Sheila has two good ideas

Another genuine summer's day, though the chilly northerly wind persists. As planned, we made an early start and were at Newbold on the water point not long after half eight, having started a washload as we went. We had to queue for a little while whilst an ex-Ownerships boat topped up, then pulled forward and started watering.

I popped down the road for supplies, and came back to find Sheila chatting to a friend of Colin and Jane of Slow Gin; he moors near them and had driven round to fill some containers. With our tank reasonably full, we set off once more; the fine weather meant that the whirligig could be deployed when we stopped, so Sheila started a second washload, so that she's almost caught up after Crick.

The cut was very busy with a mix of privateers and hirers; bridge holes could be quite interesting. We also passed a long line of moored boats from the Coventry Cruising Club. Just one thing guys; if you're going to moor like that, it would be a big help if you trimmed back some of the low hanging stuff on the offside so's boats can pass each other alongside you.

There was quite a lot of room when we got to the Brinklow moorings at All Oaks Wood and Sheila suggested an early stop – we had planned to go on to near Ansty, but it's very pleasant at All Oaks (especially on a sunny day) and we can make up the time tomorrow with another early start.

So we stopped, whirligig and towpath chairs were deployed and time passed very pleasantly until lunch.

Afterwards Sheila had a second good idea, which was to check if any geocaches had been placed here since the last time we stopped in this neighbourhood. Sure enough, there were and we spent a bit over an hour walking towards Brinklow to find three, two of which had been placed by the aforesaid Colin and Jane. This is highly appropriate as they were the ones to encourage us to start cacheing in the first place.

Pleasantly weary, we made it back to the boat for a cup of tea and a rest before doing this blog (me) and taking in the washing (Sheila).

As I say, we'll make a seriously early start tomorrow and get through Nuneaton, stopping at Boot Wharf for pump out and diesel on the way and tying by Springwood Haven for our rendezvous in the evening.