The Leicester Ring

This was our first major trip. We had three weeks, and the idea was to get some paint on the boat as well as cruise. But it rained some part of every day, so that didn't work at all. The photos are sometimes a bit sparse because the camera couldn't live on a lanyard on the coachroof in case it got wet. We seemed to be wearing a lot of clothing for August!

Wednesday 30th July 2008

Recharge the batteries

Relatively quick trip out to the boat. Engine on whilst unpacking, half an hour to take on water. Just moored round the corner since Liz hasn't finished splicing the anchor warp yet and we need it for the rivers part of this trip. Will pick it up tomorrow.

Yes, that fish alongside us in the marina is almost the same width as our gunwale!
Engine on for 2h45, half a mile, no locks.

Thursday 31st July 2008

Welton to Downtown

Dull and overcast with sharp showers and drizzle later. Ric cycled back to mooring to pick up anchor warp plus some fender lanyards and mooring chains.

Away just after ten, reached the bottom of the Watford flight by eleven. We were second in the queue (which was four long by the time the three boats coming down had cleared the flight). The lovely Ural Owl that used to live in an enclosure at the bottom of the flight has gone.

Moving again about noon and clear of the staircase and the flight before half past. Moored for lunch as soon as we were a decent distance from the motorway. Started again just before two and were immediately rewarded with a view of a kingfisher just before bridge 9, and a heron standing in a field just after. Reached Crick tunnel about a quarter past. It was wet and misty, but Jane helmed us through in about 20 minutes.

We decided not to stop in Crick but had a minor sub-plot with a newly-painted boat that came out of the first marina entrance as we were approaching. Jane backed and filled a bit to let him out first, but he waved us on, then followed us very closely. Jane pulled in to let him past, but he then went straight into the other marina entrance. Ho, hum.

Just before four o'clock we started hearing yellowhammers, and saw one perched near bridge 21 almost immediately. We heard their calls for the rest of the day. Twenty minutes later we saw a buzzard, then a sparrowhawk in Yelvertoft fieldside covert. A couple of herons near the A14 bridge, then another about six o'clock, made it a good day for wildlife. Moored at about twenty past six just past some dredging works (stopped for the day) and Ric totally failed to attach the new anchor warp. The shackle won't fit the hard point on the boat.
Engine on for 7 hours, 13 miles, 7 locks.

Friday 1st August 2008

Welford and Foxton

Weather a bit better but still drizzle. Under way just after 9 then uneventful run up to Welford junction, and on to Welford, which we reached just before 11. Walked up into town through the nature reserve before lunch, then set off again just after one.

We'd already decided that we probably won't be able to get down Foxton locks today so took our time. Spotted a heron just after bridge 53 about ten to five. Moored at Foxton top lock about twenty to five and walked down to look at the site of the inclined plane. It has come on a long way since we were last here, with better paths and viewing platforms and the top and bottom arms in use.
Engine on 4 hours 45 mins, 13 miles, 2 locks.

Saturday 2nd August 2008

Market Harborough and Debdale

Walked down to see the lock-keeper just after 8, to become the sixth boat in today's queue. The first two were already under way, so we were able to move up about a quarter past and have breakfast whilst awaiting our turn. We got away from the locks about a quarter to ten and turned right to discover a new swing bridge that hadn't been there the last time we went to Market Harborough! Got ashore and operated the bridge OK, then rewarded by the sight of a kingfisher five minutes later.

Met a boat at Foxton swing bridge so collaborated with opening and closing it. The bridge seems much easier than I remember it. Apparently it has just been rebuilt after an Ikea lorry drove over it and damaged it.

Another kingfisher and a squirrel just past bridge 7, then heard yellowhammers again. We saw one perched before bridge 8, then, just after bridge 9, saw a kingfisher hovering over the canal. There was another boat coming the other way and he couldn't decide which way to go.

Turned in Market Harborough basin, then moored just before lunch-time. Walked into town for shopping. There are recycling facilities in the basin.

Back to the boat and on again just after half-past two. Back at Foxton, Ric got off to open the swing bridge. As he did so, Jane set off, only to meet a commercial trip boat who had reversed through the bridge at high speed as soon as Ric opened it, so she went into reverse. This, of course, swung the bows out. The trip boat operator went straight up the Jane's bow and stopped, presumably to see how well she can reverse the boat. Because the stern was in the bank and the pig was at her bow, she had to haul the boat back with the stern rope. Ho, hum.

