Here is the map of the day
Quite a short distance but we had some interesting times
We started the day outside the RSC at Stratford on Avon, there are a few swans there on the river so we gave them a feed, we then popped into town for a bit of shopping and while there popped into a 1940’s themed tea shop for a coffe for Wendy and a Cream tea for me!
From there we took a left turn into the lock that gets you on the the Stratford upon Avon canal, the lock is covered with people watching so a good one to get right!
Here is the video – speeded up!
You then turn right and go through some of the narrowest bridges I have ever seen as you make your way out of the town.
A few locks up and we were confronted – just after this maconalds – almost a drive through!
– with a boat 90 degrees across the canal. No one was doing anything so we moored up and sorted it. Turns out it was an unoccupied boat that someone had moored up badly, the mooring pins had pulled out and it was drifting!
We carried on and soon met the Wilmcote lock flight of 10 locks. Wendy was feeling brave so decided to drive the boat up the flight while I did the locking. A top job she did as well – more walking for me in the future!
All was going well until we got the the top lock, the bottom gate wouldn;t shut, we called Canal and River trusts and were waiting when another boat came up the flight – clearly more seasoned that us he contructed a tool from a long pole and a garden tool to scrape the lock cill (the concreate ledge the gates sit on) It took a few goes but he did clear it the gate closed and we could move on.
It was getting late so the first mooring we could find we have stopped for the night, so just about covered 5 miles today!.
Here is our final view of the day
Here are some more pics from the day
