In Coven..........

........and no sight of any witches yet.

A bit of a catchup again, while holding at Penkridge for Otherton lock to reopen I did some shopping and had a look around the town, the main street and surrounding areas obviously older than the now fairly heavily developed outer reaches.

For a small town it had its fair share of pubs, just before Penkridge lock and canalside is ‘The Boat’ 

further along also canalside is ‘The Cross Keys’ as you walk into the town you pass ‘The Star’ 

The Star

at the far end of the town is the appealing looking ‘White Hart’ 

The White Hart

and out on the main road there was yet another which I didn’t get a picture of.

At the far end of the town and close to the railway station stood St. Michaels Church.

In the high street between the shops stood this delightful cottage, great for shopping, not so good for parking and I wouldn’t like every passer by being able to look into my ground floor rooms.

Walking back towards the canal this cottage looked as if had been added to twice at least, the original section being distinctly different to the add-ons, it also looked as if it had been extended to the rear, making what was originally probably a small character filled dwelling quite a large, rather spoilt (for me), home.

I also snapped Penkridge lock.

I liked Penkridge, another town as yet unspoilt by huge developments and superstores, there was some of those on the outer reaches but the town center still retains a small village feel to it with small local shops clustered along the one way high street.

The weather has not been good so my intended move on Saturday was postponed until yesterday, before setting off I walked back to the lock and the local paper shop to get some postage stamps, on my return I noticed that the pound between the Longford and Penkridge lock had emptied, presumably someone had left the paddles up at Longford lock allowing all the water in the pound to drain away, I could see two boats high and dry where I had originally moored so I was very glad that I had moved up through Penkridge lock.

On reaching Filance lock (37) I could see a gate open so it was a simple, gentle, nudge on the remaining gate to get me off to a good start.

Passing a tree house that looked more like a shed had been erected and killed off the tree.

Otherton lock (36) was next and as I approached I could see workmen moving around and for a moment I thought perhaps the work hadn’t finished on schedule, but I needn’t have worried they were working on the adjoining bridge and not only that but one of the men worked the lock for me, I remained on the tiller, happy, things were going well.

Rodbaston lock (35) also in my favour, I was getting quite a smile going now.

The next lock (34) also in my favour and was another strangely named one, there is probably some reason for it!

Brick Kiln lock (33) was also in my favour, could this be my day, and then of course Gailey lock (32) was against me, but what a lovely lock, it has cranked balance beams because it is so close the the bridge, it made moving across the lock a bit awkward between the bridge and the gates but I liked it.

This lovely little wharf and service area also has an unusual Roundhouse alongside the lock.

I stopped and emptied and filled, had a cuppa and a sandwich and then moved on passing the Viking Afloat hire boats, lots of them!

Looking back towards Gailey Wharf, hire boats on the right.

No more locks for a while but there is a chemical works stretching all the way along a straight section and warning ‘no mooring or stopping’, who would want to? horrible looking place but they did tell you when you were past.

Looking back virtually the whole of this straight section of canal was bordered
by the chemical works on the left in this picture, probably 3/4 mile.

Hatherton Junction at Calf Heath looked a bit confusing in my guide book, with a now defunct Hatherton branch and a sort of cut back to Hatherton Marina, and then the main canal heading off towards Autherley junction, on arriving I thought I need to go right but it didn’t appear to have any signs and I wasn’t 100% sure.

I need not have worried, as I glanced over to the bridge on the right I saw the words I needed to see.

I continued on to Coven and moored just before the Fox and Anchor pub.
I phoned Martin on fuel boat Halsall who was due through tomorrow but he said he would be passing around 7pm tonight now so I asked him to stop for me, and at 7pm almost to the minute he arrived and topped me up with diesel, smokeless coal and gas, so I’m all set for my little journey to get through the Audlem locks on the Shropshire canal before they close for repairs on the 4th Jan until 11^th March.

Last nights mooring

Totals yesterday : 6.5 miles : 6 locks