Day 22: 10 August - Hawkesbury Junction to Ansty

Readying to start off - we'll be turning left (after the engine house) onto the North Oxford Canal

The turn - quite a sharp U-bend under this wrought iron bridge

... to Rugby

The Engine House originally home to a steam engine which pumped water into the canal from a nearby well

Model boat enthusiasts on exercises in the pool by the pub

Through the stop lock with the help of the keeper.  He also covers Atherstone Lock flight and told us a boater had fallen from the back of a narrowboat there some months ago and lost a foot to the propellor - rather glad we didn't know that while we were there

On the Oxford Canal now - the entrance to the local cruiser club

Huge electricity station canalside

It's an excellent year for sloes, here's a reminder to make some!

Moorings on metal banks are our preference (we hate putting pins in) - just before Ansty village was a perfect spot.  The cruiser had broken down and was waiting for a tow

Not often there's a carpet supplied

Sorting out the tow (cruiser in the distance) caused these two narrowboats to get into a tizzy and go aground...

Excitement over and a water vole took a chance to cross

Beautiful blackberries this year, too