Brinklow to Braunston

Mon 12^th Sep  Brinklow to Hillmorton

Chris and Sally disappeared by car as they had an appointment elsewhere. We set off later, heading further south. It was a lovely sunny day and going through “All Oaks Wood” was delightful. I expect we were watched by deer in the bushes, and tawny owls in the trees.

Leaving Kairos at Brinklow

Sunshine and woods

The North Oxford Canal was straightened out in the early 19^th century, leaving contour loops either side. Many of these had wrought iron towpath bridges built across them, made by Horseley Iron Works in Tipton, and transported by canal to where they were installed. There are several of these still visible today.

Old route with an iron bridge

On the way in to Brownsover, we passed through the short Newbold Tunnel and the Barley Mow pub, then past a meadow with strip lynchets, a side arm which leads further in towards Rugby, and over two aqueducts before the visitor moorings, where boaters tend to stop to visit Tesco.

Newbold Tunnel

Barley Mow

Medieval ridges

Rugby Arm

Aqueduct at Rugby

We had just moored up when Sonflower arrived, and moored temporarily nose to nose with Gabriel. It was good to see Peter and Fran, and Alex, last seen on the Mission in June. They had been just about to leave, heading for the BCF event in Fazeley.

Braybrook family

We made the obligatory visit to Tesco for a few things, before leaving again for our mooring for the evening below the Hillmorton Locks. There we briefly met new BCF members passing on a boat called Leah

Brownsover

Leah

Sunset at Hillmorton

0 locks, 7 miles, 1 tunnel. Dep 1135, arr 1110 Brownsover. Dep 1400, arr 1500 Hillmorton

Tue 13^th Sep  Hillmorton to Barby Hill

Sunrise at Hillmorton

We had an easy journey through the Hillmorton Locks. They are paired, so there is usually one of the two locks set correctly. Two boats had just come down, and one boat was going up ahead of us.

Entering Hillmorton Locks

Top Lock at Hillmorton

We continued south until we had cleared the sound of the M45 which crosses the canal after two miles. We stopped after Bridge 80, where there is good view of Barby Hill. The mooring backs onto a disused railway, behind which is a prison, and the edge of Dunchurch Pools Marina. We put our washing to dry. We met a man called David from Bizarre. He was interested in BCF, so we gave him some out of date Word magazines. Hopefully, he will decide to join.

Wash day by Barby Hill

Sunset by Dunchurch Pools Marina

Sunset

3 locks, 4 miles. Dep 1000, arr 1150.

Wed 14^th Sep  Barby to Braunston

It was misty this morning – a sure sign of Autumn. Our journey took us firstly past the entrance to Dunchurch Pools, where the bridge across is a good imitation of the Horseley Iron Works bridges.

Misty morning

Dawn over Barby Hill

Dunchurch Pools entrance

This is an ancient landscape, with evidence of medieval strip farming. More recent history includes some old signal equipment at the side of the disused railway, and in the distance, the village church of All Saints. Further along the ridge is a windmill dating from 1880, and now a dwelling.

Ridges

Railway remains

Approaching Braunston

We had hoped to visit the chandlery, and the adjacent facilities, but there were three boats coming towards us, and a boat taking up the mooring, and the channel was very narrow, so we decided to move on. We paused at the facilities further on, and emptied two cassettes, and filled the water tank. We moored just after the entrance to Braunston Marina.

Braunston Marina

Moored in Braunston

0 locks, 4 miles, 1 swingbridge. Dep 0920, arr 1220

Next: the 6 Braunston Locks and Braunston Tunnel, followed by the 7 Buckby Locks on the Grand Union, as we continue our journey back towards Aylesbury.