Hilmorton Locks - nearly home

 Our 4-week cruise is now nearly complete. We could have got back to the marina today but there was no need to push ourselves when a return on Saturday was always the plan.

During the night we had heard rain falling on the boat roof but it had stopped by the time we woke.   As in the past few days the weather started off grey and cool but brightened up during the morning.

We started moving at 9:45.  A  mile later we reached Newbold Tunnel.  A boat could be seen in the tunnel approaching us so we waited for it to emerge.  Although the tunnel is wide enough for 2 boats to pass we were in no hurry. At only 250 yards it is the shortest  one on our journey, and it only took about 3 minutes to reach the other end. One point of note is that the tunnel is only one of two  on the whole system to have a towpath on both sides of the waterway.

We wait for an on-coming boat to leave Newbold Tunnel

Looking back through Newbold Tunnel as another boat follows us

The canal then continued through Rugby where there seemed to be very few boats moored.  Most times we have been there it has been difficult at times to find somewhere to stop.  Beyond Rugby the 3 pairs of locks in the attractive and well-kept Hilmorton flight  lift boats by 18 foot. Luckily there were volunteer lock keepers on the 2 bottom pairs.

We moored for the night soon afterwards at lunchtime.

Moored near Hilmorton Locks

Today's Statistics

Distance: 5.65 miles
Locks: 3
Duration: 2 hours 40 minutes

Back on the North Oxford Canal

After leaving our mooring at 9:20  It was only a few hundred yards to Hawkesbury Junction where the Oxford Canal branches off the Coventry Canal in a hair-pin turn. This will take us all the way back to our marina.

To enter the Oxford Canal one has to ascend a stop lock about a foot high, the only lock on today's journey.  It is needed as the Coventry  Canal was created slightly lower than the Oxford Canal preventing the Oxford Canal using Coventry Canal Water.

After leaving the Coventry Canal the Oxford Canal follows a route through the hilly countryside similar to those later used by the West Coast Main Railway Line and the M6 which in places create background noise  on an otherwise peaceful canal.

Unusual design of bridge near Hawkesbury Junction

Approaching Stretton Stop, boats everywhere

About 2/3 of today's journey the canal passes through through Stretton Stop where there is a busy boatyard, moorings and hireboat base.   This is followed by Easenhall Cutting where poor design 200 years ago has led to frequent landslips.  A major one in January 2024 blocked the canal for several months.

Repaired landslip in Easenhall Cutting

It took us longer than planned to find a mooring spot as our usual one near Brinklow was full but we were able to find somewhere suitable at 13:45 out in the countryside near the hamlet of Cathiron close to the West Coast main line.

Moored at Cathiron

Todays Statistics

Distance: 10.47 miles
Locks: 1
Duration: 4 hour 25 minutes

Through Nuneaton towards Covewntry

 Another cold grey morning with a spell of rain was a bad start to todays travels. However the weather quickly cleared after we left Athetstone at 8:55. Our route took us past the 19th century Hartshill Yard and on through Nuneaton.  

Hartshill Yard

In the past the town has looked rather drab from the waterway which keeps well away from the town centre.  However, this time it looked much improved since our last visit with many new houses, older estates hidden by trees and very little litter on the towpath.  Beyond Nuneaton lies Marston Juction where the Ashby Canal leaves the Coventry Canal. 

Marston Junction

We moored for the night 2 miles further on near Hawkesbury Junction on the outskirts of Coventry. So with no locks to delay us and what turned out to be reasonable weather we had an enjoyable cruise despite the lack of major points of interest.

Moored near Hawkesbury Junction

Today's Statistics

Distance: 10.76 miles
Locks: 0
Duration: 4.5 hours

 11 Locks to Atherstone

The clouds were grey and the wind gusty when we set off at 8:40.  It felt cold so we were both wearing sweatshirts and a fleece.  On the plus side the canal was reasonably deep and we were able to keep up a good speed.

Atractive tree-lined stretch of the Coventry Canal

Just over a mile later we arrived at the first of the 11 locks which lead up to the small town of Atherstone. Now that we are on the narrow canals 11 locks in a day is not a major task and we reached the top in less than 3 hours helped in the last 5 locks by a team of volunteer lock-keepers who did most of the heavy work. By this time the grey clouds had cleared and the weather began to get very warm.

Waiting to enter Atherstone bottom Lock

We moored for the day conveniently near the main route into the town centre at 12:00. The mooring is opposite a former hat factory which has been derelict for many years.

