Rapidly Rising.

Sunday 22nd September

We got back to the boat and after a cup of tea we decided to head on up the locks to see how far we could get.

We had turned around when we had arrived so it was just a matter of letting go and heading off. It was overcast still but we didn't have any rain all the day. The wall seems to have been the retaining wall for the railway that looped up to the current Northampton station. On the towpath side of the canal was the locomotive depot that is now an industrial estate behind a fence.

As we left this lock a boat heading down were quite worried about the river levels, but we couldn't enlitten them. However I wouldn't have gone on to the river if I hadn't a safe place to get to after the days of rain that we had had. This was the first lock on our upward journey. The scaffolding is over a pipeline and behind is the old railway bridge of the Roade, Northampton and Rugby Railway line.

The second lock of the day and the second boat coming down. On the left where the tall trees are was the Hansbury Hill Iron Works as well as a brick and tile works. The smelter was started in 1873 using ore mined in the hill behind the factory. The mines then spread around the surrounding hills and being brought by light railway. Ore was also brought by boat and rail in small quantities. It finally closed in 1936. The mining of the hill caused the loss of much of an iron age hill fort although some artefacts were recovered.

Like many parts of the system reeds are encroaching the water. I don't suppose that many boats come up and down this branch due to the many locks, only those set on using the River Nene. However the reeds don't really block the route as they are pliable and if you lean into them you can push them aside and so pass other boats even in this sort of cover.

On the way down to Northampton a couple of days previously there was not much of a trickle in this feeder for the River Nene but there was already a good flow on it. It doesn't bode well for anybody out on the river in the next few days me thinks.

As you come to the motorway the lock wheeling starts in earnest. The motorway travels roughly east/west but there is a connecting road that heads nearly north/south. This has been built along the route of the old Northampton and Peterborough Branch Railway of the L&NWR. At the top it joined up to the mainline at Blisworth Junction.

The bottom gates have no foot boards or bridge so should entail walking right around the lock to close one of the gates. I was at the helm so I was able to close one of the gates from the stern and when we had risen up enough I could open/close the offside paddle as Helen had gone up to ready the next lock. To save her walking back I would also close up. We sped up the flight and from setting off to leaving the top lock was a very good 3 hours and five minutes. We were flying, so hence no photos.

We topped up with water at the top, turned to starb'd onto the Grand Union and found a spot on the visitor moorings after a very good day.