George
Moving On
After a full day tied up just outside the basin at Market Harborough we turned around, did our chores and headed back towards Foxton. We tied up near the bottom lock at around seven o’clock for the night and after a shower each we settled down for the evening. We reflected on our time in Market Harborough where we had shopped and eaten as well as strolled through the streets with the occasional stop for a libation or two. Our final few hours saw us having an impromptu lunch at Pizza Express, Sue’s birthday treat for me and very nice it was too!
After lunch we made a final trip to Sainsbury’s where we picked up some essentials before walking back to the Union Wharf. And that was it, our holiday to Market Harborough had reached its zenith and now we would be heading back to Braunston even though we were in no hurry to get there.
On to Market Harborough
We awoke to blue skies just after six o’clock and after a cup of coffee and some discussion about the day’s cruising plan got up, dressed and ready to go. We decided to take the less complex way of getting to Market Harborough and instead of reversing to the bottom lock, untied and made our way to Debdale wharf and turned there. Of course this added about forty minutes to our journey but we didn’t care and anyway it helped to heat the water up for our daily showers. We passed the odd boat leaving the arm but with the exception of operating the two swing bridges at Foxton, the journey was peaceful and uneventful. The route is about twice as long by water as it is in a straight line but on a sunny day it was a pleasure to cruise this way, even the rendering plant didn’t seem to be operating so we had a smell free trip into the basin.
We didn’t actually reach the basin because the hire fleet that resides there was having a changeover day so we backed up and tied on the visitor moorings just outside it. After emptying the toilet we got changed and made our way into Market Harborough where we met up with Amy and Louise and had some lunch in the local Weatherspoons, The Sugar Loaf. After spending a few hours laughing and generally enjoying the craic, we parted company and did some shopping before making our way back up the hill to the Union Wharf where Phoenix III was moored. We stopped along the way to enjoy a coffee and some carrot cake at a small bistro tucked away from the main street before completing our journey.
Arriving back at our mooring we sat on the back deck and shared a bottle of cold white wine, the perfect accompaniment to a hot sunny afternoon. As the sun moved around we moved our chairs until eventually we were grabbing the last few rays on the towpath near the front of the boat.
And that was it, the last rays of direct sunlight gone, we retreated inside and lit the fire to keep the chill off for the evening. A quick check of the forecast tells us that tomorrow will be similar to today and that the day of our departure, Wednesday will be cloudy but dry – perfect for the start of our journey back to Braunston.
Yelvertoft to Foxton
After a peaceful night just outside Yelvertoft we awoke around eight o’clock and had a cup of coffee. We did all of the usual morning checks before setting off just after half past nine and made our way across the Leicester summit. As usual there was little to see except the countryside as it rolled from northamptonshire into leicestershire but we did meet quite a number of boats and encountered many that were tied up.
A hire boat from Gayton shot out from the Welford arm and harassed nb Woodsey for a few miles before overtaking it just before the tunnel at Husbands Bosworth. We followed Woodsey into the tunnel and met two boats at the far end before emerging into blue skies and sunshine.
The final leg of our journey from Husbands Bosworth to Foxton was lovely in the warm sunshine and we were soon tied up waiting to take our place in the queue to descend the locks. We took on water and waited for an hour until two boats already in the flight emerged from the top lock. I drove and Sue locked assisted by a young girl, Sophie and so we made our way to the bottom in what seemed like no time at all. We tied up just under the bridge on the main line to Leicester with the intention of reversing to the junction and turning into the Market Harborough arm in the morning.
After we secured the boat, we walked up to the Foxton Locks pub and had our evening meal before returning to Phoenix III where we picked up our bin bag, walked to the designated area and dumped our rubbish. Along the way we called into the other pub at the locks, Bridge 61 and had a drink as we listened to the live music that was on. It was nine o’clock by the time we made it back to our berth on Phoenix III where we turned in for the night, ready for our trip into Market Harborough in the morning.
