Calcutt to Fradley (TBC) and return - Aug/Sep 2017

[Lily Rose]

 

For the first time, I thought I'd jot down a few brief notes during our current two and a half week trip. Nothing much, just a few things that occurred to me as we went along. I'm certainly not going to try and compete with the splendid "Our New Adventure" cruise diaries written by Debs recently!

Day 1, Wednesday 23/8/17, Calcutt to Hillmorton

• Left the marina mid-morning, the day after we planned to set off. 
• Shortly after ascending Calcutt locks, I spotted Dr Bob turning to enter his marina after a trip up the Ashby. We both waved and said hello.
• I was amazed at how few boats were moored between Napton and Braunston. In particular between bridge 101 and 100 where there was just one boat. Last time we moored there, in May, there was a long line of moored boats and loads more cruising past. Where have all the boats gone?
• Saw a sunken burnt-out boat just after the first bridge coming north out of Braunston. I assumed it must have been a wooden top but closer inspection suggested it was aluminium. Presumably that burns in an intense fire?
• Went past the new Dunchurch Pools marina. Couldn't see any "No Turning" signs despite being told by another boater recently that they had been put up. Looks like a good option for turning on the North Oxford as it's a very large entrance. There still seems to be noisy work going on there but also plenty of boats now. Work is still going on with the towpath bridge over the entrance so the towpath is still diverted to the other side of the canal.

Day 2, Thursday 24/8/17, Hillmorton to Ansty (almost)

• Descended Hillmorton locks mid-morning, a few boats going through but not especially busy. Brownsover, on the other hand, was choc-full of moored boats. Just as well I didn't want to moor (this time) as there was no space other than the water point.
• This was my first time through Rugby since they finished the towpath work beyond the bridge and the Bell and Barge pub. I'm sure I read on here that there would be improved visitor moorings here so I was disappointed to see "No Mooring" signs all the way along. What´s that all about? No wonder Brownsover was full, don't they want boaters to stop and spend money in Rugby?
• I haven't seen a fuel boat for ages but today I saw three in the space of 30 minutes between Lime Farm Marina and Brinklow Marina. 

1. The first one said, I think, Star Carrying, on the side and was delivering to boaters along that stretch. 
2. Shortly behind him was another one, also heading north, on his way to some event apparently. Perhaps Shackerstone or Alvecote Festival?
3. Then, heading south, along came Ryan Dimmock. Not sure why he was there as we usually see, and buy from, him between Napton and Braunston.

 

• I couldn't be be bothered to continue on to boater-unfriendly Ansty and risk finding nowhere to moor after 4pm so we stopped for the night near Hopsford Aqueduct. It's a good place to moor if you like to watch trains going by. And hear them. Loudly.

 

To Be Continued (maybe)

[Lily Rose]

Day 3, Through Ansty, Sutton Stop and Nuneaton to Hartshill (5.7 hours)

• Lovely weather so we cruised for nearly 6 hours today, compared to my more usual 2 or 3 hours.
• We've now done 16.3 hours in 3 days from below Calcutt locks to Hartshill. 7 locks. No pubs. (The fridge is still full of food that will soon need using, the beer cupboard is still full of beer.)
• Saw another forumite's boat, Tagula Blue, moored up. Not saying where exactly to protect privacy.
• Plenty of space for mooring at Hawkesbury Junction, both before and after the lock. Especially after it (on the Coventry Canal).
• This was the first time onto the Coventry canal since we went up the Ashby at Easter 2016. I'd forgotten how nice it was from HJ to Nuneaton. I'd also forgotten how much armco there was, no wonder there are so few mooring options along the north Oxford, all the armco is on the Coventry!
• Also tons of armco all the way through Nuneaton but almost no boats moored on the towpath side. I'd heard it was best not to moor overnight there but hadn't expected so few moored boats. Can it really be that bad?
• Saw very little rubbish in the water in Nuneaton, almost none in fact until all the floating bottles as we were leaving, but did see one boater between Marston Junction and Sutton Stop (boat moored and pointed towards Sutton Stop) with his weedhatch open and complaining it was "full of rubbish". Don't know where he collected it though.
• Other than the usual graffiti, Nuneaton didn't seem too bad. Local yoof were present near/under a few bridges but didn't see to be causing any problems.
• Very pleasant stretch from Nuneaton to Hartshill so we stopped for the night just after Hartsill Yard.
• Tomorrow morning we will get to Atherstone top lock. From that point on it will be completely new territory for us.
• I believe there is a convenient Aldi at Atherstone but I'm not sure of the best place to moor to access it. 

