Stopped by a stranded narrowboat on a BLISTERING HOT day cruising the Stratford upon Avon canal

Stunning canal journey by narrowboat along the Stratford upon Avon Canal through the Lapworth Locks towards Preston Bagot. Are we the first people to take FIVE months to complete a flight of locks? We get stopped unexpectedly at the end of the day just before we approach our last lock of the day.
Want to learn how to paint? Check our Annamarie's FREE art lessons: • How To Paint
Subscribe to follow our journey: bit.ly/Subscrib...
Other ways to follow or support us:
Buy us a cuppa - www.paypal.me/...
Patreon - / narrowboatexperience
Anna's Art Shop - artbyannamarie...
Twitter - / narrowboatexp
Facebook - / narrowboatexperience
Instagram - / nbexperience
Our blog - www.narrowboate...
Anna also wrote a short book available on Kindle.
UK - tinyurl.com/joy...
US - tinyurl.com/hwv...
CA - tinyurl.com/z23...
Australia - tinyurl.com/zxu...

[@peterhill8374]

Nice to meet you both from NB Dacha(The boat stuck in the Lock)

[@sreed8066]

Hope you are all ok and not too much damage to Dacha.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Nice to meet you too. Hope you had a relaxing few days in the end.

[@eamonfire]

Nice to see you ladies out and about in the sunshine. I'm sure Annamarie was striking a Copenhagen mermaid pose at the beginning there! Hope you manage to resupply your fridge soon! Stay safe.

[@BlackthornBushcraft]

Hope you got out ok

[@karen6778]

Hope you and your boat are all good! 👌💕

[@elizabethking2238]

I have discovered your channel during Lockdown in Atlanta, GA, USA, and you have become the place that I go every night to spend some time in your world. Thank you for your lovely vlogs. I am also a watercolor artist, and I love your work, Annamarie! I feel like you and Kath have become friends of mine, your energy is so lovely. I downloaded Anna's Kindle book as well. I just wanted to say thank you for allowing us into your world, and taking us with you on your journeys, with the kitties as well. It's been such a joy for me.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks for your lovely comment. It is so nice to hear that you are enjoying the vlogs. X

[@erikandreassen6531]

I'll keep catching up as long as my wife will allow. You guy's are awesome. Don't stop posting I do enjoy your journey's

[@christinehammell6365]

Thank you for being my dinner companions. I'm going through some difficult stuff and your videos help me . x

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

I'm very sorry to hear that. You've been a faithful commenter and we are sending care and kindness. x

[@christinehammell6365]

@@TheNarrowboatExperience thank you girls x

[@om617yota8]

Hope life gets easier for you soon!

[@suesmith6721]

Another great vlog. I think it’s lovely that you didn’t show the person with the wedged boat. They were going through enough x

[@graceygrumble]

Yes, that was nicely done. There's too much voyeurism in the world.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks Sue. We’d never show anyone in distress. As you say they had enough to worry about!

[@mikemoon2862]

Fond memories of working on the South Stratford as a volunteer with The Waterway Recovery Group in the '70s. My T-shirt, which I can just about still wear said "I'm a dirty weekender" Raised a few eyebrows! We are waiting for our boat to be built but it is now about two months behind schedule because of the lockdown. Looking forward to writing our own B/V log

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Hope your boat is finished soon. Thanks for helping restore such a beautiful canal.

[@Keraulonus]

A great video as well as a friendly shot at "Cruising the Cut." Awesome job!!

[@pspls3285]

Thank you for another lovely post. Appreciate you two sharing with all of us. 🙏Thank you 💕

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thank you too!

[@katherinekinnaird4408]

It's a beautiful lifestyle on the water. Thanks for sharing. God bless you .

[@moejaime2654]

Hello ladies the warm weather agrees with you , you look marvelous !

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thank you so much!

[@marygriffin9388]

Thanks ladies a beautiful sites to see, from dry land in the U.S.A. You two do a great job.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@pootle2768]

What a pretty canal. I love the cottages with the curved roofs. Thank you for a lovely vlog x

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks Mandy. We love the cottages too x

[@DanielleWhite]

I couldn't even hazard a guess about the missed lock but I have to admit my first thought is that's a seriously impressive feat! Yes, I realize there is undoubtedly a perfectly mundane explanation.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Afraid so, it was at the junction that was like a triangle, so we missed it both times. A shame really as it's quite pretty.

