Spring is here and time to be getting about a bit and we've decided to try the Coventry Canal for a change. Back to our usual starting point at Mercia Marina with a hire boat from Avante our route took us along the now familiar Trent and Mersey canal to Fradley Junction. From there we turned into the Coventry canal.
We intended to go as far as Fazely Junction but made good progress, probably due to the absence of locks, and ended up heading further south along the Birmingham and Fazely Canal for a few miles. Our daughter couldn't get enough time of work so she joined and left us at Branston which gave us the opportunity to visit the the Bridge Inn twice for some lovely Italian food.
We met some friends at Whittington for an afternoon and evening which also resulted in a pub visit when we reached Hopwas' this time the Tame Otter. Once again the food was excellent. The next day we visited a nature reserve near Drayton Bassett then started out return journey.
Just to make it seem like we spent all our time in pubs we also visited the the Burton Bridge Inn & Brewery. The brewery wasn't open but the pub was! Here we sampled all six of their beers, three each and no we weren't overdoing it at lunchtime because the "sample paddle" consisted of three 1/3 pints, so actually we only had a pint each. Once again food gets a mention. Hilary had faggots and I had a 6 oz burger made with beef from a local butcher, both very satisfying.
We met some friends at Whittington for an afternoon and evening which also resulted in a pub visit when we reached Hopwas' this time the Tame Otter. Once again the food was excellent. The next day we visited a nature reserve near Drayton Bassett then started out return journey.
