Wolverhampton to Boat Club (4 miles, 22 locks, 6.9 engine hours – AVG 3.76 LMH)

Last day of the trip. A bit of a slog down the Wolverhampton 21, following another boat and had to fill almost every lock. I reckon it added another hour to the trip.

Start of the locks at 9:05

The last lock gate

Approaching the last lock

Leaving the last lock at 3pm

Walsall to Wolverhampton ( 9.25 miles, 8 locks, 6.5 engine hours – AVG 2.65 LMH)

Another difficult & slow day. Had to clear the propeller on 5 separate occasions. The first in the quarter of a mile from my mooring to the first lock.

At the junction of the Walsall Canal with the Wryley & Essington Canal is the above sign, 8 miles to Wolverhampton should take about 3 hours. It took me 4 & three-quarters at an average speed of 1.6 MPH. I’m not sure why, but it felt like the boat was in one continuous bridge hole where instead of the water flowing around the boat it instead builds up in front & slows the boat down.

Star City to Walsall Basin (14.5 miles, 13 locks, 11 engine hours – AVG 2.5 LMH).

The worst day of the trip. Rained all day, 11 of the 13 locks were ‘against’ me. The last one had an obstruction behind one of the gates, which took 20 minutes to clear. Then there were several stops to clear the weed hatch, including a 15 minute one to cut off what seemed to be the cushion part of a settee/chair (still attached). In all I was travelling for over 13 hours.

Due to the heavy rain, the only photos today are of the underside of Spaghetti Junction (where it was dry).

Top of Camp Hill Locks to Star City (3 miles, 11 locks, 4.2 engine hours – AVG 3.33 LMH)

A series of views from the second Camp Hill lock. This one looks like I’m in the middle of the countryside.

The reality is that I’m next to an industrial estate.

With a by-pass on the otherside

And a train line above.

On the way to Garrison Locks.

It’s difficult to believe that this canal is in the middle of Birmingham surrounded by factories & metal bashing industry.

Hatton Glebe Bridge to top of Camp Hill Locks (18 miles, 5 locks, 6.8 engine hours – AVG 3.38 LMH).

Only 1 set of locks today & only 5 of them.

When I arrived I was told by the volunteer locky that i was the first boat he had seen all day

I asked if he wanted me to help. ‘No it’s alright there are four of us, we’ll have each lock ready for you’, was his response.

Looking back down the flight.

40 minutes later (thanks to the lockies) I was through and on my way.

Leamington to Top of Hatton locks (6.75 miles, 23 locks, 6.7 engine hours – AVG 4.44 LMH)

Bottom lock at 10:15.

Waiting for two boats to come down

The two boats leave the lock

Looking back down, part way up.

Final lock at 2:40 – 4 & 1/4 hours later.

Leamington to Leamington (0 miles, 0 locks, 0 engine hours)

Day off, cleaning the boat and a walk around Leamington. Bought 3 pairs of shoes from the ECCO shop, 2 for the boat & 1 for home.

Long Itchington to Leamington (6.5 miles, 10 locks, 4.2 engine hours – AVG 3.92 LMH)

Managed to share all 10 locks with another boat & made good time. I was in Leamington just after 1pm. After a couple of jobs on the boat I walked into Leamington for a pint.

The pub (The Old Library) had the cricket on & was serving Oakham’s Citra. A very pleasant afternoon watching England beat Australia drinking one of my top 3 favourite beers.

Stockton to Long Itchington (1.5 miles, 10 locks, 2.1 engine hours – AVG 5.47 LMH).

A very high average due to volunteer lockie helping me down the first 8 locks. Completed in 1 hour 20 minutes (10 mins a lock). The final 2 locks, on my own, took 17 minutes each. The lockie saved me at least an hour.

Pat of the Stockton lock flight.

Fenny Compton to Stockton (13.5 miles, 12 locks, 8 engine hours – AVG 3.18 LMH)

A very hot day cruising along the summit of the Oxford Canal

Then came across the above pile of earth with diggers.

Was going to stop at Folly Bridge & visit The Folly, but no mooring for at least the best part of a mile after the last lock & past the pub. So decided to carry on cruising for a couple of hours & stop at the Boat in Stockton. An extra 3 locks, but a decent pint & a shorter day tomorrow.

Due to HS2 where it will cross the Oxford. A 21st century construction project solving a 20th century problem. Still I expect people in the 1800s complained about the building of the canals.

But once past the construction work, back to the price & tranquility of the canal.

Either a very sharp turn in the canal…

Or a marooned narrowboat.

The windmill at Napton-on-the-Hill

And finally a bird of prey.