Foxton Flight today

Found yet another nice mooring.  I am quite surprised at the number of possible sites there are along here.  Lots of them are pilings with opportunity to use the paper clip.

It rained this morning but after a while cleared up and is more like a summer temperature. We keep popping into the woods and my only 'complaint' is the fact that there is normally a high hedge on the lower side of the canal.

First the tunnel at Crick.  I have a foul weather jacket on today after the soaking yesterday :-)

Out the other side and we are confronted with a workboat floating across the canal.  Gave it bit of a nudge and jumped aboard while it headed for the bank.  No ropes onboard so tied it up with a piece of chain.  It had already been chained up I think, and by the look of it, one of the links had broken.

A quick stop in Crick to stock up.

The canal wanders around a lot here.  The canal goes around one hill after another.  This one has a beacon basket on the top of it.

On the other side of the hill and a narrowboat in a field.  I know we have had a lot of rain but not that much surely :-)

From fields to the woods. 

A lov ely day and another tunnel in the offing.

Moored for the night near Husbands Bosworth.

Its never dull on the GU.  You can never tell what is coming up.  Lots of corners and corridors of trees to obstruct the view ahead.

and Husband Bosworth tunnel at 1166 yards is short compared to the last one.  You can even see all the way through it.

It may be shorter than the last but I'm still glad to get out of it.

Clouds are gathering - again but bit of sunshine on the horizon. A couple of torrential downpours and any water that has evaporated over the last couple of decent days is now well and truly replaced.  

Had a Tweet from nb Jubilee saying they were moored up at Bridge 55 which is a short haul from the Foxton Flight. 

Nb Jubilee used to belong to the IWA as a mobile conference/teaching centre.  Tony and Judy got the coffee pot on and the world - high speed boaters - got put to rights :-) Thanks both for the hospitality.

Just short of the flight and ready for tomorrow.

A bunch early morning visitors.  Their parents have already taught them that boats mean food.

The storm clouds keep skirting us.  The view down into the plain that the flight takes us down to.

Into the locks and loads of gongoozlers boat spotting.

The view behind the boat as the water leaves the lock.

Heading for the water point to top up.

Spotted this advert on the side of the canal.  Any takers? English not his strongest point :-)

One length of the canal is a SSSI.  Lots of plants but they are growing rather  near to the middle in places.

A lovely view from the house on the hill.  Loads of  fields of ripe 'stuff' that has got rather damp over the last few days.

That's almost it for the day.  Through Saddington Tunnel and we will find a mooring.  There are some locks to do tomorrow.  Its back to lock country after a few days with only the occasional flight to contend with.  You can hardly see tunnel mouth for the trees lining the approach.

On to Watford Locks

 Some lovely mooring places on the GU. Many have either rings or bring a paper clip an hook on to the piling.

Its not far to Stoke Bruerne.  The last lock before the village itself.  Nice pub on the  right and the lock is there too.

 On the left is a second lock by the looks of it that was used to weight boats.

The weighing machine.  

The museum is on the right of the lock.

Earlier before the lock there was plenty of mooring space.  Up here there is very little to start with but if you travel far enough there is usually a space.

Walked back down to the locks to have a look at the sights and get a pint.

The other pub. The Boat Inn. Inside it is quite ancient.

Back to the mooring and off to brave the tunnel.

Its still half a mile or so with boats moored all the way.

Boats are moored up right to the mouth of the tunnel.  Longest so far this trip at over 3000 yards. There is a blacksmith in the building on the right selling all sorts of ironwork.

 I assume that this is a profile of the tunnel inside.

Out the other side.  Soaking wet. Each air-shaft throws out the remains of the water that has come down over the last weeks.

This is Blisworth and the original home of nb Mozart.

Bit further on and a rather nice looking boat belonging to the St John Ambulance people.

Moored up for the night

To the woods to the wood etc

Along here the East Coast Main Line is on one side and the M1 on the other.

Most of the time you don't see either. Its just the constant rubble in the background.

Rather nice home with couple of old boats outside.

Probably the original paint job.

Several lovely villages attached to the canal.

After all the woods its nice to have a rural scene.

Another old boat but this one is Lincoln

Got them both in view now.  Main Line to the left and M1 to the right.

Its Whilton Lock tonight and a visit to the marina but no wide-beams to look at.

Above the lock and loads of work going on to the towpath. Bit congested here with two boats coming up and two going down.  Met a pair of boats coming out of every one of the locks.

The New Inn.  A lovely point for watching the lock.  Sadly no beer as it closed last Sunday.

Back into the woods.

The first of the Watford locks.

Three boats going up as soon as the three have come to the bottom.  Gets a bit hectic before staircase.

Looking down the flight.

Thats it for today.  Last lock and its time to find a mooring.