We are blessed in the Midlands with having lots of canals. They say there are more miles of canal in Birmingham than Venice. This walk involves the Stratford and Grand Unions Canals which meet at Kingswood Junction in the village of Kingswood/Lapworth.
Kingswood/Lapworth has a range of shops and two pubs. The Navigation and the Boot which in normal times provide good food. You will find a car park on Brome Hall Lane of the B4439. The lane is a cul-de-sac and the car park is in the trees on the left about 50 metres in to the lane. Just drive in through one of the two “gaps” in the hedge. It is an informal car park that backs straight onto the Stratford Canal.
There are two options for this walk. Two miles on a circular walk and about 7 miles taking a diversion down to Shrewley and back. The circular walk tends to have a good surface all year and can be walked in trainers. The branch to Shrewley will need boots except during the dry months because it is muddy in a couple of places.
The Circular Walk (2 Miles)
We start our walk at Kingswood junction in Lapworth. It is a large area where there are plenty of places to sit and watch the world go by. One can do a 300 metre walk just walking around the basin where there is much to see.
Directions
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As you come onto the Stratford canal from the car park, turn right and follow the canal “downhill” past several locks and past a big turning basin. You will see an unusual house with a barrel roof on the far bank with barrel roof built using the same techniques that the brickies used to build the locks.
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You will come to Dicks Lock after about 2/3rds mile.
Here you turn left beside another cottage with a barrel roof onto Dicks Lane.
Follow that through the countryside. There is very little traffic because the lane stops at the canal you have just left.
At the end of Dicks Lane turn left at the “T” junction and after 100 metres you will see the Grand Union canal.
You will notice across the bridge the Tom O’ the Wood pub which in normal times does food.
Instead of going to the pub drop, onto the towpath just before the bridge and turn left up the grand union canal.
Walk for about another 2/3rds mile northward.
You will come to a very steep bridge on the footpath over a canal. That is the very short link canal that joins the Stratford and Grand Union canals. Do not go over the bridge but follow the link canal. It is only a couple of hundred metres long.
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You will soon be back at Kingswood junction.
As you walk in there is a picnic area on your left but there are also other seats dotted around the junction itself with better views.
The Shrewley Extension
Instead of turning left at the Tom O’ the Wood pub turn right down The Grand Union Canal.
This takes you down a lovely 4 mile stretch of quiet canal, tranquil, with spectacular views until you get close to Shrewley when the noise of the motorway intrudes.
The hedges are a riot of colour in the spring with flowers and in the autumn with berries
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The dark blue/black berries are sloe from the blackthorn tree. Great for making the nectar of the winter gods – sloe gin or vodka.
For a recipe click this link. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sloe-gin
One tip is that it is best that the sloes have been frozen first by a severe frost. Can can just bung them in the freezer for a few days. It breaks down the internal cells and allows the juice to flow in what otherwise is a very tough fruit.
