Cropredy to Lower Heyford

We heard the boats going by and considering yesterdays queues we thought we had best set off a bit earlier, so we were away at 9 15 am. we were still in a queue at every lock until mid afternoon but never more than 3 from the front.  The boat ahead of us had a tortoise on the roof, this set the old grey matter turning over. I had saved that tortoise from drowning at the AWCC 40 anniversary rally at the Black Buoy Cruising Club several years ago.  At Banbury I stopped for diesel at Sovereign Boats taking on 140 lts at 65p lt plus duty. Banbury was choker block and we slow slid down the middle of boats moored on both sides by Castle Quay shopping centre. Below the lock we passed our friends on "NB. Traivelic" they had passed us before we were up this morning and very shortly afterwards met 2 more on "NB Maximus" who were returning from a trip to Lechlade.

At Somerton Deep lock I inadvertently turned the lock in the face of an oncoming boat and they were sitting on the lock mooring. I helped the boat ahead of us through the lock, drawing the bottom paddles and opening the bottom gates, all the time looking down the cut for oncoming boats and saw nothing. Once the boat left the lock I closed the gates and turned the lock,  just as the lock was about full a young lady cam up to the bottom gates. They had been sitting below the lock all the time on the lock moorings hidden from view by the bridge. I have no idea why she didn't come up as the other boat left, but at least I was able to apologise to her.

Passing through Bourton Lock the lock cottage still looks very forlorn and un loved, I do hope the new owner has not taken on more than he can handle. Last time we came this way I contacted BW to tell them they had a breach just below Heyford Common Lock, this has now all been piled but they still have to get round to back filling the piling so the water is still being lost. At Aynho weir Lock BW are replacing the weir protection completely with new horizontal timbers and what looks like new steel piles, I wonder how much money would have been saved if they had carried out regular maintenance on the existing structure. At tow points on the canal trees have fallen into the water, these have been cut up but only partly removed just to make room for a narrow boat to pass by. There are major towing path works going on just prior to the aluminium lift bridge at Lower Heyford where several meters of towing path have slid into the canal requiring piling and dredging. We moored for the night at 1830 just trough the lift bridge and went to The Bell to eat.

So far this is the worst place I have experienced on the canal system for Vodafone reception, it is even worse than Braunston and even with the aerial I could get just 1 bar on the signal indicator, sometimes dropping to zero. The 3 dongle is on the TV mast and just usable.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Fenny Compton to Cropredy

Tuesday

I now know why the boat who moved to let us in last night went forward and not back, the boat behind him had a built in generator that was running until 9 30 last night and was on again this morning before 7 am this morning and it wasn't the best silenced ,quiet running unit available either. I shall make sure I avoid mooring near him again.

To say the South Oxford was busy today would be an understatement. The first past us just before 7 am and there were several more before we left at 9 45 am. We met 10 boats in the first hour, 5 of them were in the Fenny tunnels, these are not real tunnels anymore as the tops were removed may years ago leaving just the narrow, straight channel with a wider section between them, but they still represent bit of a hold up at busy times do to the need to hold back to let oncoming boats pass. The tenth boat we met was "NB.Tysley" which belongs to the Micron theatre who are performing at Fenny Compton tonight. They needed the deep water even more than I did so we had to pass quite close. We arrived at the top of Claydon locks with just one boat ahead of us and several coming up so we only needed to turn one lock, at the bottom of the flight there was a short queue forming of boats waiting to come up. We were surprised to get to the next lock and find we were in a queue of 5 boats as we had only seen the one boat in the distance until now. Just as we approached Cropredy it decided to rain,hail and anything else it could think of.  By now some of the boats ahead of us had pulled over and moored up so we were able to go straight into the lock once the boat coming up had left, we dropped through the lock, still in poring rain and then pulled over to the service block on the right to dill with water. The weeping willow tree just before Cropredy Wharf Bridge is now in need of serious pruning as it covers the canal so well you can't see if anyone is approaching the bridge from the south.

Once filled with water the sun came out once more and things warmed up considerably as we pushed off to find a nice quiet mooring south of the village, we passed all the new moorings on the off side and pulled in against the piling just before Slat Mill Bridge No.156 at 3 30 in the afternoon.

Since we have been moored here there has been a steady flow of boats in both directions.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

The 3 mobile signal is not bad with the dongle up the TV mast

Stratford Photos

You can see some of the photos that I took on our trip to Stratford at

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/brian-and-di/sets/72157621340707992/

These are quite low resolution.

Napton to Fenny Compton

Monday 13 July

After a great weekend with my family, it was my son's birthday we returned to the boat this morning arriving a little before lunch. There was a continues stream of boats going up the flight so we decided that we may as well have lunch before setting off, a good move as then it started raining quite hard so we stayed to listen to the Archers. While we were on the moorings a hire boat turned the top lock  while a boat was beside us approaching it, he took it a lot more calmly than I would have and yes he did see him coming because he walked up the lock and looked, waited a couple of seconds then drew the bottom paddles.