[@mungmungie]

I keep finding your videos by accident, so I decided to subscribe on purpose. I like the charming variety of local information, specific features of where you are, and of course cats. Fun and interesting to watch.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Welcome aboard

[@ianofsjkartwork]

Very enjoyable watch.......through lovely countryside....stay safe......thanks for sharing

[@guypidsley1572]

It's lovely being transported by you two lovely happy mariners, and yes the Stratford looks divine! Guy

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

It really is!

[@johnneal7832]

Iv just had to go Gluten free, and I love a pie myself😭😭😭

[@peterjackson7426]

Thank you both ❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿😃

[@stuartcranmer8460]

Thanks for another wonderful Vlog ladies. We will be setting out from Crick Marina on Thursday 9th July for our first trip out this year. We plan on heading to Lapworth Junction and then onto the South Stratford upon Avon canal down to Stratford upon Avon and then onto the river Avon. Your showing us what we have to look forward to and it looks amazing. All the best Stuart & David

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Sounds great!

[@eleanorchapple8772]

What a really beautiful canal. I really enjoyed that lovely vlog!🌺🌺🌺🌺

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@jimwulstan8592]

A long delay right outside the pie shop, what rotten luck !!

[@spenbw]

Did the circular walk you were talking about today, very picturesque

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Glad you enjoyed

[@tjordanchat]

Ann Marie you are an artist. A good artist at that. You should paint murals on the outside of Lazydays. Your boat is barren.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

It's a great idea.

[@mikelovelidge]

Thank you lady's, another beautiful addition to my Sunday afternoon's enjoyment.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Our pleasure!

[@erikandreassen6531]

Bean watching you girls. Still trying to catch up. Love your cats they have adapted well. Love your guy's (girl's adventures) always entertaining very much a different lifestyle

[@scheppach69]

Kath you are such a lovely person please dont change

[@marklandgraf7667]

(I like Kath, too)

[@mercianwanderer5953]

I just love the Stratford-Upon-Avon Canal and I just love how much you both see the beauty in it. The area around Kingswood Junction is one of my favourite places for an afternoon / early evening walk with my latest going from the Stratford-Upon-Avon Canal to the Grand Union with a walk either to the Tom O’ The Wood or back the other way to Rising Lane Moorings. I saw your boat when I was that way two times but I didn’t see you about as I was hoping to catch you as I had some Gluten-free treats for you. Maybe another time we can say “Hi!” Last Thursday I had a picnic just north of Kingswood Junction on a towpath bench and then I walked north up towards the moorings a little further up. Next on Friday I walked from Swallow Cruisers at Wharf Lane, Lapworth to the moorings I got as far as the day before before heading back the same way. I did come off at Lapworth Cricket Club on the way down to make a loop back to the canal to vary the walk which was nice. I will try that walk suggestion on one of the evenings soon as I’ve only got as far as the locks past the motorway bridge before heading back. Hopefully by the time you reach the Navigation Inn at Wotton Wawen, the pubs will be open because Nick, the landlord and chef makes one of my favourite pies that you could have from a pub. I can’t recommend this canal side Inn enough and it is a regular haunt of mine when I’m in the area or just a quick 20 / 25 minutes car journey away. I think the lock you missed I probably the one at Kingswood Junction on the triangle where the Lapworth Link Canal joins it where there is that lovely cottage on the island next to it if I am correct? Have a safe journey and don’t forget to try the pies at the Navigation Inn.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks for the pub tip. We will add it to the list of places to stop off another time. We are past there now. Hope you enjoy the walk we suggested. Sounds like you know the area well.

[@mdshakeelrehman]

Awesome video. Nice spots n pleasant views. Love to spend hanging out on such beautiful spots.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Glad you enjoyed

[@mv4463]

The way u ladies steer the boat into the lock seems so efficient and smooth. The view looked so tight and it looked like u entered dead center... amazing...

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

I think it is just practice and knowing the angles of your boat. This one is different to Ewart as it tucks away rather abruptly at the front so there is more remembering the distance involved.

[@mv4463]

@@TheNarrowboatExperience I would have sunk the boat.. you make it look so easy.. if I ever get to come to England I would surely want to have a "narrow experience" while "cruising the cut" "juno" what I'm saying??? Lol...

[@paulfranklin8636]

I'm old enough to have been down the Stratford canal before the motorway was there...my father was born not far from Kingswood junction and I remember walking on the canal in the winter of 1962/3..yes it was that cold you could walk ON the frozen water. The BCN and the run to Stratford are what I think of as my home waterways...

