Stories about boats and waterways
Getting back on track with the travel vlogs from my Grand Tour earlier this year, I pick up where I left off in Vlog 51 (Bascote) and continue my route back towards Braunston. In doing this I pass through the Stockton lock flight with the help of the lovely folk on the Mikron Theatre Company boat and up up just past Wigram’s Turn marina (Napton Junction)
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I’d spent about a week moored at the Saltisford Arm while I went to visit family (the ones who I was supposed to have gone down the Birmingham and Worcester canal to see, but didn’t). With the Crick Show fast approaching, it was time to head on back towards Northamptonshire, so here’s a couple of days cruising in that direction.
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I’d spent several days idling away my time quite pleasantly at Kingswood Junction at Lapworth but now wanted to go and visit family for a bit so needed a better place to leave the boat. So I went down the Hatton lock flight to Warwick and moored in the Saltisford Arm, run by the Saltisford Canal Trust. Lovely spot albeit a bit noisy from the traffic nearby.
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After a few days paused at the mooring in Shirley, Birmingham, I moved on down the Stratford upon Avon canal, through the Lapworth lock flight and turned at the Lapworth Link onto the Grand Union canal. During the journey there was sunshine, wildlife spottings, draw bridge dilemmas and a squashed horn. This video explains all.
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Finally the big day is here: a massive 27 locks await my pleasure on the way from Curdworth into the middle of Birmingham. It was a warm, sunny day and a lot of effort – I ached for several days afterwards – but it was rather satisfying. The route goes down the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, up the Aston and Farmers Bridge lock flights into the centre of the city.
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The first of three long days begins in this video as I head south from Fazeley towards Birmingham and the many, many locks I will have to go through to ascend to its giddy height. In this video, I move to Curdworth which is just outside the Birmingham suburbs.
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A busy day in this one: 8 miles, some locks, a water refill, a loo emptying and a near-miss round a sharp bend. But all’s well that ended well. Except for the results of an irresponsible dog owner.
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After a day moored just outside Nuneaton, I’m moving a little way north up the Coventry Canal, through Polesworth and up to Atherstone. I’ll try to get to a spot between locks 9 and 10 as I’ve been told it’s a lovely place to spend a while. Some beautiful scenery on the way and some lovely weather too!
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After a pleasant few days at Hawkesbury Junction, the time has come to move on but – oh no, there’s a traffic jam at the water point. Then it’s a swift turn onto the Coventry canal and onwards past Bedworth and through Nuneaton in one go as I have been warned not to stop there overnight for fear of vandalism and hooligans running wild. I didn’t stop to find out if this is actually true.
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In this video I move from just outside Brinklow up to the end of the Oxford Canal at Hawkesbury Junction, whereupon I shall turn onto the Coventry Canal and go north in the direction of Tamworth. On the way, I see some horses, some ducks, some motorways and some houses. It’s gripping stuff.
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