Marston Doles

We woke to lots of bird noise and a couple of boats had been by well before we were ready to set off, The Grand Union was quite busy but once we joined the South Oxford at Napton Junction things quietened down again. As we chugged along the S Oxford we decided we would stop for lunch before tackling the locks with a nice view of the mill.

It was gone three when we set off towards the bottom lock and by now you could actually rest your hand on the roof, There were some interesting cloud formations above.

At the bottom lock there were three Volockies to assist us on our way. I have no idea why they have them as there is another 6 locks in the flight that you have to do yourself, so I just don’t see their worth. We passed these on the way up the flight, we had a bit of one of them for tea tonight that Diana bought at the Napton Post office.

Last time we were this way CRT chaps were fitting new lock mooring posts, this is the end result and I can guarantee you wont pull them out.

By now we were directly behind the boat ahead of us at each lock but the weather was very pleasant. Napton top lock still has one top paddle out so we were waiting behind the boat ahead. a little further on an accommodation bridge is definitely in need of some TLC.

Up to Marston Doles and as usual the pound between the two locks was low, it made it very slow leaving the bottom lock. At the top one of the lockside houses has a very good growth over parts of the roof, this must be effecting the slates I would have thought.

Above the locks the moorings were packed and lots of boats moored along pins on the towpath so we carried on for about half a mile to the first stretch of pilling unfortunately on the outside of the bend which lead to a dirty look from a chap on an ex-working boat.

 

Today’s Journey

8½ miles with 9 locks in 4¾ hours

Wolfamcote

It was about 10am when we left home, I can’t remember the last time I had the aircon on for 3 hours. The traffic was surprisingly light and the only holdup was after the A14 when they felled a roadside tree.
By the time we had unpacked, had lunch etc it was gone three when we left the marina with all the doors and hatches open.  Winter has definitely gone and this was waiting to see us off. They are now back on the moorings until next winter .
It wasn’t long before we saw our first clutch of ducklings, turned out it was the first of many. I didn’t photograph the rest.

The North Oxford was very quiet and we only met 2 Narrowboats, 2 fat boats(thankfully moored) and 1 naturist sunbathing in his well deck . A photo of one of the fat boats but not the naturist, sorry.

At Braunston turn we turned to the right up the South Oxford/Grand Union canal, we only met one boat on this stretch before mooring just after   bridge 99.

 

Today’s Journey

5¾ miles with no locks in 2 hours

Home Mooring

A boat went down the locks early this morning but one came up just before we were ready to leave, even so lock 6 was half empty by the time we got there. Lock 5 was in a similar state but as there was a boat almost up in lock 4 I emptied it for them and set the lock, they in turn left the top gate open on lock 4 for us. Unfortunately a work boat full of volunteers turned it as we were entering lock 5 so that was a full lock full of water shot down the flight for nothing, from then on we crossed with boats nicely, there was even a Volockie on lock number 3 who followed us down to lock 2 and could tell me there was a boat coming up in the bottom lock. Its was one of the LNBP boats, I expect they were doing a training weekend. We stopped for water by Midland Chandlers and I took one of the light fittings back and changed that I bought last week, I had inadvertently got one they had been using as a display model, swapped no problem, another job for this afternoon. At Braunston Junction people were fishing from the raised section between two foot bridges, not sure how they will land anything they catch. On the bridge island all the daffodils are now in full bloom.

We carried on to Dunchurch Pools Marina to top up with diesel, there were two boats on the service pontoon taking diesel and getting pump outs, as usual it was windy so I sat with my bows in the marina entrance until one of them had finished, then backed out onto the canal so that he could leave, before going in ourselves to fill up. The price has dropped since I last went in and is down to 95p Domestic now. That sort and it was back to our marina for a pump out and to moor up until the next time. I shall now go and fit the new galley light fitting to match the other three.

Today’s Journey

 

6¼ miles with 6 locks in 3½ hours

Braunston Top Lock

An early start this morning by our standards because you never know how long you have to wait at Watford. Not much sign of progress at the old Edwards Restaurant site in Crick since last week.

Crick tunnel was as wet as ever, I find a brolly really useful in there. No boats waiting at the top of the Watford flight but how many coming up. Turned out it was just one and the Volockies found him sitting at the bottom of the staircase and not booked in. Still it gave Diana a chance to change a few books at the book swap while we waited. Plenty of water going down the flight and one of the Volockies accompanied us down, Just as we left the locks, 2 boats arrived to go up, so good job we were early. At Norton Junction the hedge laying has continued round the bend towards Buckby locks. We turned sharp right, a short distance from the junction CRT and volunteers were installing a new drain under the tow path. We only met one boat in Braunston tunnel and its much dryer than Crick tunnel. As we reached the end of the tunnel there was a boat about to come in, but held back to let me out. We carried on to moor for the night at the top of the Braunston locks, we will have the pleasure of them in the morning.

Todays Journey

 

8¼ miles with 7 locks in 3½ hours

Crick

I am not sure if I may have seen the Aurora yesterday evening, the northern sky looked a dull, dirty red, hardly noticeable unless you looked for it. When I looked later the sky was its normal nigh time dark. Not something I would get excited about. This morning we were away just after 10 and the canal was quite busy.
We were slightly further away from the A 14 than when we came up, the wind direction makes a massive difference to the sound travel.

On our way up here the bushes were just breaking into blossom, now its already shedding into the canal. They look so good for such a short time.

I don’t recall seeing this table on our way up, maybe there was a boat moored in front of it, perhaps the person that made it.

As the morning went on we met even more boats. In one of the fields we passed there were some very small black calves with their mothers.

A quick stop in Yelvertoft to deposit the rubbish, in the offside field is a rather nice van.

