We thought the mooring before the Stop House might not be the quietest in Braunston, because the A45 is quite close at this point. But we didn’t hear anything once it got into the evening. This morning, we walked up to the village for a top-up shop, then pulled the boat forward to the water point and got the washing machine going. It’s not a very fast tap, and we haven’t filled up since Wednesday last week, so after a good half hour we were bored of waiting and decided to head to the locks. While we’d been on the water point, the only boats to come past were going the other way, or just going to turn around in the marina entrance. So we started up the flight on our own.
We met lots of boats coming the other way though, including four who’d been on the Fund Britain’s Waterways flotilla in London. We caught up with a Napton hire boat who waited for us, and we did the last two locks with them — experienced hirers who’ve done quite a bit of the network.
Braunston Tunnel confirmed its place as my least favourite tunnel, although it was the fault of other people rather than the tunnel itself. I could see a couple of boats coming the other way, the front one of which seemed a bit all over the place. I slowed right down as he approached, but he just wasn’t moving over; his bow was right out in the middle of the tunnel and he just kept coming and hit us really hard. We were already close to the wall, but of course the impact knocked us hard into it. As his stern went past, he had the cheek to say, ‘are you ok over there?’. I told him it was generally a good idea to keep to one side when trying to pass other boats. There was a boat right behind him, and as we passed the steerer said, ‘that guy is an absolute d***h*** — I’ve been following him all this way’. The third boat we passed also approached in the middle of the tunnel, and was using his bow thruster to steer; at least he got over in time.
On the far side of the tunnel, we quickly caught up with a Kate hire boat which didn’t go faster than tickover, and even slowed down when boats were coming the other way or when a bridge had to be negotiated. I had to keep going into neutral, and the mile or so to Norton Junction took an age. We moored in a decent spot before the junction bridge and treated ourselves to mushrooms on toast for lunch.
This afternoon, Adrian has given me a haircut and we’ve been pottering about doing odd jobs or just reading. Later we’re walking up to Norton to see my cousin Catherine and family.
4 miles, 6 locks. (106 miles, 125 locks)
2 comments:
I too hate that tunnel. I have only once enjoyed a trip through it. We arrived at the eastern portal at about 8AM one morning. We knew that widebeam passages were booked both ways and we were prepared to wait. The CRT bod waved us in to the tunnel in front of the widebeam. He said "You'll be quicker than them. There's nothing coming the other way because my mate is at the other end stopping traffic" Absolute result! A relaxing journey through in the knowledge that nothing is coming the other way. Give me a trip through Harecastle any day in preference to Braunston.
Mick
Absolutely — I mentioned to the hirers we were sharing the locks with that it was my least favourite tunnel, and he suggested Harecastle as an alternative. I said I really quite enjoy Harecastle (as long as you’re not behind a slowcoach!)
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