Bascote

Today's Canal : Grand Union

Although quite noticeably less cold, today remained very misty with low cloud obscuring any attempt at sunshine. Neither of us noticed it, but there must have been quite a lot of rain overnight as everywhere was especially wet, including the locks and their balance beams.

Soon after setting off we passed Nelson's Wharf, a new redevelopment of an old arm that linked to the original lime works and, later, the cement works. It is not very long but provides space for 9 permanent moorings, as well as three on the main line. They also have several well-appointed luxury camping pods. The main building visible from the canal was originally used as home to Willow Wren Training, a provider of certified courses for narrowboat helmsmen. Alas, they now seem to have closed but parts of the building were in use when we passed by. The Nelson's Wharf web site has quite a bit of interesting history as well as a diary of the restoration project.

A little further and Stockton Top Marina announces that we are almost at the lock flight. This marina is now the only home of Kate Boats, having eventually given up their Warwick base entirely. Fortunately we were not wanting to fill up with diesel as a sign indicated that they were Closed.

And so to the start of the nine locks comprising Stockton Locks - 8 in the main section closely followed by Stockton Bottom Lock. The 8 are close together and, apart from one, quite easy to operate. The second lock took extra time as we did not immediately spot that the lower gates were leaking so badly that it would not fill just with one paddle open.

The first few locks were set against us as a boat had passed us about half an hour before we set off. A volunteer lock keeper did appear but opted to go up to the top where he assisted the next boat down. Two boats sharing came up so at least a couple were set in our favour until we reverted to being behind the descending boat. 

We made steady progress, if not our fastest ever passage, and left the 8th lock just under two hours after starting. 

The next lock is sometimes called Shop Lock and sometimes Stockton Bottom Lock. It is slightly separate from the main flight of 8 and also is rather deeper, similar to the individual locks that follow from here to Warwick. We were rather concerned about the obvious cracks that have appeared in the concrete structure around the nearside bottom paddle. Was this a sign that the lock wall was moving inwards? After leaving the lock we could see that there is no apparent sign of movement so perhaps it is the rest of the structure that has moved the other way.

And so to Itchington Bottom Lock, our last of the day. Why 'Bottom' - we do not know as there is no middle or top!

From Bickley's Bridge 26 to the former railway bridge, the towpath edge is yet another design - not one that we recall having seen elsewhere. It looks as if the coping is built from pre cast blocks of a clear, angular shape. In any event, it has survived very well.

As it was now 1 o'clock - time for lunch - and the four Bascote Locks were just ahead, so we moored on a good stretch of armco. We opted to leave the remaining locks until tomorrow but  we may regret this as Christine has realised that she has a Zoom meeting on Friday afternoon - the shopping trip into Leamington may not now be possible . . . 

The more attentive reader may well spot that we have only done 10 locks today whilst yesterday we said it would be 11. The total to Leamington remains the same but we misread the best mooring spot!

2.9 Miles - 10 Locks