Waterways Walks: Lowsonford and Preston Bagot

Excellent weather over the Easter holidays needs to be maximised and what finer way of passing the time is there than staging a canalside stroll through the Warwickshire countryside. Bookworm Bygrave has researched a route for us complete with the prospect of pies and ice cream...

- Our Starting Point -

Trip Log: Tuesday 7th April 2026 and the temperatures are set to top 20°C, not bad for early April. After an Olton rendezvous to meet Emily, we park up at Lowsonford beside the Fleur de Lys pub (more of which later) ready to begin our walk along the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal. The entire navigation connects the River Avon at Bancroft Basin with Kings Norton Junction where it meets the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, and I've steadily nibbled away at various segments over the years, often with a certain HRH for company. Bridge 41 at Lowsonford had featured on 2021's Beer Garden Safari - during that curious period where you could visit pubs but had to stay outside - so I'm delighted to reacquaint myself with Lock 31 and its associated barrel-roofed keepers cottage. It's a lovely spot in the sunshine, make no mistake!

- Bookworm Bygrave consults the instructions -

Emily has picked our suggested circuit from a 2008 Angela Jefferies book 'Drive and Stroll in Warwickshire' so we initially head in a south-westerly direction towards Wootton Wawen. The scenery is glorious with rolling fields, wispy blossoms and plenty of birdsong as we steadily descend the lock flight all while saying hello to dog walkers and cyclists. The canal narrows in places - possibly at the site of former bridges - with Lock No. 33 (Claverdon Top Lock) being accompanied by Bridge 44, one of those split structures where the central gap was designed to allow boats and horses to pass through without needing to unhitch the towrope. Ingenious!

- Yarningale Aqueduct -

The southern half of the Stratford Canal is notable for a sequence of three aqueducts within a four mile stretch of each other. I've covered the Edstone and Wootton Wawen specimens on previous explorations so my set can be completed courtesy of Yarningale. Originally built out of wood in the 1810s, it now comprises a 42 foot-long cast iron trough which carries the canal above the Kingswood Brook - it is easily the shortest of the three but that doesn't make it any less enchanting for photographic purposes...

- Bucket Lock Cottage -

... and my camera soon finds itself being totally charmed by the adjacent Bucket Lock which follows immediately on from the aqueduct. As if the name alone isn't cute enough, the cottage is very beguiling as a classic of the rounded-roof variety almost unique to this waterway; an immaculate garden is buzzing with insects and the property has been extended over time to function as a modern family home. By this stage Miss Bygrave is realising that my customary fixation on street signs also applies to lock balance beams whereby every number needs to be fully accounted for; we've just done No. 34 for those keeping count.

- Preston Bagot Lock -

Beyond Bucket Lock we proceed via Claverdon Bottom Lock (35) to encounter the three-lock portion around Preston Bagot. We're roughly a couple of miles east of Henley in Arden at this point and the photos keep on coming: another barrel-domed cottage (this time with a grand extension) and appropriate beam angles for Locks 36, 37 and 38 are duly recorded. Our guidebook actually requires us to leave the towpath at No. 36 but we add a little extra on, venturing as far as Bridge 48 for a bonus sighting of Preston Bagot Manor, a timbered farmhouse property that dates to circa 1550 with reddish-brown brickwork to admire.

- Preston Bagot Church -

Retracing our steps to Lock 36, we swap shimmering waters for paddock and pasture as the right of way traverses footbridges, fields and several stiles. All Saints Church is truly delightful, tracing its roots across a thousand years of worship and still proudly displaying a plaque from 1963 when it won a Best Kept competition. We pause to see motherly ewes tenderly guiding their newborn lambs - is there any better springtime scene? - then deftly negotiate a ford, managing not to get our feet too wet where the stream threatens to get quite deep. Add in pretty bluebells and a treacherous copse with thorny branches seeming intent on attaching themselves to my person, and it's been a cracking five miles full of interest.

- Pie Perfection -

Our reward for coming full circle back to Lowsonford is a leisurely lunch at the aforementioned Fleur de Lys. Readers of a certain age may recall when the pub's pies were a common sight at fish and chip shops across the country, becoming a national brand prior to being taken over by Pukka. Things might not be produced on quite that scale here now but pies remain a key part of the menu so we partake of pastry-encased goodness in the form of chicken, leek and bacon for the Bookworm and superb steak and kidney for me; chunky chips, jugs of gravy and a medley of vegetables make this a very satisfying meal indeed. For an establishment tucked away on a quiet Warwickshire country lane, they don't half pull in the punters. Most folk have chosen to sit outside, savouring the narrowboat views on offer from the extensive beer garden although we enjoy the rustic comfort indoors. Wadworth 6X is a decent pint too, good stuff!