We finally set off at 1430 hrs winding in the Engine Arm and heading up to Marston Doles locks, Just as we were leaving the bottom lock a boat came round the corner so we were able to leave the top gates but we arrived at the second lock just as the boat ahead entered the lock, so were delayed as they went up and we turned the lock. There were no more boats coming down so we closed up and moved on. Just after bridge 124 there were a couple of boats moored to the off side, I dropped right back to tick over to pass them and in the distance I heard a noise like a train roaring by, I was thinking there are no railways in the area and the noise was getting louder and louder, then a large 4 engined , turbo propped plane came over at about 100 feet from the ground and flew off into the distance. I don't know what it was as I can only identify the Spitfire and the Concord with any amount of certainty. We continued on in the rather windy but warm and sunny conditions. We passed friends moored by the Wormleighton aerial and spent a few minutes chatting before continuing on to Fenny Compton. There were a few moorings before the Wharf pub but we continued on past the pub where a boat was moored on the water point/ winding hole, following this things looked pretty full until we reached the junction between the 24 hr moorings and the 14 day mooring where a shortish boat was moored with about 30 feet ether end of him, a bit of gesticulation and he popped out and moved his boat forward so we could get in behind him, needless to say he was not on a new shiny boat. We moored for the night at about 1745 hrs.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

The 3 signal is very good here with the dongle just hanging in the back cabin.

Stratford to Napton

We  pushed off at 9 45 and headed off up the flight by ourselves but luckily all the locks were with us and we did it with easy in an hour, At the top lock a single boat was just coming out and I pointed out them that there was a boat following, in fact there were three, two were friends of ours and they pulled over to let the single boat go down to catch up with the boat ahead. We pulled over for a chat and a look round Clive and Rita's boat because we had not seen inside it before. We then headed up to the Calcutt 3 where 2 boats had just left the bottom lock, again giving us a good run, a boat was waiting in the top pound  to come down and a boat was coming down the top lock so they were also able to double for the remaining locks. Napton flight was very busy with boats coming down with up to 4 boats waiting above some locks, so again we had an easy trip back to our moorings where I did another oil and filter change. Checking the records the fuel filters are well over due for a change so I will take care of them next week after filling up with diesel as that makes bleeding a lot easier. We packed the boat up and headed down to see my son and family for the weekend. Back on line Monday

Stratford to Napton

Thursday

We set off by ourselves at 10 15 this morning, a boat had just come towards up but still the first lock was against us, form here the locking was pretty much in our favour and when we arrived at Bascote staircase two boats were leaving the bottom lock while another boater was filling the top to come down, we went straight into the bottom chamber and passed the down coming boat on the level, it only gets interesting when there are three boats in the lock and you have to shuffle round each other.

We stopped for a bite of lunch just before The Two Boats, Long Itchington, we were only stopped for about three quarters of an hour but were hard aground when we came to leave. A boat caught us up just prior to the Long Itchington Lock and we shared with him for two locks when we moored out side The Blue Lias for the night. We have seen 3 other Cutweb members today, Goody Two Shoes, Donatella and Virgo.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

The 3 mobile signal is a bit shaky even with the dongle up the TV mast

Stratford to Napton

Wednesday

A good meal of Fish and Chip was enjoyed in the Navigation pub last night with a pint of Directors, Fish and Chips come in two sizes and after consulting with the next table we also ordered small which was more than adequate. We also arranged with Paul on Waterways Routes that we would leave together between 9-30 and 10 am today so we could work down Hatton together.

We set off at 9 45 am in very light drizzle, this continued on and off all the way to Hatton when things improved, To start with all the locks were against us, but as Paul had a crew of 3 on his boat Diana went ahead setting the next 4 locks, it is surprising what a difference a 5th crew member makes to working this flight, We had a short spell where we met a few boats including a wide BW boat who were removing the undergrowth from the lock gates, if it was allowed to get any worse they would probably needed permission from English Nature to remove it. All these boats were in consecutive locks so it wasn't long before the locks were against us again. The weather held right to the second before last lock when it was coats on again for a short time.

Once down the flight Waterway Routes turned off into the Saltisford Arm for the night to get their strength up before heading back up the flight in the morning shooting a DVD as they go. We continued on alone until the top of the Cape pair where a boat was just setting the lock and we were able to join him, we did the two locks together before parting company with him tying up at The Moorings pub for the night. We continued on for a few more miles before mooring for the night at 1630 hrs opposite the church at Radford Semele. The church is still cocooned in white plastic and scaffolding following a fire some time ago.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Stratford to Napton

We decided that 9 30 am would be a good time to start today, as it would allow all the boats waiting below the next lock to get away. The first boat we  heard leave this morning was at 7 am. but I sure that some of them must have left much earlier. When we set off all the other boats that were moored around us last night had left except the two behind us and one of them pushed off ten minutes earlier. Our timing was spot on and we arrived at the next lock just as the last one waiting was about to enter the lock and the boat that left after us arrived a few minutes later, this was the chap I fished out yesterday. When it was our turn to enter the lock I started to move forward and just had the bows in the lock mouth when there was a clatter and I lost all drive, forward and reverse. Something had jammed the propeller.  I pulled Harnser back onto the lock moorings and let the boat following have our lock, opened the weed hatch and found a piece of hard, waterlogged timber wedged between the tip of the propeller and the base plate with the blade almost vertical. It took several minutes with the mooring hammer to to drive the propeller backwards to release it, I hate to think how much I have burred the leading edge bashing it with a steel lump hammer.

