Visit to the National Memorial Arboretum

Saturday 21st April

Armed Forces Memorial

We are staying put today and are going to walk to the National Memorial Arboretum which is about a 20 minute walk but we have to cross the A38 so hopefully we can get across there.  We walked down through the village to the A38 and there was a safety island we could cross at, it was quite hairy getting across but we made it.  We also had to cross a railway line but fortunately it wasn't a mainline so over there and then we were at the Arboretum.

Royal Air Force Memorial

The Arboretum is set in more than 150 acres of formal gardens, wildflower meadows and maturing woodland.  It was first opened to the public in 2001 and contains more than 350 memorials for military and civilian organisations and associations together with tributes for individuals.

Lovely Bench

We went into the visitor centre where we picked up a map and then we set off into the grounds.

They have a huge memorial in the centre dedicated to the Armed Forces.  It is done in a circle with tall trees planted all around and it is on a hill so you go up steps to it.  It is very moving with all the thousands of names listed for all the conflicts up to the present day.

Christmas Truce Memorial

SAS Garden

We followed the paths around and looked at the many memorials including the Royal Air Force memorial, there was a lovely bench dedicated to the Ulster Constabulary Widows Association in the area relating to Northern Ireland.

We had some lunch in the cafe and then carried on wandering around.

Lewis Collins Plaque

Gulf War Memorial

There was a lovely garden dedicated to the Special Armed Forces and there was a plaque there for Lewis Collins of Bodies and Doyle fame who completed 21 SAS Selection as a civilian volunteer.

There was many memorials in different sections, the 1914 Christmas Truce memorial representing when English and German troops sung carols, played football together, exchanged gifts and chatted together then went back to the trenches and the next day carried on fighting.

Shot at Dawn Memorial

Parachute Regiment

The most moving memorial was the one to the Shot at Dawn, so very sad as lot of them were sick and couldn't fight but their illnesses weren't recognised and so they were shot.

It had been a glorious sunny morning but during the afternoon, it went cloudy and then started raining, so we made our way back to the visitor centre and walked back to the boat calling into the butchers in the village on the way back for some sausages and bacon as it isa very good butchers and we got back without getting too wet.

Railway Memorial

We really enjoyed our visit to the Arboretum, it is a very beautiful moving place and well worth a visit, we shall certainly be going again when we next visit this area.

When I went to do my blog this evening, our laptop died and wouldn't boot up, what a disaster as I hadn't back up my photos for a while.  We are off to Armitage on Monday and we found a computer firm there not far from the canal so we will go and see them and hopefully they can fix it and recover my photos.

Fradley Junction to Alrewas (Trent & Mersey Canal)

Fradley Church

Fradley Church

Yesterday (Thursday) we stayed at Fradley Junction and walked along the towpath and up into Fradley village, there is not that much there, a post office/shop and a lovely little church.  We had a look around the church but unfortunately it was locked so we couldn’t go inside.

In Keepers Lock

And Out He Comes

In another lock

Today, we are on the move just  a couple of miles down the canal to the village of Alrewas.  We went over to the water point first to get water and get rid of rubbish and then we set off to the lock.  There was a boat in front of us so we had to wait a bit, he was a single hander so we gave him a hand and then filled the lock and Kev brought the boat in and down we went.  I walked to the next lock as it wasn’t very far and helped the single hander again then a boat came up and then it was our turn.

Swan on a nest

We chugged on along the canal and it was another lovely warm sunny day although not as warm as yesterday.

After a bit we came to the next lock which was not very deep so it didn’t take long to go through there and on we went to the last lock for today, Bagnall Lock.  There was some CRT workers there doing something to the lock paddles so they did the lock for me which was good and so I walked on down the towpath.

And round he goes

Kev came out of the lock and turned around in the winding hole and we reversed back into the visitor moorings.

In Bagnall Lock

We had lunch then went out for a walk up into the village and stopped off at the Butchers, they also sell bread and fruit and vegetables.  We got a few things then walked on to the Co-op and got some salad stuff and then took it back to the boat.

Alrewas Church

Coming out Bagnall Lock

We then walked up to the Church which is mainly 13^th-C and 14^th-C construction, notable for the old leper window, which is now filled by modern stained glass.  There was a multi-cache in the church yard, what we had to do was find some answers to some questions which would give us the coordinates to the cache.  We soon found the answers, punched in the coordinates into the GPS on our phone and headed off to find the cache.  It was on a public footpath near a stream and we found it okay.

We then walked to Alrewas lock which is the start of the river section and sat on a bench there and watched a few boats go through the lock.  We chatted to a nice lady walking her dogs who lives in the village and then headed back to the boat.

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow then heading back up the canal on Sunday.

Moored at Alrewas

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

Lichfield Cathedral

Lovely Windows in Cathedral

Yesterday (Tuesday), we stayed put at the Plum Pudding and caught a bus to Lichfield.  We were hoping it was going to be a sunny day but as like the last time we went to Lichfield, it was overcast and spitting with rain.

We had a walk around the shops then walked over to the Cathedral and did a cache just in the Cathedral grounds then went inside.  It is really lovely and there was also an exhibition about the First World War which was interesting.

Lichfield

We then walked back into the town and had lunch in The Tudor café.  They make their own tea cakes to their Grandmother’s 1936 recipe and very good they were too!

The Tudor Cafe

We had another wander around then got the bus back.  It is Kev’s birthday today and so we were going for a meal in the Plum Pudding which is an Italian restaurant and our friends from Audlem, Jane, Malc, Dave and Anthea were joining us, but Kev didn’t know they were coming so it was a nice surprise for him when they turned up.  We have a lovely evening chatting and catching up and the food and service was excellent.