- Perkins Prescription at the Henley Mile Tap -

The walk may be over but the day is not, hence we relocate to nearby Henley in Arden and relax awhile in the lovely Jubilee Gardens behind the Church of St John the Baptist. As if a Lowsonford pie was not enough of a culinary pleasure, we obtain dessert from the Henley Ice Cream Company, a family business that has been operational since 1934. Flavours such as Toffee Crunch and Salted Caramel might not have been part of their range 92 years ago but certainly hit the spot with us today! The constant queues outside the shop tell their own story as to how popular their wares can be on sunny days. Two pub interludes finish things off nicely, so it's a shout-out to the Henley Mile Tap serving their own ales based on historical happenings - Perkins Prescription is named after a local pharmacist who travelled the length and breadth of the pre-Beeching railway network - and the Black Swan. The latter is part of the Heartwood Inns Group and sees Emily's Bygrave brain cells being tested through the 1% Club board game. Mental gymnastics successfully performed, it's been a special day. Cheers!

Waterways Walks: A Frozen Friday in Hanley

Arctic chills aren't to be unexpected in January and the temperatures are certainly on the cool side as I stage my first Friday Foray of 2025. I've picked out the Potteries again with the intention of discovering a pub or two whilst adding to my Waterways Walks repertoire - what can the Caldon Canal tempt me with?

- Stoke Locks Sign -

It's Friday 10th January 2025 and a sharp frost in Wolverhampton is nothing compared to the compacted snow that awaits me when I arrive in an otherwise sunny Stoke-on-Trent. I'm well wrapped up for temperatures predicted to get no higher than minus five, and the towpath of the Trent & Mersey Canal has a hushed vibe as I commence my walk from Osborn Bridge (No. 113B). Stoke Locks will be my first point of interest as I reacquaint myself with numbers 36 up to 40, each one carrying a crisp covering of icy white stuff. Toadstool mooring pegs and a Unity mural bemoaning the perils of plastic pollution are other points of note. 

- Etruria Canal Warehouse -

Etruria Junction is where I can join the Caldon Canal, a navigation that runs for roughly 18 miles via Stockton Brook and Cheddleton to reach Froghall Basin; a branch to Leek has been partially retained while historically there was a connection on to Uttoxeter too. There is initial drama when I almost come a cropper with an alarming skid by the Etruria Wharf Warehouse. Luckily I manage to catch hold of the railings and prevent a disaster, latterly recovering some poise with pictures of Etruria Forge lettering and a glimpse of the 'Lady Fiona' narrowboat; the adjacent Industrial Museum meanwhile is watched over by a statue of canal engineer James Brindley. The split between the two waterways is marked by arrow indicators and the wharf compound is part of the wider attraction along with the Etruscan Bone Mill.

- Bedford Street Staircase Locks -

Onwards up the Caldon I go with a revisit to Bedford Street Staircase Locks, one side of which is an absolute ice rink. Two conjoined chambers make for a neat feat of engineering although I advance with tentative trepidation given my near-tumble earlier. Keeping my wits about me, I encounter Bedford Street Bridge (No. 2) where Harry Ramjams is detected as an abandoned boozer which has had its water supply switched off. Planet Lock then awaits in the vicinity of Norfolk Street, offering faint flashbacks to another backstreet pub I recall getting photos of years ago but the Norfolk Inn now appears to be a pharmacy.

- Hanley Park Scenery -

Next up, I gingerly reach Hanley Park where the historic bandstand and pavilion look most delightful as framed by the terracotta brickwork of the terraced gardens. The canal slices a swathe right through the heart of the park, passing below Bridges 5 (College Road), 5A, 5B and 6 (Ridgway Road) in quick succession. Covering around sixty acres, the park is a late Victorian masterpiece having first opened to the public back in June 1897 - more recently it attracted community funding to support heritage restoration work in 2015.

