Post-Crick: Day 1

Apparently it rained in the night, although I didn’t hear it.  It was pretty gloomy this morning, and we set off just after 8, making the very short journey to the junction where we turned left for Buckby Locks.  The top one had a bottom gate open and both bottom paddles up, so I went to check whether someone was about to come up.  There was no-one there, so I re-set the lock for us.

At the third lock we met a boat which had just done down.  He said the two locks he’d done this morning had both had both bottom gates open and both paddles up.  He agreed to wait for us at the next lock.  We assumed he was single handing, but in fact his wife was setting ahead; we didn’t actually see her until the bottom lock.

We were down by 10am, which was good going.  It had been raining lightly, but now came on harder at times.  Before Furnace Wharf, a boat which had been sunk and was drifting about in the water last week had now been lifted onto the towpath.

We plodded along to Heyford Fields, where we tied up on the outside for Dave to have another look at the Eberspacher.  Although it had worked after last week’s loan brain was fitted, it didn’t work at Crick, with the controller doing odd things.  Anyway, Dave diagnosed a fuse problem and Josh fixed it, so all was well.  We’d been there about an hour and a half, and it hadn’t rained the whole time, just like last week.  Similarly, as soon as we set off again, the rain came back.

We moored in a spot we like before Bridge 46.  We had seen What A Lark a couple of times earlier.  We passed the  moored at Standing Barn Bridge, then they passed us at Heyford Fields.  After we’d moored, they came back the other way and pulled in to stop too.  Lisa and Davis came round for first tea and biscuits, which then seamlessly morphed into wine and crisps, along with plenty of chat.  We know lots of the same people, yet it’s taken years for us to actually meet — but it was worth the wait!

12 miles, 7 locks.  (61 miles, 49 locks)

Post-Crick: Day 1

We set off at 8 this morning, with me walking down to the top Bucky lock and Adrian bringing the boat.  It was grey and rather chilly — last week lulled us into a false sense that we were already in summer.  As I got to the lock, I could see that two boats were about to go down.  They turned out to be being moved by CW Boat Mover so I knew they were going to be efficient.  I went and opened a bottom gate for them, and later they lifted some paddles for us which was very kind of them.  As we waited for the lock to re-set, a boat came round the corner.  The couple on Venitia had been moored on the Braunston side of the junction, saw us, and got themselves moving!  They were very good locking partners, and we made rapid progress.  Eventually we started meeting boats coming up.

At the bottom, the boats being moved were moored outside Whilton, and Venitia was stopping for diesel, but we carried on.  We stopped for water between Weedon and Stowe Hill, and even though we haven’t topped up since Thursday, it didn’t take too long to fill up.  We also got a wash load on, to reduce the amount of dirty clothes we’re taking home.  We had lunch on the move, and then stopped for the night on the piling before Nightingales Bridge, which is a favourite spot.  It’s the sort of place you start off on your own, and then more people join you later in the day.  It was only 2pm and we could have gone further, but it was really quite cold and windy, and we have time for the rest of the journey tomorrow.  We have the trains for company, and among them has been a Greater Anglia branded one, which was empty and looked as though it might have been brand new and been on its way to its home area.  

During the afternoon, Adrian has checked my Crick boats reports and they have gone off to the editor, and I have made an apple crumble.  We’d thought the wide towpath here would be ideal for getting the Cobb barbecue out, but with the sun having failed to make an appearance I think it will be sausages and roasted veg in the oven instead.

12 miles, 7 locks.  (86 miles, 37 locks)

Autumn Cruise: Day 12

We had a lovely visit from my cousin Catherine, Nigel, Grace, and Matthew last night — they brought fish and chips with them, and we had plenty to catch up on.  It rained pretty much the whole evening, and by the time they left, the roof was covered in leaves!  This morning it was a very different day, with clear blue skies and sunshine.  We set off just after 8.

Through the junction and round the corner, we arrived at the top lock.  It just needing a little topping up before we could go in.  At one point it looked as though one of the moored boats was making preparations to join us but nothing came of it, and another boat came through the junction but moored up.  So we set off alone.  The next five locks were all in our favour, and we made good progress in lovely conditions.

