Shardlow

 Having looked at the timings for previous journeys on this route we realised that our normal 3 hours a day travelling time was too low to get back to our marina when we planned.  So we decidied to have a longer jorney than usual today to build in some leeway for later.

Waiting to leave Stenson Lock

Sharing Swarkestone Lock with "Copperkins"

View of Weston Lock

We set off at 9:15 and descended Stenson Lock, the largest on the whole of the Trent & Mersey canal being 12 ft 4ins deep and double width.  It is followed by 3 more locks only slightly less deep spread at 3 mile intervals.  Finally there is the 4ft 5 in Shardlow Lock which takes one down into the historic village of Shardlow which 200 years ago was a major inland port.  Some of the old warehouses and pubs remain.

On the IWA stand at the Festival there was much discussion of the identity of a lock shown on one of the IWA canal in winter themed Christmas Cards.  The photo here clearly shows it to be Weston Lock taken from the same point.

Apart from the locks there is little of interest to see on the canal though the scenery is attractively wooded in many places. Denise saw her first kingfisher of this trip though sadly I missed it.

4.5 hours, 5 locks,   8.87 miles

Festival of Water is over, back cruising again

 

Narrowboats moored at the Burton Festival of Water

We enjoyed our 5 days at the festival setting up, selling on the IWA stall and taking down, eating from a variety of fast food stalls, listening to folk music,  and drinking real ale and cider.  Hard work but overall much fun.  It was satisfying to see the large number of locals who seemed to be having a good time as well as the 70-80 narrowboats moored along the canal.

However all good tings come to an end and we set off at 8:25 on the next stage of our journey.  We are not sure exactly where we will be going but starting early will give us greater choice later.  The canal took us down Darrow Lock, the final narrow lock going NE on the Trent & Mersey.  All later locks on this canal will be double width.

On the Trent & Mersey beyond Mercia Marina

We stopped at Willington to fill up with waterr, our first chance to do so since last Thursday.  Then on to Mercia Marina soon before lunchtime where we had arranged for an engine service.  This took some time as the work was done thoroughly and produced a list of things for us to get checked in the next few months.

We left at 15:40 continuing for another 40 minutes to a mooring just before Stenson Lock.

3 hours 45 minutes 1 Lock7.16 miles

At the Burton upon Trent Festival of Water site

 The weather was overcast and cool when we set off at 9am.    Then a short journey to Barton Turn Lock beyond which there is a water tap .

On the Trent & Mersey Canal near Burton

Having filled our tank we set off again to the outskirts of Burton where we moored to walk the 1/4 mile to the nearby  large Morrisons where we stocked up with goceries.  It was a heavy load with 3 bags and a backpack, all full.  Unfortunately when we left the shop it was pouring with rain.  After dithering for a while, as we had brought umbrellas we decided to walk back to the boat.

The rain showed no immediate sign of stopping so we had lunch on board and by 2pm were able to set off to the Festival.  We found our allocated mooring spot and booked in.  There will be photos of the site tomorrow and/or Saturday when all the boats have arrived.

2 hours 55 mins, 3 locks 4.4 mile

Barton under Needwood

 Last night we ate out at the Swan a well known pub on the wharf at Fradley.  The men u was standard pub food plus an interest range of burgers.  We both chose the burgers which were very tasty and the real chips crisp as they should be.     The beer from Everard's of Leicester who now own the pub was also enjoyable.  So, recommened if you are in the area.

Entering Bagnall Lock near Alrewas

Leaving the main stream of the Trent between Alrewas and Wychnor

We left our morings at 9;25 to join the short queue of boats waiting to descend Keeper's Lock.  The canal then took us through 4 more locks to reach the village of Alrewas.  Here the canal descends to the River Trent which takes one to Wychnor Lock where the canal descends again from the river level.

The restof our journey to Barton Turns Marina was dominated by noise from the adjacent very busy A34 which rather spoils what would otherwise be an attractive stretch of canal.  After pumping out the waste water tank at the marina we moored a little way down the canal.  Our double glazing brings the A34 traffic noise down to acceptable levels.

3 hours 55 mins, 6 locks, 4.68 miles

Fradley Junction

The Coventry Canal joiing the Trent & Mersey Canal 

Moored at Fradley Junction

A short day today  as we dont need to be in Burton until Thusrday.  We set off at 9.55, mooring at 12:35 at  Fradley Junction where the Coventry Canal joins the Trent & Mersey Canal.  We will be travelling on the Trent & Mersey for the next 8 days or so.

