Tuesday 8 September 2015

Royal Leamington Spa

As we travel north west on the Grand Union Canal the isolated rural Eastern countryside is being replaced by the industrial Midlands towns and villages that surround Birmingham.   After a journey of 4.5 miles and 6 locks accompanied by a hire boat from the Ashby Canal with a crew of 6 out for a week we moored in Leamington just before noon.
Moored in Leamington looking west

Moored in Leamington looking east
The canal passes through the southern part of the town perhaps half a mile from the town centre.  To be honest it is fairly grim in places with graffiti, industrial buildings and old housing.  We saw our first dumped shopping trolley of the trip, half out of the canal water.  .With some misgivings we left the boat and walked into the town centre.  Completely different!  A large and interesting area with wide streets lined by buildings dating from the relatively short period in the 19th century when Leamington was a successful spa destination.  As well as the national chains there are many small shops.  Well worth a visit.  But it's a shame that the town doesnt make more of its canal.

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