26th May to 30th May 2008 Rugby Marina, Rugby
Day One – Rugby Wharf to Hillmorton
Distance travelled = 4 miles
Total distance travelled = 4 miles
Number of Locks = 3
Total number of Locks = 3
As this wasn’t our first time holidaying on a narrow boat we had a good idea what to expect. After a short briefing on all the boats major features (pointy end is the front, round end is the back, drinking water goes here, gas bottles are here) all we needed to do was pick which way to go.
We decided to do what’s known as the Windmill route, so having purchased an appropriate map and after Kev had embarrassed himself by asking why “its called the Windmill route” (Anyone want to guess?) we set off from Rugby Wharf.
Click on the map for a larger image
First obstacle was actually getting out the Marina. At 57ft long our boat was too long to make the sharp right turn out of the wharf onto the Oxford Canal. To go right we actually had to turn left and then do a full 180 degrees in a “Winding Hole” (Nautical Term No. 1 – Wide bit in the canal where you can turn round) to face the right way.
Having turned round and now facing the right way we were off, chugging along the Oxford Canal.
A guidebook found on the boat told us that the Windmill Route usually takes 3 days to complete. We actually had the boat for 4 days so we had plenty of time to amble along in no great rush to go anywhere.
Plan for day one was to go from the marina, through the three Hillmorton locks (Nautical Term No. 2 – Canal equivalent of a staircase allowing you to go up or down depending on whether you let the water in or out) then moor up (Nautical Term No. 3 – Park the boat) for the night near the Old Royal Oak pub, as recommended by the man at Rugby Marina, and go for something to eat. Which is exactly what we did. By the time we had finished our meal and left the pub it had started to rain.
Day Two – Hillmorton to Napton On The Hill
Distance travelled = 13 miles
Total distance travelled = 17 miles
Number of Locks = 0
Total number of Locks = 3
The rain had continued all night and at times was quite heavy. The wind was strong too so the boat was rocked around a fair bit and kept bashing into the bank (Nautical Term No. 4 – Side of the canal. If your feet are dry you are standing on the bank, if your feet are wet you are in the canal). It was still raining, though not as bad, when we set off.
Today’s plan was to travel to Braunston Junction, staying on the Oxford Canal. Then go to Napton Junction, where again we would stay on the Oxford Canal eventually stopping at Napton on the Hill. There we would turn round in the winding hole and moor up for the night near to the very windmill that gives this route its name.
As the day went on the weather got better and better eventually turning into quite a nice day. We got to the winding hole at Napton, turned round, moored up and went for a walk round the village.
Having stocked up on vital supplies (wine and beer) at the worlds most expensive village shop we headed back to the boat and spent a very nice evening having a BBQ and watching the nearby sheep, cows, ducks and swans do what they do.
Its well known that swans can be quite aggressive and the ones near us confirmed it. They kept hissing and snapping at us, attacking each other (and the other ducks) and at one point biting Kev's trainer.
Day Three – Napton On The Hill to Flecknoe via Stockton
Distance travelled = 11 miles
Total distance travelled = 28 miles
Number of Locks = 6
Total number of Locks = 9
Today the weather was rubbish. It rained for pretty much all of the day, often quite hard. We planned to head back towards Napton Junction turning left onto the Grand Union Canal. Then we would keep going till we got to Stockton Locks. At this point we would turn round and head back the way we came before rejoining the Oxford Canal and keeping going a bit till we found a nice place to moor up for the night.
There were a few reasons for this slightly odd sounding plan:-
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We wanted to see the Stockton Locks, which is like a staircase of 13 locks one after the other. We had no intention of going through the locks because that meant we where going the wrong way and would only need to turn round and come back up them again!
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We needed to top up the fresh water tank and there was a suitable place at the Calcutt Locks which was on the way to Stockton.
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We didn't want to leave us too much travelling back to Rugby Wharf on the remaining two days.
Day Four – Flecknoe to Rugby
Distance travelled = 12 miles
Total distance travelled = 40 miles
Number of Locks = 3
Total number of Locks = 12
Our last full day and it was a absolute scorcher! So hot in fact that Leah and Aimee went sun bathing on the roof of the boat.
Today's trip would see us heading back towards Rugby Wharf eventually stopping for the night close enough to only leave us with a short trip in the morning to get the boat back by the required time of 9.30am on Friday.
Leah and Aimee spent most of the day filming the "Chaz and Lou Show". You can watch the World Premier of this amazing show below.
About midday we stopped at Braunston for a bit of a wander but found that there wasn't actually that much there, so after a quick drink in the pub we went back to the boat.
Day Five - Rugby to Rugby Marina
Distance travelled = 1 mile
Total distance travelled = 41 miles
Number of Locks = 0
Total number of Locks = 9
Last day of the holiday and all we had to do was get up and take the boat back to Rugby Wharf. Hardest part of the day was getting back through the narrow channel that goes from the canal to the Wharf.
A bit about our boat
Last time we had a narrowboat holiday we had a much smaller boat (41ft in fact) which was fine and even though it slept 4 people it only had one proper bedroom.
Our boat this time, Elnar, was much bigger at 57ft long and did have 2 proper bedrooms and as a bonus had 2 bathrooms one with a shower. The galley (Nautical Term No. 5 – Kitchen on a boat) was much bigger too.
Elnar also had a door at the front which meant you could get to the pointy end from inside the boat, and not have to walk round on the edge risking falling in to the canal in the process.
