Alternatively, you can start early and finish late.
Which was not the intention. We set off at the pretty civilised 8.30am, reaching Lapworth at around 10. Once we’d found ourselves a pleasant mooring in the shade, we set off to the Village Shop (groceries, newspapers, fruit & veg, wines, beers & spirits, laptop repairs…) to replace the essentials (almost everything except the laptop repair).
By now it was getting pretty hot, and the mooring was, well, pretty good…
The sun rose ever higher and the prospect of 13 locks in blazing heat was not inviting. We prevaricated. We found emails to check, things to do. I spotted that the boat in front had a cratch* of exactly the type we are wanting so we introduced ourselves and cheekily asked if we could take some photos. Being boaters, the response was immediately positive and within half an hour we had all the information we needed, a good chat and were introduced to their rather splendid labradoodle (want one!)
*for the uninitiated, a cratch is wooden frame over the bow of the boat which can be fitted with a canvas cover to create an extra “room”, somewhat like a conservatory
By this time we thought we ought to have some lunch. By 2 o’clock one or two small clouds had appeared in the sky, so we thought it might be cool enough to proceed up the locks. Wrong.
Two locks and I’d had enough, and decided it was Brian’s turn. He duly obliged and wound paddles up and down and opened and closed gates, until we encountered a gate that wouldn’t open. I held my breath and went for it.. one tiny touch with the bow…yes! (We reported the problem gate to the volunteer lockie who sighed, looked heavenward, and said “Yes. We know. They’re going to fix it in the winter. Trouble is, they’ve not said which winter.” – donations to the Canal & River Trust gratefully received….)
At one point I amazed Brian, and myself, by actually climbing onto the roof, up the lock ladder and closing a lock gate. I have always been terrified of this before, and in two years, it was the first time I have set foot on the roof of the boat. Must be the heat….
Well we soldiered on, still hoping to reach our intended destination of Warings Green by 6, A couple of miles short, we encountered another problem in the shape of a boat which had broken free of its moorings and was right across the canal. No one on board, stern firmly aground. We tried in various ways to shift it until we ended up attaching our own rope and towing it backwards, which at least straightened the thing. At this point the horrified owners turned up – a young couple who’d never boated before acquiring this, their first boat and home, a mere 4 months ago. Oh, to have the confidence of the young!
We set off for Warings Green, and our good deeds for the day were rewarded by a free mooring spot in what is a popular location, at 7.05 pm precisely.
Incidentally, we are now actually on the Avon Ring. We will see this again in about a fortnight
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