Polesworth to Alvecote - Coventry Canal

Yesterday (Thursday) we caught the bus to Tamworth to go to the Castle.  It was a lovely sunny warm day so we packed a picnic and headed off to catch the bus.  It was about a half hour bus ride and we were at Tamworth.

Lovely Gardens

Sat in the Gardens near the Castle

We had a wander around the shops, then sat in the lovely park which overlooks the River Anker and is near the Castle.  As we hadn't had much breakfast, we had our sandwiches sat in the warm sunshine then walked up to the Castle.

Dining Room

Postern Gate Info Board

The castle is very old and was originally built in wood by the Normans and is a fine example of a motte and bailey castle from this period. In Medieval times, the wooden castle was replaced by stone. The shell keep wall and tower were built between 1170 and 1190 and are the oldest parts of the castle structure.

Postern Gate - So Tiny!

At the end of the Wars of the Roses, peace resumed and the castle was transformed from a fortress to a grand home.  During the Stuart and Georgian periods, two families lived there and did several renovations.

Dole Cupboard

In 1897 the castle was purchased by public subscription to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of QueenVictoria and in 1899 was opened to the public as a museum.

We had a good look around, there is lots of rooms to walk through and you go up and up and into the tower and outside, there was a great view from up there.

With Drawing Room

View from the Tower

In one of the rooms, there was a Dole Cupboard which was used for storing bread.  Any leftover bread was doled out to the poor who relied on the Lord for such handouts.  This is where the modern concept of the dole comes from.

We had a drink in the cafe before we left, then we walked back through the gardens to the shops.  The Castle was really interesting and well worth a visit.

Inside the Church

We also visited St. Editha's Church which is one of the largest and oldest in the Midlands, dating back 1200 years.  In 597 Augustine came from Rome to spread the Christian faith and seventy years later, in 667, St. Chad was made Bishop of Lichfield.  It is thought that he visited nearby Tamworth and a church stood on the present site of today's church.

Statue in the Gardens

Off we go

It was very nice inside and we had a good look around.  There was a few volunteers inside the church and one of them told us various things about the church and windows, all very interesting.

Out the way Duckkies!!

We then went back to the shops to do some shopping then got the bus back.  We had Chinese for tea as yesterday when we went to get it, it was closed.

Going under the M42

 We are on the move today but only the usual couple of miles.  It was a glorious sunny day as we set off from our mooring.

Peaceful Canal Today

Lovely Sunny Morning

We went under a few bridges including the M42 and on along the canal and moored up opposite Samuel Barlow pub at Alvecote. 

We are staying here for a couple of days now to chill out and do a few jobs.  The other day when we walked to Smithy’s Farm Shop, we picked some cooking apples from a tree overhanging the grass verge so I am going to make chutney and an apple pie.

On Monday we will chug on.

Moored at Alvecote

Grendon to Polesworth - Coventry Canal

All Saints Church

Smithys Farm Shop & Tea Room

Inside the Farm Shop

Yesterday (Tuesday) we stayed put and walked to Smithy's Farm Shop. It is about a 20 minute walk from the canal.  We walked up the road which is quite busy but there was a grass verge.  We stopped off to have a look at the church, All Saints Church, a nice looking church but unfortunately it was locked so we didn't get to look inside, but there was a cache on the boundary of the church, I am pleased to say we found that then carried on to the farm shop.

Lovely Countryside

Railway Line Near the Canal

It is a really good shop and we bought plenty of fruit and some vegetables.  They sell their own reared lamb but unfortunately didn't have any this time.  There is a cafe there as well so we stopped off for a drink and a bite to eat, then made our way back to the boat. 

Train Going Over the Canal

The sun was shining and it was warm as we set off along the canal.  We are only going a couple of miles to Polesworth. 

Going under the Railway Line

Lots of White Ducks Here

We chugged on along the canal and on this stretch the railway line runs very close to the canal.  We went under the railway line and a couple of bridges, then was approaching Polesworth.  We moored up then walked up to the village.

Gatehouse to Abbey Church

There are a few shops, so we got a few provisions, then went to Polesworth Abbey Church but it wasn't open today which was okay as we had a look around there when we were here earlier in the year.

We then walked back to the boat.  This afternoon, we went for a walk to see if we could find any blackberries but no luck.

We are staying here tonight and having a Chinese takeaway for tea as we tried it when we were last here and it was one of the best we have found so can't go through here without having another one.  Tomorrow we are chugging on, again only a couple of miles to Alvecote.

Moored at Polesworth

Bridge 47 to Grendon - Coventry Canal

Yesterday (Sunday) we stayed put and chilled out as it rained for most of the day, we didn't even go for a walk as it was not nice at all outside.

Leaving our Mooring

Bridge with No Bottom

See No Bottom!

