TUNNELS

 

The 5 ½ miles to Market Harborough were uneventful, there are only 2 swing bridges for me to do. At the first I helped a single hander on NB Buckeroo through, and was repaid at the second one, as a boat coming the other way had already opened it and we cruised through with ease.

There are some strange mooring signs on this part of the canal and they look new. On one stretch it told us it was 7 days, but there was no way to moor your boat. The towpath was stoned right up to the edge of the canal so cant use pins, there was no arnco for nappy pins or chains, and no rings or bollards either. Very strange.

We managed to nab the last moorings just outside the basin and had a chat with the guy off Buckeroo, and caught up again with Koi Carp Diem and Nelwyn. Nelwyn was the boat which had broken down (trouble with the oil sump) and they had managed to get it fixed with the help of Debdale Marina. They couldn’t praise the marina highly enough.

https://www.debdalewharf.co.uk/

We only stopped for one night, and after an excellent curry and great catch up with Dave and Sandra, we headed back to Foxton locks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxton_Locks

I love Foxton locks, they were the first locks I ever did, I love to help out as we wait our turn. This day was no different. We had a bit of a wait as the lockees were bringing 6 boats down, before letting the 8 waiting up, and we were about 5^th in line.

As the last boat came down I went to see if I could help, and the first boat up was Nelwyn with her single handed crew, I took him up the first 5 locks to the passing pound where a helpful gongoozler offered to help him the rest of the way. So I returned to the bottom lock and helped out were I could.

After Nelwyn came a boat with no name, then Koi Carp Diem, Gosling, Acen, Elizabeth Rose, then us followed by Still Waters. With everyone helping out it didn’t take long at all. There was lots of questions and chatting on the locks which made it a very enjoyable day. We treated ourselves to an ice cream from the cafe at the top of the locks before heading to the MONW for the night.

https://www.facebook.com/TopLockCoffeeStop/

The reason for this blog being called tunnels, is because on this leg of our journey there were a few to do. The Captain hates tunnels, especially 2 way working ones. You always seem to meet another boat at just the wrong moment, where there is a kink or the ceiling is low and it narrows passage. He is rather precious of our new paint work and covers, and who can blame him.

The first tunnel was Husband Bosworth, at 1166yrds not to bad, and as the saying goes you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We didn’t meet anyone so a successful passage.

As we were approaching the Jubilee weekend the canals were getting noticeably busier with hire and private boats. We passed each other with a cheery wave and a smile.

In the sky gliders from a local club were taking flight, being towed by a light aircraft in to the blue yonder, before being released and left to the mercies of the wind and weather.

https://www.theglidingcentre.co.uk/

There is another reason for the increase in boat traffic on this route, the Jubilee weekend was also the Crick boat show weekend, this is the largest show dedicated to canals, narrowboats and every thing that goes with them.

https://www.crickboatshow.com/

Although the moorings at Crick were suspended for the show, we got permission to moor for an hour to do some essential shopping at the Co-op there. Shopping opportunities on this route are few and far between.

The next tunnel, Crick tunnel at 1528yrds, slightly longer than the last but again straight. But our luck ran out and we met 3 boats coming the other way. The tunnels are only just wide enough for 2 boats to pass, its very dark, so it is almost impossible to judge distance until the 2 boats are really close. Some boats will stop and wait for you to pass, other will plough on through with fingers crossed.

The 7 locks at Watford are the same as Foxton, one way working and you have to book in with the lockee and wait your turn. When we turned up there was only a hire boat in front of us but 6 boats were coming up, so we had a bit of a wait, so we pitched in and helped. Eventually it was our turn and 2 had turned into 3. It took no time at all to get down, but in that time 6 boats had turned up at the bottom all heading for Crick show.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watford_Locks

We moored at Norton Junction for the night and went for tea at the New Inn, one of our favourite pubs on the system. At the pub we met up with the guy off Buckeroo, and a newbie boater off Elsie Ann. This lead to an impromptu boaters get together sat by the lock. But we never found out their names.

https://www.newinnbuckbywharf.co.uk/

At Norton Junction we turned off the Leicester arm of the GU and on to the mainline Grand Union heading for Braunston

Braunston tunnel is 2042yrds long and has a number of kinks in it. It was the one the Captain was dreading, and all his fears came true as we met boat after boat coming the other way. 6 in total. Of course we had to meet them at the worst points, and we had more than a few scrapes and bumps.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braunston_Tunnel

Next we had to tackle the 6 Braunston locks, these are double locks but we had know one to buddy up with, we met boats coming up which helped. Then I spotted a hire boat on the next lock landing, they seemed to be waiting for us. Unfortunately this was not the case, and when I approached them they told me they were mooring up, they seemed a little put out when I told them they couldn’t moor there as it was a lock landing, and needed by boats using the lock. However I pointed out they could simply pull back and use pins to moor, which they did.

At Braunston after calling in at Midland Chandlers we turned onto the Oxford canal heading for home in Coventry

The birdlife has been plentiful, I enjoyed watching the Pied Wagtails hovering just above the water, we had a robin sit with us outside Bridge 61, kestrels, red kite and buzzards have soared above us. |Reed Bunting and Chaffinches have been easy to spot along with gold finches, blue tits and long tailed tits.

Reed Bunting

And bats have swooped around the boat at dusk.