Sunshine at last.

We woke up to sunshine and when we opened the bedroom curtains we were able to watch reed buntings playing. The solar panels were soon doing there thing. We got away about 0930 from Hillmorton and leisurely proceeded to Rugby as it was only an hour away. The main Trent Valley railway line runs nearby and whilst Helen was disposed a beautiful blue steam train went past, but of course I didn't have a camera.We tied up on the offside by a small park that was a nice buffer away from the roads. On the other side is a quiet residential area so we decided to stay here over night.

The canal runs past a gold course and this disused viaduct divides it in half.

We went for a walk into the centre of rugby for a look sea. It was market day. Neither of us can remember having been before so didn't know what to expect really. It was smaller than I thought with some lovely old buildings, but it seems there is a resemblance to Hull as it wasn't as well off a place as we thought it may be as there were a lot of charity shops and folk of a certain kind. The book said it was a mile but it was almost double that. In the end we came back a different way to check out the Tesco etc. 

Once we were back the weather was still lovely so Helen sat out on the bow in the sun and I investigated some wet under the mat near the washing machine. I pulled it out having moved the steps etc etc and there was no sign of a leak. I have concluded that it is sweat beneath the flat plastic backing and the cold bilge and warm cabin. We have put newspaper under the mat to test the theory and I was pleased to find we aren't sinking. I took the opportunity to uncover the treads on the steps that were still covered with cardboard. I suppose it now means we are staying. As the there was no non slip tread on them I put strips on and also on the back deck where you just climb on. We had also bought an ash pole for a boat hook so I started shaping the end to fit the head we have ready to fit later. 

After tea we decided to go to the pictures that is only about 15 mins away. We went to see Trance. It was different, and kept you guessing to the end. £ 8-30 to get in!! No popcorn for Helen though. We will be moving on tomorrow.

Virgin territory.

We got away at 0830 to get us to Calcutt locks for 1000 and although the wind had died away it was still cold, with no sun. We were soon at the Wigram's Turn or Napton Juntion as it is officially known. We hired a boat from here years ago when we did the Warwickshire Ring with Neal and Sue and families years ago.

Napton Junction. We are about to turn right and the locks are about 1.5 miles further up.

We got there at just before 0930 so filled up with water and then went into tell them that we were there. I also explained to him that really everything seemed to be working now. I have had a play about and the programmer seems to be coming on at the correct times. After getting a thermometer it showed that the thermostat was set wrongly so was about 8 degs. too hot so always trying to come on. I bought some spare fuses and an alternator belt and then set off back to Braunston. Unfortunately we got stuck behind  tug Zulu towing butty Rollo and they were going very slowly. It was luck it was only a couple of hours to Braunston as it was pretty tedious going along at tick over. 

At Braunston we stopped at Midland Chandlers and bought a second shelf for the oven so Helen can make double the quantity of cakes and biscuits. After lunch we set off to the Canal Chandlers where we bought the  compost loo to change over the solar ventilator we have for it. It was only about 1.5 hours and after tying up went in to see them. I reassembled the vent and it was working fine!!! Oh well a red face for me. It definitely wasn't before. Any way we decided to get diesel and a 13kg gas bottle. The tank took 63 ltrs so that appears to be roughly 2 litres an hour! I will have to check that as it seems very good. You can declare what split you are using it as the fuel used for propulsion is taxed and that used for heating etc is only lightly taxed. I said 40/60. The gas was about £25 so we will have to make a note of when we go on it to see how long that lasts. I fitted the solar vent to make sure it worked in situ and then set off. 

Two railway bridges approaching Hillmorton Locks.

Middle set of Hillmorton Locks.

It wasn't very long until Helen had to get her windlass out again. The locks are paired. I assume that this was to speed up the passing of boats as one lock would cause a bottle neck at busy times. We were soon down them and moored up to take water again. Helen had done a wash and so thought it best that we fill up again. It seems that it didn't use too much water though.

Some gates that have been replaced recently have had small poems carved on their beams. 'This door makes depth captive for a while'.

Helen putting her back into a bit of cleaning.

We heard that were we had thought we would moor tonight could be a bit noisy so after finishing the water we just pulled clear and then tied up for the night.

