On to the Coventry Canal.

Sunday 13th September 2020 at Huddlesford.

It's 400 years since the Pilgrims set off from Plymouth on the Mayflower. We listened to a very moving service from Plymouth on Radio 4. It was of special interest to us as, four years ago we visited Plymouth Massachussetts and "Plimoth Plantation", a recreation of the Pilgrim village in the spring of 1621, complete with inhabitants each representing one of the original Pilgrims who survived the first winter (half of them died in the first three months). If it had not been for the local Wampanoag indians, who taught them how to survive and made a mutual defence pact that lasted for 50 years, even that half would not have survived.

M set off to walk to Fradley Junction. Huge mushrooms abounded, almost the size of her foot, but M wasn't about to risk trying them, tempting though it was.

R started to follow but found that MM was a bit stuck on the bottom and required a push.

A mile post showing that we have done only eighteen miles since we left Aston on Thursday - we're not rushing!

R arrived at Wood End lock before M, who was dawdling along the towpath (as ever!). The lock is very isolated, right out in the country. We met, and helped through the lock, a hire boat whose crew were very nervous, as the hire company had threatened them with dire consequences if they scratched the boat! They managed fine in the end but it is a shame that the hire company made them so nervous that it greatly lessened their enjoyment of cruising.

Fradley Junction and the "Dirty Duck" pub, always a "must" for a photograph. Here we turned right on to the Coventry Canal.

M said that she had forgotten how pretty it is along here. We had hoped to moor at Huddlesford but all the moorings were taken. Hardly surprising given that it was Sunday lunchtime and there is an excellent pub just yards away.

R found a lovely spot about a mile further on, with only cows for neighbours (and a train in the distance). 

By now, it was very hot, so a quiet afternoon was favourite.

Today: 8 miles, 3 locks and 3.7 hours.

Trip: 44 miles, 16 locks and 27.3 hours.