Spring Cruise: Day 3

Another fantastically sunny day.  We set off at around 8am, with Adrian walking up to Buckby top lock to get it ready.  As we got to the top, a boat arrived to go down so we could leave the gate open for them.  Then it was along to Norton Junction, where we turned right onto the Leicester Line.

When we got to Watford Locks I went to find the lock keeper.  He had one boat going up the staircase and another to come down, so he said we should come up the two individual locks then wait at the bottom of the staircase.  It wasn’t long before the downhill boat emerged and we could set off up.

Crick Tunnel was as usual dry at the south end and decidedly drippy for the final few hundred yards at the north end.  We moored up and walked into the village to go to the Co-op for a few things.  One thing to note is that they no longer have a cash machine.  Setting off again, Adrian walked up the towpath to see where our Crick Show mooring will be.  All the name markers are already up, and he found our spot fairly soon, just opposite the middle marina entrance.  There were some mooring managers there, who seemed surprised we weren’t stopping — a few people are already in their spots.  Coming back on Friday will be soon enough for us.

The journey along the Leicester Line summit is very pretty.  Lots of it is remote, and all of it is pretty shallow and rather narrow.  The hawthorn blossom is particularly vibrant white at the moment.

We had lunch on the move, then moored up about 2pm just through Bridge 27, where we stopped a couple of times at the same time last year.  As the boat headed towards the towpath a green woodpecker flew off — I’ve been hoping to see him again, but haven’t so far.  We got the chairs our and sat in the shade on the very little-used towpath, with a slightly weaker G&T than yesterday.

10 miles, 8 locks.  (31 miles, 21 locks)