As you can tell, we have left the Coventry and are now on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal so once again on new territory. We are inclined to like it so far I feel. The canal seems wide and fairly well maintained. The towpaths so far have been in an excellent condition and the locks are OK. Different but OK. They only have one bottom gate, which is unusual for us, and the gates are metal. This means that as you approach them from downstream you can't tell if they are full or not since there is no leakage. My main problem with them is that they are the narrowest, narrow locks I've encountered. Not room for a cigarette paper either side of the hull. Just as well I don't smoke I suppose! Compared to the narrow locks on the Bridgewater which were very wide for narrow locks, there must be about a foot difference I would imagine. How strange...... I ponder these things you know?
Here we are filling with water at Fazeley Junction. The first time we came through here with Susan and Malcolm on a hireboat, the buildings behind were disused mills and looked prime for re-development. Part of the old buildings were kept it would seem but most have been demolished. What a shame, I hope there was a proper reason and not just wanton destruction for the old buildings not to have been renovated.
We are in the process of turning right into the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal here, going left takes you towards Coventry.
Here you go - if you can enlarge the photo you can see that it's signing the way - this is the view from the back as we are making the turn.
According to our Canal Guide, this is one of the 'little wonders' of the inland waterways! It's a gothic folly, the two stone pillars are enclosed spiral staircases that lead to the footbridge. Definately a one-off! Apparently the path it takes you to on the right is Drayton Manor Park which contains 'Thomas the Tank Land'. Don't say you don't learn things from reading this blog!
An amazingly straight and quiet stretch of canal just before the bottom lock of the flight we are on.
Here's John waiting for the lock to fill at the bottom of the Curdworth Flight. There are 11 of them and we are moored between 8 and 9 overnight. When we arrive at the top lock tomorrow we shall be at the M6 Toll road bridge - Whoopee. Sounds exciting doesn't it?
I have got a biriani cooking at present that smells wonderful. I am desperately trying to lose weight as just before we left I hit my personal maximum so have been very good and sensible. I'm really looking forward to tea and later a visit to the pub and will try very hard not to undo the work of the last week.
My new camera hasn't got as good a zoom as my old one but here's another sign of departing summer - swallows starting to join forces. It's been a lot cooler today and there have been some showers. I do hope that the wet weather holds off a bit longer - I've been enjoying the bit of sun over the last 2 days.
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