I said I wouldn't, but I did...

I promised myself that I would NOT do 41 locks in one day but what did I do today?  Yep, 41 locks.  We left Tardebigge top lock this morning at 06.40 and made our way down the flight.  Last night a hire boat had come up quite late and we thought an early start would ensure the locks were in our favour - Oh what sad deluded fools!    Leaky locks are not going to wait for man or boat so the majority of the locks were on the empty side as we approached them today.  It took us three and a half hours to 29 locks, so not bad going for a crew of 'me and im'.

 The grade2 listed ex pumping station at the top of the tardebigge, well almost the top.  This had a Newcomen steam engine originally and was used to pump water from the Tardebigge reservoir to the summit of the flight of locks.

 Here we go

 The bottom gates are open and Joe is climbing back down to Caxton

 Tardebigge Reservoir - preserve of anglers with attitude!

 I have been scuttling between locks on the trusty bicycle - the dogs have stopped their habit of knocking me off the damn thing - prepping the next lock so Caxton can go straight in and then cycling back to the lock Caxton has just left to close the gates - I think I covered about 350 miles today,well it felt like it anyway.

 The lock cottage owned by the Landmark Trust - (for you David and Amanda)

 How many more?

We called a halt after completing the Tardebigge flight and had an hour off to recover before setting off to do the six locks of the Stoke flight and the next six locks of the Astwood flight.

 The Stoke Prior wharf, home of one of the Black Prince hire boat fleets.

 And this is why so many of the locks were empty - bit leaky or what?

 Oh look, another lock...

 Astwood lock cottage, a sight to behold.  The owner of this cottage is a SERIOUS cottage gardener. Roses, honeysuckle, clematis, papavers, and numerous cottage garden plants plus, a serious vegetable garden on the other side of the lock - add free range eggs for sale!

 A wealth of buttercups along the towpath

That's it, enough.   arrived at Hanbury Wharf and moored outside the pub, that was the only moorings available, honest..  We had a pint, it would have been rude not to, and then went and had a look at the progress on the about to be restored Droitwich canal - more of which in the next post.