Skip to content

Canal locks close as water levels keep dropping

Hannah Griffithsin Hatton
News imageBBC Hugh Pagler and his wife Wendy stand on their canal boat. He is wearing a brown hat and black jumper and holding a Norwegian flag. Wendy is wearing a blue and yellow striped jumper and has short white hair and glasses. Behind them is the canal.BBC
Hugh and Wendy Pagler were on the last boat through the locks before the closure came into force

A temporary closure has come into force at several canal locks in Warwickshire after the driest July on record left the water levels too low for boats.

Hugh and Wendy Pagler are on holiday in the UK from Norway and were planning to head to the north west of England but the shutting of parts of Hatton Locks means they have had to change their plans.

"It is a little bit disappointing." Wendy said. "We were hoping to catch up with people and meet them at different places, but that's going to be a bit more difficult now."

Hatton's famous "stairway to heaven" set of locks in Warwickshire is made up of 21 locks and was opened in 1930.

The couple set off early this morning to make it through to the top of the locks, but low water levels on other parts of the canal network mean they now plan to stay in the Midlands.

"We knew before we left Norway that it was going to be tricky," Hugh said.

"I think even without this unexpected weather I think you just have to be very flexible, don't you, when you're on the canal because anything can happen at any time."

"But still, this is unprecedented."

News imageIn the foreground is a paper sign cable tied to the metal railings of the lock with a closure notice from the Canal and River Trust on it. some of the text has been highlighted in yellow. Behind it is the closed lock.
The Canal and River Trust hope to reopen the locks on Saturday if a pump near Birmingham can be fixed

Wendy was looking on the bright side: "For me it doesn't really matter if we just go round and round in circles because it's so lovely.

"Plenty of lovely pubs and lovely people and it's really nice."

Only the top half of the locks are closed to boats and the closure is temporary at this point, with the Canal and River Trust saying the plan is to review the closure on Saturday.

News imageAn image of Hatton locks with a canal boat parked next to one of the locks. dry grass on the tow path next to the canal. Much of the water is green with algae and the locks continue off into the distance with trees either side of the canal.
Those who make a living from the canals are keen to highlight that much of the network remains open

In an email to canal users, the trust said "We have made the difficult decision to temporarily close Hatton Lock Flight.

"This closure is necessary to allow the eight-mile pound above the flight to recover from low water levels caused by an issue with a pump at Camp Hill locks and reduced water feed from the North Stratford Canal."

Canal boat hire companies were keen to stress that plenty of the canal network was still open to holidaymakers.

Cheryl Howes, from Kate Boats, based at Stockton, said the trust was doing everything they could to keep people moving.

"We currently have some very pleasant cruising and the restrictions will have an impact, but actually, you can enjoy the cruising without having to worry about them," she added.

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.

More on this story
Related internet links