We sped down the long fight of locks at Lapworth today, aided by those most welcome of canal side visions, volunteer lock keepers.

A short link at King’s Norton connects the Stratford Canal with the Grand Union, and we transferred to that canal, which we will be on for the rest of the trip.

Those of you who are familiar with Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London stories will know that like the Thames and its tributaries, the Grand Union Canal has its own genius loci or protective spirit. In the case of the Grand Union, it’s an Orang Utan that escaped from London Zoo. Just in case this is true I was saving the last banana in the fruit bowl to sacrifice to the Grand Union. Imagine my shock when I came by this morning and saw that Paula, who hardly ever eats bananas, had polished it off and left the peel on the dining table. Paula, if the Grand Union bursts its banks and washes away Milton Keynes, it’s your fault.