Stoke Hammond day 3

Today was a logistics day. Ahead of our mooring spot were the three locks at Soulbury. Between lock two and three on the rise is a winding hole, and this would be the limit of our journey south this year. The morning was forecast to be bright and sunny so we set off after breakfast. At the foot of the lock flight is a water point so we filled up. Whilst waiting we also saw our first heron catching a fish. He was hovering over the pound, something must have caught his eye, then he swooped down, hopped out with wriggling fish in its beak, and then it was gone. It was also bigger than the ones I caught last year.

       

                                                Taking on water and setting the lock.

The lock flight is manned by volunteers so we informed them of our intention to wind. The middle pound is adjacent to the Three Locks P.H. which we tried yesterday. It is dog friendly and serves good food, although did seem on the pricey side. Having winded it was back down the two locks, and back to our mooring spot above Stoke Hammond Lock. The weather is proving bizarre at the moment. One minute bright sunshine, the next wind and sleet. It is our intention, subject to the vagaries of the forecast weather, to set off for Milton Keynes and Great Linford tomorrow. This afternoon between wintery showers, the garden on the roof was tended to by the crew. Not wanting to be out done I thought I would tackle the stove. There was five months of baked on soot to clean, still now it's done.

Totals 2 Miles 4 Locks

Running total 62 Miles 44 Locks 3 Tunnels

Stoke Hammond

Today it was a flip of a coin as to whether to move or not. The forecast indicated we would encounter several showers, but that the wind would be light. Most of the journey would be spent circumnavigating Milton Keynes, however it was surprisingly rural. It seems the towns planners created plenty of parkland for the enjoyment of its residents. After a few miles we reached Fenny Stratford. The lock here has a change of level of one foot one inch. Whether this was a mistake by the canal builders, or planned is a mystery. The lock also features a swing bridge, which must be moved before entry to the lock chamber.

       

                                                   Fenny Stratford lock and swing bridge.

Our next planned stop was to be Willow Bridge Marina for fuel, water and a pump out. The diesel pump was being repaired, so that will have to wait until our return. On route we spotted numerous heron, but this chap seemed to have a good fishing perch.

       

From Willow Bridge it was only a mile or so to the lock at Stoke Hammond. We were joined by a singlehanded narrowboater for the ascent. Our chosen mooring spot was just above the lock with a nice wide grassy towpath.

       

    

       

                                                        Mooring at Stoke Hammond.

Not long after mooring up we were passed by nb Kantara, neighbours of ours at Yelvertoft. Kantara is on its way back from cruising London and their blog can be found in my blog list. We have good 3G and satellite signals here and are close to a couple of pubs so we are in no hurry to move on. 

Totals 10 Miles 2 Locks

Running total 60 Miles 42 Locks 3 Tunnels

Milton Keynes

Just a short post today, to report that Sunday lunch at the Black Horse Inn was very enjoyable. The pub is very atmospheric with plenty of exposed beams and open fires. We also found out they are dog friendly so a visit on our return journey is very much a possibility.

This evening the rain has set in so it was with some surprise we heard boat movement outside. Peeping out of the porthole we saw our first fat boat, aka wide beam on the move. We have seen plenty of these moored up on the Grand Union but this was our first moving one, hence the quick photo.

       

The weather for tomorrow is not looking too clever at the moment, so a decision on moving will be made in the morning.

Milton Keynes bridge 75.

Not wishing to overstay our welcome at Cosgrove, on Thursday we set off, initially for Wolverton. We were now on the outskirts of the vast suburban mass that is Milton Keynes. At Wolverton located conveniently close to the canal, is both a Tesco and Asda superstore. Myself and Oscar remained with the boat whilst the crew took the shopping trolley on its first outing of 2016. A little over an hour later and we were on our way again. Our planned mooring spot was just two miles further on, by bridge 75. There were a few boats here already, but we found a boat sized gap to slip into.

