Fradley Junction to Alrewas (Trent & Mersey Canal)

Friday 17^th to Sunday 19^th July

Friday – Kev set up his display for selling all the things he has made, we haven’t really had the opportunity to do this before so it was good to see what if looked liked and we made a couple of sales as well which was great as really it was just an exercise to set it all up and see how it looks so that was very encouraging. 

Mid morning our friend Bill and his dog Peanut turned up, they were moored at the bottom of the locks so walked up to see us.  It was nice to see them again.

Saturday – Bill was coming up the locks this morning to moor with us, so Kev walked down to help him with the locks.  We then met in the front of our boat and had breakfast and Peanut made his self at home in my chair! Don’t tell Smuggler or Harry as that’s their favourite place to sit as well!

In the top lock

 In the afternoon, we all went for a walk around the Nature Reserve and then sat outside The Swan pub, known to locals as The Mucky Duck and had a few drinks, it wasn’t the best weather though as it was very overcast and some light rain but we endured it!  It was nice to have a catch-up with Bill and Peanut is such a lovely little dog.

Going past the Swan & Junction

Today (Sunday) we are on the move and so is Bill but he is going the opposite way to us so we said our goodbyes, although I am sure our paths will cross again, and I walked down to the top lock at Fradley, this is the first of 7 locks we have to do today.  There were a few boats coming up and a couple of volunteer lock keepers so our passage down was very smooth.

Going to the Services

In Keepers Lock

We went through the next lock and I walked onto the next one. Kev chugged last the Swan pub and the junction with the Coventry canal and into our third lock.  We then stopped at the services for water, etc.

One out, one in

Lovely Sunny Day

We left the services and headed to the next lock, Keepers lock.  There was still more boats coming up which always helps so we were soon through this lock and onto the next one which is very close.

There was a boat coming up and the people from that boat said they would work the lock so I could get on which was very kind of them.  Once through there, we chugged on along the canal enjoying the lovely warm sunshine and blue skies.

At Common Lock

Coming out of Common Lock

Pipe Bridge

Bagnall Lock

We went under a pipe bridge and a road bridge and then we were approaching Bagnall lock our last lock for today and the village of Alrewas.  A boat was coming up so once we were down, I left the gates open for them and Kev chugged onto the winding hole and turned the boat around as this is as far as we are going.  He then reversed back into the moorings.

Coming out of Bagnall Lock

Turning Around

The somewhat unusual name Alrewas, pronounced “olrewus” is a corruption of the words Alder Wash – a reference to the many alder trees which once grew in the often-flooded Trent valley and gave rise to the basket weaving for which the village was once famous.

Canoeists

In the afternoon, we went for a walk into the village where there is a Butchers which was closed today and a Co-op. We got an ice cream and sat by the canal then took the shopping back to the boat. 

River Section

We then went out again and walked down to Alrewas lock which is where the canal joins the River Trent for a short section.  It is lovely here and we sat on a bench watching a family of swans and some canoeists and a few boats going through the lock.

Nice Sign on House in Alrewas

Swans on River Section

We are staying here for a couple of days now as tomorrow we are off to visit the National Memorial Arboretum which is about a mile or so away from here.

We have been before but it is such a wonderful place to visit, we thought we would go again and the weather forecast is good so we shall pack a picnic and look forward to our visit.

Moored at Alrewas