Plan B

The wind continued through the night and kept us both awake at various times. The boat was pinned to the bank so didn't bang but as each gust came through we heeled over a little and the vents were whistling. It was all  most good to have to get up. After getting out side I tried to move the boat by pushing the bow and it hardly moved so there was little chance of getting off the side easily. Besides there was no real rush as the heater is actually working okay. After calling the engineers they said that they would book us in for 1000 on Friday so we decided to sit tight.

I managed to get a few jobs done. The first was to get the shower pump working. It always seems to work for me but when Helen has a shower it doesn't work! Everything takes quite a while aboard as first you have to excavate where the pump or item is and then you have to ferret around to find the correct tools etc. I think I solved the pump problem by fixing the discharge hose higher than the pump so that it always drains down into the pump to keep it primed and not in a sag in the pipe below it. We will find out tomorrow. My next job was to cut up some spare carpet to line the base of Helen's bedside cabinet. I had to chase the cat out repeatedly as she liked to hide in there. The next job was to mount the Hockney prints of the Wolds that Helen bought when we went to the exhibition in London. That took a while as I hadn't got the right length screws! meanwhile Helen was baking biscuits and they were very nice too. She also cleaned out the fire then lit it as it was dull and cold.

In the afternoon we decided we needed some fresh air and thought we would take the cat for a walk. We got her a little halter and off we set. She actually walked really well. On the way back she slowed down and I picked her up a couple of times but she must have walked about 1.5 miles. Helen was round a corner when I heard a yell and when I got there she had her hand to her mouth so I thought that she had seen a body, or something similar. It turns out that she had come across a slow worm to add to our wildlife sightings. Helen is now crocheting and I have been putting hooks and things up and Macy is resting. I am hoping that we can get her to stay awake all day and sleep all night. She meowed a lot last night as she didn't seem to like the noise of the wind

Macy marching out on the towpath.

Maybe spring is in the air!

Macy recovering.

Very windy day.

We started bang on 0800 as the Lock Keeper opened up the gates. The noise from the motorway hadn't been enough to keep us a wake. The wind wasn't at full strength so it was quite okay going through the seven locks (four in a staircase). Mind you Helen is feeling a bit stiff this evening. A staircase is when one lock's bottom/top gate is the top/bottom gate of the next one with no gap between).

Going down the staircase at Watford.

We were not long before we got to Norton Junction and turned right. Unfortunately we hadn't got the camera out! There is a lovely toll house cottage at the junction and a pretty cottage but you wont get to see them this time.

Nosy parkers!

The route was quite picturesque but would have been better if there had been leaves on the trees and the sun shining. We were soon at Braunston Tunnel which is 2042 yds. There is a slight kink in the middle and of course that is where we met the boat coming the other way. No damage done to either boat.

Braunston Tunnel Eastern portal.

Just after the other end of the tunnel is the first of six locks to take you down to Braunston. This is now on the Grand Union canal between London and Birmingham that was widened in 1930's and was made to be broad beam ie locks twice as wide as the other 14 ft instead of 7 ft. This means the gates are extremely heavy and added to Helen's aches. We did the first two on our own and then caught up with a single hander and so that made it easier for both of us. We were to stop at Braunston to post some letters and by a pork pie from the butcher as they are lovely. We also wanted to visit the chandler to buy some stuff. We left again at 1500 after listening to the Archers and the afternoon play. By now the wind was really strong and gusting to make life interesting.

Braunston church and a lovely house.

The triangular round about and bridges at Braunston Junction. To the left to Coventry and Birmingham and to the right the way we had come to London and Nottingham.

The cut from now is quite exposed and mainly from the beam or right ahead so making it quite difficult going round the very many bends on this run. We were heading for Napton Junction which would be a a difficult turn and then the route to our objective would be beam on and exposed over a reservoir and very few place to moor so we decided to stop before the junction and do the rest in the morning. We are pinned by the wind onto this  berth and the boat is rocking about in the gusts. I had thought that early in the morning the wind is usually a lot less so it would be easy to get off the berth, it took two of us to push the boat to get enough room to get the fenders in! I have checked the forecast for the morning and unfortunately it is for very much as now! Maybe time for plan B!!

Our resting place this evening.

A breezy day.

