We stayed the best part of a week at Knowle and very productive it was too. James was getting on with pen making, we now have nearly enough for full displays when the festival and market season starts, he's also had a couple of commissions to complete as well. I had been busy inside giving LJ a massive spring clean and re-varnishing in the bathroom and kitchen.
We were just over a mile away from the Knowle lock flight and I really wasn't looking forward to this one! This part of the canal had been included in the widening scheme along with Hatton in the 1930's so these five locks were wide and they are not particularly pretty either. The widening scheme saw the original six narrow locks being closed and five wide locks replacing them. Like Hatton the narrow locks are still evident as they are now the overflows and the paddle gear on the wide locks are hydraulic like Hatton. Very hard work winding them and very heavy gates, I was glad there were only five. Even so I preferred to be up dong the winding rather than down in the deep wide lock.
We stopped in Catherine-de-Barnes as it is the last recommended stopping place before Birmingham.
4.25 miles and 5 locks
TOTAL 69 miles and 98 locks
TOTAL 69 miles and 98 locks
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