Day 3 Tue 14 March

Day 3 - Tue 14 March - from Griff to Rugby

This morning I was feeling a tad lazy so started a little later than I ought to have. 

I did quite well up till my lunchtime stop at Ansty. The going was muddier underfoot than I would have liked. I past the junction to the Ashby de la Zouche canal and onto the Hawkesbury Junction where the Oxford Canal branched off. So keen was I to make up time that I forgot to take any photos! Once off the Coventry Canal and onto the North Oxford Canal I knew the difference. Fairly rapidly the going became tougher. Much more mud and slipping and sliding. It was a bit like trying to walk on soft sand - energy sapping. 

I had made up the time and arrived at the road bridge over the canal in Ansty at midday. All I needed to do was find the pub. Not too difficult for me you might think. Could I find it? Could I heck!! I was supposed to be meeting Elaine for lunch but had no wifi connection and no phone number for Elaine to ring her. Again I called on the all-knowing Babs who contacted Elaine who phoned me & then came & found me. The 'canalside' pub was up a hill & tound a corner!! Thanks Elaine for lunch and rescuing me!!

This made lunch a little later so I left for the afternoon walk to Rugby a bit later than I would have liked. . . . . . and the problems began! Mud, mud and more mud. I knew it was not going to be a well kept path but I wasn't expecting SUCH a mudbath. 

Just when I was at my lowest ebb there was a glimmer of brightness. A couple of daffodils struggling to survive in the mud. It was just un-ending. Just when you thought it was getting better it suddenly got deeper, muddier and more horrid. 

At last I reached Rugby - only a few more miles to my pub stop. June, who was putting me up for the night, rang me to say that the canal towpath was closed!! Just what I needed. I found the White Board cutting off the path and followed the diversion . . . which then petered out & I was left in the middle of nowhere not knowing whether to turn left or right!! Fortunately June & Den came & rescued me & took me to the Old Royal Oak for a very nice meal. Thanks both for putting up with me for the night.