Bascote staircase and beyond

Yesterday evening we did go back to the Two Boats Inn where we had a tasty meal of the midlands delicacy of faggots, chips and mushy peas washed down with a pint of good beer,

In Bascote Staircase

A narow section of the GU

Old disused narrow lock alongside the main wide lock

We started rather late at 10:00am and stopped at the first bridge where we filled our tank at the waterpoint.  Half a mile further on we reached Bascote Locks which consist of a 2-lock staircase where the bottom gate of the first lock forms the top gate of the second and then 2 separate single locks.  Here we met a hireboat with whom we shared 6 locks. 

The Grand Union Canal here  is far less "grand" now being relatively shallow and narrow with reed beds frequently seen along the canal edge.

 The hireboat stopped for lunch after 2 isolated lock beyond Bascote whilst we carried on down 3 of the 4 widely separated Radford Locks stopping for the day out in the countryside.

3.7 mles 3 hours $0 mins 9 locks