Can you get lost on a canal?

1 hour 31 minutes, 2.88 miles, 0 locks

We had a jolly good try at getting lost, as you will see!

We set off his morning on the Coventry Canal. We planned a short journey to Hopwas for the weekend as John has a NABO meeting tomorrow - on his birthday! We will celebrate on Sunday and Monday!

Pretty soon we reached the junction between the Coventry canal and the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at Fazeley.

Bridge 77 is the last of the numbered bridges for a while. This is because the next section follows the Birmingham and Fazeley practice of only using bridge names. After the junction we were on the "Birmingham and Fazeley canal on the Coventry Canal route"! Are you lost and confused?

Fazeley Junction B & F Canal

Fazeley Junction Coventry Canal

The reason for this confusion is that the B & F got there first and continued building towards Whittington Brook. From there the Grand Trunk Canal Company carried the canal north to Fradley. The Coventry Canal Company bought that section back - the bridge numbers start again at Whittington!

Whilst we cogitated this conundrum, we stopped at Peel Wharf for water etc. Peel Wharf is the BW West Midlands office. I point this out as things were about to get even more confusing!

Epiphany at Peel Wharf

We passed under Bonehill Road Bridge

Looming in front of us was the A5 road bridge. We did not expect a name plate but thought it might have a temporary sign. It did, we couldn't believe our eyes!

Temporary bridge sign for A5 bridge

Now we were thoroughly lost! I could be extremely rude here about incompetence and lack of knowledge but I will let you imagine our reaction! Needless to say John has written to the office situated a few hundred yards away from this blunder!

I cannot excuse it on the grounds of harking back in history either, as this section was never owned by The Grand Trunk Canal - now known as the Trent and Mersey! Never mind, maybe they will correct it, or maybe not!

To cap it all, as we approached Sutton Road Bridge we saw two road signs. The first, by Lichfield District Council, announces Mile Oak. The second, courtesey of British Waterways, no less, declares that traffic is passing over the Coventry Canal.

Sutton Road BridgeSutton Road Bridge

We continued on, enjoying the warm sunshine and beginning to recognise places again. Pretty soon we saw signs of Hopwas and moored up just before Dixon's Bridge.

Bull's bridge, Hopwas

After lunch I wandered off to find a post box - discovering that the shop and Post office were no longer, but that there was still a post box and telephone on the corner opposite The Tame Otter pub! I also confirmed that the moorings after Dixon's bridge and in front of The Tame Otter are 48 hour moorings. It was a good move to moor where we did as it is 14 days!

We have a really good satellite TV signal, a view over fields and a quiet mooring away from the road and pubs! Suits me!

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