For ever and ever . . .

I thought you might like a couple of shots of just a small part of the largest flight of locks in the UK.

Admittedly this first one is facing downhill from where I have come and the second one looking uphill to where I am going. Just imagine this pattern being repeated for 30 locks in just over 2 1/4 miles!

It was really magical just after sunrise as I started to lock up. There was mist rising off the water and a watery sun in the sky.

I did not expect to meet any other boaters this early in the day, but I did have the benefit of already empty locks, which saved a bit of time. By the time I was leaving the top lock at 11.10am I had been journeying for 5 hours - that works out at 10 minutes a lock - not bad really.

At the top of the flight I stopped for a well-deserved coffee and decided to walk through the fields to the very impressive parish church. I was pleasantly surprised to find it open and I had a quick look round. Among the items of note was the list of incumbents which indicated that one had been Vicar there for 62 years!

Quite appropriate, I suppose, at one end of a flight of locks that also seemed to go on for ever!

After this break for lunch I started off on the short journey to Alvechurch, where I may stay a couple of nights.