 

More to follow tomorrow. (Maybe. If anyone is interested.)

Edited August 25, 2017 by Lily Rose
Minor amendments

[Karen Lea Rainey]

You should make atherstone top lock within an hour or so from hartshill wharf, there are 5 locks all in the town centre and generally there are excellent volunteer lock keepers on that will help you get through them smoothly and quickly. Moor after the bottom lock no 5 and walk a few hundred yards back into town to both the aldi and an excellent co op superstore which incidentally do fab breakfasts from 7am (with fried bread). Then onwards to polesworth and Tamworth. At Alvecote you can see all the historic boats and  canal traders who are all gathering there this weekend so that will be busy.

Enjoy it, this is one of the nicest stretches of the Coventry canal.

[Lily Rose]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for the mooring advice re Aldi.

I´m very much looking forward to the next few days as new territory is always a bit more of an adventure.

I had planned a return visit to the Ashby but postponed it until Easter due to the Shackerstone festival but only because part of the attraction of the Ashby, for me, is how quiet it is relative to my usual cruising area. I suspect that won't be the case over the next couple of weeks.

Sean

 

[matty40s]

Quick warning, bottom lock number 5 at atherstone doesn't exist. 

Atherstone is a flight of 11 locks.

Aldi is walking distance between locks 5 and 6.

[Lily Rose]

16 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Quick warning, bottom lock number 5 at atherstone doesn't exist. 

Atherstone is a flight of 11 locks.

Aldi is walking distance between locks 5 and 6.

From the Nicholson guide it looked to me like a flight of 11 locks broadly divided into a set of 5 close together followed by 3 sets of 2 spread out a bit more. I assumed the last of the set of five was the lock being referred to even though it´s not actually the bottom lock of the flight.

 

[Karen Lea Rainey]

Yep , thats right just moor after the fifth lock, there are always other boats there aswell, living close by i count 5 locks in the town centre, just before Baddesley wharf and the next 2 locks which are about 1/2 a mile further on,

[Lily Rose]

Day 4, Hartshill to Polesworth, 5.0 hours, 21.3 cumul.

• Not a lot to say about today really as we spent much of the 5 hours going through Atherstone´s 11 locks.
• I did think they were a pleasure to use though, and quite picturesque. They also had several long pounds suitable for overnight mooring for those not wanting to go all the way through on the same day.
• We moored for lunch and shopping just below lock 5. According to my walking app Aldi was approx half a mile from where I moored just after the main road bridge.
• I also spotted a fish and chip shop, Dolphin, in the town centre. Might call in there on the way back. Does anyone know if they are much cop?
• There appeared to be some very nice spots for mooring in the long pounds between locks 5 and 11 and also between lock 11 and Polesworth.
• I don´t know what Polesworth is like yet as we moored just before it. I´ll probably have a walk round it later and/or in the morning.
• My impression of the Coventry canal continues to be that it is very pleasant and has loads of armco for easy mooring in very nice spots and not that many moored boats.
• If only the Oxford canal was this good for mooring. Armco is much less prevalent and is often very busy. Where there's no armco the edge is often shallow and/or overgrown and/or afflicted by sloping stones. Sometimes all three!

 

[Dr Bob]

Sean, some good stuff in these notes. It is very useful to get the info on various places to moor and access to shops etc. If you are in Aldi, try the Gin. Very cheap and as good as some of the more expensive stuff.

Have a good trip.

[matty40s]

14 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

 If you are in Aldi, try the Gin. Very cheap and as good as some of the more expensive stuff

I did that and got kicked out and banned by the manager.