From her we pushed on to Crick where we have moored for the night opposite the southern end of the marina.

Today’s Journey

8½ miles with no locks in 3 hours

Downtown Medieval Village

We were away at 10 this morning just after another boat we have been playing tag with went by. They were travelling at a comfortable speed so we followed them at a distance all the way to Husbands Bosworth Tunnel where they pulled away from us. At the tunnel entrance there is an old British Waterways notice, I am surprised CRT have not removed it. There is actually one at each end, but only the one is in British Waterways blue.

After the tunnel we continued to North Kilworth Marina where we filled with diesel at a reasonable price. I must say its a nicely laid out marina with a

very smart service area. When we turned in we weren’t sure we were going the right way, as you cant see the service block from the canal entrance.

Until now we had only met one boat, but as we left the marina and turned right we met 3 in a short space of time. At Welford Junction we turned right following the main line, it was now quite cool so I went below to put a fleece on, looking out of the porthole brought home how close the canal is to topping the towpath along this section.

We carried on for another ¾ hour to moor for the night just south of the Downtown viewing point.

Today’s Journey 6¾ miles with no locks in 2¾ hours.

Remember you can see a Google map of the whole journey HERE its the blue one

Theddingworth

Last night we ate at The Waterfront at the end of the basin and had two very nice meals, I had Tuna Steak and Diana Sri Lanka Curry. Not the cheapest meals we have had but we thought value for money.

When we came out the sky was clear and full of stars and the basin looked quite picturesque with all the moored boats. Then we saw something we have never seen before and I expect we will never see again, a swirling in the sky like a floodlight in the clouds. We later found out it was all due to Mr. Musk’s rocket second stage venting fuel. There are better photos on line than mine.

This morning we were a little late getting away following a shop visit to the Co-op. This hedge on the offside is quite extraordinary about 8 foot tall.

I think there may be a few more items in this garden corner now than last time we were this way.

We stopped for lunch just before Foxton Locks at 1230 and as I looked for a spot for the stern line this little chap was sitting on the pilling about 6 inches away.

After lunch Diana walked up the locks to book us in, when she came back the news was that a boat was working down the flight cleaning the locks, after that there were 3 coming down, but they would stop for us to go half way up so they could pass. So we had quite a wait at the bottom, firstly by Bridge 61 café and then in front of the Foxton Lock Inn.
I worked the locks while Diana brought Harnser up with quite a wait half way. The second wasn’t quite so good and she picked a fender up round the prop. We thought it had cleared wit some good bursts of reverse, but when we tried to stop to moor up it was clattering away again.

The towpath a short way above the locks is officially open again but the Rothen Groupe are still surfacing it.

We did another hour and then called it a night. Theddingworth looks to be the closest place.

Today’s Journey

 

8½ miles with 10 locks in 6¼ hours

Market Harborough

Late start today and we didn’t get away until 11 am by which time a couple of boats had been by heading north.
We had a bit of rubbish to get rid of and the bins are at the carpark at the bottom of Foxton Locks, whenwe shopped I noticed there was a water tap there so two jobs for the price of one. We didn’t wait until the tank was full as if there was space to moor at Market Harborough there are loads of taps.
Now your quiz question on how well you understand CRT signs. What does this one mean?

The swing bridge seams much easier to operate now than it did and we were soon on our way. The next swing bridge is more of a problem and very heavy to get started, some thoughtful soul has attached a piece of rope to the latching leaver so now you can push on the very end of the operating are for maximum leverage while disengaging the latch. Such a simple thing has made things so much better, its still a pig to get moving.
WE only met one boat today and that turned out to be John and Jan who we haven’t seen for a couple of years. Just a hello in passing, as you do.
A rather unusual sight was a couple of Red Tailed Kites and a Buzzard soaring around above us together.

When we got to Market Harborough there was loads of space, only two boats on the visitor moorings, we went into the basin and winded and then took the first vacant mooring spot we came to on the canal. Lots of these moorings are in reach of a water point which is handy and we completed filling our tank, the pressure isn’t great but as we had moored for the day it didn’t matter.

Todays Journey 6¼ miles with no locks in 2¾ hours.

Foxton

Well I got it wrong again, the river is the actual boundary and we were in Newton Harcourt last night. This morning we walked to the garden centre in Westow crossing the river to get there. One of the reasons for the visit was to see their model village,

it really could do with a little love, maybe when the summer arrives  I think CRT may have to contract to maintain the canal running through it, wit all the boats high and dry.

A bonus was the lovely Deli they have on site selling freshly made Turkish products. Don’t look at the sweet counter, you will get fat just thinking about them.
We finally set off a little after 1130, the nice dry towpaths of yesterday now puddles and mud. Some of the trees on the offside look like this, I have seen it many times before but don’t know the cause.

At Lock 20 there is quite a bit of land beside the lock and it has made me wonder what Bridge House Barns has planned, tea rooms maybe with outside seating? who knows. You can just see the lock bollard on the right of the picture.

I expected to see some progress with the tent erecting, but no change, just a wooden base and two doors standing in splendid isolation.

Although no boats had gone up the locks since we came down yesterday the levels were all over the place but non completely empty. The weather remained quite misty with very high humidity  so working lock felt much warmer than it actually was and once back on the boat I felt quite chilly. I don’t have a clue what these tiny flowers were out along

the tow path. It wasn’t long before Saddington Tunnel came into view, another clean run through with no oncoming traffic.

The wood carver was still moored between the tunnel and Debdale Marina, The other trip I posted a photo of a carved horse head he had done sitting on the back of his boat. Just look how delicate this mouse is that he is working on at the moment.We carried on almost to the bottom of the Foxton Flight before mooring for the night.

Today’s Journey

6½ miles, 5 locks in 3½ hours