Once it was clear we entered the lock and inspected the good work that BW had carried out the day before as we locked up. We arrived at Preston Bagot lock to find a short queue ahead of us and I had trouble explaining to the hire boat that came up a little later that he needed to pull in behind me. From here we would catch up with the boat ahead at every lock. The weather so far had been very variable with sun and showers but from here on they started to get heavier. Our plan was to stop just before Lowsonford and fill up with water, but we found out from the boat ahead that 3 others also planned to do the same thing,  in which case we would take on water at Kingswood junction.  Just as we were approaching the water point we could see that the third boat in the queue for the locks was packing his hose away and we tucked in behind him as he drew forward in the queue.  At this point the sky's opened, with thunder and lightning and for several minutes we were in torrential rain. The boat that pulled up behind us tied to a moored boat and went below, by the time the rain eased and the 2 boats at the front of the queue had gone through the lock our water tank was full. The boat behind were still below and we still had our place in the queue. The power cables leading to the Fleur De Lys looked like a large welding set where they ran by the trees with some really loud noises being produced, as we passed the pub looked to be in darkness so I am guessing that the breaker for the supply line had tripped, it should have done. Several of the boats that were ahead of us stopped at the pub, two in particular, who were travelling together so helped each other through every lock and consequently took twice as long as a single boat. We carried on to Kingswood Junction where we turned right onto the Grand Union canal, we then reversed about 300 yards up the canal to moor for the night and visit The Navigation pub to eat. We are moored behind NB Waterway Routes who produce the canal DVDs.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Stratford to Napton

Date -  6 July

We woke this morning to find most of the boats that had been moored around us left and a couple had also gone by, I had just started the engine at 10 am ready to set off when I received a phone call from Steve on NB Blue Moon, who had been moored directly ahead of us last night to tell us that the next lock was out of action and was likely to be so for the rest of the day and probably part of tomorrow, as the gate hinge had come free of the the masonry and allowed the gate to fall over. British Waterways were on the scene but once the repair was complete it would need to harden. As we needed to charge the batteries we winded, went back down the Stratford canal for one lock, winded again and came back to the same mooring we were on last night. I took the opportunity to do a few jobs, but unfortunately it keeps raining and the main job is the engine room door that will require leaving open with clamps on when its done.

After lunch a couple more boats arrived and pulled in behind us, Luckily for them we wandered down for a chat as we had seen them at the festival. The gent went along the off side gunwale for some reason, next thing was a shout and a splash as he went into the water, I shot over the bow and round the cratch and manage to reach his hand and called the chap off the next boat to come and help. His wife threw a life ring at him complete with all the line. Once the second chap had hold I retrieved the life ring, unwrapped the line and we got the chap to put one arm and his head through it, we then walked him to the stern where his wife had lowered a rope ladder with wooden rungs into the water but she hadn't fixed it. With the rungs floating it was a waste of time anyway and as we pulled the chap round the stern of his boat he grounded in about 3 foot of water and was able to stand up, it still took the two of us to help him out onto the concrete wharf side. When this all started to unfold I whipped my glasses off and laid them on top of the cratch from where they slid into the cut, but luckily for me I was able to find them after about 5 minuets use of a rake. After all the excitement I decided to take a chance on the weather and refix the engine room door liner.

 

You will find our latest position the same as last night at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Stratford to Napton

Well we enjoyed our stay in Bancroft Basin and visiting the Stratford River Festival, of course its never the same if you are not in the midst of things and mooring in the basin we weren't. There were bands organised for each afternoon and evening but unfortunately they stopped playing at 10 pm, I don't think 11 pm would be out of the way at the weekend. The drinks were a reasonable price but there was no beer tent, with good weather this was not a problem but if it had been a wet weekend it could all have been a different story.  There were some 60 boats moored on the rive with narrow boats under 60 ft moored stern on, herringbone style. The people on these boats seemed to prefer this to breasting 4 deep as they were still able to sit on the bows of their boats and have a bit of a view.

One of the more unusual performances was by the RST orchestra who played for a couple of hours, without music while watching the output of a computer. The computers were connected to detectors  in the river and measuring changes in velocity, the orchestra interpreted this output as they played.

We left the basin at about 1 pm and were soon in a queue at the very first lock, we had a single hander in front who was moored beside us all weekend and a couple we met on the explorer cruise last year were coming up behind. Diana spent half her time helping the single hander to get ahead and Steve from the boat behind was closing up for me as I left the lock. We had a few drops of rain during the afternoon, but nothing much and we moored for the night at Wilmcote right in front of the single hander, Blue Moon who  followed us up the flight pulled in ahead of us.  This virtually filled the visitor moorings with the next boat taking the last place. We tied up at 6 pm and several boats have been by in the last hour or so.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to Stratford

We woke to heavy rain and had to hurry round closing all the doors, it's been so warm at night that we have been sleeping with them all wide open.

