Return Trip - Day 3

The moorings at Nether Heyford are very peaceful -- you can only just hear the trains, which is a bit of a rarity down this stretch.  This was the view from the window, with a rather threatening sky.  I decided not to include the huge pylon!

It hammered down with rain overnight, but by this morning it had stopped.  There was just a bit of moisture in the air, and it was dank and misty.  We set off about 8.30.  It never really seemed to get light, but the vegetation is very green at the moment.

It was about an hour and a half before we saw another moving boat.  At Blisworth tunnel I approached rather carefully after meeting a boat right at the portal last time.  Sure enough, as I lined up there was hooting from the tunnel and a Willow Wren hire boat emerged closely followed by an ex-OwnerShips.  They both told us it was very wet inside, but to us it seemed relatively dry compared with recent passages.  We passed three boats in the tunnel, the first of which seemed to be going very slowly, much to the annoyance of the two following.

At the top lock at Stoke Bruerne a pair of boats was coming up.  By the time they'd risen, another boat had arrived going our way so we paired up.  Holly is owned by a nice couple, and we chatted a lot as we went down the locks.  The two boats did some synchronised boating to move from one lock to the next.

In the lower half of the flight we met pairs of boats at several locks, making life easier.  At the bottom, we moored up to have lunch.

We set off again at 2pm, and very shortly afterwards the rain started.  It was pretty persistent, by at least there wasn't any wind.  There were a few boats on the move, mostly hire boats from Willow Wren, Gayton, and Napton, and none of the steerers looked particularly happy.  I guess I looked more or less the same myself.  Of course we met a couple of the boats at tricky places where there were offside trees narrowing the channel.

We got back to the marina about 3.30, and the lack of wind made it pretty easy to get into our berth.  By 4pm we were tied up and connected to the shore power.

It's been great going to the Crick Show by boat.  Adrian was a bit bored for the first day and a half while I was busy looking at boats, but we had some great evenings meeting old and new friends.  All in all it was a very social time.

Adrian has gone home ready for work tomorrow.  I'm also working tomorrow, but I'm going from the boat as it's quicker.  Also, I might be doing a boat test on Saturday, and the midlands is much closer to that too.

15 miles, 7 locks.  (28 miles, 21 locks {that's one mile more than the trip to Crick, because of going to the winding hole!})

Return Trip - Day 2

The forecast was right and we needed our wet weather gear today.  We set off in the rain and murk at about 8am, heading first for Norton Junction.  We spotted No Problem just beyond the junction towards Braunston.

We turned towards Buckby Top Lock, aiming for the water point.  We haven't filled up since before the Crick Show, we wanted to do some washing, and we know the tap at the top lock is a fast one.  When we got there we found a boat moored on the water point; it appeared his permanent mooring was just opposite, so I guess he'd filled up with water last night and then couldn't be bothered to move back.  We knew the hose pipe wouldn't reach, so I knocked on the roof of the boat to ask him to move.  He stuck his head out and said we'd have to breast up, as he wasn't dressed yet.  We did so, even though it was tricky, and then treated him to the Travel Power and high engine revs as we got the washing machine under way.

Filling the tank didn't take as long as we'd expected.  It's a big tank and a fast tap, and we have been careful.  I went to set the lock, and as I did so another boat came off its moorings and joined us.  It was an ex-Challenger share boat with a family on board.  Mum and the two sons were on lock duty, which meant I could go ahead each time and set the next lock.  From the middle of the flight, we started meeting boats coming up, which also helped.

I made a quick visit to the farm shop by the penultimate lock, and bought stir fry pork, lamb chops, and some veg, so we can eat for the next couple of days.

Once down the locks I had a phone call from Waterways World, who organise the Crick Show, about my photo used without my permission in the show guide.  They apologised profusely and offered a fee, which I asked them to increase, given that we were discussing this after the event.  When I'd complained, I'd given them one of my cards, so the guy on the phone asked how I was involved in waterways journalism; I asked whether he ever read Canal Boat magazine, and apparently he doesn't.

