Back on the Leicester Line.

Travelled 16.3 miles, worked 13 locks in 8 hours.

Yet again I only have a GPRS signal, so no photographs, so you will have to use your imagination.

We left our over night mooring at 8.25am and the sun was shining and it was chilly.

We got to the Braunston Turn at 9.00 and turned right to head up the locks. When we got there there were two boats waiting to go up, they were heading for the Crick Show which is this weekend. We joined the queue and followed them up the locks, with boats coming down the flight it made all our lives a little easier. The one thing that did not was the lack of water in the pounds.

Keith got stuck on the cill at one lock and so he had to wait for some water come down. Half way up the locks Ben a C&RT worker and friend had come to see the Volunteer lock keeper, only to be told by me that there was no lock keeper on duty thus the lack of water, this did not exactly please Ben, so he was going to phone it in and try to get someone out to man the locks, because of all the traffic going to the Crick Show. We got to the top lock at 10.50am. We went into Braunston Tunnel having enjoyed some sunshine, but when we came out the other end it was raining and that turned to hail.

11.45am we made it finally to Norton Junction and were back on the Leicester Line.

When we reached Watford Locks we were in a queue with six boats in front of us. Keith dropped me off and I went and found the volunteer locks keeper who was John who we know and he booked us in. Whilst we waited to go up the locks, I made us a quick lunch and had a chat with the boaters in front. After waiting it was finally our turn to start up the locks with the help of John and the other lockie on duty Ian. They were both brilliant helping us up the flight. Whilst working up through the locks, we had sunshine, rain, sleet, snow and hail, it is hard to believe we are heading towards June, but hey ho this is Britain.

Onward in to Crick Tunnel and out the other end where boats were moored for the Crick Show.

We did see boats and people we know. NB Briar Rose and NB Sanity Again all crews were looking a little damp, but then what do you expect it is the Crick Show, which we will not go to because of the costs involved. For us to moor up on the towpath it is £1.86 a foot and at 70ft it would cost us £13o and that does not include getting on to the site for the weekend, so for us it is to expensive. But we hope they all have a great show. With rain still falling we were on the lookout for a mooring. With Crick full from the tunnel to bridge 14 we headed on through Yelvertoft, which was also full and have moored up at Haddon’s Bridge.

With us moored up it was time to get out of our wet clothes and to organise some dinner. Tomorrow we will head for Welford.