Looking for King Richard - Autumn 2024

 Wednesday 4th September - Ventnor Marina to Braunston

Today we are moving Ella from our new mooring to Braunston Marina where she is going to have a service and the lower part of the boat blacked.  For this she needs to go into a dry dock.

We decided to take the boat up the Calcutt Locks together and once through the top lock, Dave returned to the marina with Toby to collect the car and drive it round to Braunston.  I then took Ella for the 2.5 hour cruise all by myself!  I passed a small family of swans hugging the opposite bank.

Here I am heading towards the green sheds, a favourite mooring spot of ours.  It was quite busy but that didn’t matter as I wasn’t stopping today.

I met Dave and Toby standing on the last bridge before Braunston Junction.  I am heading towards the iron bridges and will be taking the right hand turn towards the Marina.  I do think this is a rather good photo!

Dave and Toby got to the Marina before me and was able to get a good shot of Ella turning into the Wharf Arm where we shall moor for the night before she goes into dry dock tomorrow.

Settled on her overnight mooring, where we stayed for the night.

6.5 miles, 3 locks, 3hrs 6 mins

Thursday 5th September - Braunston Marina

This morning we were woken early by a delivery lorry, delivering coal and firewood to the boat moored in front of me.  The

 NarrowBoat Trust owns and operates the 'Large North

The NarrowBoat Trust owns and operates the 'Large Northwich' motor boat Nuneaton and the 'Large Woolwich' butty (unpowered boat) Brighton, built as part of the massive expansion programme of the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company in the mid-1930's.

‘Nuneaton’ backed out of the Wharf Arm and moored alongside ‘Brighton’ where they proceeded to shift the load of fuel.  The Trust's main source of income is from the sale of solid fuels, transported across the UK from the Midlands to the South, along exactly the same routes in use when the canal system was the backbone of the industrial revolution.

Once the dry dock was clear, Paul steered Ella into the dock she will be worked on for the next few days.  The water is emptied out of the dock and Ella will sit on supports whilst the painting is done.

We returned to Worcester whilst the work was being done.

Monday 9th September - Braunston Marina to above Lock 2

Today we left Worcester to rejoin Ella and begin our autumn cruise.  When we got to the marina, Ella was moored up all ready for us.  Dave drove the car back to Ventnor Marina and got a taxi back, before moving the boat to fill up with diesel and move her out onto the canal.

A very short cruise today, up one lock and moored in the small pound before the next lock.  

Whilst out walking Toby, Dave saw ‘Raymond’ being backed into the Wharf Arm alongside ‘Nutfield’ the powered boat.

Ella in the setting sun looking very tidy with new blacking above and below the water line.

0.5 miles, 1 lock, 0 hrs 30 mins

Tuesday 10th September - Above Lock 2 to Norton Junction

This morning, Dave went to the butchers in Braunston before getting the boat ready to begin today’s cruise.  We shared the double locks with the boat that had been moored in front of us overnight.

‘NbWatering Can’ had a new coat of paint and looked very smart indeed!  We are in the top lock here and have just learnt that Braunston Tunnel is blocked by an over sized wide beam boat that went through early this morning.  

Ian and Lisa on nbWatering Can, they also moor at Ventnor Waterside Marina, so we shall be seeing more of them in the future.

Many thanks to the volunteer lock keepers who kept us informed of the situation in the tunnel.  We stayed in the top lock until we were given the all clear and we could make our way through the tunnel.  We were in the middle of a convoy of 5 boats and passed 3 boats coming the other way.  It was the longest cruise through the tunnel ever, 33 mins 47 secs.

This is the wide beam that got stuck in the tunnel, ‘River Mist’ is apparently on its way to London with new owners, who have only had her a few days!

A slow trip down towards the junction, two other boats ahead of us and two more behind.  We eventually arrived ahead of the junction and pulled in to spend the night there.  

3.5 miles, 4 locks, 2hrs 54mins

Wednesday 11th September - Norton Junction to Yelvertoft

An early start this morning to get moored up before the heavy showers start this afternoon.

A glorious start to the day, sunshine and white fluffy clouds, but a definite chill in the air.  We arrived at the bottom of Watford Locks and waited whilst another boat came down the flight and left through the bottom lock.

Waiting patiently for our turn, in the meantime we filled our water bottles from the adjacent water point.

Watford locks are made up of 2 single locks, a staircase of 4 locks and 1 single lock at the top.  The pounds beside the locks feed the lock chambers with water when filling a lock and receive the water when emptying a lock.  This is achieved by following the ‘red before white and you’ll be alright’ instruction when operating the locks. 

