Coventry canal - pubs / transport links / winding holes

[sociable_hermit]

I've managed to build up 4 days flex leave, so a 6 day boat trip (leaving Thursday, back on the following Tuesday) is now a possibility.

 

There are two friends interested in going, one can do Thurs - Sat and the other Sunday afternoon - Tuesday, so that works out nicely.

 

The current thinking is Willington - Fradley Jn - Nuneaton and back, turning round at Wash Lane on the Saturday evening.

 

We want this to be a relaxing trip, not a mission, so does Willington to Nuneaton in 3 days sound realistic, given all the August holiday traffic?

 

And if so, where is the best place to drop off one guest on the Saturday afternoon, somewhere in the Nuneaton area, in order to get a bus or taxi to the station, and where would be the best place to pick up the other guest in the Atherstone area around Sunday lunchtime?

 

Ideally what we're looking for here is the sort of main road bus stop / taxi rank which has good adjacent moorings on the canal and serves pints.

 

Also are there any places to avoid mooring around Nuneaton / Atherstone?

[Guest]

I've managed to build up 4 days flex leave, so a 6 day boat trip (leaving Thursday, back on the following Tuesday) is now a possibility.

 

There are two friends interested in going, one can do Thurs - Sat and the other Sunday afternoon - Tuesday, so that works out nicely.

 

The current thinking is Willington - Fradley Jn - Nuneaton and back, turning round at Wash Lane on the Saturday evening.

 

We want this to be a relaxing trip, not a mission, so does Willington to Nuneaton in 3 days sound realistic, given all the August holiday traffic?

 

And if so, where is the best place to drop off one guest on the Saturday afternoon, somewhere in the Nuneaton area, in order to get a bus or taxi to the station, and where would be the best place to pick up the other guest in the Atherstone area around Sunday lunchtime?

 

Ideally what we're looking for here is the sort of main road bus stop / taxi rank which has good adjacent moorings on the canal and serves pints.

 

Also are there any places to avoid mooring around Nuneaton / Atherstone?

 

I would say Willington to Nuneaton very possible in 3 days (at least I hope it is as we are doing the revers Nuneanton to Willington over the BH weekend to get to our home mooring at Mercia)

 

Personally I would avoid an overnight mooring in Nuneaton ittself - shall we say not a very welcoming place and there are better choices.

 

The canal goes right through Nuneaton so drop off/pick up points are aplenty. Atherstone to me felt 'safer' than Nuneaton (though I have no evidence to back up or refute if this was justified) - we moored lunchtime there in April and had no truck. We moved further down to about a mile ouside to moor for the night htough - again we had no trouble from anyone.

 

The moorings and canal in Atherstone again pass right through the centre of the town (Which is about 5 mins walk away.) - giving loads of drop off pick up options.

 

 

Edit to correct fat fingers on a iphone issue....

Edited August 16, 2010 by NB No Deadlines

[romarni123]

And atherstone has a train station

[sociable_hermit]

Ok, thanks.

 

I have been along that stretch before, having come up the North Oxford, but apart from Hartshill Wharf I can't really remember much! I do tend to switch off a bit and just concentrate on guiding the boat along, which is fine until I need to remember bridges and pubs and things...

 

It sounds as though I'd be best off setting down my first guest in Nuneaton and then winding the boat and aiming for Atherstone to moor up. Are there any good eateries there?

[Chertsey]

Don't stop in Polesworth, it is horrid and doesn't have any decent pubs.

DO stop in Atherstone, loads of places to moor along the locks. Lots of pubs there, I would recommend the Market Tavern; it used to be outstanding but is now merely good. DO go to 19Gales farm shop at the top of the High Street on the right and buy a steak pie.

[bargeeboy]

6 days wow what a bonus !

 

You will be able to spend 2 days at the Samuel Barlow sampling new chefs homemade delights !

 

PS vested interest

[WotEver]

It sounds as though I'd be best off setting down my first guest in Nuneaton...

Best place to drop them off would be Boot Wharf. Friendly folk, and a 5 minute taxi ride from there to the station. Alternatively The Anchor pub (bridge 29?) does at least provide food and beverages but it's a long way (comparatively) from the train station.

