Warwick to Napton junction

A hot, humid day. We walked in to Warwick to Sainsburys for provisions. Had a leisurely breakfast at the picnic area and bought some new plaques for the Hatton Flight and Saltisford Arm.

We continued down the Cape Locks and then cruised for a short while on the contour, crossing two aqueducts, near Leamington.

We then started the climb up to Napton, which was not as arduous as Hatton Lock as initially there were gaps for recovery between the locks.

At the staircase, a boat coming down filled the lock which was set for us, and then told us to cheer up!

We decided to press on up the 10 lock Stockton Flight, which was not too bad as other boats were coming down. Took 1hr 45 m to do.

Finally up the Napton Flight (3) and turned south on to the Oxford Canal where we moored for the night near Napton Bridge Inn.

Ate on the boat. Forgot to take any pictures.

Knowle to Warwick

An eventful and arduous day!

Woke up early and headed towards the Knowle flight (7.25 am). Stared to cook breakfast which we thought we would eat before we went down the flight.

On the top lock, saw a sign which said BW would be closing the lock from 7am until 11 am to test some new aluminium water stopers before the winter. As no BW staff were there yet we decided to proceed down the locks before they turned up. Breakfast put on hold.


It took an hour to get down the flight. At the bottom we realised the battery was no longer taking a charge so we no electrics, which means no water! Therefore we rang the boat yyard at the top of the lock to see if they had any leisure batteries, which luckily they did. Also luckily, two years ago we bought a trolley to help out with petrol purchases etc. This came in useful as batteries are illogically heavy.

On the way up the locks, Sappho mistook some green algae for grass and fell in a side pound.

Fitted battery and was away! Moored at Kingswood Junction for facilities and to buy some bread. Quiet place with some Tudor style houses.

Went through shrewly Tunnel that leaked badly - like going through a car wash.

2.10 am. Started down the Hatton Flight - 21 double locks! Waited after firstlock for narrow boat to catch up with us and share the load ("At Last"). Over four gruelling hours ahead, with a stop for petrol half way down. Finally at 6.20 we reached Hatton Bottom lock.


Turned into the Saltisford Arm where we squeezed in between two boats and lit the BBQ. Absolutely shattered!!

Curdsworth to Knowle

We cast off early (6.45 am), and headed down the Minsworth flight. Found it hard to leave the bottom lock as a big propoane bottle, jameed in between the boat and the lock gate. After a bit of jiggling we pulled it out.

The junction which is beneath spaghetti junction

Turned into the Birmingham and Warwick Junction canal about 9 am. Quiet stretch of locks, with factories and warehouses backing on to the cut. All a bit run down. No other boats about.

Turning in to the Camp Hill flight

Ascended the Camp Hill flight and used the facilities block at the top. Warm, cloudy day.

An old arm now blocked off

The Archies arm - now a watersports centre

Had a luch of gnocchi and tomato sauce washed down with a bottle of sparkling Shiraz on the Solihull cut. Very quiet.



Moored at Catherine de Barnes for provisions, before mooring for the night by bridge 72 just above the Knowle flight.

Fradley to Curdsworth

Set off later than yesterday as we used the facilities at Fradley. A duck and her three ducklings joined us for breakfast.

Stopped at Bridge 89 to get petrol om the A38.

Went passed Streethay Wharf.

Next we passed the entrance to the yet unrestored Lichfield Canal and its boathouse.

At 1.30 pm we turned on to the Birmingham and Fazeley and began the Warwickshire Ring proper.

At Drayton Manor there is an very elaborate footbridge complete with turrets.

Followed a boat up to the beginning of the 11 lock Curdsworth flight. He stopped off at the Dog and Doublet pub after lock 3, so after that all the locks were set for us.

We recall coming down this flight on a cold Easter week in 2002, in sub zero temperatures, and doing 35 locks from Birmingham's Gas Street basin in one day, in the wind. The Dog and Doublet was very welcome then!

Easy progrees up the locks.

After that we passed through the 52 metre Curdswoth tunnel and moored up in a leafy cutting for the night at 5.15 pm. An early finish but we want to get through Brum early before the crazies come out tomorrow.

Sawley to Shardlow

Leaving Sawley Marina

Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station

We set off at 7 am....an unearthly hour saying we are on holiday. This means we got a good head start and managed to leapfrog some hireboats. It was a sunny day but windy.

We went through Shardlow and saw the pub which is a converted warehouse.

Passed the entrance to the as yet unrestored Derby Canal.

For the first few hours it was very quiet. We saw some calves with their mother.

We didn't stop for lunch but called briefly at Willington water point.

Sappho always likes to go to bed with a good book. For reference, Thackeray's Vanity Fair.

We ran out of petrol unexpectedly after Dalton Lock.

We then got caught behind a geologically slow hire boat, with a huge crew but clueless at doing locks efficiently. We followed them up to Fradley Junction, where we turned on to the Coventry Canal. We moored for the night as soon as there was a space.

On the boat

Last year we wanted to do the Warwickshire ring in June. However the floods in the UK put pay to that. So we are going to try again this year.

We're a bit late starting as we had to watch the German GP. And it was worth it as Lewis Hamilton did a sublime drive, despite his team messing up on the tactics.

It is very windy here at Sawley Marina, but hopefully the weather will improve tomorrow. This blog will not be as exciting as our Chile one, but the idea of mobile blogging is utterly tantalising.

Battery is flat on the boat, but we hope to charge it up so we can keep this up!

On the boat at last!!

Sappho makes herself at home

The boat has been undergoing renovation for several months. And today we finally got her out of the marina if only up to Shardlow. Had to queue at Trent Lock whilst four other boats went through. Ate diner at the New Inn and then tried out blogging on the boat! If you are reading this, it works.

Where we moored

Below: Dog full of chips!