Ask anyone withing a 20 minute drive of Lichfield for directions to the Junction of the Coventry Canal and the Trent and Mersey and its very likely they can tell you the way there.

Thats more that can be said for most canal junctions and the reason is that it's one of those places which are often visited by locals but few others know of its existance. Its not the sort of place you just stumble across. Its appeal lies in the gentle pleasures of a 15 minute walk around the adjoining lake or the slightly more absorbing activity of gongoozling the boats working up and down its flight of locks. And after all that excitement there is the Swan Inn and two cafe's to slake your thirst, fill your bellies and ice cream to pacify fractious children.

For us Fradey Junction is something of a boomerang location, a place we keep coming back to. Its attraction is partly the footfall, partly the ambience and partly its good canal connections to trading locations in three other locations - Alrewas, Fazeley and Shugborough.

So this is our first visit to Fradley this year and we are moored in our favourite spot opposite the Laughing Duck Cafe. A spot which is easy for our customers to reach and also one which offers some  shade in the afternoons - an important consideration now that the British summer seems to have arrived.

Its our first visit to Fradley, but it wont be the last! Its good to be back.