Hopwood to Tardebigge

A glorious day for cruising a beautiful section of canal, just a five mile trip to moor at Tardebigge.

Shortwood tunnel

Bittell reservoir feeds the canal.

Klara at Alvechurch.

Tardebigge church spire

One of the thirty Tardebigge locks

Pretty setting to the locks.

The Queens at bottom lock

Towpath toast.

I really enjoyed watching  the wedding on TV, the commentating not so much, they quickly run out of stuff to say and resorted to pointing out the obvious. 

Windsor and the castle in the sunshine looked wonderful, the bride was perfect, the princes were handsome, the royal and celebrity guests all scrubbed up well.......but the pantomime preacher!

For a low key royal wedding it was perfectly choreographed as only the Brits can do.

Champagne to toast the happy couple.

Worcester & Birmingham canal.

I'm sure the bridge holes have got narrower on this canal, I seem to be knocking the edges a bit more than usual, or is it an age thing. I have noticed that while driving a car I seem to get beeped at more often than I once used to and other drivers sometimes give hand signals to me that don't appear in the highway code.

Wednesday we put a big effort in, 28 locks and three lift bridges got us to Hockley Heath, a quiet restful night after the the days exertions. Met my first vloggers on the towpath on my way back from the post box. 

Lock ducks., no quack.

See the gap in the bridge for a tow rope.

The gap has closed on a lot of the bridges

 Thursday - no locks today, on our way to Kings Norton junction we stopped at Wedges bakery for some supplies. 

Vlockie Roger chats with Sue.

When we took a left turn onto the Worcester & Birmingham canal at King's Norton  junction we met Roly & Bev on nb Klara, we followed them southwards through the 2726 yds Wast Hills tunnel to moor at Hopwood.

Entrance to the tunnel 

Weekend in Stratford on Avon

The southern section of the S on A is a secluded green avenue, reminded me of sections of the Southern Oxford canal but with a tree and bush border.

Only three miles and 18 locks to do, a group of efficient lads on a hire boat behind us helped us through the first 14 of these until we stopped at Chaly bridge for water . 

We didn't arrive until mid afternoon so were expecting to have to moor down on the river Avon but there was indeed a space for FL in the basin which is overlooked by the bard himself and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. 

WS overlooks the basin.

Bancroft Basin

Waterways information centre

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Macbeth was fully booked for Saturday and with no performances on a Sunday we would have to miss out. We strolled around the town looking at all things Shakespeare.

Grave in Holy Trinity Church.

River Avon

A wander along the river Avon and took the chain ferry to the butterfly farm, well worth a visit.

           

           

Bancroft basin is in the centre of things and a great place to moor free for 48 hours. Saturday was a bit noisy as revelers made use of the bench seats dotted around the basin til the early hours. Sunday was  much quieter and we ended the weekend off with a meal in Loxleys.

View as we leave the basin.

Wilmcote

A short five mile cruise today, the crew was feeling a bit sore after her tumble yesterday so only one lock to deal with this trip. 

We did however negotiate a couple of aqueducts that had FL flying over roads, water meadow and railway tracks.

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Edstone aqueduct

It was a breezy trip and quite cool, we lit the stove for some warmth for when we tied up at Wilmcote.

We are getting close to Stratford on Avon now, open top buses are bringing tourists to Mary Arden House where it was said Shakespeare's mother once lived but later it was discovered that she never did.

The tourist's still come as the farm of the same name behind where she did live is open to the public as a working Tudor farm, complete with costumed workers, usual farm animals and falconry displays. 

Mary Arden House

Her name is even on the pub.

Stratford on Avon

Taking the two sharp left hand turns at Kingswood Junction we are of the wide locks and back on to narrow gauge locks. It is nice to be on a canal we have not travelled before.

The short Lapworth link connects the GU and the S on A

Lapworth link is in between the two houses on the right.

 We follow on behind NB Celtic Kiwi who kindly lift a paddle after they leave a lock so it is filled when we arrive, until they stop for lunch and we pass them.

Lots of Barrel roofed cottages along this canal

At lapworth bottom lock there is a wait for canal staff to arrive to clear a boulder from the canal bed to allow the top gate to close. This lock must be one of the noisiest on the system as the M40 roars overhead.

FL waits under the M40

Ten locks done we pull in opposite the Fleur de Lys , Celtic Kiwi's crew pull in behind and we arrange to have dinner in the pub together. Roger and Heather are Aussies in spite of the name on their boat.  Pie, pint and good company- my kind of  night out.

Sue Heather Roger and Andy

Roger and Heather.

Today - we said goodbye to our new friends,we received gifts from Warrandyte, did another 8 locks towards the Avon and Sue did a spectacular face plant on the towpath which split her lip.

Heavy with blossom.

Gongoozlers