Yelvertoft to Weedon

Mon 8th Oct  Smart’s Bridge to Crick

Moored near Smart’s Bridge

We cruised first of all to the water point at Yelvertoft, where we filled the water tank and disposed of some rubbish. Then we had a short cruise around and past Crack’s Hill. One day we will climb it. We arrived in Crick and used the elsan point before mooring up opposite.

Crack’s Hill

Our mooring in Crick

We walked up to the Red Lion and found Nick and Jan had just got there.  We had an excellent meal and very good value. 

Red Lion, Crick

We all went back to Gabriel for coffee. While we there, Jim and Jan came past to say hello.

Nick and Jan

Nick and Jan went off in their car, heading for somewhere to spend a night before Bletchley Park in the morning.

0 locks, 4 miles

Tue 9th Oct  Crick to Ball’s Bridge

It was sunny again today. We walked back up into the village to visit the Co-op, which we found to be well stocked. 

We set off through Crick Tunnel and passed some lovely countryside with evidence of ancient strip farming, before we arrived at Watford Locks where another boat had arrived before us.

Crick Tunnel

Emerging

Medieval fields

Watford Locks

We had to wait for four boats coming up the flight before we could start down. We registered with the lock keeper, but the other boat said they would have lunch first.

When the boats had finished coming up, we started down.  When we were further down, a boater appeared from below and checked in with the lock keeper, and he was told he go up the first lock and start up the rest when we had crossed.  Ten minutes later the boater from the top finally checked in, and he had to wait for the new guy to go up the whole flight before he could start down from the top.

Starting down the staircase

Further down

Crossing over with the boat going up.

We had some lovely autumn colours as we cruised towards Norton Junction, mooring just before, near Ball’s Bridge.

Autumn Colours

Moored near Ball’s Bridge

We finally had a decent signal, and James was able to complete the blog as far as Sunday.

7 locks, 4 miles, 1 tunnel

Wed 10th Oct  Ball’s Bridge to Weedon

Another sunny day with lovely autumn colours.

Autumn

Centenary came past as we were just about to set off and we followed them.  We emptied two cassettes at the top of the Buckby Locks, while they set the lock, and we joined them for the seven locks.

The boat was crewed by ladies who were involved with a community boat on the Kennet and Avon. Some of them knew John Frogatt.  They had hired this boat from Hillmorton, although the boat had Stratford Canal Trust on the side.

Sharing with Centenary

We discovered that we were following another boat. They had come from the other side of the Braunston Tunnel.

There were two volunteers at the top lock, but they didn’t appear to do much. Eventually they walked down the flight, and James suggested that they help the boat in front by setting locks for them, but we discovered that they had just walked on past.

Centenary stopped for lunch near the marina, but we travelled on, heading for Weedon. We made a spur of the moment decision to visit the Heart of the Shires Shopping Centre. We moored near Bridge 18, by a very noisy M1 motorway.

Moored at Bridge 18

Heart of the Shires

We wandered round the up market shops, and had a rest, a drink and a piece of cake in the tea shop, before returning to the boat and setting off once more for Weedon.

Bridge 18

We met a large wide beam hotel boat at a narrow pinch point.

Bonsano – wooden cruiser

We saw that the new Weedon bypass bridge was now in place.

Heron

We stopped on rings just before Weedon Bridge, where the noise from the railway was less than if we had gone through the bridge.  We booked a table at Brinjol, but they couldn’t fit us in until 8.30pm. Wednesday night is banquet night - £10.95 for a starter, main course, side dish, and rice or nan. The place was packed and the food was good. We brought some of it away with us in a box.

7 locks, 5 miles

Next: aiming for Blisworth Baptist Church for Sunday. It’s not very far, but mixed weather is forecast.