Friday 23rd November 2018



I had become curious over the Stratford-on-Avon District sign and also the number of references to Nelson in this area. There is a Nelson Street in Stockton, a Nelson Club and a Nelson Wharf at the Willow Wren Training Centre whose logo is a cockerel.

It turns out that the canal marks the division between Rugby District and Stratford District of Warwickshire County Council. As the crow flies we are just 15 miles from Stratford and 31 miles by canal. The Grand Union heads west and then turns north where there is a junction with the Stratford Canal which goes south to the town.

The connection with “Nelson” was interesting. Occasionally on the canal there will be an indication of its past if you know what to look for. At Nelson Wharf there are traces of old walls and scrubland alongside the canal. It transpires that this was the site of Nelson’s Cement Works, with a cockerel as their logo. The site was huge, I found this aerial view from the 1930’s. Eventually Nelson’s sold out to the Rugby Cement Co. and the works were demolished in the 1950’s by Army engineers using explosives as part of their training. 






Today the site is Nelson’s Wharf Marina and Training Centre after the works’ canal arm was excavated.

We left the mooring early. It was a cold day with a mist that never really lifted and actually became lower from midday onwards. We had a slow cruise, retracing our steps passed the big marinas and a succession of permanently moored boats.

Arriving at Calcutt Locks, the canal was very quiet with just the one boat moving. Brenda enjoyed the locking with them being much easier than the double locks encountered so far. At Napton Junction we turned for Braunston and after just three miles we moored again at Flecknoe. It had been a damp, dismal day but we enjoyed the peacefulness.

Once moored Brenda did housework. I did some more painting on the poles and cooked dinner for a change. In the evening we had a surprise when Dave Kelly phoned. We had been trying to contact Dave for some time as we had lost touch. He remarried last year and he and Gill have their first anniversary tomorrow. Our best wishes to you both.



Weather: damp and dismal. Misty all day.



Day Total: 3 locks; 6 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 2.8                                                                                    

Overall Total: 319 locks; 577 miles; 25 tunnels; 4 Swing Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 354.3


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