[Karen Lea Rainey]

Just took the dog a walk down Alvecote, if you like historic boats you must stop here, but you would have to moor about 1/2 mile before or 1/2 mile after, there are around 40 or 50 historic boats moored with owners opening there doors and chatting about their boats. Its also place for a good ale and not bad food for dinners.

You are about 2 miles away so its about an hour away from Polesworth, there are also plenty of craft boats and small marquees with associated products for sale.

Its worth a few hours visit in my view.

[Lily Rose]

 

1 hour ago, Dr Bob said:

Sean, some good stuff in these notes. It is very useful to get the info on various places to moor and access to shops etc. If you are in Aldi, try the Gin. Very cheap and as good as some of the more expensive stuff.

Have a good trip.

Thanks Andy, I find it useful reading what people have written about areas I'm going to at some point for those very reasons and that's partly why I thought I'd make some notes at the end of each day while it's still reasonably fresh in my (rubbish) memory.

On the other hand, when I finish at the end of a day's cruising there are usually other things I'd far rather be doing so I'm not spending as long on it as some people appear to do.

We're really enjoying the trip so far with great weather, much better than when we went down to the Thames prior to this trip. I'm glad we chose this route over the Ashby (which we'll probably do next Easter), much as I loved that last year, as I enjoy new areas so much. I just wish we had more time than the 19/20 days we have. Then again, by the time we finish we will have been boating for 8 of the last 9 weeks which is a lot more than most people get to do so I realise how lucky we are.

 

Sean

 

Edited August 26, 2017 by Lily Rose

[Lily Rose]

46 minutes ago, Karen Lea Rainey said:

Just took the dog a walk down Alvecote, if you like historic boats you must stop here, but you would have to moor about 1/2 mile before or 1/2 mile after, there are around 40 or 50 historic boats moored with owners opening there doors and chatting about their boats. Its also place for a good ale and not bad food for dinners.

You are about 2 miles away so its about an hour away from Polesworth, there are also plenty of craft boats and small marquees with associated products for sale.

Its worth a few hours visit in my view.

I probably would stop if the festival was still on while we are on our way back, and we had enough time. I'm sure I would find it worthwhile although canal history is something I only have a passing interest in really.

As it is I want to crack on, as it could be some time before we get to come this way again, to get as far as I can (without doing very long days) before turning round and taking it a bit easier on the way back.

[matty40s]

There are live bands, hog roast and lots of other things going on at the Anchor at Hartshill.  over the bank holiday weekend.

[frahkn]

3 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

I probably would stop if the festival was still on while we are on our way back, and we had enough time. I'm sure I would find it worthwhile although canal history is something I only have a passing interest in really.

As it is I want to crack on, as it could be some time before we get to come this way again, to get as far as I can (without doing very long days) before turning round and taking it a bit easier on the way back.

I don't know how many days you have left but it is an easy day from Polesworth to Hopwas, and another easy day from there to Alrewas (an interesting village where you can wind). Coming back you have alternative stops at (say) Fradley, Whittington, Fazeley, Alvecote etc.

[matty40s]

Best time of day for cruising the Coventry. ....

[Lily Rose]

7 hours ago, frahkn said:

I don't know how many days you have left but it is an easy day from Polesworth to Hopwas, and another easy day from there to Alrewas (an interesting village where you can wind). Coming back you have alternative stops at (say) Fradley, Whittington, Fazeley, Alvecote etc.

Thanks, some very useful suggestions.

We have to be back at our marina in just under 2 weeks (Saturday 9 September) as we must be back home 2 weeks today so that's 14 days left.

I normally like to do about 3 hours a day, to leave plenty of time for odd jobs, walking, the occasional pub, shopping, reading etc etc, but for this trip I have allowed 4 hours per day and have so far averaged just over 5 in order to get a decent distance and allow a more leisurely return if we turn round before we reach half-time.

For reasons I needn't go into I want to go into King's Bromley Marina but have no particular desire to go further in that direction (I would if we had more time) so, based on what you have said, I'm now thinking also of going on to Hopwas in the other direction.

Putting both the marina and Hopwas into canalplan suggests that, from where we are now, the remainder of the trip at 4 hours per day will be about 10.5 days which seems to fit well with my requirements.