2 hours 40 mins  1 lock 5.52 miles

Whittington

This morning we shopped for some food for the next few days in Ventura Park, Tamworth's shopping centre , about 10 minutes walk from the canal.

Ball's Bridge near Hopwas

After returning to the  boat we set off north west at 11am in sunny weather.  Initially the scenary was flat and agricultural but at the village of Hopwas the canal again met the wooded hills that had accompanied us most of the way since Nuneaton.  Beyond Hopwas there are extensive woods often used as a firing range by the Army.

Much of the canal was narrow because of reeds and overhanging trees.  This made the journey rather slow and careful steering was required to avoid the occasional  on-coming boat which we talways seemed to meet at bridge holes and bends.

We moored for the day at the village of Whittington.  An hour or so latr there was a heavy shower but it did not last long.

2 hours 5 minutes, 4.8 miles

Tamworth

Our longest day so far this trip.  There is no particular reason to stop between Atherstone Locks and Tamworth and  we needed the engine to run for an extra hour or two to get the batteries fully charged.

Coventry Canal near Poleworth

The scenary at the start was fairly flat and agricultural but soon we entered more wooded and hilly contryside.

Ahead of us we saw a slow moving narrowboat which turned out to be under tow by another narrowboat.  There was little opportunity to overtake them so we kept our speed down to little more than tickover at about 2.2mph for about 1.5 hours.

Old working boats at Alvecote

The next place of note was Alvecote marina.  We had been told by another boater that there had been a wedding there yesterday attended by working boats in traditional livery.  A number werestill  moored along the canalside. 

travelling betwen the 2 Glascote Locks in Tamworth

Soon afterwards the canal enters the large town of Tamworth though it gets no closer than a mile from the centre.  Here the pair of boats ahead of us moored up so we were able to complete our journey at our normal speed.  But first we had to descend the two Glascote locks, the only ones we passd through  today.

Moored near Tamworth

The next stop was the waterpoint at Fazeley Junction where the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal joins the Coventry.  Having filled up with water  we were hoping to stop at the nearby moorings but they were full so had to carry on for another 1/4 mile to a shaded spot near very busy A5.  Thanks to our double glazing the noise is not intrusive.

4 hours 45 mins , 2 locks, 9 mile

We set off at 10am 

Atherstone Locks

Yesterday evening we ate out for the first time of this trip at Herbs and Spice, a very small indian restaurant with 4-5 tables on the edge of the town.  It did not serve alcohol although one good bring one's own but fortunately was only just around the corner from the supermarkets.  The food was very good and we would recommend it were you to ever visit Atherstone.

Our sleep was disturbed around midnight last night by the loud noise of low flying helicopter(s) circling.  We heard later there had been an armed robbery at Atherstone Post Office about 5-10 minutes walk from the mooring.

Views on the Atherstone flight

Our planned journey today was to descend the 11 Atherstone Locks.  After setting off at 9:50 we were soon into the top lock.  From then on everything went smoothly despite warnings  of low water in some of the pounds.  Denise did most of the lock work since my back has not fully recovered from a slight strain last week.  Fortunately there were several boats ascending which reduced the need for the locks to be filled first.

As can be seen from the photos the locks are attractively set in wooded surroundings.

We left the final lock just before 1pm and moored soon afterwards. out in the countryside

3 hours 5 mins, 11 locks, 1.92 miles

Atherstone

 A short journey today to Atherstone, an interesting little town where there is a Coop and Aldi with a wide range of small independent shops.

Hartshill Maintenance Yard

We set off at 9:30 in pleasant sunny weather and an occasionally gusty wind.  Continuing attractive scenary with wooded hills to the left and views across an expanse of farmalnd to the right.  The first point of note  was Hartshill yard with an early 19th century maintenance  dock topped by a clock, sadly not working.  There was also a carpenter's workshop and a blacksmith's forge.

On arriving at Atherstone at 11:15 it apeared that the moorings were full, though we managed to squeeze in at the start.  Fortunately a boat further along departed and we were able to take its place  close to the road down to the town centre. We then walked to the shops to buy some lunch and visit a treasure trove of a hardware store stocked to the ceiling with an amazing range of tools, oils, paints, buckets, poles and hooks,, kitchen utensils and  gadgets,   Luckily they were able to supply an oil can which I need to lubricate the tiller bearing.