Braunston to Yelvertoft
We travelled to Braunston yesterday and spent the night in the marina, ready for the start of our holiday. We awoke just after six and had an early morning cup of coffee before I nipped off to the shop to pick up some last minute necessary items. Returning at half past seven, we made our final preparations including having a light breakfast before untying Phoenix III from her mooring.
The wind was still blowing across the marina as it had been last night but we used it to good effect as we nosed gently out from between the pontoons and then let mother nature steer us in the direction of the locks. We chugged slowly through the marina before emerging on to the canal and again the wind helped us as we began our journey proper. There wasn’t much happening as we passed the hire fleet at the bottom lock and so we ascended the first lock on our own. It was the same at the second lock but as the water raised Phoenix III in the chamber, another boat approached from above. Leaving that lock, we caught up with a hire boat as we neared lock number three at the Admiral Nelson pub. The crew of Canal Club “The Mad Hatter” were friendly enough if a little inexperienced and we soon found ourselves in the top lock and it wasn’t even ten o’clock. As we reached the northern portal of Braunston tunnel we met two boats emerging from the darkness that we were about to plunge into. We met another two shortly before we left the other end of the tunnel where we found ourselves under blue skies and high white clouds.
We reached Norton junction and turned left on to the Leicester section of the Grand Union about half an hour after leaving Braunston tunnel. Another half an hour or so brought us to the bottom of the flight of locks at Watford and after consulting with the lock keeper there, we knew that we were in for a bit of a wait. The first part of that wait was soon over and we entered the bottom lock after the first of the oncoming boats finished their descent. We had to wait between locks for another four narrowboats to pass through before we were able to start our climb up the hill properly. Once in the staircase, the ascent was fairly quick but as we left the last lock it started to rain. The rain turned to hail and it was all driven by a very fierce wind but we ploughed on and soon reached Crick tunnel. It had actually stopped by the time we reached the mouth of the tunnel but nevertheless it was comforting to be in there and sheltered from the elements for a while. By the time we left the tunnel behind it was back to blue skies again and within a few minutes were moored near Crick marina.
After all of the usual things that need to be done after tying the boat up, we left Phoenix III and walked into Crick itself. It was 2.30 and The Red Lion was just closing as we passed by on our way to the Wheatsheaf where we had fish and chips for lunch – very nice. There is a beer and music festival on there over the bank holiday weekend and so after we had eaten we spent a short while listening to the music of the band, “Indian Joe”.
We left the Wheatsheaf and returned to the canal and then decided to move on a bit further. The Leicester summit is a pretty desolate place but our journey was not without incident, we managed to re-float Braidbar No. 62 with our bow wave as we passed after she had become grounded in the shallows and we encountered a “learner” who ended up at 45 degrees across the canal because he thought there wasn’t enough room between us and some moored boats.
An hour after leaving Crick we moored beyond bridge 20 near Yelvertoft. It was still very windy but it was a nice place to stay for the evening.
Another windy day
We awoke at around eight and thought that we should get up. We set off and turned at Birdingbury Wharf and then tied up before having breakfast opposite the Boat Inn. After breakfast we made our way back to Calcutt where we met up with narrowboat ‘Beast’ and ascended the locks with them. We parted company with them at the top lock knowing that they would be turning right at the junction whilst we would be turning left towards Braunston.
It was still chilly as we made our way along the canal towards Braunston but bearable nonetheless. The oncoming traffic made it interesting enough but we hit a snag as soon as we got into the marina. After filling the diesel tank, emptying the toilet and the bin bag we attempted our entry into our berth but it didn’t work out for us so we ended up mooring up outside the marina.
As a result we walked up to the Admiral Nelson where we had a couple of drinks before we ended up walking through the village and down to the ‘Boathouse’ where we had our evening meal.
Afterwards, we walked back to where we had left Phoenix III and from there we battled our way into our berth in the marina.
Although we hadn’t planned to stay another night on board, it was no big deal to do so. We topped up the water, lit the fire and switched on the heating before settling down for the evening.