Moored in Atherstone

Today;s Statistics

Distance: 3.41 miles
Locks: 11
Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Tamworth and beyond

 After 2 nights stay in Hopwas because we had a visit from Denise's sister we need to make good progress to get home by the weekend.  Having woken up at 6:30 we were ready to move out of Hopwas by 8:25. The weather was comfortably cooler than last week but with strong gusty winds.

Entering Tamworth - Bonehill Road Bridge 

2 miles further on we entered the large busy industrial town of Tamworth.  The canal does not go anywhere near the centre but rather keeps to the suburbs.  First stop was the tap at Fazeley Junction where we filled our water tank for the first time since our stop in Willington on the 18th June. This took over 20 minutes as the water flow was fairly slow.

At Fazeley Junction the Birmingham  & Fazeley Canal leads south to the cenre of Birmingham whilst the Coventry Canal continues on eastwards.  We are now definitely on the Coventry Canal, no confusions (See Saturday's log). After an aqueduct over the River Tame we quickly reached and ascended the 2 Glascote locks, the only locks on today's journey.  

Crossing the River Tame

Waiting to enter the first Glascote Lock

2 miles further on the canal left Tamworth and passed by Alvecote Marina where several old but restored ex-working boats can be seen.  The canal then passes below the M42 into the village of Polesworth.  Perhaps unfairly I always feel this place is somewhat boring with no incentives to moor for a while.  We did moor 2 miles later out in the countryside.

2 ex-working narrowboats

Moored at Meadow Lane Bridge 50

Today's statistics

Distance: 9.56 miles
Locks: 2
Time: 4 hours 35 minutes

On the Coventry Canal

 Another early start to minimise travelling in the hottest part of the day. Straight after leaving our overnight mooring we ascended the only lock for the day. This took us up to the Junction where a left turn took us off the Trent & Mersey and on to the Coventry Canal. 

Approaching Junction Lock at Fradley

Entering Junction Lock

Immediately after the junction there is a very small swing bridge that gives pedestrian access to a few houses near the canal. Not that interesting, but there are few other points of particular interest on the canal. It is  very rural only passing through the outskirts of 3 small villages.  The scenery is quite attractive but this is  difficult to show in a photograph.

Looking back at a following boat and typical scenery

One of the small villages mentioned is Whittington where a carved stone marks the boundary between the Coventry Canal and the Birmingham and Fazeley canal, a  complication arising because different sections of the canal were built by different competing canal companies. You can still see the effects as the Coventry Canal sections have bridges identified by a number whereas the Birmingham and Fazelley bridges have names, a difference that has not been harmonised in the past 200 years.

Moored in Hopwas

We arrived att the small village of Hopwas at 12:15 and will spend the night and much of tomorrow here. Lucky that we did not continue as the weather would have been uncomfortable - rain plus overheating.

Today's Statistics

Distance: 8.74 miles
Locks: 1
Swing Bridges: 1
Time: 3 hours 55 minutes

Fradley Junction

 Again we left our moorngs early, this time at 8:15.Our undemanding  aim for taday was Fradley Jucnction where we arrived and moored up at 10:10. Tomorrow we will turn left off the Trent & Mersey Canal to travel down the Coventry Canal. But we were due to meet friends for lunch and had no need to go any further today.

Moored at Fradley Junction

Today's statistics

Distance: 1.83 miles
Lock: 4
Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes

Goodbye to the wide locks

Poor internet reception yesterday so the past 2 days have been xombined..;. 

Tuesday 17th June 2025

Today we completed the remaining wide locks in our journey. From our experience of the work and the heat yesterday we knew that we would need to start early before the weather got too hot. We left Aston Lock at 8:40.  Tere was very little other traffic on the canal so we had to work through Weston and Swarkestone locks on our own, each of us emptying and fillng one lock.

Waiting to enter Weston Lock

Then we reached te mighty Stenson Lock.  At 12foot 4 inches it is more than a foot deeper than the other locks in the series with heavier gates and stronger flows of water.  Fortunately the lock was being operated by volunteer lock keepers who ensured that boaters did not get into dangerous situations.  

Waiting to enter Stenson Lock

When we arived the lock needed to be emptied before we could enter.  We were advised to tie the boat tightly  both at the front and rear,  otherwise the flow of water from the lock when it was emptied could send the boat back down the canal.