From reading the Nicholson guide it sounds like Alrewas is well worth a visit but it appears the only place to turn is the winding hole which is situated just before the village and therefore before the visitor moorings.

Are there any other opportunities to turn (45') in or beyond the village without going too much further?

If not, how about Barton Turns Marina?

Is the stretch from Bagnall winding hole at Alrewas to Barton Turns worth the additional couple of hours (and lock) each way or is there somewhere earlier that I could turn?

 

[frahkn]

2 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

Thanks, some very useful suggestions.

We have to be back at our marina in just under 2 weeks (Saturday 9 September) as we must be back home 2 weeks today so that's 14 days left.

I normally like to do about 3 hours a day, to leave plenty of time for odd jobs, walking, the occasional pub, shopping, reading etc etc, but for this trip I have allowed 4 hours per day and have so far averaged just over 5 in order to get a decent distance and allow a more leisurely return if we turn round before we reach half-time.

For reasons I needn't go into I want to go into King's Bromley Marina but have no particular desire to go further in that direction (I would if we had more time) so, based on what you have said, I'm now thinking also of going on to Hopwas in the other direction.

Putting both the marina and Hopwas into canalplan suggests that, from where we are now, the remainder of the trip at 4 hours per day will be about 10.5 days which seems to fit well with my requirements.

From reading the Nicholson guide it sounds like Alrewas is well worth a visit but it appears the only place to turn is the winding hole which is situated just before the village and therefore before the visitor moorings.

Are there any other opportunities to turn (45') in or beyond the village without going too much further?

If not, how about Barton Turns Marina?

Is the stretch from Bagnall winding hole at Alrewas to Barton Turns worth the additional couple of hours (and lock) each way or is there somewhere earlier that I could turn?

 

1)  There are moorings before the first lock in Alrewas, the winding hole is between the two Alrewas locks.

2)  I wouldn't try to wind on the river i.e. after the second lock unless you are confident - there is however plenty of space to do so.

3)  You can wind just after the next lock once you are back on the canal, you would not need to go to Barton Turns.

[matty40s]

A very colourful Alvecote,,strangely quiet as though some beer was consumed last night.

MoominPapa,  Cheshire Rose and Postcode, along with Tree Monkey for the 2nd time in one morning........

[Lily Rose]

 

