Saturday 30th March
The canal was completely frozen over this morning when we got up. We have noticed that recently what happens is, it is lovely and sunny when we get up, then it clouds up for the rest of the day and usually snows a bit (or hails like today), then it clears out again at night so that it can freeze like hell!
Since we have been on the boat we have had the 2 worst winters for 100 years, the wettest summer since records began and now the coldest March since 1962! We have passed the test thank you, can we have some nice weather now?
It has been an advantage being in an area where there are several hire bases because there have been quite a few boats about breaking the ice and keeping it at bay today. The hire boaters seem to be a fairly happy lot considering the fact that they probably didn’t realise they had signed up to sub-zero boating when they booked their holidays last year!
We have travelled 6.5 miles from Brinklow to Hillmorton. As usual it was glorious sunshine when we left, this was quickly replaced by cloud and then it snowed, several times! We are moored below the locks, round the corner from the official moorings (which were full when we got here) and the water point. It is a good spot here, fairly open and the tow path is not too muddy.
A nice couple on a Viking Afloat moored in front of us with their spaniel. They have never been on a narrow boat holiday before and are pleased, in a way, that it is not good weather so they can get an idea what it would be like in the winter. They were a bit chilly last night though they said. While we were talking to them there was a hail storm, brilliant!
This afternoon we walked up the locks and along the tow path to the Old Royal Oak pub which took about 30 minutes. We passed a moored boat with a sign in the window saying ‘Please don’t empty your dog outside our boat’. Right underneath the very window with the notice in was a big pile of poo! It was as if someone had got their dog to do it there on purpose.
By the time we got back the skies had cleared and it was sunny, getting ready to freeze again tonight no doubt. We are probably going to go to Braunston tomorrow.
