The UK's LARGEST inland waterways publication

Winter of discontent

I had already spent two weeks fishing the lakes at Kingsbury Water Park and I decided to get back to Fazeley Junction on Friday 26 November. On Thursday 25th temperatures plunged to minus eight and the canal froze over. I was now stuck in the ice.

I had very little water and was grateful to the people in the lock keeper’s cottage who provided me with two weeks’ supply of water.

A lady out walking her dog on the towpath noticed that all my wood was wet through and it would be difficult for me to burn them on my log burner so she brought me three refuse bags of dry pallet wood.

This adverse weather seems to bring out the very best in human nature.
My other problem was, my gas is butane and in low temperatures it doesn't come on so I had no gas to cook my food.

There was plenty of log wood lying about. So I've been making a fire to cook my food and also provide washing water.

We were told that the bad weather is coming from Russia. So those boaters who are cut off in the countryside, if Russia does its worst, we will have to do our best.

Vic Mortimer
Nb Connie's Gift