Tamworth

Today's Canals - Trent and Mersey, Coventry, Birmingham and Fazeley

Unlike the past few days this morning was a bright and sunny with clear blue skies for much of the time.

Not long after setting off we arrived at the first of the two locks above Fradley Junction.

All of the locks here had volunteers to help - here they seem to have been well briefed and keen to do what each boater asks for. One can be seen here at Middle Lock, closing up after us for the next boat following  us down. The lock name doubles up as a place to keep their essentials!

To help with the flow of boats, the volunteers keep in touch by radio with each arrival asked whether they are continuing ahead at the junction of turning off. As with our visit here two years ago, we confused them by saying 'both' as we wanted to drop down one lock to the service block. In fact this might not really have been essential as just around the corner are taps with better pressure than at the service point and a good footpath to pull along the elsan cassette - not too far. There is no place to wind below this lock so we had to come back up in reverse.

Backup up the lock we turned down the Coventry and called at the water point just beyond the swing footbridge. Once we were filled we set off down the Coventry. It is perhaps not as well known as some of the popular tourist canals but much of it is very rural and at times as pretty as any other.

At Streethay Wharf, the staff and crane contractor were preparing to lift a boat out of the water. This boatyard has been gradually gaining a strong reputation for its boat maintenance work. They were also very careful not to unnecessarily impede the way for the steady stream of boats today.

The morning continued sunny . . .

We passed through Huddlesford Junction where the former Lichfield Canal originally branched off on its way to Ogley Junction on the Wyrley and Essington. A restoration trust continues to  do much work to restore this canal - with David Suchet providing important publicity - and when it is complete it will, along with the associated Hatherton Canal, add very useful cruising rings and should enhance the use of the northern part of the BCN.

After a slightly shorter than usual lunch break we set off again, but by now promised cloud was arriving with a chillier feel to the breeze. A few spots of rain led us to donning extra clothing but it did not amount to much.

There is a pretty wooded stretch on the section towards Hopwas

although, alas, access is restricted as it is a military firing range.

Eventually several sunnier spells returned for the rest of the afternoon.

A large radio transmitter mast had dominated the view for some while - so we decided to check out just which one it is. Later we discovered that this is the Lichfield Transmitter, known locally as the Hopwas Mast, which was built in 1961 as part of the UK television network. In 2011 all the television services were transferred to the nearby Sutton Coldfield transmitter but Lichfield continues to function with several radio stations, and no doubt other telecommunications work.

At Fazeley Junction, one of the adjoining industrial units has been decorated with these splendid birds.

We turned left to continue on the Coventry Canal, soon arriving at the two Glascote Locks. A single hander was just leaving and was probably quite pleased to see us coming in the distance as this meant that he could leave the gates open.

The first lock and a later bridge were displaying numerous pink rosettes. There was no sign to let us know their significance but shortly above the locks we spotted a Co-Op alongside the canal and when Christine pooped to get a  newspaper she learned that the decorations are in memory of a 20 year old girl that was murdered just a month ago and found in a park nearby.
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Whilst Mike was keeping the boat alongside as Christine went to the shop he spotted this unexpected return of the greengrocer's apostrophe!

Shortly afterwards we moored, finding a mooring spot in a gap between the trees where we could look for a tv signal.

13.6 Miles - 6 Locks