It was very murky this morning, with a not very promising forecast. We set off about 8.30. Napton windmill seems much more visible from this angle than it has been previously; I wonder whether some trees have been taken down.
Napton hire boats were returning to the base and reversing in, so we waited for one to do that while another waved us past before attempting it. Then we passed Napton Junction.
Just after the junction we make a brief stop to go down the weedhatch, and got a handful, of weed off from round the propshaft. Adrian was just pushing off the bow when he put his foot down a water-filled hole in the towpath, resulting in a wet boot and a grazed leg. A bit further along, there’s so new piling going in.
In what seemed like short order, Braunston church came into view, and then we turned right at the junction. After the junction was a black swan, a white swan, and a load of sizeable cygnets — so presumably the black and white swans are a family.
We stopped at the water point at the Stop House, and while the tank was filling there was a brief torrential downpour. Then we pulled the boat back onto the moorings, tied up, and walked into the village where we had toasted sandwiches at the Community Cafe. We returned via Midland Chandlers, so I could buy a tin of Crimson Lake paint for the handrails, as the current tin is completely empty. Then we set off up the locks. Once in the bottom lock we spotted a boat coming, so waited for it. It was an ABC Diamond Resorts boat, with two couples who’d been from Gayton to Leamington and back — but seemed to have got so used to the candlestick paddles they’d forgotten how normal ones worked! They were back in the swing of things by the top. By now the sun was unexpectedly out.
We met boats coming down at the first four locks, and there was a surprise at the lock by the Nelson, when a couple about to have lunch recognised Adrian. They turned out to be Braidbar owners he’d met at the Crick Show, whose boat will be ready in a couple of months. At the top we led the way into the tunnel, and almost immediately met a boat. The couple on board seemed to know me, but I didn’t catch who they were and didn’t see the boat name, so leave a comment if you read this.
We carried on to Norton Junction, and found a space just the right size before the junction bridge, with a nice view across the countryside.
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