Wow!! That was hard work! 6 3/4 hours continuous cruising with 20 locks on what is sometimes called Heartbreak Hill. Fortunately the weather was perfect - sunny and warm but not too hot.
We started off at 8:15, hoping to get a free run at the locks, but it didnt quite work out as there was a boat ahead of us when we stopped at the first lock, three other boats soon followed behind us. We are now on one of the most popular hire boat routes, the 4 counties ring, and each week a wave of hire boats passes around the route.
Waiting at one of the Church Lawton Locks
After the first lock others followed at irregular intervals taking us steadily up hill. I didnt notice the scenery much, but there appeared to be little of interest until the last part of the journey when we ascended the very attractive 6 Church Lawton Locks. As the picture shows these like the others on his section of the Trent & Mersey Canal are often paired locks allowing better traffic flow. However whilst a significant number of locks either never were paired, or have one of the pair out of use, there continue to be bottlenecks.
We moored up at 3:15 in hilly countryside near Church Lawton.
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