- Bridgewater Pottery possibilities -

The section beyond Ridgway Road is completely new to me so I ready myself for discoveries aplenty. Flanked by the assorted remnants of old industry, I'm utterly fascinated by Hanley's hinterlands. Lichfield Street soon presents the Emma Bridgewater Pottery factory complete with flaking painted signage, not far at all from Oggy's Sports Bar where a yellow mounted Reliant Robin hints at Only Fools and Horses fandom. I'm similarly delighted to discover the Johnson Brothers (Hanley) Sanitary Works as erected in 1896; it keeps a primary academy school company these days but the edifice is still a very imposing Eastwood Road landmark.

- Ivy House Lift Bridge -

That item of earthenware extraction can be found just down the street from Bridge No. 9, after which I ponder the Norville Drive modern development of box houses and retained bottle kiln features. Bridge 10 has grand blue railings at Botteslow Street then No. 11 is the electrically-operated Ivy House Lift Bridge on the side of the Goodwin International castings factory. Stern STOP instructions appear on the bridge barriers in a setup reminiscent of Shirley Drawbridge. Atmospherically derelict hovels might have had a ceramic production pedigree but are mainly the preserve of pigeons and magpies nowadays; zooms of ramshackle window frames prove very satisfying in the sunshine.

- Botany Bay Bridge -

Bridge 12 passes beneath the Bucknall Road dual carriageway (with references to the J and G Meakin Cricket Club), preceding No. 13 for Cromer Road as paired with a council licensing depot. I continue as far as Botany Bay Bridge (No. 14), a lovely traditional stone humpback, but I daren't make use of the top path because it is so slippery. Instead I backtrack to Cromer Road for safety and tiptoe my way into Northwood, a distinct district of Hanley with much to note of photographic interest. The parish hall for example hosts weekly 'Lighthouse' Christian worship sessions while a traditional corner fryer emanates tempting chip shop smells, not forgetting Rose Street with the promise of an 1872 Wesleyan Chapel.

- The Cat Inn, Northwood -

Northwood boasts its fair share of boozers and I'm going to try two of them, the Wheatsheaf Stores and Cat Inn being within spitting distance of each other on Keelings Road. The first of these is a lovely little local that provides welcome respite from the cold; several cask ales are what I like to see but it has to be Draught Bass, an impeccable pint when supped in dartboard corner admiring Players Please tobacco boxes and 1930s period glass lamps. The Sheaf is followed ably by the Cat for Italian football highlights and a bout of Beardsmore Bleach over by the pool table. It seems quieter in here but it's a good solid boozer nevertheless. 

- Bring on the Bass! -

In less challenging underfoot conditions, I'd likely have sought out the Northwood Inn and/or the Cross Guns to complete my Northwood set but I'll be sensible and keep to the properly gritted main pavements. I won't be missing out on good beer that's for sure, not with two Hanley classics on the agenda. The Golden Cup on Old Town Road has been lavishly and lovingly resurrected with heavily patterned wallpaper and Bass Only tiling to the fore; I could literally spend all day in here, it's such a spectacular setting, but the lure of the Coachmakers down by the bus station is too much to resist. More perfect Bass beckons, this time sitting in the timeless front snug chatting to the landlord about the demise of Banks's Brewery. Cheers!

Waterways Walks: Shugborough & Great Haywood

It's fair to say that the WME blog is usually more likely to concern itself with backstreet boozers as opposed to country piles but I'm not beyond including a stately home if the occasion presents itself. Take for example this Cannock Chase caper which offers a slice of Shugborough sightseeing along with a splash of waterways interest...

- Arrival at Milford Common -

I have many childhood memories of little jaunts out to Cannock Chase, perhaps visiting the Stepping Stones, spotting roaming deer or going for walks near the military cemetery. Milford Common was always a favourite location and I recall going there on school trips, playing with beanbags and hula hoops on the furrowed green opposite the Little Fawn Cafe. The Common serves us as the beginning and end point of this Friday 7th June stroll, hence Stephen and I venture across via Penkridge and Brocton before parking the Beardsmobile on the pay and display car park just off the A513.

- Shugborough Hall -

The outward leg of our route takes us through the parkland of Shugborough Hall, a sprawling estate which was owned by the Bishops of Lichfield prior to the dissolution of the monasteries. It was home to the Anson family for over 300 years before becoming a National Trust property in 1960; the mansion has a grand portico frontage while the wider grounds include a working model farm and several follies, most notably the Shepherd's Monument, Tower of the Winds and the Arch of Hadrian. We decline to explore the house's interior on this occasion but note that servants quarters, the State Rooms and Patrick Lichfield's private apartments would be part of any tour for future reference.

