Withymoor Island Trust to Saltisford Arm

Middle Northwich motor Sickle & Small Northwich butty Cedar
Date: 29th & 31st May 2010
Crew: Matt, Sarah & Karen Parrott and Tom Stewart

 

SATURDAY 29TH: Tom and I set off from Withymoor Island Trust at 9:15am, whilst my mum and Sarah drove across to Saltisford Arm, Warwick then caught the train back to Birmingham where they met us at the mailbox. The run across to Birmingham was quite smooth, no real problems, just a couple of blade fulls. Arrived at the city centre for 12:05, and moored at the mailbox for an hour whilst we had lunch. Set off again and headed down the Worcester and Birmingham Canal and turned onto the Stratford Canal at Kings Norton Junction. Moored up at Hockley Heath for 6:30pm.

 

SUNDAY 30TH: We set off this morning at around 9:30am and 20 minutes later arrived at Lapworth Top Lock where there was a couple of boats queuing in front. Quite a slow run down the flight with a constant flow of boats coming up, reached the bottom of the flight for around 1pm, where we moored for lunch. Set off again around 2pm and turned right onto the Grand Union Canal, after about 30 minutes we reached a fallen tree which had fell about 10 mins prior, with several boats queuing the far side waiting to get through. A line from Sickles bow to the tree and flat out in reverse cleared the first section, then with everyone from the waiting boats and walkers (about 15 people in total) we managed to get the channel clear. Reached Hatton top lock for around 5pm, descended the first 9 locks of the flight and moored up for the night.

 

Cedar & Sickle moored at Hockley Heath on Sunday morning


Cedar & Sickle moored at Hockley Heath on Sunday morning


 Sickle & Cedar moored at Hockley Heath on Sunday morning


Heading down Lapworth with the pair


Heading down Lapworth with the pair


Sarah at Lapworth Junction


Sarah at Lapworth Junction


Moored below the Lapworth flight for lunch


Heading down the Grand Union between Lapworth and Hatton


The fallen tree...


...which is soon cleared


Mabel and Forget-Me-Not undergoing renovation


Mabel and Forget-Me-Not undergoing renovation


Sunday night, moored part way down Hatton


Sunday night, moored part way down Hatton


The fine weather gave me a chance to put the gloss paint on the bow and cratch

 

MONDAY 31ST: Nearing 10 o'clock we set off and continued down the flight. Passed several boats near the bottom and moored up in Saltisford Arm for midday.

 

Shiny bow heading down Hatton




Heading down Hatton


A view from onboard Cedar


BCN Tug Atlantic moored at Saltisford


BCN Tug Atlantic moored at Saltisford


Sickle & Cedar moored at Saltisford


Cedar's bow


Cedar and Sickle




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