For some reason the bottom lock was almost empty, but by the time we were down a couple of boats had arrived to go up.  Along the next section the sunshine was so bright it made it difficult to see.

We passed a lot of boats going the other way, including one which had just been picked up by new owners, who hadn’t rally got the hang of steering.  We stopped at Rugby Boats for a top up of diesel and a replacement gas bottle.  As the day wore on, the cloud built somewhat and the wind really got up.  We stopped early afternoon at the moorings just before Nightingales Bridge.  We walked across the bridge and up the footpath to Gayton, where we had a look in the church and walked round the village.

There have been lots more boats past, many of them Gayton hire boats with people battling the wind.  Tomorrow is supposed to be calmer, but possibly wetter.  We’ve made sure we have working tv tonight, so we can watch my colleague Richie on Strictly.

12 miles, 7 locks.  (159 miles, 155 locks)

Return from blacking: Day 2

We had a pretty relaxed start to the day, then set off to take my car to our marina.  There was an enormous amount of traffic queuing north on the A5 through Towcester, with several miles of pretty much stationary cars and lorries.  It turned out the M1 was shut between junctions 15 and 15A; at least we knew which way not to go back.  Instead, we went through Roade and Blisworth, but there was also a queue there, so we diverted cross country again to get over the A43 and onto the A5.

We decided we’d make a quick detour as we had a little time, and went to the National Trust property, Canons Ashby.

We got there almost the same time as the house was opening at 11.30 so went for a look around.  It’s a really nice house, and unlike some, you could actually imagine living there.

We went to the cafe for an early lunch, during which time the rain started,  it absolutely lashed it down for a while, and even though it had eased off a bit, we still got soaked going back to the car as we had neither coats nor an umbrella with us.  Adrian did at least have an umbrella in the car, so the walk back along the towpath to the boat was a little drier.  He then headed off back to work at about 1pm.  I waited until the rain had stopped about an hour later, then went out with a cloth and dried off the towpath side of the boat, hoping the rain will have washed off all the dust.  As it looked to be cheering up, I set off.  One of the guys from a caravan in the field opposite came down and said that Briar Rose was the prettiest boat they’d see all week!

There were very few boats on the move, but I did meet two of them at bridges, naturally.  The portaloo company by Banbury Lane Bridge appears to have a new line on bright pink ones.  I’m sure I would have noticed them before if they’d been there.

I moored up on the nice stretch before Nightingales Bridge, and went for a walk to get my steps up.  There’s a footpath over the bridge and the railway towards Gayton village.  I didn’t go all the way because it started raining again and I didn’t want to get a second soaking.  But I did get far enough for a view of BR on the moorings, with the Northampton lift tower seemingly not that far away beyond.

On the way back, one of the increasingly rare Avanti trains came along.

Of course by the time I got back to the canal the rain had stopped.  I found far more blackberries in the next five minutes than I’d got in half an hour of hunting yesterday, so I think I’ll be having stewed apple and blackberry this evening, to use up the bit of custard left from last night.

5 miles, 0 locks.  (6 miles, 0 locks)

Post Crick: Day 10

We set off a little after 8am, just after another boat had passed us going in the same direction.  Our Plan A had been to stop on the water point at the top lock and get some washing going, but if the other boat was going down the locks we’d go too.  As it happened, he was going to the water point, and as the top lock was full we headed into it.  Then a boat which had been moored at the far end of the lock landing showed signs of life and indicated that they’d come with us.  It turned out they were boat movers taking the boat down to Whilton Marina, and had still been in bed when they heard us go past!  We made good progress down the locks, in lovely warm sunny conditions.

By lock 12, there’s a little hut containing eggs for sale.  I wish I’d taken a photo when I looked in it yesterday, because there was a goose egg in there.  Today, it was gone.  Half a dozen hen’s eggs are £1, which we thought seemed quite cheap, and goose eggs are £1 each, we thought seemed expensive in comparison.