Inside Stenson Lock

On entering the lock we were instructed to move the boat right back against the bottom gates away from the water that would soon be rushing in from the top gates. Denise ensured that the boat centre rope was securely tied to a bollard to help to prevent the boat moving violently in the lock.  Then the lock-keeper very slowly opened the paddles on the off side so that water entering the lock woul flow against the boat again keeping it in place.  Thus we rose to the top with minimal excitement.  Excitement is not what one wants in a large lock.

We then moored up above the lock and walked back to a cafe overlooking the lock for lunch. After eating we movd on to the chsndlery at Mercia Marinn to find a spare fanbelt and a new antenna for the radio aerial.

That done we mored up a short distance beyond the marina at the village of Willington.

Today's Statistics

Distance: 9.89 miles
Locks: 3

Time: 5 hours

Wednesday 18th June 2025

Again we set off early at 8:40 and moved the boat to the services on the other side of the canal to dump our rubbish and fill up with water.  Thr canal then took us onwards to Burton on Trent and Dallow Lock, the first narrow lock for many days.  

Typical scenery on the Trent & Mersey

Ancient bridge (now unused) crosses the River Dove

Leaving Burton we stopped a short walk from a large Morrison's to fill up with groceries.  After lunch, despite the increasingly hot weather we moved on for 3/4 hour to moor at a water park near the suburb of Branston where the pickle comes from (allegedly)

Moored near Branston

Today's Statistics

Distance: 7.21 miles

Locks: 2

Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

Trent & Mersey Canal

Passing beneath the M1 on the Trent

We left Sawley at 10:15 in warm and sunny weather passing through Sawley Flood Lock and back onto the River Trent.  A mile of river cruising took us under the M1 to Derwent Mouth where the Trent and the Derwent meet.

18th century warehouse in SHardlow

Here we left the rivers to join the Trent & Mersey Canal where Derwent Mouth Lock took us up from Derwent Mouth into the village of Shardlow where we stopped to fill up with water.  The village is of some historical interest.  It was once a major trans-shipment port where cargoes from all over the midlands and north west were loaded from horse drawn narrowboats onto larger ships to be taken down the river Trent and on to the North Sea.  There remain several warehouses and other old buildings dating from this period. 

Densie in Aston Lock

The Trent & Mersey Canal leaves Shardlow at Shardlow Lock the second after Derwent Mouth Lock of 6 large double width ones in this section of the Trent & Mersey.  Apart from Shardlow Lock they are all deep with stiff paddles and heavy gates. 1.5 miles  beyond Shardlow we ascended Aston  Lock and moored up at 13:30 for a late lunch.

Moored above Aston Lock

Our plans required us to travel a further 4 miles and 2 locks but we were both hot and tired from our exertions and so decided to stay for the night.

Journey Statistics

Distance: 3.73 Miles
Locks: 3
Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

To the River Trent at Sawley

 This morning we left Loughborough early at 9am as we had an rather long journey to make.  "The Rosery" with whom we travelled yesterday stayed in Loughborough  to shop. 

Normanton On Soar Church

After leaving Loughborough we passed through Normanton on Soar with its many large houses and gardens leading down to the river.  Passing boaters are stongly disouraged from exploring the village by the absence of anywhere to moor.

Beyond Normanton there is Zouch Lock wherewe were joined by "B'twixt and B'tween" who accompanied us for the rest of the time on the Soar descending 2 further locks.   This figure does not include. Kegworth Shallow Lock and Redhill Lock which are only used when the Soar is flowing strongly.  At other times both top and bottom gates are left open

Beyond Redhill Lock the Soar meets the much larger River Trent.The section ends at Sawley Locks. which  are electrically operated with by volunteer lock-keepers on duty.  Above the lock we moored for the day iSawley Cut where ther are extensive boat morrings and a large marina.

On the Trent with B'twixt and B'tween in the distance

Moored in Sawley Cut above Sawley Locks

Journey Statistics

Distance:10.58 miles
Opertionsl Locks: 6
Time: 5 hours 5 minutes

Loughborough

 The weather was cool and grey when we left our Sileby mooring and descended the lock.  The next lock at Mountsorrel was only a mile further on.  Here we were joined by another boat, "The Rosery"  who accompanied us for the rest of today's journey.

Mountsorrel Mineral Railway Bridge

Beyond the village the river passes beneath the impressive Grade 2 Listed Mineral Railway Bridge built in 1860 to transport the granite from the extensive quarries in the area.

