It is just over two years since we made our first and only trip into Coventry.

This time we had left Hinckley on the Friday afternoon of what promised to be a warm summer weekend. We stopped for the night near Bedworth after exiting the Ashby and turning on to the Coventry canal towards Nuneaton. This was the first time we had moored here and it was a good place to stay overnight.

The following morning saw us making the short hop to Nuneaton where we tied up and walked into town for breakfast and some shopping. The whole ambience was relaxing as we walked through the streets in the morning sunshine. We returned to the boat by midday and decided to turn around and head for Hawkesbury, hoping that we might be lucky enough to secure a mooring near the junction. It almost came as no surprise to find that it was our lucky day and there was a spot less than 100 yards from the Greyhound pub – perfect!

We took a walk to the pub and had a couple of drinks as well as a bit of banter with a couple of boaters before sitting outside for a while. It was then that we decided to take another look at Coventry. We returned to the boat and settled down for the evening.

Sunday morning found us still looking forward to our trip into the city and we were underway by nine o’clock. Apart from picking up a track suit on the rudder, the trip was much better than the last time. The canal seems more rural now, greener and peaceful. The Courtaulds site has been cleared which also helps make the journey more pleasing on the eye. We tied up in the basin and walked down to the Coventry Transport Museum where, in addition to the normal attractions there was an Alvis car show on the museum concourse. We spent over an hour wandering around looking at the exhibits before making our way back to the canal basin.

After turning around we were on our way back, happy that we had made the trip and given this route another chance, promising to re-visit on another weekend trip. The journey back to Hinckley took us about five hours and we finally pulled into the marina at half past six. The weekend that had seen us change direction time and again on impulse had turned out to be a very rewarding experience.