Stowe Hill

Nearly two miles and a starboard polish.

After some confusion about whether we could get a key to get out of the gate at Stowe Hill, we set off and pulled over just before the wharf. The starboard side got its wash and polish at last and Harold looked splendid.

We moored in front of the workshop at Stowe Hill as instructed. Tomorrow Harold will go into the dry dock to get his bottom and propeller seen to. We'll be back around the 22nd of May for a summer trip to Bristol.

Harold waits at Stowe Hill.

Heyford Fields and a lot of polishing!

4.5 miles and a U-turn.

When Robin walked Scooby in the morning he discovered that we had moored under a blossom tree and Harold's newly washed roof was buried beneath a thick layer of white petals. After breakfast a boat came past us going quite fast and caused Harold's base plate to knock against the concrete bank, sending Scooby under the dinette table in panic. His usual hiding place is the bathroom, so this was a departure.

We decided that our mooring spot wasn't a great success and decided to move on. We stopped off at Stowe Hill to confirm arrangements and then went on another mile or so to a nice straight bit of bank suitable for boat washing. We swept off all the blossom and washed and polished every bit we could reach.

Polishing the stern!

When that was done we motored up to Heyford Fields marina and turned around in their entrance, mooring back in the same spot but facing the other way. Both our backs hurt so we decided (again) to wash the starboard side in the morning. Robin, however, had the bug and proceeded to polish his (tiller) pole;

And then his kettle;

Goodness knows what he'll get up to tomorrow!

Breakfast at Whilton Marina

Four and half miles and 6 locks.

Last night there was a lovely moon which really did turn the landscape midnight blue;

In the morning, we pulled into the first lock and were joined by a couple in a rather tatty ex-hire boat that they live aboard. They were nice though and were also planning to get down the locks and have breakfast at the Whilton Marina café. They had been to Banbury and were on their way back to their home mooring at Weedon. The flight was busy but we got down easily, meeting boats coming the other way at every lock. At the bottom we moored, walked Scoobs and went for our well-earned breakfast, which was very nice and good value too. Afterwards we checked out the farm shop by lock 12, only to find it has closed down; so no delicious steak pie from there tonight.

Harold moored for shopping at  the Heart of the Shires. Robin is admiring the shiny side!

You can see the M1 at the top right.

We stopped half a mile further on at the Heart of the Shires shopping centre which Jo visited for an hour or so of civilisation and again at Tescos in Weedon for milk and eggs. We eventually came to rest at Weedon Beck, where the towpath is on the opposite side so Harold's starboard can be washed tomorrow morning. Robin made his first loaf since September and it came out very well. We tested out the washing machine and it still works (phew!) and we hoovered everywhere. Jo tested out her new green stool on the back which is perfectly comfortable, thank you. A generally fruitful day:)

We can't hear the M1 here, but the occasional Virgin train whizzes by a couple of hundred yards away.

Braunston and beyond.

6.5 miles, 7 locks and a tunnel.

After a couples of miles chug we pulled over in Braunston to empty the loo, chuck the rubbish and to fill up with water.

It was a straight run into Braunston

At the Braunston locks we met a family on a hire boat who hadn't met wide locks before. We went up the flight of six with them quite companionably. At the first lock a duckling and mother duck headed into the lock as we were heading out. The mother hopped over the lock gate and down to the water below the lock but of course the tiny duckling couldn't follow and it would be sucked through the gate paddles and be drowned if we left it. Jo enlisted the help of the lady at the lock-side shop and two fishing nets and we tried to catch it. In the end Jo had to leave her and the people in the boat just coming into the lock to carry on trying while she went after our boat going up the flight. This mother duck only had this one duckling left and one could see why. They are definitely not the cleverest of birds or the best mothers!

We followed our new hire boat friends through the tunnel, which went for slow going but we made it safely. The countryside continues to be rural and pretty, despite the noise of the M1 which is now rumbling away in the background.

These bullocks eyed us curiously and followed us along the canal for as far as their field allowed.

Rural Northamptonshire.

At Norton Junction we moored, finding a spot above the lock. Robin took Scooby for a walk and managed, with the help of a local resident to rescue a hire boat which had not been tied securely and had drifted across the canal. Just as they got it tied back up again, its occupants arrived back from the pub!

