An hour to a weekend mooring

We woke up to heavy showers drumming on the roof this morning, so rolled over and went back to sleep again.
It brightened up by 08:00, so Meg and I had a walk, a later than normal breakfast, and then we moved off around 11:00.

Debdale Wharf looked busy, there seemed to be 3 boats queuing to get onto the services dock. I wonder if the diesel is cheap?

Debdale Wharf

Just past the marina the canal has been designated an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Importance).

The site runs the 9½ miles from Kilby Bridge to Foxton, and is considered important due to the biodiversity found here.

I suppose it also means that BW can’t clear the channel or cut the trees back….

Narrow Channel

We pulled over a little after bridge 70, on a nice quiet bit of towpath. The showers returned in earnest this afternoon, accompanied by thunder and lightening. But we were tied up and snug by then.

Thanks to Val in Ingleton who’s kicked of the sponsorship for my Great North Run. Come on, the rest of you!

Locks 0 miles 2½

Stops and starts

We spent yesterday just pottering, doing those things that always need to be done on a boat.
Had a couple of good walks with Meg, one including a round trip of the lock flight and inclined plane.

Boats in the flight

Inclined Plane top dock
One of the jobs was to organise a Tesco delivery, so we moved down to Black Horse Bridge this morning to meet the van.

Lucky meeting through Foxton Swingbridge. NB Leo was coming through, so we were waved on.

Waiting for Tescoman at Black Horse Bridge.
The deliver was timely, we got everything away and moved down to the new swingbridge near the junction. No such luck here; I had to hop off to open this one.
Then we pulled in again to fill the water tank and I toddled across the car park again with rubbish and a loo cassette.

Filling with water, new swingbridge in foreground.
Filled and emptied, we moved around the corner onto the main line, and moored just short of bridge 63.

The stern is stuck out because it’s sat on the bottom. This was the second spot we tried, the first was even shallower. Perhaps we bought too much shopping. I’m a bit disappointed that BW can’t keep these popular moorings dredged, though the level in the pound does seem a bit low as well. Maybe the rain that’s forecast over the next couple of days will help.

Took Meg out for a walk up to Gumley this afternoon, getting back just before the rain came. Moored in front of us is NB Wineberry. We shared Buckby Locks with Stuart and Ann, helped by Ivan and Julie on NB Jade Marie. This was 12 days ago. They’ve been most of the way round the Leicester Ring while we’ve just done the bit from Norton Junction.
Can’t see anybody aboard, they’ve maybe gone to the pub. I’ll probably say hi tomorrow.

Locks 0, miles 1½

I’m going to be running the Great North Run again this year, and once again I’ll be raising money for Cancer Research UK. Thanks to all your generous donations last year (you know who you are!) I was able to send £435.
This year I’d like to crack the £500 barrier. So, if you enjoy reading the blog, or even if you don’t, please make a donation. As small (or as large!) as you like.
The race is on 20th September this year, and is televised. If you watch closely you might even see yours truly.
I’ve set up a web page on Justgiving, a secure donation website. Click here, or click on the link on the right. Ta lots.

Dodging the showers

We were away around 09:30, heading along the last three miles to Foxton Locks. It was another of those sunny, breezy mornings, but with the promise of heavy showers later.

It’s clear we’re approaching Market Harborough. There’s a large base for Canaltime hire and timeshare boats at Union Wharf, and their distinctive pale blue front panels are getting more and more visible out on the water.
We timed our arrival at the top lock pretty well, there were a couple of boats coming up that we had to wait for, but then we were off, at the head of a queue of 4. The wait proved fortunate, the first shower of the day passed over before we set off down.

Off we go.

A short pause to wait to pass another climbing boat in the middle pound, then we were quickly down to the junction. It took just 50 minutes, not the fastest we’ve done it but not bad considering the number of people about asking questions and just generally getting in the way…..

In the flight, the Leicestershire plain stretching out northwards.

Turning right onto the Arm to Market Harborough, we pulled on to the old Foxton Boat Services dock after the new swing bridge, and I toddled across the car park laden with a full loo cassette and a couple of bags of rubbish. Although the lease for the land wasn’t renewed and the company pulled out, 3 of the old FBS boats seem to have returned home.

The heavens opened as I was on my way back to the boat, so we closed the hatches and waited it out. The sun came out again after 20 minutes, so we finished the day by cruising down to the first winding hole, turning and returning to moor near bridge 6.

Black clouds heading towards Market Harborough.
We’ve had a couple more downpours since we pulled in, and the forecast remains unsettled for the rest of the week. Ah well…
We’ll stay here tomorrow, then move back towards Foxton on Thursday morning for a Tesco delivery. Then our immediate plans will depend on the weather.

Locks 10, miles 5

A cracking long weekend.

We decided to take a couple of days off, before heading on to Foxton. So on Thursday I was outside in the sunshine doing a few chores when a collie came bounding up. He looked familiar, Meg certainly recognised him, and jumped on him straight away. I looked along the mooring and saw Derek and Gloria on their good looking boat Completely Foxed just tying up. The dog, of course, was Jake.
What a pleasant surprise. We’d not met up since parting on the Macclesfield Canal last August. They’re heading south, to meet up with a couple called Sue and Simon on NB Muriel, doing the Leicester Ring anticlockwise.

