6th and 7th of April 2016. 29 locks and a glimpse of Wales.

On Wednesday we travelled a short day in occasional rain and a freezing gusty wind. We went through 2 tunnels and the first of the Tardebigge lock flight, mooring just before the main flight begins.

The fallen leaves among the trees gave this tunnel entrance a definite other-worldly feel.

Harold tunnelling

We went for a walk in the evening up to this lovely church in Tardebigge. Not only was it pretty but it had stunning views. Even with the weather coming in we could see welsh border hills in the distance.

On Thursday morning Robin heard the first cuckoo of the year at 6.30am. We didn't get up till late though as it was teeming with rain. About midday, after some breakfast and faffing about, we set off down the Tardebigge lock flight in drizzle.

We then worked our way down the 29 remaining locks of the Tardebigge flight, the longest in the country. We were following another boat so that every lock was against us and needed to be filled before we could enter, except two in the middle when we met boats coming the other way.  We had a dog walk stop and a cup of tea and cake stop but otherwise plodded on through every sort of weather April could throw at us, including glorious sunshine, gale-force winds and hail. We didn't meet many people but there were occasional glimpses of the hills beyond and a scattering of lock cottages and farmhouses, as well as this engine house which is now divided into holiday cottages.

This building housed the original steams engine which pumped water from the reservoir which is in the middle of the flight up to the top of the locks to keep it all flowing. 

Eventually, after 5 hours we made it to the bottom lock. Harold had only travelled 2 miles but Jo had walked six, going backwards and forwards getting locks ready and closing up behind us. She opened and closed 58 top paddles and closed almost as many gates. Robin scrambled on and off the boat roof 29 times (managing not to fall in once) and also opened and closed many bottom paddles and gates. We moored with relief and aching legs just below the bottom lock and Robin took poor Scooby, who had been boat bound most of the day (being a distraction and a menace in locks), for a nice walk. Phew!

The Bottom lock sign, taken from Harold's stern deck as he left it.
You can see the weather had not improved much over the day!