Lowsonford

 The early morning call from the British weather was a surprise with some quite heavy rain pinging down on the roof ended up with a little bit latter getting up. We were also even later getting away as I went on line to book a table for tonight at The Fleur de lys, Lowsonford so also quit a short run. We crossed the short aqueduct at Wootton Wawen, This crossed the A3400 Stratford road and is adjacent to the Anglo Welch hire base.

We met a few boats between here and the first lock which was good and as we approached Preston Bagot Bottom Lock a hire boat was getting ready to leave. We were to meet a couple more before mooring opposite the Fleur de Lys. The top paddle gear on these locks is quite interesting a lot of the original S shaped  cast iron supports have been replace with steel ones made from channel iron but they still look reasonable, it could have been much worse. However it it was done by The National Trust when they restored the waterway I am surprised they didn't have new casings made.

You need to take a bit  of care as although the grass around the actual locks has been nicely trimmed that has not extended down to the lock landings where crew alight and reboard the boat, so a twisted ankle or a boot full of dog poo is not out of the question. I suppose its all to do with the campaign to get C&RT to allow the weeds Wild flowers to grow along the towpath.

It was just as well that we only had a short day and got here in good time as unlike when we came down  the moorings are full. You may also remember on our way down I had no internet signal to talk of, today so far its fine.

Today's Journey 4.7 miles, 8 locks in 3 hours.

Wootton Wawen

 Firstly a couple of photos from yesterday evening. I can only assume these mooring restrictions were in force before the pontoons were installed.

As we walked back across the bridge at the end of the basin where the canal come in this is the view that greeted us

We left the basin at about 1130 this morning, just after another boat had arrived putting the first of the locks with us, however there was insufficient water in the first pound above lock 55 for me to get a boats length out of the lock, the next pound was only slightly better as can be see by this cruiser that lives there.

We both struggled with the bottom gate on Lock 53, this has no balance beam at all and is operated by a metal rail mounted at 90° so no weight to balance the weight of the gate, it all hangs from the heal.    Diana was just in time to stop a boat coming down turning lock 52 as I was sat against the bottom gate below it. Some clever person thinks under this rood bridge at the tail of the lock is a good place to feed the Swans so I had to get a family of 7 out of the way. This pound was far better but again the short ones higher up would be very low. Some of the locks could do with a bit of gardening.

All the old buildings for Valley Cruisers are still there looking very down at heal, thankfully the water and Elsan disposal are still available and the bank has been let for long term moorings with plenty of space to use the services.There were three Volockies on duty at Wilmcote Locks and one of them set a lock ahead for us as we approached, the other two joined us around lock 45 and assisted us to the top. I mentioned yesterday the split bridges to allow the tow rope to pass through when boats were pulled by horses, this photo shows it quite well.

At Edstone Aqueduct 3 lads caught us up on bikes, one of them walked the length of the aqueduct along the towpath side rim, 50 years ago that would have been me, today I would be very wet. The other two didn't manage and stopped

The rail tracks split as they pass under the Aqueduct to allow for the supporting leg of the trough. I  don't know how many supports there are over its length,

The Stratford Upon Avon Canal Society have installed these small mile markers showing the distance to Kings Norton

We went up one more lock, well there was a boat in the lock and the bottom gates open when I dropped Diana off, before mooring for the night directly opposite the Hill farm Marina.

Today's Journey 6¼ miles, 17 locks in 5 hours.

Stratford upon Avon

 Well needless to say it rained last night.
We set off this morning a few minutes after 10a. and shortly before the locks we passed the remains of the old tramway bridge.

We had quite a good run down the first set of locks as they are close enough to walk down and set ahead and at lock 43 we met a boat coming up with a Volocky assisting them, its a handy pound to pass in. meeting them put the next two with us and then another Volocky turned No 46 to our favour, leaving that we met yet another boater who told us we had a good run to the bottom, however at the next lock we could see a boat ahead of us leaving. We stopped for water and dispose of rubbish at bridge 63. The rubbish compound is locked and they take recycling but still some boaters haven't got the hang of it, so its little wonder C&RT have so few recycling stations. There was a boater already taking water so we had a bit of a wait.
C&RT have left this work flat moored to the lock moorings just below lock 50, there is about 300Mts of straight piling they could have used. If its still there when we come up it will be another email to C&RT.

