West Mids Meander: Day 1

We were both up before the crack of dawn this morning, and drove up to Guildford where I met up with a taxi to take me to work, and Adrian continued to Bicester for shopping and then to the boat to unpack. After work, I got a train to Wolverton where Adrian picked me up.  We pulled out of our berth at around 11.30, and turned north towards Stoke Bruerne.  We saw a few boats coming the other way.  When we got to the locks, a boat was going up the bottom lock and said they’d wait for us at the second one; a boat was just coming down that one, so our new companions had a little wait for us to join them.  When we paired up, we made really good progress.

There was a little dog called Bill from the other boat, who was clearly in charge of lock operation.  He would run across all newly closed lock gates to make sure they’d been done properly.

We met boats coming down at the penultimate and top locks.  As we rose in the top lock I knocked on Kathryn’s door to see how she was after falling down the stairs the other week and ending up in hospital.  The other boat let us go through the tunnel first because of their rather smokey engine, and we carried on to a spot we’ve moored before just before New Banbury Lane Bridge.

11 miles, 7 locks.

Autumn Cruise: Day 1

After what seems like a very long summer at work, and a bit later than in previous years, our Autumn Cruise finally got under way today.  Well, it has for me anyway.  Adrian has meetings this week, but I was scheduled to finish my night shifts this morning, so had a few extra days — so I’m single handing the first bit so we get a head start.

I got away from work about 7.15 this morning and drove up to the boat, stopping for shopping at Tesco in Wolverton on the way.  By the time the car was unpacked, everything was put away, and the boat was ready for cruising, it was almost 10am.  At Bridge 62 there was a road works sign on the towpath; it turned out to be some guys doing a lot of cutting back on the offside.  There are many sections which need it, so I hope they are doing a lot.

Having hardly seen a moving boat all morning, my heart sank when I got to the bottom of Stoke Bruerne Locks as there were two hire boats just starting to go up.  But by the time they had gone up the bottom lock and another boat had come down, more boats arrived behind me.  I ended up sharing the locks with a very nice couple from Vancouver who are out for a week on a Wyvern hire boat.

We worked well together.  At the point where the locks are closest together, we waited for a boat to come down two locks ahead.  It meant quite a long pause, but at least the next two locks were then set for us.  At the top two locks, a helpful volunteer lock keeper assisted, and at the top I got some gongoozlers to close the gate after me.  The only problem has been that quite a lot of green slime from the lock walls seems to have transferred itself to my jeans and fleece. I’m not quite sure how I managed to get this dirty.

It was nearly 2pm by the time we got to the top, so I paused briefly to make some lunch which I then ate on the move.  I passed three boats in the tunnel, including one right at the Blisworth end.  I wanted to get a bit more distance under my belt, so I carried on until just before the New Banbury Lane Bridge.  It was almost 4pm by the time I was secured.  The weather has been a lot better than forecast.  There was a brief shower at the top lock and a bit of drizzle through Gayton, but not the light rain all day that was predicted.  As the loo hasn’t been used for a couple of weeks and it was very dry inside, I have emptied and reset it.  I feel exhausted, so it’ll be a traditional post-night shift early night tonight.

11 miles, 7 locks.

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)

Blacking Weekend: Day 2

We woke to sunshine but a chilly wind. Having had breakfast, we set off at 9am towards Cosgrove Lock. This is Mike's photo -- in which the sky looks amazing.

Brian and Mike walked all the way from there to Stoke Bruerne locks, which is a good few miles. Along the way we saw Fields of tiny lambs.

We gave our guests a necessary coffee at the bottom of the locks, and then set off. It soon became clear that we were following a boat up, which turned out to be a widebeam. It also became clear that they were having trouble with low pounds up ahead. The problem seems to have been that the lock by the A508 bridge has new bottom gates, with new paddle gear -- which is very stiff. That means it's easy to not fully wind down the paddles, meaning the pound above is drained. So with up waiting in that lock, and the widebeam in the one above, I ran some water down through the lock from the long pound.

The long pound was also getting quite low, so I phoned Kathryn and asked her if she could run some water down from the Stowe Hill pound. After a bit of a pause, we were on the move again, and we met up with Kathryn below the second lock. Stoke Bruerne was busy in the lovely spring weather.

We moored up just beyond Sculptor for lunch, and Kathryn joined us -- so we had a very merry hour or so. We set off again at around 2.30 for the tunnel, which was very cold and wet. We came through Gayton Junction and continued to a spot we haven't moored at before, just short of the new Banbury Lane Bridge. Here the trains aren't quite as noisy. This evening we have a roast going in the oven.

12 miles, 8 locks. (14 miles, 9 locks)