GU Canal - Radford Lock to Bascote Staircase (time lapse)

From Radford Bottom Lock to the Bascote Staircase, ten broad locks raise the canal 68 and a half feet in a three mile section of the Grand Union Canal (Warwick and Napton Canal)

We shared the first three locks with nb Alexandria (of Napton Narrowboats we think) who proved very adept at letting others set the locks then nipping in first. They peeled off to the water point at Fosse Wharf to be replaced with Black Prince nb Natalia.

Now, the problem with nb Natalia's crew was that they were far keener on gathering blackberries than making progress along the cut. We waited fully 10 minutes in Wood Lock while they stripped every single off side bramble bare along the pound from Fosse Top Lock. On reflection we should have said "Bugger it", left em to it and sailed off into the wild blue yonder.

In case you are worried, we don't think the narrowboat below Fosse Top Lock was actually on fire. It seemed more to be a case that the nutty slack in his stove was a bit on the damp side. But, it's nice to see fellow boaters who really care about global warming!

The total trip took around three hours and there are a couple of breaks for tape changes, although why the tape was changed at the top of Wood Road Lock and the camera not restarted until we were rising in Bascote Lock 3 No 16 is beyond me.

As we approached the Staircase Locks the rain started to stair rod and by the time we were approaching Long Itchington it had become a deluge. On the last part of the video you can see the rain running down the lens. After a quick lunch break we set off for the Stockton Flight but the deluge continued. The poor old camera could only focus on the waterfall cascading down the lens and our footage of this latter flight was lost forever to an indistinct blur.

Needless to say, as we moored for the night at Birdingbury Wharf the rain stopped and the sun came out! Nil desperandum eh?

Still, mein convivial host at The Boat provided a wonderful dinner and we met once again the crew of nb Mandy with whom we shared the Hatton Flight a couple of days earlier. A notable feature of The Boat is a wonderful muriel by Dusty Miller above the bar.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• grand
• union
• warwick
• napton
• canal
• radford
• fosse
• wood
• welsh
• road
• bascote
• birdingbury
• wharf
• lock
• narrowboat
• warwickshire

[auntypaulina]

very good video. very expertly recorded and driven!

[PIGandPINEAPPLE]

You are too kind, one can but try!

[manujohnmathew]

tech brilliant... the guy who invented this is a genius...

[marp20x6]

a great video with a fitting soundtrack, never watched anything like this, thanks for sharing AND explaining the journey :)

[trgrandma]

Excellent video I am reading 'maidens' trip' and wanted to see some scenery. Thank you

[cheltenhamfc]

good video

[0nix0]

surely a soundtrack from a silent movie would be better ;-)