Return from blacking: Day 2

We had a pretty relaxed start to the day, then set off to take my car to our marina.  There was an enormous amount of traffic queuing north on the A5 through Towcester, with several miles of pretty much stationary cars and lorries.  It turned out the M1 was shut between junctions 15 and 15A; at least we knew which way not to go back.  Instead, we went through Roade and Blisworth, but there was also a queue there, so we diverted cross country again to get over the A43 and onto the A5.

We decided we’d make a quick detour as we had a little time, and went to the National Trust property, Canons Ashby.

We got there almost the same time as the house was opening at 11.30 so went for a look around.  It’s a really nice house, and unlike some, you could actually imagine living there.

We went to the cafe for an early lunch, during which time the rain started,  it absolutely lashed it down for a while, and even though it had eased off a bit, we still got soaked going back to the car as we had neither coats nor an umbrella with us.  Adrian did at least have an umbrella in the car, so the walk back along the towpath to the boat was a little drier.  He then headed off back to work at about 1pm.  I waited until the rain had stopped about an hour later, then went out with a cloth and dried off the towpath side of the boat, hoping the rain will have washed off all the dust.  As it looked to be cheering up, I set off.  One of the guys from a caravan in the field opposite came down and said that Briar Rose was the prettiest boat they’d see all week!

There were very few boats on the move, but I did meet two of them at bridges, naturally.  The portaloo company by Banbury Lane Bridge appears to have a new line on bright pink ones.  I’m sure I would have noticed them before if they’d been there.

I moored up on the nice stretch before Nightingales Bridge, and went for a walk to get my steps up.  There’s a footpath over the bridge and the railway towards Gayton village.  I didn’t go all the way because it started raining again and I didn’t want to get a second soaking.  But I did get far enough for a view of BR on the moorings, with the Northampton lift tower seemingly not that far away beyond.

On the way back, one of the increasingly rare Avanti trains came along.

Of course by the time I got back to the canal the rain had stopped.  I found far more blackberries in the next five minutes than I’d got in half an hour of hunting yesterday, so I think I’ll be having stewed apple and blackberry this evening, to use up the bit of custard left from last night.

5 miles, 0 locks.  (6 miles, 0 locks)