Coven to Hatherton (Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal)

 

Tuesday 6^th July

Yesterday we went to Wolverhampton on the bus to do some shopping, it wasn’t too busy and we also went to a nice cafe for lunch.

Today we are moving on from Coven, just a few miles to a really nice open spot near Hatherton Marina.

                                                  

It was raining when we got up but then brightened up a bit, so we decided to go for it and hopefully not get too wet.

This section of the canal is very winky wonky so takes a while as you can’t go very fast.

We set off along the canal and went under a few bridges.  We met a few boats coming the other way and most of them we met on a bend, but that’s always seems to be the way!

                                               

We chugged on and then came to Hatherton Marina where there are lots of moored boats.  We went under the bridge and passed Hatherton Junction.

                                                  

                                                                                                

This marks the entrance of the former Hatherton branch of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal into the main line. It is now used for moorings.  This branch used to connect with the Birmingham Canal Navigations.  It is closed above the derelict second lock, although the channel remains as a feeder for the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal. There is a campaign for its restoration.

                                                                                          

We went around a couple more bends and moored up in a lovely open spot before bridge 76.  We have moored here before and it’s a great spot, quiet and peaceful.

We are staying here for a couple of days then moving onto Gailey, then getting to Penkridge for the weekend.

Bridge 8 (Shropshire Union Canal) to Coven (Staffs & Worcs Canal)

 

Sunday 4^th July

We had a few nice days here, we went for a nice walk down to the lovely Avenue Bridge and we had a BBQ.  We had planned to move today but we had rain overnight and early morning and the forecast wasn’t too good so we were undecided as to what to do but then it brightened up, so we decided to go for it.

                                                       

 We untied and set off along the canal, under a bridge then came to a narrow bit, we waited for a boat to pass then on we went.  

A chap came by in a kayak and his name was Roy Beal, he is paddling in a wooden sea kayak from John O’Groats to Lands End to raise money for charity and also to raise awareness of the impact of plastics in the marine environment and to promote outdoor sports safety.

                                               

We carried on along the canal and under a few bridges and another narrow bit, then we came to Wolverhampton Boat Club where there are lots of moored boats.

                                                   

                                                                                     

We chugged on and stopped at the water point to get water.   We were almost at the end of the Shropshire Union canal at Autherley Junction where this canal meets the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal.  There is a stop lock here.

I walked down to the lock and a boat was just coming through so it should have been our turn but there was a boat right behind them and the lady said they were already lined up to come in and couldn’t reverse as they were towing a canoe!  She was sorry but could they come in first.  The lock is only a few inches deep so I said okay, couldn’t really say anything else as they were blocking the junction, it was a shiny new boat, don’t think they had been out much. 

                                                        

I went to open the gate to let them out but couldn’t as the canoe was blocking the boat, I asked them several times to move the boat back before they eventually did, then they phaffed around picking up all the fenders they had down, they then went out and it was our turn.

Kev brought the boat in and soon we were going out of the lock and turning left onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal leaving the good old Shroppie behind us, we love that canal but it will be nice to go on different canal for a while.                                                                                

                                                          

We chugged on along the canal passing a long line of very tall trees, then came to a very narrow cutting in rock, once known as ‘Pendeford Rockin’ after a local farm, there is only room for one boat, but there are a few passing places.

We had to wait for two boats to come through then on we went.  Luckily nothing else was coming and we got through there okay.

                                                 

We went under a few bridges.  The bridges on this canal are wide but quite low, different to the bridges on the Shroppie as they are tall but quite narrow.

We chugged on and then came to Coven where we moored up just before The Anchor pub.

                                        

                                               

We are staying here for a couple of days as tomorrow we are off on the bus to Wolverhampton to do some shopping.  Then on Tuesday we will move on a bit further.

Brewood to Bridge 8 - Shropshire Union Canal

 

Thursday 1^st July

We had a couple of nice days in Brewood.  There is a great bakery there run by Gemma and she makes a superb fruit loaf with cherries and cinnamon, we ordered one yesterday to pick up this morning so we trotted up to the village to collect it and say bye to Gemma.  All the cakes, bread etc from here are excellent and it’s well worth a visit.

                                                

We are on the move today just two miles to some lovely moorings near Bridge 8, now fondly known to us as our lockdown spot as that is where we spent the first lockdown with just two other boats and all the birds singing in the brushes and trees around there, it is such a lovely place to moor but I expect it will be busier this time as it is very popular.

We set off from Brewood along the canal with lovely views of the church, under a bridge and on we went leaving Brewood behind. 

                                                        

                                                                                               

We went under a couple of bridges then came to the lovely balustraded Avenue bridge.  This single arch stone bridge was built in 1830 and designed by Thomas Telford.  It was built as an accommodation bridge for nearby Chillington Hall and carried a drive for carriages, it was one of the main approaches to the hall.  It no longer gives access to the hall and now is just a public footpath.  It is a beautiful bridge and we always love seeing it.

                                                    

We went under Avenue bridge and on along the canal, under a few more bridges then came to the moorings near Bridge 8.  There were a few boats there but plenty of room for us and we were lucky as the grass on these moorings and most of the towpath along here has not been cut for some time and is very tall, but obviously a previous boater had moored here and cut the grass down so that saved us having to do it and gave us a nice tidy place to moor.

                                                    

                                                                                           

We are staying here for a few days now then we will move on and will be going onto another canal, the Staffordshire and Worcestershire, the first different one in 10 months.  We love the Shroppie but it will be nice to visit different places again.