We were hoping to moor for a short time by The Premier Inn so Diana could get some bibs and bobs, but it was full, even a hire boat on the lock landing so I stopped short of the mooring and got the nose in close enough for her to hop off. She returned just as a boat had come up lock 52, so she stopped there and opened the gates again for me, which was lucky as there was another boat about to turn the lock. We did have a boat turn lock 53 but then the lady couldn't open the bottom gate, closing it was just as hard, from here we didn't see any more boats on the move but we had been told there were about 4 vacant slots in the basin. You enter the basin through quite a low bridge, at one time it was even lower.

We entered the basin to find there are now two ice cream boats moored here and the bit that was set aside for a barge that catered for vulnerable people have been replaced by a pizza boat with an open wood fired oven. We found a couple of adjacent slots and slit into them letting the wind decide which one we would use. You look cooler doing it like that rather than picking one and fighting the wind.

Today's Journey 5 miles.16 locks  in 5 hours

Bearley Cross

Well last nights internet signal on 3 was about zero, flicking one or two bars on and off, so last nights Blog only went out as text, photos were added today. It was also my first attempt and putting video straight to Blog rather than via Youtube. 

This morning we were slightly later away and as we worked down the first lock we could see a CRT work boat loading just below the lock, luckily ha had pulled away before we arrived but it put us right behind him at the next lock. The grass has been cut nicely around the locks but left completely along the lock moorings where you need to get on and off your boat, its actually higher that the wooden mooring bollards. Luckily CRT only went through two locks as they are repairing the lock landing below Claverdon Top Lock.

This sign shows that the men on the ground have more sense than those running the job and they have chalked a notice to put on the next lock down warning boaters of what's ahead, you would have thought there would have been a clearer printed sign there.

As we were setting Bucket Lock I walked down and under the aqueduct to see the underside of the iron trough and shot this photo from beside the stream. All the aqueduct along here have the towpath at the same level as the base of the trough, whereas on most other navigations its cantilevered above the water level. The advantage of being beside the trough is the weight of water in the trough is reduced by about a third, the down side is there is less room for the water to flow back past the boat making progress more difficult. We carried on without seeing a single boat on the move down the locks, we had planned on Preston Bagot Bottom Lock being the last of the day. This lock is butted up tight against the road bridge so after the boat leave and the crew closes the bottom gate they have to cross the road to rejoin the boat. The offside cottage adjacent to the bridge has this finger post in its garden. Please don't ask me the reason behind it.
Most of the bridges along this canal are of the fixed cantilever design with a gap between the two deck leaves for the tow rope to pass, this meant that they didn't requite a tow path running through them as the horse could just walk round them and the boatman feed the rope through the slot between the leaves, it resulted in a much narrower bridge and no need to build an arch on top.

Last time we came this way Hill Farm Marina looked quite new but it now looks very well established, The building is now a nice café but was once a cattle shed and grain store.

Or original plan was to moor above Bearley Lock but as it was nice we decided to continue for one more lock, it was here we saw our first boat on the move, they were just entering the lock as we arrived and there was a second boat going down ahead of them. Once they had gone we turned the lock and followed them across the Edstone Aqueduct, this crosses a private road, river, public road and the railway, its the longest iron trough aqueduct in England at 475 feet end to end. At one time it use to feed water to steam trains using the line below. Continuing through Drapers bridge we moored at the first section of piling we came to, its not deep enough for us to get close in but we wont bang the sides as boats pass. Since we have been here the canal has been quite busy with boats going in both directions and as I type this it has started to rain yet again.

Today's Journey 6 miles 9 lock in 3¾ hours

Lowsonford

  After we arrived yesterday afternoon it started raining and continued on and off until early this morning. I went out and the side of the boat was plastered in mud from the cyclists going by, the towpath here is very narrow and it would have been impossible to put pins in as the concrete was half of the available path, two walkers would have trouble passing, two bikes no chance.

We set off a little before 10am with only an hour to go to reach the Tom O the Woods moorings where we were to meet my daughter and family for coffee at the pub. It was quite a convenient spot as we could fill with water while waiting and also wash down the side of the boat with a mop. Its nice to see that the goats are still in residence just before arriving.

If you plan to visit the Tom O the Wood and sit outside you have to order by phone app. I don't know if you can drink inside or not.

After saying goodbye we had lunch onboard before setting off to Kingswood Junction, as I arrived I heard a toot toot and held back, a 70 foot hire boat slowly pushed his nose out and made a very good job of turning and passing us. Last time we came this way there wasn't a housing estate beside the link and at the junction.

