Easter Canal Trip
The canal trips over the years have brought some challenging issues, this year unfortunately didn’t disappoint with a 4000 ton landslide closing the Warwickshire ring several weeks before our planned trip, caused by the bad weather experienced across the British Isles. We quickly therefore had to replan our route, trying to keep to the original plan of doing a loop rather than a “there and back” route which to my mind isn’t interesting enough. Luckily, the canal network and the closure location meant we could still get to Birmingham and back via Solihull, however this meant completing more locks and travelling further per day than originally planned, but the fact we had two boats whilst navigating the double locks was definitely an advantage.
Our first day was mainly about getting to the boats currently moored in Rugby, splitting the group into two crews and getting underway in good time. We had three locks side by side straight away, however this was a good opportunity to use them as training locks for the more inexperienced members of the crews and gave the lock keepers a bit of a break whilst we went through the procedures. With the crews still full of energy and excitement for the week to come, we continued through the normally busy Braunston Junction onto the Grand Union Canal before mooring up for the evening after completing a further 3 locks at Calcutt ready for the next day.
Day two brought out the sunshine, however the temperature didn’t hit high enough figures to bring out the shorts, but it was at least dry as we completed the first of the flights of locks based at Stockton. With the crews working tirelessly together, it wasn’t long before they had a system and rhythm in place which made light work of the locks and before long lunch was being made and eaten as we travelled towards Warwick and the infamous Hatton flight. This is a long line of 21 locks, a sight normally experienced from the top lock going downwards, however, with the slight rerouting this year we would experience the locks from both directions.
With morning breakfast out of the way the crews set to work navigating the Hatton flight, with the scouts now fully experienced in the art of locks it didn’t take much time at all and after a great time of 1hr 53min we completed the final lock, a great achievement for any crew, the scouts would sleep soundly after the day’s work.
The next day we continued our route along the Grand Union Canal towards Birmingham, navigating the picturesque Lapworth locks, a further flight of 19 locks in a line, however these are single locks so a little easier to navigate but meant the boat crews had to remain with their own boats.
By midweek we had reached central Birmingham and were heading through “gas street basin” a redeveloped, affluent area giving the leaders a well-deserved opportunity for a shower whilst filling the boats with water before making our way down the farmers Bridge locks under the BT tower. Unfortunately, trouble struck as we approached the very last of the locks, the gate had become detached from its anchoring point meaning the lock couldn’t be used, and with nowhere else to go other than reversing back through the locks we had just completed we had no choice but to make our way made back towards gas street basin in reverse. This is something I have never experienced over the many years of doing the canals but is something we will always remember.
The sudden, unfortunate need to change our route did mean we had to navigate back along the same route we had just done, this did mean of course completing the same flight of locks just experienced a couple of days beforehand, however, with the Scouts determination and great teamwork the journey back seemed easier and gave the scouts the opportunity to drive the boats whilst navigating the windy canals back towards Rugby.
This year did bring with it a few challenges, but both crews worked well together to overcome them and achieved a great experience, something I hope will last in their memories for years to come. My thanks go to the leadership team who without their support the trip wouldn’t be possible and of course the crews themselves for their hard work over the week whilst remaining a pleasure to share a boat with.