In Barrow Deep Lock with The Rosery

A mile and a half later we entered Barrow upon Soar where we descended Barrow Deep Lock.  AT 9 foot 7 inches it is not that deep but likely to be the deepest in the area.

  

)n the Soar after Barrow

Shortly afterwards the canal again joins the Soar.  As can be seen in the photo, the Soar is now a significant river very different to the stream that joined the canal before Leicester.

By lunchtime we had reached Loughborough and moored up alongside The Rosery in the modern wharf near the town centre.

Journey  Statistics

Distance:7.07 miles
Locks: 3
Time: 2 hours 55 minutes

A glorious trip north on the Soar

 Last night we ate out at the Aroma Spice, a small indian restaurant in Birstall.  It was delicious, one of the best indian meals we have ever eaten. Highly recommended.

We are now nearly a day ahead of schedule so did not leave Birstall until 10am.  It has been a glorious trip with blue skies, beautiful river scenery and 3 locks.  Our engine had been running long enough to recharge our batteries when we reached Sileby Lock at lunchtime so we decided to moor up for the day above the lock next to a bridge over a small weir.

Cruising down the Soar

Further down the Soar

Moorfed at Sileby Lock

From our window we can see the river flowing slowly by and large numbers of dark blue damsel flies fluttering above the water. Inside the boat despite both front and back doors and a couple of windows being open the thermometer is showing 30 degC. Hopefully it will cool down a bit overnight.

Journey Statistics

Distance: 5.1 miles
Locks: 3
Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Helping the police with their enquiries

 In the morning we walked to the large Leicester Market to look for fresh provisions.  The market is  separated into different sections.  One area for meat stalls, another for fish stalls , and the third for fruit and vegetables. Back at the boat we had crab bought at the market for lunch.

We then set off north down the Soar.  At the first lock, North Lock,  a police lady  came up to tell us that the bridge below the lock was a crime scene but we would be allowed to pass through if we stayed on the boat.  She then asked for help.  The evidence sheet on which she had compiled her notes had blown into the canal in the gusty wind and she could not reach it! With a bit of manoeuvering we were able to retrieve the soggy notes from the canal and hand them back to the very relieved police lady.

Mill Lock

Former mills

Beyond North Lock there is much evidence of old industry including a large mill with a tall chimney festooned with numerous aerials. Leicester was a centre for manufacturing clothing. Beyond the mill the Soar looked increasingly like a real meandering tropical river with thick overhanging vegetation on both sides. 

On the Soar north of Leicester

And then the rain started. Heavy rain. Somewhat of a surprise since it was not forecast at all. As there was nowhere to shelter we quickly put on our wet weather clothing and opened up a large umbrella so only got fairly damp.  By the time we reached Birstall Lock, the last one for today, the rain had stopped.  We moored soon afterwards at good moorrnigs in the village of Birstall.

Birstall Lock in the sunshine

The village centre is only a short walk from the river.  There ae a few shops including a Coop where we bought some items we coud not get in central Leicester and an Indian restaurant we plan to visit this evening.

Journey Statistics

Distance: 3.78 miles
Locks: 4
Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Moored in the centre of Leicester

 Yesterday I described the attractive mooring and the owl box.  Unfortunately we could not stay. In the early evening the boat had developed a noticeable list.  Further investigation indicated that the water level in the canal was falling. So at 7:30pm we decided to move further down the canal to somewhere safer.

This required a half mile journey beyond the next lock where the canal is fed by water from the River Soar.  The remainder of our route until we meet the Trent follows the Soar with the locks being located in short canalised sections.

 Whilst Denise was filling the lock a passer-by asked whether we needed any help;  It turned out that he was a volunteer lock keeper so I inquired about the low water level.  Apparently the pound was known to be leaking but the cause has not yet been found.

Rather than changing yesterdays blog today's journey statistics include last night's move.

We set off this morning at 9:15. Although one may not believe it from the photos most of the journey was within 2 miles of the city centre. At Freeman's Lock, our last lock of the day the Soar is diverted around by a large weir.

Aylestone Mill Lock surrounded by the treets of Leicester

Weir at Freeman's Lock

Beyond here in the centre of Leicester the canal flows through the impressively wide Straight Mile beyond which we moored within walking distance of the city centre at Friars Mill.

View down the Straight Mile

Moored at Friar's Mill

Joutney Statistics

Distance: 3.61 miles
Locks:5

Time: 3.5 hours