Hatton and Heat

As the forecast was to be exceptionally warm we set off at 6.30am hoping to at the top of the flight before we expired.

Needless to say no one else was around at that time of the morning so we climbed slowly up the first half of the flight.  

the start of the last 10.

We had only done one of the last 10 when one of the crew of Foreward appeared behind us saying they were on their way.   We agreed to wait at the next lock for them.  They had set out almost an hour after us but with a crew of 4 were able to make faster progress.

We eventually reached the top in just over 3 1/2 hours and stopped to use the sani point and more importantly to order to bacon, sausage & egg baps from the cafe there.  We felt we had earned it!

Shortly afterwards President came up the locks, obviously en route from the Historic boat Rally at Braunston to the River Festival at Stratford.

Good head of steam on

We carried on through the short Shrewley tunnel to find a suitable mooring place, one which Geoff remembered with unerring accuracy.......not sure how he does it.  By then I was ready to fade away with the heat and headed for a cold shower......

We have decided that as we cannot go to Stratford for the weekend we will head up to Knowle (Solihull) which Geoff remembers as a lovely village (that memory of his again!).   But first we will have a rest day here as the forecast is to be even hotter tomorrow.

Total distance:4.71 miles

 Elapsed time:4h58m52s 

Locks:20

Bridges:9 
Average speed:0.95 mph (4.96 lock/mph