Days 96 - 98: Aston upon Trent to Sawley via Shardlow

A beautiful sunny one for our last day of the trip, through Shardlow and down the river Trent to Sawley and home.

Preparing for winter

Wind in a willow

Approaching Shardlow lock

Canal Heritage Centre at Shardlow, with working boats.  In 1998 a log boat dating from 1300BC was found in a gravel pit nearby, complete with its sandstone cargo.  The original narrowboat!

Derwent Mouth, the final lock!

Onto the river Trent under a blue sky and the water pipe bridge ahead

Sawley Cut

Mooring for a night on the Cut and a celebratory cuppa after more than 3 months away

Evening at Sawley

Day 95: Willington to Aston upon Trent

At Stenson the wind increased to around 20 mph, blowing us off the towpath side and requiring rather a lot of pulling on ropes when mooring up, as well as care when steering.

Through Stenson and Swarkestone locks with a couple on their way back to Sawley after a week's holiday hire

Windy day

Stopping for water at Weston lock

We moored for the night just above Aston lock, so Jan could dash into the village to post a birthday card, getting a lift back to the lock from Viv, owner of historic working boats Whitby and Grimsby.

Days 93 and 94: Branston to Willington via Shobnall

A short hop to Shobnall, to visit the excellent chandlery and buy a ratchet windlass to help us with the very stiff paddles encountered on some locks.  We're not in our 80s yet, but Jan has met a couple who are and still cruise the canals on their narrowboat - they rely on their ratchet windlass for trouble-free locking.

Getting used to the new windlass

Mural at Horninglow Basin

Another canalside WW2 pillbox

Monks Bridge at Egginton, built by monks in the 14th century

The canal here crosses the river Trent on an aqueduct built by James Brindley

The Green Man pub at Willington

Tiny green boat

Calling at Willington marina for diesel - building works for restaurant and shops in the background

Day 92: Barton under Needwood to Branston

On Friday (6th October) we travelled from Barton down Barton Turn lock, Tatenhill lock and moored beside Branston Water Park just south of Burton on Trent.

The really narrow bridge 36 - coming up to Tatenhill lock

Rosehips - it's been a good autumn for fruit of every kind

Guelder rose berries

Evening at Branston...

...and a fabulous sunset

Days 89 - 91: Fradley Junction to Barton under Needwood via Alrewas

A couple of nights in the pretty village of Alrewas, while the weather became stormy (the tail end of hurricane Maria, apparently) and we found a sheltered mooring near the churchyard. After Alrewas we headed to Barton, to buy some coal at the marina.

About to descend Alrewas lock and enter a short section of the River Trent which includes a particularly long weir.  The towpath runs over attractive footbridges alongside the river.

Exiting Alrewas lock onto the river Trent

Wychnor church from the river path - crows flew over the tower in a gothic kind of way

Denis steering - in a brisk wind - alongside the weir 

The barrier floats guarding the weir

Days 86 - 88: Hopwas to Fradley Junction

We reached Fradley Junction in the next stage, through particularly wooded and attractive countryside. Once at Fradley, we filled up with water and moored opposite the CRT welcome centre - by this time it was nearly dark.

Just visible to the left of Hopwas Wood Bridge is the WW2 pillbox, one of 26,000 built to defend strategic places near rivers, railways and road junctions

A closer view of the pillbox

The door is a store for wooden 'stop' planks used when the canal needs to be drained for repair

Lunch break for our version of bruschetta with homemade bread, egg, tomatoes and red peppers - special mention for the garlic homegrown by Pete and Sheila

Carpet of fallen autumn leaves on the water

It's a good year for fungi - here's fly agaric (definitely not for lunch!)

Jan waiting while Denis got pics of the 'shrooms

Early evening fields near Fradley - the stubble was pinkish, but we don't know why

Little swing bridge just before Fradley Junction

The famous canalside pub at Fradley

Our evening mooring, after filling up with water

Days 83 - 85: Atherstone to Hopwas via Alvecote

On Tuesday 26th, from near the centre of Atherstone, we completed the final four locks in the flight then stopped for services at Bradley Green Bridge (known from now on as 'Henley', see below).

Bottom lock at Atherstone, with passer-by

About to exit the lock

Excitable welcome at the services

Serene scene looking back towards Atherstone

Ruined Alvecote priory, founded in 1159 by William Burdett as penance for killing his wife

Working boats Australia and Lynx, carrying coal, moored opposite us by Alvecote Marina

On Wednesday, Jan walked the 3 miles to Tamworth railway station to go to London for the day.  On the following day we moored a little further on at Glascote and next morning Denis travelled to Leicester - when he returned we continued to Fazeley Junction and then north to just before the village of Hopwas.

The aqueduct carrying the canal over the River Tame south of Tamworth

Another garden on a boat