 

Tony

 

edited for tryping

 

Once you get outside Nuneaton itself and are on your way back to Atherstone there are plenty of places to moor if you like peace and quiet, but if you want a pub and sightseeing then travelling on to Atherstone is your best bet as already suggested.

Edited August 16, 2010 by WotEver

[Jo_]

We are currently moored in glorious evening sunshine at the bottom of Atherstone Locks. We left Mercia (our home mooring) Saturday lunchtime and dawdled down here. We'll be up and down the Ashby and in and out of Coventry before we head back next week. There doesn't seem to be a lot of traffic - even Fradley yesterday had me mostly doing the locks on my own with helpful gglzers. Can't help you with eateries - we tend to carry everything with us. Have a great trip and it sounds as though we'll all be driving back to Willington\Mercia in convoy.

[sociable_hermit]

Excellent - looking forward to this even more now!

 

Steak pie, you say?

[romarni123]

Excellent - looking forward to this even more now!

 

Steak pie, you say?

 

And very nice they are

 

We are currently moored in glorious evening sunshine at the bottom of Atherstone Locks. We left Mercia (our home mooring) Saturday lunchtime and dawdled down here. We'll be up and down the Ashby and in and out of Coventry before we head back next week. There doesn't seem to be a lot of traffic - even Fradley yesterday had me mostly doing the locks on my own with helpful gglzers. Can't help you with eateries - we tend to carry everything with us. Have a great trip and it sounds as though we'll all be driving back to Willington\Mercia in convoy.

 

Gives us a wave if when you come up the locks

[tony collins]

Longest likely hold up will be Glascote locks. Empty quite quickly but sslloooowwww to fill, consequently often a queue.

[Chertsey]

Excellent - looking forward to this even more now!

 

Steak pie, you say?

Well on another thread Fade to Scarlet recommends the chicken and mushroom as the best he's ever had, so you may need to try both.

[sociable_hermit]

Well, that all worked out nicely.

 

Willington to Nuneaton in 3 days was, as you all predicted, a doddle. Our moves went something like this:

 

Thursday: Willington to Fradley Jn. (The Swan)

Friday: Fradley Jn. to Atherstone Bottom Lock

Saturday (am): Atherstone flight, quick time-waster trip to Rose Hill Farm and back to Atherstone, dropped Zoe off at Bridge 41 and turned round again.

Saturday (pm): Atherstone to Wash Lane and back to the Everards pub at Hartshill.

Sunday (am): Hartshill to Atherstone visitor moorings. Quick pint in The Barge & Bridge (no real ale - landlord is boater-friendly and trying to get the Pub Co. to get some decent beers in). Down the town for pies. Got bored waiting for Dan to turn up, and went lockwheeling for a while as there was a queue forming. One up one down continuously for about 2 hours.

Sunday (pm): Met Dan at the station at half two. Down the Atherstone flight and on to the Samuel Barlow at Alvecote. Food finished by the time we arrived, but we sampled the Old Speckled Hen and that was good.

Monday: Alvecote to Arlewas. The Crown at Arlewas a bitter disappointment after previous good times - if this pub is still open in a month it'll be a miracle. The George & Dragon, on the other hand, was fantastic. Friendly staff and drinkers, Highland Park at a good price, sorted. Taxi to Burton for Dan.

Tuesday: single manned Arlewas to Willington, took it easy, got back by half past three.

 

Saw lots of working boats on the move, including Australia & Kangaroo, George, Indus and three of the Alvecote boats (can't remember the names, possibly Kestrel, Vienna and one other?).

 

Atherstone was nice IMHO. The landlord I spoke to said there were five pubs to avoid, out of a total of 23, so that still leaves 18 good ones. The pies from the farm shop were superb and yes I tried both recommendations - the chicken and mushroom was the winner, but only just.

 

Sorry for not posting anything whilst out and about but my leisure batteries were showing signs of fatigue and I didn't want to be running the PC via the inverter. Hello to anyone who might have seen the boat and thought, hmmm, is that that bloke off the forum?