Tea-cosies in Alrewas

Tuesday 21^st July; Branston Water Park to Wood End lock

Jess needed to go out again in the middle of the night, so after two disturbed nights it’s not surprising we weren’t ready for an early start this morning. 

Good short grass for a dog with a dodgy tummy

It was already warm at 9.15 as we made ready, and then loitered while another boat on the moorings set off ahead of us.  Tatenhill lock wasn’t far and was fairly speedily dealt with,

Hadley, in the British Waterways livery, has been moored here for years

These locks were well-spaced, and with a light breeze and occasional shade on the water the cruising was delightful.  The towpath was well-shaded so Dave took the opportunity to give Jess a good walk.  The noisy stretch where Ryknild Street, the Roman road now carrying the A38 runs alongside the canal, wasn’t that long, but since we were last here the vegetation has grown up a bit and the lorry drivers weren’t waving today.  At Wychnor lock the road veers away and we joined the river section to Alrewas.

At Cow Bridge someone from the long-term moorings was repairing a plank on the deck.

Once through the slightly awkward bridgehole we enjoyed this delightful stretch of river, with its long weir and raised towpath section.

Completely unconcerned

Walkers in the sunshine

There was plenty of space in Alrewas and we were even able to moor in shade.  We needed some shopping and wanted to get something nice for lunch so we went straight up to the village, first stop the butcher and then the Co-op. 

The yarn-bombers have been out in force

Tea-cosies

I think there was a bakery nearer the bridge last time we were here but I don’t really remember.  There are coffee tables down the side which were busy – it was nearly lunchtime so not really surprising.  It would have been rude not to at least buy some cake, so I did.

On the house wall by the bridge.  True, of course.

We had lunch and decided to move on, although we were very tempted to stay put.  We had been a bit careless with our calculations of how long this trip would take, and we don’t want to be too rushed at the end as it involves a car shuffle.  We also have a very busy couple of weeks when we get back (one reason why this blog is so late!).  We decided to move on at least to Fradley Junction and see what the mooring situation was.  Bagnall lock was the first of the afternoon.  The lock beams on the bottom gates were a bit short and very difficult to move – I needed Dave to help me close the towpath side one.

Bagnall lock in the baking heat

Some of the gates today were metal rather than wood and were all very heavy to move, more so than the double locks at the bottom of the T&M, or maybe it was the heat getting to me.  At Fradley the moorings were in full sun and with the road to the pub running close by it would have been impractical to stop there even if there had been no git gaps.  There was work planned on the towpath round the junction past the swing bridge and the mooring had been suspended, so we couldn’t go round there.  We hoped the armco above Shadehouse lock would have space so we could go down to the Swan for a beer, but no, it was rammed.  On we went, thankful the temperature had dropped a bit as the sky had clouded over and we were cruising through woods too.  Then as we approached Wood End lock, Dave spotted a new-looking stretch of armco before the lock mooring, or maybe the vegetation had been cleared since we were last this way.  Anyway it was perfect.

Room for another boat too before the lock mooring bollards

.We were all settled by 4.30, but boats heading for Fradley junction continued passing till quite late.  We wondered where on earth they would all moor.

11 locks, 7½ miles, a heavy day in the heat