GUC : Warwick to Kingswood

A shorter walk this week for several reasons – firstly to allow a pair of reasonable distance walks for the culmination of the route, secondly it was jolly hot this day, thirdly the walk was partly up-hill, and fourth – a very infrequent train service at Lapworth to get back to Warwick and thence to London. Also SouthWest trains were undertaking major engineering works around Twickenham and Waterloo and having to cope with a signal failure. It took 3 hours to get to the start of the walk and 4 hours to get home afterwards!

Start of the walk – Hatton bottom lock, no 26

 

Bridge 51c

 

Lock no 29 – one of five locks with moderate spacing between them at the bottom of the Hatton flight.

 

Bridge 52 – Ugly bridge (yes, that’s the official name)

 

Approaching lock 35 – the last of the moderately closely spaced locks.

 

Bridge 53 – Middle lock bridge

 

After bridge 53 there is a gap before the tightly packed section of locks 37 to 42.

 

Daunting sight for any boat crew – six locks in close succession.

 

Looking back down the flight of locks 42 to 37 with Warwick Cathedral spire in the distance.

 

The Hatton yard

 

Bridge 54 – where the towpath crosses to the southern side

 

Stainless steel dragonfly

 

Final glimpse back down the locks towards Warwick before the canal turns left (southwards).

 

The final flight of close locks (43 to 46) at Hatton.

 

Piling boat exhibit at Hatton locks

 

Hatton locks cafe, between locks 45 and 46

 

Heritage site plaque for Hatton Locks

 

Above Hatton top lock, serenity returns in a shaded cutting

 

Bridge 55 – St John’s Bridge

 

Snapshot of progress – now only 20 miles to Birmingham

 

Bridge 56 – Hatton Glebe Bridge

 

Bridge 57 – Gallows Bridge

 

Bridge 58 – Ball’s Bridge

 

South eastern entrance to Shrewley tunnel – the towpath rises atop

 

After a short walk along a grassy track, the route emerges into a street scene and a gap directly ahead between two houses contains a narrow path leading downwards…

 

… the path leads downwards to a foot tunnel entrance

 

At first there are concrete steps, then a less steep section of cobbles with raised ridges

 

Emerging at the lower end of the Shrewley tunnel foot tunnel

 

North-western entrance to Shrewley Tunnel

 

Bridge 59 – Tythe Barn Bridge

 

Looking back to Shrewley Tunnel – foot tunnel to the side up a restored rampway

 

Bridge 60 – Castle Meadow Bridge

 

Bridge 61 – White Bridge (I suppose it used to be white)

 

The more substantial bridge 62 – Rowington Hill Bridge

 

Vessels moored near Turners Green

 

Bridge 63 – Turner’s Green Bridge

 

Bridge 64 – Weston Hall Bridge

 

Bridge 37 – foot bridge at Kingswood Junction

 

Looking out from the entrance to the Lapworth Link – Warwick behind, Birmingham ahead

Lapworth Link

 

Bridge 65 – Kingswood Bridge and end of the walk

 

Looking ahead from Kingswood Bridge to the next walk