Lapworth Locks

Friday, 26 February 2010 19:57

A lot of locks, but they can be done in stages!

We did the first one on Tuesday (the stop lock at Kings Norton Junction) and then the next four on Thursday. Today we left our overnight mooring to conquer the rest! - as far as Kingswood Junction.

Leaving our mooring just before Bridge 31 -

Locks 6 to 14 all come together in a flight. Locks 7 and 8 are approached by short pounds which are effectively corners. This requires careful manoeuvring out of the bottom of the locks!

Lock 7 has some interesting features. It has a typical Stratford Canal split bridge - for the horse rope to go through when changing towpath sides - and a cotton reel like rope roller which would feed the rope across.

Looking back to Lock 7 and the tight corner

The other feature of the Lapworth Locks is the side ponds - they are alongside the locks and have been enlarged to ensure a good supply of water to the flight. There was a lot of water coming down alongside us and each lock had its own waterfall!

Lock 8 and its waterfall

Lock 8 onwards to 14 is a straight flight, making it much easier. All the locks were set for us as we had met a boat coming up at Lock 6. Many of the top gates were also open.

The view from Lock 10

Above Lock 13 are some long term moorings for narrowboats

John spotted the difference in the lock sides in Lock 13 - one side had been repaired. Guess which side is the original one and much kinder to the hull if the helmsman is off-line on entry to the lock when going up!

Lock 13 sides

Below the lock, there are more moorings and the last lock in this "flight" - but there are more locks to come!

In the pound between 13 and 14 is a canal shop

Lock 14 also has a split bridge and a good view up the flight

John took over the tiller at this point, as I fancied a go at the locks - apparently they had not been too hard so far! Lock 15 was a few hundred yards further than the "norm" of the flight so far.

There are 48H moorings below Lock 14, so if necessary the weary boater can rest up before facing the next locks to Kingswood Junction. The National Trust's Packwood House is a good hike up the road which is carried by Bridge 34. It is a shorter walk from above Lock 6 and Bridge 31 though!

In Lock 16 looking back and ahead

Lock 16's waterfall was impressive!

After Lock 18 there is a water point, so we took the opportunity to fill up and John went for a wander down to Kingswood Junction to scout out a mooring. Once in Lock 19, I could see the Junction below. Below the lock were pontoon moorings and the Junction with the South Stratford Canal and the Link Canal to the Grand Union Canal

I took Epiphany left towards the Link Canal and into Lock 20. To my right was the South Stratford entrance and Lock 21. This lock is being worked on, as is Lock 23 and so the South Stratford will be closed until mid March.

South Stratford entrance

In Lock 20

As we came out of the lock (another tight turn), on my right was the narrow channel back to the South Stratford, below Lock 21.

We moored below Lock 20 on the Visitor Moorings, handy for the BW sani-station. The whole area needed exploring and once we were moored the sun came out, so I went to do my "David Bailey" bit! But more of that another time!

Epiphany moored on the Visitor Moorings

North Stratford Canal, Bridge 31 Lapworth Locks to Lapworth Link Canal

3 hours 3 minutes, 1.18 miles, 15 locks