       

Our mooring is in a short section of the canal that dog legs away from the built up areas, and is surrounded to the north by parkland walks and several large lakes. Today, St. George's Day we wandered around these lakes, allowing Oscar to charge about in the park grassland, before returning to the boat for lunch. Our afternoon entertainment was going to involve returning to a pub we had found the previous day, on the edge of the medieval village of Great Linford.

       

                                                                Linford Manor.

       

                                         Almshouses and the 13th century St. Andrews Church.

The Nags Head P.H. is a thatched roofed pub and today the building was adorned with flags and bunting. The entertainment taking place in the garden, was folk dancing by the Roses and Castles Morris dancing side.

       

                                                              Nags Head P.H.

       

                                                  Roses and Castles Morris Side.

During our excursions we have found another pub, the Black Horse, and this will be our venue for tomorrow's Sunday lunch. Our plan is to then move again on Monday, heading towards our final destination of Stoke Hammond, where we will wind to begin our journey back towards Yelvertoft for the Crick Show at the end of May.

Totals 3 Miles

Running total 50 Miles 40 Locks 3 Tunnels

Cosgrove

Yesterday we departed Stoke Bruerne having enjoyed its hospitality for the past few days. This culminated on Sunday with a three course roast dinner in the Woodwards restaurant above the Boat Inn. Although the weather was dry there was a cold wind blowing, but even so, as we descended the remaining five locks of the Stoke Bruerne flight, the crew removed their jacket with all the hard work needed. We met a few boats coming up, one being nb Ferndale, who informed us they read our ramblings. Once at the foot of the flight we pulled onto the service point for water. We had a bit of time to wait, so I cleared the roof of all its items and gave it its first ever wash, the roof that is. At the conclusion of our chores we set off again aiming for the village of Cosgrove. On route, we noted a number of good rural moorings in the vicinity of several villages, namely Grafton Regis and Yardley Gobion. Approaching Cosgrove we passed by the Navigation Inn at Thrupp Wharf, one for the future, then beneath a splendid Gothic style stone bridge. We continued and descended the single lock, then took up a mooring on a long straight section of the canal prior to the Great Ouse Aquaduct. Cosgrove must be a popular spot as it seems we are time limited here to a maximum 14 days in any year.

       

Today the weather was totally different, blue skies and warm sunshine. It appears as if the weather is forecast to remain fine for the next few days. This is good news as our solar panel is now providing upwards of 100 amp hrs per day, which equates to about two thirds of our daily electrical usage. After the winter months it's nice to have a spring clean, so this morning following breakfast, it was the turn of the well deck to be emptied of kit and washed.

Soon it was lunchtime and we set off in search of the Barley Mow P.H. The pub is dog friendly so Oscar came too. The route was well signposted including directions through the ' horse tunnel ' beneath the canal.

       

       

They must have used short horses in the day, as I nearly bumped my head in the centre as we walked through. After lunch we walked back to the boat via the very large Cosgrove holiday park. There is a handy grocery shop here that the crew informed me was well stocked. I had to wait outside for my ice cream, as the four legged member was not welcome inside. Then it was back to the boat. I had not taken a picture of our mooring so out came the camera, only to be photo bombed by a duck.

       

Needing to stretch our legs a bit more we carried on walking in the direction of Wolverton. This took us over the oldest wide beam iron Aquaduct, which crosses the river Great Ouse. Prior to its building a series of locks down, and then back up the other side was the method of crossing the river.

       

       

On our way back, viewing through the trees we could see the expanse of the holiday park surrounded by a number of large lakes.

       

We will probably stay put another day before moving on, we don't want to use up our entire year worth of allowed time in one visit in case we want, or need to stop on the way back.

Totals 6 Miles 6 Locks

Running total 47 Miles 40 Locks 3 Tunnels ( not including the twice through the horse tunnel ).

Stoke Bruerne day 2

At 0930 this morning we set off for the top lock. A boat had just passed us and we would join them for the long journey that lay ahead, ( 2 locks and about 400 yards ). 

