We were off at about 0930 and never really got going as there were lines of moored boats. I'm beginning to think it is better 'up north'. The canal meanders around the contour and there is hardly a building that encroaches on the cut. We got yo Bridge 32 and there was nobody on the fuel moorings at Fred Tarry and at 79p it seemed to good to miss. We soon had 97 ltrs aboard and on our way. We had a deadline to make as our guest was having guests and we had to make Stoke Bruerne.
We didn't venture too far from the mouth of the tunnel before taking a mooring as it looked full further on. We were in good time for our visitors and not long after tying up they were walking down the tow path. After a guided tour, which didn't take too long for obvious reasons, we were off to the Boat for a libation or two. It was nice to put a face to names we had heard from Chris so often. Back at the boat we had another bottle of wine and hand fed the moorhens. I had had ducks, swans, pigeons eating out of my hand but there the moorhens have it sussed. The Mum and Dad had a couple of teenagers still with them from this year and a couple of tots. One of the parents jumped up on the bow, walked down the mooring rope and took bread from the hand. The other parent didn't dare though. They didn't eat it though, but took it over to the littlest ones and fed them, then later they fed the older ones before having some themselves. I had always thought moorhens pretty rubbish parents as they seem to let there little ones get separated easily, but they do seem to look after there young on today's evidence.
Bugbrooke Wharf and pub
Helen appearing almost naked (by her standards) whilst getting a bit of steering in.
There was plenty of moored vessels but not that many coming past us. It seemed to take ages to reach Gayton Junction but in reality it wasn't that long. We aren't heading up the locks to Northampton, River Nene and Peterbrough and the hence to the Middle Levels this time but we definitely sometime in the future.
Gayton Junction.
We were soon approaching Blisworth Tunnel which is the third longest on the system at 3076 yds but first there was the wharf at Blisworth Tunnel Boats and then the Mill. Blisworth Mill was built as a corn mill in 1879 after the original mill and bake house had been destroyed by a fire. The Northampton Co-op Society bought it in 1920 but couldn't make a go of it and sold it to Grand Union Canal Company in 1930 and they used it as a warehouse. In 1934 the chimney was pulled down. It stored tinned food in WWII and then became a bondeed store, food factory and spice warehouse until 2000 when it was converted to apartments.
Blisworth Mill today.
Blisworth Mill 1895
When we entered the tunnel we could see a light near the other end and we didn't meet them until we were more than half way. The northern half is the original brick lining but to the south the lining had failed and in 1980 the canal was closed for four years to make the tunnel safe, reopening in 1984.
The new linings of the tunnel.
The old lining of brick.
At the southern portal is this lining ring that shows the diameter of the bore. The internal 'bumps' mark the water level and I am not tired, but there for scale, honestly.
We didn't venture too far from the mouth of the tunnel before taking a mooring as it looked full further on. We were in good time for our visitors and not long after tying up they were walking down the tow path. After a guided tour, which didn't take too long for obvious reasons, we were off to the Boat for a libation or two. It was nice to put a face to names we had heard from Chris so often. Back at the boat we had another bottle of wine and hand fed the moorhens. I had had ducks, swans, pigeons eating out of my hand but there the moorhens have it sussed. The Mum and Dad had a couple of teenagers still with them from this year and a couple of tots. One of the parents jumped up on the bow, walked down the mooring rope and took bread from the hand. The other parent didn't dare though. They didn't eat it though, but took it over to the littlest ones and fed them, then later they fed the older ones before having some themselves. I had always thought moorhens pretty rubbish parents as they seem to let there little ones get separated easily, but they do seem to look after there young on today's evidence.
Moorhen at hand.
2 comments:
Of course it is better up north!
Hi Ann, I thought you were ignoring us, or gone abroad again. So far the scenery is good around here but there are loads of boats and marinas. If they ever started to move at the same time.......
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