We set off quite early for us as we wanted to get to Bancroft Basin a little after 11 am in the hope that there may be some spaces. I started the engine a little before 9 to find the domestic battery voltage very low, below 24 volts and we had only used 40 ah since the last charging so it looks as if another cell is on the way out. The batteries are now between 4 and 5 years old and I had to replace one of them earlier this year. We set off in light rain sopping after about a quarter of a mile to top up with water.

We met a boat coming out of the first lock who told us that they were not letting boats moor in the basin and were clearing all those that were there out ready for the weekend festival, this was not what we wanted to hear. There is a winding hole just before the next lock so I called BW for conformation, I spoke to the Fazeley office and he had not heard anything but would make enquiries on our behalf. We were ready to lock down and I had not received a call from BW so we pushed on. We entered the basin at 11 30, it had stopped raining and there were about 8 or 9 mooring spots and to top it all I backed in clean as a whistle.

We plan to stay here now until Sunday on the 48 hr moorings before retracing our steps back to Napton.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to Stratford

Thursday 2 July

We set off at 10 am this morning, most or the boats were still moored up when we left. We crossed Wootton Wawen aqueduct and chugged off down to the lock where two day boats were waiting to go down, it didn't occur to them to go together so first the larger of the two went down and then the small one, about 28 ft. We helped them on their way and then locked down ourselves, by now they were out of sight.  We continued slowly to the next lock to where we found them again, the larger one moored on the lock moorings having lunch and the smaller one hanging on the undergrowth behind them as they set the lock. The small one entered the lock just as we arrived and once the gates were shut I noised  Harnser against the gate and just managed to get the stern in against the towing path in front of the boat partaking lunch.  We helped the small one down who said they were only going to wind and come straight back up, so I returned to Harnser and backed up from the lock to give them room to get out again. I then went into the lock and started locking down, at this point the other day boat finished lunch and started to untie and made ready to follow us, they to were going to wind and then return to Wootton Wawen. I suppose the lock moorings look like a nice picnic site half way through your day out if you have not been told otherwise. We carried on down the flight, some locks were full, some empty, some of the gates you had to hold open or they closed by themselves others just opened as you walked away.

On this flight there has been a very large flow of water down the bywashes, that is, until today. At lock 48 the flow was down to a trickle and at lock 49 there was none at all. Where is all this water going to between lock 47 where it was gushing out and lock 48, one of the longer pounds on this flight.

We moored up at about half two just below lock 50 and not a single boat has passed by since we have been here and its now almost 5 o'clock.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route
--

Napton to Stratford

Wed 1 July

I contacted the Stratford council about a late entry to the boating/river rally but all moorings are already booked, however they would be happy for us to moor below the next lock downstream, we will try and get into Bancroft Basin for the weekend.

This morning it was gone 10 30 when we left our moorings, everyone else had long gone but we did meet several boats in the right place for once. BW were trying to re-brick the lock by-wash, a somewhat difficult problem with the amount of water coming down due to the high number of boat movements. Talking to the chaps on the job it seems that no one told them about the Stratford Festival even though HO have been informed. At Wootton Wawen we were met by my son and youngest grandson who we took for a ride to the next winding hole and back, when we returned my daughter in law was there with eldest grandson so we had to repeat the trip with both boys onboard before eating in the Navigation. We had Lasagna with new potato's and its probably one of the best pub lasagnas I have had.

We have moored at the end of the Anglo Welch basin on the towing path side for the night and explained to other interested moorers why we had been going back and forth all afternoon.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to Stratford

A late start today, with a rumour that the Hatton Flight is closed today, but I have not received a stoppage notice about it. We set off at 11 am with Lowsonford  our target for tonight. A few boats came passed before we set off and we caught 3 of them up at Kingswood Junction on the Stratford canal where we turned a very hard left to run down to Stratford. We met one or two boats coming up but most of them were not best placed to help us on our way. We are now moored opposite the Fleur-de-Lys where we are planning to eat tonight with friends that we have just met up with.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Napton to Stratford on Avon

We started at our normal 10 am, a few boats had already passed including narrow boat Owl who had been at Braunston for the week end, I have no idea what time he left or to what time he cruised to last nigh.

We met very few boat all day a couple at Fosse middle lock, one leaving as we arrived and the other arriving just as we left, but even so all the rest of the locks were against us. We stopped for a short time to do some shopping at Tesco before continuing on to Cape locks where we stopped for water just below the bottom lock. This took best part of half an hour as the tap was very slow. We had just finished when and I set the lock when three boats came up behind us, the first was "Pixie Gift" who shared the next four locks with us. They were on their way home to Evesham after doing the K&A ring, down the Avon and Seven, along the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, down the Seven Estuary, into Bristol, up the K&A, South Oxford, Grand Union and were heading back to Evesham via the Stratford canal. It was 4 pm when we got to the Hatton flight of 21 locks and they decided that they would stop for the night after the second lock. As the locks were all with us we decided to push on alone, we didn't see another boat until we met one after another 5 locks, we also met a lady who said there were 3 boats following us and asked if we would wait. I said I knew there were two but she said they had waited for narrow boat "Brasso" at Cape locks.  As there was a boat about to come down the empty lock ahead, we said we would go up on their water and wait there. When I went back to her she told me that they had only just locked the third boat through Cape Locks a good hour and a half behind us so we pushed on without them. Buy the time they had caught us up it would have been 7 pm and still over half the flight to do. We only met another couple of boats before we reached the BW yard so all the locks would have been with them. The second lock from the top was full and it was now that it decided to rain, I hung around in the pound below and Diana dived under the trees while the lock emptied, needless to say it stopped as soon as we were on our way again.  At the top of the flight the long term moorings look very empty with only about half the spaces occupied, were the rest cruising or is this due to the time it takes to re-let moorings under the new tender system. We continued on through Shrewley Tunnel to moor at Rowington, pulling in at about 8 pm. There were several boats here already so we stopped well short of the last one, because as I write this now at 10 30 they still have a generator running on the towing path so they can watch TV.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route
--

