Three Aqueducts to Wilmcote

Today's Canal - Stratford

We were away in reasonably good time - when we awoke there was bright sunshine but cloud soon arrived and for most of the day it was overcast, but still very warm.

The first lock was only a short distance ahead of us and as soon as Christine brought the boat out of the lock a boat that had been taking on water decided to set off. This turned out to be rather unfortunate as it was an extremely slow boat and even though it had most of the locks set for it, we still caught them up in most pounds. As a result it was three and a half hours before we reached Wootton Wawen.

On today's stretch we passed over three iron trough aqueducts, each longer than the previous. The first is very short indeed. The information board says that could have been even shorter but when the original collapsed, this was the material that came to hand!

Christine spotted an inscribed coping stone at our second lock. It says, "481 Port Maintenance Troop, Royal Engineers, September 1961" The southern Stratford canal was all but derelict by the start of the 1960's but the threat of closure to allow a cheaper road crossing galvanised action and this became the first restored canal in the system. When, later, the Lower and the Upper Avon Trusts succeeded with their schemes, a delightful circular route was re-established and is now very popular for leisure cruising.

Yarningdale Aqueduct

 

This picture was ordered by the ladies

Yarningdale is the first aqueduct - the information boards show some plaques depicting features of the canal and visitors are invited to try to recognise them just by touch. Not sure if this was the real reason for the pose!

Another pose

The ornately extended barrel roof cottage at lock 37 is the third we have seen that is up for sale. wonder if there is a common cause?

Another entry into our less-usual-boat gallery.

By the time we could look back at the bridge before Wootton Wawen, the sky had gained some bright blue patches.

Wootton Wawen Aqueduct

We called at the Anglo Welsh services at the wharf just before the second aqueduct to fill up with diesel - a very pleasant young man to serve us and took our mobile number just in case they could offer a temporary mooring on our return.

Afterwards we moored up for lunch - taking our time. It seems that lunch breaks are getting longer and longer! still, eggy bread was again requested for the menu. Afterwards we set off across this middle sized aqueduct.

A little later  came Brearley (or Edstone) Aqueduct,the third and longest that crosses a valley over a track, a railway line and a road.

As we neared Wilmcote - where we had hoped to stop at least to shop - we could see a long line of moored boats and our expectations were almost extinguished when we could see that almost the last space near to the road bridge was still available and we quickly nabbed it!

The village is very close to the canal and we walked along - not only to find the shop, which came up trumps with what we were after including a newspaper but also to check out Mary Arden's Farm, one of the Shakespeare Visitor Sites that was a possibility for a visit. Outside we saw a sample of what the centre provides - a reconstruction of working farm life in Tudor times, complete with people in the correct costumes. In the afternoon, the women tend the garden!

Mary Arden's Farm

The lady on the reception desk was very helpful and gave us plenty of information about the options. We needed plenty of choice as, just as we arrived at the mooring, a notification came through on the email that a lock just a little closer to Stratford is to be closed all day Friday for an urgent repair. This means that we will have to adjust our plans quite a bit!

By now, with a long flight of locks ahead, we decided that it was too late to move on and risk not finding as good a mooring.

Tomorrow we face 16 locks in just over 3 miles. But first we will visit the farm in the morning. It sounds fascinating.

7.3 miles - 9 locks