Cape of Good Hope (Warwick) to Blue Lias (Southam) Thursday

Set off from Warwick in cloudy but dry weather. Quick stop in Leamington for provisions and off up the locks towards Southamand Long Itchington.

Whenever I see a bridge like this I think of one of my dads Black Country jokes. Everyone in the Black Country has heard of Aynock and Eli (Enoch and Elija) a couple of likely lads who appear in a great many traditional Black Country jokes. The jokes have to be said in a Black Country accent for best effect.

It seems Aynock bought a canal boat and a horse to take scrap metal to Round Oak. Eli was walking along the towpath and saw Ayock chiseling bricks out of the bridge arch. “Whats thou’ doin' there our Aynoch” says Eli. Aynoch says”The horse wont fit under the bridge so I am making the bridge ‘ole a bit higher” Eli thinks a while then says “ Wouldn’t it be easier to shovel some of the dirt out of the Towpath instead of all that chiselling” To which Aynoch replies “Don’t be saft our Eli; its his head that wont go under not his feet”

Moored at Blue Lias pub at 1645. We have now done just 100 miles and 82 locks.

Went into the Blue Lias for something to eat, first time on the trip we have not eaten on board, we were the only customers. "Silent Night"was playing on the background. "I didnt know it was that time of the year yet" "ugh" was the reply. "Carols" I said. "Oh yes, we are stuck on the carols selection but the boss is off and we dont know how to change it out"
 Later we had sounds of the 80s.

Kingswood to Cape of Good Hope (Warwick)

Kingswood mooring

 Left our nice mooring at Kingswod junction where we have been for two days at 0845 this morning ready to tackle the Hatton flight of 21 heavy double locks.

On Hatton locks

 We took our time and allowed a couple of working boats to overtake us on the flight. (Below)

Working boats on Hatton locks

 Travelled part of way with a couple who had lived on their boat for last 12 years. He was 72 and was pleased to tell me that as a youth he lived in Sparkbrook and cycled to Stewpony Lido, near Stourbridge, most summer weekends for a dip in the pool.

This is the last lock after four hour slog. Moored up at the Cape of Good Hope Warwick. A useful watering hole after a hard days boating. Joanne did well!

Cape of Good Hope Warwick

Kingswood Junction

No boating today I have to go to Peterborough. So its off the boat at 0830 past Lapworth school (Where the signs saying "parents are asked not to bring and take their children from school by car" was clearly not working. Particularly for with the 4X4 brigade who only seemed able to park on the footpath) Then Train to Birmingham for train to Peterborough. Bought a great book which was recommended to me called "1599 a year in the life of Shakespeare"
So no boating but maybe an excerpt from a book called "The Flower of Gloster" about Lowsonford where we were on Sunday night. The "Flower of Gloster" was written in 1911 about a trip on a horse drawn boat called The Flower of Gloster down the Stratford canal. The author, E. Temple Thurson hired a hand (Eynesham Harry) his boat and a horse called Fanny for this trip in a different age. This is what he said about Lowsonford.
"You could well spend a summer in the village of Lowson Ford and forget the world is moving around you. It is an event, unparalleled when a boat comes through the lock to Stratford. All the children rush down the street to watch it as it passes through the lock.The fat lock keepers wife wakes from her long somnolence, bestirs herself under the admiring eye of all the children, though she has nothing whatsoever to do. Her big woolly dog, of a breed as I have never seen before or since, rouses himself from the sun warmed coping stones of the lock and follows after her. Oh Lowson Ford, I can tell you, is wide awake when a boat goes through. Then Lowson Ford turns on its side once more,  and for many a month to come sleeps like a baby in its cradle of the hills."

Sentimental perhaps from a different age but somewhere, somewhere, in its hidden recesses a little tiny bit of this spirit still remains.

Lowson ford to Kingswood Junction (Lapworth) Monday 17th Sep 2012

Rain in the night but bright sunny morning to tackle the last 9 locks up to Kingswood Junction. We were on the move by 0830 but even so a couple who had been out since April were in front of us through the locks. Helpfully they turned the locks back for us as they went through.
Under the M40, slowed to its regular Monday morning rush hour crawl. At the top lock another boater said that the Grand Union water levels were low. We were making for Hatton on the Grand Union but this news made us tie up prior to the Grand Union at Kingswood (near Lapworth)
~Into Leaminton by train for provisions. Its funny how when you are over a certain age and on your own on a Monday morning shop keepers have a certain stance towards you and automatically think you are both deaf and daft. "CAN I HELP YOU" shouted the assistant in Superdrug. "I am looking for a pair of nail scissors I said at random" "WELL THEY ARE NOT HERE THEY ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE" she took me to the other end of the shop."DO YOU WANT STRAIGHT,CURVED OR CLIPPERS"  "I will take one of each" I replied. I then said "Do you know where the shower gel is?" "WELL  THATS WHERE YOU WERE BEFORE" was the shouted response-and so it went on. I forgot the toothbrush I had been sent for.