Napton to Stratford on Avon

Well as you can see from the heading we have made up our minds what we are doing.

We left our moorings in the bottom pound of the Napton flight on the South Oxford canal at 9 45 this morning. There were a steady stream of boats coming towards us as we headed towards Wigrams Turn and of course we met one on a tight bend with a boat moored on the outside, just to make it harder for everyone.

We turned left at Wigrams . north on the Grand Union with it's wide locks  arriving at Calcutt lock just as 2 boats were going down, but again boats were coming towards us and by the time the lock was ready for us, the boat moored behind us last night had caught us up so we went down together, unfortunately they moor in Calcutt Marina so after just 3 locks we were on our own again.

We were hoping that there would be someone to share the Stockton flight with and as I looked back a saw a boat come out of Ventner Farm Marina but he pulled over just before the top of the flight. We arrived at the locks just at lunch time and two boats were coming out so we went into the lock and waited 10 minutes  just to make sure that the boat behind  had stopped and then pushed on alone. At the second lock we could see that a boat coming up, still below the bridge had drawn the bottom paddles on the next 4 locks, so we had no choice but to sit and wait for them to come up. We stopped at Shop Lock to buy ice creams from WFB but unfortunately the were closed so we made our way down the The Two Boats for a pint of bitter and a sit in the shade. After about three quarters of an hour we set off again and had a steady run down alone to below Fosse Top Lock tying up a little after 6 pm.

June and July travels

We arrived at the boat at about 10-30 on Friday night after stopping to eat at a pub on the Daventry ring road. I didn't realise that an order of £15 for the two of us would have resulted in a free bottle of wine, if I had just had ordered mains and sweets it would have been enough, just!

 

Today we didn't start that early and went by car to the working boat rally at Braunston. Entry was free but car parking was £10 with the money going to good causes. The Mill House was charging £5 but I guess the money was all going to them, so I happily paid my tenner. As usual Tim had organised an excellent show and had invited many small waterways related traders who couldn't afford to go to Crick and such like.

We returned to Harnser about 5 pm and wondered what to do, I then recalled that someone I met at the show (Clive) said that the River Festival was on at Stratford next weekend and a look in Waterways World not only confirmed this but also a traditional boat show at Henley in a few weeks time, we should have time to do both, but a phone call on Monday will confirm if we can still attend Stratford. With this in mined we pushed off down the flight mooring just above the bottom lock at 7 pm for the night.

Flecknoe back to Napton Mon 25 May

In view of all the moored boats and visions of half of them trying to go up the Napton flight we set of a 7 am this morning and we were not the first away. We arrived at the bottom of Napton at 8 30 with one boat just leaving the first pound and going up ahead of us. We met boats in half the locks so things weren't to bad and it didn't take very long to reach  our mooring. At the top lock there was a lull in the traffic and we were able to transfer most of the junk in to the car before a boat approached from above. We were packed up and on our way before 11.30 hopefully ahead of the Bank Holiday traffic.
There were quite a few Elton Moss boats about this morning, it seems they now change on a Sunday, but I am not sure where they are based. One steerer said Napton and another said Calcutt. 

Ansty to Flecknoe 24 May 09

We started in good time this morning and by 10 am we were winding in the mouth of the Coventry Canal Cruising Club to head back south. We met a few boats but things were much quieter than yesterday and there were even mooring places in Rugby.  There were a few boats leaving Rose Narrowboats as we arrived and this gave us quite a slow run to Newbold where they stopped.  When I say slow they went at a constant speed wether on the open cut, to slow, or passed moored boats, to fast. All the visitor moorings at Newbold were full today but several long term ones were empty. We arrived at Hillmorton Locks just as a boat was coming out and had empty locks all the way up.  Once at the top of the locks things for some reason started getting busy and we met lots of boats between here Braunston.
We went into Braunston Marina to do a pump out and then stopped at the Stop House to fill with water. The mooring Warden seemed to have a full time job telling boats they couldn't moor at the water point overnight.  The first vacant moorings were well along the puddle bank but as we were eating onboard we carried on towards Flecknoe.  I have never seen so many boats moored along this section of canal, There were boats almost nose to tail all the way along any piling until we past through bridge 102,  Here there were only a few boats so I pulled in a little after 8 pm. as looking forward along the canal to the straight section ahead all  I could see was moored boats.
The water level in this pound is down by over 4" this evening which is a bit worrying for this early in the year, we have noticed this week that most levels have been a bit low.

