Raining Inside

Braunston Locks

Set off at about 1000 after excellent bacon sandwiches from the Gongoozeler cafe boat that ply's its trade along  the canal in Braunston. A lot of angst on the canal first thing, lock 1 a woman turning the air blue shouting at her husband, lock 3 "my boat has a deep draught you need to give it more space" (It was impossible!!), your light is too bright (in Braunston tunnel)-well it may be; perhaps I need to face it down a bit.

Turned onto the Leicester section of the Grand Union at 1200. Leicester 41 miles says the Grand Junction Canal Company sign at Norton Junction as you turn onto the canal. Thats a bit like when yourseeing a motorway sign that your destination is 250 miles away.

It rained hard as we did Watford locks. We had to que for an hour as these are a flight of 7 lcks which you cant pass on. Some volunteers helping out were invaluable.

Watford Locks

After the locks you have a long 20 mile summit section (pound) across the rolling Northamtonshire hills into Leicestershire. The canal passes nowhere in particular but does pass through the Crick tunnel. In LTC Rolts famous book "Narrow boat" he stays in the tunnel on his boat to avoid a storm. I can tell you that today there was as much water off the roof of the tunnel as being outside! It was raining inside.

 Its simple to do the easy things which please everyone but often difficult to do the right things I thought as we traversed the summit level. This 20 mile pound gives time for such musing.

The sun came out and we kept going into the evening to Stockleys Bridge. I cant be more specific as this canal twists and turns giving a wide berth to any village. So Stockleys Bridge it is for the overnight mooring. Birdsong, fried chicken, salad for tea 94 miles 91 locks since Stourport.