At the bottom of the locks we paused to get the washing machine going (during the washing part of the cycle, when the machine is heating water, the Travel Power needs the engine at about 1600 revs, so we need to be stationary).  It only takes about 15 minutes, and that times was used by Adrian going to get ice creams from the marina shop.  Once we were on the move again, there was an idyllic scene if you ignored the M1 alongside the canal, with fluffy seeds coming off the trees like snow.  The air was full of them and they were making a carpet on the water.

When we got to Weedon, we tied up opposite the boat yard, because we wanted to visit the Ordnance Depot.  I’ve been before but Adrian hasn’t.  We walked down from the embankment and under the canal and the railway line.

The depot dates back to 1802 and was used to store arms, cannon, and gunpowder.  What’s now the boatyard was the start of an arm which still runs through the site.

There’s a little visitor centre, staffed by very enthusiastic volunteers.

The buildings are now used for businesses.  We had lunch in a cake cafe which only opened on Saturday; there are also gyms, motorsport places, pet food shops, antique centres and a bookshop.  It’s well worth a visit from the canal.

We made one further stop, at Rugby Boats, where the diesel is now up to £1.50 basic price.  We took on 54 litres; the guy there was telling us about a woman who had bought a boat that had huge diesel tanks at the bow, and turned out not to have much diesel in them.  She asked them to stop filling when it got to 500 litres!  We plodded on along the very familiar canal, and stopped about 3.30 at the stretch of piling a little before Bridge 46.

11 miles, 7 locks.  (99 miles, 53 locks)

August weekend: Day 1

Adrian came up to the boat yesterday afternoon, with the drive taking much longer than usual.  I came up by train after a night shift; I was also delayed by a passenger ill on the train, resulting in a long wait at Harrow and Wealdstone.  Adrian went to Tesco in Wolverton this morning, and then picked me up from Milton Keynes Central.

We set off a little after 10am.  The old farm house by Bridge 63 has the most elaborate marquee I’ve ever seen, being built in the garden.  Because of the sloping ground, there’s a raised floor, and there’s even a balcony looking over the canal.

A bit further on, one field has a very substantial margin filled with sunflowers.

The journey to the bottom of Stoke Bruerne Locks seemed to take a little longer than the usual hour and a half.  When we got there, we found two boats about to go up, so we knew we were in for a bit of a wait.  There was also a widebeam ahead of them, and boats coming down.  The wait meant we were joined by a very nice extended family on a former Shakespeare boat, which now operates out of Gayton.  The first few boats coming down were singles, but the next ones were in pairs; we opted to try to stay parallel , and the other boats went round us.

The seven locks normally take an hour and a half, but today the bottom five had already taken two hours, so we opted to stop in the long pound and have some lunch.  Setting off again, the camping boat, William, had just come down so the remaining two locks were on our favour.

At the top lock, Adrian had a set to with the volunteer lock keeper.  We know these locks well, and know that the calmest way of bringing up a single boat is to open the ground paddle on the boat side, and the gate paddle on the other side.  The volunteer had already annoyed us by lifting a paddle without checking if we were ready, and in fact not even checking if we wanted help.  He went somewhat apoplectic when Adrian lifted the gate paddle, ordering him to shut it.  Adrian explained he knew what he was doing, but the volunteer wouldn’t have it, and eventually swore at him.  Adrian asked him to just step away from the lock and leave us to it, but the volunteer instead decided to tell passers by what we were doing wrong, and then to keep up continual comments.  An email has been sent to CRT.

We went through the tunnel, and across Gayton Junction.  A little boat, seemingly specially built for offside blackberrying caused some amusement.

We stopped for the night at a spot we’ve often used, the other side of Bridge 46.  Of course there are Virgin trains, but it’s otherwise peaceful.  I will sleep well tonight, having already been up almost 24 hours.

10 miles, 7 locks

Spring Cruise: Day 1

Today started off quite excitingly, as I went to collect my new car.  It was ordered seven months ago, so it’s been quite a wait.  Then we packed our stuff into it, and headed off on its maiden journey up to the marina.  It seemed like quite a slow trip with several minor hold ups, and we also called in to Tesco in Buckingham to get a Click and Collect order.  Once at the marina we unloaded the car and prepared to set off .