- Essex Bridge -

Following a track below the formal gardens, we exit onto Essex Bridge which is itself a very fine landmark, spanning the River Trent close to its confluence with the River Sow. Originally built as a packhorse bridge, it comprises 14 stone arches with recessed bays along its length that would have allowed pedestrians to step aside when giving the horses clear passage. For us the bridge acts as a handy link into the village of Great Haywood where Trent Lane passes beneath the railway to emerge beside the Clifford Arms. Somewhat surprisingly, I turn down the prospect of a pint here even though it's a pub I rate highly - other refreshment stops are planned further around our circuit so I haven't totally lost my marbles!

- Great Haywood Lock -

Inching back along Trent Lane, we join the towpath of the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood Lock (as accompanied by Bridge 73 complete with marker for the Shugborough Fishing Club). A passing narrowboat provides an able demonstration of the lock mechanisms in action while there are visitor mooring options further ahead on the approaches to Haywood Junction. Linking the Cheshire Plain at Preston Brook with the Trent at Shardlow, the canal covers 93 miles and played a major role in the development of The Potteries, hence why Josiah Wedgwood and other key industrialists were keen to promote its inception. 

- Haywood Junction -

Our flirtation with the Trent & Mersey is but a brief one, merely bringing us the short distance to Haywood Junction and the northernmost extremities of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. An Anglo Welsh utility compound offers pumping out facilities and basic provisions so we pause here for an ice cream just as the afternoon weather starts to brighten up a little. The Staffs & Worcs is a waterway I've been familiar with for my entire life, especially the sections down through Pendeford, Aldersley and Compton in Wolverhampton. I don't get to see the Great Haywood end all that often though so it's nice to reacquaint myself with Swivel Bridge and the River Trent Aqueduct as large cabbage-like leaves flank the towpath.

- Tixall Lock -

The increasing sunshine makes for a very pleasant stroll indeed with Stephen and I chatting about cricketing prospects for the T20 World Cup. Tixall Wide is an intriguing expanse where the canal effectively broadens into lake-like proportions, supposedly because the owners of nearby Tixall Hall demanded a scenic view when giving permission for the navigation to cross their land. The hall was demolished in the 1920s but its elaborate Elizabethan gatehouse has survived and can clearly be seen as we proceed via Old Hill Bridge to Tixall Lock. 

- Towpath at Tixall -

Gently bearing southeastwards in the general direction of Milford, we gradually reach Tixall Bridge which is our prompt to leave the towpath behind; had we continued, we would have encountered Walton and Baswich amongst the outskirts of Stafford. As it is, Holdiford Road  conveys us firstly over the Sow and then above the Trent Valley railway line whereby we just about catch glimpse of the turreted top to Shugborough Tunnel. The Green brings us full circle into the centre of Milford so that I can pounce for pictures of the Run & Ride bicycle shop and a lesser-spotted Wimpy Bar - these used to be everywhere when I was a kid but you seldom see them nowadays so Milford's example imparts a few pangs of personal nostalgia.

- The Barley Mow -

Our exertions are pretty much done and dusted except for the small matter of the pint we'd been promising ourselves. Cue the Barley Mow, a large Greene King establishment that aims to maximise its Cannock Chase location. Abbot Ale and GK IPA are joined by Old Speckled Hen and one other seasonal ale while the interior is tastefully furnished with hints of Scrabble tiles and brewing diagrams. We grab a secluded table and resume our sporting discussions before trundling back off to Heath Town to prepare for our evening quiz night engagement; alas Team Bears could not romp to victory at Tettenhall this time around but much fun was had answering questions on Timothys, the police and words ending in ...ist. Cheers!

Waterways Walks: Wightwick to Wombourne

It's Saturday 3rd February 2024 and another round of train strikes mean I'm not inclined to be relying on public transport during my next spot of explorational exercise. The towpath of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal seems more enticing instead, giving me chance to file my first Waterways Walk posting of the year...

- Near Castlecroft Bridge -

Much of what I'll be covering this trip is very familiar territory, although sometimes it's simply nice to get out of the house and put some miles into your legs. Picking my way along nature reserve paths through Smestow Valley, I join the Staffs & Worcs at Wightwick Mill Lock a little west of Compton. The playing fields of Smestow Academy hug the far bank as I proceed in turn past Wightwick Lock and Wightwick Bridge (Windmill Lane) to enter South Staffordshire countryside beyond the Mermaid moorings base. Faint wisps of blue sky gradually get edged out by cloud but it's pleasantly mild for the time of year, making for good walking weather as Castlecroft and Mops Farm Bridges are next for my attentions. 

