Above Atherstone

Today's Canal : Coventry

A rather shorter day in cruising terms but for the most part suddenly back into sunshine. Although we were moored quite close to the main railway line we were not disturbed. It runs on the right of the picture and, if you have a suitable magnifying glass, you might see one of the electric gantries above our stern.

Lock 6 would not open until 10 so we put off leaving from the mooring until 9.45, with Lock 7 to complete first. We mentioned yesterday how low some of the shorter pounds had been - here is the bywash for Lock 8 with the level (the top of the bricks) some way from full. Surprisingly, we have had some reports in the past two or three days of how full it is on the Coventry (and of course the Ashby) from above Atherstone, especially the section from Hawkesbury into Coventry. However, we did not have any grounding problems overnight - we left the lines slack just in case.

On then to Lock 7. At one time this flight had side ponds at each lock top help save water. We can recall using some of them but all are now out of action. They would have come in handy at the moment!

We moored, as we often do, in the longer pound between Locks 6 and 5 which is the nearest walking route to the supermarkets and town shops. Apart from bread from a specialist shop, we found everything else at the large Tesco. Our new trolley was certainly put to the test as we had a good number of heavier items, such as two larger bottles of milk and a cartoon of longlife.

Back at the boat well before midday we quickly stowed our new supplies and Mike walked up to Lock 5 to open the gates, leaving Christine to bring the boat up. We could see that the lock was still empty after a recent boat going down) Just before arriving there Mike could see that someone had just started to fill the lock - see the small amount of leakage through the middle. The boater coming down stated that he did not see us coming and that he could not be expected to look down the canal to see what might be arriving. You might think that water was in such plentiful supply that the THRIFT code does not apply . . . We eventually completed the lock about 30 minutes later! 

There were several volunteer lock keepers around but two at this lock were more interested in painting the balance beams than helping boaters! But that is what volunteers can do!

We had help at the top lock and paused to empty the elsan. No really due but we have seen a report that the facility at Hawkesbury is out of action as the roof of the building is deemed unsafe. There is no further facility until after Brinklow Marina.

An oncoming boater at Lock 2 had told us about a police incident in the section between the two bridges above the flight. We were allowed to pass trough but to moor beyond - coincidentally in the same spot as on the way down. We did not think it wise to be seen to be taking photos of a potential crime scene but the PC guarding the towpath at one end just crept into a picture of the bridge! By this time only two PCs were left on scene and what we had been told was quite a crowd of detectives had decamped back to the station.

By the time we had a late lunch (including bread and pork pie from the bakery) we decided that there was no time necessity to move on and we could have a restful afternoon. Just a few microseconds of snooze!

1.3 Miles - 7 Locks

Atherstone

Today's Canal : Coventry

We are having to plan a little more carefully than usual for a few days as the water shortage has led to the top half of Atherstone only being open 10 - 2. The bottom five locks remain open at all times.

As a result, we set off just after 9. We moored overnight between two busy road bridges - you may just be able to see the one behind us and the one in front, the main A5, equidistant but out of sight (behind the camera)

We had a fairly short run to Fazeley Junction, where a later canal branches off to go straight to the centre of Birmingham (closed at Curdworth and Minworth currently - water shortage, of course!). We continued on the Coventry but we ought not dwell too long on our steering at this point. Christine claims that as we approached the junction bridge, Mike was too distracted by wanting to take a photo whilst Mike points out that there was, very unusually, a large projection at water level from the offside under the bridge, at least as large as that for the towpath opposite. In any event, we did not do well!

Shortly after we passed over the River Tame. By now the promised sunshine had arrived but in came and went throughout the day. So also did the wind, we wondered if this was the edge or the remnant of storm Floris which mainly battered the northern part of the UK in the last couple of days.

A little before Glascote, a boat pulled out in front of us so we had to follow them up the two locks. This was extra fortunate for them as when Christine asked here they were headed they replied "Leicester". But surely you are going the wrong way said Christine in reply - "You do know that the Leicester Branch is closed from Watford to Leicester?" It seems that they did not and as they had a fitting for a new boat cover booked they opted to turn around as they now have just enough time to get there in time - they did not want to lose their booking slot.

