Wednesday August 8th, Prison Field Moorings, Barby - Top Lock, Braunston

Another grey misty and mizzly morning and the wet weather gear went on straight away. When will this miserable weather finally cease? According to the forecast it will be nice tomorrow – when we get home!

The length from the Prison Field moorings opposite Barby Hill to Braunston is unremarkable in many ways, but still has interest to show. It is curiously remote with just one minor road crossing in the three miles to Braunston Turn and the first A45 bridge. And yet, a major prison and borstal lurk just beyond the towpath hedge where we moored up last night, and the A45 pursues a parallel course about half a mile or so beyond.

The line of the old Great Central Railway, criminally axed by Beeching – the Government now want to recreate much of the line on a slightly different route at huge cost and negligible benefit – also follows the canal line to Braunston.

Old ridge and furrow patterns remain in the fields of pasture that come down to the canal’s edge (and fortunately we are on a length not blessed with trees so we can see our surroundings better); evidence of how long these fields have been used for grazing.

Apart from a single cottage, Willoughby Wharf is the only sign of habitation in the entire length. Here the old cottages have been tastefully modernised and now form highly desirable residences.

The canal winds extravagantly, but with the tall and distinctive spire of Braunston Church high up on its ridge comes into view for the first time. It is a splendid landmark for miles around.

A solitary signal post remains forlornly in the fields; a poignant reminder of the former Great Central main line extension to Marylebone Station, it’s signal gantry leaning at a drunken angle. I wonder if there are ghostly echoes on still winter nights of the “The Master Cutler” tearing its way along the track to Sheffield?

Braunston was a lot quieter than we have known it. There was just a short line of boats tied up before the first A45 bridge and just two on the length beyond to the Turn. As always a gaggle of ex-working boats were clustered around the Turn – Victoria (Associated Canal Carriers), Renfrew (GUCC) and Betelgeuse (also GUCC) were all in evidence.

Beyond Butchers Bridge, there were also spaces to be had, but we pressed on to the lock. Elaine’s first reaction was that some silly so & so had left the bottom gates open. But then she realised that there was a boat already in the lock and that they had been waiting for another boat to share with.

And so, we shared the ascent to the summit with Steve & Annie on “Billy Buoy” who moor at Birstall on the Leicester Section and were on their way back round to their mooring. We had a great run up the locks, meeting a few boats making the descent.

At the top we parted company with Steve & Annie and moved onto the moorings beyond the top lock and tied up for the day.

Mooring above Braunston Top Lock