- Something Stumpish at Dimmingsdale -

Bidding good morning to the usual mix of dog walkers and cyclists, I arrive at Dimmingsdale where any lock happenings are studiously scrutinised by one of those stump characters you see dotted all along the towpath here. Dimmingsdale Bridge appears to be undergoing yet more repairs so I wonder if it has suffered from another traffic collision - it always seems so susceptible to having its brickwork part-demolished by careless drivers! Sankey's fishing pool and Ebstree Lock offer additional camera opportunities before I reacquaint myself with Awbridge Lock not far from Trysull - alas I won't be sampling The Bell today.

- Bratch Top Lock Cottage -

I am however intending on fully inspecting one of my favourite canal locations anywhere in the country, namely the staircase sequence that is Bratch Locks. Three conjoined chambers make for an ingenious example of James Brindley's engineering that has served as something of a tourist attraction visited by Black Country folk over the centuries. Top Lock has a charming cottage for company then Middle Lock is topped by a distinctive octagonal tollhouse complete with semi-circular arched windows. The canal first opened in 1772 while the tollhouse itself dates from about 1800, meaning you've easily got 200+ years of history at your disposal. Bratch Pumping Station is beguiling in its own right, built by the Bilston Corporation in a fairytale ornate Gothic fashion and currently owned (if not used) by Severn Trent Water. 

- Bumblehole Lock -

Beyond The Bratch the canal hugs Wombourne's western extremities via Bumblehole Lock (with steep slanted parapet and well-worn whitewashed keeper's house) and Houndel Bridge (which stands beside the Round Oak pub). Giggetty Wharf is my prompt to exit the towpath in readiness for some village investigations although the Wom Brook is in the vicinity too for fans of watercourses in general. I reckon I've walked just shy of five miles so far, taking me two and a bit hours although you'd have to factor frequent photo stops into the timings there.

- The Church of the Venerable Bede -

I know Wombourne pretty well thanks to several previous forays but there are undiscovered aspects for me to get to grips with. The Church of the Venerable Bede is a good case in point, based on Giggetty Lane in a building that dates to 1957 (hence being much younger than its sister church St Benedict Biscop). A block of shops on Common Road corner include Bromley Butchers and a Boots Pharmacy, then Sytch Lane has a lawn cemetery and Blakeley Heath Primary School, neither of which I can remember ever noticing until now. Greenhill combines with Rookery Road as I home in on Battlefield Hill which may or may not be the site where the 910 AD Battle of Tettenhall took place - its exact location is subject to much conjecture!

- The Old Bush -

I'm in the market for a pint or two to ward off the risk of feeling thirsty, albeit my initial target (the Red Lion) isn't open yet. Not to worry, the Old Bush is only around the corner so I'll be able to assess what Black Country Ales have done with the place. At first glance it doesn't look too different from its years under Banks's stewardship, but I think they've opened it out more inside and the range of real ales stocked has increased significantly. I obtain a Little Eaton Old Mill Stout then struggle to find a spare table - it appears that the whole world and his wife have made this their Saturday lunchtime Wombourne watering hole of choice. A stool by a shelf comes to my rescue so I've somewhere to park my gigantic cob (cheese and onion with a healthy slathering of mustard), listen to Lonnie Donegan's 'Cumberland Gap' and polish off a second ale in the form of Beowulf's Chasewater Pale Bitter. 

- Enville Excellence at the Red Lion -

Judging by the sheer amount of custom, the Old Bush is definitely a hit and come 2pm the Red Lion should have unbolted its doors - oh good, it has! Nestled almost unnoticed below the A449 dual carriageway, I've had a soft spot for this old inn ever since Nick and I dropped by years ago for a high class slurp of Enville Ginger. The homeliness makes it in my eyes, helped by a 60s Soul soundtrack and the prospect of Bostin' Scratchuns for a tasty treat - one of the Lion's regular canine visitors seems equally as enthused about the scratchings, cue much whimpering. Enville Ale (minus any gingery flavourings) is spot on this time around so I account for a couple of those prior to a number 16 bus ride home. Cheers!