Lock 5 Atherstone Flight

Today’s plan was to moor below Atherstone Locks as the last entry was at 1400 hrs. but that changed.

Soon after setting off we passed a CRT mooring basin that has no boats moored in it. It did however have a couple of geese in residence sitting on the mooring buoys along with a duck.

At the junction we carried straight on towards Tamworth. The Glascote locks were against us and again I found someone had left the top paddle up 3 notches. Looking back a freight train was crossing the canal and every truck was painted with bright graffiti.

By the time we where up the bottom lock a boat was working down the top one so we both had locks ready for us. At the top lock there was a CRT employee who gave us a hand, he was waiting for a tug and pan coming  down, we met them just through the next bridge hole. We had to pass on the wrong side but it was no problem. We soon passed where they were working, replacing the piling, well inserting another layer in front of the old stuff.

Then we actually had some rain and I had to deploy the brolly, all 0.4mm. But it was enough to get you wet. When we came through Polesworth on our way out this was an open piece of land, now its an almost complete bungalow.

Looking at the spill weir the water level didn’t look too bad, but it was heavy going in places due to the bottom being too close to the top.

We stopped at the Grendon Services to top up with water as it was twenty to two and supposedly the last entry up the Atherstone flight was two o’clock with the padlocks going on at Three. It was spot on two when we finished filling with water, just as a boat came by, so now we would be second in the queue in the morning. However when we arrived at the locks a boat had just come down and another was holding the bottom gate open before they turned the lock to come down. We waited expecting the boat ahead to enter the lock, but they didn’t as they couldn’t decide whether to go part way up the flight or not. In the end they said they were staying there so we went up, meeting boats in the next three locks which worked well. One of the bridges now supports some bright graffiti, I don’t thing the artist was paying attention doing the biology lessons. The pounds were down a bit until we got to lock 7 where it looked to be on weir, we went up through lock 6 and moored for the night, only to find we were behind two lots of boating friend who we had not seen for some years.

Today’s Journey  10 miles with 8 locks in 5½ hours

Fazeley Junction

It was warm from the word go, clear blue sky and a few gusty puffs of wind. We hadn’t gone far when we met this chap. On the wrong side but well out of the way.

This boat was moored by the Waterworks, a nice mooring. The flowers looked spectacular but I wouldn’t want to steer the boat with that lot on top.

On to Brookhay Bridge, this bridge seems to get well clogged with leaves and other rubbish, I had my fingers crossed that the rubbish was not going to be joined by anything larger.

Between here at where the canal gets wide at Street Hay someone has put a bench where the towpath is extra wide. The bench looks out at the A34, not the most peaceful of spots, strange that people can manage to carry things to the bench but not away.

As we approached The Plough at Huddlesford I was looking at all the new benches and tables they have

out on the towpath when Diana said “Look she is still painting the mural”, I snapped the photo as quickly as I could but couldn’t really see the mural, next time.

A short way before Fazeley I  saw there was a Fire Extinguisher laying on the offside bank. At first I thought it was dredging's but then realised the bank had been on fire. Luckily the field of maze adjacent to the bank is still quite green, had it been wheat or Barley it would have been a different story. I have no idea how this caught fire other than an empty glass bottle laying on the bank.

We carried on into Fazeley mooring well back from the actual junction with a bit of shade from the offside trees.

Today’s Journey

9½ miles with no locks in 3¾ hours

Fradley Village

Last night we ate rather more than we should have of an Indian Takeaway from Indian Cottage, the Bengal Chicken was on the warm side, but the beef dish really tender. About 11pm I was getting the tv aerial in and the moon had just risen above the bridge by Tesco, shame about the clouds.

A quick visit to town before setting off a little after ten. We met several boats in the course of the morning and there was one ahead of us who came by just as we were setting off, the next time was saw him was as he left Fradley Middle lock.

The have been building this rather posh shed for probably 5 years, it looks as if it may now almost be complete.

There is a sign like this by the aqueduct the other side of Rugeley, this one is opposite Ashtree Boat Club but looks to be facing the wrong way

On to Armitage Tunnel, well its actually a long cutting, there was a tunnel once I believe, with a concrete road bridge over it, but its still called a tunnel and CRT spends a lot of money with tunnel warning notices.

This is the actual bridge at the end of the long cutting.

The chimney at the Armitage Shanks toilet factory looks as if its expecting a visit from Fred Dibner. I have just received a stoppage notice saying they are going to demolish it. I bet they don’t knock a hole in the side and then light a big fire .

Between Kings Bromley Marina and Woodend Lock I saw something I haven't seen for several years, a jet black Mink scurrying along the offside bank. Just after Woodend Lock before the bend there is a lot of activities going on with excavators etc. I couldn’t see what was happening through the undergrowth, but I can’t see how it ties in with HS2. This was the site 3 months ago. Harnser's Travels: Rugeley 
The only low water we have experienced was the short pound between Shadhouse lock and middle Lock, I did wonder if Diana would need to let water down from the lock above to get into middle lock. Thankfully she didn’t and I entered without touching the cill.

