Slowly to Stratford

From Dickens Heath the Stratford-on-Avon Canal continued to take us south-east towards the 27 locks of the Lapworth Flight and Kingswood Junction.  We weren't in any hurry and our first stop was near the top of the flight.

The locks on this canal are narrow and have equally narrow footbridges which are constructed in two halves with a gap between them.  This was to allow the rope on a horse-drawn boat to pass through the bridge without unhitching. 

The Stratford-on-Avon canal footbridge with a gap between the two halves

We had a lazy journey down the Lapworth Locks with overnight stops in the conveniently large pounds on the way.  After lock 19 Kingswood Junction connects the Stratford-on-Avon canal to the Grand Union but the boater faces a lock whichever way they go. 

A lock in either direction at Kingswood Junction.  The white cottage is on an island, the left hand lock drops onto a narrow canal which links to the canal below the lock on the right.

After Kingswood Junction the remaining Lapworth Locks took us down through woodlands and open countryside but we still had plenty of locks in front of us.  I was impressed by the Antony Gormley sculpture standing at the side of lock 31.

Antony Gormley's sculpture at lock 31

The sculpture is one of 5 celebrating the Landmark Trust's 50th anniversary.  The Landmark Trust buys and restores historic properties which are then used as holiday lets.  The Lengthsmans Cottage next to the lock is one of their properties and a good example of a barrel-roofed lock-keepers cottage unique to this canal. 

The Lengthsmans Cottage at lock 31

Another interesting feature of this canal are it's aqueducts.  The longest, Edstone, is nearly 200 yards long and the canal is carried in an iron trough.  Unusually the towpath is level with the bottom of the trough giving walkers an unusual perspective of the canal.  

Brinny looks across the aqueduct 

On Tuesday we descended the last of the locks escorted by a little boy and his grandmother and an Irish couple taking photos.  Kev gave the little boy a ride down a lock and I talked the Irish couple into helping out with lock 53 which has a heavy bottom gate.   We sailed under the road bridge and into Stratford-on-Avon basin. 

Mooring in the basin with another coach load of tourists in the gardens

We enjoyed a few days in Stratford where I joined the crowds of tourists strolling around the town.  I also visited the Butterfly Farm to see a large variety of colourful butterflies fluttering between tropical plants.   Three iguanas roamed up amongst the foliage  while quails and their little chicks scurried under the lower leaves.  I braved seeing the arachnids but only because the spiders were contained behind glass.  

One of the iguanas looks down from his perch among the plants

Our journey from Dickens Heath to Stratford-on-Avon