Turned right at the junction and on to a section of the canal we've not been on before. Doesn't seem to be well-dredged - went aground giving way to an oncoming boat a little way before Debdale wharf, but refloated OK by the wash of the following boat overtaking us. Moored between bridges 68 and 69 about six o'clock on an excellent edge with rings.

Ric made another floating key-ring during the evening (monkey's fist knot around a ping-pong ball) as he's been handling the BW key all day for swing bridges and the like and he's paranoid about dropping it.
Engine on 6 hours 50 mins, 13 miles, 10 locks.

Sunday 3rd August 2008

To Kilby

Spent a quiet morning cleaning bits of boat before setting off just after 11. Met a day-hire boat full of children coming the other way in Saddington tunnel, which enlivened the trip. Stopped for an early lunch before starting on the locks.

These locks are wide-beam, heavy and leaky. The day boat had left them set for us but they mostly had leaked enough to need the paddles cracked a bit. We saw a mink just before lock 21 (Pywell's lock) and it re-appeared in the bywash channel whilst we were locking but we totally failed to get a picture. Carried on through intermittent rain to just before lock 29 (Bumblebee lock), where we moored just before half-past six. The winding in the previous section appeared to be pretty well blocked with reeds.

Ric took the gas locker cover off the foredeck and cleaned a lot of the paint and rust off the foredeck before tea, but rain then stopped play.
Engine on 5 hours 55 mins, 6.5 miles, 11 locks.

Monday 4th August 2008

Past Blaby

Weather foreccast was good today, changeable later, so Jane went for a walk whilst Ric continued with the foredeck, getting a couple of coats of Hammerite on before lunch. Forecast turned out to be optimistic but at least Hammerite dries quickly.

Set off just after two into drizzle. Stopped to take on water at BW Kilby Bridge about a quarter to three.

Various gongoozlers near the locks on the approach to Leicester, and there have been a number of changes since our map was published. There is at least one footbridge that isn't marked. Just before Dunn's lock four young fishermen lobbed a bottle of some sticky drink at Jane, who was on helm, but they missed and no harm done apart from sticky splashes.

This section took longer than we expected because the locks are all fitted with anti-vandal locks. The guide to the Leicester section says there are moorings between Gee's lock and bridge 100 so we arrived hopefully just after six, to find that the bank along the length has shallow overgrown edges. After Jane took a quick walk in an unsuccessful attempt to find anything better, we moored about half-past six. A heron turned up almost immediately. A little later another narrowboat tried to get in behind us, and stuck about three feet from the bank. There are advantages to having a boat designed for the (shallow) Llangollen canal!
Engine on 4 hours 20 mins, 4.5 miles, 7 locks.

Tuesday 5th August 2008

Melton Mowbray junction

We need supplies and the choice is Sainsbury's in Glen Parva or Somerfield at Birstall later. Since it was drizzling, opted for Somerfield, so under way about half past nine. The boat came free of the edge quite easily, despite last night's misgivings. The heron wasn't in evidence but we saw one just after bridge 103A.

Reached Freeman's Meadow lock and the enormous weir just after noon but there was nowhere good to stop. On the mile straight we were confronted by a pair of sculls under instruction from the bank. Jane, on the helm, crept past them but no sooner were we past than they put on a spurt, got ahead of us and stopped again. This pattern continued all the way up the straight, at the end of which the instructor told them to rest oars in front of the moorings. Just as well we didn't want to moor, really. The engine was quite unhappy ticking over for such a length of time. It tends to burn a bit smokily under these circumstances, being rather old.

We carried on up to Abbey Park and tried to moor there, but couldn't get the boat to the side because of underwater obstructions. Some friends had warned us about this. It was now twenty past one so we ate 'on the fly'.

Stopped for a few minutes in Birstall as planned to walk up the hill to Somerfield. There were some lads playing with a kayak in the side-arm. The drizzle held off whilst we went to the shop but as we started again so did the rain.

We need a new gas cylinder (one ran out making morning tea on Sunday) so called in at Raynsway marina, which has terns, grebe and heron. We hadn't realised that it was officially closed Tuesday and Wednesday but the proprietor, who lives on a boat there, was extremely helpful and sold us a cylinder anyway. He also described a quiet mooring up beyond the Hope and Anchor pub.

As he had suggested, we moored at a point just after the entrance to the (disused but still in water) Melton Mowbray navigation. Ric went out to take photos and fell foul of a weak edge, winding up in the canal up to his thighs, holding on to some nettles for support. Ho, hum.
Engine on 7 hours 35 mins, 10.5 miles, 11 locks.