However, we were ably assisted by Dave, volunteer lock keeper, who helped Dave work the locks.

At the top of the lock is the red paddle with the white one behind.  There was 1 boat following us up the locks and at the top there were three boats waiting to come down.  It is definitely going to keep the volunteer lock keeper busy!

Having successfully negotiated the Watford Locks we continued on through Crick passing abandoned rusting narrowboat hulls in a field until we got to Yelvertoft where we found a pleasant mooring in front of the water point.  Dave walked into the village to visit Sequito, but unfortunately it was closed as he was away on his holidays!

7 miles, 7 locks, 4 hrs 0 mins

Thursday 12th September - Yelvertoft to Bridge 33

A little later start today with the intention of getting to the Welford Arm.  Another beautiful start to the day.

 

Field of young bullocks, typical English scene.

Followed by another typical scene at this time of year, the hay stacked high for animal feed.

We found a lovely open mooring overlooking Hemplow Hills, the towpath was in great condition and it was supremely quiet and peaceful.  Soon after we moored up it began to rain so we were very fortunate!

A dramatic sky as the sun began to set, it was a very cold night and promises to be a lovely day tomorrow.

5.25 miles, 0 locks, 2hrs 6mins

Friday 13th September - Bridge 33 to Gumley Road Bridge

We woke this morning to brilliant blue skies and a mist rising off the canal, a truly autumnal start to the day.

The sun taken through the bridge, you can still see the mist and once it clears we should have a beautiful morning.

The turning into the Welford Arm and just in the distance is a boat which turned into the arm ahead of us.  Today we are turning left and continuing towards Foxton Locks.

Love the dappled sunlight through the trees in the cutting leading towards Husbands Bosworth Tunnel, so serene but pretty chilly out of the sun.

Coming past the Laughton Hills, Dave caught a heron in flight.

The hills are looking splendid in the sunshine, I’ve taken this photo now so that we can compare the trees in a few weeks time when we come back this way and see how the colours have changed.

How friendly, a beautifully maintained raised bed of herbs and edible flowers with signs encouraging boaters and passer-byers to help themselves.

As we approached Foxton Locks the towpath was closed as they are working to improve the towpath condition.  There has been a lot of shoring up done to stop the towpath falling into the canal.

11 miles, 0 locks, 3hrs 30mins

Saturday 14th September - Gumley Road Bridge to Foxton Locks Inn

Today Lizzie, Lizzie and Bea are coming to join us on the boat, lunch at the Foxton Locks Inn followed by a cruise down the Foxton Locks.

After our lunch we walked back to the boat and began our cruise towards the locks.  Bea is looking out of the bedroom window!

Lizzie, our Lizzie’s partner, was working hard at the locks and seemed to be enjoying herself!

Our Lizzie is working the white paddle, following excellent tuition from the volunteer lock keeper, Gilbert, and keeping a very close eye on what is happening to the boat.

Coming out of one of the staircase locks with Bea waving from the stern.  Bea was impressed watching the gates open when she was sat in the bow.

On the second part of the locks, Bea ventured out of the boat and began to open and shut the lock gates.  I think she was quite pleased with herself!

And then she became confident enough to have a go at working the paddle, well done Bea, I think Lizzie is very proud of her daughter!

Once out of the locks we moved across the junction and moored opposite the Foxton Locks Inn where we were ready to put on water tomorrow morning.  After tea and birthday cake, Dave’s belated, we walked the girls back up the locks to the car park and waved them off. It was great to see them all and introduce them to working locks for Ella.  We look forward to seeing Bea again onboard where she can continue her training!

0.5 miles, 10 locks, 1hr 38mins

Sunday 15th September - Foxton Locks Inn to Fleckney

Last night, just as we were making our evening drinks, the gas ran out!  Too late and too dark to change it over, so the first thing we did this morning was to switch gas bottles.

Then we moved the boat a tiny distance backwards to the water point, filled up with water ana got rid of all our rubbish.  This is the junction with Foxton Locks Inn on the left and Cafe 61 straight ahead.  Another brilliant blue sky and the promise of good weather.

A lovely off side private mooring, big open skies and open views, a great place to moor your boat.

We are heading towards Saddington Tunnel, 881 yards long and quite straight, so we could see right through to the other end.  That was good as we could see if there was anything in the tunnel.

A great photo of our cruise through the tunnel, and yes it is absolutely clear so no passing of boats today.  We can see the headlamp reflecting on the tunnel walls and the port lamp shining red on the left, but the starboard lamp is not working, it would be shining green on the right hand side.  We must change the bulb!

A gentle but lovely first week of our cruise.

5 miles, 0 locks, 2hrs