Seyella's Journey

I had a walk to Wootton Wawen village this morning, just a little way along the main road from the basin. The name apparently derives from the Celtic for “Place in the Wood” and a local chieftain called Wagon. It’s pronounced “Wut’n Worn”. Apart from the A34 running through, it has the River Alne falling over a weir near Wootton Hall, and the 700 year old church known as The Saxon Refuge.

River Alne and Wootton Hall
The Saxon Refuge
We decided to move further on towards Stratford on Avon today, although we can’t go all the way by water due to remedial work in progress on the Wilmcott Locks.

So we set off about 13:00, on our own as the girls had decided to go to Stratford for the day by bus.

Over Wootton Wawen Aqueduct, crossing the busy A34, and back out into quiet rurality.
The landmark event of today’s 2 hour cruise was crossing Edstone Aqueduct, a miniature Pontcyslte built the same way with a cast iron trough on masonry pillars.

Edstone Aqueduct.
We turned at the last winding hole before the locks and reversed up to the visitor moorings near to Wilmcote. As the locks won’t be open till Easter we’ll have to retrace our steps back to Kingswood. But it’s been well worth the trip to here.

Moored near Wilmcote.




The good weather we’re experiencing is due to a ridge of high pressure that looks to be hanging around for the next few days.


Locks 1, miles 3½.