Braunston to Norton Junction (Grand Union - Leicester Line)

Wednesday 5^thAugust

Braunston Church

We are staying in Braunston again today, so we had a lazy start, then mid-morning, we walked up on to the road and walked along to Midland Chandlers to have a look around.  After that we walked up into Braunston village, past the church and along the main street to the village shop.  The Community café is opposite the shop and we went in for a coffee and a snack.  We had to wait a bit as they had a power cut, but it was soon fixed and we got our order.  The cakes, tea cakes, scones, bread, etc is all made by people in the village and it is run by volunteers.  It’s a really good café and very reasonably priced, the cake and tea cakes were delicious.

We walked back to the canal via the park and the locks.  We chilled out for a bit, then had a walk to the top of the locks.  An old chap called Len who lived in Banwell who we got to know used to live in the cottage at the top of the locks when he was a boy, his father used to look after Braunston tunnel and he told us lots of stories about when the barges came through carrying chocolate to Cadburys in Birmingham, they used to shave off pieces of it for him.  It was nice to see the cottage where he lived.

We are leaving Braunston tomorrow, off up the Leicester Arm of the Grand Union Canal.

Thursday 6th August

In Braunston locks with Ian & Clare

We are chugging off today, and we wanted to set off promptly as we have six locks and a tunnel to do today.  We were getting ready to go, when a boat called Book and Spud came past and turned around in the marina entrance.  We met the people on that boat up in the village yesterday at the Community Café, so as they went back past, we asked them if they were going through the locks and if so did they want to pair up as these locks are double ones, they said yes so we set off behind them to the flight of six locks.  Their names were Ian and Clare (to their family they are known as Nanny Book and Grandad Spud!) and they had two lovely dogs, a border collie and a labradoodle.

Leaving Braunston Top Lock

Clare and I went up to the first lock as there was a boat coming down and the lady on it was very stern and when we said shall we open this paddle and she could do the other side, she said one of you needs to go over there as you will need to open both gates as you have two boats, we knew this but she was rather shirty, I was going to go over, but as she was opening the paddle I waited until she had finished, but she said to me you need to go over the other side, I said I will when you have done the paddle, we helped open the gates and she went on her way.  We felt like naughty school girls!!  Not sure why she told us off as we were only trying to help, but it was quite funny.

Our passage up the rest of the locks was very smooth as there were a few boats coming down, so most of the locks were set for us and it was nice to travel up with Clare and Ian, we chatted as we went along and helped each other.

Entering Braunston Tunnel

Passing a boat in the tunnel

We got to the top of the flight and just around the corner Braunston Tunnel was waiting.  It is a wide tunnel so boats can pass and as this is a busy stretch of canal, the chances of meeting boats coming the other way are pretty high.  If we do, it will be our first time passing in a tunnel as all the other tunnels we have done, we have never past anyone and sure enough this time we past five.  

Ian and Clare going out the tunnel

We made it!!

We actually both enjoyed going through Braunston tunnel and before we knew it, we were coming out the other side, I think it was because you are thinking about the boats coming towards us and the boat in front so that takes your mind off being in the tunnel.

Braunston tunnel opened in 1796, to bore through the Northamptonshire heights, the tunnel is 2042 yds long.  Its construction was hindered by quicksands, and a mistake in direction whilst building has given it a slight S bend.

Norton Junction

Safely through the tunnel, we were soon at Norton Junction, we waved goodbye to Clare and Ian as they were going straight on and we turned up the Leicester section arm of the Grand Union canal.

Approaching Norton Junction

We stopped for water, then moored up.   

Shop at Buckby locks

We walked back to the junction and went for a walk down to Buckby locks and walked to the gift shop on the second lock.  We got an ice cream and sat by the lock for a bit watching the boats go through, then walked back to the boat.

We are chugging on tomorrow and as all this section is new to us, it’s quite exciting going into the unknown wondering what tomorrow will bring.

Moored at Norton Junction

Flecknoe to Braunston (Grand Union Canal)

Pat, Patrick & Poochie

The three P's chugging on

Yesterday our friends Pat, Patrick and Poochie stopped by to see us on their way down the canal towards Oxford and the Thames.  They came mid-morning and we all had home-made cake and biscuits and tea and a good catch up.

They chugged on later in the morning and we waved them goodbye.  It was great to see them them again and hopefully we will meet up again maybe not on this trip as we are going opposite ways, but there is always next year.

