Autumn Cruise: Day 5

It was sunny first thing this morning, and has stayed sunny all day, getting very warm this afternoon.  We were both awake early so got up and set off at 7.30.  Not surprisingly we had the Hillmorton Locks to ourselves — apart from a woman who mistook Adrian for a volunteer lock keeper and demanded to know why the book swap wasn’t open yet.  He’ll be cautious about wearing that fleece in that particular blue at locks in future!

We plodded back towards Braunston, with the number of boats increasing the closer we got.  We passed the Moomins on Maleluca, then Linda, Richard and Muffin on Mary H, looking very smart in the new livery.  A bit later we passed Achernar moored up.  The narrow approaches to Braunston were thankfully free of too many boats, then we turned right at the triangular junction.

We were now on the stretch of canal which is shared between the Oxford Canal and the Grand Union — and which is the subject of one of my favourite bits of Canal trivia: going along it, you can be going both north and south at the same time.  For example, we’d come from the North Oxford Canal, so if we considered ourselves still to be on the Oxford we’d be going south — Rugby to Oxford; but if we considered ourselves to be on the GU we’d be going north — London to Birmingham.

The countryside is very pleasant, with lots of freshly ploughed fields alongside the canal.  It was really nice to be back on these waters.

We got to Napton Junction, where the boat in front of us continued straight ahead onto the South Oxford Canal.  A boat then came out of the junction just as I began my turn.  He indicated there was another behind him so I stopped taking photos and concentrated on keeping over to the right.  We all got where we needed to be without incident.

We had lunch as we covered the short distance between the junction and Calcut Locks.  Adrian worked us down; it was a quick passage as the top lock was full and there was a boat coming up further down.  It was then just another half an hour or so to the Stockton Locks.  The only excitement was that we passed Kate Boat’s at Stockton Top Marina just as new hirers we’re being released at 2pm.  Having been at the tiller just a couple of minutes, the steerers were somewhat nervous.  At the locks, the top one was full and there was a boat coming up the second.  We also met another boat a bit further down.  It meant I was able to go ahead each time and open a gate of the next lock.  It wasn’t until the eighth lock that we found one empty.  I’ve always liked the Stockton Flight.  It’s pretty, has the distinctive candlestick paddle gear, and is a pleasure to work.

Adrian had a call at 4pm, so we needed to be moored up by then.  We made it to the bottom of the ten locks in plenty of time, and have moored on the rings at Long Itchington.  It’s quiet, sunny, and warm.


18 miles, 16 locks.  (56 miles, 39 locks)