At the junction we turned onto the Coventry Canal and nearly all the visitor moorings were free, Ideal I thought. This is the reason.

We stopped anyway, well they are not going to turn up this afternoon are they. We had lunch, I went and removed the tiller, took my boots off and what cam chugging through the swing bridge from the junction, a tug pushing a flat full of ballast. We were away before he was ready to pull in and made our way just past bridge 90 to moor for the night in Fradley Village.

Today’s Journey

8¾ miles with 3 locks in 4 hours

Rugeley

When we set off this morning it was quite cloudy, but no sign of any rain.

One of the narrow gardens between the canal and the railway line has some great kids toys including a zip wire.

The canal was quite busy and we often met boats. We had been warned about a fallen tree but it was much further on that the estimate give, about mid way between Bridges 103 and 104, room to pass but I have reported it to CRT.

Soon we were at Gt Hayward Junction, I came out turning right onto the Trent and Mersey canal, but then reversed up to the water point, luckily a boat was just leaving. The plumbing at the point is interesting to say the least and great care is needed not to break anything while attaching the hose. Pity the plumbers cand fit taps like they had originally. Note the handle is behind the valve and it’s leaking.

As we made our way to Colwich Lock before passing all the moored boats on the bend that seemed to have been there for months we passed this giant Gunnera plant, I am sure it gets bigger every year.

Down at Colwich Lock we were the only boat heading down, but we met 5 coming up, so no gates to open or close. Down to Wolseley Bridge and they look to be ripping the surface out with the bridge still open to traffic.

The other side of the bridge is a very smart interpretation board, I hope CRT didn’t pay for it.

Wharf Cottage which is on the off side between bridges 68 and 69 looks as if its having some major work carried out with heaps of soil in the adjoining field, I am surprised they have had a bonfire in a field of tinder dry grass.

As we came into Rugeley we passed Naomi's Landing with Dancing Sheep moored out the front, we have plaid leapfrog with here several times last week but never saw the crew. Good to see they are supporting “Fund British Waterways” if you haven’t already done so please sign the petition . Petition · Fund Britain's Waterways - United Kingdom · Change.org

I have no idea why this milepost has been painted gold, but it looks quite nice. From here it wasn’t far to where we planed to moor if there was a space, I don’t think I have ever seen so many boats moored here, but we were in luck and moored on the 2 day moorings just before bridge 66. Handy for Tesco.

Today’s Journey    9 miles with 3 locks in 4¼ hours

Baswich

We were away a little before ten to overcast morning, there were a few spots of wet on the roof but the towpath was dry. we had reasonable luck with all the locks, ether a boat coming up, out, or arriving below at the right time. In the course of the day we had about 5 showers,but I doubt the total time it rained was less than 5 minutes. We did however pass this nice cruiser on the way.

At first I thought this may be the next Clacton MP, but on reflection he was probably with the Wizard of Oz.

I can’t remember the lock number, probably Longford, but I spotted this notice on the gate beside the towpath, squinting at it I though it a Planning Notice so photographed it to read later.

We passed a couple of Christmas Trees on the off side at Acton Trussell, the first was very dead and brown, shame because it was a nice shaped tree, but this one is full of cones.

This towpath side bungalow is still for sale and has been for a long time.

I do wonder if CRT gave permission to extend the offside land out into the canal.

We carried on steadily meeting boats until we moored just beyond the route of the Stafford River Link

 

Today’s Journey

 

6½ miles with 6 Locks in 3½ hours

Penkridge, Cross Keys

Loads of boats had been passed well before we were out of bed, but it was quiet when we set off, but it wasn’t long before we were meeting boats. A short way before Four Ashes the paint scheme on this large building is quite striking, I am not sure if it breaks it up or makes it more noticeable

There is a nice new towpath surface all the way from bridge 77 to Gailey Lock. it looks finished but there are still barriers at the ends. The Gailey Canoe Club find it useful when coaching their spring canoeists .

There are also notices saying that mooring is suspended, it should be noted that the Gailey Lock Moorings fall within this zone, but its easy to walk round the barrier at the end. The notice does state that the work will be complete in June

There were three Volockies on a Gailey lock so as you can imagine things were slow, not helped by the fact they were only drawing the bottom gate paddles 50% until the lock was almost empty. Once clear of that we had a good run meeting boats. You can expect a stoppage soon at bridge 81 as something has damaged it badly.

 

We didn’t linger under it I can assure you. Also one or two of the lock down here need major work on gates. beams and cills.
Right opposite Otherton Boat Haven there is a new coffee shop opened in what looks like someone's back garden.

We had received reports that Penkridge was quite busy wo when we saw a couple of rings free outside the Cross Keys pub we pulled in.

Today’s Journey

 

7½ miles with 5 locks in 4½ hours