Thursday 19 March 09. Bottom of the Hatton Flight to the top. 21 locks just over 5 hours.

Awoken today at 7am by a herd of elephants pounding down the tow path, they turned out to be a lone jogger, the pounding sound goes right through the water and into the boat, a different start to the day.


Today was a day of locks again as we started the long climb away from Warwick.

Here is the start, locks and then more locks stretch away into the distance. The Nicholsons Guide quotes "a daunting sight even for the toughest boatman". What have we let ourselves in for? asks D, keep winding that handle is my reply.Half way up now and a quick stop for lunch, not too long though, as a BW van arrived and started unloading tools and paint. Not wanting to get stuck at a closed lock it was onward again.

Made it! only four more around the corner and the day is over. This climb was 146ft 6ins and nearly every lock was against us, having to be emptied before we could enter, so we feel proud doing it in 5 hours with a small stop.

We have met so many people today who have not seen a boat through here for a long time, frankly I'm not surprised but it would have been nice to see a few boats coming down today and setting the locks in our favour.

You can just make out Warwick Cathedral standing out on the horizon.

Well I cant keep on about locks all evening, tomorrow looks to be a bit different with another tunnel to negotiate, and we should be turning onto a different canal,

So until then.........