Wednesday 6th August 2008

Zouch

Ric spent part of the morning taking the back-cabin furniture to bits, gluing it and putting it back together again. Previously he'd just assembled it with screws to make sure it fitted, but it squeaked a bit without the glue. Meantime, Jane walked the towpath ahead. Set out just before eleven. As we were unmooring, a trip boat came past. It was operated by a charity for the elderly. We shared the next three locks with them before they stopped for lunch at Mountsorrel. As we're on the River Soar now, they took the river at a higher speed than we're used to. Our tired old engine was at full throttle for quite a long way.

Checked at Meadow Farm marina for a pump-out but it was closed so pushed on. Decided to stop for lunch just before Mill Lane BW station, and Ric was just heading in when the engine stopped. Nosed in, gently nudging the boat in front. Engine started immediately in neutral, so deduced it was something round the prop and Ric went down the weed hatch and fetched out quite a lot of blue plastic twine.

Set out again at a quarter past two after waiting for a group of kayaks to pass. Pressed on round Loughborough, which has some interesting areas but is mainly industrial. Got to the big junction and turned right, then changed our minds and decided to go left to the town centre, so performed a reasonably elegant pirouette in mid stream. The town centre is very modern, with small visitor moorings and moorings for facilities. It was only ten past four, so we decided not to stop and carried on North.

Normanton on Soar looks very posh from the river, but we know Zouch from driving through it and wanted to check out the Rose and Crown, so we pressed on and moored on stakes at the end of the visitor moorings about ten past six. After tea we walked down to the pub for a couple of pints of Bass and a chat with the locals. Excellent.
Engine on 7 hours, 12 miles, 8 locks.

Thursday 7th August 2008

Sandiacre

Before setting off we walked around the village, and back to the flood defence works, which are extensive. We eventually set off at about twenty to eleven. The Devil's elbow is a very fine loop of river, very un-canal-like and well set back from the London road (A6), and we saw a kingfisher there. Stopped a little way further north for a pump-out at East Midlands Boat Services.

Arrived at Kegworth Deep lock just after noon. There is a good edge for mooring just before it, around a bend, but it ends at the lock so after checking the lie of the land we backed the boat back round the corner and had an early lunch. Good weather so we had a picnic on the stern and the bank.

The old locks are still visible beside the Kegworth locks. They have been infilled to preserve them for future archaeologists. The deep lock was made deeper than the one it replaced in order to lower the level of water in the next section of the river to assist in flood defence. Just after leaving Kegworth Shallow lock we saw another kingfisher.

Just as we were into Ratcliffe lock another boat caught us up, a single-hander going to Sheetstores Basin at the end of the Erewash canal. We locked through together and, since we're going on to the Erewash, we stayed more or less together for the next section of the trip.

Redhill flood lock was open, and we passed that at about five to four, and the massive Thrumpton weir entrance a few minutes later before heading across the Trent to Trent Lock at the entrance to the Erewash. Trent lock is very attractive, but not matched by the first section of the Erewash. You need handcuff keys here. Our companion reversed into a sidearm at Sheetstores Basin, and we continued, making for Sandiacre, where we had heard there are good moorings.

The locks here don't seem well-maintained and are very heavy. Some of the gates don't open fully or won't stay closed. Jane very quickly found the going extremely hard, so Ric took over the locking for the rest of the Erewash part of the trip. There were some children playing in Long Eaton lock, and a broken paddle at Dockholme but Sandiacre Lock is very picturesque.

We crept under the A54 and moored for the night in front of Springfield Mill, a beautiful building now converted to a residential development. Engine off at twenty past seven - one of our later nights.
Engine on 7 hours, 9.5 miles, 8 locks.

Friday 8th August 2008

Great Northern Basin

Drizzle so made a slightly later start. Under way about half-past nine. Our Nicholson guide doesn't give bridge or lock numbers. They are all numbered, though the scheme is a bit idiosyncratic here and there.

The surroundings get more rural quite quickly, but we still fished an airbed and a plastic chair out of the canal. There were some lads swimming in Pasture Lock. We carried on up to Potter's Mill lock, where we moored for lunch with paperclips on a good edge. We took a long lunch and worked out 'latest dates' for the rest of the trip. We seem to still have about four days in hand, but we don't have painting weather.

