Today has been a lazy day.  We are moored at Long Itchington where we arrived yesterday afternoon.  I walked the dogs this morning while Graham did some painting jobs on the boat.  The dogs predictably decided to go for a swim and got very muddy.  I had just about got them dry and clean when in they went again.  I give up!  A very hot day so this afternoon did very little although I have cooked tomorrow's dinner and got this evening's salad ready.  I am still sock knitting!

Friday morning we set out fairly early as we had Hatton Flight to descend.  Graham reversed into lock 19 on the Lapworth flight and we went up and onto the Grand Union Canal.

These barrel roofed cottages are a unique feature of the Stratford Canal .

Made good time to the top of Hatton locks, a  flight of 21 double locks, all with big heavy gates top and bottom.  The best way to tackle Hatton is with another boat as there is room for two in each chamber.  As there were no boats waiting to go down we filled up with water while we waited for someone to turn up.  Several boats turned up and we paired up with a boat called Dragonfly to go down the flight together.  Brilliant crew of three plus me so two were able to go ahead and get the next lock ready while the other two dealt with seeing the boats through.  Made such good time that we eventually caught up with the boats in front and had to slow down a bit.  Two of the Dragonfly's crew were teenage girls, who worked hard but were getting worn out and fed up by the end of the flight, mind you they had done about 10 locks before they got there so they were doing well.  Not many photo's of Hatton Locks as we were all working too hard for snapping.  I will try and do better in future!

Top of Hatton Flight

On Friday evening we moored up between Cape Locks and as we had worked hard all day went for a beer at the Cape of Good Hope.  There was limited seating as there was a space set up for the live music later in the evening.  A couple suggested that we share there table and it turned out that they had come down the locks in front of us.  We had a great evening talking boats etc and also met their son and his partner.  Enjoyed our fish and chips.

Saturday was a short day, Came down the remaining lock and moored up outside Tesco, about half an hour away, as we were running low on food.  Had lunch and then moved and moored up before Radford Bottom Lock.  On the way through Leamington we saw a wedding party, bride, groom and guests walking along the towpath, presumably to one of the nearby pubs for a party.  We congratulated the happy couple!  Later I took the dogs for a walk and saw a couple with a Maine Coon cat on a lead.  I had seen it earlier at the moorings at Tesco.  A lovely looking cat but I couldn't have a proper introduction to it because I had the mad collies with me!

On Sunday we got ready and left shortly after the boat moored in front.  The plan for today is to ascend the next 10 locks before finding a suitable mooring.  When we arrived at the bottom lock a hire boat was waiting to pair up with another boat.  We all set off together and it turned out that this is the first time they had been on a canal or operated locks.  Not a young couple either, Colin informed us he was 73 but I didn't ask Fran her age.  As Fran is not yet confident steering she was in charge of locks.  By the time we had completed the ten, including Bascote staircase, she had got the hang of it.  I don't think it will be long before she is steering though as she struck me as a very determined lady.  Fran and Colin went on a bit further than us before they moored up for the day.

Plan to move on tomorrow but haven't finally decided which way to turn at Napton Junction.