Day 6, Polesworth to Whittington, 5.8 hours, cumul. 27.1 hours

• Just before we set off from Polesworth a chap went past swigging from a can of beer at 9.30 AM and asked me if I had a £1 coin. He didn't mention what he wanted it for (the bus home maybe? Surely not more beer though as he had more in a carrier bag) so I politely declined. In any case I only have one such coin and I needed it for a supermarket trolley in Atherstone yesterday and probably will again. The poor chap probably had to walk home. To Tamworth presumably, as several hours later Mrs Lily Rose spotted him walking along the towpath just above, and from the direction of, the locks. He was still swigging from a can of beer. Possibly not the same one.
• What struck me most about the section from Polesworth to Alvecote this morning was how well kept the towpath was. Not like the overgrown inaccessible edges I'm familiar with along much of the Oxford. I'm not sure if I've mentioned the armco before but there was plenty of it along here. I suspect this waterways area used up most of CRT's armco budget and the area the Oxford sits in (South East?) got the crumbs that were left over.
• I didn't intend stopping at the Alvecote festival but I thought I'd take a few photos as we passed through so I alternated between a few seconds looking at the camera screen and a few looking where I was going. As I got about half way through I heard my name shouted from the L/H bank. It was none other than CWDF's very own Ray T so I just had to stop then. Fortunately there was a space right at the beginning of the armco (have I mentioned the armco?) just past the marina/yard entrance on the right so I stopped and walked back to see Ray and also met his pal Mike and Phoebe. Had a natter, had a quick look round and took a few photos before getting underway again after about 75 minutes or so.
• A little while later I passed a boat called Delta Queen moored at the bottom of a garden. I'm not sure why but that boat name seemed to connect with CWDF in my head. Or it may be nothing to do with it.
• I continue to be impressed with the canal(s) in this area: neat and tidy towpath edges, nice scenery, lots of mooring opportunities, not especially shallow as far as I can tell (though I had no problems between Marston Doles and Claydon when levels were low earlier this summer so what do I know?). There also seem to be far less boats and far less overhanging vegetation on the offside compared to what I'm used to.
• I'm starting to think I've based the boat in the wrong place. I loved the Thames a few weeks ago and now I'm loving the west midlands. I don't want to go back to the Napston/Braunston area!
• This afternoon we continued to meet very few boats coming the other way. At least that was the case until just before Hademore. It started as we approached a L/H bend only to be met by an oncoming booze cruise hirer taking a very wide line. I stopped. They stopped. I inched forward on my side. They moved back to their side and then proceeded to try and take the boat into the field. Or so it seemed. They got stuck.
• I then carried on until I got to a straight bit before a bridge where there were boats moored on the right and several points where vegetation on the offsite narrowed the canal too much for boats to pass each other. Naturally this was where we met all the oncoming boats that had been missing earlier. Five of them I think, although I may have lost count. And for a moment I may even have lost the will to live.
• Finally we decided to stop overnight in Whittington after a long stretch of overgrown towpath (typical! It's all been so neat then, when I want to moor, it isn't).
• We eventually found the one spot in a tree lined section that allowed the sun on to my panels so I started to sort out the lines and nappy pins only to realise that we had picked the exact spot where a dog owner had overlooked his pooper scooper responsibilites earlier. The evidence suggested he/she owned quite a large dog.
• We moved on again but decided to keep going a bit further as the railway line was literally the other side of the towpath hedge.
• Finally, just past bridge 80, we found a nice spot and settled down for the night.
• Tomorrow it's onwards and upwards to Fradley (is it still full?) and then to King's Bromley. Or Alrewas. I haven't decided which to do first yet.
• It should be another good day for boating, hopefully, now that summer has finally arrived. Tomorrow afternoon, in particular, is forecast to be scorchio. Unfortunately it's due to plummet from a high of 25 tomorrow to 18 on Tuesday.

 

[matty40s]

I must have been just behind you and passed you at alvecote as same chap asked me for a £1 coin not far from Alvecote ...swigging beer .

Was too early to stop at Fradley and there weren't any moorings so carried onto Rugeley.

This morning........

 

[Lily Rose]

Lovely photos Matty. You must be a bit of an early riser.

I'd like to get going early, as I'm normally up by 7, but Mrs Lily Rose is rather less keen so 9.30 is about the earliest we've managed to get going on this trip with 10 to 10.30 being more normal on most trips. 

I'm still undecided about where/how far to go from here (with King's Bromley the only certainty). I had thought originally about getting up to Tixall Wide but an alternative is going back to Fradley after KB and then going as far as Alrewas.

I'm about to play around with canalplan a bit more to try and decide. On the one hand I'd like to go a fair bit further but on the other I'd like to turn soon enough to take it easier on the way back.

[matty40s]

The main reason for early starts is to get past pinch points before the rush.

 Colwich and Great Haywood locks had queues of up to 15 boats each side yesterday afternoon/evening so bear this in mind if thinking about Tixall.

[Lily Rose]

12 minutes ago, matty40s said:

The main reason for early starts is to get past pinch points before the rush.

 Colwich and Great Haywood locks had queues of up to 15 boats each side yesterday afternoon/evening so bear this in mind if thinking about Tixall.

That's why I like the idea of getting underway early but it won't wash with the boss unfortunately.

Thanks for the tip about the locks, I certainly don't fancy that!

I haven't canalplanned yet but I'm starting to think of turning at KB, or possibly somewhere a bit further on (Rugeley perhaps) and having more time to enjoy the return journey. 

Further exploration of this area could then wait until a future date if/when we re-locate, possibly to KB marina in 2019 (I want to stay where we are for next year so we can have another trip to the Thames, possibly doing the ring as we have not yet been south on the GU from Norton junction.)

 

 

 

[Ray T]

Interesting thread, thank you. I seem to recollect DQ is Cuthound's boat.

P.S. thank you for mentioning the Armco, I would have missed it. 

Edited August 28, 2017 by Ray T