Thursday 27th & Friday 28th May 2021 near Sutton Stop (Hawkesbury Junction).
The Tamworth Gnomes are still there. Last time we came this way, they had been decimated by vandalism but it seems that they are making a come-back!
Hopwas Woods look idyllic, and they would be if they were not a military firing range! No mooring allowed here (maybe that is why they are so idyllic?).
Fazeley Junction, where the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal goes south west into Birmingham. We didn't go that way this time.
The "Piggy-Bank Locks" at Glascote, so named because they are very slow to fill but quick to empty.
We overnighted at the bottom of the Atherstone flight of locks and it was here that the weather suddenly changed. Up to now we had been wearing multiple layers of clothes to keep warm but today the sun came out and the main worry was if we had enough sunscreen on! The rise in temperature was matched by a rise in our spirits (which were pretty good anyway) and we celebrated with gin and tonics in the evening sunshine.
An early start to go up the Atherstone flight. All the locks on this canal are narrow so we have to go through one at a time with the two boats. Each helps the other as far as possible but it usually means that the boat behind has all the locks against and has to empty each one in turn after the first boat has gone though. However, we made good progress.
Just south of Atherstone is Mancetter, which is reputedly the site of the final battle of Boudicca in AD59 or 60. Here a very disciplined Roman army defeated a much larger but (according to the Romans) more disorganised rabble of Angles (i.e. us!).
Hard to equate the surrounding peaceful countryside with such slaughter.
Thirsty cows.
A relic of a previous age of communications. One pole like this could handle as many as 24 conversations at once!
Two Days: 27 hours, 13 Locks and 12.1 Hours.
Trip: 52 miles, 20 Locks and 21.6 hours.
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