Overall, we had not lost too much time when we emerged from the upper lock.

Alvecote Marina is home to a goodly collection of historic boats so this time we thought we might try and identify a few and look for their history. This is Bream which started life as a full length working boat, built in 1949 for the British Transport Commission (just after nationalisation) to the same design as several for Fellows, Morton & Clayton. It was eventually chopped into two. The shorter, rear part was joined to part of a BCN day boat and used as a hire boat.

Nuneaton was built in 1936 by Yarwoods for the GUCCC. It was bought by the Narrow Boat Trust in the 1970's and since then has been paired with a butty, Brighton, alongside it is this photo. For a while the latter was used as a camping hire boat and then did some gravel carrying on the Soar near Thurmaston.

Ceres was built by Harland and Woolf in 1935 for the GUCCC and later the Manchester Ship Canal where it operated as a tug. Lupus dates from 1936 and also built by Yarwoods. It spent much of its time on the Bridgewater Canal. It only became paired with its current mate in the last few years.

Atlantic No 3 was possibly built for Stewarts and Lloyds in the 1940's although the National Historic Ships website tells a slightly different story. In any event, it seems that it largely worked in the Walsall area of the BCN.

We pass on: Pooley Hall Colliery was part of the once substantial coal mining activity in this area. This short set of private moorings was once a loading arm or basin, open only at one end. It has now been opened out so that boats can access either end - they are keen to tell us that not only is this not CaRT water but that it is also full of silt. So how do boats get in or out?

After the colliery closed, a large area was established as a country park. Large flags announced their tempting ice creams for sale at the canal-side tea room. We await with bated breath the coincidence of them being open and us being here at the right time of day so that we can put the products to the test. We are not unwilling!

Under Bridge 53 in Polesworth are some plaques engraved with what we assume to be extracts from a poem. The first begins "Power. Primaeval power, the forest comes, stretching, reaching for sun and sky" We have not been able to find any info on the source or author but wonder if it might have been inspired by Longfellow's poem Evangeline which begins "This is the forest primeval". 

Just after leaving the village we could see this obelisk on Hoo Hill in the distance (hence the heavily zoomed photo). It is said that it marks the site of a chapel dedicated to St Leonard. A picture of the view that spot can be found here.

We have passed Grendon Dock many times but this year little seems to be happening although there is a boat inside. With the mass of weed now sitting above the stop planks, we are not sure how it might be allowed to escape, even if it wanted to.

Just a few minutes away from the Atherstone flight we pulled in to have lunch. Afterwards we moved on to the services at Bradley Green: we were lucky as a boat that had passed us earlier was just finishing filling with water and we could follow them immediately. The tap has a very good pressure and filled the tank even before the other usual tasks were finished! As we set off, a boat coming down from the locks also wanted to pull in, so another immediate swap.

Several boats had recently come down and the locks were all empty. This gave Christine an opportunity to chance her arm again.

The locks are closed at the top of the flight at 3 o'clock and perhaps because of this, with several boats still in the flight, the shorter pounds were now alarmingly low. We drifted over the cills with extreme caution! (If a boat does catch on the cill it is important to be able to reverse immediately to avoid a sinking, especially at the top end) The closure is supposed to start at Lock 6 but the pound between it and the one below is rather short so we opted to stop in the longer pound below Lock 7 where our guide indicates mooring is possible. It was and there was plenty of space. It was just a tad too far to walk to the shops but we will have time to do that in the morning. The locks do not open until 10 and we have until 3 to exit! We can hope that, as on the way down a few weeks ago, there will be a plentiful supply of volunteer lock keepers to compensate for the lack of water supply.

Later, Christine went to forage for fruits for her breakfast in the morning and returned with a goodly handful of small plums and bigger damsons.