 As we approached the first lock a boat was just coming out, so the locks were all with us except for the one with the bottom paddle left open three notches. One of the locks was leaking badly through the top gate I think it was Rowington top lock.

We carried on down to Lowsonford and moored on the rings there for the night. So far progress has been very good, better than the GU was in places.

 Todays Journey 4.4 miles, 9 locks in 3hrs 20 min

Oldfield

 Well as expected  after rain all day yesterday was a nice evening. Today the weather has been much better, if fact ideal for doing 21 locks. We heard the first boat go by at 7-30am. so that was all the locks turned a little later there were a couple more. We set off at 10am and went up the first lock, as we approached the second I could see a boat entering the bottom lock below us, but before they could lock up a second had joined them so they had a buddy, we were Jimmy no mates. We waited at the second lock for a pair coming down and before we could one of the crew from the pair following closed up for us, they also did this at the next lock. We met the occasional boat coming down but most were against us and by the half way point we were only one lock behind the pair

ahead, so we pulled over for a drink and a snack letting the pair behind go ahead. From now on we would be back to using just one paddle and not the offside so would be a bit slower.
i noticed set back in the undergrowth this post with an illegible plaque on the topIt seems a good use of EU funding putting these where people are unlikely to see them.

As we came up through lock 36 I said to the chap fishing on the off side that it looked ominous that his keep net was still dry on the bank, he explained that he had only just arrived, his luck soon changed.After 30 minuets, a drink and a fruit bar when the others were a couple of locks ahead we set off to the bottom of the next lock and waited for a Weedon hire boat to come down two locks. I was quite surprised to find that this old boat  has been fitted with a bowthruster. Looking at the specification its very good with 240 volt generator, dishwasher and coffee maker. When we got to the top of the flight we moored up and walked back to the café for hot Pork baps with stuffing and gravy, so that was another hour out of the trip. Its most unusual for us to stop during the day but to stop twice is un heard of. I did find the outside seating at the café most comfortable and we even watched a couple of boats go by. 
Away again and the next thing of note is Shrewley Tunnel , this is a broad tunnel so there is room for two narrowboats to pass and no towing path, it is also quite tall, I can leave the exhaust up and at  the north end very wet. It is also unusual as it has a horse tunnel running from the north end bit it emerges on the top of the tunnel and is not bored all the way through the tunnel. 
This pair have boat have lying here for several years now, at one time they were up for sale for £10,000 but the money that needed spending on them even then made them worth nothing, now they will probably just rot away. We didn't go much further before we moored for the night. There is a long section of concrete edging but a short way before bridge 61 there are two mooring rings spaced just 60 foot apart. If you don't know they are here you would sail straight by as the tow path is to narrow to put pins in.

Todays Journey 5 miles 21 locks in 4½ hours

Warwick

 We got up in the rain and its still raining, we didn't have far to go today, only to Warwick leaving Hatton for tomorrow so we decided we would sit it out and wait for the rain to clear, by 2-30pm it was obvious that wasn't going to happen so we set off. We only met a a single hire boat all the way, the only other thing moving was the Salisford Arm self drive thing. I can't remember passing so many moored up hire boats, that's how persistent the rain was. Needless to say as I write this at 6pm. it has just stopped. Someone has tried to brighten up the old buildings opposite the new student accommodation with a bit of graffiti, well it can't look worse.

We needed a bit of shopping so the first option was Lidl in Warwick and I was most surprised to only find one cruiser moored there and I was able to moor right out side the entrance. In the past its always been chocker block. For fans of Morrisons they have now installed a proper stair way from the towpath up to the road to save scrambling up the bank and are in the process of building a ramp for bikes, trollies, wheelchairs etc. Round at Tesco again only one boat moored but we didn't need to stop there today. While Diana was in Lidl the saltisford widebeam day boat came back from the pub and for a while I expected it to broadside the cruiser, but control was regained in time and all was well. That did however mean that both Cape locks were against us. It doesn't look as if C&RT have touched the grass around these locks this year and on the lower one its a foot high, the pub mows the upper one. We continued on just passed the Saltisford arm to moor for the night and hopefully find someone to share with tomorrow.