You will find our latest position at
http://tinyurl.com/Harnser-s-route

Braunston to Ansty 23 May 09

First job this morning was to back up through the bridge, past the boat selling fenders and things to the water point to top up the tank. While we were there Roy who we spent a bit of time with on the BCN last year wandered past and stopped for a chat.
We finally set off at about 10 30 and headed up the North Oxford canal. There were a lot of boats about but we didn't meet any in awkward places so had a good run to Hillmorton.  One boat going into the near side lock and one leaving the off side lock closing the gates behind them even though there was a boat coming up.   The back pumps were running flat out putting an awkward current across the cut for boats trying to pull in to the near side lock moorings. As the boat was coming up in our lock another boat came behind us and got it completely wrong ending up on the offside.  I think they were a bit put out when I crossed in front of them to go into our lock.
It was very busy  all the way down the flight, but nothing compared to Rugby, there were boats going all ways and boats moored both sides all the way round the bend didn't help.  We plodded on slowly through until the road bridge where I held back for a boat coming through the bridge but he then had trouble getting round my stern as I couldn't go forward as another boat followed through the bridge.   We eventually sorted it to every ones satisfaction and then as we passed the boats moored along the straight, still with boats coming towards us the boat in front went aground, I had to stop and promptly slid across the cut in the way of the oncoming boat. O the joys of Bank Holiday boating.
Once passed rugby things quieten down again. I have never seen so many vacant visitor moorings at Newbold, it a shame we didn't want to stop. As we cleared the tunnel I was aware of a boat catching me up. We had to stop for a boat coming very slowly through the next bridge so I invited him to pass me. I thought he would have waited until the oncoming boat had gone, but I was wrong again so he passed me with a boat coming towards us.  About a mile later I caught up with a very slow boat and followed them at tick over all the way to Rose Narrowboats where they pulled in at the end of a weeks hire.
After this we had the cut to our selves mooring for the night at Ansty opposite The Rose and Castle where we have just been to eat. They serve food until quite late but if you want to eat around 7-8 ish then you need to book. I would recommend this place as they have a very varied menu and the mash potato I had with my Ostrich was real mash potato not out of a packet.

Elkington to Braunston 22 May 09

A late start this morning setting off at 10 30, we saw several people and boats that we knew as we made our way to Crick. There were very few boats moored in the area compared to when we have attended the show in past years. There is a long section where mooring is banned due to Water Voles taking up residence, considering that they moved in while mooring was allowed I think it unlikely they will leave if boats moor there now, they may get more upset about large bright orange buoys and a length of blue rope floating on the water surface a couple of inches from the bank that they have to negotiate every time they leave home. Last time we visited the show by boat we moored at the tunnel mouth and then boats were breasted all the way through Crick. When we passed today there were 5 bank side moorings free between the tunnel and the first bridge and no breasted boats other than on the reserved moorings.  We had bit of a wait at Watford lock, the lock keeper instructed us to drop through the first lock and then wait for two boats to come up,the last one being "Water Ouzel" Just as well we checked as "Water Ouzel" came into the top of the staircase as another boat had just entered at the bottom.  We were soon on our way again passing lots of vacant spots on the visitor moorings just before Norton Junction. Here we turned sharp right to Braunston, it wasn't long before we were dragging the bottom a good 6 feet from the towing path where they have rebuilt it with sand bags, I wonder how many they managed to drop of the boat while they carrying out the work. We didn't meet anything in Braunston tunnel but there was a boat entered behind us when we were half way through. As we approached Braunston Top Lock a hire boat was just leaving but the crew hung around to close up behind us, so I had to point out to them that we would be waiting for the boat behind. We didn't meet anyone in the flight and apart from the first two locks they were all against us.  By the time we cleared the flight it was 6 pm so moorings were at a premium and the first vacancy was just through the A 45 road bridge opposite the Mill House pub.
We decided that as we were here we would eat at the Mill House, entering didn't exactly fill us with confidence and reading the chefs specialities, all day breakfast, chips with Mayo, didn't improve things. When we finally found a full menu we decided that may be the Old Plough would be a better bet. It didn't look very busy especially compared to some of the occasions we have visited. I asked the young lady if we could eat and was taken aback when she replied, "No, we have just taken a large order and can't do any more" it was about quarter to eight. That's another pub crossed off my list to visit in the future and it was half empty, I've eaten there when its been heaving in the past. We carried on to The Wheat Sheaf, ordered an excellent Chinese Take a way for two, had a pint of Pedigree while we waited, the service was to good for a second pint and returned to the boat to eat it.  From our experience this evening the Nelson should do a roaring trade if they handle it correctly.

Thursday 21 May Smeeton to Elkington Bridge 27

Yesterday afternoon turned in to a very pleasant evening and we took a walk to the top of the tunnel. We set off this morning at about half nine in bright sun, our first stop was Debdale Wharf where we filled with diesel at 50p lt plus the duty for traction. The next stop was the bottom of the Foxton flight where Diana went up to find the lock keeper, it is essential to book in with the lock keeper before starting up the flight, he in turn tells you where you are in the queue, we were right by the lock gates but still third in the queue. Diana bought ice creams while I helped the other two boats through the first lock before we followed them up. There were only two boats coming down, the first came down earlier and we met the second between the two flights where there is room for two boats to pass. Half way up it started to rain and this was the pattern for most of the day. We didn't meet any boats on the move today but there were a couple already moored up. We passed under the A14 road and moored at the next convenient vacant piece of bank just before bridge 27 at about 5 pm.