We pulled out of the marina at 2.15; the plod along to Stoke Bruerne Locks took the usual hour and a half, and the locks also took the usual hour and a half.  The first few were full, then we met a boat coming down — newly bought from Gayton, and heading to London.

We’ve seen relatively few boats, and there’s plenty of space on all the moorings.  There were no boats moored below SB Locks, plenty of space in the long pound, and only a handful in the village.  There was loads of space at Blisworth, and at Gayton Junction.  We carried on to the piling beyond Nightingales Bridge, where we are on our own.  It was about 6.45 when we stopped, but it’s a lovely evening and ideal for boating.

10 miles, 7 locks.

Post Crick: Day 1

We were up early again today, and before I'd even had breakfast I started making lunch! We set off about 7.45 in cool (no, it was actually cold) and blustery conditions. It appeared that if we.,d carried on round the corner yesterday we could have moored nearer the junctions, as boats which passed us yesterday evening were moored there -- including Blue Rover, and Lord Trimble's boat Sine Nomine.

The top lock of the Buckby flight needed filling, and we also got rid of rubbish while we were there. It meant we lingered for a while, waiting to see whether anyone else was heading down the locks this early. They weren't, so we set off on our own. The next three locks were all empty, with one or both bottom gates open. The next couple were full. This seems to be because these locks have no proper by-washes, so excess water goes through the paddle culverts and bubbles up into the lock; the effect is most visible when the lock is empty. One of these locks has some metal plates fixed to the wall, as an alternative to fixing the brick work.

It was really windy at times, but at least it wasn't raining as well. The blossom was all coming off the hedges, and in places the canal was completely covered in white petals.

The locks took a couple of hours, and we continued to Weedon where we moored up. I walked down to the little Tesco on the A45/A5 crossroads to get a few things we'd forgotten yesterday. Shortly after I got back, the rain started. The reason we'd stopped there was for a family visit. My sister and family arrived at about 12.30, en route from Cheshire to Kent. We noticed that the Alvechurch hire boat in front of us had come adrift at the stern; Ian helped pull it back it, we rescued the mooring stake, and hammered it back in. I also knocked the bow stake in a bit more, so it was more secure; I wonder if they noticed when they returned.

We gave the family lunch, then Ian took the car and the dog to Stowe Hill Bridge, while the rest of us went by boat. Emily, who's four, frankly found it a bit slow and boring; but Rachel, who's seven, enjoyed standing at the back with me, looking at the boats and the wildlife -- even though it was raining. We soon spotted Ian and the black lab, Harris, walking back along the towpath; when Harris saw Rachel on the boat, he jumped in and tried to swim over! When we reached Stowe Hill, the family disembarked, to continue their journey.

By now I was already wet, so thought we might as well put on a few more miles, so we're back at a reasonable time tomorrow. The rain was never heavy, just fairly steady, and the wind had dropped considerably. We tied up at the moorings just before Nightingales Bridge, at just after 4.30. In the same time, the family had reached the Dartford Crossing!

12 miles, 7 locks. (68 miles, 37 locks)

 

Post blacking cruise: Day 1

I had a boat test to do this morning at Yelvertoft Marina.  During the test, I heard a boat getting ready to leave, and it turned out to be Yarwood with Lesley and Joe on board.  We managed a brief chat before they headed off towards Foxton.

Once the test was done, I headed to Heyford Fields to drop things off at Briar Rose.  Then it was down to Wolverton Station, where Adrian was waiting having travelled up from London, and then to Thrupp Wharf to park the car.  Adrian had booked a cab, which took us back to Heyford Fields.

The next job was to pay for the work we'd had done, and then we were off.  It was about 4.15 when we reversed off the slipway mooring, and made the turn out of the marina.  As we headed south, there were lots of signs of spring, including fields of oilseed rape.

We boated for about an hour, passing a few moving boats on the way.  We've moored at a spot we've used before, just before Nightingale Bridge.  Surprisingly, there was no-one else here; it's often packed.

The reason we've had to wait so long to get the boat back is because we were waiting for our new loo to be delivered from America.  Our smelly tank has gone, and we've joined the composting club, with an Airhead toilet.  We'll see how we get on with it!

3 miles, 0 locks.

