Hatton Locks

When i went to Leamington Spa on the train earlier in the month i noticed how close the canal is to Hatton station on the same line. In fact most stations along the Chiltern Line seem to track the Grand Union Canal (at least as far as Leamington anyway). Today i visited Hatton and had a nice canal walk up to Hatton Locks which is quite an attraction. The locks are very interesting with double boat locks, waterfalls, service bridges the works!

I shall be visiting here again soon i suspect, i had to make my visit fairly brief as i had a train to catch (though it was late anyway). I took a lot of photos today, along the canal and of the Warwickshire countryside, you can see the set here.

Funky bridge in Leamington

Boats on the canal (41)

Reflections

Goose armada

Junctions (10) : Winson Green Junction

Close to the prison (!), where the Soho Loop rejoins the Main Line.

Birmingham Main Line & Soho Loop

Another day off another canal walk. Today i walked along the Birmingham Main Line from Brindley Place up to Rotton Park Junction (i have walked this before) but at the junction i then headed off down virgin territory in the shape of the Soho Loop. Some grim examples of Britain's rusting industrial past exist down this loop and i was also surprised to come across HMP Winson Green! Luckily there were no escaped convicts on the towpath. Here are the photos i took.

Boats on the canal (40)

Lock 1

Grand Union in Leamington

Back to Leamington Spa where the Grand Union flows through the centre of the town (and handily flows opposite the railway station!) I had a nice walk along the canal until i was outside of the town. Plenty of boats, interesting sights and ducks. Millions of ducks! They all seemed to want bread from me too but alas i was bread-less. Here are the photographs.