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…