Lowsonford to Kingswood Junction

Where we were moored at Lowsonford, there were five other boats there and they were all facing our way and as we have 9 locks to do today, we didn’t want to be the last to leave and have to follow them all the way.  One, a hire boat left really early and then at 8.30am we decided to go as well before all the others started leaving, so off we went.  This hour of the morning was quite strange for me, I am usually still in bed at this hour!

Our last lock on the Stratford Canal

It was a lovely sunny morning and off we went working our way up the locks.  Unfortunately the first few were against us, so I had to empty them first, but we got into a rhythm and we seemed to get through them pretty quickly.  It is a really nice canal and all these locks are very rural, apart from one which is very close to the M40, a bit noisy there, but we went on and peace was soon restored.

We met a couple of boats coming down, but it was very quiet.  Before we knew it, we were in the last lock before Kingswood Junction and saying goodbye to the Stratford Canal.  We are off on the Grand Union canal next, but we have really enjoyed the Stratford, it is a lovely quiet, rural canal with some lovely places to stop.

Turning into arm at Kingswood Junction

We filled up with water at the Junction, then Kev turned into the arm linking the Stratford Canal with the Grand Union canal and we moored up there.

Going through arm at \Kingswood Junction

We chilled out for a bit then walked down the canal and onto the Grand Union canal and up to the bridge and out onto the road where the Village Shop is.  We found out there is a railway station here at Lapworth, it is down the road opposite the shop, we walked down there to find it as we are going to catch a train to Leamington Spa tomorrow.  The station wasn’t too far down that road, very handy.

We walked back to the canal, then walked up the locks to the little shop at lock 14 where the lady sells home made cake and bought a couple of slices and an ice cream and sat by the canal for a bit.  It was very quiet and we only saw two boats.

We walked back to the boat. We are staying here until probably Monday.  Tomorrow we are catching the train to Leamington Spa as we need to get some food supplies and some sealant for our calorifier, hopefully that will do the trick. 

Moored at Kingswood Junction