Whilton Marina to Crick

Tue 28^th Jun   Whilton Marina to Norton Junction

The trains were very close and noisy, but thankfully there weren’t many in the night. At 0715, it was very still and there were good reflections. By 0838, the wind had sprung up.

Trains close

Morning reflections at 0715

Windy at 0838

We moved onto the lock bollards to wait for a boat to share with on the Buckby flight. It was not at all busy, so we had a doze while we waited.

Eventually Grasshopper Warbler turned up, a hire boat from Gayton. The skipper had his own boat on the Thames at Chertsey, and most of the crew had experience, so it was good to team up with them.

Bottom Lock with Grasshopper Warbler

Going in together

A blooming tree

Still together

Lock 9 - two more to go

Buckby Top Lock

We emptied cassettes and rubbish at the facilities at the top, and then turned at Norton Junction, and reversed under Bridge 10 to find a mooring. We had to wait for a boat to come through the bridge, and they too turned and followed us through the bridge and moored up. It is a popular place.

Turning at Norton Junction

Moored near Bridge 10.

7 locks, 2 miles  Dep 1025, arr 1220

Wed 29^th Jun  Norton Junction to Crick

We set off back through Bridge 10 and turned left into the Leicester Arm, where there is a pleasant, wooded section to start with, followed by two marinas, and then the Watford Gap service area, which seems to be securely fenced with barbed wire on the top to stop people going in for a meal or buying anything. There used to be a gap in the hedge.

Into the Leicester Arm

Wooded section on the Leicester Arm

There was a boat travelling in front of us, and we both tied to the bollards at the foot of the Watford Locks. We both had to report in person to the lock keeper, who was right at the top. A boat had just gone down, so the locks were on our favour, and we only had a ten minute gap before proceeding up the locks. The first two and the last one are normal locks.

Watford bottom lock

Lock 2

39 miles to Leicester

The next four locks form a staircase, with side pounds. The red paddle lets water into the lock from the side pound. The white paddle lets water from the lock above into the side pound. If you operate the white paddle first you are in danger of overflowing the side pound, and wasting water.

Into the staircase

Going up

Red before white, you’re alright

Filling the side pound using the white paddle

Leaving the top lock

After the locks, we cross under the M1 before we get to Crick Tunnel, which was mostly dry, but worth keeping phones and cameras out of the way.

Approaching Crick Tunnel

Near the end

We moored just after the next bridge, where it is fairly peaceful. We contacted our friends Jim and Jan Lyon, who live in Yelvertoft, and we arranged to meet them in the Red Lion for a meal. It was good to see them again. The last time was two years ago, when we had Amanda with us, and they sat on the towpath as we were socially distancing.

The Red Lion

Jim, Jan, Hazel

7 locks, 5 miles, 1 tunnel.  Dep 0855 arr 1140.

Thu 30^th Jun  Crick

We had a tidy up today. Vacuuming, cleaning the windows, scrubbing the roof.

The only boating we did was a trip across the canal to the facilities, where we topped up with water, emptied two cassettes, and disposed of rubbish, including the large plastic chair. Both these chairs, bought just this year, have now been consigned to the bin as they are unsafe.

Service point

Whilst there, James found a tiny frog in the bows. It was released back to the canal.

Returning to our mooring in reverse, we picked up something on the prop, and had to use the boat pole to get us back to the towpath side. Going down the weed hatch, James found some pieces of sacking, a lot of spiky twigs, and a flag left over from the Diamond Jubilee.

Weed hatch collection

Moored in Crick

Later we tried to find the horse path from the mouth of the tunnel, but there seemed to be nowhere to go. We followed a footpath up the bank at an angle, but there was a fence at the top, with no stile or gate, so we gave up and returned to the towpath.

Crick Map

We walked up to the village by the usual route for a meal, and met Elizabeth, a BCF member who has a boat called Reeve, moored in the marina here. We continued our walk to the Royal Oak, where one end of the pub has been given over to an Indian Restaurant. We wouldn’t have known this if Jim and Jan hadn’t told us yesterday.

Indian Lodge

Very good food, particularly a fish starter that James had.

Back via the Co-op where we stocked up a bit, as we are heading out into the wilds tomorrow - no pubs or shops for a few days.

Next: proceeding slowly up the Leicester Arm.