Look East: Day 15

There was a surprising amount of activity after we moored last night.  Two narrowboats passed, heading for Weston Favell lock; another narrowboat turned up looking for a mooring, and breasted up to the boat behind us; and when it was practically dark a widebeam and a cruiser arrived for the lock — giving every impression they’d been racing along the river to see who could get there first.

This morning we left at 8, heading for Northampton.  Here is where the river is widest; the moon was still in the sky.

After a bit there’s a left turn onto a cut section, through a barrage gate.

The two locks here were in our favour and with the gates open, as was Northampton Town Lock.  At 9.30 we reached the entrance to the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union, and made our return to CRT waters, from those of the Environment Agency.

After the river, the canal seemed shallow and weedy, and progress between locks was slow.  The first lock was with us, the next two were full, and the fourth was empty.  Between there and the start of the Rothersthorpe flight on 13 locks we passed a boat, so knew that (unless there was someone going up ahead of us) the locks would be mostly in our favour — which they were.  The day was increasingly sunny, but still rather chilly.  It’s a very pretty flight.

At one lock a CRT chap and a volunteer were clearing weeds and generally tidying up.  They helped up with a gate or two.  Near the top we met Leon, who’s lived in a tent on the flight for nine years. He hopes to help boaters up or down the flight in return for payment in money or drink, but had picked the wrong end today.  As we got to the top, we had a couple of spectators.

We reached the top of the locks at 1pm, so had made pretty good progress.  Although 17 locks sounds like a lot, they all fill and empty quickly.  We carried on to Gayton Junction and turned right, having lunch on the move.  We boated until around 2, when we tied up just before the Ne w Banbury Lane Bridge.  This afternoon, we’ve washed and polished the towpath side of the boat, and tried to touch up the scuffs from yesterday.

10 miles, 20 locks.  (142 miles, 115 locks)