Five watering holes along the waterways
or picturesque pubs for a pint in a holiday heatwave!
or picturesque pubs for a pint in a holiday heatwave!
Writing these words exactly 24 hours after capturing the sunshine filled images that will follow shortly, I am crouched over a dining room table with a fan mere inches from my face cooling me from the heatwave that continues to engulf the UK. For we are in the middle of a blistering burst of weather, make no mistake about that. But the mistake people make is that this is our “Summer” now, has been for some time too: one short burst of ridiculous heat, then a return to the muggy, overcast damp summers of recent memory. End of August through the first ten days of September will see a locally coined phrase of an “Indian Summer” as we bask in unseasonably high temperatures again before we wave goodbye to the Great Fire God of the Sky for another Summer year.
It wasn’t ever thus though. I remember summer’s of wall to wall sunshine from the final school year ending bell through to the toll of the same bell some six weeks later. Nor am I trying to convince you of a climate that’s always changing and always will. But I am certainly reminiscing, glorious sunshine has a habit of rousing that strong characteristic in me and whilst I’m currently grateful for the fan screaming into my face to cool me on a heatwave day such as this, I’m also grateful my wandering feet (and mind) didn’t betray me yesterday and aided with excess water and refreshment, what follows is a snapshot of another glorious afternoon following the sun along the canals of central England.
*All images captured by me on the sunny afternoon of 18th July 2022*
I have written extensively on my “Summer Project” of walking the nearby canals of England and Wales in recent weeks, but this article will differ in as much as it’s intended to be a snap shot of the pubs themselves, how adjacent they stand to the canal and the beautiful environs that surround them. Apart from a brief potted personal history and geographical location, I’ll add just some colour commentary to the images themselves and leave you to enjoy these watering holes along the waterways of central England.
“The Anchor Inn”, Cross Green near Coven.
Located on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal near Bridge Number 71 or “Cross Green Bridge”, I stumbled across this little gem over a decade ago and have often returned if only to sit with a drink on the terrace in the sunshine. Beautiful open plan pub that was always warmly welcoming of visitors and typical of so many pubs or public houses next to canals.
“Bridge Inn”, Brewood
Located on the Shropshire Union Canal at Bridge Number 14 or simply “Brewood Bridge”, I only visited this location for the first time this Summer in an ever lengthening link in a chain that was and is my summer project of walking the entirety of the Shropshire Union Canal. The pub itself sits high above the canal below giving wonderful views of the canal itself as well as the Catholic Church on the other side of the bridge. Brewood is a spectacular little place and if you want to garner some appreciative looks from the boaters or particularly the locals, the name of the town is pronounced “Brood”.
“The Boat Inn”, Gnosall
Located just a few miles north along the Shropshire Union Canal you’ll find the wonderful village of Gnosall that boasts not one but two canal side pubs within a quarter of a mile of each other along “The Cut”. Firstly we have “The Boat Inn” located so perfectly adjacent to Bridge Number 34 or simply “Boat Inn Bridge”. The environs are so typical of the old meeting the new of a contemporary canal setting with new houses flanking one side of the canal, a menagerie of varying wild animals flanking the other, and the pub itself sitting atop the bridge and rolling toward it’s stable mate and “The Navigation Inn” just the other side of this quaint stretch of the canal.
“The Navigation Inn”, Gnosall
Just a hop, skip and a jump from “The Boat Inn” we find this little gem standing proudly next to Bridge Number 35 or “Newport Road Bridge” and, like it’s public house friend along the canal, a location I stumbled upon as recently as only six years ago but in which time, I’ve returned to time and time again.
“The Junction Inn”, Norbury Junction
Located around three miles further north from the two gems noted above in Gnosall you’ll find the wonderful “The Junction Inn” in beautiful Norbury Junction and a small piece of bliss that’s kept me company now for nearly two decades. My son’s first Christmas was spent howling at the roof of this pub on a Christmas Day to remember beside the canal and a Christmas week with a family, both old and now new, that I’ll never forget.
Thanks for reading. I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this virtual stroll along a canal in the central beating heart of England and if so, please also consider these other recently published editions within this continuing series of articles:
Hurleston Locks to Nantwich
Beautiful sections of both the Llangollen and Shropshire Union Canalsmedium.com
Whitchurch to Grindley Brook
A sunshine filled Special Edition!medium.com
Nantwich to Hurleston Locks
3 mile stroll in the sun to the intersection with the Llangollen Canalmedium.com