Day 113 - back onto the Grand Union canal, heading eastwards.

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6 locks, 434 in total.







We awoke to the warmest morning yet on the boat – the sun was out very early and shining on the non-towpath side of the boat where the the curtains had been left open – it was so snug! The temperature hadn't dropped much overnight either for which I was grateful – Hattie had an upset stomach and was out on the towpath about 4 am. As there were no lights near us the stars really stood out (even without my glasses).







We turned eastwards onto the Grand Union canal and pottered slowly into Braunston Marina to see the brokerage man; we had to fill in an enormous questionnaire which didn't quite ask if we kissed the boat goodnight daily but that was the level of detail. We will leave Dunlin on 17^th September and an era ends, a couple of weeks earlier than intended but increasing our chances of a sale this year. Also our choice of routes was limited after this, with lack of winding holes on the Northampton Arm and a 3 mile tunnel on the Grand Union – fine if you're going onwards but we'd have to come back through it as well and it's not much fun.







So it was after lunch that we headed out onto the cut and through the six locks in suffocating heat. Everyone was asking how tomorrow's forecast could possibly be rain when the sky is wall-to-wall blue and there's no breeze. These are double locks – 2 boats side by side in one lock, as on the Kennet & Avon and some other parts of the Grand Union. We hadn't worked doubles for a while, there was no boat to pair with and there were no volunteers (word had obviously spread...) so it could be that we'd forgotten quite how heavy a 2500kg lock gate is. One or two gates had sound effects that wouldn't disgrace a Hammer horror film – creaking, groaning and squealing although that may have been me as well. One gate inched towards closed and then just stuck partway – I pushed it back a little and tried to get a run at it but no good, I had to call for reinforcement and even he struggled. John and I do share the lock work evenly – so many men will not relinquish the helm and seem quite happy to leave their wives totally exhausted on the towpath. We enjoyed working the locks though and we'll enjoy them all over again when we return to Braunston.







We had a plan this morning – get through the locks, moor for the night and then do Braunston Tunnel tomorrow when it's raining (theoretically). We hadn't realised quite how close the tunnel was to the final lock but luckily we managed to find a mooring and now the clouds are building and a cool breeze is blowing – could the forecasters be right for once?

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Photos

Drying the washing on the hedge.
We had ours hanging inside the boat as we went along - it dried beautifully.

The Crooked House, Braunston
Not bad from this angle.

The Admiral Nelson
Location of the Morse episode 'The Wench is Dead'.