At BraunstonTurn

We are moving on today and it is sunny and warm at the moment.  We chugged off along the canal and up to Braunston Turn and turned right to Braunston.  We stopped for water, then chugged on, this stretch is really busy, boats everywhere, we were just going past the entrance to Braunston Marina when we saw a space on the end, so Kev whacked it in reverse and we manoeuvred into it but there was a couple of boats behind us who didn’t want to wait and then two boats which were moored up were going as well so it all a bit chaotic.  To make matters worse, one of the boats which untied and moved out broke down and had no revs, so had to come back in!  Eventually, he got his boat sorted and they left and we moved up and got moored up.

The Stop House

Braunston is a well-known canal centre, it is no less significant today than when the Oxford and Grand Junction canals were first connected here.  It is set on a hill to the north of the canal.  The village is really a long main street, a little separate from the canal, with houses of all periods.

Stop House Sign

The canal narrows slightly here to mark the original junction of these two canals and where tolls were collected.  A stop lock once prevented water from entering the Grand Junction canal , the remains of which are still visible.   The Stop House was originally the Toll Office between the Oxford Canal and the Grand Junction Canal.  Over Braunston Marina is a fine example of a Horseley Iron Works Bridge. 

We walked up the footpath from Bridge 1 and was soon in the village. There is a village shop which is very well stocked and a Butchers.  We went in there and bought some meat, everyone we meet says how good this butcher is so we had to try some.  The butcher was a really friendly chap as well.

There is also a community café, which was closed today, but will be open tomorrow, so we will probably have another walk back up then.

Braunston Marina

We walked on along the village and found another footpath which took us down through a small park and onto the canal at Braunston Bottom Lock.  Wharfhouse Narrowboats are there alongside the canal so we went and had a look around their chandlery which is very well stocked.  We then walked up three locks to The Admiral Nelson pub which is right by one of the locks.  We got a drink and sat in the garden watching the boats through the lock, it was extremely busy, we have never seen so many boats moving around at once, as usually the canals we have been on have been very quiet.  They were queueing both ways at most of the locks.  

We walked back down the towpath to the boat.  We had a bit of lunch, then had a wander around Braunston Marina.  It is quite a nice marina but a lot of boats in there.

We are staying here again tomorrow, then chugging off on Thursday.  It’s great to be at Braunston with our boat as we have only ever been here by car before so nice to come by boat this time.

Moored at Braunston

Bridge 109 (South Oxford Canal) to Flecknoe (Grand Union Canal)

We are moving on today, but only going a couple of miles so had a fairly late start.

Passing Napton Junction

On to Grand Union Canal we go

We chugged off up the canal, past Napton Junction and onto the Grand Union Canal leaving the South Oxford Canal.  We were sad to leave the South Oxford canal as we have really enjoyed it, it is a pretty canal and very rural with some really nice villages, but I am sure we will do it again in the future.

We chugged off along the Grand Union, this stretch was really busy today.  We moored at Flecknoe just before Bridge 102.

Flecknoe Village

The Old Olive Bush pub

We chilled out for a bit, then walked up to the bridge and up the road which was really quiet, past lots of fields of corn stretching as far as the eye could see.  We found a foot path which was a bit quicker and nicer than walking the road which took us up into the village of Flecknoe.  It is just a hamlet really, a few houses, but very big posh ones, this is obviously a very wealthy village and a pub called the Old Olive Bush.  We went in for a drink, it was very nice.

We then walked back to the canal and just chilled out for the rest of the day.  Well, I made biscuits and a cake as our friends Pat, Patrick and Poochie are on their way down the canal and will join us here at Flecknoe either tomorrow or Monday so we are really looking forward to seeing them.

Moored at Flecknoe

Day Out in Daventry

Friday 31^stJuly

We decided to catch the bus to Daventry today as we haven’t been there before and also we needed to get some food supplies.  Kev looked on online and found out that the bus went from outside the Kings Head pub just up the road from Bridge 109 where we are moored.  So we got ready and walked up the road to the crossroads which was only a five minute walk and the bus stop was on the corner by the pub.

Daventry Town Centre

Daventry High Street

It was about a 20 minute bus ride to Daventry, the bus fare was quite dear though, £6.25 return each, classed as a country service I suppose.

The bus station is right in the centre of the town and opposite the bus station is a Waitrose and a Tesco and in the pedestrianized shopping street, there was an Aldi, so plenty of choice for food shopping.

We had a stroll around the shops, there was a general market in the high street with a few stalls so we had a look around there, then went for lunch in the Wetherspoons, as it was Friday, it was fish and chips, it was very nice and cheap and cheerful.

We had another walk around the shops, stopped for a coffee, then did our food shopping and caught the bus back.

Daventry is okay as a town, not that much there but very good for getting supplies.