We were tied up in the middle of nowhere near to Husbands Bosworth last night, and must have slept well as we didn't wake up until 0730. As we were getting ready I saw a water vole swimming away from the side of the boat over to the far bank. Helen also managed to get a view before it disappeared. We set of in the overcast but through the day it became more sunny but the wind was cold and caused us to concentrate so that we didn't get blown about. Not long after setting off we had to go through Husbands Bosworth Tunnel (1170 yds) and of course we met another boat coming the other way. This tunnel is obviously 2 way! The next feature was the Welford. We went down there in the dark when we were delivering the boat to the builder last October just to get to a pub as we had nothing to eat aboard.

Helen with the shades but dressed as a polar explorer.

After Welford the route is quite windy and sometimes the wind was on either side and sometimes from ahead. It made it interesting when we slowed down for passing moored boats. As we were going along I saw a shape dart out from the hedge on the towpath side. It became obvious when it stood up on its hing legs that it was a stoat. We were going to stop at Crick but decided to carry on and try to get down Watford locks to give us a bit more time in Braunston tomorrow. We were slightly delayed as a boat was across the channel as he was trying to moor as we passed Crick but we got a good run through Crick Tunnel and managed to not see any other boat. Crick tunnel was much wetter than Bosworth Tunnel but still not too bad. We got to Watford about 1530. Too late so we are moored at the top ready for the first lock in the mooring. This is a flight with three normal locks and then a staircase of four. They lock it so that people don't waste water. However in January we came up and down this flight on our own. The volunteer lock keepers only come on in the season. Next time you go down the MI and just before the Watford Gap services look for the canal. If you go to the services you can walk to the back of the car park there is the canal. 

Taking water at the top of the Watford flight of locks.

The bridge is the M1 so you can imaging the road noise isn't the best, but as our bedroom is at the bow it may not be too bad.

On the move.

The wind has dropped a fair bit and we decided to make a move today. We had a last visit into Harboro' to get the last few supplies and odds and sods. We finally left at 1300 and made out way to Foxton.

The Robert Smyth Grammar from 1614.

Brick carving on the side of a Sainsbury's store.

The clock and saying on the tower of St Dionysius Church in the town centre.

A good hardware shop on the High Street. You could hardly move inside!

Symingtons Corset factory that had become the council offices and is now awaiting another use. Another branch of the Scottish Symington Soup family.

Our berth at Market Harborough.

 The sun was shining intermittently but was a little cold in the breeze. It took us a couple of hours to get to the the locks with Helen coping with the swing bridges with no problem. We moored at the bottom of the staircase and Helen went in search of the lock volunteers to register. It seemed that there were five coming down and we may be lucky as the last boat has to start moving at 1615. It gave us time for an ice cream and I had time to fix security wires and padlocks to the solar panels. We started up at just after 1600 and we were at the top for 1645. That is could going for 2 x 5 rise staircase locks. The volunteer didn't help over much so I predict that Helen will be in bed even earlier than usual tonight.

Looking down from the top of the lock flight. The red paddles release water into or out of the side pounds to save water and the white ones release it into the lock. The rhyme is 'red before white and you'll be alright' to get the right order.

This is our berth for tonight.

Market Harborough.

It was very windy in the night and the rain pelted down. It wasn't quite as bad as being in a tent but with Helen's snoring and the cat meeowing to go out is was awake quite a bit. Mind you I went straight back to sleep each time. We forgot to take the camera today but we will take it into town to take photos to show you all tomorrow. The Newsagent was just on the road by the basin. The terminus of the canal is quite picturesque and nicely done. After breakfast I put up the chair and the cupboards that we had brought flat packed. Helen was packing things away to make room. As soon as I had the chair erected Macy jumped on it and I don't think I will get to sit in it at all. The solar panels were putting power in the batteries despite being in among trees. We put the engine on for a short while to heat the water.

After lunch we went for a walk into Harboro' and went looking for a cat harness, something for tea and one or two other bits and pieces. We had a beer on the way back and then I started to seal the vent for the compost heap and found that it wasn't working!! I will have to contact the shop that sold it too me. I have put up a pint that we bought of Hull and spliced a rope too. I'm not sure where the time goes.

I have had some passerby ask me about Hedon and Holderness and thought that we had come from there, and another who we had shared a lock with yesterday. We will take the camera to town tomorrow and then give you a guided tour of the place.

I hope that we can get a better picture of a kingfisher soon as this must be the most colourful bird thaqt we have in the UK.