Coventry Canal, (Birmingham & Fazeley) and the Ashby Canal

It was a little confusing after leaving Fradley Junction. We were on the Coventry Canal but some way down the canal it's name changed to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal then at Fazeley Junction, changed back to the Coventry Canal. I don't like confusion so I went in search of the reason.

At Fazeley Junction, the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal meets the Coventry Canal. Originally, the Coventry Canal was to continue beyond Fazeley Junction in a north-westerly direction towards the Trent & Mersey Canal at Fradley, but the Coventry Company ran out of funds at Fazeley. The Birmingham & Fazeley Canal extended along a similar line towards Whittington Brook while the Grand Trunk Canal Company (as it was at the time) built the link from Fradley. At a later stage, the Coventry Company bought the link from Fradley Junction to Whittington, but did not buy the link from Whittington to Fazeley. Between Whittington Bridge and Bridge 78 you can see the stone pictured here that marks the point where the two canals join. Still confused? Never mind, enjoy the canal anyway!

From Fradley, the canal passes through flat, open countryside before it skirts Whittington where some back gardens reach all the way down to the canal. It was along here that you can see some lovely, well-kept gardens.

Just beyond Whittington, is a wooded stretch that covers the side of Hopwas Hill and it was along here that we noticed the first signs of Autumn.

After leaving the boat in Fazeley Mill Marina for a few days while we looked after our granddaughter, Hollie, we continued along the Coventry Canal, where we passed a number of reclaimed slag heaps at Pooley Hall. A reminder of its mining industry which began operating around 1846. There is now a heritage centre on the site of the old colliery which provides an insight into the mining history.

The river Anker converges with the canal at Atherston bottom lock flight and we began the climb through the 11 locks that make up the Atherston flight, climbing through open countryside, allotments and housing before reaching Atherston Top Lock.

We took our time, appreciating the beautiful, tranquil morning, before it changed to a busy, bustle of town life.

At Atherston Top Lock, we disposed of rubbish at the sanitary station before continuing on towards Nuneaton, Bedworth and Hawkesbury Junction.

Also know as Sutton's Stop (named after the Toll Clerk), Hawkesbury Junction is a busy canal centre and junction between the Coventry and Oxford Canals. The iconic, disused engine house was once used to pump water up into the canal from a well. The steam engine, install in 1821, was called Lady Godiva and stopped work nearly a hundred years later in 1913. Lady Godiva now rests in the Dartmouth Museum

We continued along the Coventry Canal into the heart of the city of Coventry.

The branch line started off well enough as you leave Hawsbury Junction, with charming sculptures on the first few bridges and a wide towpath. Attractive, well-kept green verges gave way to lovely views over the park.

Some beautifully manicured gardens that backed onto the canal gave an indication of pride, but all that didn't last.

Needless to say, I didn't much like the branch line into Coventry Basin. It's certainly not the most inspiring part of the canal. About a mile and a half in, and the canal was dirty, with rubbish everywhere. Broken wooden fences replaced the well-kept gardens, and dirty houses hid in shame behind piles of junk. Industry encroaches, but not in a sympathetic way. As the canal passed through the outskirts of Coventry, I began to wonder why we had journeyed this way.

As if to redeem itself, towards the basin and just before bridge 2, there is an elegant row of weavers houses known as the 'Cash Hundred Housing' (although there are only 37 of the original 49 left) In days gone by, living accommodation would have taken up the lower two floors and the upper floor with its large windows would have been where the looms were, driven by a steam engine.

Another 3/4 of a mile later, the canal terminates in a basin (with plenty of mooring) overlooked  by tall buildings and old wooden warehouses.

Coventry is the home of motor manufacturing and the birthplace of such iconic makes as Daimler, Jaguar, Triumph, not to mention Massey Ferguson, so a trip to the Transport Museum is not to be missed.


During WWII Coventry's industries turned to the production of material for the war effort which made it a target for enemy bombing and on 14th November 1940, during a night air-raid, reported to be the most prolonged and devastating attack on any city in history, the city was all but destroyed. The devastation was so complete that Germany coined a new word 'Coventrated' meaning the destruction of a city from the air.

Among the ruins was of course the cathedral. By the end of the attack, all that remained was a shell full of rubble, the tower and the spire. Even in those  times of utter despair, some found the ability to forgive. From the ruins of the cathedral, nails were collected and fashioned into crosses. These crosses of nails have been presented as symbols of peace to Kings, Queens, Bishops and all manner of spiritual leaders around the world. As a result, Coventry has become known as the' Reconciliation Centre of the World'.

But on a more historical note, Coventry is reported to be the home of Lady Godiva - or to be more exact, Countess Godiva or rather Godgifu (pronounced Godgivu meaning God's gift) before the name and title was corrupted by history.

Lady Godiva is remembered for her naked ride through the town in order to persuade her husband to lower the crippling taxes imposed on the poor citizens of Coventry. This wonderful story and all its derivatives has spanned the centuries but in truth is unlikely to have happened since Coventry was little more than a hamlet at the time. However, the popular legend remains and still keeps people talking.

