Onto the Oxford Canal

Much of Wednesday was spent washing in the launderette at Braunston Marina, then food shopping in Braunston - not terribly exciting but vital nonetheless.

Looking out of Braunston Marina - beautiful old winch and bridge

Historic boats and parts abound

Braunston Marina with some of the many moored boats - it holds around 250

The entrance to Braunston Marina with 'Gongoozler's Rest' cafe narrowboat on the right

 

What's the chance of him going in the canal??

He didn't, so no interesting picture

 

 

 

Looking back to Braunston bottom lock from the bridge into the village

Shopping in the Londis store I looked all over for the meat but all they had was bacon and sausages - then I realised that there was the butcher's shop just across the road - they must have some sort of agreement between them!  Not a problem, I thought, and crossed over once I'd paid up at the supermarket.  There was a good selection of meats, but the problem I find with butcher's is that it all looks so lovely but there's only a price per kg advertised and I can never quite tell how much a couple of chops or steaks are likely to be.  Hence, when I fancied some rib-eye steak for tea, two of them came to £11!  Of course by that time you're too embarrassed to say "How much?  You've gotta be kidding?!" The chicken tikka kebabs were a lot more reasonable and Barry adores black pudding so we had to have some of that - so Ray we did get to the butcher's, but I think I prefer Tesco's for value!

Ah well, it's still cheaper than eating out (just!).  We meandered back to the boat whilst having another look at the buildings on Braunston High Street.  Unfortunately, it wasn't until I checked our AA 'Book of British villages' after we'd left, I discovered that there's some remains of medieval wall-paintings inside All Saints Church, and apparently a "...grotesque stone carving which is probably an ancient fertility goddess" outside.  So no photos of those then!  Lol!

Well maintained dwellings

And a sail-less windmill too

Another view of the church from the canal

Mid-afternoon we set off eastwards once again, turining left at Braunston Junction, continuing on the Grand Union Main line until Napton Junction, where we took another left turn southwards onto the Oxford Canal.

Braunston Junction

  Fabulous old iron bridges

Obviously these boats are still working the Grand Union - a nice pair

A couple of different looking bridges along the way

A large rowing boat - www.celebrityrow.co.uk on the side - with a kiwi from Tauranga at the front - kia ora!  They raised their oars in 'salute' to squeeze past us

It took us a while to find a suitable place to moor near to Napton-on-the-Hill due to there being so many boats already settled in for the night - as well as many long term moorings.  Eventually we tucked into a spot just in front of a boat that's for sale and has possibly been there a while as it's shown on the google earth map in the same position!  It's going to be a lot busier on the waterways from now on with the school summer holidays looming, so we'll have to get used to it.

Arriving early evening we were accosted by a family of extremely tame swans who surrounded the front of the boat looking for food - they almost came onto the boat trying to get the bread, and even the cygnets were jumping up for the bread - most unusual.  None of the normal barking and hissing, Barry even got to stroke the head and neck of one of the parents - amazing!

Tame swans

We had a good view of the windmill on the hill from our mooring, and we'll take a walk up to get a closer look at it and Napton in the morning and see the fascinating 12th century Church of St Lawrence - it was supposed to be built on the village green, but one night, after they'd laid the first stones, mysteriously the stones moved up to the top of the hill - no-one knew who'd moved them, so rather than tempt fate they continued to build in the new place.

Wonderful windmill 

These flowers seem very popular around here - are they hollyhocks? 

A couple of hurdles but made it to Braunston

On Tuesday we had possibly the earliest start since we've been back on the boat - we were up and away by 0830hrs - I'm not normally even out of bed by then!

 

 

We managed Crick Tunnel, opened in 1814 and 1528 yards long, without mishap; in fact we were the only boat going through at that time of the morning surprisingly.

 

 

 

 

 Emerging from the tunnel

Quaint red-brick bridges contrast nicely with the surrounding greenery

      Bringing their garden shed with them!       Waiting at the top of Watford Locks under the M1

Unfortunately, we weren't so lucky at Watford Locks, a bizarre series of locks consisting of one single lock, then a short pound, then a staircase of four and a short pound, then two locks extremely close together.  The instructions state that boats should adopt a 'one up, one down' approach, and not enter until they've been booked in and given the go-ahead by the on-duty lock-keeper (they're only open from 0800 - 1900hrs). 

Barry duly went to see the man in charge, and when he came back we went through the first lock after the boat in front of us.  We then sat and waited a while, until Barry went to see the man again who told him he should've followed the other boat and now we'd have to wait for a number of boats to ascend!  I wasn't too happy, it meant we were stuck in the pound for over an hour when we could've been going down - a bit of mis-communication somewhere?!

  Top Lock and the boat that went ahead of us 

The pound below the Top Lock

       The 'red, then white' sequence again                    Another beautiful blue sky day

                   A very busy lock day                                          All tied up out of mischief's way

Wonder why Barry took this shot?  Must've been distracted by the lovely lock legs!

  Almost at the bottom ...

