A Walking We Did Go

The village (Bugbrooke) is not very large so the walk was only a
 short one, pleasant enough and with two pubs and a shop.

Some photo's
 
This is unusual common in my youth but not now

A pleasant little farm complex

The arch at the other end of this bridge truly is that shape (pointed), it is not an optical illusion. I wonder why.










I saw this lorry approaching from quite a distance and thought it would make an interesting shot, lorry filling tunnel. (got the timing wrong, over compensated for the time lag on the camera).
The vehicle, on the left, driver had even a better view than me as he was some way behind when I aligned the shot he/she did not slow but eventually slammed on the brakes just in time, the lorry driver had no where to go.

 

Braunston Church







Friday
We set off fairly early, on approaching the first lock a boat was just leaving, going in the same direction as us, he said he would wait at the next lock, well after sometime, we had to empty and then refill the lock, we caught him up.
We progressed up the locks in a steady fashion and given his apparent age, he was very sprightly, did his fair share of the work.
Walkers (gongoozlers) got chatting to us, one of them had a Dutch Barge that he was about to ship to the continent, they left and headed off towards the tunnel, a little while later they were on their return, anyway to cut a long story short we ended up giving them a lift through the tunnel, a first for both of them, they did enjoy the experience and dropped off on at the other end happily set off to walk back to Braunston  over the top.

We carried on to Long Buckby, no spaces above the lock full, of BW work boats and long term moorers, so we went down the first lock and moored there. The plan was to eat at the The New Inn (by the lock) but Wozie noticed, on the way down that the kitchen closed at 2:30, it was after 2:30, just.
It was decided to have a snack and go there in the evening, the food is basic, plenty of it and good value.

Saturday.
We left our mooring just as another boat (Penshala, 34' long) moved off we shared locks with them, it went very well considering their length compared to ours (60'), a pleasant trip was taken to Weedon except where the canal and the motorway are within  a few yards of each other, the noise level was horrendous.

This looks idyllic but just the other side of the hedge is the motorway.








Sunday
A dull morning but it was time to move, we needed water, the water point was only a few boats up, on approaching it another boat was coming in the opposite direction, signalled our intention and eventually he acknowledged but also indicated he was going there to, we made  it together, just enough room for both of us.
A long conversation ensued, as we waited for our tanks to fill, he was a local livaboard and had an opinion on most things, we eventually left, along time after both our tanks were full.
We eventually got to Bugbrooke a journey nearly all at tick-over due to moored boats and a fishing match, now fishermen are not always the happiest of people but this lot were all-right and appreciated that we travelled on the 'wrong side' of the canal so as not to ruin their swims (technical term for where the line goes in the water and where the fish are, hopefully).
Moored at Bugbrooke and had Sunday Lunch in The Wharf, I thought it expensive for the food served.

Monday
The plan is to go for a walk round the village.

Just noticed it is coffee time, the walk is delayed.

Braunston

This little truck has been beautifully restored and is usually on show at Braunston near the junction. The nearby Millhouse Inn is in the process of being refurbished and re-opens on November 24 th.

The floating cafe called Gongoozlers Rest is moored between the entrance to Bruanston Marina and The Stop House. We boarded her for a toasty cheese sandwich which came with little homemade chips, mmm delicious. You have to be desperately hungry to be able to finish one of their cooked breakfasts though as they include just about everything on a rather large plate. Also it is quite interesting when new customers step down into the cafe, as only being tiny it tends to rock about somewhat. The boat behind appears to be their live-aboard boat called Hepzibah.

Five Days Later

Well, is it really five days since the last blog?

We moved on to Hillmorten to liaise with our engineer, afraid to say the invertor and generator will still not talk to each other, even after phone calls to Holland, the engineer is now fairly certain that the printed circuit board may be at fault.
He has decided to do some research and will get back to us.

Life has settled down to a 'normal' routine, we again met Piston Broke and Harnser.

It was not until later when we had parted that Harnser and I realised we had conversed before on the Canalworld Forum but we both use a non de plume, hence the confusion.

During a discussion  on the forum, 'coal inserts' were mentioned for a Squirrel stove, they fit in both side of the stove and slope towards the grate, this has the effect of keeping the coal towards the centre of the fire and also reducing the fire size. Which will be good.
Visited Midland chandlers they had them in stock at £25 bit steep for two pieces of cast metal but should do exactly want we want.

The chap on the left had been busy, there were a lot more blue bums than the orange ones of his mate.

It is not illusion he is actually a lot smaller than females.

Spring lamb is on the way.

Sent to Coventry

Coventry Basin










The Weighbridge




We set off from Hawksbury Junction early this morning for a run up to Coventry.
We decided to do a return day-trip as there weren't any recommended mooring places en-route in our books. It was a beautiful warm sunny day and not at all what the weatherman had predicted. We didn't encounter any other boats during the 2hr 15min trip and we moored up in the basin with two other boats. The old part of the basin has been delightfully restored and the new shops have been built in keeping with the old.
We walked into the city to a humongous Ikea as we needed some bedding, then on to Argos to get a small 1kw kettle and Bottle managed to get the useful drill pump that he was after.
While we were having lunch on the boat we were entertained by children being instructed how to paddle their own canoes. This happens every weekend apparently and they were all enjoying themselves, especially when we left in our "big boat".
The return trip seemed to take a little longer as there was so much rubbish floating in the water. When we got back the Hawksbury, Bottle pulled a bag full of plastics and fishing line from around the propeller.