Spent two hours trying to load photos to this blog to no avail..

Wilmecote to Lowsonford Sunday

I walked out into Wilmecote for milk at 0930 on this bright, beautiful, Sunday morning. The church bell was sounding its single note for the 0945 family service. Several families excitedly walking through the streets to church. The 4X4 drivers still at home sleeping it off.

My heart was gladdened to see this. But still my mind cynically wondered if it had more to do with acceptance criterion in the nearby Cof E school.

Underway at 1030 through the wonderful landscape of the southern Stratford canal. Not going near many villages its very rural and isolated. Deep in wooded valleys then, without warning soaring above everything on the Edstone Aquaduct. Crossing two railway lines and a road.

Edstone Aquaduct

The Stratford canal was never very successful and closed in the 1930s. It was restored in the early 1960s and for many years was administered by the National Trust before being absorbed back by British Waterways in 1988.

Edstone Aquaduct

Typical narrow Bridge. Southern Stratford Canal

Barrel Roofed Cottage Lowsonford

At Lowsonford the old barrel roofed lock keepers cottage which had been occupied by "Old Ned" from his birth in 1926 to his death in 2006 now belongs to the Landmark Trust. As we went by the cottage they were making a film to publicise it as it is now let out for weekend breaks.  I spoke with the guy shooting the film about the history of the place.

He filmed us going through the adjacent lock as part of his film.

Stratford upon Avon to Wilmecote Saturday 15th Sept

Joined by Mat and Kerry today.

Good help with the locks

16 locks of the Wilmecote flight to done by 1330..

After the 12^th lock passed a couple in a hire boat who had come about three miles and done 4 locks since picking their boat up. “Is there many more” he said.  I said “this our 12^th since Stratford” “That’s about what we have done” he replied. Sensing that perhaps all was not well I asked if he had done this sort of thing before. “Yes Power boats, dingy sailing, not actually canals though-once we get through these locks to Stratford we should be ok we are going to stay there or a couple of days then complete the ring-we are out for a week” Now there are close on 130 locks on the Avon ring and a lot of cruising. Two weeks is the minimum recommended time for the ring. I said “Well some people love boating but its not for everyone” “Well I hate it already and the Mrs hates it more” I suggested that a less ambitious itinerary would be in order. “How many more of these locks” said “ Mrs.” as we passed. “Not many now” I lied, not wishing to say that there was at least 125 more.

Moored up at 1430 and after lunch and a chill out Mat and Kerry left us.

Joanne and I walked onto Wilmcote station in the warm afternoon sun; as picturesque ex GWR station as on any preserved branch line.  And we waited for an Addlestrop moment as the London train came in. We didn’t get it so went back to the boat for a chicken salad tea.

Adlestrop

Yes, I remember Adlestrop --
The name, because one afternoon
Of heat the express-train drew up there
Unwontedly. It was late June.

The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat.
No one left and no one came
On the bare platform. What I saw
Was Adlestrop -- only the name

And willows, willow-herb, and grass,
And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry,
No whit less still and lonely fair
Than the high cloudlets in the sky.

And for that minute a blackbird sang
Close by, and round him, mistier,
Farther and farther, all the birds
Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

Edward Thomas

Bidford to Stratford upon Avon Friday 14th Sept.

Joanne begining to get the hang of the locks

On a narrow boat worse than rain is high wind. When a gust hits the side of the boat it can take you off course very quickly. It was high winds this morning. High winds made going very difficult and at one point thought I would have to tie up but fortunately they were not broadside to the boat so we were able to carry on. This section of the river Avon was only made navigable again in 1974 and it was done on a shoestring so all the locks are rudimentary in both their appearance and construction. However, all of the lock landings can be used for overnight mooring which is a big plus. All the locks on this section are also named after benefactors of the restoration.
 The Avon was great to navigate and unexpectedly quiet. On average we passed 3 other boats on the move a day.

Welford Road Bridge

At Welford on Avon pass under yet another ancient roadbridge about 500 years od. Today being pounded by 4X4s; Tractors, lorries, cars, etc and standing up well. The other ancient ridges are Eckington and Bidford.

Turning off the river Avon into Bancroft Gardens and the Stratford Canal with onlookers!

Turned into Stratford Canal off Avon at 1300 with crowds of onlookers thronging the entrance bridge to the canal. Moored in Bancroft gardens at 1430.

Had a walk around town and saw a a gold postbox!


Went to Shakespeare Memorial theatre to see what was on:The Tempest. Never "got" that at school so didnt ask if there were any tickets left.