It’s surprising really how quickly you readjust to a mobile life afloat rather than being tied up on your mooring plugged into the electric. Steering and lock working just come as second nature (although mixed with a healthy dash of common sense), the TV & Humax box get switched off at night and not left on standby, Elaine fires the grill up for our toast in the morning rather than use the toaster and lots of other little things that now become the routine.

Having said that, I committed a cardinal error this morning – in starting the engine I accidentally or inadvertently returned the ignition key to the vertical so the batteries weren’t charging and the rev counter and tachometer (?) weren’t operating.

It took me about 20 minutes to work out why. Ah well, I’m allowed a few senior moments a day. What an idiot!

We had an uneventful run along the seemingly remote section from the junction to Braunston Tunnel – seemingly, because Daventry is edging nearer to the canal from the west and, if the District Council’s development plan ever comes to fruition (complete with the new Daventry Branch Canal), it will edge a darn sight closer.

In the tunnel I took the opportunity to try out our new RAC LED rechargeable lantern, sitting it on the slide pointing up and to the side. It added a lot more illumination and I wondered why I hadn’t thought of that before. I don’t mind tunnels – in fact I quite enjoy standing on the back step with the doors closed behind me musing about nothing in particular. But a bit more light to see your way never goes amiss.

Starting fairly early, we had a boat free passage through the tunnel emerging at the far end to wait our turn down the 6-lock flight. Moored at the top was Nick Wolfe's old working boat 'Aldgate' looking, as ever, in good condition.

Aldgate at Braunston Top Lock moorings

We had to wait for a boat mover to come up through the top lock, taking a boat to Whilton for sale. In the pound below the top lock a Napton hireboat had been tied up waiting for the boat mover to come through, and they very kindly waited for us.

We had a good run down until Crooked Cottage Lock where we came up behind a very slow couple working the flight on their own. Once they had cleared the lock and we had worked through ourselves, we found they had waited in the bottom lock for whoever emerged from our lock first to share with them. Needless to say we weren’t and had to pull into the side for them to work through and for two more boats (TicketyBoo and Outlander 2) to ascend.

However, we were eventually through emerging into the gaggle of boats that always make such a feature of Braunston Bottom Lock. It appears Phil Abbott at Wharf House Narrowboats has sold the business as Wharf House Chandlery is now Braunston Chandlers and the Wharf House Narrowboats is now listed on the Braunston Boats signage. Wonder why that was?

Looking back towards Braunston Bottom Lock (just through the bridge)

We pulled in just after the first marina entrance so Elaine could post her crossword from yesterday’s paper and get today’s before setting off again.

The former Oxford Canal Toll House, now the Stop House

Elaine always stays at the front for the passage through Braunston. The narrows by the Stop House, the turn under the first A45 bridge and Braunston Turn are always where you will meet other boats coming the other way.

I have recently read of people who rate the big pub just before the Turn. It started life as the Rose & Castle, became the Mill House and is now one of Marston’s Two for One food factories. We went there as part of a party of 8 or so soon after it opened and had a dreadful meal. Food was cold, some people had finished their main course before others had even got their food and the service was dire.

I accept you are never going to get Haute Cuisine in a food factory, but we have many jolly good meals at Weedon’s Heart of England; another Two for One establishment run by Marstons. But I would seriously hesitate before going in again, particularly when the Admiral Nelson (now hopefully saved for the foreseeable future) is just a short walk up the locks.

Daffodils at Braunston Turn

Returning to the cruise - it was good to see that the overgrown trees and undergrowth on the off side of the Stop House narrows had been cleared as they had been a serious hazard for many years. Equally, full praise is due to the locals and boaters who have taken to looking after Braunston’s canalscape and have cleared the island at the Turn of its undergrowth. It looks very smart now, particularly with clumps of nodding daffodils in full bloom.

Former junction of Grand Junction & Oxford Canals. Oxford route is the one on the right

And so across the Puddle Banks – the more or less straight cut off built by the old Grand Junction Canal Company after it had bought the two Warwick canals (Warwick & Napton & Warwick & Birmingham) to open up their through route to the Second City. They had to use the Oxford Canal’s route from Braunston to Napton (and paid through the nose in tolls for it) but baulked at the tortuous route it took from the Stop House (where the two canals originally met) round the back of Wolfhamcote, criss-crossing the new Puddle banks route several times.

Just after Bridge 97 the old Oxford Canal line can be traced through the old farm. It is normally just a grassy depression. Today, it looked as if you could cruise it as it had become a water filled depression!

Most of the wrecks have been moved from this section, even the boat and butty that sank near the winding hole has been removed. Most of the boats now permanently moored on the off side have enclosed their little plots with fencing and are growing flowers, vegetables and are keeping hens and it all looks very tidy. All except for one boat which has a veritable scrap and junk yard adjacent to it

We love the section between Braunston & Napton – it doesn’t pass through any villages (except for Lower Shuckburgh which doesn’t really count even as a hamlet) and no main roads cross it until you near Napton. It is quiet and remote with a lot of good mooring places. One of our favourites on the whole system is just after Bridge 100 where we tied up just as it started to drizzle.



Mooring at Bridge 100

Bridge 100

Talking of Bridge 100, it seems a bit surplus to requirements now. It has lost its parapets and looks very insubstantial although it has gained a set of chain railings to replace the parapets. It only ever was a farmer’s accommodation bridge, but I would hesitate sending a decent sized cow over it now.

We had suffered with a strong wind most of the day, but as we tied up it really began to get stronger until it was a gale force wind. The waves on the canal look rather like a choppy crossing of the English Channel! Boats are going by at full pelt and for once, I can’t say I blame them. Slow down to tickover and you’d be pinned to the bankside in the blink of an eye. Just hope it dies down before tomorrow otherwise it might be a tad difficult to get off the bank and moving!