After lunch we pressed on to the Great Northern Basin at the current end of the canal. We saw a kingfisher just before four o'clock, around rail bridge 23A. It's the first real wildlife we've seen for a couple of days. We got to the basin about half-past five to find very little space. We moored under the stern of a new dutch barge-style houseboat, found the nb "Ambergate" and bought a head-of-navigation plaque, then went shopping.

Engine on 6 hours 45 mins, 7.5 miles, 11 (very heavy) locks.

Saturday 9th August 2008

Back to Sandiacre

Mixed drizzle and steady rain. Walked round Great Northern basin and admired a new barge under construction. Engine on about half-past ten, moved boat across to water point and spent about twenty five minutes filling up at rather slow tap. Wound in the remaining end of the Nottingham canal and back through the top lock (lock 14 of the Cromford canal) about half past eleven.

Moored for lunch at bridge 20. Good mooring bollards and Tesco, where we shopped after lunch. It's a bit of a walk up the hill into Ilkeston.

After lunch the rain came on heavier. We left at about ten to four and cleared Potter's lock about twenty past. Half an hour for one of these locks isn't bad, in the rain! The section above Pasture lock was very low, about a foot lower than the reeds and bank erosion would suggest, with lilies and arrowheads flopped over. We crawled through the shallow pound so were running late by the time we got to Springfield Mill again about a quarter past seven. We had estimated we'd be there just after six.
Engine on 8 hours 40 mins, 7.5 miles, 11 locks.

Sunday 10th August 2008

To Shardlow

Sunny and bright, and the rain held off until a few spots in the late evening. Grateful for that as we were joined for the day by some friends, Maureen and Dennis, who arrived at 10:30. Cup of tea and social chat before firing up the engine and setting off about eleven. Dennis is interested in industrial archaeology, so pleased that we went past the end of the (disused) Derby canal just after setting off.

Moored for lunch between bridges 7 and 6, close to the large railway sidings. Dennis was very interested but you can't see a lot from the canal. Maureen tried her hand at the helm after Long Eaton lock, which we found half-empty because of flotsam jammed in the paddles.

Made it out through Trent Lock just after half past three. Very calm - four to six inch waves. Maureen back on helm again and with a real wide river we were able to run the engine a bit faster. The GPS clocked us at about five knots. Even so, we were overtaken by what appeared to be a vintage carrying boat.

Through Sawley lock we regretfully ignored Derwent Mouth. Although we would have liked to explore the river, it was half-past four and we wanted to get to Shardlow in time for Maureen and Dennis to get back. There was a queue at Derwent Mouth lock, so it was after five before we were clear. In fact, as the locks go from paired and wide to single and wide then to single and narrow we were to get used to queuing. We dropped Maureen and Dennis at Shardlow lock at six and carried on to moor just before bridge 5 at about half past.
Engine on 6 hours, 7 miles, 8 locks.

Monday 11th August 2008

Stenson Marina

Forecast is good and we don't want to get too far from Derby because Maureen and Dennis have invited us for the evening, so Ric got on with a bit of painting whilst Jane walked back into Shardlow. Jane saw cormorants fishing. Ric got some boat enamels on the bow flashes and undercoat on the gas locker cover and some of the other bits of the boat that need attention, including the pole.

Set out after an early lunch. Quickly up to Aston lock, where we were queued behind a BW boat there to do some gardening on the lock-gates. On to Weston lock. When it came to our turn, the person in front of us didn't realise that the lock was empty and so didn't set off. Jane did, and wound up in a stiffish breeze with nowhere to go. She drifted into a bush and was pulled of by a Wilderness Beaver GRP narrowboat that had just arrived. Since we're fairly short at 45 feet, the Beaver came into the lock behind us.

On to Swarkestone, where we repeated the three-in-a-lock trick at the other end of the disused Derby canal. We saw two kingfishers and a heron on this reach, just after bridge 15. Queued again at Stenson lock, where there was no good edge free to pull up to. Ric went aground trying to get in and had to pole off. Should know better than to try to paint it.

Moored for the night almost immediately as it was nearly six and time to get ready to go out.
Engine on 4 hours 30 mins, 8 miles, 4 locks.

Tuesday 12th August 2008

Barton under Needwood

Forecast and actual rain so decided to get going with Jane on helm and Ric putting finishing touches to back-cabin furniture. Away about half past nine, onto long lock-free stretch to Dallow lock. Got there at ten to twelve to find a queue. Decided to carry on and stop for lunch after Branston lock, as we had planned. Another queue at Branston. Apparently a paddle was out of action earlier. Finally stopped for lunch near bridge 34 about twenty to two, some forty minutes later than we had estimated this morning.

