and there are green roofs, solar panels etc. Large letters are on the side of the buildings and apparently spell words such as 'Turbine', Edison' and 'Generator', but the only one easily recognisable was 'Depot'. A 4-bed townhouse sells for about £185k.

We passed another heritage marker artwork named The Journeyman by Stephen Hitchin.  It is intended to commemorate the anonymous canal builders, the many ‘navvies’ whose hard work created the canal in the eighteenth century with only picks, shovels and wheelbarrows. It is situated by the low, brick bridge that all boats have to negotiate if entering the terminal canal basin.
A statue of James Brindley by James Butler is within the Y-shaped Canal Basin. Brindley was an influential pioneer for the UK canal system but only worked on the Coventry Canal for a short time before getting the sack. We had a cuppa in one of the newer units created when the wharves and warehouses when re-developed in the 1990s. Several boats from Valley Cruises were moored nearby and we had a group photo taken by a helpful worker on a smoking break.

Next time, we will start from Hawkesbury Junction and  walk along the Oxford Canal towards Oxford and the River Thames. So, by the end of June we hope to say that we have completed, in sections, towpath rambling between Coventry and Oxford.