Alrewas to Fradley Junction (Trent & Mersey Canal)

Tuesday 21^st and Wednesday 22^nd July

Tuesday, we didn’t do very much.  We went for a walk around the village then stopped off at the butchers for sausages, cooked ham and a few other delights. In the afternoon, we went out again and walked down to Alrewas lock and the section where the River Trent meets the canal and sat on a bench watching the world go by.

Coming into Bagnall Lock

Bagnall Lock

Wednesday – We are on the move today, backup to Fradley Junction but we have enjoyed our few days in Alrewas.

We are doing four locks today.  The first lock, Bagnall lock was just around the corner from where we were moored, so I walked down to the lock to get it ready and there was a boat coming down so they went out and left the gates open and Kev brought the boat in.

Not so sunny this morning

New marina being built

This lock is quite tricky to do as although the bottom gates are very heavy they won’t stay shut and if you are not careful you find yourself shutting one then going to shut the other and the first one opens so going back to shut that then the other pops open, so Kev got out, we shut a gate each then he holds one of the gates to keep them shut while I went and opened one of the paddles to fill the lock and keep them shut.  This lock must be a nightmare for single handed boaters.

Approaching our Third Lock

Here He Comes

We were soon through the lock and on our way along the canal.  It was a lovely sunny morning just right for a chug.

Last Lock for Today

We went on and then came to common lock.  In the fields near this lock, they are building a new marina, not sure though if this busy stretch of canal needs more boats on it.

Line of Moored Boats

I emptied the lock and opened the gates for Kev.  A boat came along so the lady from it helped me with the lock so that was good.

On we went and soon we were approaching the next lock which is the start of Fradley Junction.

There was a boat coming down and as I think the lock was in our favour, instead of filling it up he opened the gates and waited for us which was kind of him as before the lock are several long term moored boats so we went slowly by them and it must have seemed an age to him for us to get to the lock but he didn’t seem to mind.

Our Last Lock for Today

Fradley \Pool

The next lock and our last lock for today is very close by so I walked to that one and opened the gates ready for Kev to come in.  All these locks are not very deep so they don’t take long to do.

There are visitor moorings after this lock and there was plenty of room so we moored up.

Coot on the Lake

Goosey Gander

In the afternoon we went for a walk around Fradley Pool Nature Reserve, it’s not that big but a lovely place to walk around and there is a nice hide where you can look out onto the lake.

Two Moorhens Together

We went in the hide and sat for a while then walked around and found another bench to sit on.  It’s a lovely place and well worth a walk around. We then walked back to the boat.

We are staying here tonight and tomorrow, then on Friday we are moving on and heading back to the Plum Pudding Italian restaurant at Armitage to moor there for a couple of nights.

Moored at Fradley Junction