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Great memories

[@erikandreassen6531]

Love the sunglasses and looks like a good day out.Take care, keep safe and probably you are in the right place .

[@jasonbrant6394]

A fantastic canal to travel there are a lot of locks but some glorious scenery and a couple of wonderful aquaducts . Glorious England at it's best . Stay safe girls and enjoy.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@michaelpeters5056]

Another great vlog girls. We have to see the boat wedged in the lock.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

We showed you our boat wedged in a lock- but we wouldn't show someone else's without permission.

[@michaelpeters5056]

The Narrowboat Experience Oh, OK. I read your explanation to a later post. I don’t remember you being wedged in a lock, I’ll have to go back and look.

[@brianrees3697]

Thanks girls it will be our second visit it is one of our favourites and Love Stratford there is a little cafe at top of town that does a wicked omelette and the owner is a cheeky chapy;

[@kennethr2525]

Such an amazing video hope you are keeping safe love from Ireland

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thank you

[@KatrinaGressett]

It is so beautiful there. And I love the sheep!

[@kathyowens9901]

Lovely journey.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

super dooper. a joy to view while enjoying my breakfast. thank you

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Yay. Have a lovely day

[@RetroRatz]

Lovely relaxing pace! Watching and enjoying your sunshine, while the rain pitter patters on our roof 😉

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

thanks x

[@simonkelley7073]

We moored in the spot you started from during the first couple of weeks of lockdown, when the roads were empty. Without the motorway noise, it was idyllic, except for needing to reverse up three locks to get water.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

But reversing up the locks would be interesting.

[@garym518]

I totally agree that that the Stratford is up there with the most enjoyable of canals of course we all have different opinions.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

I just love it

[@gingerman5123]

30°c is 86° in freedom units. As a Texan, that's a nice almost cool afternoon. It was about 39°c here yesterday. Love the videos!

[@roberttyler6454]

Hello there, thank you for good veiwing, very nice n interesting Thank you for sharing your video cheers take care

[@andrewthorne6653]

Love the dig at CC

[@hanskniezand2049]

Or should that be MC?

[@mranthonye]

Lovely place ladies. Thank you for uploading. Stay safe x

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thank you too

[@terrykunst3883]

Gorgeous journey today!

[@merrylloyd1]

you missed lock #1 sure wish we were there. we have a boat that is in a marina and supposed to be leaving July 1 alas that did not happen and we really miss it. see y9u

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Lock one was the guillotine lock.

[@grahamwestgate1192]

A beautiful canal, the Stratford! We'll be up there in a week or so, may see you on the way, we're coming off the Staffs & Worcs, down the Severn, up the Avon, and on to the Stratford. I'll keep an eye out for you! My wife went to school with Doug Smith's wife, they lived for many years at Dicks Lane Wharf, and we visited them several times there, with their menagerie of goats, donkeys etc! . Doug died some years ago, and his son now runs Lockmaster Maps. Incidentally, Doug, who was a cartographer and surveyor, surveyed the route of the M40, before buying Dicks Lane Wharf, he'd forgotten about the motorway's route until they started construction sometime after moving in!! Oops!!!

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Oh wow, it is pretty noisy at that cottage actually. Yes, please give us a shout when you pass.

[@grahamwestgate1192]

@@TheNarrowboatExperience not too bad inside, very thick walls (and roof!)

[@loft306]

Oops!

[@stephenfarthing2193]

I am so envious of your lifestyle! Great videos, thanks for sharing

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks for watching!

[@donnybigboy]

Another fantastic video. Have you thought of a small wind turbine to gather some extra energy? best thing about them is it is 24 hr power. It would top up your batteries while you sleep and get you beyond the 25-30% battery loss.

[@TheDunadan01]

Cute, good hearted jab at "Mooring The Cut" -- 9:27

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Always

[@martinkavanagh196]

That does look like a friendly stretch of water - thanks for sharing.

[@davidreedy7597]

Not picking on y'all, but 30C, would be a nice day here in Florida. The temperature today in the shade was 102 Farenheit, didn't get an exact read on Humidity, was around 86 percent. Of course I doubt I could handle your winters....lol Thanks for your great videos. David and Tammy from Florida.