We were going to find a Morrison's after lunch but the (major) roads involved don't have pavements so we walked into Branston instead and found an excellent village stores.

On again about twenty to four, to join a queue for Tatenhill lock almost immediately. Through the lock more than an hour later, and promptly joined another queue at Barton Turn lock. However, we went straight up to the water point and spent our queuing time filling up again, rejoining the procession as our space caught up with us. We stopped just above the lock because the rain was coming on harder again and it was after six.

Let son-in-law Jesse know where we are likely to be at the end of the week so he and Helen can come for an overnight cruise. Ric guessed Coventry Friday, Rugby Saturday, then did the sums and found out that it works if we crack on tomorrow. Since the forecast for the next few days is not good, it's as well to collect spare time later in the cruise!
Engine on 7 hours 15 mins, 11 miles, 2 locks.

Wednesday 13th August 2008

Close to Fazeley

Slept well despite proximity to main road (A38). Away before nine and on down to Wychnor lock and a 15 minute queue in the rain. Everyone in good spirits, though. By the time we were away from the lock we'd covered about a mile and a half in rather more than an hour. This set the tone for the day. We reached Fradley junction about twenty to one, about forty minutes later than we had calculated, because of queues at all the locks.

At Fradley we turned left on to the Birmingham and Fazeley canal and immediately left the queues behind. Stopped for lunch about ten past one between Fradley bridge and Bell bridge. Quick lunch so as to be ready to move on but just as we were getting ready there was a cloudburst so we washed up instead.

Under way again just after half-past two, with Ric sanding back bits of undercoat and the coachroof grab rails and Jane on the helm. No way to put paint on between the bouts of rain. Moored briefly in Hopwas for shop and eventually moored on a not very good edge just after Dunstall Farm bridge, about two miles short of Fazeley junction, at nearly half past six.

Slightly surprised to have a boat go past us at fairly high speed at five past ten that night.
Engine on 8 hours 10 mins, 14.5 miles, 7 locks.

Thursday 14th August 2008

Top of Autherley flight

Up to brilliant sunshine, with rain forecast later. Spot on. Moving just after nine, and reached the junction at about ten to ten. There was an enormous flock of Canada geese just past Sutton Road bridge.

Turned left onto the Coventry canal and quickly arrived at the Glascote locks to find a queue. This delayed us for a bit but decided to stick to plan and stopped at Narrowcraft in Alvecote for a pump-out. This took more than half an hour, so we stopped for lunch on the next bit of good edge about one thirty.

Set out again just after two. Very few boats past, so we were hoping that we would get up the Atherstone flight without queuing. Alas, this was a forlorn hope. Traffic built up after the second lock, as did the rain. We were following a single-hander, so Ric was trying to help him as well as work the locks for us. The pound between locks 4 and 3 was very low and the top gate of lock 4 was sticking. Crept out of the top lock at about ten to eight and moored on the first bit of edge, which happened to have a gap long enough for our 45 foot boat. We're making a habit of creeping out of this lock late.

Then into town looking for shopping. Local stores, advertised canalside as closing at nine, had closed at eight. So had Somerfield and ASDA. Fortunately, the Co-op closes at nine. Jane went for fish and chips on the other side of the bridge as Ric carried shopping back to the boat. After nine by now but a last boat came up the flight. Ric then got talking to an ex-canalboat worker on the towpath, who had spotted a light in the sky and wanted to know what it was, so Ric got his telescope out. Not a good night but it was obviously Jupiter, with the Galilean satellites very clear. So it was a late tea. Astonishingly, a fibreglass cruiser came past at midnight.
Engine on 9 hours 50 mins, 11.5 miles, 13 locks.

Friday 15th August 2008

Coventry and badgers

Weather better but forecast is showers. Away just before nine to get to Coventry to pick up Helen and Jesse. Reached Marston junction at ten to twelve, Hawkesbury at a quarter to one. Carried straight on and ate 'on the fly' to save time. Saw a grey wagtail just after bridge 9 at about ten past one but really the wildlife has been keeping out of the rain for the last few days. Reached Coventry basin a little before half-past two, turned and moored in front of the café where Helen and Jesse were having tea.

Ric and Jesse went into town to find the bank, then after a final cup of tea we set out again at about three thirty.

Jesse, who has only been on the boat once before, took the helm quite early on. Saw a kestrel just before bridge 9 just before five. Reached Hawkesbury again about twenty-five past five and this time turned onto the North Oxford canal. We made it a little beyond the traffic noise before mooring for the night on a very rough edge (gangplank to get ashore) just after half past six.