Now that I have a usable 3 signal you can see our latest position here

Foxton to Smeeton 20 May 09

Last night we went into the Locks Pub to watch Mikron Theatre again, performing another play, Tales of the Thames. We set off this morning tat 10 am to have lunch in the restaurant in Union Basin, Market Harborough, unfortunately its still closed and in receivership, so we walked into town and ate there. We moored on the visitor moorings at the entrance to the basin and took on water, this is the slowest tap we have used for some time. After lunch we set off again retracing our steps to Foxton. We had just negotiated the first swing bridge when the skys opened, we both dived into the boat and sat there for 5 minuets until it stopped. Soon the sun was back with us and we continued on and up towards Leicester until we reached the winding hole at Smeeton, here we winded and dropped back a few yards to some very good moorings with rings. I put the 3 dongle on top of the TV mast but still couldn't get a signal so this will get posted on Thursday some time.

Welford to Foxton 19 May

We heard Tysely the Mikron boat go by at about 8 am and we set off a little after 9, winding at the end of the arm. BW were hard at work cleaning the stone edging with a yard broom. There is a rather smart wooden foot bridge over the canal that goes nowhere. It's a shame they can't move it to replace the rotten one over the marina entrance where it would do some good. We met several boats between Welford and the top of Foxton including Sue Day with a horse drawn boat. We stopped at the top of the flight for lunch and moved on to work the flight at about 1 30. Diana went down to speak with the lock keeper and we were told we could proceed when the next boat left the flight, it would be about 40 minuets as they were still in the bottom staircase. While we waited for our turn it poured down with rain for the sun to reaper just as the boat coming up reached the top lock. The sun stayed with us down the first flight where we had to wait again for a boat coming up and then the rain returned mixed with hail and accompanied with thunder. By the bottom of the flight it was back to drizzle. We turned right down the Market Harborough Arm and moored at 3 30 just beyond the swing bridge.

Monday 18 May Yelvertoft to Welford

A fairly bright but windy morning as we set off about 9.30 Most of the boats we met all seemed to be on bends or in bridge holes. One we met between a bridge and a bend looked behind him just before we passed, what he failed to do was to tell me there was about behind him that I met right on the bend as I slid back to the middle of the channel after passing him. If you read this, thank you. The wind didn't give to much of a problem and it stayed dry. At the Welford Arm we turned right and headed into Welford, luckily there was a gap on the visitor mooring quite close to the end which was about 6 feet longer than us so we have tucked in there at about 1 30 pm for the night. The mooring rings are slightly unusual here as they are set in the face of the bank piling about 6" below the bank level.

Tonight we are going to watch Mikron Theatre in the pub, tomorrow they are at Foxton and then Hillmorton and Napton.

Sunday 17 May Braunston to Yelvertoft

We woke to a very sunny morning but it quickly dulled over, as we took the dog for a very short walk we noticed a boat up by the locks, we had heard one go through before 8 but weren't ready to leave. We pushed off and caught up with the other boat, an Ownerships boat called "Silhouette" who were just closing the top gates, as we were to discover later the early boat had left all the top gates open. We met boats at all the locks except the one above the Nelson Pub and that also had the top gates open. With the steady flow coming towards us we made good progress up the flight where there were 4 boats waiting to come down. We met 2 boats very early in the tunnel and then nothing until almost the other end. Silhouette followed us in and I would suspect she is quite a confusing boat to meet in a tunnel, she has two headlight mounted in the top corners of the cabin, so from a distance it looks like a breasted pair coming towards you. We met a third boat when we were almost through the tunnel, they had an interesting way of steering  about 15 degrees to the right with the bow bouncing on and off the tunnel wall and the stern about 18" out.   By the time we cleared the tunnel it was raining steadily and this didn't clear until about mid day. Between the tunnel and Norton Junction BW/Morrisons are rebuilding the bank and towing path, do we really want miles of surfaced towing paths running through the country side? At Norton Junction we turned left onto the Leicester Branch and stopped just through the foot bridge for water, The service moorings are quite short and the tap close to the bridge so if your water filler is near the bows like ours, your stern ends up almost in the bridge hole. While we were taking water n.b.Herbie came passed, they only went as far as the marina and then winded so we passed a second time. There was no queue at the Watford flight and we just had to wait for one boat to come down the last 2 locks before we could go up. Diana had a bit of trouble at the top lock as the bottom gate kept blowing open, she went back twice to close it so I told her to open the top paddle a couple of clicks, this resulted in the lock keeper shouting at her for opening the paddle with a gate open. I told her to ignore him and just walk back an close it. He didn't say a word, as he was obviously watching it would not have hurt him to have just walked over and opened the paddle when Diana went back for the second time. At the top of the locks we passed n.b. Caxton just as they were about to push off and they followed us all the way to Crick. We continued on passed the new marina that is going to be dug at Yelvertoft, if the miles of plastic fencing are anything to go by it will make Wigrams Turn Marina look like a fish pond. We had just got through Yelvertoft village and past the long term moorings when my umbrella blew inside out with the squally rain so we have moored right in the far end of the visitor moorings

Napton to Braunston 16 May 09 Saturday

We arrived at the boat yesterday evening and though about going for a Chines takeaway but by the time we had unloaded the car it was raining quite heavily and we decided that walking back down to the car in such weather was not a good idea. The rain continued most of the evening and into the night.

