We wandered
into Welford to get our Saturday paper and saw a felled tree that had been
converted into Postman Pat.
On the way in
we had to walk through a little park and it was pleasing to see many un-vandalised
conservation touches such as these insect hotels.
For those of
you who read the blog about our visit to the Foxton inclined plane I have found
a photograph from the web taken during the testing before the official opening
in 1900. This makes it easier to visualise
how the lift worked.
Our plan for Saturday
was to get to Crick so we could stop in for boat services. This entailed going back down the Welford arm and joining the main Leicester section for about 12 miles. As it was we stopped a mile before at
Yelvercroft; we were concerned about getting a TV signal for the England game
and decided to stop at the first point we got a decent signal.
The society
that helps CRT look after the Leicester line has planted trees as living
milestones which are a nice touch.
Sunday was a
gorgeous upside down morning.
Our first
task was to get to Crick marina for services – diesel was only 57p per
litre. The marina was packed with overwintering
boats.
We met a boat
in the 1,528 yard long Crick tunnel – we haven’t met a boat in a tunnel all
year.
Soon after
the tunnel we went under the M1.
We had to
wait for about 45 minutes before being able to go down the Watford Gap
staircase.
This was the
first time we have seen a driver carrying a baby in a sling.
The canal passes Watford Gap services on the M1 so there is always the opportunity to buy something 24 hours a day!
We joined the main line of the Grand Union at Norton junction and turned right towards Braunston.
Soon
afterwards we passed these cows cooling down in the cut.
There were a
lot of boats on this section and we passed six in the 2,042 yard long Braunston
tunnel. We moored at
the top of the Braunston flight and wandered down to the Admiral Nelson which
is one of our favourite canal side pubs.
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