With all tasks complete, except filling with diesel (I have nearly 3/4 of a tank, about 150 litres so that should be enough for both propulsion and heating) we set of on the last leg of our journey.
Our plan for today, Monday, was around six miles, to Fradley Junction, then on to the Coventry Canal where we were planning to stop at Huddlesford to visit The Plough Inn. The mooring we used was a little close to the main West Coast Line but far more importantly it was directly outside the pub.
We were on our way quite early Tuesday the plan being to stop a little before Fazeley Junction and visit Ventura Retail Park in Tamworth however both Bev and Sue decided that further retail therapy so we carried on through the Glascote locks and stopped just beyond outside the Old Anchor, sadly no longer a pub now a Co-Op store.
Wednesday we again started early. In front of us was the crux of the journey home – the Atherston Lock Flight. Eleven locks raising the canal a full 80 feet (24.4 metres), We had not decided quite where to stop, we talked about going right to the top but as this would have necessitated a long day so the days destination was left as perhaps at the top of the locks or perhaps half way. We would see how we felt as the day went on and stop when we had had enough. By the time we arrived at the services station around a half mile from the bottom lock we all decided we had had enough and moored up for the night.
Thursday morning was again indecision time.Shall we go the the moorings between Atherstone locks 5 & 6 or shall we go through all eleven to top lock No 1? When we got above lock 5 we decided to carry on to the top. We arrived at the top just under 3 hours after dropping out overnight mooring, a good time for two boats to get through 11 locks. We had hoped to moor at the public moorings above the top lock, there would have been plenty of space if the few boats there had moored closer together there would have been more than enough space for both of us we continued for around a mile to where we found a remote stretch of mooring with fabulous views.
The plan for Tuesday was to go almost to Fazeley Junction moor and do some shopping at Ventura Park shopping village but even Bev and Sue are completely shopped out so we carried on till we reached the first reason we had been forced to stop at Kings Bromley W&M, the Glascote Locks, this fight of two locks raised us 13′ – 8″. We moored a little beyond the locks outside a Co-Op store and despite both saying they didn’t really need anything Bev and Sue both filled baskets with various goodies.
Before going to our respective boats for a snoozy afternoon we discussed the next day’s cruise and decided that we would go on to Atherstone the next day and go through all eleven locks a total rise of 80 ‘ – 0″. Just a short while after Sue and I were discussing the wisdom, or lack thereof, of such a monster plan when David called to say they had decided it was too ambitious and at most we should go 1/2 way up the flight.
When Wednesday arrived we set off having agreed that we would not set a target destination for the day but would see how we felt as the day progressed. When we got to the Atherston Bottom Lock visitor moorings we all agreed we had had enough and would stop for the night then tackle all 11 locks next morning – we will see if that happens!!
We were on our was to lock11 just before 10.00 am the next morning having agreed that we would ascend lock 11 through to lock 6 then decide if we would go on or moor for the night.
We carried on.
We had gone very quickly through all eleven locks rising a total of 80 feet. We had hoped to moor directly above the locks but although there were few boats on the 2 day moorings but they were taking up so much space we could not get between them. Although frustrating this worked in our favour as about a mile further on we moored on a totally deserted section of towpath, no houses, no boats just peace and quiet.
Not far to go on Friday, we had booked a table at Ego at the Cedar Tree in Nuneaton so we have just 5 miles to where we hoped we would be able to moor as it was nearest the restaurant, around a 10/15 minute walk. We were amazed when we arrived at our preferred mooring place empty but for one tiny boat – great result.
We were up bright and early Friday morning and while we were slowly getting ready for a start between 10 am and 10:30 am start David came and told us that the latest weather forecast had changed from a pleasantly sunny and light wind day to a day that would see the wind building to gusts of force 5/6 by mid-day with rain starting early afternoon. We wanted to go back on our mooring and get settled before the rain got settled for the day and Dave certainly wanted to get into the marina and onto his mooring before the wind increased to a level that made manoeuvring in a tight marina difficult or impossible so both boat crews completed getting ready in double quick time and we were on our way by 9.30 am. It was a pleasant uneventful 8 miles till we tied up back on our Trinity Waterside and Marina mooring.
The map above shows the complete cruise which lasted 83 days, covering 212 miles on eleven different canals, 36 meals and many more real ale pints out. We have already started planning next years cruise and plan to start in March