The weather was holding up, so we put off heading our separate ways for a few days, spending the time with long walks and chatting on the towpath.

Walks over the last few days…..

Gloria and the dogs
Winwick is well worth a couple of visits....

Victorian postbox – exclusively for Winwick Hall
Winwick Church – 13C St Michael and All Angels

Contemporary stained glass window

Meg and Jake
On Honey Hill

Tall bean field. “ Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman”
Most of the above pictures are courtesy of Gloria.

We reluctantly parted company this morning. Unfortunately full and empty tanks made finding the appropriate facilities imperative.

Completely Foxed gets away.
As do we shortly after.

We’ll make every effort to see them again later in the year, over Braunston way.
But for now we’ve got to concentrate on getting up into Yorkshire for September, via Sileby and Sheffield.

It’s a very pretty stretch of canal up here on the summit level. Gently rolling hills of wheat, corn and beans(!) stretch away, then there are wooded sections where the views are restricted by overhanging branches.

Cruising on the summit
The canal was quite busy, moving traffic coming the other way, and several groups of moored boats in popular spots. We were feeling a little pressured by a Canaltime boat behind us, so pulled in at the top of the Welford Arm, on the concrete edge, ostensibly for lunch, but in reality to let them pass.

Lunch at Welford Junction…..
.....shared with the ducks.
We needed water and a gas bottle, so pulled in at North Kilworth Wharf. While we were there we also took on 76 litres of diesel at 57p (domestic), which filled that tank as well.

At North Kilworth Wharf
There’s a chap there with a 100 year old icebreaker, refitted now with accommodation. It’s about to have a new engine fitted, a brand new Lister SR2. Lovely.

New engine, old boat. But they’ll complement each other well.
Market Bosworth Tunnel was the next high point, 1166 yards and quite dry, unlike Crick. Only a few minor dribbles from the roof. We followed a boat through, but were lucky enough not to meet any oncoming traffic.

Approaching the tunnel
In the dark
We travelled about 1½ miles further on before the weather finally broke and we had a heavy shower. We’d done well up to then, with a fine sunny morning. But the forecast had predicted rain in the afternoon.
So we pulled over in the shadow of the Laughton Hills at about 14:00. The rain only lasted about 30 minutes, though, but we decided to stay put until tomorrow anyway.

A couple of moorhen families came begging after we’d moored.

Mum came across the canal to collect the bread…..
And took it back for the nippers.
I took Meg up the hills and across the fields for around 4 miles this afternoon. You can tell we’re in Leicestershire, the footpaths are well waymarked with bright yellow posts.
Above the canal.
I reckon South Leicestershire is very under-rated. It’s a splendid walking area.

Locks 0, miles 10

Through Crick and Yelvertoft

We didn’t go anywhere yesterday with the weather being pretty unsettled. There were quite a few souls more hardy than us though, out and about. Amongst them were Rog and Pip on NB Windsong. They blog as well, and gave us a shout as they passed. We’ve not met, but are looking forward to the opportunity. Have a look at their blog; it covers from conception through build to the present cruise. Interesting stuff. Sorry I didn’t come out and have a chat, guys, I was in the middle of something (and it was raining…). Next time.

Today promised to be a little better, less wet and a bit warmer, so we moved on.
We met and passed a couple of boats in Crick tunnel, without incident.

Passing in Crick Tunnel
Tunnel cutting at the Crick end.
We made a quick stop to empty a loo cassette at Crick Wharf, then pushed on to Yelvertoft.
There were quite a few boats on the move, a mixture of private and hire. At one point we met a convoy of 4, all line astern. Luckily, not at a bridge!

Follow my leader…. Napton hire boat, Canaltime hire, private, Canaltime.
We pulled on to the water point at Yelvertoft and filled the tank while I made a quick dash to the shop for milk and bread, then carried on for another couple of miles, to moor in a quiet spot near Mountain Barn Bridge.

Unusual sighting of a cormorant near Yelvertoft

With no locks to do, Meg hadn’t been off for a run around, so we had to have a 10 minute ball throwing session before I could get a cup of tea and a bite to eat…
Then, after 3, we went for a long walk. She didn’t do very well yesterday, each time we set off we were met with a heavy shower, and neither of us get much joy out of getting wet through.
So we walked up the canal to Elkington, then followed the ancient byway to Winwick, before rejoining the canal to return to the boat. A very enjoyable 5¼ miles.

On the Elkington to Winwick Byway
Winwick Hall

Bridge Cottage, Winwick.
On the way back we passed a stretch of repaired bank, where the dredged silt has been used to backfill new piling.
The drying silt has cracked into a miniature imitation of a limestone pavement, complete with plants colonising the cracks.
A pity they felt the need to use 200 yards of orange mesh fencing though. I’m not sure whether it’s to protect towpath users from the silt, or the other way round….

A lot of boats have their back cabin panels signwritten with the boat name and town or canal of origin.
The boat just down the canal from us has applied a superbly whimsical twist to the custom….

