Lapworth Flight

 Another day, another long flight of locks.

On the Grand Union near Turners Green

First thing in  the morning we washed the port side of the top of the boat completing the job we started a few days ago.  Then set off travelling through very attractive scenary with oold canalside houses, wooded cuttings and views over country valleys  until we reached Kingswood Junction.

Lapworth lock 19

Lapworth Lock 8

Here the Grand Union has a complex junction with the North and South Stratford Canals.  Our route was up the North Stratford towards Birmingham and started with the 15 locks of the Lapworth flight.  We are now off the broad canals and will spend the rest of our cruise on narrow ones.  Narrow locks are much easier to operate than broad ones as the gates are lighter and they fill more quickly.  But they only take one boat at a time so at busy periods queues can build up.

We stopped for lunch at a mooring point half way up the flight as the sight of the remaining 8 locks climbing the hill looked too daunting and we were still tired after yesterday. In the afternoon we completed the flight and moored for the night at 14:30.  

4 hours 15 mins, 3 miles, 15 locks.