Middle of nowhere to Long Itchington. 5 locks. Long Itchington to Leamington 14 locks.

Yesterday found us setting off into the teeth of a force 6 to 7 wind with the threat of thunder storms later.

Don't you just love the English summer?

Although Sam is with us for the week we are mooching up and down this part of the Grand Union and every day has to be used to get us back. We watched the clouds build once again through the day. We are now quite weather wise so we knew the time to stop and moor before it hit us again, and hit us it did, all afternoon.

Above is Sam's first staircase lock, only two this time but still different all the same.

The gates are always huge and impressive in these type of locks giving you scope for lots of pictures.

Looking back and down from inside the top lock never fails to make you wonder how you got up there in the first place




Shortly afterwards we passed this pair heading for the locks.




This is a man with his hands well and truly full with two seventy footers to get along with.
Here he is giving instructions to the young girl on the tiller of the Butty as to which way to turn to avoid us whilst steering his boat with his hip. Bearing in mind how much wind is blowing he is doing well.



Off he goes.





A very much different day today, it is almost nice, well...... it is nice.



Blue skies and warm, better make the most of this.
A very good days chugging followed seeing us almost back at Leamington, leaving us all set for a day at the shops and an exploration of Warwick itself tomorrow.



An evening feed of Sams new friends.



Until tomorrow............................