Then in the afternoon we walked to the supermarkets to stock up for the next 5-6 days, our first opportunity to do so since we left our home marina.

3.67 mile, 1 hour 40 mins

Coventry Canal,, Bedworth, and Nuneaton

 After re-inseating some of the rubber seal around our windows we crossed the caaal to the nearby tap to fill our water tank. Then on our way north west.

Sutton Stop Lock empty

Hawkesbury Basin, Sutton Stop Lock to the centre right,
 Coventry Canal through the bridge

First we descended the approximately 1 foot deep Sutton Stop Lock, through Hawkesbury bassin and turned right onto the Coventry Canal.  The onwards through the towns of Bedworth and Nuneaton. 

 From Bedworth to Nuneaton the canal was shallow and narrow with with trees and bushes constricting the waterway.   Not a lot of interest though we were surprised by Nuneaton.  In the past it was unattractive with litter on the towpath and and in the canal.  It had a poor reputation and most boaters did not bother to stop.  This time it was clean and there were several groups of boats moored by the towpath, a great improvement.

Cruising north of Nuneaton

Our moorings 

However we had no reason to stop and so carried on out of the town into attractive wooded and quite hilly countryside.  We eventually moored up for the day at 13:15 in a sunlit stretch opposite a field with woods beyond.

3 hours 10 mins, 1 lock, 7.39 miles

Sutton Stop, the end of the North Oxford Canal

It had rained much of last night and it felt cool and breezy when we set off at 10:15.

The M6 crosses high above the North Oxford Canal

Keeping our distance from a slower narrowboat

Moored at Sutton Stop, 2nd boat on right

The boat ran smoothly travelling for much of the time at 3mph or faster.  Little of interest to see though the countryside is pleasant.  The one break in the journey was at Stretton Stop where Kate's Narrowboats hire fleet is based. Here there is a pedestrian swing bridge giving access to the workshop on the oter side of the canal.bridge 

 Beyond Stretton Stop the M6 passes high over the canal and theWest Coast Main  Line which runs alongside the waterway.  

We moored up at 13:25 at Sutton Stop where the North Oxford Canal joins the Coventry Canal at a small basin overlooked by The Greyhound, a well known canalside pub (picture tomorrow).   There are extensive moorings here which are usually full, but today there was plenty of space.

3 hours 10 mins, 7.65 mile, 1 swing bridge

Rugby and Brinklow

 Woke up this morning to find it had been raining overnight. And it is rauning as I write this.  Good for the garden but not enough to make much difference to the canals, although we have not been affected by lack of water anyway.

We set off at 9:20 and arrived in Rugby an hour later.  There is a Tesco close to the canal so an opportunity to buy some a few things, including some kitchen scales.  Our old ones which we had owned snice we bought the boat 16 years ago stopped working.

On the North Oxford Canal near Brinklow

Denise steering the boat through Brinklow woods

At 11:30 we set off again north west on the North Oxford to Brinklow.  A  pleasant rural journey but little of gtreat interest,  one short tunnel and no locks.  At Brinklow the canal passes through woodland and we moored shortly afterwards at 13:30.

3 hours, 6.77 miles, 

Start journey to Burton upon Trent

 This is our first long  journey since the eventful trip to Worcester last year for the IWA Festival of Water.  This year the Festival is in Burton upon Trent and hopefully the cruise there will be much less stressful.

We had intended to start yesterday but the thought oif cruising in our metal tube with temperatures of around 35degC did not appeal so we packed yesterday but drove to te marina this morning.  After unpacking, filling our water tank (one is allowed to use hosepipes to fill boat water tanks during a hosepipe ban) and a quick lunch  we set off.  First stop was the services pontoon to fill up with diesel and then we turned left out of the marina on the North Oxford Canal.

The gates opening to leave Hilmorton top lock

The boat cruised smoothly,the temperature was comfortable, and the quick light shower of rain made a pleasant change. At 2:45 after 3.5 miles we reached Hilmorton where there were 3 paired locks to descend.    These locks are only open until 3:30 because of shrtage of water due to the drought.  There were 2 volunteer lock keepers on duty and we passed quickly down the locks.

Moored between Hilmorton and Rugby

About half a mile beyond the locks we moored for the night.

4.33 miles, 3 locks, 2 hours 15 mins cruising