Thursday 11th April 2019



It was a white world first thing after a heavy frost that came as a surprise. There was an active Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that we had been hearing and I got to within 30 feet of it and watched it for a good 2 minutes before it took flight.

We had saved a blue duck egg for Eva which she had with her breakfast and then we set off for the first of a number of harder days to lock down to Stratford. The Stratford Canal is 25½ miles long and has 53 locks and 3 lift bridges.

The first lift bridge was encountered after just 200 yards, an easy electrically operated one, you just hold the button in and everything is done for you. The road crossing the canal here was very busy when I took the dog out this morning and, although there was not so much traffic when we passed through, we still had a queue of 13 vehicles in one direction and 11 in the other.




Electrically operated Shirley Lift Bridge



Our 12-year-old canal guide shows Dickens Heath as a tiny village located about ¼ mile from the canal. We were surprised turning a corner of the canal to find large apartment blocks and housing stretching from the waters edge back as far as we could see. This is Dickens Heath today.




Dickens Heath, not shown on our canal guide



At Earlswood there is a pretty section of canal with a motor yacht club based around a feeder channel from a series of reservoirs, Earlswood Lakes. The boats were all moored in this channel and covered about ½ mile.

The canal so far had been very tranquil but the drone of the M42 became louder and louder before passing under it and leaving it behind.

We saw the first herons of the year and also a kingfisher. It has been lovely to see the world slowly coming to life and into spring.

We passed through Hockley Heath, a pretty looking place with a small canal wharf arm that was totally silted up and a bridge that was very awkward to negotiate. Just beyond Hockley were two more lift bridges but these were hydraulically operated using the windlass.



Just after the second lift bridge is the first of the 26 locks of the Lapworth Flight. There are 18 locks before the junction is reached. At first they are spread out but then become very close together with large pounds acting as reservoirs in between them. The setting of these locks is absolutely delightful.

Manny helped with the lift bridges and a number of locks before becoming fed up. He also steered the boat through a few locks and, although he bumped it a few times, which is to be expected, he did very well but then decided he had had enough.



         

Lapworth Lock Flight


        


        



At Kingswood Junction we deliberated as to where to moor. We passed down lock 21 but then decided to go against the direction of the junction onto the short arm that connects the Stratford Canal with the Grand Union and moor here in a beautiful spot in warm sunshine spoilt only by the railway bridge just down the canal from us.



Weather: a chilly day but lovely sunshine.



Day Total: 20 locks; 9 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 3 Lift Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 4.2

Overall Total: 422 locks; 810 miles; 42 tunnels; 11 Swing Bridges; 3 Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 523.2


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