Sun 2nd Jun
Stanton Low Park MK to Grafton Regis
As we left today, we passed Out & About and said hello to Tudor. We
then passed New Bradwell and the unique mural celebrating the railway engine
and carriage industry at Wolverton, before mooring up by Wolverton Station.
Tudor
Railway vehicles mural
Moored in Wolverton
We went to visit Kings Church, where we had a warm welcome
from Tom. Alan was leading the meeting. Dave was leading the worship on
guitar, with a drummer to assist. Andy was speaking. The service was good, with three
songs which were new to us.
Love knows no end; Your promises; Stronger, all by Hillsong
Worship at Kings Church
Me made a short visit to Tesco for some milk, and were
quickly on our way, hoping for a pleasant mooring before rain arrived.
Railway sculpture
Stevenson’s Railway Bridge built in 1834
The Iron Trunk Aqueduct built in 1811
Looking down on the Great Ouse
We shared Cosgrove Lock with a hire boat, and as they
stopped for water, we kept going through Cosgrove, and past Yardley Gobion. The
fluff from the willows has been extraordinary this year, looking like snow.
Cosgrove
Solomon’s Bridge
Willow fluff
An overflow weir
We came to Grafton Regis, where we moored on piling, with
sheep the other side of the hedge. The rain came a few minutes later.
Moored at Grafton Regis
1 lock, 8 miles. Dep 0900 (Wolverton arr 0950 dep 1245) arr
1450.
Mon 3rd Jun Grafton
Regis to Stoke Bruerne
We set off for the short distance to the Stoke Bruerne
Locks, where we found Chris and Denise of Tanglewood waiting for a boat
to share with. There were several boats on the water point, but none were
ready, so we went straight in and shared the locks with them.
Sharing Stoke Bruerne Locks with
Tanglewood
Changing over
There was a succession of single boats going down, despite
requests on the locks to share with another boat if possible, to save water.
Moored in Stoke Bruerne above Water
Otter
To try and preserve water and give the back-pumping time to
work, this flight of locks is now closed from 3pm until 10am. James helped
Kathryn lock up, but there should be two people, one at each end of the flight.
Last entry is at 3pm, but those boats need to be let out again if they wish to
continue.
Kathryn came for a meal on board Gabriel. No photo
of her this time.
7 locks, 2 miles. Dep 1000 arr 1230.
Tue 4th Jun Stoke Bruerne to Northampton
Today was a disjointed day, or a day of many stops. We set
off through Blisworth Tunnel without saying goodbye to Kathryn, as she was busy
taking the padlocks off the locks at 10am. The tunnel was still wet but not as bad as on some
occasions. We met two boats coming the other way.
Blisworth Tunnel
Emerging
Wet boat after the tunnel
Blisworth warehouse
Gayton Junction
Gayton Junction facilities was the first stop, where we
filled the water tank, disposed of rubbish, and emptied two cassettes.
The next stop was Gayton Marina where we filled the fuel tank
and bought some oil and toilet blue. They no longer sell keys for the Nene here.
It was just as well we have all the necessary items. What is required is a
special windlass for the Great Ouse and Middle Levels, a little key for
sanitary stations, and an Abloy key for the Nene locks.
Gayton Marina
The first locks are the seventeen Rothersthorpe Locks,
which are still Canal and River Trust. There is no projecting shelf on these
locks, so the gap is too wide to step across. To save having to walk round each
time, James used a boat hook to push and pull the opposite gate.
Lock 1, Northampton Arm: Rothersthorpe
Locks
Locking down
Using the boat hook
There are also three lift bridges, but these are all out of
action.
Raised lift bridge
About halfway down, a lady with a dog passed us. She said
she was with a boat coming up. We therefore left the gates open for them. When
we met and passed the other boat, we discovered they hadn’t done the same for
us and the leakage meant we had to fill the locks again.
We passed through the cavern underneath the M1, and as we
left it was starting to rain. We had
intended to stop for the day between locks 13 and 14. The only possible place
was taken by another boat, so we had to move on.
Under the M1
Lock 13 (We had hoped this would be our
last)
Remains of a lift bridge
We paused on the bollards at Lock 14 for a heavy rain
shower to ease. We then paused again for more heavy rain under Bridge 9b, where
we could tie ropes round the bridge columns.
Lock 14 rain stop
Bridge 9b rain stop
Just before the bottom lock, there were some boats moored,
including Arachne. We said hello to Peter, but Jean was resting. Two
boats further along was our old boat, originally called Gabriel, now called
Thrift, but with no name painted on the side. It looked as though it could do
with some TLC.
Arachne
Our old boat
Welcome to the River Nene
As we left the bottom lock, something caught on the propeller.
A visit to the weed hatch revealed a pair of tracksuit bottoms and some plastic
bags.
Rubbish from the propeller
Northampton Bridge
We moored on the river Nene at Northampton, facing upstream
towards Water Otter.
Northampton with a lot of swans
Australian Black Swan with a local
James had very stiff muscles after the pushing and shoving
of all the lock gates.
We had a meal on board, then we visited the Great Knight
folk club, which meets twice a month. We were too tired to take instruments, so
we went as audience. There was a ladies Morris side going through their paces
in the courtyard. The floor singers were just two separate guys who sang
unaccompanied. The guest artist was Stanley Accrington, who had written lots of
topical songs, and was very amusing.
Ladies Morris
Great Knight Folk Club
17 locks, 9 miles, 1 tunnel. Dep 0855 arr 1820 (finally)
Wed 5th Jun
Northampton
Having done all the locks in one day yesterday, we thought
we deserved a day off in Northampton, so we looked at our maps and books and
decided to visit the museum, with its collection of historic shoes. We found
it, but it was closed for refurbishment. We went to the tourist office and
obtained an up to date map.
We visited the church and wandered around the market and
shops. We tried to visit the Leather Collection, but that was closed. We found
the round church, built in 1100, modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
in Jerusalem. Sadly, it was closed.
All Saints Church
National Leather Collection - closed
Round Church - closed
We found some unusual yellow flowers, where a new flower
seems to grow from the centre of the old flower.
Yellow flowers
We visited the boot and shoe quarter, and found one shoe
factory open, so we had a brief look round. A pair of shoes here would cost
around £250 (i.e. half price)
Boots and Shoe quarter
Workers homes
Tricker’s shoe factory
Inside the factory
Shoes for sale
We returned and had a late lunch in the market, before
returning to the Tourist Office to see if the interesting sounding sessions
building was open to the public.
We were offered a private tour with a guy called Roger.
While standing with him outside the building, we met the mayor, Nazim Choudary,
Hazel took a photo.
Mayor Nazim, James, Roger
Sessions building
The sessions building was most interesting, with original
wooden panelling and plaster ceilings, prison cells, courtrooms, and the site of
the gallows.
Ornate ceiling
Hazel presiding
Wagging tongue gargoyle
A cell for four people
The walk of shame
The site of the gallows
Council offices
Returning to the river, we found that Water Otter had
gone, and St Brendan (BCF) had arrived. James went to introduce himself
and spoke to Paul and Jan, who are moving on tomorrow. We had hoped to visit
Delapre Abbey tomorrow, and set off on Friday. However, a look at the weather
forecast told us that Friday would be wet and windy, so we decided to leave
tomorrow instead. We agreed a time with Paul and Jan so that we could share
locks.
No boating today
Next: Starting our journey down the River Nene towards
Peterborough.
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