Continuing our journey after a quick lunch stop, we turned right from the Grand Union Canal Leicester Section onto the Main Line, heading westwards and ultimately south to Oxford.

Norton Junction - left turn takes you south towards London, right takes you towards the Coventry Canal, Grand Union Main Line and the Oxford Canal

Our second hurdle was in Braunston Tunnel, opened in 1796 and 242 yards long.  It's difficult to imagine how they built these long vaults in the 18th century, by hand and a bit of dynamite - I can't even try to comprehend the challenges they must've faced - unsurprisingly in this tunnel they made a slight mistake in direction causing a slight 'S' bend about halfway! 

We encountered a boat in front and one behind, but until we were almost through no boats in the opposite direction.  The leading boat appeared to be going slower and slower, and once a boat entered from the other end seemed to go into a complete panic, almost bouncing of the walls and the poor bloke kept looking to one side and then the other - we discovered at the locks shortly after the tunnel that they were hire-boaters and this was their first day out.  Barry gave them some advice on tunnel negotiation - it can be very disorientating when you're in there and it's dark and so monotonous, and all you can see is a tiny light at each end.  It must be very scary for novices, bless them. 

Looking fairly cool and calm entering Braunston Tunnel

  Relieved to have made it out in one piece!

Braunston Top Lock number 1

Sandra negotiates the lock to hug the left side ready for another boat to enter - the lock cottage contains a superb narrowboat scene, stained glass door

        Lots of waterways history around these parts

'Canal Cottage' selling canal memorabilia

A helping hand at Braunston Lock Number 1

A very busy stretch of canal at Braunston - Chandlery on the right with Isuzu engine parts

More history to take you back to the canals 'golden years' - Not enough room to fit the whole company name on little 'Mouse'

 The hopeless hirers made it to Braunston Locks, bless them!

Looking back towards the bottom lock at Braunston with the canal pump house on the right

Barry bumped into the two ladies from the hire boat boat later on who said they were going to have to go into the marina to get a pump-out, but they'd have to back out and hadn't a clue how to do that as the hire boat company had told them they wouldn't need to reverse anywhere!  Amazing!

We moored for the night close to Braunston Marina so we could use their launderette on Wednesday - hurrah, no more hand washing for a week or so.

In the evening we walked into Braunston and had a drink at another pub called 'The Wheatsheaf' - once again there was a very convivial atmosphere, and the World Cup was on - the semi-final between Holland and Uruguay which was actually quite fun to watch, well done Holland!  Once the match was over, Barry and I found ourselves still intently watching the TV - it becomes mesmerising somehow, no wonder people are addicted to it!  We tore ourselves away once we realised what was happening, you could reside in that other world quite easily I'm sure, but we'd rather 'live' in the real one and pay a visit every now and again to the TV alternative!

Braunston Marina from the footpath leading to the village

Braunston has an eclectic mix of old and new buildings, and the fine All Saint's Church steeple can be seen for miles from the canal.  The village is built on the junction of the Grand Union and Oxford Canals, and there's a large gathering at the end of June annually for the Braunston Working Boats Rally when more than 80 working boats from around the country gather and parade majestically in all their glory - they certainly seem proud of their canal and it's history around here.

Like going back in time

'Cruck-built' framework of two curved tree trunks              All Saint's Church Spire

Braunston Marina at night

A display of wild flowers mimicking exploding fireworks

Meeting our grand-nephews - a family day out

What a luxury - after a couple of drinks at the local pub, The Fruiterer's Arms, I had a leisurely hot bath on Sunday night, then a shower and washed my hair and used my hair straighteners on Monday morning - blissful.  It's a great life living on a narrowboat, but it's good for my soul (and female vanity!) to get off it every now and again and feel a little less like a 'boatwoman'!

We travelled north to Sutton Coldfield in the afternoon to see my eldest sister and some of her children - Melanie, her third child, was celebrating being 27 years old.  In November 2009, she gave birth to identical twin boys and I'd been dying to meet them.  Vicki and Ria-May were there too, and Kath's son Mathew also. 

The boys are gorgeous, despite being identical they have very differing personalities.  They have such loving parents, and thoroughly enjoy spending time with their sons.

             Uncle Mathew and Ria-May                             Great grandma and I think Harley Don!

Grandma Kath and I think Tyus Anthony

Great uncle Barry and the twins - possibly Tyus (L) and Harley (R)!

Magnificent mummy Melanie and her bonny boys

  Melanie and Michael, proud as punch parents

We had to leave just before 1600hrs to catch the two trains to Rugby in time for the last bus to Crick at 1800hrs!  Luckily all went smoothly and we didn't miss any connections, arriving back on board Northern Pride around 1840hrs - the bus driver even took us up to the island where the canal is as it was her last stop - maybe the public transport system here isn't so bad after all at times?!

We intend to get to Braunston on Tuesday as we need to be in Banbury by Friday - my eldest daughter (and hopefully her husband!) are coming to see us for the weekend.  Then my youngest sister is coming on Monday 12th, with her partner Ray, and staying a night.  So lots of visitors to look forward to.

Bright and cheerful, just like the day