Todays Journey 5.3 miles, 2 locks in 2½ hours

Radford Semele

A nice quiet night at the end of the moorings well away from the road bridge and the clanking pub sign, we had a little rain overnight but nothing major and this morning was several degrees cooler and overcast. A couple of boats went by quite early. We set off at our normal 10am. just as a boat was exiting the first lock, exactly the same happened at the second, can this good luck last? Just below the Two Boats pub we passed a moored up widebeam boat, they don't often come this fare as the Blue Lias bridge is bit of a pinch point. We stopped for water just below bridge 27, this is a good fast tap. Looking at the concrete piling opposite with instructions to dredge 3ft 6in below the water line, I was just wondering where the water line should be, the board at the next lock indicated the level was off by about only 100mm

We arrived at Bascote staircase just as two boats had left, so that was with us but we could see the next one down was empty and no sign of a boat. Not long after leave the next lock we met a wide beam boat coming towards us, looking at how tight it is in Splash Bridge I think it may be tight both passing the moored widebeam and also getting through Blue Lias bridge. We met two more Narrowboats before we got to Welsh Road lock, after this every lock was against us although we met several boats on the way.

Just before Longhole Bridge HS2 will be crossing the canal, looking to the south they have this rather large construction going on that looks like a rather large host for something.

We finally caught up with the boat ahead as they were leaving Radford Bottom Lock, of course they had had every lock with them where as we had most against us. I did time a lock and using just one paddle it takes 4 minutes to fill or empty a lock, se we were locking in 10 minutes. Just below Radford Bottom Lock on the offside immediately before the bridge this old Severner is moored, you don't see that many of them about these days. There were manikins dressed and on display at the bridge the last time we passed this way, they have all gone now. We did about another half a mile before pulling in to moor for the night, this leaves us quite a short run to the bottom of the Hatton flight tomorrow. 

 

Today's Journey 5.6 miles, 12 locks in 4¼ hours.

Blue Lias

 No internet on 3 yesterday

We set off at about 9-30am with a bit of cloud in the sky, but that didn’t last long and it was soon bright sun and blue sky’s, Travel was not that fast as we were passing lots of moored boats. The Linseed is coming out in bloom putting a blue haze across the fields.

We hadn’t been going long when a boater coming the other way called out he reads my blog and was also a fellow CIBC member, it was Brian on Elysium. Always good to put a face to a name but at my stage of life I tend not to remember them.

I have not been happy with the way the engine has been running for the past couple of days so I removed the air filter, an instant improvement with a reduction of vibration and the engines not sounding so laboured. These are cleanable filters but require an airline to do it, so I will run without one until we go home. The boat we had been following since we set off turned right at Napton Junction and we followed them to the top of Calcutt locks. Unfortunately for us they moor in Calcutt marina so we only had their company for the three locks but I did see another boat following us now so maybe not all was lost.
We saw our first young Grebes of the year just inside Ventner Farm Marina. Willow Wren seems to be expanding into caravans and glamping,

with water and electricity out lets all over the field just before their training centre. They have now opened the old Nelson arm up beyond the old railway line for mooring and their training centre is looking very smart.
We travelled at quite a sedate pace hoping the boat behind would catch up, but this turned out to be a big mistake as not only did we never see them again but a boat ahead had dropped down the first two locks when we arrived at the Stockton flight. Diana walked down and he agreed to wait for us in the third lock, there was also a single boat coming up so we waited below the first for him to arrive and then went down to join the single hander. I must say from here it went very well. He entered the lock ahead fast through a single gate which blew open the offside gate wide enough for me to follow him in on the angle and slide in beside him. We would then both close up and draw the bottom paddles while Diana walked down to set the next lock with one gate. When the lock was empty he opened the near side gate and left, I followed and Diana had walked back to close the gate. We never discussed what we were doing it just worked.  One of the locks has quite a good leak through the top gates, this is not via paddles but holes in the gate.

Down at the Blue Lias I pulled onto the very far end of the moorings, as there were already a couple of boats there. A C&RT workboat on the towpath side asked me to go as far back as possible as then needed to come over to strim the culvert. At the same time two boat came up the flight looking for moorings so we offered one the opportunity to breast up to us and the other moored outside the pub front door by the creaking pub sign. Needless to say we had all just got settled then C&RT buggered off as did the boat in front of us, so it was all change. We went forward to the end of the moorings, the boat on the outside came against the bank and the boat by the creaky sign came back and dropped in ahead of their friends. We in turn had our first pint for 12 months and as its Diana’s birthday booked a table in the Blue Lias for dinner tonight from their very limited Covid driven menu. 

 

 

Today's Journey 7.7 miles, 14 locks in4¼ hours