Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Trent & Mersey Canal becomes part of the East Midlands Circuit, the flight continuing
with Fradley Junction, Keeper's, Hunt's and Common Locks. Several locks have corners that
are not easily accessible, which have been turned into small gardens of flowers or shrubs by
local residents. The crane is an import from Horninglow Basin.
The Trent is braided here and the canal passes through another lock and then uses river
channels for over a kilometre. Alrewas takes its name from 'alder wash', a swamp of alder
trees used for basket making.
From Wychnor Lock the canal joins a major traffic corridor, opened up by the Romans with
their Ryknild Street. This has now become the A38, a dual carriageway forming the major
link between the West and East Midlands. The canal follows the A38 for 15km to Egginton,
often right alongside but otherwise just far enough away for the roar of traffic to die back.
Across the fields, a 16th century battlemented church tower locates Barton-under-Need-
wood at the foot of Needwood Forest. This was a royal forest with its only access from Barton
Turn. The Barton Turns Inn and Barton Marina with its shops accompany Barton Lock, fol-
lowed by a junction of the B5016 with the A38, one slip road looping over the canal.
The Bridge Inn at Branston would seem the ideal place to stop for a ploughman's and
pickle but the menu seems to major on variations of curried chicken while Branston pickle is
now made elsewhere. On the other side of the canal there are extensive views to the ridge of
Tatenhill Common, where a motorcycle trials route winds its way up and down the hillside.
Burton upon Trent is dominated by a large brewery tower. Perhaps it also had a tower
when it was the Old English
burh-tun
, a fortified village. This is Britain's brewing capital,
often marked by the odours of brewing, an activity thought to have been started by monks
in the 13th century, using water thar was very clear because of its high gypsum content, still
supplied from wells and springs. The first brewery was established in 1708 and there were a
score at one time. Burton's most popular product is India Pale Ale, initially made for export
only, until a boatload sank and was released on to the home market by the underwriters.
