Ox-eyes and flags

Thursday 1^st June; Flecknow to Norton Junction

It was grey and cold again when we got up, not what you really want in June is it?  The farm started crashing and banging at 8, more or less as expected, but we were up so it wasn’t a problem.  In spite of that it’s nice here, as the towpath is a bit wider than further along. 

Cow parsley still foaming

I forgot to mention yesterday that the cabin bilge, which had flooded on our last trip (which we discovered by finding a wet patch on the carpet), was dry on our return.  So we checked it several times yesterday.  Still dry this morning!  We set off, wrapped up well, at our usual time around 9.30.  Cold enough for woolly hats and gloves and a waterproof too because of the icy wind.  The journey to Braunston Turn was very pretty, with all kinds of flowering going on.

We hardly ever see pink hawthorn at home

It’s mostly white like the one on the right

There were elderflowers too, though I didn’t get a picture.  And also lots of flowers along the towpath, wild roses, the cow parsley of course, and others like it, but also masses of these

Ox-eye Daisies aka Moon Daisies

and yelllow flag too.  They are a little bit out of focus and caused hilarity in the oncoming boat as I lunged for the camera (I was steering at the time), hastily corrected my course and tried to take a photo all in one fluid (ha-ha) move.

Yellow flag

As we passed the permanent mooring on the Puddle Bank stretch, firstly I had to take the obligatory photo

And then I spotted this fellow perched in a tree (Dave was on the tiller by now).

The bridges at the junction are another must-snap but the photo would have been spoilt by the large buildings between the chandlery and the Boat pub, so I snapped the other bridge instead.   

That one's prettier

We needed to go shopping, so went on past the Gongoozler’s Rest but the moorings were very crowded and we were lucky to find a gap just past the bridge carrying the footpath to the village.  There was a boat coming towards us but it was still a fair distance away, giving us time to manoeuvre.  I had only just stepped onto the towpath as the 25-footer (it turned out) arrived, a chap on the bow shouting instructions to the steerer.  They went broadside across the canal, hit us, then the chap sprang onto our bow don’t you think he should have quickly asked if it was ok?), hauled the boat round with the rope and just squeezed into the gap, all fender-to-fender stuff.  We couldn’t have gone back any further, our rear fender was already overlapping with the boat behind us!  Certainly someone who was good at judging gaps, but maybe not so hot on the etiquette.

Anyway, no harm done and we went up for the shopping.  I always look for the painted oil tank at the house on the corner of Nibbitt’s Lane and the main street.  Many years ago it was fabulously decorated but has been deteriorating over the years.  But since we were here last year Gnasher has been spruced up!

After lunch we pottered up to the bottom lock, where no-one was waiting for a locking partner.  But by the time the crew above the lock had brought their boat down, a small boat had turned up to join us.  All went well for a while with two crew and boats coming down all the time. The sun came out and layers started to come off.   Just over half-way up the flight I mentioned to two boats coming down that we were on our way, and left them waiting for Bonjour and friend to come into the lock below.  I went on to open the gates they had closed.  And they waited, and waited…..  Eventually, as I was going back down to apologise, and ask them to take the lock while I went to investigate, I could see our cratch board rising up.  Our companions’ gear cable had snapped, so they stayed where they were, closer to road access for RCR.  The lovely crews of the patient waiting boats worked Dave up and we finished the flight on our own.  The last-but-one lock wouldn’t equalise till we spotted the problem.

Not everyone follows instructions!

But we forgave them, as they had been so patient and then helped Dave up the lock.  At last we approached the top lock, where an elderly couple were coming down.  They had just left their mooring at the top, but we decided not to take it and move on closer to Norton junction.

Top lock

The sun was out and the sky was blue as we approached Braunston tunnel, with its elegant cascade of May blossom above.

We had totally forgotten that there is a kink towards the far end, but a local boat coming the other way hadn’t and waited for us to pass, which we managed without incident.  What lovely boaters we met this afternoon!  We went on nearly as far as Norton Junction,  and moored at the start of the piled mooring, still in sunshine though it was getting cold again.  As we walked to the pub for a beer later on, our erstwhile locking buddies passed – RCR had come out within the hour and even had the correct cable.  Dave had offered our spare but it was too long to fit their small set-up.

The New Inn isn't dog-friendly so we sat outside by the lock, in the noise from the A5 which crosses the bridge below the lock.  But it’s peaceful at the mooring.

The cabin bilge is still dry.  We are now fairly sure the water-tank is sound, and there are no leaks in the pipework – it is beginning to look as though I accidentally filled the bilges by overfilling the water-tank before we went home after our visit at the end of March.

7 miles, 6 locks