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In no time at all you
will find yourself nudging the outskirts of Nuneaton
with its canal side properties, allotments and football
ground. As the scenery starts to become more rural you
continue straight ahead at the isolated Marston Junction
and on to Hawkesbury Junction, a favourite meeting place
for boat folk of old. Here you will encounter your first
lock, “Hawkesbury Deep”, all of 4 inches! This was a
‘stop lock’ between the Coventry and Oxford Canals,
which were originally owned by different companies.
Passage from one to the other was chargeable and the
stop lock ensured the boats paused long enough to pay
their toll. Some of the old loops provide evidence of
the canal’s older, more meandering course, before it was
made more competitive with the railways, whilst and the
M6 reminds us of the nature of transportation today. The
landscape quickly resumes its rural splendor until you
reach Stretton Stop and some canal style hustle and
bustle (beware the swing bridge). The canal then skirts
Brinklow Village, site of a former wharf. Brinklow is
now a ten minute walk from the canal. Straddling the
former Roman Road of Fosse Way (nowadays surprisingly
busy) this petty village boasts a Norman motte-and-bailey
castle, one of the largest and best preserved in England
and a 13th century church. Brinklow Marina is a little
further along the canal, again occupying a section its
former course. Look out for further evidence in the
shape of long abandoned bridges in the middle of fields!
With lock free
progress, it takes very little time to reach Newbold,
again much coloured by the canal’s 19th century
rerouting. This explains why the Boat Inn is nowhere
near the canal, and why there are old tunnel entrances
blocked off nearby. Newbold’s new tunnel, at right
angles to the old one, has a magical light display
(turned off after dark so as not to inconvenience the
bat residents) whilst the village is a good place to
pick up provisions. The next place of note is Rugby.
Cruising through the northern reaches of the town, the
old loops are very much in evidence. It’s quite a walk
to the town centre but, naturally, there are lots of
eating, drinking and shopping opportunities and, for
fans of football with a non-spherical ball, the various
museums are a must!
It’s not until you
reach Hillmorton that you remember that canals have
locks. There are three here – paired to speed up the
traffic in this canal’s heyday. There follows over an
hour of lock free countryside until you reach Braunston
Turn. Here you will turn left and head along the Grand
Union Canal towards Braunston marina. Described by
Michael Pearson in his indispensable canal guides as "a
point of pilgrimage which has captured the imagination
of waterway writers, artists and photographers more than
almost any other canal location", Braunston is a source
of pleasure and inspiration to all canal enthusiasts.
The village is also extremely pretty and has a choice of
eating, drinking and shopping facilities. Look out for
the de-sailed windmill with its panoramic views.
 There
follows a truly fascinating stretch of water. You begin
with six wide locks followed by the 2042 yard tunnel at
Braunston, the seventh longest in the canal network) and
the longest on the Leicester Ring. Turn left at Norton
Junction and up the Watford Staircase Locks, followed by
22 miles of level waterway, meandering through the
countryside, 412 feet above sea level and including the
1528 yard long Crick Tunnel and Husbands Bosworth Tunnel
at 1166 yards. You are lowered back down 75 feet by
Foxton Locks, two staircases of five locks each, one of
the wonders of the canal system. Next to the locks are
the remains of an attempt to move boats up and down hill
by use of a steam driven winch on an inclined plane. The
engine house is now a museum. (See picture
courtesy of Stephen and Lucy –
www.luphen.org.uk). If time permits, you
might like to turn right down the Market Harborough Arm
to the eponymous town, established as market town in the
11th century and famous for holding the first recognized
canal rally in 1950. Saddington Tunnel (beloved of the
local bats!) and a few more locks see the environment
become increasingly urban until you find yourself in the
city of Leicester itself.
 Leicester,
nestled next to the River Soar, is one of the oldest
cities in England. Some 2000 years ago it was the
capital of the East Midlands and populated by Celts.
Around AD 50 it was founded as Ratae Corieltauvorum, a
Roman city and military settlement upon the Fosse Way
Roman Road. It later grew into an important trading
centre and one of the largest towns in Britian. The
remains of the baths can be seen at the Jewry Wall with
artifacts on display at the adjacent museum. Leicester
also boasts an open top bus tour, lots of parks and
gardens, a cathedral, several theatres, the Abbey
Pumping Station, the National Space Centre, many
historic halls and the remains of Leicester Abbey
(see picture), two universities, plus lots of shops,
places to eat, sports and leisure facilities.
From Leicester your
journey takes you onto the River Soar, a beautiful river
with some very deep locks, then down to Trent Junction,
an impressive site. A left turn will take you briefly
onto the River Trent and on to the beginning of the 93
mile long Trent and Mersey Canal. You will pass through
the 18th century village of Shardlow, sporting a
restored canal port, the famous Clock Warehouse and a
Heritage Centre (see picture below
courtesy
Up
The Cut).
Just after the village
of Willington you will pass across a series of
aqueducts, one of which is a twelve arch stone affair,
crossing the River Dove. In no time you will find
yourself passing through Burton upon Trent (of brewery
fame – enthusiasts may enjoy the Coors Visitor Centre)
and Branston (of pickle fame). The pretty village of
Arlewas, bisected by the canal and backing on to the
River Trent, is the last place of note on the Trent and
Mersey before you reach Fradley Junction. This picture
postcard location remains unspoiled and the Swan Inn pub
still offers a traditional canal side welcome. Left at
Fradley sees you back on the Coventry Canal, also at its
rural best. Pretty villages, including the lovely Hopwas
with its twin canal side pubs, are intercepted by
stunning woodland and the odd glimpse of the River Tame.
All too soon you are back at functional Fazeley and
following the Coventry back to Springwood Haven. |
