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A bit of Oxford, Grand Union and Leicester Line


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Tuesday 23rd April

 

Arrived at Braunston mid-afternoon and unlocked the boat, turned on the gas, etc. and slowly ferried our stuff from the car to the boat whilst waiting for our friends to arrive. They arrived an hour or so later and we welcomed them on-board with a glass of wine and beer smile.png

 

After showing them around the boat we went for a pleasant walk to the bottom lock and back pointing out different boats and canal features.

 

After eating dinner and consuming a few more bottles of wine it was time for bed.

 

Wednesday 24th April

 

I woke up early and thought about where to head off to figuring that up Braunston locks and through the tunnel would be a good direction to head in. I did think about heading down Stockton way but thought that might be a little hard going for friends who had not experienced canals before.

 

The previous evening had shown that the pump out toilet was a little more full than we’d originally thought so figured that it might be a good idea to pump it out (the cassette and spare were empty thankfully).

 

Shortly after 9am we set off out of the marina by the lower entrance, up the canal and in through the main marina entrance to the pump out point.

 

The girls decided it was then a good time to visit the village shop and butchers so off they went leaving us two men to do the dirty work.

 

After pumping out the girls weren’t back so we decided to take a short trip to Braunston Turn and back to kill some time and then at least we were pointing the way.

 

Coming back towards the stop house we could see our shopping party had returned so we moored up next to the marina entrance to have breakfast.

 

I suddenly had a feeling that I’d seen an email stoppage alert which mentioned Braunston Locks. Having had deleted it off my phone I could not see what day it was for. Luckily someone in a CRT jumper walked past and we were able to glean off him that the stoppage was for the next day but would be over by 4:30pm but this was going to be too late for our friends who wanted to leave us earlier than that. No problem then, we’d head off in the other direction.

 

I reversed the boat back to the marina entrance where I started to turn round. Halfway through doing so a widebeam came into view around the bend by the Stop House. I finished turning and was just about to say “Thank you” to the widebeam when he shouted to me that what I had done “wasn’t very smart” and how I “should have stopped my manoeuvre and let him past”. Whoever he was made me have to explain to my friends that not all people on the canals were grumpy and most were very relaxed and friendly. I won’t say the name of the widebeam but its name didn’t mirror the personality of those on-board!

 

That incident aside we headed off in the direction of Braunston Turn and turned left towards Napton.

 

At Bridge 101 a Greenfinch came and sat on our rear fender for a few hundred yards eyeing up the cabin doors and at one time trying to get in.

 

When we were around the Shuckburgh area I had another thought and after a few conversations we went to plan C and instead of turning right at Napton Junction, we carried straight on onto the Oxford Canal.

 

When we reached to bottom lock there were 2 CRT volunteers to help us on our way up the locks who told us of a stoppage the following Monday at the top locks in case it interfered with our return journey. It didn’t as we were planning on coming back down the flight the next day.

 

We met a few boats coming down the flight which meant we had an easy run up, turning in the Old Engine Arm and coming back down one lock to our mooring for the night. Shortly after another boat come down the lock and moored in front of us.

 

After a shower and beer or two we walked down the locks to the Folly Inn where we spent an hour or so with the main debate being should we stay and eat there or go back and have what we have on the boat? It was decided that it might be best to go back and cook on-board.

 

We had lovely steaks purchased from the butchers in Braunston and with the empty wine bottles and beer cans stacking up we decided to call it a night.

 

Thursday 25th April

 

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We awoke to a lovely sunny morning and the sound of lambs in the field next to us.

 

After breakfast we headed back down the flight. I could see that the ‘crew’ were stopped on the towpath by some CRT people and hoped that it was nothing serious. They were told that some of the pounds were very low and they would be letting water down so if we got stuck it we would re-float before long. The boat that was moored next to us cast off behind us so there would at least be another lock full of water coming down immediately behind us.

 

The lower pounds were extremely low with the one above the bottom lock a good two to three feet down with the mud barge that had been floating the night before now high and dry.

 

 

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We managed to pass without incident but there can’t have been much water under us at times.

 

By now the sun had really come out and it was turning into a lovely day.

 

Napton Junction was reached and passed.

 

Once again at Bridge 101 the Greenfinch came back to hitch a lift with us for a bit having this time tried to fly in the front doors.

 

 

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Before long we were heading back around Braunston Turn and towards the marina. Safely on our mooring we quickly headed up to The Admiral Nelson for a spot of lunch. At the bottom lock there were boats waiting to go up, including Mike Askin’s Victoria, when the stoppage cleared.

 

After a lovely lunch we headed back to the boat and said goodbye to our friends. We were meant to be joined by another the next morning but they had car trouble so for the next few days it would be just Becky and I.

 

Friday 26th April

 

The morning started sunny but before too long was becoming overcast.

 

We headed out onto the Grand Union, this time turning right towards the locks. Becky hadn’t done any wide locks before but had done enough narrow locks to know what to do. As we approached the bottom lock there was another boat entering so we were able to share with them. In the time it took to do the flight the weather went from overcast with a little sun, to hail, to rain, and back to overcast again!

 

 

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Once through the locks it was time for the tunnel. I’d not passed through Braunston Tunnel for a good 5 years and not steered through it for 14 so I had pretty much forgotten how not straight it actually was! I knew about the slight ‘S’ bend but would it be too much to make the walls straight? wink.png

 

We only met 2 boats in the tunnel but it was still nice to be out of the other side.

