Today we descended the "Hatton Flight" of 21 locks, just outside Warwick. This is from Wikipedia: "The flight was opened in December 1799 on the Warwick and Birmingham Canal. In 1929, the canal was renamed as the Grand Union Canal (on unification of a number of operators) and the decision was made to widen the Hatton stretch. In order to accommodate traders with heavy cargoes of coal, sugar, tea and spices up the flight, the locks were widened to 14 feet (4.3 m) – allowing navigation by industrial boats or two single narrowboats. The widening was completed in the mid-1930s using a workforce of 1,000, and the revolutionary concrete lock system was opened by Prince George, Duke of Kent.
The flight was known as the "stairway to heaven" due to the difficulty of the flight and the subsequent easier journey to Camp Hill where the workmen would receive their wages."
We were lucky to meet another boat at the top lock, and we agreed to co-operate by "breasting" the boats (roping them together). Only one of us was then required to steer and drive both boats, and that meant the rest of us could operate the locks, planning ahead to make sure each lock was ready as necessary.
Today we travelled 4 miles, with 21 locks, making 25 lock-miles. It took us around 7 hours, including delays at some of the locks. Tomorrow will be another day of rest!
Many thanks for all of your recent comments, all are very much appreciated.
Ian