We were cold and wet so we stopped at Nether Heyford and had lunch.  This afternoon, I've written the last of my mini boat reviews, and tinkered with a nearly complete full review, to take account of the fact that the boat won the Favourite Boat vote at the show.  All afternoon it's been raining to a greater or lesser degree, so we're glad we decided to stop when we did.

7 miles, 7 locks.  (13 miles, 14 locks)

Crick Show - Day 3/Return Trip - Day 1

I was up fairly early this morning, and wrote six more mini boat reviews while Adrian carried on sleeping.

At about 9.30 we went over to the show site to speak to a few people before the crowds were let in.  I also went into the show office to complain about the use of one of my photos in the show guide without my permission.

About an hour later, I bumped into Bob and June from Autumn Myst, and we had a catch up and they came to have a look at Briar Rose.  It was good to see them again (the last time was in Droitwich in September), and hear about their travels down to Bath and back.

Adrian and I had another wander round the show, then had lunch sitting on the bank by the marina in the sunshine.  We then decided to turn the boat around, ready for the off, so boated up to the winding hole, then returned to our mooring facing south.

In the afternoon, I had to take photos of the presentation for the winner of the Favourite Boat vote.  It went to Emily by Navigation Narrowboats of Nantwich.

Once that was done we headed off, aiming to beat the rush and the holdups at Watford Locks.  It was a lovely afternoon, although rather windy, and this is a very nice stretch of canal.

There were a two or three boats ahead of us, and we were soon on our way down.  The gates in the staircase are very leaky.

We made rapid progress down the locks, thanks to there being about half a dozen volunteer lockies on duty.  They were resetting the top lock, the top of the staircase, and the individual locks at the bottom, to speed everyone on their way.

Waiting at the bottom lock was a very grumpy crew of a Canal Boat Club boat (or Canaltime, as we probably still know them as).  They were irate that people kept coming down the bottom lock without letting them up.  I went and asked if they'd booked in with the lock keeper -- and immediately wished I hadn't.  They didn't believe there was a lock keeper; they disputed that there was a booking system; they thought that boats coming down were wasting water; they were shouting and swearing.  I helped the boat in front of us down the bottom lock, and reset it for us; the Canaltime people brought their boat right up to the gates in protest.  We later discovered that they'd sworn at the people on the boat in front -- a nice couple who'd been working on the IWA stand at the show.  There must be something about Watford Locks that brings out the worst in hire boaters.

Once down the locks we carried on to Norton Junction, tucking into a space within sight of the junction.  Tomorrow we'll fill the water tank, which must be getting low after all the time at the show, and head down the Buckby flight.  The forecast suggests we'll need full wet weather gear.

6 miles, 7 locks.

Crick Show - Day 2

It's been a fantastically warm and sunny day today, and the show has been busy.  I started the day by writing up some of the mini boat reviews, while Adrian went into the village to the shop.  We went over to the show site about 10.30, and I spent some time talking boats with the editor.

We came back to the boat at lunchtime.  The scaffolding bridge, next to which we're moored, is a very popular place for people to take in the views down the canal.  We've been looked at and photographed no end.

In the afternoon we had an ice cream, then met up with Neil and Kath from Herbie.  We went back to their boat along with the Halfies for tea and cake.

This evening we'd invited a number of boat builders and owners whose boats have been tested recently, onto Briar Rose for a drink.  I think we had about 12 or 13 people on board at one point.  By the time they'd all left we couldn't be bothered to cook, so we wandered over to the show site and had something from one of the food stalls.  We stayed to hear the Fleetwood Mac tribute band who were playing in the beer tent, and met up with the Herbies again.  They came back to BR for a drink afterwards.