Locks 0, miles 7

Wet Locking at Watford

We didn’t go anywhere yesterday, I watched the tennis while Mags fed the local wildlife.

Moorhen with with a takeaway for the kids.
We were off this morning at 09:00, with just a short run of 45 minutes to Watford Locks. We decided to leave it till today, expecting yesterday to be busy. There were quite a few boats about in both directions, so it was probably a good move.

It took some getting going though, the pound had dropped over the last 24 hours, leaving us sat on the muddy bottom.

Water level spillway, high and dry by around 4”
We arrived at the bottom of the Watford flight, and pulled in behind another boat waiting to go up. This flight has a lock keeper on during busy periods, and you’re well advised to let him know you’re there, and to do what he tells you!
The boat in front went up the first lock, and was told to wait, and we waited at the bottom till a couple of boats had come down. Then, after about 45 minutes, it was all systems go.

Waiting at the bottom of Watford Locks.
The flight consists of 2 singles, a 4-rise staircase, then another single at the top. All these locks are narrow, only allowing passage of one boat at a time.

In the staircase.

We’d just got into the second of the singles when the heavens opened. In a matter of less than a minute we were both wet through as a heavy thunderstorm let go overhead. Mags dashed in to get a jacket, but I was already too wet to bother.
We continued up in a pretty quick time, arriving at the top just as the rain stopped and the sun came out.

Out at the top, 52’6” higher.
We’re now on the long summit pound, at 412 feet above sea level. At the other end is Foxton Locks.

The brisk breeze was blowing up more suspicious looking clouds, so I pulled in after about 15 minutes. It started to throw it down again before I got tied up, and the heavy thundery showers have continued all afternoon.
We’re across the water from a field full of sheep, with not much in the way of shelter. They’re looking pretty sorry for themselves.

Damp sheep

We’ll have to play it by ear tomorrow, we’re due some more showers, but it's likely we'll move on a bit further, out of earshot of the M1. It’s not too bad, but it is a continuous whisper in the background. Apart from that it’s not a bad spot.

Locks 7, miles 2½

On to familiar waters (just).

Sue and Vic, and Charles and Ann arrived for a fleeting visit yesterday, late morning. We had a brew while catching up with the news and I had a look in the saloons of both boats. No Problem has had a substantial refit in the saloon and dinette area, making it a lot more light and airy. This was done at Norbury Wharf since we last saw them. And Moore 2 Life has had a new TV/bookshelf unit fitted under the gunwale. This seems to be the norm on a lot of new boats. This was done by a chap who used to run DB Boatfitters at Braunston, but has now “downscaled” the business and does jobbing work.
Both are tidy jobs, matching the existing woodwork.

Meanwhile Meg renewed her acquaintance with t’other Meg, Lucy and Molly, chasing up and down the towpath.

We said bye as they headed off south. NP is going down to Northampton and the Nene, M2L is heading down towards London. It’ll probably be next year before we meet up again.

Bye you lot. Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Earlier on yesterday we had a bit of rain, but it brightened up later. But not for Andy Murray though. I have to say that on the day the best man won. Andy Roddick was certainly far more in command of the match, with just the odd flash of inspiration from Murray. Shame, though.

Today we were off around 10, with about an hour of cruising to get to Buckby Locks. We chugged steadily though a delightful wooded section, at least it would be if you are deaf! Just 20 yards to the right is the M1, providing a continuous roar as background to the birds, and 50 yards to the left is the West Coast Main Line, with Virgin Pendolinos supplying an intermittent whoosh.

Wooded section looks pleasant, without the soundtrack.
We’d left moving up to Buckby till today, as they’ll be more traffic about so more chance of picking up a lock partner for these last 7 broad locks. And there’s likely to be more boats coming down, further reducing the workload.

Approaching Buckby Bottom Lock.
The plan worked well on both counts. We hooked up with Stuart and Ann on NB Wineberry, a pleasant couple who are off to do the Leicester Ring, clockwise. Then it got better still after the second lock. They’re doing the ring in company with Ivor and Julie on their boat, who were waiting at the top of the flight. They decided to walk down to help. So we had an excellent locking crew, which, with boats coming down, made it very easy.

In Buckby locks.
The locks were built with side ponds to conserve water, but these are no longer in use. Instead each has evolved its own little ecosystem of plant and animal life.

Side Pond
We reached the top lock in good time, and left Wineberry here. The 2 crews were going for lunch at the pub.

Buckby Top Lock, Mags and Stuart on the boats....
And Julie, Ann and Ivor.
We turned right off the main line and moored a little way on. We’re staying put till Monday, I reckon Watford Locks (about an hour away) will be busy tomorrow. They are narrow, 1 boat width, so there’s no opportunity to share.

Norton Junction

Straight on to Braunston and Birmingham, turn right for Leicester and points north.







Both the Navigation Cottages next to the junction are up for sale.

Two different Estate Agents, both for £225,000 for a 250 year lease. Details here and here if you’re looking for a canalside property with lots going on, in a pleasant part of the country. Good access to the M1…..

I’ll settle down now and watch the Williams sisters battle for the Womens Single title again.

Locks 7, miles 5