Heading north: Day 3

We didn’t light the fire last night, and slightly regretted it this morning!  We were up in good time, and moved across the canal to the marina, where Boating Leisure Services were to fit a new Eberspache diesel boiler.  The old one, which must be more than 20 years old, has been patched up a number of times, but now too many things have gone wrong.  Josh swapped the old and new, overseen by Dave, and we were good to go.  We had a quiet heater and warm radiators!

We got going just before 10, heading along the familiar waters to Buckby locks.  There, a boat had just gone up the bottom lock but would wait for us.  There were a dozen volunteer lock keepers between the two locks, as they were having a training day.  One of the trainers said that for the past couple of years there have only been about four volunteers on the flight, but now there are 16.  The ones at the second lock thought a boat above was ‘loitering’, so waited for it.  It was obvious to that it was moored, so some additional training might be needed.  Once we were under way we made decent progress together.

We got to the top lock at about 1.30, with just a few people enjoying the sunshine at the New Inn.

We turned left at the junction, where the hedge behind the nice towpath mooring there has been radically reduced.  We hardly recognised the place.

We had lunch on the move, before heading through Braunston Tunnel.  We had it to ourselves, which is always a relief, because there are so many places we’re passing a boat coming the other way is tricky.

At the locks, a boat had gone down the top lock but was then waiting for a boat to come up the next one, so we went down to join them.  It was a couple moving from the Nene, where the whole winter had been on red boards, to Dunchurch Pools, where they should have more cruising options.  We moved between each lock together, and had the assistance of a lock keeper so we flew down.

We got to the bottom a little after 3.30, so decided we’d head out into the countryside to moor.  But we spotted Derwent6 opposite the Boathouse pub, gave them a toot, and they popped their heads out the side hatch.  We changed our plans and moored up in a space between the junction and the road bridge.  Walking back, it turned out there were lots of boats waiting after the turn in the Napton direction, because the canal had been closed by the police, after a man was found in the water.

We spent a lovely couple of hours with Del and Al, with a lot to catch up on.  Then later in the evening, just as we were finishing our dinner, we had a visit from my cousin-in-law, Nigel, who came to find us while out for a walk.

13 miles, 13 locks.  (26 miles, 20 locks)

Heading north: Day 2

It was cloudy, chilly, and a bit blustery when we set off this morning, a little after 8.30.  At the locks, the bottom lock was empty, and there was a lock keeper about who said he’d set the next one for us.

It turned out there were four volunteer lockies on duty — it’s the first week of their new season — so we had every lock ready and waiting for us.  One of them asked how long we were out for, and I said possibly the rest of our lives — which he seemed to like the sound of!

There was only one boat moored in the long pound, and a swan there started to take off, then thought better of it and splashed down again.

CRT made another attempt to stop the penultimate lock leaking so much, but it seems it hasn’t really worked.  There’s now a sign on the top lock to warn people that there might not be much water below it.

We moored up above the top lock and went to see in Kathryn was in.  She was, so we all went to the cafe for tea and coffee, and most importantly a chat.  By now the sun had come out.  Then we headed through the tunnel, which we had to ourselves.  I always like the bridges in Blisworth — Candle Bridge, then the rail bridge with the blue iron framework.

At Gayton Junction we thought we’d stop for water and get some washing going.  There was a chap already on the water point, so we waited over the other side and it wasn’t long before he was done and we could move over.  We weren’t there long either, and the wind helped us get back on the move.  We have moored just before Heyford Fields Marina, as Dave will be replacing our Eberspacher tomorrow.  It’s been playing up for years, and has had various parts replaced with reconditioned ones.  Now it’s too far gone, so a new one has been ordered.

10 miles, 7 locks.  (13 miles, 7 locks)