Jesse went out to investigate the bank after tea, and came back saying "Would you expect to see badgers here?". The rest of the crew thought he was joking, but no. We all walked a little way up the towpath and watched a group of badgers on the opposite bank. Magic. (Sorry the badger picture won't resize, it's a still from a video).

A couple of narrowboats came past at midnight. No nav. lights, but they had good searchlights. We've stopped being surprised.
Engine on 8 hours 55 mins, 24 miles, 1 lock.

Saturday 16th August 2008

Clifton on Dunsmore

Had to rearrange the back cabin before setting out because Jane and Ric had slept on the new furniture, so away at ten o'clock. Saw goats with kids between bridges 13 and 13A, then a kestrel hunting. Stopped in Ansty for water. Took a while as it was a collaborative effort but by the end Helen and Jesse were happy with the procedure and Jane was damp round the edges. Jesse again spent a fair proportion of the time on the helm up to Stretton stop, where Rose Narrowboats appeared to be having a changeover day, so it was a bit crowded and detailed.

There was a boat coming out of the side arm at Fall's bridge (48) but Helen and Jesse were trying out the walkie-talkies with Helen on the foredeck so it was all well co-ordinated with no drama. The other boat followed us to Newbold tunnel, where we caught up with a Rose Narrowboats day-hire boat. They had sensibly waited for an oncoming boat to come through the tunnel. There's plenty of room to pass but it's probably not something you'd want to try if you have less than 5 miles helming experience. The Rose boat stopped at the far end of the tunnel, so we slowed, only for the boat behind to sweep past us in the face of the fishermen on the bank. Ho, hum.

Stopped at bridge 58 for Tesco's, and to drop Helen and Jesse. And for Jesse to clean his shoes. He had stepped in the evidence that though there are no dirty dogs there are some dirty owners. There was also a dog running around loose making a nuisance of itself. Ric got threatened with physical violence by a man on the next boat but two for scaring the dog away from House Sparrow by banging mooring stakes together. Sometimes it's not the hoodies on the towpath you have to be careful of.

After shopping and seeing Helen and Jesse on their way, Ric and Jane moved on to bridge 68, near Clifton, and moored on paperclips on a good edge about half past six.
Engine on 5 hours 10 mins, 12 miles, no locks.

Sunday 17th August 2008

Barby Wood

Rain overnight but a bright morning, forecast to go downhill. Jane walked up to Hilmorton Locks to see if the chandlery was open (no) and Ric put some topcoat over the Hammerite undercoat on the gas locker cover to see if boat enamels take OK, then splashed some more paint about until Jane got back. By that time Ric was painting the coachroof edges, which get worn by the centre rope, so it started to rain.

Late lunch, by which time the rain had stopped again, so Ric painted a bit more. Finally set out at about half past four, on the assumption that any queue at the locks would have gone by then. No queues at the locks so pressed on to a good bit of edge just before bridge 79.

Ric carried on preparing the coachroof sides and actually started painting before the next rain. Rained quite a lot during the evening.
Engine on 2 hours 10 mins, 4.5 miles, 3 locks.

Monday 18th August 2008

Back to the mooring

Up reasonably early. Rain overnight and heavy and threatening overcast. Forecast not good. Decided that we won't get any more done on the outside of the boat so we'd try to get home.

Away about nine in the rain. Got to Braunston Turn about ten twenty, to the first lock about ten forty. Jane nipped into the chandlery whilst we were waiting for boats to go up. She was looking for a "Leicester Ring" plaque, which they didn't have, but found a tiller pin with a sparrow figurine. The one that came with the boat has a pigeon on it.

Grabbed an ice-cream at the shop as we came out of the first lock and discovered that they do have plaques. Steady run up the flight by ourselves. We were following other boats but there were a few coming down so the locks were half with us, half against. Reached the top just after half past twelve and moored shortly thereafter for lunch.

On again at half-past one. Traffic beginning to build up. Passed two oncoming boats in the tunnel, the second a fibreglass cruiser, so we slowed to more or less nothing and left it to him to make the pass. Out of the tunnel about ten past two and a straightforward run to the boatyard for pump-out and top-up before mooring up, packing the car (in the rain) and setting out for home.
Engine on 5 hours 25 mins, 9 miles, 6 locks.

Three quite rainy weeks. Not much painting. A touch under 200 miles. About 130 locks. Cruising with friends and wildlife. Magic.