Glorious Sunshine !!!
I’m not really sure why I sleep better on board phoenix III than I do on dry land, perhaps it is the fact that I don’t have to get up for work, maybe it’s because the movement of the boat creates a more comfortable environment in which to slumber. Whatever the reason, I slipped into the arms of Morpheus at 9.30 last night and didn’t escape his clutches until 8.30 this morning.
As forecast, it was sunny. It wasn’t warm at 8.30 but it was definitely sunny. Clear blue skies with the odd white cloud provided the perfect backdrop for the next leg of our journey. After drinking a cup of coffee we sorted ourselves out and were on our way by quarter to ten. We were not alone and had to wait as four boats passed us before we could finally untie and head in the direction of Napton. We met quite a few fellow travellers before we reached Wigram’s where we turned and made our way towards the three locks at Calcutt. The steady stream of boaters ascending the locks made our passage down very easy and in no time at all we were through and away again. I made use of the hot water that we had generated and had a shower as we cruised along so that by the time we stopped at the Boat Inn near Birdingbury Wharf we were able to tie up, lock up and walk to Long Itchington.
Our plan all along had been to have lunch at the Buck and Bell and we were not disappointed. We sat outside in the sunshine sharing a bottle of wine and enjoying the cuisine that this wonderful village pub has to offer, no wonder then that it has won a Les Routiers award for the last three years.
After a leisurely repast we made our way back to our mooring using the road to the Blue Lias bridge rather than the towpath for a change. Once back on board we relaxed and enjoyed the gentle warmth of the sun on this mid-April afternoon.
Flecknoe
We arrived at Braunston at three o’clock and immediately loaded our belongings on to Phoenix III. In addition to the normal items of food and clothing that we would bring for a weekend out on the cut, we brought some extras for our holiday in two weeks time. By the time we had sorted ourselves out, checked the engine and started it up it was quarter to four. We followed our neighbours on board Havoc II out of the marina and then headed towards the junction.
We were surprised to find very little waterborne traffic as we made our way past the Boathouse pub and turned on to the Oxford section of the Grand Union canal. The sun shone although it was still quite cool, the wind was still present and there was the odd spot of rain.
We passed under bridge 102 near Flecknoe just under an hour after we had left our berth in the marina and tied up on our usual towpath mooring. We had dinner at half past five and then walked up to the village where we visited the Old Olive Bush and had a couple of drinks. This was our first visit to the Flecknoe hostelry and we found it to be a very welcoming pub full of friendly locals.
After an hour we drained our glasses and made our way back down to the canal. The walk back seemed a lot shorter and easier than the walk up to the pub, partly because it was downhill and partly because the wind had dropped.
By eight o’clock we were back on board with the fire lit and so we settled ourselves down for the evening.
Easter Sunday
We had an early night last night, I fell asleep in the chair in front of the fire at about half past eight and after waking a couple of times, we decided that it was time to turn in at around ten o’clock.
2013 begins with a chilly trip to Napton
It’s almost seven months since we were last out on Phoenix III. A combination of poor weather, other obligations and a lack of spontaneity due to to the distance between home and boat has not only meant that we have had no winter cruising, we haven’t even spent that many weekends on board in the marina.
March has been as cold as the previous three months and colder than average for this time of year. The snow that fell last weekend is still lingering in sheltered places and the wind is still blowing in from the east keeping daytime temperatures just above freezing but feeling much colder. This weekend is the last in March and is of course Easter, the temptation to stay at home in the warmth has almost been overwhelming but we gritted our teeth, packed our gear and headed off in the direction of Braunston marina around 10.30. We saw the odd flurry of snow as we passed by Rugby but generally the sky was blue and bright. When we parked the car and stepped out on to the marina car park it was cold, a raw biting wind whistled around us as we unpacked our things and carried them to the boat. The thin layer of ice on the water in the marina served only to make the icy blast even colder but we were still determined to get out on the cut for the weekend.
