It rained a little in the night but was dry when it was time to wake up, there was even a bit of sun, and plenty of boats had passed, both ways before we got going.
Under the turn over bridge, No.18 and you come to the Griff Arm. This went 3/4 mile to Griff Hollow and a terminal basin near Bermuda. It was opened in 1787 to give access to several mines in the area.
The coal from about 5 collieries was brought to the wharf by tram roads. You can see the Griff Colliery and pump wrks in the bottom left corner with the tramway to the basin. The tramway that leads off to the top right corner went to further mines and the Griff Blue Brick and Lime Works. It can also be seen that the basin must have been a hive of industry as there were many lime kilns there too. The arm staid working until 1961 and navigation was loct in 1973 when a road was built. However the bridge is high enough and there is talk of reopening the arm for passage.
There seems to be a growing trend around the network where folk decorate their gardens with manikins etc facing the canal. I suppose the first I remember is Charity Dock, not too far away. They do bring a smile don't they.
This was an old wharf and the road next to it has the interesting name of Black a Tree road, with Wash Lane bridge just behind me. There was another wharf that side of the bridge too. Where the flats are were at one time some lime kilns.
Just past Judkin's Quarry and we are back at the telegraph pole. The darkening skies set off the sun lit green trees ahead.
We stopped at Harsthill Wharf and topped up with water. I loved these lovely roofs and chimney just by the house on the bridge. We didn't go much further, just through Bridge 32 and moored just past there.
After lunch we went for a walk into Hartshill via the path over Bridge 23. Carry on up the road, past the green and when the houses end on the right there are steps down to a path to Hartshill Castle. It was built in 1125 as a motte and bailey castle. The owner died at the Battle of Evesham alongside Simon de Montford in 1265 and the castle fell into disuse. It was refurbished in 1330 ans in Tudor times a timber framed manor house was built into the corner of the walls. It is thought that around the Battle of Bosworth Henry VII stayed here. The castle is in private hands and is on the at risk register. Access to the site is not possible and views are fleeting.
Some of the walls are still intact and there is evidence of a very deep ditch or moat on three sides.
We were then in Hartshill Hayes Country Park. This is a large wood with many trails, but there are no sign posts or markers to guide you. The best plan is to head NE and up hill all the time, until you come out at the edge of the wood, on a road or a track, and then you know where you are. The trees are very calming and there are plenty of squirrels about. In the spring the woods must be stacked full of bluebells and they must be a fantastic display.
We came across this seat in the middle of the wood. It has all the local parishes on it.
We came out at the road with houses and continued up hill past the car park and toilets and then past the covered reservoir near the top.
At a shrap bend in the road you pass through onto a track again and are greeted with this view. It is said you can see four counties on a good day. There is a community wood just down the will. Hartshill Hayes Wood is to the left and the smaller St Lawrence's Wood is down to the left, and we went that way.
On the hill in the distance to the left is Hartshill Hayes Wood, and closer is St. Lawrence's Wood. On the top of the near hill is Oldbury Camp. This is late Bronze Age early Iron age (8th to the 5th Century BC) and is classed as a univallate hill fort, meaning thsat it onoy has one ditch round it. There are only 150 in the country and only this one in Warwickshire. Unfortunately access is not possible.
On the way down to the canal you get a view towards Atherstone.
You get a good view of the new Rothern's Mancetter Marina and the Anker Valley.
On an old wharf by Bridge 36 the daisies are doing well. The steel footpath bridge by the brick and stone bridge was actually built for the tramway that took the stone from the nearby quarry down to the main railway line.
It is then a towpath walk back to the boat. We are moored with a very low tow path and is ideal for washing and polishing the st'bd side. I set to and finished it just as it started to spot with rain. Again it looks better for doing, but I will sleep well tonight. Only the bow and stern to do now, and lots of paintwork to fettle next.
I would just like to give a big shout out to all those that work at sea. They work regardless of weather, politics, pandemics etc etc and never get given a second thought unless they thoughtlessly loose their containers, or sink loosing their lives and thoughtlessly polluting a beach. They bring 98% of everything to this country, and the seamen of the world deserve your thoughts for at least today, International Seafarer Day.
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