Hatton to Hockley Heath

22 locks:  8.5 miles

Hallmark was away by 8:30am.
The first three miles to Kingswood Junction were lock free.
It was a warm start to the day.
No need for a fleece
After the busy Hatton Flight with plenty of boats and walker the journey to Shrewley is very quite as you pass through some delightful countryside.
Just before Shrewley Tunnel you enter an echoing cutting and then in the distance you see the entrance

The tunnel was not as bad as I feared.
It was only just over 400 yards and totally straight.
Towards the end water was pouring in but my waterproofs kept me dry.
After the tunnel the journey is first on a long embankment and the in a deep cutting known locally as Rowington Tunnel.
The turn at Kingswood for the Stratford upon Avon Canal was a tight turn through a bridge arch I never hit anything but I did have to have two attempts!

The connection on to the Stratford also needs some care to ensure you follow the Lapworth Floght flight up rather than down.
I sorted it by heading for lock 20.

Hallmark was back on narrow locks.
There was plenty to climb Lock 2 is the top lock.
After the first few locks the flight begins in earnest.
The pounsbetween each lock are very very short some of the lock gates and paddles were incredibly stiff.
I did the first eight of the 20 totally alone.

I got a good system going including getting the next lock set before moving out of the lock I was in.
I was 'caught' by a competent crew on a hire boat for the last 12 and helped a lot
I got to the top in six hours and five minutes,

The flight has many interesting features especially it's split bridge with small gap down the centre for the horse tow rope.

After the top lock there are private moorings on both sides the comes Swallow Marina where I filled up with diesel and also managed to get on of the mechanic to repair the chains holdeing my bow fender.
After the Lapworth Flight come two lift bridges that caused me great difficulties as the controls are on opposite bank to the mooring.
So both delayed me as I had to wait for a 'friendly' walker.

I moored up near The Wharf Tavern in Hockley Heath Thursday night is curry night.
So guess what There are some brilliant old canal photos in the bars

A day at Hatton

I arrived at Warwick Parkway station about 9:45am.
It was further down the flight than I thought.
But it was great to walk the Hatton again.

I planned to get some 'emergency' fuel at the garage near lock 32.
I hit on the idea of asking a passing boat to carry it up for me.
Luckily the first I asked agreed.

I walked on leaving them to lock the 12 remaining locks with my cans.
There were jobs to do on Hallmark including visiting the sanitary station.
Hallmark was there on her mooring.
She looked good.
A couple of 'new' boats had joined her.

Outside everything was fine but the domestic hot water system was leaking again.
It looked like two pints had dripped away.
I rung John who had done the work at Banbury and he agreed to bring some new connection in the early evening to sort things.
I then walked down to the cafe at the top lock to treat myself to an all day breakast.

John arrived and was soon at work totally replacing a couple of connections and the system was throughly tested and dry as a bone.
I walked to The Watermans for supper and on the way back the sunset was totally amazing.

Warwick and the Hatton Flight

It was drizzling as Hallmark pulled off the mooring.

It was early.  Only 7:30am but the aim was to get to the bottom of the Hatton Flight and see if we could pair up with another solo boat.

But first there was the two Warwick Cape Locks with the Cape of Good Hope right alongside.

First you pass the Saltisford Arm and then the real climb begins.

We were soon at Hatton Bottom Lock and no one was to be seen.

It looked like another Hallmark solo!

And now it was raining heavily.

The flight of locks at Hatton on the Grand Union is nothing but amazing.

Some would say intimidating others daunting.

There are 22 locks and the canal climbs 150 feet in just 2 miles

In the central most concentrated section some say it resembles an aquatic ski slope.

This is looking up in the poring rain.

And now looking back down the main block of locks in the sunshine.

Well Hallmark made it!  Yes to the very top ..........

A shade under four and a half hours...........

Although the Hatton Flight is not the longest flight in the canal record books ......... that accolade goes to Tardebigge on the Worcester and Birmingham.Canal.

It is the toughest Hallmark has done yet!

Here is the British Water's depot very near the top.

At the very top we filled Hallmark up with water and tidied up as it was back to London for a few days.

Long Itchington to Warwick

10 locks:  9 miles

We cast off at almost 7:30.
Today we planned to aim for Radford Bottom Lock just before Leamington Spa.
Here Hallmark would reach the lowest pound in the course of the Grand Union Canal between Braunston and Birmingham. Radford was 10 locks away.
First on the agenda was the four Bascote Locks which are steep with a staircase pair.
Once again Hallmark did the large GU locks solo.
Are we leaving too early?

After the Bascott Flight you seem to leave the villages behind and it gets remote.
Tall reeds line the canal bank at intervals.

Locks follow the Flight at regular intervals but not too frequent.
Once Radford is reached 12:05 so we decide to push on for maybe Warwick and the possibility of an open boatyard.
Leamington comes and goes.  It makes little use of the canal's potential.

There is plenty of interest...............
The old Rugby to Leamington railway cross the canal vis a handsome railway viaduct now converted into a cycle route.

Just before Warwick the canal is on an aqueduct as it cross the Leam and the Avon.

We finally call it a day between bridges 48 and 49.
Neither Delta or Kates Boats are open.
Another day with no diesel for sale!
We have a long cycle ride back to Two Boats to collect the car!