10 Miles - 6 Locks

Fazeley (almost)

Today's Canals : Trent and Mersey, Coventry 

The weather forecast for today gave a high probability of rain off and  on during the morning but brighter times from mid afternoon onwards. It was correct!

The first leg of today's journey was very short indeed - just across the canal to the water point directly opposite! As this is a notoriously slow tap we were not surprised to be passed by several boats that went up Junction Lock before we could join the queue.

This gave us time to look at the wharf crane - a memorial plaque alongside states that it was brought here from Horninglow (in Burton-on-Trent)  when the former salt warehouse was demolished to make way for the new A38 dual carriageway.

The volunteer lock keeper was very chatty and she told Christine about the way in the adjoining small reservoir (Fradley Pool, now also a nature reserve) came into being (to prevent the Coventry Canal stealing the Trent and Mersey water) and is still used. It is at the level of the first pound down from the junction (where we moored last night) and is fed  by a bywash from the pound  above the junction. When called for, the reservoir then feeds back in the longer pound below Hunt's Lock.

After the connection between the Coventry and Trent and Mersey was completed, this location became quite a busy place and both boat and boater were well catered for. What is now a paint dock has long been a dry dock for repairing boats whilst The Swan refreshed thirsty boatmen!

We headed down the Coventry, retracing the route we came up a few weeks ago. After Bridge 88 and the Fradley Pumping Station (drinking water supply not canal - dating back to 1891 and originally steam powered), it is just possible to see a railway line a few metes beyond the fence. This was a line built to connect Burton-on-Trent to Dudley and Walsall in the West Midlands, via Lichfield. The line is still maintained but some parts are now mothballed. This section is still in use but does not run a regular service: some freight traffic, depot-bound trains and occasionally when other routes are unavailable.

Approaching Streethay there is a large Distribution Park, largely hidden from the canal by trees but in a gap we did spot a large warehouse for the Cotswold Company. This area has developed extensive logistics services. helped by improvements to the A38 and direct connections.

Streethay Wharf is well known for its boat services as well as a small 40+ boat mooring.

On then to Huddlesford Junction, once the northern end of the Wyrley and Essington Canal. The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust are gradually bringing this lost route back to life and when complete will make a tremendous difference to the use of the northern BCN network. Ogley (on the top finger of the signpost), by the way, is the other end of this link.

A 20C house alongside Bridge 80 styles itself as Whittington Wharf (not to be confused with another wharf of the same name on the Llangollen). However there is no mention of the  name on the 1900's OS map but it does show an Inn!

The next section shows the dangers of reducing the amount of in-water vegetation allowed to grow. At this point there is only room for a single boat for some distance and in places only by allowing the boat to push its way against the reeds.

Nearby is a bend where the reeds make it impossible see if there is an oncoming boat with a bridge just around the corner. Given that this canal does not have any locks to maintain it does seem unfair that it should have some of the poorest vegetation management.

We noticed that, on a rainy day, this farmer continues to irrigate his fields. We wondered where the water comes from - hopefully not one of the abstraction licences that permits water from the canal to be used in this way, even when it endangers closing the canal to navigation.

The rain which soaked Mike as he was mooring for an early lunch, gradually went away and by mid afternoon was, as predicted, largely sunny, warm and dry.

That's the excuse for including this photo taken shortly before we moored for the night close to Fazeley Junction. Mooring on the canal for a few miles before the junction is not easy and we noted from our map that these would be a possibility midway between two busy roads. This bridge welcomes drivers to Mile Oak, now a suburb of the village of Fazeley on Watling Street (once the A5). The other bridge carries the modern A5 and we fortunately found a good Armco mooring just out of sight of it. The louder noise is from the wind rustling the leaves in the trees surrounding us!

10.2 Miles - 1 Lock

Fradley

Today's Canal : Trent and Mersey

We were unable to find a church service within achievable walking distance (ours!) we settled to watch the national weekly service streamed online. 