When we got up the rain had all gone and it was a nice sunny morning but very breezy.  We left our mooring and chugged along the canal and under a nice iron footbridge but it has no bottom.  It doesn’t seem to go anywhere either so it makes you wonder why it was there but it is a nice bridge.

Coming into Lock 10

We then came to the last two locks in the Atherstone flight and a boat was just coming out of the lock so that meant it was ready for us.  I got off and Kev took the boat into the lock.  I opened the paddles and down we went.

Onto Lock 11

The last lock is very close and there was a boat coming out of that one as well and three more waiting to come up so I had help and it was an easy passage for us.

In Lock 11

Coming out of Lock 11

We chugged on along the canal and wanted to stop at the services to get water and get rid of rubbish, etc., but there was two boats there and one waiting, so we moored up opposite and waited our turn.

Luckily the tap there, the water comes out quite fast so it didn’t take too long for the boats in front of us to fill up and then it was our turn.

Another Nice Morning

Once the tank was full, we went on our way, under the bridge around a bend and we moored in a nice open spot where we moored on the way down.

We had lunch then went out for as walk along the canal to see if we could find some blackberries, but no luck today, there either wasn't any or they were all shrivelled up.  Never mind we will try at the next place we moor.

We are staying here now until Wednesday as tomorrow we are off Smithy’s Farm Shop and Tea Rooms.  We went there on our way up and they sell local  fruit, veg, bread and meat and  also their own lamb and eggs, its a great place, a real find, so looking forward to our visit there.

Moored at Grendon

Atherstone to Bridge 47 - Coventry Canal

Wednesday 22^nd, Thursday 23^rd and Friday 24^th August

Working down through the lockds

Down We /Go

The last few days I have been down in Weston staying with my friend Davina and going down to Taunton to visit my dad who has been poorly and got a bad chest infection and was taken into hospital, he is still there and will be for a while, but is much better than he was.

Saturday 25^th August

Onto the Next Lock

We are on the move today leaving Atherstone behind us.  We left our mooring and chugged off to the water point.  There was a volunteer on the lock who opened the gate on the lock for us but we signalled to him we needed the water so he shut the gate again.

Halfway Down the Locks

Kev Shutting the Gate

When we were ready to leave the water point and go down the locks, we have nine to do today, a boat was coming up, so they came out and we went in and started our descent down the locks.

Under a Big Road Bridge

Long Straight Between Locks

One out, One in

There was only a volunteer on the top lock so we had to do the others ourselves, but most of them were set for us as there were a few boats coming up.  They are nice locks and we worked our way down stopping at the water point five locks down to fill up again as we did the washing while we were going along.  On we went and before we knew it, we were doing lock No. 9 and we moored up before the last two locks.

Coming out last lock for today

It had been dry and sunny while we were coming down the locks but within about five minutes of us mooring up, the heavens opened, so that was lucky.  It didn't last for long, but during the afternoon we had a few more showers in between the sunshine.

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow as the forecast is not good, rain most of the day, then we will move on a bit further on Monday.

Moored at Bridge 47

Hartshill to Atherstone - Coventry

Dobbies

Yesterday (Monday) we stayed put and went to Dobbies Garden Centre, it is about a 10 minute walk from where we were moored.

Food Hall & Butchers

We set off late morning along the towpath and up onto the road, then a short walk and we were there.  It is a massive garden centre with a food hall and a butchers and a really nice cafe/restaurant.

Fruit & Veg Stall

We had a wander around, they sell lots of fresh cakes, scones and bread, so we bought a couple of scones and some bread.  The food hall is really good and they sell lots of lovely things to eat and drink.  Then it was lunchtime, so we went to the cafe and had a panini and a drink and then had another look around, then went to the butchers and bought a few things.  Outside there is a big fruit and vegetable stall so we bought some English strawberries and plums then walked back to the boat.

We had a few spits of rain during the afternoon but it didn't come to anything and it has been very humid today.

Round the Bend We Go!

We are moving on today and it was another sunny warm day as we set off along the canal. We are only going a couple of miles to Atherstone.

Another Bridge

The canal was quite quiet and we only passed one or two going the other way. We went under a few bridges and round a few bends, the canal is quite winky wonky in this section and then we were approaching Atherstone.

Coming to Another Bend

There is a flight of 11 locks here but we were hoping to moor at the top of them and save them for another day and we were lucky, there were plenty of spaces so we moored up.

Heron Walking Away

We then went out for a walk to the town, it is a nice place with a good variety of shops including a big Co-op and an Aldi and even has a train station which is handy as I am off back to Weston tomorrow to visit my dad.

There was a small market in the square, just a few stalls but one of them was a fruit and veg stall so we got some fruit.  We then walked back to the boat and just chilled out.

We are having fish & chips for tea tonight so looking forward to that.

We are now staying here a few days, Kev is staying with the boat while I go to see my dad and I should be back on Thursday then all being well we will go down the locks on Friday.

Moored at Atherstone