Wednesday 6th March 2019
We decided to leave Tamworth and try to reach Fradley Junction if the
rain would hold off, picking out anywhere we wanted to moor or visit on our
return.
We left the mooring and went the ½ mile up the canal to the
first winding hole. Winding was made difficult due to overhanging bushes and a
boat moored in the winding hole itself. A Boaters Christian Fellowship boat no
less.
Having turned we called into the water point above Glascote Locks and
filled up before going down the two locks. The locks were not kind to us. The
top lock gate would not fully open and we lost another fender that caught on
the gate, then scratched the rubbing strake. Glascote Locks are notorious for
filling slowly. Hence this poem mounted at the bottom lock:
Once through the locks we again passed Kettlebrook Wharf and crossed
over the River Tame Aqueduct. The river was running notably faster than
yesterday after the rain overnight.
We then went
through Fazeley Junction heading towards Fradley some 11 miles away. At the
junction we pass from the Coventry Canal to the Birmingham and Fazeley due to
an historic anomaly. Initially, the Coventry Canal was planned to run from
Coventry to Fradley but it was not until 1790 that the canal reached
Fazeley, nearly 12 miles short of its intended terminus. Meantime, the
Birmingham and Fazeley Canal had been built, joining the Coventry at Fazeley.
The Birmingham and Fazeley Company then extended along the Coventry’s original
proposed line to Whittington where they joined the section built by the Trent
and Mersey, carrying the canal north to Fradley. The Coventry Canal Company
later bought the section built by the Trent and Mersey but the Birmingham and
Fazeley held onto their section, hence the Coventry Canal having a detached
portion from Fazeley to Whittington, a distance of some 5 miles. It was evident
in the method of identifying the bridges. Bridges on the Coventry are numbered
while on the Birmingham and Fazeley are named.
At the village of Hopwas, a pretty looking place, the River Tame
joined the canal after following a different course around Tamworth. Beyond
Hopwas is a delightful wooded stretch that covers the side of a hill, Hopwas
Hays Wood. However, these contain the MOD Whittington Firing Ranges and there
were many signs forbidding entry.
The rain had been on and off throughout the day but, at Whittington,
it became heavy and showed no signs of stopping. Pushing on we reached
Huddlesford, 4½ miles short of Fradley, and decided to stop, mooring just
after Huddlesford Junction.
Huddlesford is the junction between the Coventry Canal and the
Lichfield Canal, presently being restored but includes the well-known aqueduct
that crosses the M6 Toll Motorway but, at present, does not connect with
anything.
We were cold after mooring so sat to a cup of coffee and a banana cake
Brenda had baked earlier in the day.
We called into the Plough for a few before returning to the boat and a
lovely Fish Pie.
We had travelled down the Coventry Canal about 10 or 12 years ago.
Interestingly, we were looking at the photographs of this trip earlier this
evening and found that we have moored in exactly the same spot as one of the
nights on that trip, although facing in the opposite direction. There is a
photograph taken from the boat looking towards the railway line and the view,
including the orientation, is exactly the same.
Weather: overcast and drizzly, rain becoming heavier as the day
progressed.
Day Total: 2 locks; 8 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Boat Lift;
engine running hours 4.2
Overall Total: 348 locks; 755 miles; 32 tunnels; 7 Swing Bridges; 2
Boat Lifts; engine running hours 478.0
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