#207 The Boat, Penkridge, Staffordshire : 1991 to 2016

Our first experience of The Boat was back in 1981 on my second ever narrowboat journey. This turned into an epic trip because the lock flight at Audlem was closed and we had to travel for at least 12 hours per day for three days to get to Birmingham for our scheduled rendezvous. Our normal day would have been 8 hours max.

At lunchtime on Friday 14th August 1981 on this trip we were passing through the lock adjacent to the pub and it was my job to get a pint for each crew member as we didn't have time to actually stop. These were consumed as we passed through the lock and the glasses returned before we were on our way again.

We didn't pass this way again for many years and the location of this event became somewhat of a mystery until the evening of Sunday 28th July 1991 when we once again passed through the lock and moored up at Penkridge.

Sadly not my best photo. I don't really remember much about it inside, probably not unrelated to the fact that it was our last port of call for the evening!

Emma Jane then spent a few years on the Southern Grand Union Canal, but we were back at The Boat at lunchtime on Wednesday 29th May 1996.

I took this picture to give the view from the lock, but it doesn't give any idea of changes that may (or may not) have taken place.

The next visit was on the evening of Monday 25th August 2003 and again, it is a poor picture as it was our last stop of the night having gone into the village first.

The exterior signage had changed over the seven years we'd been away.

We were back again at lunchtime on Tuesday 1st June 2010 and, as you can guess, it was a World Cup year...just before England's dismal failure in South Africa!

It was during this visit that I remember finding the interior somewhat sparse and not particularly welcoming, not helped by the lack of clientele.

We were back again just over a year later on the evening of Sunday 4th September 2011.

Not sure whether we actually went inside, but I made it a point to take the picture before setting off for the village! It looks so much better without the England flags!

Our next foray into Penkridge came on the evening of Wednesday 10th June 2015.

Again we used it as our last port of call, but now I have a digital camera (and more technical proficiency!) so I can manage to get much better night time shots. Enough to be able to see that the exterior signage had again changed.

Finally, our most recent visit to Penkridge was on the afternoon of Saturday 6th August 2016 and we were just passing through so I took this shot as I was working the lock.

It is good to see that The Boat continues to survive. It has the perfect location for warm summer days and must generate enough trade during the rest of the year to keep going. For more details their website is here. 

#181 Littleton Arms, Penkridge, Staffs : 1991 to 2015

The village of Penkridge sits on the Staffs & Worcs Canal and, although we haven't passed through too often down the years, it is always a worthwhile stopping place as there are quite a few pubs to choose from.

The first time we visited the Littleton Arms was on the evening of Sunday 28th July 1991.

I really don't recall what it was like inside, but from the outside, it is an imposing building. In those days, it was an M&B establishment.

We didn't return for five years, this time, it was a lunchtime stop on Wednesday 29th May 1996.

The pub had undergone a complete transformation as a Vintage Inn restaurant/pub (still part of the M&B estate).

We didn't return until the evening of Tuesday 29th May 2001 to find no real change in the exterior.

Two years later, on the evening of Monday 25th August 2003, it was still a Vintage Inn, but the wooden window shutters had been removed.

It was quite a while before our next visit to Penkridge and this is what we found on the evening of Sunday 4th September 2011.

Another complete transformation, this time into an independent restaurant/pub.

Our most recent visit was on the evening of Wednesday 10th June 2015.

Little had changed over the four years. Inside it is now in the currently popular 'rustic' style and the food was very good (as was the free bottle of wine which, on hindight, I should probably taken away for later consumption, rather than drinking it all with my meal!).

If you are passing it is worth a stop to have some refreshment in the Littleton Arms - here's their website.