The stats at the end of this blog tell almost all there is to say about today! (Apart from the reasons)
The forecast was for rain all day with, in some parts of the country at least, sufficiently heavy to warrant flood warnings. It was not really that heavy where we were but plenty to get a steerer soaked through in quite a short time. Added to that, we (well at least one of us) over slept and we were in no hurry.
Eventually we cast off not long before eleven o'clock and twenty minutes later came on to the visitor mooring just before the Shrewley Tunnel so that we could visit the village shop. Christine set off but came back a few minutes later to get more information as the path seemed to peter out. With more details, she tried again and, helped by further directions from a local, she made it to the shop where,. in addition to he weekend paper she also bought a couple of savoury turnovers which we enjoyed at lunch time.
Our plans were now a bit confused a, with the late start, time was against us to make it to the top of Lapworth by the end of the day. The next place for a church in the morning would be at Hockley Heath, three quarters of an hour further cruising. On the other hand, we do have a bit of a schedule as we need to be back at Droitwhich marina with enough time to give the boat a good clean before driving back homer at the weekend - and there are rather a lot of locks between here and there.
So, we set off but with an expectation that we would stop for lunch at Rowington where the church is very close to a canal bridge and there are good moorings. We would review our plan when we reached there.
Through the tunnel and we could look back at the northern portal with its oft-featured horse tunnel. Actually, it does not go very far, emerging even before the path reaches the summit and the main road. Hence there is no matching entrance at the southern end.
We moored up - at least temporarily - at Rowington, for lunch which turned into an extended stay whilst we warmed up and dried out. During this time our enthusiasm for wet cruising, and even more wet locking, evaporated.
Mid afternoon the rain eased a little and Mike walked up to Rowington Bridge which carries a bridle path that runs up to the village.
There is an old-looking distance marker at the spot where the bridle path meets the main road.
The church stands on a bend in the road and the grounds are well manicured. Alas the main door was closed so Mike was unable to take a look inside. That will have to wait until tomorrow.
On the way back to the canal, Mike found this view - that's our boat in the distance - which shows just how much of an embankment we are moored on. (The canal in the other direction from the bridge enters an equally substantial; cutting) It is always salutary to muse on the effort involved when only picks, shovels and wheelbarrows were available as tools.
2.8 Miles - 0 Locks
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