Helmsman's delight.

It was a nice quiet night so we slept well and it was quite cool in the morning. However we were off before 1000. It wasn't long before we were at Galscote locks at Tamworth and soon down the two locks there. It was a lovely morning and a pleasure to be on the cut. There were a few boats moving to wave to and generally a joy to be at the helm.

We were soon approaching Fazeley Junction and crossing the River Tame Aqueduct.

The buildings at Fazeley Junction have finally got restarted and they are breaking up the plain brick facade with a bit of timber facing. We stopped to take water as it was free. The sun was warming the day up nicely.

The Coventry Canal from Fazeley to Fradley was actually completed jointly by the Birmingham and Fazeley and the Trent and Mersey Canal Companies as they got fed up of waiting for the Coventry Canal Company to connect them up. The B and F started at Fazeley and the T&M at Fradley and they met at Wittington and this is why the bridges have names from Fazeley to Wittington as per normal B&F canal nomenclature and bridge numbers from Wittington to Fradley.

I used to live close to this area and the TV mast at Hints was for ITV and the one a little further down the ridge at Four Oaks was for BBC. I'm not sure whether it is still the same, but the country side looks great in the sun.

The trip through Hopwas wood is almost idyllic and in a week or two it will be stunning with the different autumn colours. 

I hope that I am still boating when the connection bewteen Huddlesford Junction and Ogley Junction on the Wyrley and Essington Canal is re-established. The Junction house is now used by the Lichfield Cruising Club and is a beautiful building. I love the windows.

On this trip I have decided that the Coventry Canal is one of my favourite canals. The canal is a good challenge to a helmsman with plenty of bends and narrows, and not a motorway cut like the Shropshire. It passes some individual towns and villages and has plenty of moorings out into the countryside. The pounds are long and the Atherstone flight is also a delight with easy locks and a mix of rural and urban, even in the rain like yesterday. The countryside is breathtaking at any time of the year and in total makes a great way of getting from Hawkesbury to Fradley.

This house near Fradley looks as though it would be a lovely spot to live.

After sun all day the dark clouds were gathering as we neared Fradley but we were moored up before the swing bridge before it came down. It seems that next Monday the swing bridge is going to get a locking device on it so remember your key next time you pass this way.

Fradley Junction and The Swan at dusk. I think the last time I went in the pub must have been 35 years ago. We have never stopped here when on the canals for various reasons. So, tonight we decided to go for a drink early. It maybe heretical but to be honest the 'Mucky Duck' was a big disappointment. It was non too clean, or tidy and looked a bit tatty. We didn't eat so couldn't comment on that but the beer was at its best in my opinion. All in all it seems to be a pub that lives on its location and reputation but is actually no where near one of my pubs to visit.