We have been very surprised at how quiet the Grand Union is but I guess
that could all change tomorrow as most of the schools break up today – no doubt
Stratford will be heaving! I heard on
the TV this morning that today is known, in the travel trade, as Frantic
Friday!
We are now in no rush – we have a week to get to Tewkesbury so can
afford to dawdle or even take a day off!!
We stopped for water at Turners Green and then cruised on to Kingswood
Junction where we turned onto the Lapworth Link. The link is only 200 yards long but the
orignal plan was for the connection to be 1¾ miles long, with a quarter mile
tunnel under the main street of Lapworth. This was evidently too difficult or
expensive as in the event the short simple branch was made without recourse to
tunnelling. I found this bit of
information quite interesting as why go 1¾ miles when you could do a shorter
one.
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| Kingswood Junction |
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| Lapworth Link |
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| Lapworth Junction |
Our first lock was full but after that they were all empty, but we soon
got a good rhythm going. We were
following a single hander so we were shutting the bottom gate for him. We only came across two boats coming towards
us and at both times they entered a nicely prepared lock!
We decided to stop at the Fleur de Lys and Richard suggested eating
there. I thought about it – for about 10
seconds – and said “good idea”! We ate
there last year and the food was good.
About 5pm the rain started but nothing of any significance and it kept
up like that for a few hours. We took an
umbrella to the pub but didn’t need it.
We decided to eat inside as there was quite a cool breeze but that was a
mistake as the bar, where the dog is allowed, is also where the locals
obviously meet on a Friday night. The
volume got louder and louder as more and more drinks were consumed! We enjoyed the food but didn’t stay for a
pudding as the noise was too much! The
Fleur de Lys website says that it ‘packed full of quaint charm and quirky
corners beneath its C16th wooden beams. The Fleur is a cosy haven in the winter
and an extensive paradise in the summer’.
I would go along with that as long as your table isn’t too near the bar!
5.84 miles
9 locks
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