Sunday 6th – Saturday 12th
Monday did, as forecast, dawn bright and dry, Bev and Dave set of early as they wanted to fill the water tank and do other domestic chores so had departed, completed all their required tasks, turned around in the winding hole and moored back where they had started from while we were still breakfasting.
After our a quick visit to the winding hole we followed NB J-PEG through the Braunston Turn Bridge back onto the Oxford Canal (Grand Union Section)
A “Turnover Bridge” such as the one immediately after Braunston Turn allowed the tow horse to be moved from one side of the canal to the other without being unhitched from the boat.
Our planned journey from Braunston was to follow the Grand Union Canal all the way to Birmingham, but decided first to detour to the Napton visitor moorings. There were three reasons for this detour: –
1 – The Napton Village Store, for water buffalo burgers, and superb deli goods
2 – The Napton Cidery, for some of the best cider ever!!
3 – The Folly Inn, a canal side pub for dinner and hopefully live music.
The scotch eggs, samosa’s and water buffalo burgers bought at the village shop were excellent. The Napton Cidery cider was so good I’m sad we only bough one case.
The dinner at The Folly was, shall we say, disappointing.
We got underway again on Wednesday after a very pleasant two night stay, turned the boat around and backtracked to Wigrams Turn to continue up the Grand Union Canal towards Birmingham but our planned journey for today was just two miles with a stopover at Ventnor Marina. As part of the group that owns our home marina we are entitled to stay at any other marina in the group free. The weather over the next couple of days was forecast to reach 30 plus degrees so a couple of days getting the washing etc., etc., done while keeping out of the sun seemed (and was) a good idea. In reality we had no choice in the matter as two weeks previously a boat had crashed into Stockton Bottom Lock gate rendering the lock unusable and in true CRT fashion it took two weeks to organise a one day job.
Two very hot days, one visit for Bev and Dave by relatives and one evening BBQ, with all household tasks complete we received notice from the CRT that the lock is now repaired and open but we will stay again tomorrow to allow any backlog of boats to clear and set off again Sunday morning.
