Visit To The Wolseley Centre Nature Reserve

Antiques Barn

Craft Shops & Tea Hut

We are staying put today as we are off to The Wolseley Centre Nature Reserve which we visited on our way down this canal a few weeks ago.  We walked up to the main road and the craft shops and Antiques Barn were open today so we had a look around there, they had some nice things and it was good to have a browse.  There was also a tea hut and it was a hut, quite pretty though!  We then walked up into the Nature Reserve which is just across the road.

Having picnic by River Trent

Nature Reserve

We had a good walk around and then took the path which goes alongside the River Trent which was low and really calm compared to the last time we were here when it was quite high.  We also met an old chap that we saw last time we were here, he is very knowledgeable about the reserve so nice to chat to him again and there was a chap who worked for the Staffordshire Nature Trust and he told us lots of things about the wildlife in the park as well.

Swan diving for seed

Moorhen on bird feeder

We sat on a bench by the river and had a picnic lunch then had another stroll around the grounds and watched the birds on the feeders for a while and a moorhen flew up and helped himself to the food, quite resourceful!  You can buy bags of duck food at the Reserve so we fed the ducks, it does sink to the bottom so when the ducks had finished a Swan came over and dived down and cleaned up!

We then walked back to the boat.  It has been a lot cooler today and we even had a shower of rain this morning and it has been overcast all day, but much more comfortable. We are staying here again tonight then off to Great Haywood tomorrow.

Plum Pudding, Armitage to Wolseley Bridge (Trent & Mersey Canal)

Saturday 23rd July

Coming under Road Bridge into Armitage Tunnel

Armitage Tunnel

We are on the move today, so we set off from the Plum Pudding and into Armitage Tunnel which is 130 yds long but the roof was removed in 1971 to combat the subsidence effects of coal being mined nearby.  It is  very narrow and so in I got off and walked ahead to check there were no boats coming the other way, one was just coming through so we waited for that, then it was our turn and on we went. 

We went on along the canal and managed to find a space to moor at Rugeley as this is a good place for shopping.  The moorings were really busy today very few spaces, not like when we came down a few weeks ago, we had the pick of the spaces.

The Bloody Steps

Moored alongside Diesel Boat

We went up into the town and did all our shopping.  We made a couple of trips but got everything we needed and then we chugged on along the canal past the Bloody Steps where a murder had taken place a long time ago and before too long we were at Taft the Diesel boat and farm where we moored alongside.

Piggy having a scratch

The lady who served us last time came down and filled us up with diesel and we also bought a dozen free range eggs and some lovely free range Bacon and Pork chops. They keep pigs right by the canal so you can see where your bacon comes from!

We chugged on as we wanted to moor at Wolseley Bridge so we can visit the nature reserve there again but as we got close it looked really full but luckily we managed to squeeze into the last available space.

We are staying here tonight and tomorrow as well.

 

Moored at Wolseley Bridge

Fradley Junction to Plum Pudding, Armitage (Trent & Mersey Canal)

In Junction Lock

Passing Junction with Coventry Canal

The sun was shining again this morning and it was already hot as we chugged off, we went across the canal to use the services.  There was a boat already there getting water and they were just leaving and the chap was rushing around untying all the ropes and then guess what he fell in, he managed to get his self out but instead of going inside and getting showered and changed liked any normal human being, when his wife had rescued the boat he took the tiller and said to her just lets get to the lock, she kept asking him if he was okay and eventually he let her take the tiller and went downstairs but still kept saying just get the boat to the lock, obviously in a hurry, very strange! 

In Shadehouse Lock

Leaving Fradley behind us

We filled up with water and I walked up to Junction lock, we have four locks to do today.  There was a boat coming down so we had to wait for that then it was our turn, there were volunteers on this lock and the next two so that made our passage easy.  Kev chugged out the lock and past the entrance to the Coventry Canal and the next lock was ready for him so in he went and so on to the next one and that was ready for us as well so we were soon through there and on our way. 

 

Filling up Wood End Lock

We chugged on past Fradley Wood and shortly came to Wood End Lock.  We had a bit of a wait here as there was a boat going up in front of us and one coming down but after a bit it was our turn. There was a lady from CRT there noting the boats going through the lock, apparently it is for a water management survey they are doing so they can see where more water needs to be moved to.  There is a counter on this lock which counts the number of times the gates are opened and it sends it through to the CRT office.

Also this lock had been closed yesterday while they mended the ground paddle, but I don’t think they have fixed it very well as I opened it fully and it didn’t seem to do a thing, lucky there was a gate paddle otherwise I don’t think we would ever have filled the lock!

On we went past Handsacre and then we were at the Plum Pudding at Armitage where we moored up.  This is an Italian Brasserie. 