Jo explored and found a nice mooring a little further on so we went through the first of the Buckby flight and moored near the little canalware shop above the second lock.

This beautiful blossom tree is at the end of the row of canal cottages. Our mooring and the shop are just beyond the bridge.

At the shop we found a new stool for Jo to sit on at the back and a new planter for our herbs, plus a couple of ice creams which we ate in sun while admiring our new purchases.  

Jo's new stool - secured with a bike lock to make sure this one doesn't get nicked!  

Then it was down to work, washing the boat. We washed the roof and the side facing the towpath, so just the ends and the off-side to do when we can turn the boat around. It will feel better when he's all done. We always feel faintly ashamed when he doesn't look his pristine best!

10th April 2017. We almost get to Braunston.

13 locks and 7 miles. We were straight into the Stockton locks when we set off. The wind was distinctly chilly and the sky was grey; a great contrast to yesterday!

Heading up the Stockton Flight

 Half way up there was this beautiful lock-side covered in primroses;

We were the only boat going up, although we met two pairs coming down. The locks were not too deep, although the gates were heavy. We were up the flight of 10 in an easy two hours despite just using one side and several waits for boats coming down. After a short stop for tea and a Scooby walk, we set off again.

We met a boat at the bottom of the 3 Calcutt locks and went up with them. They were going to Braunston too.

Then it was just a short cruse to Napton junction, where the Oxford canal goes off to the right. We went left and Robin saw a group of six swallows; the first of the summer. Perhaps they were helped on their way here by the warm southerly winds we had at the weekend. This area is very rural with pretty gently rolling countryside and lots of sheep, and course at this time of year, lambs too.

After the junction we found ourselves in a long line of boats all going to Braunston and decided to pull over in a quiet spot and let them get on with fighting for moorings in the village. This mother duck has had an early brood of ducklings, they cant be more than a day old. Lets hope the weather stays warm enough for them!

Tomorrow it's Braunston lock flight and tunnel and a short hop to Norton junction.

9th April 2017. Swans and Locks

We had one of Robin's delicious cooked breakfasts and set off just after 10am. The day was glorious, sunny and warm. The first manoeuvre - a sharp right turn out of the arm - was expertly executed by the captain.

Harold leaves his winter mooring in the Saltisford Arm.

Scooby was hanging over the side with his nose twitching like mad, or he was standing in the sunniest spot, mostly right in the way; straight back into the swing of being a boat dog.

There are two locks in Warwick itself and we went through these without any problems. They are double and have no bridges but we used our one side only technique and it worked well. We worked our way through Leamington Spa, including going over this aqueduct over the river Avon.

We saw two swans sitting on nests. One sensibly on the offside out of harms way;

And the other on a busy towpath. The male was scooting round the canal trying to guard it. We saw them in the same place last year but have no idea if they successfully raised a family there!

There were lots of towpath walkers and cyclists and a few boats on the move. We did most of the remaining locks on our own. We did 12 locks and 9.5 miles in all. When we did catch up with someone to share locks with, a family on a hire boat, we managed to offend them so much that they wouldn't come up the staircase at Bascote with us. We think it was Robin's tutting as they rammed him for the second time that did it, plus Jo's helpful advice that he should put the tiller the other way to straighten up..... To be fair to us, we had been following them for a while and they had been leaving gates open and paddles up willy nilly.

We moored in a quiet spot between Bascote and Cuttle (what lovely names) feeling tired and a bit over-sunned but having made good progress. Tomorrow it is the ten Stockton locks and then a left turn towards Braunston at Napton Junction.

Its been a lovely day; right back in the swing of things. The dog has his sea legs and Robin has been singing. All is well :)

8th April 2017. Boat and Crew back together again.

We were reunited with Harold today after a winter at home. He has been quite safe in the care of the Saltisford Canal Trust. We have a week together while we take him to Stowe Hill Wharf in Northamptonshire to have his bottom blacked and the prop straightened ready for the summer.

It took 2 hours to get everything stowed away and sorted out, but the engine started first time (good old Harold) and the batteries were still half full.

We watched a family of goldfinches feeding and drinking just outside our bedroom window and realised were are back in canal country.

Tomorrow we head East through Warwick and Leamington Spa. The weather looks good so we might try for the Blue Lias pub, although this is 13 locks away!

                                                  Harold has his last day in Saltisford.