As soon as we unlocked the doors on Phoenix III, we started the engine and fired up the central heating just to make sure that there would be nothing to stop us going out. It was just after noon when we were ready to start our journey but first we had to punch our way through the ice and negotiate with the strong easterly wind before we could help Phoenix III escape from her winter prison. It took a bit of time but with plenty of care and patience we managed to get out without too much trouble.
Despite the cold it felt good to be back out, we made a quick stop for water since the marina supply is still switched off and then we headed for the junction, Braunston turn. As we pulled in to the water point we were just in time to see a small girl fall off a Viking hire boat, luckily enough her father saw her in time and she was pulled back on board, drenched and no doubt freezing cold but safe nonetheless. If there had been any thoughts of our own madness they were soon dispelled when we saw that there were many other boats on the move along the Oxford section of the Grand Union canal this Easter Saturday. It doesn’t make us right, it just means that we are not alone in our madness.
We chugged along without further incident, the sun came out and warmed us now and again, the snow blew in the wind as we passed Wigram’s turn but we were happy enough when we found a mooring between bridges 109 and 110. We ate some home made soup and then ventured out for a walk, a walk that took us to the Bridge Inn where we met the new management team, Nick and Lisa. They were having some trouble with the pub electrics but it didn’t prevent us having a couple of pints, a coffee and a glass of wine with them. Nick’s children were there and we engaged in conversation with them too. It will be a struggle for the young couple to make a success of this pub and we hope that they will make a success of their venture.
It was nearing five o’clock when we made our way back along the towpath to our boat where we lit the fire and Sue created a hearty chicken dinner for us.
So that was it, our first day out after more than six months had been very enjoyable despite the cold weather and it was still only the beginning of the Easter weekend.
Braunston via Napton
More blue skies when we got up and got going at eight o’clock. We turned as usual at Birdingbury wharf and then headed back in the direction of the junction with the Oxford canal. It didn’t take long to get to the three locks at Calcutt and we made short work of them, leaving the top one just half an hour after entering the bottom chamber. We turned right at the junction and made our way to Napton where we found a mooring just before the winding hole. There seemed to be a bit of a domestic dispute going on in the boat in front of us when we tied up. As we left the boat to walk to rubbish bins by the bottom lock, the skipper of the boat mumbled something about moving forward to give space for another boat. We left him, not sure what he was thinking about since he was already very close to the winding hole. After we had gotten rid of our bin bag, we wandered over to the little shop next to the Folly pub and bought an ice cream each. The pub wasn’t open so we made use of a bench in their garden and sat and ate the ice creams in the sunshine. We walked back to our mooring where we met the guy from the boat in front again and he asked us if we were staying. We told him that we were moving on but he then felt the need to explain that he had been going to ask us to move our boat either backwards or forwards to create space for another boat. We untied and turned around at the winding hole, giving a cheery wave to the self appointed harbour master as we passed.
We stopped for lunch just beyond the junction, almost opposite Wigrams turn marina. Sue picked this deliberately so that we would be on hand to view any ‘entertainment’ as boats tried to negotiate the turn. We weren’t disappointed as we ate our lunch out on the back deck. One boat turning too late and hitting the bank, another speeding through causing another to take avoiding action all added to the fun.
Once we were fed and watered we set off again, this time all the way to Braunston. The trip takes a couple of hours and on this occasion was relatively straightforward. We passed a boat being pumped out, it has been partially submerged for a few weeks now but the petrol powered pump was doing a grand job and she was almost afloat again. As we approached the last bridge before the turn with its iconic twin bridges, we were faced with two oncoming boats, nothing unusual in that except that a third boat which had been tied up at the bank decided to set off. It was all very confusing for a minute or two but it was soon sorted out and we went through first. As we got closer to the marina, Sue switched her iPad on and viewed the marina webcam page so that we could watch ourselves driving in.
We were pleased to see that Havoc II hadn’t returned which made our job of getting back into our berth very much easier than it sometimes is.
So that was it, another lovely weekend out on the boat dramatically enhanced by the superb late summer weather.