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