Bradley Green

On Thursday morning we left our mooring in the basin at Coventry to head north towards Atherstone. Unlike most days recently it was mild and quite barmy. We stopped just outside the basin to take on water which took a long time and then retraced our route through the suburbs. (see Little Heath post)

Bridge 1 Coventry Canal 

(A tight fit but Albert passes through with chimneys and exhaust in place)

It's shame that with all the attempts at tidying Coventry Canal environment the cut is so full of rubbish. Some areas required careful navigation to avoid the polythene bags and other detritus. However, the worst example was close to Longford where tyres had been dumped on the bank and some had been thrown into the cut.

Tyres in the cut!

We passed by Hawkesbury Junction which looks quite different from this aspect and headed towards Bedworth. As we passed the junction we were photographed by CanalSide Art and the images are now on their Facebook Page.

Hawkesbury Junction

The journey through Bedworth to Nuneaton was straightforward and we passed through the town in glorious sunshine. It was just after Nuneaton that one of the few remaining telegraph poles can be seen. The towapaths, roads and railway lines of Britain were once lined with them and this pole would have been one of millions. 

A monument to former technology

The section of the Coventry Canal from Nuneaton to Hartshill and on to Atherstone is very pleasant with extensive views across the valley of the River Anker. However coming around one bend we discovered the last resting place for all the plastic drinking bottles consumed in Warwickshire. It is a shame because the water through this section is relatively litter free.

Drinking bottle graveyard

Maggie negotiating a bend near Hartshill

We got to Atherstone Top Lock about 4:00. The weather was calm and dry so we decided to descend the flight (11) and moored up at Bradley Green at just before 6:00. A good days boating in fine weather. Our evening entertainment was the Leader's Debate on TV.