Sunday 3rd July; Braunston to Hillmorton
Dry at last! Or so we thought. Anyway, the sun came out as we dropped down the bottom two locks, a cheery lockie helping us down the last one. I bought some bread at the Canal Shop – it was yesterday’s bake, as it’s Sunday, but I didn’t know what we’d find up in the village. We moored just before Butcher’s Bridge and walked up to the village in the sunshine. That hill was just as steep as we remembered! As it turned out the butcher’s had some good-looking bread but the plan is to go to Tesco tomorrow so we didn’t buy any more – just sausages (well, you have to) and something for another couple of meals, and some new potatoes, pork pies for Dave and a vegetable samosa for me. Then some bits and pieces from the shop opposite. It’s changed hands and now called ‘BB’ – we were told it was ‘Bargain Booze’ to start with but that’s not what you want to think about Braunston is it!
Back at the boat, we read the paper and pottered about till lunchtime then enjoyed our savoury snacks, setting off before 2. We hadn’t gone far - just approaching the Boat in lovely sunshine – when a dark cloud appeared from behind the trees. I went forward to close the cratch cover, just in case, and by the time I reached the bow it was raining – quite hard - and it didn’t let up until we were on the Barby Straight. That’s not the reason there is no snap of the church spire – I did take one – but I discovered a problem with my camera after we stopped for the night, so no photos from today. However, here’s one from 2019 with Chuffed’s roof and brasses as a bonus.
We moored before the visitor moorings above Hillmorton locks. The single mooring further out that we had planned to use was occupied, but we had a spot past the start of the housing where it adjoins the canal, and it was nice and quiet. Meg got a long walk down below the bottom lock where I thought we could play ball on the wide grassy area near the water point. But it’s unmown this year, except for a path that has been mown through it near the hedge. I met the boater who had mown the path – he was indignant that the grass had been left for the butterflies, but where were all the flowers? Now, Dave is a bit of a butterfly enthusiast so we know that the flowers usually only feed the adults – it’s the grass (or leaves, or seed pods) that feed the caterpillars, and without caterpillars there will be no butterflies! I told him this but I’m not sure he was convinced. I did see a couple of (probably) ringlets on my walk back, so they are beginning to arrive and breed.
We had a lovely quiet evening, apart from a boater running his engine from about 7pm – but he moved off soon after 8, and peace was restored.
7 miles, 2 double locks, 2 canals – Grand Union and North Oxford.
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