cricket – Shardlows Highs

I have been thinking about doing a blog closer to home, but never got round to it, until we decided to take a good walk along a local canal, nothing unusual, and found a section nearby we had missed before, and couldn’t stop taking photos.

We often take the dogs along the network of local canals and have been to Fradley Junction many times, and normally turn towards Rugeley, but decided to head the opposite direction this day. As we had already had a good walk that morning, we left Tez dog at home, as her old legs cannot take 2 walks a day now.

We parked up near a bridge over the Coventry Canal and walked the short distance to the Junction where it meets the Trent and Mersey Canal. There is a wonderful signpost just for us there, but we forgot to take a new shot of the the sign, so here is one I took about 10 years ago.

We were greeted by the beautiful Cherry blossom cascading over the tow path. We crossed over the canal and turned right towards Alrewas.

The sun came out for us, and we started enjoying the views of fields and countryside.

After a couple of miles we reached Alrewas, and were enchanted. This village sits mainly alongside the A38 road, and so we only see that side which isn’t the prettiest, but it was saving its best for canal visitors.

First a wonderful graffiti to welcome us as we passed under the road.

Ian spotted the reflections on the roof.

Reggie says hurry up!

There are several pretty locks along this stretch

and what can be more English than a cricket match by the canal?

We then discovered the pretty thatched cottages and gorgeous gardens

I love this old shed in an overgrown garden

The village church was visible over the hedgerows and old oaks tree

We carried on walking past the village to where the River Trent flows across the canal – you don’t see signs like this very often on a canal (photobombed by Reggie)