It's Alvecote

Sheila was just saying that the stretch from the foot of Atherstone to the Fazeley side of Polesworth is quite hard work for the steerer and I know what she means. It keeps it interesting but it's quite serpentine (though not as bad as the South Oxford) with bridgeholes and narrows galore to keep you awake. In addition it was Saturday so after the first hour or so there was a bit of traffic.

Having worked down the last two locks, we stopped briefly on the service point to dump rubbish then carried on towards Polesworth. I made coffee and started a wash load as we went, in between doing look out.

We stopped briefly at the first Polesworth moorings to see if we could help the crew of Bobtail, whose engine wouldn't start. The electrics seemed to be completely dead despite a spare battery connected by jump leads and I couldn't see any obvious cause. In the end, I had to admit defeat. They passed us whilst we were moored here at Alvecote, so presumably they found a more competent source of help.

We've had a quiet time here since arriving with not a lot to write about, frankly. I brought the BOG Pub Guide up to date and Sheila has progressed my guernsey a bit further, otherwise it's been the usual reading and puzzling activities.

Tomorrow, on down Glascote and to our preferred Fazeley mooring at Sutton Road Bridge. We'll need to get there before lunch as we've run out of bread, pretty well. A Sainsbury's shop should see us right, the last supermarket shop we'll do before getting back to Mercia.

Speaking of Mercia, Rampant Rhubarb passed us some time after we'd tied. She's a Mercia boat that's been to Debdale for blacking (they do fancy kinds of blacking at Debdale). One of her owners has been taken ill, however, so the Mercia folks have arranged relays of people to bring her back to the marina; the plan is to do the whole trip in five days, which is some serious boating.

Location:Alvecote