Atherston to Coombes Field

15 miles:    1 locks

After the eleven locks leading up to Atherstone today just had one.
This is a stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction many, many miles away.
There was plenty of countryside to see as the canal turned though many a tight bends.

The biggest town was Nuneaton which is near the canal but you see little of it's industry.
There is a bit of housing but lots and lots of allotments.

This first junction of the day was Marston.
This marks the beginning of the 22 miles Ashton Canal which is lockless.
It is a canal that goes nowhere in particular.

Next comes Hawkesbury Junction which is one of the iconic canal settings..
Getting on to the Oxford requires the most acute bend imaginable but overseen by a dignified cast iron bridge forged in 1837.

Here the Coventry Canal meets the Oxford and the pair of canals are separated by a narrow stop lock with a drop of less than a foot..

So at last Hallmark is heading south down the northern section of the Oxford Canal.
It is a lengthy and roundabout route to the Thames. But it is what I planned.
Although the M6 keeps alongside  the canal for mile or two and the main line railway is alongside for even more the canal soon finds itself amid fields, upon embankments or deep in cuttings
There were no moorings left at Ansty.
I was looking forward to a pint at the Rose and Crown whose extensive gardens run down to the canal by Bridge 15.
I pressed on to Stretton Stop but just before Bridge 26, I pulled over right in the country at Coombes Fields.

A really quiet and peace mooring.
Here is the view over the hedge.