Moored at Hopwas

No Blog yesterday because we stayed at Fradley. There was a strong wind blowing which makes boating uncomfortable and hard work as the side of the boat acts as a very effective sail.

We had lit the solid fuel stove when we arrived on Wednesday, fortunately it stayed alight overnight and with the windows closed and the fire fed we managed to raise the inside temperature from about 8degC to a more comfortable 19. So apart from an hours walk we stayed in the boat reading.

This morning again the fire had remained alight. Keeping sold fuel fires going takes a bit of practice to adjust the air flow. Too much and the fire burns all the fuel during the night, too little and it goes out. To make matters worse, the appropriate setting seems to vary a lot with the brand of coke. But it looks like we have cracked it, at least until we start on the new, different, bag of fuel.

After breakfast we checked the weather - much quieter. So after my customary check of the engine to ensure there were no worrying pools of liquid anywhere we set off down the 2 locks to Fradley Junction where the Coventry canal joins the Trent & Mersey. Fradley is often very busy with boats moving, mooring and generally faffing around and moored boats along side the canal, sometimes double banked constrict the waterway. Today was no exception. We waited before the junction until the route was clear and moved quickly onto the Coventry Canal.

We know this stretch of canal well having travelled it many times. Its not unattractive but its not a canal that people remember. After Fradley the traffic was fairly light and so we made good progress stopping at Huddlesford Junction for lunch on the boat. Huddlesford isnt a real canal junction now as the first of mile of the closed link to the Wyrley and Essington Canal around the north of Birmingham is used as a boat club. However there is an active Society, President actor David Suchet (Hercule Poirot), devoted to reopening the W & E under the name of the Lichfield Canal.

After lunch we carried on through Whittington where the canal changes to the Birmingham & Fazeley. The only difference a boater would notice is that the bridges have names rather than the more usual numbers. The weather was becoming darker and more windy so we moored after 1.5 hours at the unusually named village of Hopwas where we will spend the night.