Big Trip - Day 33

 It was another bright but slightly misty morning when we woke up, and we were under way just a couple of minutes after 8am.  We were soon at the top of the Watford Locks, and I went to find the lock keeper.  Two boats were already on their way down the staircase, and he said we should follow.

At Watford there's a single lock at the top, a staircase of four, and two single locks at the bottom.  It was 8.25 when the lock keeper wrote our name in his book, and 9.10 when we exited the bottom lock -- which means we did the seven locks pretty fast.  We even caught up the boat in front.

It's a couple of miles between the locks and Norton Junction.  In passing through the junction, we completed the Leicester Ring -- albeit in two very distinct halves.  The first half, from Norton Junction to Fradley Junction via Braunston and Fazeley was Day 2 to Day 6 of the trip; the second half, from Fradley to Norton Junction began on Day 26.

We got to the top of Buckby Locks at 10am, where we were due to meet family.  We thought we'd top up the water tank while waiting for them to arrive, but then we spotted a boat also heading for the locks so decided we'd go straight down, and have them as lock partners.  I went to fill the top lock, which was empty, during which time my second-cousin, Catherine, her husband, Nigel, and their son Matthew, arrived; their daughter Grace is away for the weekend.  It was really great to see them again; they're having a boating holiday themselves in the October half term, so we'll look forward to hearing how they get on.

We shared the locks with a Calcutt hire boat.  Matthew wanted to ride on Briar Rose, but also helped with the lock work.  We got into a good rhythm where the chap from the Calcutt boat would go ahead to set the next lock, while Catherine and I looked after the one the boats were in.

We got to the bottom in about an hour and half, which is pretty good going.  There were plenty of boats coming up, and it was sunny and warm which helped everyone's mood.

We moored up at the bottom for tea, cake, and chat, during which time numerous boats arrived at the bottom of the locks, including our neighbour at Thrupp Wharf, as the boat is for sale and they were moving it up to ABNB.  When Catherine and co were ready to go, I walked with them back to the road and went to the Canal Turn Farm Shop by the second lock up, to get some bacon and eggs for breakfast tomorrow.

We set off again at about 1pm, and had lunch on the move.  Adrian started making a chili for dinner tonight.  This section is so familiar that I didn't take even a single photo!  We stopped to top up the diesel tank at Rugby Boats at Stowe Hill Wharf; they were having a busy day, as we had to wait for a boat to move off the wharf, and another was waiting when we'd finished.

We carried on for another couple of hours.  One of the boats we passed was Watermark, which I happened to notice had the registration number one on from ours!  We've moored up just before Bridge 46, where we have a great view of the Virgin and London Midland trains rushing by.  We're trying not to think about it being our last night on board for this trip.

15 miles, 14 locks.  (428 miles, 263 locks)

Repaint cruise - day 3

We woke to a beautiful sunny morning, and set off at just after 8.30.  I walked the first part of our journey, to get some photos of Briar Rose in the sunshine.  The autumn colours added to the scene.

Along the towpath, we met a woman walking her little horse.  She explained that he had bad feet so can't manage a paved road.  He's also a bit overweight -- I said he looked like a Thelwell pony.

When we arrived at Buckby bottom lock, I winded in the marina entrance and we moored up opposite.  We walked up to the chandlery with a list of things we wanted, but they didn't have most of them.  We came away with a new rope for the bow, as Adrian has always disliked the really thick and rather stretchy rope that's been there.

We began retracing our steps.  It had clouded over and tried to rain a couple of times; there was also a brisk breeze, which made it quite cold.  We stopped at Rugby Boats at Stowe Hill Wharf for diesel, having tweeted them last night to check the price.  Service was friendly and efficient, and we were soon on our way again -- going about a hundred yards into a convenient space on the towpath side, where we stopped for lunch.

In the afternoon it was much sunnier, although still breezy and chilly.  The Northamptonshire countryside looked good in the sunshine,

We stopped just before 3pm, just short of Bridge 46, less than a mile from Gayton Junction.  We have the Virgin Trains close by again, but it's almost impossible to get away from them round here.

13 miles, 0 locks.  (29 miles, 7 locks)