From Wilmcote to the top of the Lapworth flight. ( Including the Dicks Lane dunking!! ) 30th March to 4th April 2016.

Having moored in Wilmore we decided to complete our Shakespeare experience by visiting Mary Arden's house (Shakespeare's mother). Allegedly she lived in the black and white farmhouse but then research revealed this to be wrong and she actually lived in the farm cottage 30 yards down the road. Well we saw both.

Where they thought she lived.

Where she actually lived.

 

 Whilst we were looking around we found a footpath that went around the back of the farm site and we saw a sow with eight new piglets. She was hidden away from the trippers but we were lucky to see her as the footpath went past her barn. She was a large hairy beast but the piglets were lovely.

Mum the hairy beast

The beautiful piglets being fed by mum.

 Robin did some more paddle boarding up and down the canal, still managing not to fall in. Jo left Wednesday evening heading back for a few days. Robin was now in charge... Thursday the boat was washed and some maintenance carried out. On Friday Robin headed off single handed and managed to potter along and do seven locks single handed. It is easy to do but just needs some planning ahead and it takes longer. Saturday further single handed boating and another eight locks finally mooring just above Dick lane lock (quite an apt name as it turns out). On Sunday a bit more tidying and awaiting Jo's return. Having walked down to take a picture of the name on the lock Robin walks back to the boat and is standing at the back of the boat and then as he goes to step on board the boat has moved out slightly and he fell in the canal between the boat and the bank right up to his chest. What a Dick indeed.

The aptly named lock.

The scene of the dunking.

Robin's dunking injury Ouch that hurts.
 

 On Monday we reached Kingswood junction and filled up with water then set off up the Lapworth flight of locks. From our mooring at Dicks lane to the top of the flight we did twenty two locks and covered just two and a half miles. At the beginning of the flight we saw two lock volunteers who were just coming down the canal and said were just going to have lunch then they may catch up with us later. Having heard this before on the Hatton flight and never saw the volunteers again we thought this may be code for 'Good luck with the flight we're off now' However these two were true to their word and they did catch us up and helped speed us through the top nine locks. Many thanks to the volunteers.

The view form near the top of the flight.