12 July – Catherine de Barnes to Turners Green
A damp cruise to top of Knowles Locks and shared the locks
with day hire boat with James on the tiller. His experience on boats all of 3
minutes and his crew of 2 ladies not much better. They were much better by the
time we got to the bottom. Didn't really have time to take photo's
We moved on in the rain and it eased by lunch time and we
stopped at the Blackboy pub for fish and chips. Very good compared to others we
have had 8.10. Busy pub and we moved on and moored the night at 3.30 at Turners
Green.
TOTAL- 7 miles, 5 locks (Knowles Locks) and 2 small aqueducts
13 July – Turners Green rest day
On the first of this month we were only about ½ mile to the
west of here on the Stratford Canal doing the Lapworth locks which also connect
to here through an arm at Kingswood Junction.
Kingswood Junction to the Lapworth Locks
We are also in the black hole and have no internet but TV reception is good, This morning the weather has stopped it completely and a rest day was declared. At lunch time scones - 10/10 and shortly after that another boat arrived and a quick conversation found us our partners for a 7am start tomorrow for Hatton Locks.
Turners Green
A bit of a rest with History on TV and then off to pub -Tom
of the Wood – a pleasant afternoon with some locals and spent all the money we
took, back on the boat at 5.15
TOTAL – 0 miles and 1 walk to a pub
14 July – Turners Green to Cape of Good Hope – Bottom lock of Hatton flight
Up at 6 and on the move with Carole and Noel and their boat
Willy Nilly and 3 dogs just before 7. Cruised through Shrewley tunnel to the top of Hatton
Lock to be meet by Canal Trust who said it will be 20 minutes as one of the
ponds was empty. Finally started to attack the flight at 8.45 - first boats out.
2 boats, 4 people and a lock keeper made it quick for the
first 16 or so and then we started meeting boats coming up. We finished by11.45am and were tied up opposite the Cape of Good Hope pub by noon. Someone
mentioned showers and lunch at the pub and vote was passed.
ten locks down - Vicki setting locks
Hatton Flight Completed - lucky last
Oops nearly the wrong way
The Cape has mainly a kiwi staff and a Kiwi fish burger is on
their lunch menu with raw red onion and beetroot, fish, tomato and lettuce –
definite 9/10. Good craft beers, the Goats milk the best of 3. We are here for
the night so may revisit after dinner.
Lilly the smallest dog fell in canal shortly after this, saved very quickly, first time she hadn't had her life jacket on too
TOTAL – 6 miles, 20 locks (Hatton Flight), 1 aqueduct and 1 Tunnel (Shrewley)
15 July – Cape of Good Hope (Warwick) to Leamington Spa – Bridge 40
Up at 7 in time to wave Noel and Carole and their dog’s
farewell. Breakfast and a browse on Facebook and we went for a walk into
Warwick. A cream tea for our efforts with fresh scones and filter coffee
instead.
Then off for a walk to Warwick Castle but were stopped at the gate by long queues and a price of almost 60 pounds for 2 adults. This castle is owned by Madam Tussaud’s and they are the same bandits who own Legoland. Another park we refused to pay the outrageous gate price back in 2007.
So a walk through the town and a few op shops to buy books and back to the boat.
Photo taken and it did not cost $120
We paired up with another boat to come down the Cape locks
after 7 hire boats of school kids had gone through. We cruised on to bridge 40
where we shopped and Pete got a haircut and decided to stop for the night after
the shop at The Co-op – Roast Pork for dinner. Cooked by Pete and he did the
dishes, be an early night for that wee possum. Rating 7/10 may increase when it
is more than 1 meal.
School camp by narrowboat - end of year here, must remember this in future as canals may become busier. Decided not to stop here, why would you with 7 boats full of eeek!!!!
View for night
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