Why Willington is great for canal boaters

When I wanted to settle down after 10 years of continuous cruising and get a small house by a canal, I looked for a canal village that had as many useful things as a boater could want.

I found a little terraced house in Willington (Google Maps link here), one that had all I needed (and which I could afford on my modest budget.)

It's got solid Edwardian construction, Tardis interior, modern conveniences, a view from my front room and bedroom of the canal, a little garden and garage, easy road parking, a rural feel (I can hear cocks crow and sheep bleat when in bed), while still being within walking distance of the shops, and so forth. 

I've been here now for six months, and what's become more evident is how excellent the village itself is for canal lovers.  It wasn't the new Mercia Marina that attracted me - that came as an bonus - but if you need a marina, it's a really handy place to  keep a boat.

In short, Willington has almost everything a canal boater could need.  And to start with, don't underestimate its location, location, location, location: 

• Location - by road:  Excellent dual carriageway roads just a mile away, with the junction of the A38 (Derby to Birmingham) and the dualled A50 (which runs from the M1 near Nottingham to the M6 near Stoke on Trent.)
• Location - by bus:  An hourly service from Derby to Burton (even on Sundays.)
• Location - by train:  Trains from Nottingham to Birmingham - only 3 or 4 a day, but at commuter times.
• Location - by boat:  On the Trent & Mersey canal, midway between the broad Stenson and narrow Burton locks, so broad beam boats can get here from the Trent but it has a 'narrowboat' feel.
• Free village car park:  Right next to the railway station.
• Shops: Including a post office, a Co-op convenience store, a florists and hairdressers (useless for me, of course), a cafe/delicatessen, a Chinese takeaway and a hardware store.
• Doctor's surgery:  I have been able to walk in and wait, without an appointment, at the 5.30pm sessions. 
• Church:  A lovely Anglican church, Norman in origin with Victorian restoration.
• Pubs:  No fewer than three traditional pubs by the canal, two of them serving real cider.  Yes, you can do a pub crawl and get a bus home.  And one of them even has wifi.
• Motorway service area:  Just a mile away up the hill and accessible by foot and bicycle.  It includes a 24hr petrol station with car wash, modern family dining pub and cheap Etap hotel (£34 per double room, useful for guests you can't accomodate on the boat.)
• 14-day visitor moorings:  Loads of them, well maintained.
• Official in-line BW permanent moorings near the village centre.
• BW sanitary station:  Including water point and rubbish disposal.
• Winding hole:  (turning point) for 70 ft boats.
• A public sports field:  If the kids have some excess energy and want a kickabout.
• Mercia Marina:  Ah, yes, I was coming that.  The elephant in the room, the largest canal marina in the country.  Believe me, it's much nicer than the 'boat park' ambience of many modern marinas, and while it's still under development and will include a modern pub-restaurant, it's promised to remain focused on boats and boaters, to try to keep a low-profile 'nature-reserve' feel and not to be built-up.
• Midland Chandlers: A brand new branch in a low-profile grass-roofed cedar-boarded building at the entrance to the marina. Opening next month, it's expected to be the best-stocked in the country.  Sharpen up your credit cards!
• A sweet little cemetery, for when you're tired of Willington.

The marina really needs a complete bulleted list all of its own, to describe the facilities it offers boaters.  And that's ON TOP OF all the benefits of Willington.

So you'll be asking, what's wrong with Willington? 

Well, it's not perfect and is missing a few things.  In particular, there's no fish and chip shop, no butcher or baker or greengrocer, nor is there a good, cheap curry house (although there is a Chinese take away).   I don't know of a local dentist - not one within walking distance. 

On the outskirts of the village you'll hear the distant roar of road traffic, although it's not too intrusive. And some nights there's an ugly yobbo element on the other side of the rail tracks (literally).  But it doesn't reach the pubs, thankfully.

Also, you'll either love or hate the five huge derelict coal power station towers, and you'll look forward with trepidation to the planned huge new gas-fired Willington power station.

One thing that most disappoints me most about Willington is  the poor 3G phone coverage in most of the village, although I have a reliable 8mb broadband connection in my house.

But if I've whetted your appetite, take the Google Street View tour of my new home village.

Comments

[Dave C]

Many years ago I spent quite a lot of hours (too many) working on the turbine generator units at Willington power station.

The jam roly-poly steam pudding served up at the canteen almost made a sortie to Willington something to look forward to.

Sadly twelve-hour shifts, seven days a week didn’t leave much time to explore, but it was quite a pleasant drive from my base in Rugby, no motorways involved.

[Nev]

Just don't try fishing there The Pride of Derby(sic) angling club balif does not recognise the difference between dropping a line off the end of your boat and tackling up for a days fishing. Very poor reflection on the club imho,

Nev

[Kevin]

They'll be making you lord mayor soon after all this positive p.r. (But it is a handy spot, we've stopped and used a variety of facilities last year.)

[Andrew Denny]

Cap'n Ahab,

Well if you tie up opposite my house, see if you can pick up the local wifi signals, and if so, phone me for the passcode.

Happy to share it with boaters.

Andrew

[Capt Ahab]

Andrew
I will be in Willington in just three weeks time, en route to the Chesterfield.
I might even have a working dongle!
Andy