With our Audlem Friends

They then all came back to the boat for a coffee and some ginger cake which I had made for Kev’s birthday.  It was quite a way for them to come so it was really nice they made the effort and great to see them as always and they gave Kev a bottle of Copper House Gin which is one of his favourites so he will enjoy that.

In Wood End Lock

Going down Fradley Locks

Passing the Coventry Canal

Today, we are off a few miles down the canal and the sun was actually shining and it was warm for a change.  We set off along the canal and after a few miles came to Wood End lock which is not very deep, so we were soon through there and on our way.

We were hoping to moor at the top of the next locks, but it was full so we had to go down the three locks, but there were volunteer lock keepers on the locks so it was an easy passage.  We were now at Fradley Junction where the Trent & Mersey canal meets the Coventry canal.

In Junction Lock

Fradley Pool

We thought there would be plenty of spaces below the locks, but were told by the volunteers that there was only one space but luckily no other boats came and we moored up there.

We had lunch then went for a walk around the nature reserve called Fradley Pool then called in at the café to get an ice-cream and walked back down the canal.  We had a coffee at the other café and sat in the sun watching the boats go by then back to the boat.

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow then going on a bit further on Friday.

Moored at Fradley Junction

Rugeley to The Plum Pudding, Armitage (Trent & Mersey Canal)

We are moving on today only just a mile though to the Plum Pudding Italian Restaurant, they have moorings outside and the food is really good.

Lovely Sunny Morning

Coming through Armitage Tunnel

First, we pulled the boat back and went across to the canal to the water point to fill up as we did some washing and then we went on our way along the canal past several moored boats in the long term moorings and then came to Armitage Tunnel which is 135 yards long.  The roof of the tunnel was removed in 1971 but the remains of the rock face that formed the walls can still be seen.  This section of the canal is only wide enough for one boat so I got off and walked up round the corner to see if anyone was coming, but they weren’t so Kev came through and we moored up outside the Plum Pudding which is not far from the tunnel.

Under Road Bridge

We went into the Plum Pudding to let them know we were moored outside as it is their moorings and we also had a spot of lunch, a few of their small plates from the bar menu and very good it was too.  We are going there tomorrow evening for a meal but just wanted to see if the food was as good as it was last time we were here and we weren’t disappointed.

We then walked up the road where there is a butchers/bakers but unfortunately it was closed so we did a couple of caches and then walked to the church which was really nice and was open so we had a look inside and there was a cache there as well.  We then walked back along the towpath to the boat.

We are staying here tonight and also tomorrow as we are off on the bus to Lichfield so we are looking forward to that as it is a nice town and the Cathedral is lovely.

Moored at The Plum Pudding, Armitage

Great Haywood to Rugeley (Trent & Mersey Canal)

Snowy Brewood

We have had a good Winter on the Narrows, although it has been a tough Winter with snow and high winds and the Beast from the East visiting us! Trust our first Winter on the Narrows to be one of the toughest Winters for a while, but never mind we survived!

Snowed in at Gailey

Josh & |Kelsey at Owl Sanctuary

We were on the Shropshire Union canal going up as far as Norbury Junction and then heading down the canal onto the Staffs & Worcester and up to Gailey and Penkridge.  I worked over the Winter in Bristol again and went from either Stafford or Wolverhampton station and it worked well.

Josh working hard!

Kelsey helping out

Kev chugged around a bit and we had our friends John and Sharon to stay between Christmas and New Year, we also met our Audlem family on New Years eve and had a lovely meal together.

My great niece and nephew Kelsey and Joshua stayed with us for 10 days recently and we had a lovely time with them taking them out and about and getting them to help with the locks.

My work is now finished and so we are now setting off on our trip, we made our made up the Staffs & Worcester canal to Great Haywood and that’s where our trip begins.  We are planning to do the Coventry and Ashby canals this year and also some of the Trent & Mersey and make the rest up as we go along.

In Haywood lock

Colwich Lock

We set off from Great Haywood and it was very damp and drizzly and chilly.  We got to Haywood lock which is not very deep so soon through there and on our way along the canal to Colwich lock.  We were told by a boater that it was very muddy there and how right was he, it was horrendous.  

There was a boat waiting to come up, so the chap helped me with the lock and soon we were on our way again.

On we went and after a while, we were at Rugeley where we moored up.  Rugeley is very good for shopping as there is a Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi not far from the canal.  We went up into the town and got some supplies then chilled out.

Sharon & Smugs

John, Sharon & Smugs

Saturday – We stayed put as our friends John, Sharon and Smuggler the dog were visiting us and it was a lovely sunny warm day.  They got the train from Gloucester and we walked up to the station to meet them.  We had a lovely day together catching up, eating lunch and drinking wine and Gin.  After a siesta, we went for a walk along the canal, back to the boat for a cup of tea then in the evening they got the train back.  We had a really nice day together and hopefully when they are out on their Summer cruise, we will meet up again.

Going through Rugeley

Sunday – Today we moved a couple of miles down the canal, still in Rugeley to the water point to fill up and then we moored opposite there.  No sun today, overcast and not so warm again.  It is supposed to warm up this week, lets hope the forecasters are correct!

We moored up and then watched the Grand Prix and then went for a walk and did a bit of geo-caching.  We are staying here tonight and then off along the canal tomorrow.

Moored at Rugeley