Pre-Crick: Day 6

Last night we watched bats swooping and whirling over the water after dusk, and early this morning (4.41 to be precise) a cuckoo could be heard repeatedly calling.  It was a lovely morning when we set off, leaving our mooring at 8.15.  We went round the junction, past North Kilworth Marina, and into the wooded section which then leads to Husbands Bosworth tunnel.

There is some lovely countryside out the other side, with hills on the left and glimpses of views across the valley to the right.

It took about two and a half hours to get to the top of Foxton Locks, where we winded in the entrance to the inclined plane arm, and moored on the almost empty moorings.  We were now round the right way to clean that side of the boat and have a go at the windows.  The towpath was busy with people enjoying the sunshine, and there was a group of people in canoes on the water, complete with an instructor.

As lunchtime came around, we went for a walk down the locks, taking a bag of rubbish with us to the bins, and then having lunch at Bridge 61 (who, I’ve noticed, is using one of my photos on their website without asking — they might get an email about that).

There were boats going up and down the flight, with plenty of volunteer lock keepers on duty.  We walked back up to the top and got an ice cream at the little cafe there.  The boat coming up the top lock was Tacet, and eventually we and Clinton and Sharon recognised each other.  They came on board BR at Fazeley for tea and cake in 2015!  We might see them again at the show.  We set off on our return journey at about 1pm, in really quite hot sunshine.  It really is a lovely stretch of canal.

We moored just before the pipe bridge near Theddingworth, on a bit of piling highlighted in the Waterway Routes map, which feels really in the middle of nowhere.

11 miles, 0 locks.  (55 miles, 23 locks)