Lowsonford to Knowle

Another lovely spring day saw us leaving Lowsonford going through a couple of locks before reaching the bottom lock of the Lapworth flight, although the first few locks here are quite away from the main flight so I'm surprised they are included within the Lapworth locks. We past a very remote cottage, which I believe is one of two that is still completely off grid.

No evidence of an access road for miles 

The pitched roof house is attached to this one, so guess it has a massive extension

On reaching Kingswood Junction we turned right onto the Grand Union link and then at the Grand Union it was left, onto new waters for us. 

Kingswood Junction

Onto the Grand Union link

and left turn at the junction

The Wide Grand Union

We continued on for a couple of miles before stopping half a mile or so before the Black Boy pub on the outskirts of Knowle.

4.5 miles and 10 locks

TOTAL 64.75 miles and 93 locks

Wilmcote to Lowsonford

After a couple of productive days we headed off on a three mile lock free section and crossed the Edstone Aqueduct, we had walked there the previous day so I managed to get some photos of the structure from road level. This is the longest aqueduct in England at nearly 200 yards.

This photo makes it seem wider than it actually is, the boat just fits in 

After crossing the smaller aqueduct at Wootton Wawen we had to negotiate getting past the hire boats moored at Anglo Welsh, as our stern was still in the narrow aqueduct we couldn't get the front round to avoid the boats across the canal, there was nothing for it but to keep going and push them out of the way, not ideal and not something we liked doing but on this occasion there was no choice, as well as their own moorings being completely full they had also taken up several spaces on the visitor moorings. I really am of the opinion that if the hire bases have not got the room to put their boats when there are all back at base then they really should reduce their numbers.

Just about to go over Wootton Wawen aqueduct

No way we can get round that, half of LJ is still in the narrow aqueduct

It was then up through a few more locks and the lovely barrel lock cottages, we stopped again overnight in Lowsonford. It had taken us five days with three stops on the way back to Lowsonford, on the way down it was all one journey - we had missed so much.

A very extended barrel roof cottage

Yarningale Aqueduct

Lowsonford Lock

Lovely barrel roof cottage

Lowsonford barrel cottage around the 1950's

Moored outside the Fleur-de-Lys

7.5 miles and 9 locks

TOTAL 60.75 and 83 locks

Lowsonford to Stratford-Upon-Avon

Wednesday 24th February

We woke to a thick frost, when we went to bed we did wonder if the canal would be frozen come morning but luckily it wasn't. We wrapped up warm as it was going to be a cold cruise. Apart from the Wilmcote lock flight the locks were quite spaced out, meaning James couldn't really get on with preparing pens to turn.

Bit of a chilly morning

Finally get my own picture of the statue at Lowsonford Lock

Keeping a watchful eye 

Small aqueduct, with low tow path 

Bit tricky getting round the Anglo Welsh boat at their hire base in Wootton Wawen

Another small aqueduct

Looking back at the Anglo Welsh base

Edstone Aqueduct again with low tow path

Felt really odd no railing one side and low tow path the other

We had intended on stopping in Wilmcote, but the visitor moorings were falling apart and taped off, there was no where suitable afterwards as the bank is quite high and we were soon at the lock flight. Had we known about the visitor moorings we would have stopped before them as there was plenty of suitable space there. Never mind we continued down the flight and decided to make a long day of it and head into Stratford Basin.

Looking down Wilmcote lock flight

No shortage of water here

Easy to open but difficult to close

It's quite empty here too, there are only two other boats, not surprising really as I think we have only seen four other boats moving since we left Birmingham and two of those were back at Kings Norton.

On Thursday we had a wander round the town, it was a gorgeous day so I made the most of it and took loads of photos.

This lock is on the River Avon

On Friday Jess came to visit, she came straight from work and made it to us at just gone 7pm. We enjoyed a lovely couple of days with her, she left late Sunday afternoon to head back home ready for work on Monday.

10.5 miles and 25 locks

50 miles and 57 locks

Waring's Green to Lowsonford

Tuesday 23rd February

We left fairly early, it was lovely and sunny but feeling very chilly, we were soon through Hockley Heath and I had two manual draw bridges to do to help keep me warm, the first was ok but the second one was really quite a job. Lowering it was actually harder than raising it but I managed, well I had to the controls are on the off side so not particularly easy to get to from the boat, it must be quite tricky for single handers.

This was the first bridge

After the second bridge we were soon into the Lapworth Lock flight and we made fairly good time down stopping briefly in lock 13 to sweep the chimney, it was much easier lowering the boat a little, we stopped for an hour or so for lunch after lock 14 and then continued on with the rest of the flight carrying straight on at Kingswood Junction to stay on the Stratford Canal, we were now on new waters again.

Moored on the lock landing with electric supply from the wood yard

Dudley making use of the doggie windows

A few locks to go

Kingswood Junction

That way leads to the Grand Union Canal

The Stratford-on-Avon Canal is another canal which is referred to as the North Stratford and South Stratford and they really are quite different, after the junction the little barrel-roof cottages appear by lock sides, although some of them have had major extensions built.

Lots of brick work had be carried on on this lock, along with a new gate

We carried on down through a few more locks before stopping opposite the Fleur-de-Lys at Lowsonford, again there were mooring rings.

7 miles and 29 locks
TOTAL 39.5 miles and 32 locks