Mike Stevens' UK Inland Waterways Pages

TRIP REPORTS : THE YEARS BETWEEN BOATS

KENT GREEN & THE LEICESTER RING

August 1986

Part 3 : Coventry to Hoo Mill

We made a mildly interesting weed-hatch check before starting at 06:55. We went past Hawkesbury junction to Marston junction and joined the Ashby de la Zouch Canal. This cut was still very attractive, but the first part had succumbed to bungaloid growths with some quite astonishing gnome sanctuaries. The water point at the Limekilns Inn seemed to have gone. From Stoke Golding field moorings we walked into the village. The Three Horseshoes and the George & Dragon were now both very commercialised We had a drink in the latter before going back for lunch on board.

The afternoon's weather was better than forecast, and we reached Snarestone cut end at 18:35. It was another pretty mooring. Wendy walked part of the dry section, but turned back after a while because of the noise of model aircraft. Harvesting was going on in the field next to the towpath until dusk. After dinner we played Scrabble & Wendy won.

Battle memorial

Memorial to Richard III

The day made a sunny start, turning cool after a while. We made an 06:18 start and took on water at Bosworth wharf before going on to Shenton to stop at the battlefield moorings We walked round the battlefield site - well laid out, informative and with good paths. There were some white roses at the foot of the memorial stone to Richard III (one of my heroes). We stopped again at Stoke Golding field moorings and this time had lunch at the Three Horseshoes. As hoped, it hadn't gone too far up-market.

On re-starting, the engine had an odd squeak. By the time we reached Marston junction we were in persistent rain. Wendy's sleeping bag was leaked onto. We moored at Boot wharf, Nuneaton, at 18:38. A boat called Volunteer moored just in front of us. It had an Alsatian and an Irish Setter on board, and as soon as they'd moored the latter dashed off into the long wet grass. After dinner we played Scrabble. Ian won: was this an omen for better weather?

	Atherstone

The omen worked! Peter fancied an early start, but restrained himself in order to be gentlemanly during Wendy's shower. We actually set off at 06:12 and stopped past Mancetter bridge for breakfast. Wendy timed the cooking badly, which meant a longer stop than otherwise necessary. But it was a pleasant mooring with meadow-sweet, ponies and sheep. Soon we found Atherstone locks well-kept and attractive. We found a milkman at the top. Below lock 5 Peter left to catch a train home. We found good shopping here (including a market) and had a very good pub lunch at the King's Head, (which King? The sign could have been Edward III) but beware of their 'dry' sherry unless you've a very sweet tooth. The interior décor is devoted to railway enthusiasts.

In the afternoon we had a slow run behind a pair of 'mission' boats, towing on a short strap and not doing it very well, so that the butty couldn't escape any problems caused by the motor. They were aground quite often. This is a pretty stretch of canal, including the built-up bits which make a feature of the waterside and often have attractive gardens and dogs. Some youths threw stones just below Glascote, but they didn't deter us from our planned mooring immediately past Tamworth aqueduct, where we arrived at 19:15. We ate barbecued trout with wild mint salad (the mint picked from the towpath). My barbecue preparations made some passing boaters think we were on fire.

We had a lie-in and a late start at 08:14. At Fazeley junction ( where we joined the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal section of the Coventry line) we took on water at Fazeley BW yard.

There is a very pretty stretch from Fazeley to Fradley and beyond. Blackberries were in very varying stages of development, from buds to ripe fruit on the same bush. Honeysuckle twined into some of the bushes.

At Whittington Brook we were back on the waters of the Coventry Canal proper, as far as Fradley junction, where we turned north on the Trent & Mersey Canal. At 18:36 we moored past Hoo Mill lock, tired, and a bit depressed by next day's weather forecast. We hoped to get through Harecastle tunnel next day, which would mean getting there well before 18:00, which would be difficult. I barbecued again.