"Sawley Cut takes a corner off the Trent where it's not considered to be navigable.
Entry to the cut is through one of a pair of electrically operated locks."
"A few hundred yards down the cut, we stopped just opposite
Sawley Marina, from which Ray works, and tied up for the night."
The west exit from Sawley Cut
The un-navigable stretch of the Trent
"Weston Lock is eleven foot deep."
"The wooden balance beams of the bottom gates, impeded by the bridge,
are of necessity short; but they are massively wide."
"We left, and made our way to the deep lock at Swarkestone. This was manned
by a volunteer who was emptying the lock for us as we approached."
"Our next stop was the 12'4" deep Stenson Lock, and we arrived just as the crew
of another boat were emptying the chamber so that they, too, could go up."
"When we finally arrived at the village, we found it to be a very popular place to moor,
and we could only stop at the very far end of the accessible bank."
Willington bridge
"Despite the wind, we went for a walk down to where an old, former toll bridge
elegantly crosses the River Trent. It's a Grade II Listed structure with a history."
Branston Lock
" Just past Branston Lock we came into the outskirts of the village of Branston,
apparently where the famous Pickle was first made in a household kitchen,
and we moored next to The Bridge, which was next to... a bridge."
Branston Water Park
"A fine example of an area once designated industrial (gravel and cement I believe)
having been turned into an area of natural beauty, and a superb recreational facility."
Wychnor Lock
Keep out! Un-navigable River Trent
"Kantara glided under a picturesque bridge, and we took the first available mooring,
where we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon and early evening under a warm sun
in a fudge-box, thatched-cottage setting."
"It's really quaint, with lots of old buildings, half-timbered, thatched, all sorts."
"Flowers, trees and shrubs were being shown to full effect, even in the cemetery."
Our flowers were looking good, too!
Bagnall Lock, Alrewas
Fradley Junction
"We tied up across from the BW Information Centre, shop and café."
"It was then that Grace noticed that the batteries weren't being charged."
"I called RCR, and about half an hour later I got a text from a mechanic
to say he'd be with us as soon as he could. The poor man arrived two hours later,
having driven in very heavy rain and the consequent bad traffic. "
Spare drive belts, but not a one for us!
"We took a stroll around the junction site, too, which has a lot of Victorian character."
"Come the following morning, the rain was all but over, and it was time for us
to move on up Junction Lock, and turn left onto the Coventry Canal."
"The scenery was a thing of beauty, the weather perfected for cruising."
Filing cabinets! A modern-art installation?
A stop for lunch...
...in a secluded spot.
Fazely Junction
The meeting of the Coventry and Birmingham & Fazeley Canals.
Fazeley Aqueduct over the River Thame
"It was built in 1159 by a man who, returning from the crusades,
believed his wife had been unfaithful to him in his absence.
He killed her for this, then founded the priory as a penance."
Pooley Country Park
"...a nature reserve, a huge area once left bare from largely unsuccessful coal mining,
but now turned into beautiful woodland, with marsh and lakes."
"At the far end of the reserve is a huge hill, created from the waste materials
from the mining. The views from the top were wonderful."
"The strange structure seems to be simply a piece of sculpture.
A golden tower of leaves, apparently."
Atherstone Road Bridge
Atherstone Locks
"Another character was the man living in the Lock Keeper’s cottage
at Glascote Bottom Lock, who had a great smile and a gentle sense of humour."
Hartshill Wharf and BW Yard
"That it was there at all was a great shame,
but it was unacceptable that it had been allowed to be such a hazard."
"Swans have got themselves something of a bad reputation."
"Just as the previous year, we had to pass, and postpone our trip up this canal."
Charity Dock, near Bedworth
I had to take more photos of the amusing additions
to the various boaty stuff that litters the place.
To Coventry...
The stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction
Leaving Hawkesbury
Mooring just before Grimes Bridge
Napton Junction
On along the Grand Union
 |
| NB Bumble |
Moored up for shopping at Tesco
Hillmorton Locks
"After a quick visit to a nearby Halford's shop to buy a belt, the engineer fitted it,
but he'd been unable to buy a replacement belt for the generator."
Overnight mooring
The mug boat
Approaching Braunston
Braunston Flight, by the Admiral Nelson pub
Bottom Lock
Braunston Tunnel
Watford Locks
>>>===<<<
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