Tuesday August 7th, Brinklow - Prison Field moorings, Barby

Not far from home now – another couple of days and we’ll be back tying up in the familiar surroundings at High House. Today was another slog basically through the outskirts and periphery of Rugby. Not the most inspiring day.

Neither was the weather at all inspiring. Grey, misty and damp as a heavy mizzle fell from leaden skies. August? More like November today.

Having crept past the long line of moored boats at the popular Brinklow moorings we were soon continuing the theme of yesterday with long straights and old arms creeping off in various places, now slumbering away with their memories when they were the main line of the canal. A couple have developed new uses as access to marinas.

A long straight leads to Newbold Tunnel, the start of the built up area (although for a long time, only on the one side). The tunnel was a result of the rebuilding of the canal in the 1820’s and mirrors some of the BCN later tunnels such as Coseley and Netherton with twin towpaths (only one in use) and being wide enough for boats to pass.

Newbold Tunnel

The disused towpath continues to play host to a garish green & purple light show although, after a few years of operation, quite a number of bulbs are not working and the light show is but a pale shadow of its former self. No doubt having had the good idea and set it up, whoever was responsible for maintenance has given up.

A long line of boats takes us through Newbold and its two side by side pubs. A deep dark cutting spanned by a succession of bridges then brings to another old arm (used for moorings and by a boatyard) before the canal springs out over two aqueducts, the first over a road the second over the River Swift.

The best moorings for shopping in Rugby are limited to either side of Bridge 58; a nearby Tesco’s being the usual destination. The town centre is a good mile or so away. Neither of the moorings is particularly good. It is impossible to get close to the side at the ones before the bridge whilst the towpath ones opposite are on a sharp blind bend. Opposite are better ones, but boats have suffered antisocial behaviour there.

From Newbold, we had been stuck behind a boat that alternated its speed from slowish to tickover and the length from Rugby to Hillmorton was painful at times. To our delight, however, they pulled in for water just before the locks enabling us to get past.

Hillmorton Top Lock on our outward journey

We had a great run up the locks being able to go straight into the first two locks, and the top lock was only half full. We also met boats going down so it was really quite plain sailing.

The weather had cleared up to a certain extent, but once past Hillmorton and free of Rugby’s last tentacles, the drizzle started up again in earnest.

The Barby straight is dull and monotonous at the best of times, not helped by a long line of moored boats. In weather such as this, it was even more depressing.

Bridge 79, near Barby

We had been expecting a delay of sorts at Bridges 79 & 80 which have been in a semi-ruinous state for some years after boat and vehicle damage. They had been left by BW to moulder away and you almost felt as if you took your life in your hands every time you went under the bridges in case the decks finally collapsed.

A few weeks ago, however, C&RT announced repairs would start immediately with contractors undertaking the re-piling work and, surprisingly, the volunteer Waterways Recovery Group would then repair the structures. Is this the first major sign of the new reliance C&RT are placing on volunteer input? We hope so.

Bridge 80, near Barby

Having said that, nothing much seems to have been done at either bridge. At both, cement filled sandbags have been placed at the abutments and at the first bridge an area has been prepared for a hard-standing. And that’s it.

We had been told boaters might expect delays of up to 2 hours because of the ongoing work, but the only sign of life was a couple of blokes sitting in the rain reading a newspaper and having a fag!

Just round the corner is one of our favourite moorings in this area and to our surprise, apart from one boat, it was empty! We quickly pulled in and called it a day. Needless to say the sun now decided to make an appearance.

Prison Field moorings, Barby