Change of canal, change of weather.

Last night wasn’t nearly as cold as of late. Still a bit of a frost, though. I manfully resisted the temptation of visiting the Chinese Takeaway in the village (it probably wouldn’t have been open anyway).

Meg and I had a mooch around the old part of the village this morning, before setting off following a loop of the river.

Lychgate, All Saints Church

Village Green (I think)
Alrewas Weir

After a trip to the Co-op for bread and milk, we were off for around 11:15. Just around the corner is Bagnall Lock, thoughtfully left open for us by a crew going in the opposite direction.
I got chatting to a chap on the lockside, who helped with the gates.

Mags reckons I sometimes do too much “social networking”, but as Bob Hoskins once said, “It’s good to talk…”.

Chatting

A couple of miles and four more locks took us to Fradley Junction, where we took advantage of the facilities, then turned left onto the Coventry Canal.

Fradley Junction
On the Coventry
Huddlesford was the site of a stoppage last year while Network Rail constructed a new bridge for the West Coast Main Line. It’s now all finished, and a good job they’ve made of it.

Huddlesford railway bridge

There’re mooring rings all along the towpath under the bridge. Probably a bit noisy for an overnight-er, but handy for lunch at the Plough.





Huddlesford Junction is where the Wyrley and Essington (or Lichfield) Canal branches off, heading SW to Ogley Junction on the Birmingham Canal Navigations. Alas, all but the first ½mile or so, used as moorings, was officially closed in 1954, but work is progressing to re-open it.


We moored for the evening a little further on at 15:00. It’s been another dry day, but today we had clearer skies and sunny spells. We’re paying for it this evening though, as the temperature dropped sharply.

Locks 5, miles 6½