Depending on the weather, we may have spent a couple of days either lolling about on the towpath, or had a little chug down to Brewood and back. Either way, we’ll be ready to cast off when our new guests come aboard around 1.30pm. 

After the usual introductory blah blah (and glass of something fizzy no doubt) we’ll chug off and probably put in a few hours more than usual on our first afternoon to get us to Tixall Wide.  We can moor here for our first evening together and the following day, not set sail until mid afternoon – allowing sufficient time for a visit to the beautiful Shugborough hall.

It’ll be our plan (ish ) to turn right at Great Haywood Junction and tie up the day somewhere around Rugeley visitor moorings – or if there isn’t room there, go on a little farther  to Spode House.

Next morning, we’ll continue our South Easterly journey – perhaps stopping off at the Crown Inn (canalside) for a lunchtime tipple, before  we chug on to Fradley Junction (where we’ll turn right on to the Coventry Canal) and ultimately end our day wherever looks nice… bearing in mind, if an after dinner pub visit is desired, we’ll need to be near ish the junction  to go back to The Swan (reported to be one of the most photographed pubs in the country).  Thinking about it, we may be better off tying up for the night BEFORE the junction on the official visitor moorings if can… we’ll work it out when we get there

Our penultimate full day’s journey will be mainly along the beautiful Coventry Canal – a much underrated waterway and as such, we’ll not rush our way through.  No lunchtime pubs today though so we may have to plunder the ships stocks.  We may moor for the day near either Huddlesford or Whittingon and nip in to the Plough or Swan Inn  though if we’re getting withdrawal symptoms.

Our final days chugging isn’t too far.  We’ll aim to arrive at Fazeley Junction just after lunchtime.  We’ll discuss whether to tie up for the day at the visitor moorings or turn right and make our way down to the  Marina to take a visitors mooring for our final night together… the latter is most appealing as chances are, we’ll be able to be on shoreline and the Capt. can take a night of worrying about battery levels.

Reading this back, I appear to have mentioned a few pubs along the way on this trip but please don’t think participation is compulsory… some folks like to stop off here and there along the canal to partake of the odd libation… and if they’re paying, the Capt. Is more than happy to  join them.

We’ll say goodbye to our guests the following morning after breakfast – shortly after which, we’ll begin cleaning and re-stocking the boat for the next leg of our journey…  A two week jaunt around the entire Warwickshire Ring.