On Tuesday we woke up to sunny weather and started to make our way to Hawkesbury Junction which would be our home for the next couple of nights. We had passed through here on our outward journey, but did not stay.
Hawkesbury Junction, also known as Sutton Stop is really pretty area of the canal but also very busy. We arrived by mid afternoon and took the right turn, back on to the Coventry Canal. The mooring areas were busy. We filled up with water and managed to find a nice sunny spot a little bit further down from the junction.
We had a nice relaxing afternoon, before heading off to the lovely Greyhound Inn for food.
The next morning was a little overcast but undeterred we set off in an Uber to Coombe Abbey Country Park. By the time we arrived, the sun had come out and it had started to warm up nicely.
The park area surrounds a stunning hotel with its own lake, gardens and wooded walks. There are lots of varieties of trees, including some California Redwoods.
We walked on of the routes which was about 2 miles long, through wooded areas and past the hotel. We then stopped off for some lunch at the visitors centre before another little wander and heading back to the boat.
By late afternoon it was really hot and we got the chairs out and sat outside on the canal towpath enjoying the sunshine.
Another boat moored up next to us and the gentleman on board came out to chat. He recognised our Yorkshire accents and we all began chatting about home. After a few minutes of conversation, it turned out that he was from Earlsheaton and he and his wife had been friends with Andrew’s mum and dad. He then went to fetch his wife, who recognised Andrew straight away and so began an hour or so of reminiscing. It quite amazing to meet someone you know, by chance, moored next to you on a canal.
The sun stayed out long into the evening and we ate our tea outside, making the most of it. When the sun began to drop behind the trees and the midges came out, we went back inside to enjoy the rest of the evening playing cards.
Before setting off this morning we were visited by a family of swans at the duck hatch. It was lovely to feed them through the hatch, until one of the parent swans began hissing at us and trying to get its head through the hatch. We bid a hasty retreat and shut the hatch, as none of us were keen on battling with protective swans.
Travelling from Braunston was a mostly rural area, peaceful through roaming countryside with no locks for miles. Just before our overnight stop at Long Itchington, are a series of wide locks, big enough for two boats. As there was no one else travelling in our direction, we managed the locks with a single boat.
It was a much shorter journey today and we arrived at our mooring spot close to the Two Boats Inn. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and we walked up into the village to buy supplies.
Ling Itchington was a very pretty village and although we walked up along the roadside, we managed to find a footpath through the fields, which brought us back on to the towpath. The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing in the sunshine, before heading off to the pub for tea.
Long Itchington to Warwick
The first part of our journey from Long Itchington took us through picturesque countryside once again. As we reached the Bascote staircase locks we were joined by another boat, and a lovely couple, meaning we could share the double locks and the work of setting all the locks between us, which meant we were able to get through the long series of locks within a couple of hours.
After mooring up for brunch, we continued our journey into Warwick, with a short stop at the big Tesco to stock up on provisions. This part of the journey is much more built up, passing industrial and residential buildings on each side of the canal.
We chose to look overnight at the Saltisford Arm, which is owned by a charitable Trust. Away from the main canal, this is a lovely little haven, with well kept grassed areas, a small shop and facilities for boaters. It certainly felt safer than being in the city centre and was worth the £10 per night fee.
As we arrived, it had started to rain and began to get heavier as the evening wore on, so we decided to cook food on the boat and stay in out of the rain.
Over the past couple of days we have met some lovely people on the canal, chatting about the weather (well what else, we are British?), where they were heading and admiring their boats. We have also unfortunately met some quite rude and condescending people, who on seeing a hire boat automatically assume you have no idea what you are doing and like to offer unsolicited advice often in the way of shouting “You need to slow down” even though the boat is only just ticking over. Thankfully the friendly people outweigh the not so friendly which is a good thing!
On Thursday morning, the sun was out and it was warm, so we spent the morning relaxing in the garden at the cottage. After lunch, we decided to drive to Newlyn and walk along the coastal path to Mousehole. The walk is around a mile and a half and is a shared footpath and cycle path. There are coastal views along most of it, and at various points along the way, St Michaels Mount can be seen from slightly different angles. There is also a memorial to the Penlee Lifeboat disaster, where the crew lost their lives whilst attempting a rescue in an horrendous storm. The garden is set on top of the cliff above the old lifeboat station.
The weather was just right for walking, warm with a gentle breeze, but not blazing sunshine.
Mousehole is a stunning picturesque village, with quaint cottages sitting around the harbour. It was late in the afternoon and quite busy. It was great to see children, having finished school for the day, playing on the beach and in the sea. After strolling through the village, and enjoying the scenery, we called for a coffee, before heading back on the path to Newlyn.
We were unable to find a restaurant which was open and had room for us to eat, so called for takeaway from Lewis Fish and Chips. We sat on the benches by the war memorial eating them out of the box. They were excellent and I would recommend them if you were calling at Newlyn at any point.
The Minack Theatre
Having featured recently on a documentary, the Minack open air theatre had been added to my list of things to do. We had tickets booked for Thursday evening, for a production of The 39 Steps. The drive to the theatre is an interesting one, on some very narrow and winding roads. Once we arrived, the staff were amazing, guiding us to a parking space and then into the seating area.
The view from the top of the theatre is breath taking, looking down on the theatre itself and in the distance, out to sea, where several fishing boats were bobbling around.
As the production began, the sun started to set. The play was amusing, and all the characters were played well by the small cast. As it became darker, the moon cast an eerie glow on the boats out at sea, creating a unique atmosphere as the play continued. It was a chilly evening, but we were well prepared with coats, hats and blankets. At the end of the production, we all had slightly numb bottoms and achy backs, but the experience was well worth it.
Marazion And St Michael’s Mount
On Monday, we had pre-booked tickets to visit the castle at St Michael’s Mount. We visited last year but could only get tickets to the garden and were unable to visit the castle. We were very lucky again with the weather. We drove to Marazion, a picturesque village, with a soft flat beach and crystal-clear waters. We walked to the castle along the causeway, which is only visible during low tide. The causeway is cobbled and flanked on both sides with rock pools.
The grounds of the castle are beautiful, with well kept lawns and beds. The route to the castle is very steep, up lots of steps cut from the rocks. The view from the walls of the castle is astonishing, looking out over the bay and the coastline of Cornwall.
The castle is worth visiting, having developed over centuries from being a monastery in the 1100’s to now being owned jointly by The National Trust and the St Aubyn family. There is an online tour which gives information for each room as you walk around the castle. There are also guides on hand if you have any questions. There are the usual art works and artefacts, but it is the structure of the castle and the location that is most impressive.
After visiting the castle, we sat on the lawns in the sunshine, eating lunch, before heading back to the mainland. The causeway was now closed, due to the tide coming in, so we were taxied back by one of the little motorboats, which was only a short journey, but worth the experience. We had a little wander around the village and then sat looking out across the bay, watching the kayakers, paddle boarders, swimmers and the unusual sight of a man riding a shire horse along the beach.
50 The Musical 