[@joyeyoder4783]

Beautiful vlog. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@eirishemd]

Excellent vlog as usual ladies! Have a good week🇨🇦😃

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@JoshuaW]

My Pins came yesterday and I love them!!

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

yay

[@nelsonvictory1834]

Really enjoyed the vlog very informative and good music stay safe and thankyou

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks glad you liked it

[@tonybaker7411]

Another lovely video. Thanks so much.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@hellyavard8552]

Thank you for another lovely video

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

My pleasure 😊

[@DonaldF73]

Another great one. Didn't hear how hot it was. I'm 86 and my hearing is not very good

[@marycarter6090]

Think they said it was heading towards 30c.

[@riverbendtube]

What a lovely video. Thanks 🙏

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

So nice of you

[@stephen3854]

Ladies ladies. Please show us a wedged boat in a lock. We are a little challenged in narrowboating. I don't wish any misfortune to others but please educate us with pictures. Thanks

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

We did show you our boat wedged in a lock. We wouldn't film someone else's misfortune in this way. it's the last thing they need when they are stressed.

[@alexburgess8016]

sick burn on David there. Ouch

[@jaworks]

Just a note to say how much I enjoy your videos. I wanted to let you know that I'm watching this and have seen all your videos on a mountain top in Westen North Carolina, USA. You two make wonder shows to watch. I see the notification and see it's a video from you two and just smile.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

That is awesome!

[@paulfranklin8636]

Oh poor Anne-Marie...Fleur-de-Lys pies are superb

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

drats. I suspected as much

[@hughcarson6837]

Once again I enjoyed your vlog, good stuff.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks for watching

[@oldmanhuppiedos]

Another new English word learned "agility" They are indeed not very strong on the feet. surely a job with the locks.

[@broadsnet]

I'm enjoying your journey down the South Stratford. It's one of my favourite canals too. I think by taking that short cut you missed out lock 21 ☺️

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Yes we did!

[@urbanimage]

Matching hats - oh, that's a slippery slope 8--)

[@Krieghandt]

I think my favorite canal is the Ribble Link. Beautiful scenery, great expanses of water, and ppl get so exited crossing it. Why can't you moor near a road? I'm sure Kat knows not to walk in front of a car ;) And Mooring the Cut has actually left his marina! So watch out, he may sneak up on you!

[@christinesanders6578]

I just love spending my sunday morning with you two! What a beautiful journey along this canal. Btw, was the stuck boat okay?

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Oh yes we forgot to say.

[@sonicindustries227]

Lovely stuff girls - well done. Looks idyllic. Summers over I'm afraid as I've just bought a new parasol so obviously the sun will never come out again. Think I'm joking? I bought a giant snow shovel after the heavy winter of 2011/12 - it didn't snow for 6 years after that. Doh.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Oh no we both have new parasols that means summer is truly over

[@glynroberts1682]

Enjoyed good vid 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Yay thanks

[@TheTractorsman]

Hello, first time here but thought i would share with you all what hot is, i hear others on narrow boats say in the 30's is a heat wave, i used to live at a place in australia called Goodnight and we had 46c by 10am now thats hot folks. stay safe all

[@graceygrumble]

We never get too hot, like Australia, nor too cold, like Canada. Because, God loves us. ;)

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Yep, sounds familiar.

[@graceygrumble]

@@TheNarrowboatExperience The Aussies 'boast' about heat - "You call that heat? You don't know you're born!" and the Canucks 'boast' about cold - "You've never seen cold until your eyes freeze!". It's like the Monty Python 'Yorkshiremen' sketch, which I would advise you to watch. Luxury! Like I said, "God loves us". ;)

[@deborahpetith8710]

You both look great

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

woop woop and the same to you x

[@johncumbo8274]

Hi Love your series. Could you do one on what all the Mechanisms are you manipulate at the locks. That would be great

[@terrisantiago9128]

Love your video

[@christophergraham8324]

Lovely vlog (as always)

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Tocumwalgolf]

Love what you're doing and the videos. My only little concern is allowing your cats to wander around when you're moored somewhere. Don't you think they should have a bell on a collar to give the small birds and wildlife a chance.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

They have gone through many collars with many bells. We have some more.

[@Kat69nh]

Does anyone live in the little round cottages? Bird songs are nice 👍

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

They did seem to be lived in.

[@londondriving4704]

Lovely music choice!

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thanks. Today’s music wasn’t designed by kath.