Napton to Long Itchington

13 locks:  6 miles

Today was the big day.
I had decided to turn left and go along the Grand Union Canal to Birmingham.  
I knew it going to be tough with some big lock flights in the first three days. Getting on for 40 locks!
I thought about a 7:30 start but in the end went for 8:15
Napton Junction was about 15 minutes away.
As always canal junctions are confusing and badly signed.
I eventually saw the small sign for Warwick and off I went left.

 






The countryside was very different to the Oxford.
First hrough the trees was Napton reservoirs.
Then it was the first group of locks ............the Calcut Three.
I decided to pop in at the shop at Calcutt Boats as I had left behind a mooring chain at Napton
But first I had to go down the three locks and avoid the hire boats returning to base.

As I was coming up to Bridge 21 I had an enormous surprise.
There was Maggie standing waving in the car park of The Boat Inn.

 Wow wow..................
No sailing in Southampton she was going to join me for a couple of nights.
She knew I had spent the night at Napton and knew I would at least start the Stockton flight of nine locks today.
All her stuff including the Brompton bike were quickly loaded aboard,
There were seven boats waiting at start of the Stockton Flight.

So it looked like we would have a good delay whilst the queue went down.

It was not to be.  At the front of the line was a single boat that was not partnered up.

So Hallmark was called through to the front.

Sadly the pairing with 'Dreamcast' lasted on lock as it broke down!

So we had eight more to do on our own.

Slowly and methodically we worked purest down the flight.

Eventfully the  people on the boats behind started to help. So kind of them.

We did the Stockton in 2 hours and 10 minutes.  Not bad for a flight which drops 55 feet
As 13 locks had been chugged through we decided to call it a day around 2:00pm just after Bridge 25 a stones throw from The Cuttle Inn and Two Boats Inn.

.

We had lunch af the later and returned for a briliant supper after cycling back up the flight to move the car 

Went to bed pretty early as very tired.

Fenny Compton to Napton-on-the hill

9 locks:  11.5 miles

There was a leak from the domestic hot water system.
Some two pints had dripped from a slightly loose joint by the clorifier.
I called John who did the work at Banbury and he promised to be withy me by 9.00am.
It was soon sorted and checked.  My wallet was £40 lighter.
Ropes were untied and Hallmark was off at 10.45am. 
Later than planned but it was important to sort the leak (again).
After Fenny Compton the summit is so unpopulated.

 


















Few houses, or people but there are plenty of sheep.

There are so many bends and loops as the canal follows the contours.
Because of the bends you keep getting a glimpse of a following boat although it is some distance back. Round a few bends in fact.

The Napton flight drops over 50 feet in it's nine locks.
I arrived at 1:35 at Marston Doles, which has a converted warehouse near the top lock.

The flight is quite varied. 
Some locks are well spaced out while others quickly follow each other.
After Marston Doles there is a good run the the next then there is a pair and then a triple.

Hallmark got well and truel stuck in Lock 11.
The fenders were down and there was no shifting the boat.
The only was was to half fill the lock and move them on to the gunnel.
Sadly this really wound up the boat behind.
Time could not stand still for the owner.

I had wanted to walk to Napton-on-the-hill.
It is about a mile away from the canal.  But it was nearly 6.00pm when I had moored up and I was some way from the bottom lock. 
Here is Napton Windmill looking great in the evening light.

I did walk to the King's Head pub from bridge 110 and had a great supper!

Cropredy to Fenny Compton

9 Locks: 6.5 miles

After a couple of days in London I am back on Hallamrk for a good stretch till bank holiday........ five days in all.
On my way along the canal from the bus I stopped at Cropredy General Stores for some provisons.
Better than carrying them from London!
The Cheese Boat was moored by Bridge 153.
I resisted getting any of their specials... especially the chutney.

I arrived back at Hallmark in heavy rain.
It looked set for the rest of the day.
Inside it was heavy on the roof. It poured and poured.
I had wanted to do just three locks (Broadmoor, Varney's and Ekington) today.
My plan was then to tackle the Claydon Five and on to Fenny Compton the next day.
With the constant rain the afternoon run at three locks did not look hopeful.
The suddenly the rain stopped the clouds cleared and the sky went blue. The sun was shining.
Hallmark was off .............no stoping.

The boats above are owned by Ian Staples, the artist with a studio at Broadmoor Lock
The three locks were soon done and encouraged by the change in the weather I decided to press on up the Claydon locks.

As I finished the first there was thunder and lightening and down came the rain.
There was no stopping now!
I quickly got on my wet weather gear and pressed on.
At times the rain was torrential and the sky so threatening.
There was even thunder!

Despite the weather the flight was soon finished.
It is further from the Claydon Top Lock to Fenny than I remember.
It is a good hour and a half and no locks
At times the canal is very very narrow.
This is because there is a long straight narrow section which was Fenny Tunnel but disappear years ago when it collasped and they took the top off.

I am not sure what you do if you met a boat coming the other way.

I passed Feeny Marina on the way in.
It was closed of course at gone 7.00pm. Diesel was a pretty good price. Am I going to regret getting some!.

After putting on the dry and warm clothes I went down The Wharf Inn for supper.
A great chillie

Back at the boat I lit the woodburning stove which was initially difficult as the kindling had got soaked in the storm.
Soon got very hot and the damp clothes were soon dry.