Having Lunch

Our Italian Tapas

We went to the Brasserie for lunch and we had Italian Tapas or Piattinis as they call it and it was absolutely delicious and we had things we haven’t had before like Olives stuffed with meat and coated in breadcrumbs and fried and stuffed rice balls with Goats Cheese and coated in breadcrumbs and fried.  We also had desserts, I had Panacotta and Kev had Lemoncello Tiramisu.  We really enjoyed our meal, this is a great place and we won’t be passing here anymore without stopping,

Butchers/Bakery in Armitage

We then went for a walk up the road to the village of Armitage with Handsacre where there was a few shops and a great Butcher/Bakery.  We walked back to the boat but when we got inside it was full of flies, it was really horrible, we tried to get them out or kill them but we were  fighting a losing battle so we walked back up the road to the Londis and got some fly spray.  When we got back to the boat Kev went in and shut all the windows and sprayed.  It said you had to leave the room or boat in our case for at least 15 minutes so we did as we were told and went to the Brasserie and had a drink sat in the garden by the canal.  When we got back, yippee the boat was free of flies and felt ok again.  We will be keeping a can on board now just in case that happens again.

We are staying here tonight then off again tomorrow.

Moored at Plum Pudding, Armitage

Alrewas to Fradley Junction (Trent & Mersey Canal)

Heavy Rain Shower

Chugging through Alrewas

Last night we had a really heavy rain shower and a few claps of thunder, it didn't last for very long but it dropped the temperature by about 10 degrees and made it much more comfortable. Today the sun was shining as we set off from Alrwas this morning, we passed lots of moored boats this is a very popular mooring spot, around the corner we went and then we were at Bagnall Lock, the first of four locks we are doing today.  The lock was full so I went up and emptied it and Kev came in with the boat.

In Bagnall Lock

The bottom gates on this lock won’t stay shut so I shut one and went to do the other and the one I had shut opened again.  Luckily a boat was coming down, so the lady came down and she shut one and I shut the other but then there was no-one to open the paddle at the other end to fill the lock so Kev started to get out.  The lady’s husband then strolled down to the lock without a windlass I should mention and she was shouting to him to help but he seemed to be in a world of his own!  He then twigged and started running back to the boat to get a windlass but she said take mine, so he did. By this time Kev was out of the boat with the rope and Kev did say to the chap just open the paddle a bit just to keep the gates shut, but guess what he ran to the paddle and opened it full before we could stop him and the boat surged forward, but somehow Kev managed to hold the boat so it didn’t crash into the top gate, lucky he did as Kev said if he couldn’t have held it and it was close, that chap would have got a mouth full!  I don’t think he thought he had done anything wrong.

Approaching Common Lock

Hunt's Lock all ready for us

We were soon at that lock and left the Gung Ho Idiot behind us and on we went along the canal to Common Lock where there was a boat coming out, so that made easy going and soon we were at Hunt’s Lock where there was another boat coming down so soon through that one as well. 

We had one more lock to do and there was a volunteer on that one.  We had to wait for a work boat to come through then it was our turn.  

Chugging onto Keeper's Lock

Fradley Pool Nature Reserve

We were then at Fradley Junction and we moored up in the visitor moorings before the next lock.  We will save them for another day.

We had lunch then went for a walk up to the top of the locks stopping in the café on the way up for coffee and to sit by the water watching the boats go up and down.  On the way back past the café we got an ice-cream and then went for a walk around Fradley Pool Nature Reserve then back to the boat.

It has been a lovely sunny day but this evening it has gone very overcast so maybe another rain shower might be on the way.

We are staying here tonight then chugging on tomorrow.

Moored at Fradley Junction

Barton Turn Lock (Below Lock) to Alrewas (Trent & Mersey Canal)

Going into Barton Lock

Passing Barton Turn Marina

We are on the move today and it was already really hot when we got up so we got on our way before it got any hotter.  We were moored just before Barton Turn Lock so I went up to the lock and had to empty it as there was a boat in front of us.  Soon we were in the lock and up and out and on our way again.

Lovely Morning on Canal

Tree Lined Canal

We chugged on along the canal and luckily this part of the canal was tree lined so we had a bit of shade and then we were at Wychnor Lock and someone was coming down so that was lucky, they came out and we went in. This lock seemed to fill really slowly but before long we were up and off we went again.

In Wychnor Lock

Calm River Section

Passing Weir

Approaching Alrewas Lock

This lock marks the beginning of the river section where the River Trent meets the canal so you have to be careful there after heavy rain and sometimes this section is shut if the Trent is flooded but today it was like a mill pond and we chugged on under the bridge and past the weir and then we were at Alrewas Lock which marks the end of the River Section so once you are through this lock you are back on the canal again.  There was a boat coming down the lock so they came out and we went in.  They have boards at this lock and before Wychnor Lock telling you the level of the water and today it said normal conditions.

I filled up the lock and Kev brought the boat out and we moored in the Visitor moorings just along from the lock moorings. There are moorings further on but they looked to be busy so we stopped here but it is very sunny and open so that was fine. 

River Section Sign

We had lunch then walked up to the village and went to The Crown pub for a drink. We haven’t been there before and it is really nice with a large garden and there was plenty of people eating and drinking so always a good sign.

Butchers in Alrewas

We then went to the Butchers Peter Coates, it is a really good butcher and we bought some stuff here on our way down so we got a few more things today.  We then headed to the Co-op and then walked back to the boat.

It is really hot this afternoon but luckily just by the boat is a big tree and so we sat out in the shade for a while which was really nice and quite cool as there was a pleasant wind blowing.

We are staying here tonight and tomorrow as well, just hope it’s a bit cooler!

Moored at Alrewas