Crick Show - Day 1

After I'd blogged yesterday, Andy and Helen from Wand'ring Bark called round for coffee and a rest, having spent their day setting up their stall at the show.  It was great to spend some time chatting to them.  In the evening we went to The Moorings with the Braidbar owners group, where we had good food and excellent company.

This morning I was on the show site at around 8am, and we started looking at boats as soon as Andy the photographer arrived.  During the course of the day, we looked at 22 boats; now all I have to do is write the up.

Our Eberspacher boiler has been playing up recently, so Adrian went to their stand for advice.  They recommended contacting Boating Leisure Services at Heyford Fields Marina.  As it happens, the guys are here at the show, so Dave come over to the boat with his diagnostic kit, and ended up taking our boiler away to be fixed, and installing a loan one that he just happened to have in his van.  Great service!  Adrian also did some other shopping, including a new chimney, and oile and air filters from the Beta stand.

At the close of the show, there was a small celebration at the Braidbar stand, to mark the firm's 30th anniversary.  There was a cake and champagne.

Later we joined the Ahabs and the Halfies in going to The Red Lion in the village for dinner.  You have to put your name down for a table when you arrive.  The menu says they don't do fast food, but we felt the three hours we waited was a bit excessive!

Crick Show - Day -1

Last evening turned out surprisingly sunny so we went for a walk along the towpath and up Crack Hill.

There are great views from up there, including the show site.

This morning was cold and very windy.  We walked into the village to go to the shop, then mid morning went over to the show site to have a look at preparations for the show.  The conditions were far from ideal for putting up tents and marquees, and many people seemed to be struggling.  The layout of the show is very different this year, with most of the site now on what has previously been the car park.  We chatted to a few people, and finally met Captain Ahab of Wand'ring Bark.

This afternoon we've stayed on the boat keeping out of the weather.  It's been exceptionally windy, but we haven't had the heavy rain that was forecast.  Lots of boats have been past - some of them moving very quickly.  I know it's windy and you sometimes need a bit of extra power to stay in a straight line, but some helmsman have taken no account that they're passing a line of breasted up boats.  We're on the outside, and have been thrown around all over the place by some of them.  Among the boats was President and Kildare, who announced their approach with a steam whistle. They were churning up the water, but still didn't rock us as much as some of the more everyday boats.

This evening, we're eating at The Moorings, with the Braidbar Owners Group.

Crick Trip - Day 3

We set off at 8am in sunshine.  I walked up to Buckby Top Lock, and turned it after a couple of boats had left.  Once we were up we stopped on the water point to fill the tank.  Then it was along to Norton Junction for the turn onto the Leicester Line.  The run to the bottom of Watford Locks always seems longer than we remember.

At the locks, I went to book in with the lock keeper, and he said we could come straight up after the boat in front, as there was no-one waiting to come down.  The boat in front was a hire boat, who for some reason hadn't started up the locks; when told they could go, they set off on the boat without setting the lock.  I went and emptied it for them, then worked them up.  The lock keeper had set the next lock, and worked that for them.  Eventually, they had to get off and wind a paddle or two themselves.

Our journey up the locks was pretty quick.  But the weather had worsened, and it was cold.

At the top of the locks, it started raining.  We did the short run to the tunnel, which is very close to Bridge 10.

The tunnel is nearly a mile long, but Crick is straight after it.  The moorings were in a state of confusion, as the temporary bridge across the canal was still being built, so we moored up and would move into our proper spot later.  During the next couple of hours, we had rain, hail, and sunshine.

Eventually the bridge was finished, as we and the other Braidbar boats moved into our slots right by the bridge.  In the middle of all this, when cold rain was falling, Jo and Keith on Hadar went past.  We are on the outside, breasted up to Ice Breaker.

Later in the afternoon, I went onto the show site and saw a few people I knew, including the owners and builder of the boat I tested last week -- so I was able to have a few questions answered.

It's been really cold this afternoon, and we've lit the fire.  Tomorrow, the forecast is pretty bad.

6 miles, 8 locks.  (27 miles, 21 locks)