Thursday 30 June 2016

Staircase to heaven

 

IMG_6093We pulled pins from our mooring near Radford Semele at 07.15 and were soon crossing the River Avon where the canal enters Warwick. You don’t actually see very much of Warwick and to be honest you wouldn't think you were anywhere near it.

IMG_6098Arriving at The Hattton flight of locks we were met at the bottom lock by a volunteer lockkeeper and thought our luck was in. With 21 heavy double locks to do an extra pair of hands would be helpful although we are more than happy to just meander up at our own pace. But it was not to be, he disappeared and quickly as he appeared and was never to be seen again. In fact there were no lockies at all on the flight . With no other boats to share with we were Billy no mates going up the flight.

IMG_6102 Further up the flight and we pass this pair of boats. “That's what we should have” said Carolyn . Just guess where she would want me to live.

IMG_6109As we make our way towards the top this is probably one of the best views of the flight with Warwick in the distance.

IMG_6111This very attractive and eye catching stainless steel sculpture by Gideon Petersen is in a side pond above Lock 42 on The Hatton flight. There is no way that I can ever go past it without taking a picture.

IMG_6115With Carolyn back on steering duty we are nearly at the top . In the end and at 379 feet above sea level it took us 3 hours and 25 minutes and that was with a lot of locks against us ,so that’s not bad going at all.

IMG_6120After Hatton we carried on for a few miles passing the mooring above where we stopped over 3 years ago. Back then the grass and hedges were all cut and it was a neat and tidy mooring, now look at it,and yes it is on the towpath side….Looks like we may need to invest in a strimmer or some shears if we want to carry on mooring out in the country.

IMG_6125We picked up a mooring just past these two old abandoned boats which looked like they had CRT notices on them. It will be fun getting them removed as the one on the outside was well and truly sunk . After a busy and good cruise it’s now time to put our feet up with a glass or two of the red stuff.

                                                                                                             Happy Days

No comments:

Post a Comment