Hatton and on

I am flushed with success and effort today. My friends joined me at Calcutt and it feels like we have been locking ever since! 15 on the first day, a lighter day of 7 with a shopping expedition yesterday and then the mighty Hatton Flight of 21 locks today. (I do have photos but they are trapped in my camera at present).

These are my first broad locks so I was studying everything we did, thinking how I would do it alone. I learnt how to enter a lock alongside another boat, without ramming either the lock wall or the other boat! I learnt not to loiter by the bywash after my boat was flung violently backwards, right across the pound. I learnt where to position my boat in the lock when I was the only one there to stop it being flung around in the chamber.

I also learnt how lovely it was to have a crew!

We travelled on beyond the flight for an hour before mooring up with huge gratitude on an embankment with a beautiful, pastoral view. We turn away from the mighty Grand Union Canal tomorrow and join the narrower South Stratford which will, through another 30 or so locks, lead us to Stratford Upon Avon. After visiting with the Bard, we will embark on the River Avon.