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arkholmethesecond: The Coventry Canal - Hopwas to Atherstone Bottom L...

arkholmethesecond: The Coventry Canal - Hopwas to Atherstone Bottom L...: Hopwas boasts two pubs, the Tame Otter and the Red Lion, we tried both- well it was a lovely sunny afternoon!!!! We are s...

The Coventry Canal - Hopwas to Atherstone Bottom Lock

Hopwas boasts two pubs, the Tame Otter and the Red Lion, we tried both- well it was a lovely sunny afternoon!!!!

We are seeing plenty of trade boats. This had a wide range of tiller pins for sale.

Filling with water at Fazeley Junction.

Birmingham this way

Its Coventry for us.

Glascote Locks

The work boat without workers!!!

well it was lunchtime!!!

A good brood of cygnets

Atherstone Bottom Lock

11 miles and 4 locks- thats enough for today!!

Back on the Trent & Mersey

Haywood Junction turning right towards the lock

which is causing great consternation!!!

But not for long and the Canal & River Trust guys even helped with the lock.

A fleeting glance of Shugborough Hall & Country Museum which we had planned to visit but alas time did not permit.

Lovely!!!

The canal runs along side the River Trent beyond Wolseley.

The power station at Rugeley where we stop at a new canalside 24hr Tesco where we do a big stock up shop.

Ooops nearly caught speeding!!!!

We moor at Spode Cottage on the edge of Armitage the home of Armitage Shanks, Sanitaryware.

10 miles and 2 locks

Onward to Fradley Junction, a flight of 5 locks of which we only do 2 then take a right turn on to the Coventry Canal.

It's volunteers all the way.

The wharf

We even get a volunteer on the swing bridge, now I could get used to this!!!

The canal wends it way to bridge 78 at Whittington where it changes from being the Coventry to the Birmingham & Fazeley.

Strictly no mooring beyond this bridge because of Whittington Firing Ranges.

6 miles and 3 locks and its time to moor at Hopwas.

Staffs & Worsc - Catch up Crazy

Sleep did not come easy being moored on a slant and as we are still behind schedule for being at Crick Boat Show for bank holiday weekend we were up and cruising at 7 a.m. - something we do only when needs must!!!!

At Autherley Junction we pick up the Staffs & Worsc which will link us back to the Trent & Mersey at Gt Haywood some 20 miles away.

The 'narrows' are still with us and yes we meet another boat who kindly revered back to let us through...

and after a bit of manovering...

we are on our way.

This is the Roundhouse Canal Shop at Gailey Lock.

It was originally a toll clerk's office.

Stafford Boat Club have the best set of lock gates ever!!!

The rain has given way to some much needed sunshine, as we meander through the valley of the Sow.

The final lock of our 12 for today is at Tixall

We moor at Tixall wide, a lovely oasis,

with views of Tixall Gatehouse for a well earned rest!!!

The Shroppie -part 2

With views of the Wrekin,with the Clee and
Breidden hill on the far horizon we wend our way towards Grub Street Cutting.

one way of avoiding a licence!!!

Grub Street Cutting is over a mile long and eighty feet deep wrapped in a thick coat of vegetation. The most unusual feature if this double-arched bridge which carries the A519 over the canal. The tiny telegraph pole is a survivor from the line which once marched beside the Shroppie for much of its length.

It has rained for most of the morning to we decide to drop anchor at Norbury Junction and sample the carvery at The Junction Inn, one of Trev's old haunts when he lived at Gnosall.