 

Reaching Norton Junction we decided to turn left onto the Leicester Line which would be a first for us (not that I’d been the other way before either). We were really glad we did, it is a lovely stretch of canal and one we immediately said we would definitely do again.

 

We passed the rear of Watford Gap services and were soon on to Watford Locks. I’d never done a staircase like this before so was looking forward to it. We moored up behind another boat at the bottom of the locks and Becky went off in search of the lockkeeper. She came back after booking our passage up and we waited for the last boat to come down. About 35 minutes later we were on our way with Becky repeating the phrase “Red before white, you’ll be alright. White before Red, get a clip ‘round the head” (something the lockkeeper had told her to remember in which order to work the paddles).

 

 

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It didn’t seem like long before we reached to top and soon we passed under the M1 and into the countryside again. I’d heard that Crick tunnel was very wet so was prepared for a soaking but at least the sides were fairly straight!

 

We moored up by the marina at Crick where the wind was blowing us about but it wasn’t too bad before taking a walk up into the village for a look around.

 

After returning to the boat to get changed we headed up to the Red Lion for a few drinks. Walking into the bar it was like entering a contestant for the most stereotypical English Pub competition! Old wooden tables and chairs, horse brasses and collectables everywhere, leather bound menus with typed inserts which were obviously changed regularly and the lovely smell of homemade food! Oh, and someone that I used to know during my days regularly volunteering for the Cotswold Canals Trust who had just moved his boat to the marina! After a brief catch up, Becky and I sat down with our drinks and thought we would just take a look at the menu. One rib-eye steak and a vegetable cheesy bake later we left and headed back to the boat for the night feeling very full and commenting on how good value it was.

 

The next day we planned to head for Welford.

 

Saturday 27th April

 

When we woke up the wind had picked up and the skies overcast but we set off after breakfast as planned. But not before opening my Birthday cards :)

Around the bends though the wind was absolutely bitter and blowing strongly. If it wasn’t for the canal passing through lovely countryside I think it could have been one of those days where boating would be a chore not a pleasure. After some discussion we turned at Elkington Bridge. The wind did not make this easy and we also picked something up on the prop which made the engine labour but a few forwards and backwards seemed to clear it (which was proven after checking the weed hatch later in the day). Eventually turned, we headed back to Crick. Had I realised that not far further on was the A14 bridge which I’d driven over many times thinking “I would like to go under on the canal someday” I think I may had persevered a little longer but that’s one for another day now.

 

We arrived back in Crick shortly after 1:30pm and just made last food orders at the Red Lion at 2pm. A quick drink in the Wheatsheaf afterwards and the rest of the day was spent relaxing on the boat watching TV and reheating the Lasagne left over from a few days previous.

 

Sunday 28th April

 

We made a fairly early start from Crick and spying a fox running around above the tunnel entrance we were followed through by another 2 boats. Reaching Watford Locks we were the first in queue and were told to go down the first lock and wait in the pound for the ones coming up to pass which turned into a 30 minute wait. The passage down the locks was uneventful and I even remembered that the lower gates of the top staircase lock leak badly and so I had the backdoors shut before I could get a soaking.

 

We turned right at Norton Junction and it was nice to be on the wide Grand Union again. Entering the cutting leading up to Braunston Tunnel it was good to get out of the wind although we caught up a much slower boat just before the tunnel itself. Slowing down I left a good gap between us but even in the tunnel I had to throttle right back at times to avoid catching up. We met 3 or 4 boats coming though, normally in places where the wall bulged so bumped the sides a few times but nothing serious.

 

 

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When we reached the top lock we could see the guy on the boat in front was on his own so unfortunately Becky would have to work 2 boats down the locks. I was hoping for a hire boat with a large crew but you can’t have everything.

 

We soon got a system going and made progress down the locks without holding the 2 boats behind us up. The wind, however, was causing issues and we were very glad to reach the bottom lock where we wished the other boat a pleasant journey (he was heading for Manchester). We moored up on our mooring, turned the engine off and sat down to lunch feeling a little worn out and windswept! We decided to wait until the following morning to fill up with diesel and went to the Nelson instead.

 

Monday 29th April

 

After breakfast and sorting a few things out we decided we’d better go and fill up with diesel whilst it was quiet.

 

We unplugged the shoreline, started up and untied the boat. The wind was blowing hard again as I backed out of the mooring and I needed a few bursts of forward to keep us from hitting the boat next door. Our stern was heading for a pontoon behind us so another burst of forward sorted that out. I needed a bit more room at the bow so put it into reverse again. When I had enough room I put the boat into forward again, increased the revs and went in reverse quicker! Something wasn’t quite right here so I put it back into reverse and yes it went backwards still. Pushing the lever forward still made it go backwards (as did the neutral position). I shouted to Becky to fend off any boats at the front as I fended off the ones behind before stopping the engine and coasting to a halt in-between the boats on the pontoons behind ours. A quick diagnosis from a marina worker told us it was indeed the gear cable that had snapped, locking us in reverse. I did have a quick look at fixing it myself but we were running out of time at this stage to head home so polled the boat back across the marina (not easy in the wind) and back into our mooring. Thankful that the cable had snapped where it did and not in a lock somewhere!

 

Overall, a very enjoyable few days and we’ll definitely head back in the Crick direction another day.

 

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