Ansty to Polesworth

Miles 19.4 Locks 12
Another long run without locks So more pondering, this time on the state of the Northern Oxford canal between Braunston and Hillmorton and in particular Bridge 80 (if you can call it a bridge it is more like a hole in a heap of bricks). How BW safety team can examine the risk of collapse as negligible as they do, considering the only thing they have done is put two large floating fenders and a "Slow down" notice, beats me. The money they have spent on electricity lighting up Newbold Tunnel for the last two years would have paid for Bridge 80 repair or maybe even delaying the installation of bollards at narrow locks for a financial quarter to fix it. Rant Over.
we had arrived at the top of Atherstone Locks with a Q of 3 boats. we moored up and went shopping and when we returned no Q. That is until we had gone down the first two and caught up with the boats that had been at the top as we went shopping. I like lock 6 it is the only lock that I go through on a regular ( once a year or so regular) that has a working side pound. Most boaters seem to miss it and look at you with a blank expression when I ask if they used the side pound.
Finally we have passed two boats today that used to belong to NCCC members. The first just before Sutton stop on the N. Oxford, REGAL, and just after on the Coventry, SAPPHIRE, this used to be the boat belonging to Dennis and Barbara Shearer