From the GU onto Stratford Canal.

Before we left we walked to Lapworth Village shop for some milk etc. It is a bustling little area with the two canals meeting at Kingswood Junction, an abundance of footpaths, roads and the railway. This little cottage is tucked in right beside the railway bridge and very appropriately named too. 

This is the next Lockkeepers Cottage (2) that we passed  with a comfy seat installed nearby in 2007 in memory of Doug Smith the creator of Lockmaster Maps.

Lockkeepers Cottage (3) was idyllic being surrounded by geese, chickens, ducks and pigs, there were also nice flower and vegetable gardens with a little stream running through. The fourth barrel-roofed type was Lowsonford Lock Cottage. We spoke to a man who was spending a few days holidaying in it and he told us it was a Landmark Trust property. The outside of this one remains in it’s original condition, but inside it has been refurbished. Ted Taylor was the third generation of lockkeepers to occupy it from 1921-2005.

This is Yarningale Aqueduct which must be the shortest one on the canal system, surely?

Bucket Lock Cottage (5) has been been much enlarged without altering the pretty frontage though.

Preston Bagott Lock Cottage (6) has been rather dwarfed with much additional building adjoining it. The overall effect is good though and the area is well kept with tubs of bright flowers etc. We then cruised on down to Wootten Wawen to moor overnight. We walked down for a snack in the quaint Bulls Head and called in to the PO Stores which stands in the grounds of Wootten Hall. There are park homes, caravans and mews properties there with a little garden with pond and fountain where a duck has hatched five chicks who were practicing their swimming with the resident goldfish. This morning we stopped within Wootten Wawen aqueduct to fill up with diesel from the boatyard.

We seemingly ‘flew’ over  the Edstone Aqueduct. In all three of these aqueducts the boat goes through a cast iron trough and the towpath runs down alongside it. This is all I could see from my position at the back, I presume Bottle could see more as we didn’t dive over the edge. It was quite breathtaking experience altogether.

This is the view looking back over the aqueduct, the towpath is set down on the right. There were not that many places to moor  through Wilmcote as the towpath was so high and the vegetation was vastly overgrowing the canal. The towpath itself is in good condition as it is marked as Cycle Route 5. It is a shame that priority is given to those who do not pay anything towards the upkeep of the canals or towpaths! A few more mooring places are badly needed down this stretch of the canal.

This is supposedly Mary Arden’s House and Farm at Wilmcote, we saved £15 by not going in, but just admired it from the outside.