Sunday, 24 August 2025

Slow going up Hatton

Wednesday 20th August; the Cape to Shrewley Tunnel (north end)

It had been a bit drizzly overnight and was damp this morning, but not enough to make the towpath wet.  Before we left I took a bowl to collect some damsons from the tree opposite the pub, as did the boater from Achenar, the newish boat from the pair in front of us yesterday.  He is travelling with his mate, another single-hander, to Knowle for the winter, and they were intending to leave for the Hatton flight quite soon.  As we hadn’t even had breakfast we left them to it, and crossed our fingers that someone else would be wanting a locking partner.  They were, and had just opened the bottom lock ready.

Of course, with the two single-handers ahead we knew we would have to turn every lock.  The man on our partner boat had been boating for 3 years, but his wife for only a month.  She was not yet muscular enough to raise the paddle gear, though she could close the paddles and deal with most of the gates.  We quickly had a good routine, where I went to set the next lock and she closed up.  To minimise effort I only raised one paddle (the Hatton locks need 21 turns or more to raise them) and opened one gate.  After two or three locks I arrived at the next to find the two single-handers still in the lock.  They had been held back by our locking buddies from yesterday, the Kate boat, which had been getting to grips with ascending locks for the first time.  At Ugly bridge I had plenty of time to stroll over to the garage to buy a paper on my way to set the next lock.

It seemed to take an inordinate amount of time to do half the locks

At last we reached ‘the thick’, where locks are close together and at last volunteers were on their way, helping a boat down.  The top group of locks do not open till 10 as a water-saving measure, but it was well past that by the time we arrived.

Side pond in ‘the thick’

Dave had to persuade our locking partner to try and double-up between the locks and sometimes it worked.  They were quite a lot shorter than us so it was difficult until they found that his bow had to be level with ours for it to work.

Doubling up

At the CRT yard there is a longer gap to the next lock and there is a bend in the canal too, so the boats went one at a time.

I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and had to take my jumper off after the first few locks even though the weather was cloudy and distinctly cool.  But poor Jennifer from the other boat is from the Philippines, where the minimum temperature all year is 24 degrees.  She was not enjoying the drop in temperatures today!

Very well wrapped up against the chill

Just 4 locks to go now.  I was pretty tired, in spite of the help from the volunteers, as the paddle gear is heavy (did I mentioned 21 turns?) and I was beginning to get cold too.  The smell of bacon from the café was enticing!  Eventually, as the chain to lock the top gates was being readied, we arrived at the top lock.

Nearly there

We just made it for 1.30 and the top gates were locked behind us.  It had taken four and a half hours, much longer than we are used to, and I was shattered – but not too tired to enjoy a Light English Breakfast and an excellent and welcome mug of tea from the café.  Before we had the chance to relax we were off again – we wanted to get closer to Kingswood Junction as there will be more locks tomorrow.

Shrewley tunnel

t hasn’t rained properly for weeks, months, yet the tunnel and its mossy north portal are still dripping.  Where is the water coming from?

We moored just round the corner from the tunnel at about 4 in a gleam of sunshine, having started up the locks at 9 under chilly grey cloud.

21 locks, 4½ miles, Shrewley tunnel, crew totally pooped. 








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