       

                                                      Approaching the top lock.

       

                                 Waiting in the pound with the Navigation Inn in the background.

Once through the second lock we said goodbye to our locking partners as they headed off towards the remainder of the flight, and their eventual destination in London. The mooring in this pound is restricted to 7 days and is fairly shallow in places, but we managed to find a spot where we could get in, and also line up the satellite dish. We plan to stay here now until after the weekend. For lunch we visited the Boat Inn above the top lock, and then after we walked back towards the Blisworth Tunnel. The huts by the entrance are now put to use by a blacksmith, and also an artist creating stained glass items. We also spotted a novel use for any old shipping containers lying around......turn them into boats.

       

It was then back to the boat before the forecast rain arrived, and to work out our itinerary for the next few days.

       

                                           Our new mooring at Stoke Bruerne.

Totals 400 Yards 2 Locks 

Running total 41 Miles 34 Locks 3 Tunnels

Stoke Bruerne

We had not planned to move today, but having finished breakfast at 1045 hrs, the sun was shining and the day was shaping up to be glorious. Initially we would aim for Blisworth but our plans changed. Soon after setting off, the canal wiggled its way back towards the railway line, which then stayed with us until we reached Gayton Junction six miles further on. We needed diesel and a pump out so we turned left at the junction in order to visit Gayton Marina. After settling the bill we took the opportunity to fill the water tank, which in turn gave us time to have lunch.

       

                                                   Gayton Marina services dock.

We continued along the Northampton Arm of the G.U. until we reached the winding hole at the top of the locks. This flight consists of 17 narrow locks, leading all the way to Northampton town centre some four miles away. At the terminus of the canal, navigation continues on the river Nene, pronounced 'Nen or Neen' depending on where you come from. This river eventually takes you to The Wash and the North Sea.

       

                         Top of the flight with Northampton retail park in the distance to the left.

We are currently not equipped for rivers, so we winded here, saving this route for another year. It was then back along the arm to Gayton Junction, turning left to continue our journey south.

       

                                                           Gayton Junction.

       

                                      Junction Milepost, London only 77 miles away.

After rejoining the G.U. mainline we said goodbye to the railway, and in no time were approaching our intended mooring location of Blisworth. It seemed however that Blisworth, had suffered some recent heavy rain as the towpaths looked like a quagmire. The four legged crew member is not very good at wiping his feet so we decided to press on.

       

                          Travelling through Blisworth. Former warehouses now luxury flats.

Soon we were entering the 3057 yards Blisworth Tunnel. This tunnel is the third longest navigable tunnel in the country. As we entered the north portal we could see the south portal ahead. This tunnel unlike some we have been through is arrow straight. We could also see that we had no oncoming traffic and so our passage only took approx 30 minutes.

       

                                        Approaching the northern portal of Blisworth Tunnel.

The tunnel was fairly wet as we passed through especially in the area of the ventilation shafts, and at various point drainage channels were allowing water to pour in through the brickwork. The centre section of the tunnel was the subject of a massive restoration project in the late 70's early 80's and is now lined in concrete. As we exited the southern portal there is a plaque to commemorate its reopening in 1984.

       

    

       

At each end of the tunnel is a hut originally used by the leggers, men who lay on a planks and walked the boats through, whilst the horses used to pull the boats nipped over the top. Thankfully for the crew, 43 horses of diesel power now does the job.

We arrived at the famous canal village of Stoke Bruerne and found a mooring a hundred yards or so from the top lock. We are time restricted here to 48 hours, but will probably move down two locks of the flight tomorrow to the 7 day section. There are several pubs and an Indian restaurant here, all of which I am sure will benefit from our custom over the next few days.

       

                                              Our mooring at a busy Stoke Bruerne.

Totals 9 Miles 1 Tunnel

Running total 41 Miles 32 Locks 3 Tunnels