[@SeanMcPhersonSenior]

I'm assuming it's one of the triple locks in the triangle formed at the link due to the direction you came through, so I'm thinking probably lock 21?

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Correct! Shame as it’s so pretty.

[@ngauge22]

How do you miss a a lock? Get out of the canal and walk your boat around it?

[@JasperJanssen]

Do a circle via a bunch of other canals. You can’t take that long straight up on a flight without getting the CRT cross at you.

[@om617yota8]

Hope you ladies are doing well, haven't seen any new postings in awhile. AnnaMarie, I keenly felt the gluten free planned cheat. Gluten free myself, miss some things quite a lot, but so, so, so not worth the trouble it causes me to cheat. Hope you got your pie, and I hope you enjoyed a bite for me, even though all of this was quite some time ago.

[@docink6175]

when you add your noise overlay the volume is way higher than when you are talking which either blows up my ears or makes me miss what you are saying as I scramble to adjust the sound. I really enjoy the scenery and the different views of nomad life in a narrowboat otherwise

[@derekmills5394]

Always amazes me that farm animals are allowed right up to the water's edge - the nitrogen runoff must be staggeringly high - no wonder there are always weed problems.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Do not swim in the canal!

[@tomkemp9465]

Beautiful scenery, shame about the blockage and the motorway noise, but where are 😺😺?

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

The cats had a tiny cameo today.

[@qwertyTRiG]

Your videos are very peaceful. Do you know why the British canals are so much narrower than Irish ones are? There are proper barges on Irish canals.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

No I don’t sorry. Google might

[@ralphwood9865]

Lovely to see you on the move again,now I'm wondering if your forced halt meant that Anneamarie was able o get her pie? Wedged in a lock ,I'm not sure how that could happen ,the only way I can see is with badly deployed fenders jamming against the lock sides.Hope your pubs open soon and there are lots of Pies in your future ,take care love your vlogs .*Cheers from Canada where its been very hot and dry too*

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Sadly there was no pie in my future.

[@deborahecob9401]

We got wedged in a lock when a large piece of submerged wood from nearby tree felling managed to jam itself between our hull and the side of the lock. CRT came to help but it was wedged too tight to pull out. In the end we had to chisel away chunks of it until it could be pushed under the hull and then hauled out.

[@petermorris2944]

Noticed some blackberry brambles behind a sign, when is blackberry season over there, and do you go collecting?

[@chrisskelhorn5727]

So lovely to see you beautiful girls again! :-) Just wondering, how many canals are there in Wales, and have you been on many? :-)

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

maybe a google will show them

[@cyrildhy8993]

Missing locks on a flight. Tim West went up the Caen Hill on the K&A, were craned out at the BWB yard and put back in above the fight missing 8? locks. He was trying to be the first boat through the K&A after restoration. Could not wait for the Queen to do her thing.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

That’s interesting, thanks for sharing.

[@TheDR411]

How does one get a wedged boat? Trying to understand.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

The door was slightly open because of silt and the boat went into the lock not knowing that. A bit of give on the gate jammed it in place.

[@57629589]

Have you considered painting the top white?

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Yes we have.

[@russozard2626]

Nice vlog girls

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thank you 😊

[@bobbythompson1188]

Could you take your bilge pump out and pump water from the canal onto your boat to cool it or is the water too dirty

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Do you mean can I pump the water on top of my boat to cool it down?

[@bobbythompson1188]

Yes especially when it's so hot

[@TheTractorsman]

oh and yes i did sub;)

[@jonnyjones5201]

So no footage of the wedged boat? Wanted to see what happened?

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

We have a video of when we got wedged. We did not have permission to film this couple and wouldn't film people when they are stressed.

[@meanqueensuperscrimper8908]

Very nice video thank you. Glad to see you have ditched the jeans. Best wishes, ilona

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

Thank you very much!

[@brianrees3697]

The stratford is my next journey in mid August but a narrowboater has stated on facebook that they had a horrendous journey in last few days saying low water lock failures etc did you find any problems on it.

[@TheNarrowboatExperience]

There is a particularly leaky lock as you enter Stratford which is causing a pound to drain. CRT appear to be on site doing their best to keep it topped up. It delayed us by about 30 minutes and was an unpleasant trip through a short pound. But it was only one problem and would have been better if the boats coming up had waited until the pound they were joining actually had some spare water to fill their lock! We hope you have a journey. Don’t be put off visiting such a lovely canal based on the complaints of one person!