No luck at Fradley….

Hopwas, Coventry Canal to Handsacre, Trent and Mersey Canal

This morning we left Hopwas after saying farewell to a fellow blogger on nb Kanbedun Again.  We had a long chat yesterday evening, but it was only after we’d parted that I realised that I didn’t ask her name!  A lovely boat and a very brave lady single-handing around the country!

The plan was to moor at Fradley Junction, and we hoped we’d find a spot as we had worked out that we’d be there by lunchtime.  We spotted Beacon’s No 14 boat, nb Post Combustion moored a Huddlesford and gave them a toot and a wave.  The couple who own her came to have a look at Windsong and Serenity when we were moored at Bradford on Avon in 2010, when they were considering Beacon as their boat fitter – obviously they were impressed as Post Combustion is the result.

We spotted a new Marina being dug just north of Huddlesford, and before Streethay Wharf – it could do with one around there as there isn’t much mooring to be had.

New marina site

Streethay Wharf – always busy even on a Sunday

We have a lot of boating history around this part of the world and it’s always nostalgic for us to come this way, although not always in a good way.  We were towed to Streethay Wharf once in our old boat ‘Teasel’ after the engine conked out – the lads at Streethay took it out and sent it to Derby for a re-build – it wasn’t much better afterwards!

Soon after Streethay we arrived at Fradley and there wasn’t a spot to be had!  We were disappointed as we’d hoped to have Sunday Lunch in The Swan.  This is the first time we’ve EVER had to sail on by!  Mind you, we always try to arrive about Friday lunchtime and stay the weekend.

Fradley and The Swan

We turned to port at the junction onto the Trent and Mersey, and continued up the two locks, hoping to squeeze in on the moorings at the top – again no luck. We did spot our old Ownerships share boat at the top though – nb Kinver.

I think Fradley is her permanent mooring as we’ve seen her here before.

We continued on.  And on.  And on.  We eventually managed to find a mooring at Handsacre.  There is a chippy here, but again we are unlucky as it’s closed on Sundays.  It’s been one of those days!  Cold too, in the wind, with grey cloud and no sunshine until now.  We can’t believe that it’s the 1st July today and we were huddled up on the back with jumpers and fleeces on!

12.4 miles and 3 locks