After a misty start, a very much better day, weather-wise, with blue skies for most of the time , clouding over towards late afternoon. No rain!
Again, we set off early with long lock-free stretches ahead of us. After about an hour we approached Bascote Locks, with the entry to the basin (now a popular mooring). The view back along the canal showed the rapidly arriving autumnal colours.
A long embankment crosses the River Tame, which looked to be flowing well after the recent rains.
At the other end of the embankment is a small CRT materials store with a couple of gates in a workboat awaiting fitting over winter. They looked as if they were the right size for one of the Glascote locks but we could not see the usual chalked name anywhere.
Fazeley Junction is where the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal meets the Coventry. Financial issues during the construction led to the B & F building and owning the section here northwards to Whittington where the join is marked by a small stone. (The inscription is almost worn way)
The re-development of the site by the junction is now well-advanced but it does seem to have been on-going for some considerable time.
We stopped at Peel Wharf close to the junction to use the full range of services whilst Christine walked to a not-quite-nearby shop for a paper and other items from a small Tesco.
Another autumn scene.
The different original ownership of this section can be seen from the bridges: the B & F used names rather than numbers.
Just to remember the bright blue skies!
Some sections are delightful, wooded scenes.
We have noticed this farm just south of Whittington Bridge before when it was covered by large numbers of poly-tunnels with strawberries being grown inside. Today there was asparagus as far as we could see with the poly-tunnels wound down and tied in bundles at ground level.
We recall that this house (alongside Bridge 88 - so back on the Coventry again!) was For Sale last time we came this way in 2013. Whether it is still the same sale or is on the market again we do not know.
Just before Fradley Junction there is a small footbridge which is very easy to operate. Sadly it also attracts the attention of poorly supervised children whose parents are enjoying the famous pub nearby. As a result there has been a campaign to fit a lock so that only boaters can operate it. It is with some regret that we see that CRT have acceded to this request - although the notice says that it was due to have been fitted a week ago and still no sign of it!
Mike and Andrew alighted to prepare the lock just around the corner whilst Christine executed an excellent tight turn. She headed straight towards the open lock only to discover at almost the last moment that the apparently moored boat was actually waiting to go down. As a hire boat they were taking their time!
As we waited our turn, with a boat in between coming up, a towed boat came down from the higher locks and turned onto the Coventry.
In the continuing sunshine - now mid-afternoon - we continued down the lower four locks of the Fradley flight, passing the former waterways depot.
Bridge 49A, just before Bagnall Lock, has been extensively decorated in a cartoon style.
The National Forest is close to the canal and a willow living sculpture decorates the lock approach. A carved bench also marks the forest and also the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Anything you can do, I can do . . .
Below Alrewas Lock we crossed the River Trent - no problem with water level today - as the sun gradually dropped down towards sunset.
There are several very large houses close to the canal - one looked like it was once a Manor Farm house, whilst the Wharf House is unusually grand. There must have been some good money in canals!
We continued on through Barton Turns until, just after Tatenhill Lock we found a mooring spot sufficiently far away from the very noisy A45 and the gravel works - and also with a gap in the hedge for a satellite signal!
21.9 miles - 11 locks
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