A HAPPY WAGGY ENDING

 

Our first week out has been pretty uneventful, well that is if you don’t count my black eye and sprained wrist. But I will come to that later, and a lost dog

After a night in the middle of nowhere we set off for Hilmorton locks.

The sky was blue and the sun was shining, but the wind was chilly and gusting, this was to become a problem over the next couple of days.

We hit our first tunnel of the year at Newbold, only a short straight tunnel at 250yrds, the Captain doesn’t like tunnels (that’s putting it mildly) but this one was easy. Then through Rugby. The mooring were busy, so it was lucky we didn’t need to stop for shopping, there is a Tesco by the canal

Hilmorton are a set of 3 side by side locks, this means there are 3 sets of locks in the flight, with 2 single locks side by side. It is said to be the busiest locks on the system, but today it seemed quiet. I asked the resident lock keeper how many boats they had helped, and the number I thought was quite high at 22, but he said on a busy day it can be over 50, now that’s a lot.

https://www.hillmortonlocks.co.uk/

A second night was spent in the MONW

The wind caused serious problems next day, we set off hoping to get to Braunston, and go up 2 of the 6 double locks to moor near the Admiral Nelson, a pub we have passed many times but never been in. but it was not to be, the gusts of wind got stronger and stronger, and the Captain was having problems when passing other boats, both moored and moving. He decided to call it quits about a mile and a half from Braunston.

We decided to go to the pub, not the Admiral Nelson but the Boat House (it was closer), a large Marston’s pub on the side of the canal and a 25 minute walk down the towpath. Now you would have thought that being so close to a major canal junction and attraction (the locks), the towpaths would be good, but uh boy they weren’t. At one point where it seriously narrowed I thought about turning back, but the pull of a pint was to much and we soldiered on. Its was nice when we got there, and to sit outside overlooking the canal with a couple of pints of Madri. Unfortunately there was nothing dark on for the Captain. We only had 2 before heading back to the boat, and this is were disaster struck. As I have already said the towpath was bad, and I was concentrating on all the trip hazards ahead of me when I failed to see the nearest one, and this was my downfall, or should that be fall down. And I went down like a bag of spuds, what made it worse, I couldn’t fall on a grassy bit, oh no, I had to pick a bit of gravel. I landed on my right hand, arm and cheek. My glasses fell of and I was completely winded. The captain following my instructions grabbed my handbag. (I was afraid of it going in the water). After a moment just catching my breath I managed to get up, and luckily found I had not broken anything, including my glasses. My cheek felt sore, but that was about it until the next morning, when I realised that my fall had given me a black eye, and a lovely yellow bruise on my cheek.

Looks worse in real life

Oh well never mind.

But it did not stop our cruise, and off we went next day up the 6 locks at Braunston. These are double locks, but it was quiet and no one joined us, but we did meet a few boats coming down. Just past the locks is Braunston tunnel, not one of the Captains favourites at all, its 2 way working, and 2042yrds long and with more than a few kinks along the way. But fate was with us and we met no one coming towards us, so an uneventful passage.

Our aim for the day was Norton Junction, were we turned left towards Leicester, moored up and headed to the pub. The New Inn at Long Buckby, another favourite pub of ours. But no darks on for the Captain once again, so he had to make do with Fosters.

We had arranged to meet the Captains sister Ann, and hubby Chris there the next day for a meal. We had a lovely time, the company and the food were great

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

Saturday and more locks, this time the Watford flight, a set of 7 locks, the middle 3 being a staircase. You have to book in with the lock keeper, so this is what I did and then stopped to help the boat coming down. Its always nice to help.

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

Our moorings for the night were at Crick, but there was another tunnel to traverse before we got there. Slightly shorter than Braunston at 1528yrds, but still daunting and our luck didn’t hold out as we met another boat coming towards, us but we passed each other with ease and we were soon moored at Crick, and off to the pub of course. This time the Wheatsheaf, no darks on again, but the Captain was happy with a pint (or 3) of Cruzcampo. There is a Coop across the road from the pub, so I picked a few bits up, as shops are sadly lacking on this stretch of canal.

Crick tunnel

Our plan was to go down the Welford Arm in time for the Captains birthday, and we made it with a day to spare.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers/welford-arm-leicester-line

We moored up outside the pub The Wharf Inn, and were soon joined by Anne and John on NB Kallisto. We got chatting and introduced to their deaf dog Meg. But when they went to find their 2^nd dog Flora there was no sign of her. She had jumped ship somewhere between Foxton Locks and Welford. At first they thought it might have been at the one and only lock on the arm, so they walked back to see if they could find her. In the mean time the Captain and I looked round the immediate area and spoke to people. I went in the pub and asked in there but no one had seen Flora. When Anne and John returned they joined us for a pint, there was still no sign of Flora, and this is where the power of Facebook comes into play. I posted it on a couple of the boating sites I am on, another gentleman posted on a local boaters page, and a lovely lady posted on the Welford page. The response was almost instant, a boater moored near Foxton had posted about a dog running free on the towpath near the locks, and people pointed me towards the post. We were able to confirm it was Flora. Anne and John took a taxi back to Foxton Locks, and Todd the boater who had originally seen Flora, turned out to look for her as well. It was a happy waggy ending when Ann and John returned with Flora, none the worse for her adventures.

Flora

So a bit of excitement to end our first weeks cruising.

44miles 17 locks, 3820yrds in tunnels and 2 canals