Setting off from our overnight mooring we had to negotiate a very prolific oak tree, laden with not quite ripe acorns. Lucky they were not ready to drop otherwise we might have had a constant tattoo on the roof during our sleep time.

The next quarter of an hour took us along the edge and length of Branston Water Park, although the intervening vegetation meant that we only had occasional glimpses. By the way, the lake in the park was originally a gravel quarry, one of many along this flood plain which blossomed in the post-war period when there was exceptional demand for concrete as the basis for many new construction projects. This  was also the time of the building of most of the country's motorways. At the end of the lake we arrived at Tattenhill Lock.

Just above the lock we passed nb Hadley, splendidly restored and maintained. Originally built in 1937 by Harland and Wolff for the GUCC, it was paired with a butty, confusingly named Hagley. It later became part of the Willow Wren fleet but ceased its working life in 1971 when it was taken into private ownership and later restored.

At Barton Turn we had to wait or a boat already in the process of coming down. We were greeted by an IWA volunteer who checked that we were already members (at least he did not have to try and sell that to us!) and also to let us know that they were selling a good range of cakes and fresh scones as fund raising - they also worked the locks for passing boats.

Christine popped up to see what was on offer and returned with a lemon drizzle cake and two cheese scones.

Next on our route came the entrance to Barton Marina - we have stayed there once a twice in the past but not recently.

There is a difference of usage over the name: a century ago, this place was named Barton Turn, unsurprisingly as it is where a minor road turns off the main A38, leading to the nearby Barton-under-Needwood village. Even today the OS still use that name but the pub at the junction and the marina calls themselves Barton Turns (plural) Even CaRT has joined the move to pluralise everything with its name alongside the lock. But on their own website canal map it calls the lock Barton Lock and the adjacent bridge Barton Turn Bridge!

Many of the road bridges that turn off the A38 have been closed to access from the main road but the one below has a slip lane and lets vehicles take a minor road to the nearby village of Wychnor. 

Several estate agents aim to catch lost house hunters by putting their For Sale signs by the canal bridge.

The next mile is part of the River Trent - the main channel divides into a myriad of small streams and, in contrast with the River Dove yesterday which passes the stream under the canal, here they enter at the level of the navigation under towpath bridges

The main river stream passes almost straight across below Alrewas Lock and continues over a wide weir. When the Trent is in full flow after heavy rain (what's that, you may ask?) both Alrewas and Wychnor Locks are closed for safety reasons. You would not guess it today but at least the final part of the Trent and Mersey is kept well filled at the moment.

We failed to take any pictures of us passing through Alrewas Lock as Christine spotted that a boat was coming down so the gates would be open for us and so she opted to step off and work the lock. This is the first time this year, since her arm and shoulder problems, so quite a milestone. Mind you, she left the rest to Mike!

We found a space in Alrewas village to moor for lunch before continuing on - hopefully to reach Fradley today. As we were mooring we had the second drizzly shower of the day but it did not last long and it was rather warm as well as sunny when we arrived at Bagnall Lock.

We sort of remember hearing somewhere but cannot recall where, about a Talking Bench on the Trent and Mersey and a reference to the decoration as on this seat alongside Bagnall Lock. We took a close look but no way would it talk to us! We wondered if the small label might have a QR link to an interesting local guide, but no, only the names of its funders.

A little later we spotted another similar bench, largely hidden in the towpath vegetation alas, but it did look as if it had speakers!

Just a few more locks - Keepers Lock is just below the Boater Services  -  we needed elsan and rubbish but not water as we filled that tank whilst we were waiting below Barton Turn. A local landscape gardener, out for a gentle cycle ride but taking a break to watch the boats, was happily enlisted as a temporary vollie lockie - very useful at this lock with is unhelpful bottom lock balance beams.

Whilst we were making use of the facilities, we spotted that there were several good spaces on the visitor mooring opposite. We had intended to go up Junction Lock and around the corner but as we could not be sure of a space there - often used by 14 day stayers - we crossed back over to the towpath side and tied up for the night.

7.1 Miles - 8 Locks