Up The Atherstone Locks and port side pride.

 The sun was shining when I cracked my eyes open, and it turned out to be a rarely sighted orb, but a pleasant day none the less.

Several boats passed starting from about 0630. I suppose they were making up for a wash out day yesterday. We headed off just before 1000. I like this stretch of canal as the waterway gently meanders by the railway and the Pendelinos whizzing past. At this point they are high on an embankment, but close. The lovely trees also help to filter the noise.

After that was a nice open field full of poppies, that always perk me up, despite their morbid associations.

Grendon Dock had the Star Class 'Auriga' and I assume its butty in the dry dock. She was built in 1935 at Harland and Wolff for the Grand Union Carrying Co. and works as a coal boat still. The weather vane is atop the covered dock.

I'm sure somebody will be able to tell me which boat this is just down from Grendon Dock. It reminds me of that C&RT barge that was towed about full of trees as an 'art installation'.

I think the bottom Atherstone Lock was the only one we had to empty all the way up. There were plenty of boats coming down so leaving gates open and driving straight speeds things up.

On the hill to the NE of Atherstone stand Mereval Hall. It was the site of an Abbey of the same name. It has been in the Stratford family since 1649 and is still in their private hands , along with nearby Blyth Hall. The old hall was rebuilt in 1840 and the central square tower along with small corner towers with cupolas.

In the pound between Locks 9 and 10 is this old milestone. I assume the 9 miles is to Fazeley Junction and the 18 to Coventry Basin.

By Lock 7 is Baddesley Wharf that was a coal loading basin from a colliery nearby of the same name.

I have always been intrigued as to why there is an island in the basin. This map of 1901 show it more clearly. It is not served by a rail track so can only be a lay by wharf. I suppose it increases the number/length of quay space for boats to moor up to but it seems a funny shape and position to me.

I was surprised to see Capt. Ahab aka Andy Tidy and the Jam butty pointing towards the lock as I has assumed that they would be heading to Coventry Basin, but there is a winding hole at the top of Atherstone locks. Seemed to be doing a roaring trade anyway.

By Bridge 35 little Mancetter Marina has opened. I always loved the little view up the valley here. It is a nice setting for a few boats.

This was an old roadstone loading wharf. Under the bramble and rose on the left is a brick wall and there was a tramway that brought the product from the quarry to the south east.

Hartshill Yard is always a nice looking setting with the drydock, housing and the mano-o-matic crane too. We pulled over for water, but there was no way to get to the rubbish without being a bit creative. I assume there are still rubbish disposal available here, there was a big skip but whether that is for boater I don't know. When we had topped up and ready to set off the engine wouldn't start. Luckily I remembered this happening a few years ago and it is the isolating switch for the starter battery. I managed to get it going but we will have to have my fingers crossed for the next few days.

As we wound round the old quarry sites the trees hide the industrial past and now make a very pleasant run of canal. We passed the Anchor in and through Bridge 28, past the winding hole and moored up with a view all round.

I bit the bullet and set to washing the port side and then polishing it. It looks loads better, obviously, but will all need doing again to get it looking something like. I'm going to have to moor port side to everywhere now, at least until I get the other side done too!