A change on the way….

First thing this morning was milder but misty. A check of the barometer showed pressure dropping, after it’s been nailed resolutely to 1038mb for the last few days.

Falling pressure…

A breeze from the north has also sprung up through the day. It looks like our unseasonable weather is now on the turn. Still, it was good while it lasted.

We pulled pins at around 10:45, the sun had pushed through the haze and it was a fine day, but that breeze was cool.

Pessimistic cows

Once again the locks have been frequent so I’ve spent more time off the boat than on.

Leaving our first of the day, Lock 54, near Rode Heath

The left-hand chamber was empty when we arrived, and this set the scene for the day. Most of the locks were ready for us, and we were able to leave the top gates open on a couple of occasions for oncoming boats.

The locks punctuated the trip, so that’s the majority subject of today’s photos.

Into the bottom lock of the Lawton three.

Looking back down Lawton Treble Locks.

Double arched bridge over the twin chambers at Lock 49

Closest to the camera is the newer chamber, added to improve traffic flow. You can see this difference on the bridge arches; the earlier one has dressed stone blocks, the later, cheaper engineering brick.

Most of the locks that were duplicated had the later chamber built on the offside. At this lock it’s a moot point; the towpath changes sides here anyway.

Mags taking Seyella under the arches of the duplicated Hall’s Lock

Church Locks are just a little further on, just two here. Both of the later chambers on the offside are derelict.

Church Locks.

Derelict chamber at Lock 47, Church Top Lock

We pulled in just around the corner, in view of All Saint’s Church. There has been a place of worship here since 1180.

The area takes it’s name from the local landowning family. The land was granted to a gamekeeper Adam de Lauton, who saved King John from a wolf after he was thrown from his horse. In gratitude the King gave de Lauton all the land he could walk in a week, starting at the corpse of the wolf. The family coat of arms includes a wolf’s head.

Locks 8,  miles 2½