During August 2007 we
hired a narrowboat, with six of the children, from Gayton marina just at the
start of the Northampton arm of the Grand Union. We headed north, through Weedon and Buckby
then through Braunston tunnel and down the Braunston flight. We turned at Braunston Turn, which is the junction
with the Oxford canal, and then headed back to the marina.
During the week both Matthew
and Lauren had their birthdays and, as usual, Karen managed to decorate the
boat including fairy lights. I probably wasn’t
worried about the effect on the batteries in those days as it was a hire boat
and I didn’t know any better.
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| Loading up at Gayton
marina, including eight bikes on the roof.We'd even brought a trailer full of stuff! |
Looking back at the
pictures they are nearly all of the children and only a couple of the canal.
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Polly in a lock – she’s
not driving honest – I was ducking down for something
|
We covered 34 miles
through 26 broad locks on the holiday.
Even though it was summertime we only managed to share a couple of locks
with another boat (nb Grace which can just be seen in the picture above). Maybe the other
boaters were keeping clear of the mad hire boat family!
Here are a few pictures of
the children:
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| Jake in a pub garden |
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| Polly and Joanna in a pub garden |
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| Matthew in a pub garden |
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| Catherine in a pub garden |
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| Me in a pub garden - just look at that old Nokia phone! |
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| Me and Joanna |
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| Our old lab Diesel - he loved getting wet unlike Buddy but they both share(d) a penchant for sticks |
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| Karen and Matthew outside in the dark |
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| Me and Lauren outside in the dark |
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| Some of Karen's party decorating |
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| Matthew and Lauren's birthday dinner |
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| Polly and Joanna |
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| Catherine and Lauren |
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| Pary time! |
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| Polly and me |
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| Jake and Polly |
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| Catherine |
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