Clicking Bat

….. it was so still and quiet the other night that for the first time ever for both of us ---- we heard a bat “clicking” as he kept flying back and forth along the towpath where we were moored for the night.   I was mesmerised.

Two rest days this week cos of rain --- we aren’t working to a timetable so why get wet through ??

This week we have done …. Braunston Tunnel …. Napton Junction …. Long Itchingham … Leamington Spa … Warwick …. Hatton 21.

Sorry any Leamington Spa-ites but we weren’t impressed with your town.    It seems to have gone by its sell-by date.    I especially wanted to stop and look round the town but it only took us 30 mins and we were back on the boat ready to leave … but I did like your public park, the Jephson Gardens  - named after Dr. Jephson (1798-1878) the local practitioner who was largely responsible for the spa’s high medical reputation

Warwick - well, that is a lovely town.    Of course there is the Castle (but we didn’t look round it at £16 a head - we are now pensioners after all and both of us had been years previously).   We did spend quite some town in St.Marys Church which is beautiful.   The highlight for me was the altar cloth in the Lady Chapel which is from the coronation gown of Queen Elizabeth 1st.    

Today we went up the Hatton 21 ….. 21 broad locks within about 1.5 miles.    We did them all with another boat and took us 4 hours as we were following two boats and immediately in front of us one single boat.    I think we met about 4 locks worth of boats coming down !   Weather was perfect with cloud/sun/cloud/sun and warm but not hot.

Since last blog we have done …  40 miles and 53 locks.
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 424 miles and  369 locks.

                                                                     Greenhouse Boat

the night we heard the bat on the GU just after Bridge 95 after making the turn after Braunston towards Naption Junction  (unfortunately the bat was flying too fast to show up on the photo !)

                                                         St.Marys Church in Warwick

St. Marys Church, Warwick - altar cloth in Lady Chapel from Queen Elizabeth First Coronation gown.   Elizabeth First was crowned in 1559.

                                                              Part of Hatton 21 Flight

                                                   Love this dragonfly on Hatton Locks