Whether or not you are interested in Lady Godiva, Coventry's manufacturing past, the total devastation during World War II or the cathedral of Reconciliation, Coventry is now a burgeoning University City and well worth a visit. But beware; our experience of dining-out was not good. Poor service and a long wait appear to be quite an acceptable order of the day.

We left Coventry behind on Monday 30th September and I could hardly wait to reach Hawkesbury Junction so I immersed myself in housekeeping chores. It was a relief to leave the Coventry canal and breath the fresh air of the Ashby Canal. Quite a contrast.

But before we reached the Ashby, we passed this boatyard.

Boatyard or Junkyard? ....You be the judge!!!








Originally, the Ashby Canal was intended as a route-through from the Coventry Canal near Bedworth to the River Trent at Burton Upon Trent, however this plan was repeatedly shelved. In 1792 the owners of the new coalfields near Ashby de la Zouch and the Leicestershire Limeworks decided that a southbound outlet was required; but it wasn't until 1804 when a new coal mine sunk at Moira, producing an excellent quality of coal that was widely demanded in London and Southern England, that the canal flourished.

The navigable part of the restored Ashby Canal is 22 miles long with no locks; but this shallow canal (maximum 3'6" draught) makes for very slow progress. We managed an average speed of 2 miles per hour; but we were not in any hurry.  Just a word of caution; there were places where the canal was so shallow that we lost steerage and ploughed into the bank. Scars, broken brickwork and transferred paint on some of the bridges indicated that we were not alone in this.

Almost from the moment that the Ashby canal left the Coventry Canal at Marston Junction, the scenery changed dramatically. The industry and housing estates that marked the Coventry Canal disappeared, to be replaced by green fields, trees and farms. The typical stone-arched bridges were evident from the start.

A long wooded cutting drew us on towards the typically farming village of Burton Hastings and my spirits soared as we gently made our way through this beautiful countryside.

Although the weather was becoming ever more autumnal and the temperatures were dropping to the mid-teens, it couldn't detract from our pleasure...

... and I enjoyed walking along this remote and rural canal and gathering blackberries while Ian was never far away.

We stopped at bridge 23 where a farm shop, set a little way back from the canal, sold fresh produce, eggs, bread & milk and meat. We bought some excellent sausages as well as a delicious pork pie!

Passing Stoke Golding, the canal meandered around Dadlington and eased its way towards Sutton Cheney Wharf where there is a sanitary station and  are full service facilities.

One point to note with regard to the Ashby Canal, services that accommodate waste disposal are few and far between while water points are plentiful.

We passed bridge 35 and negotiated the sharp turns before mooring near Shenton Aqueduct. We wanted to spend time at the nearby Bosworth Battlefield and Visitor Centre. If you are interested in the history of our country, this is not to be missed. It is the site of national historical significance and is the location of one of the three most important battles fought on British soil.

The Battle of Bosworth was fought on August 22nd 1485 and it was on this battlefield that King Richard III (the last Plantagenate King) lost his life and his crown, and brought an end to the War of the Roses.  Henry Tudor, the victor became the next king of England and this gave rise to the powerful Tudor Dynasty that spawned  Henry VIII, Bloody Mary, and Elizabeth I.

At the top of Ambion Hill, near the Battlefield Heritage Centre, this stunning walk-through sundial features the thrones of Richard III, Henry Tudor and the treacherous Lord Stanley, the three principal players to this dramatic turn in history.

I hardly need to say that we had a fantastic day!

Then, with autumn leaves falling, we made our way to Snarestone and the end of the Ashby Canal Navigation.

Snarestone sits on a ridge at right angles to the canal which in turn passes under the village through a crooked 250yds tunnel, the only tunnel on the canal.
Emerging from the tunnel, we passed a further two stone-arched bridges  before the canal terminated.

There are 48hr moorings at the canal terminus (and a sanitary station) so moored for the night.

A few hours later, as the sun was sinking in the sky, we were treated to a wonderful photo opportunity. The liquid-golden sun shone through the bridge and over the fields, bathing them in a magnificent glow. I was enchanted, and simply couldn't capture the beauty of it all on film.


We stayed the full 48 hours in Snarestone to make the most of it. We took a bus (the bus stop is outside the Globe pub) into Ashby de la Zouch on Saturday and enjoyed a lovely pub lunch at The Globe on Sunday.

All too soon, it was time to leave Snarestone and return down this idyllic, rural canal towards Trinity Marina where we were to leave the boat for a few days, stopping at the market town of Market Bosworth on the way back. We met friends Jackie and John for dinner at the Red Lion, one of the two oldest buildings in the town which dates back to 14th Century.

We left Trinity Marina and the lovely Ashby Canal on Tuesday 15th October for the last leg of our 2013 adventure as we headed down the Oxford Canal towards our winter moorings at Barby Marina.

Author's note ***

Ian laughed at the numerous mentions of 'Sanitary Stations....'
When boaters get together there are three topics that are always discussed...
1) How waste is disposed of - and where;
2) How waste is stored on your boat;
3) What sort of heating do you have;
So it should not be a surprise that I frequently mention such an important topic!