This morning things had improved with the sun trying to peek through although it didn't actually manage it until this afternoon. We set off about 10 am just as a boat was coming up the top lock and things continued in this vane all the way down the flight meeting a boat at every lock and leaving all the gates open as we left for the next boat. We did have a little drizzle on the way down requiring us to put coats on, it was very light  but accompanied by a stiff breeze. We met a couple of boats we knew between Wigrams Turn and Braunston stopping for a short chat with one of them.  We spotted our first family of swans today, mum, dad and 5 signets, we have also seen several families of ducks on the cut. There were quite a few mooring spaces in Braunston opposite The Mill House but we decided to push on to see if there was any space near the marina, we could always come back if it was full. Once in the centre of Braunston we couldn't find a space anywhere but we were in luck as one chap said he was about to leave and if we hung about we could moor there. As soon as he backed out we backed in, we had not been here long when NB Caxton came by and headed up the locks but I didn't recognise anyone on board. Later that evening we went to The Old Plough for a meal, it was a bit more expensive than we remembered but very good, Diana had Lasagna with salad and garlic bread where as I had Lamb hot pot with new potatoes and a bread roll. Bother were a good size portion, hot and tasted good. They also had 4 beers on, two Adnams, Black Sheep and the other I cant remember.

A Trip with a Difference Bank Holiday Monday

We left home about 9 am and travelled south on the A12  to just south of Ipswich where we turned off to Nayland.  Once over the river Stour we parked in the layby and waited for Sue to come and pick us up. From here she took us to the Granary at Sudbury   where we met up with her husband Roger and picked up a two man canoe. We then made our way in two cars with two canoes to a small village called Bures.  By now it had started to rain so we decided it would be a good time to eat our packed lunches while still in the car.
The weather was kind to us and as we finished eating it stopped raining and we were able to unloaded the canoes and carried them down to the River Stour in the dry.  At the small wooden jetty where we were going to launch, sat mother duck with her clutch of very young chicks, they were all amazingly tame and just stayed there as we launched the first canoe, the one that Diana and I were going to use , they only moved a few feet as Sue and Roger launched theirs. Now you must remember that it must be at least 40 years since I have been in a canoe and I am not sure that Diana ever has. The first problem was was getting in, feet in the centre of the floor, hands on edge of combing and drop down on the seat, well pad in our case. The deck flexed under my weight and I dropped smartly down, my hips squeezed through the combing and I was down. Getting out would be another problem.
Diana and I drifted about in the river while Sue and Roger stepped leisurely into their open Canadian canoe and we all set off down stream. The first stop was only a short way down stream at Bures Mill and thanks to Sue and Roger's efforts I was extracted from the canoe, sitting down to within an inch of the floor is one thing, getting up was another. This was the first of four weirs that we had to carry the canoes round, Each has a small wooden landing platform above and below the weir,  Some of these are on private property and have very polite notices telling you its private land and asking you to respect their property as you cross.   We carried the canoes round the weir, this was not without its problems.  The EA are raising a bridge beside the river that you have to pass under carrying your canoe as its very low. While the work is ongoing they have put a temporary bridge in and also temporary steps to the lower level to get under both bridges. They are full H&S steps down a bank with scaffolding handrails. The end result is you can't use them with a canoe in your hands so have to slither down the bank beside them. We were soon back on the river and on our way. Here I heard the Cuckoo for the first and only time this year and also watched a pair of Mandarin Ducks flying round, I have only ever seen them on the water before.  It wasn't long before we got the line wrong and were aground on the gravel, but a bit of abuse with the paddle had us on our way again.  The canoe we had, a 30 year old two person Kayak was not the most manoeuvrable craft in the world so we did take a couple of excursions through the overhanging branches and a patch of reeds.We were a bit apprehensive about passing swans that may be nesting, in the end we only passed one swans nest and the cob was more interested in the two white plastic drums supporting an irrigation pump hose than he was us.  At Wiston Mill we met three canoes coming upstream, this is most unusual as most people travel with the flow like we were. A short way before Nayland weir the river passes under the A134 in a tunnel, this is of a corrugated iron construction and is completely circular in cross section and 30 meters long.  Like all waterways the EA is quick to put up signs, the most useless one was about 35 yards before the landing stage at Nayland Weir saying "No Boat beyond this point" how do they expect you to land and take them out? Once past Nayland weir we only had about another 100 meters to the end of our journey.  We landed outside The Anchor pub in Nayland, here we pulled the canoes out and went for a welcome half of Adnams before Diana took Sue and Roger back to Bures to fetch their cars so they could come back and retrieve the canoes.

The six miles had taken us just on three hours to complete and the weather stayed fine for us.

You can see photos of our trip at http://www.flickr.com/photos/brian-and-di