Two Into One Does Go!

Tuesday 3^rd October 2017

Braunston to Long Itchington

9.5 miles, 13 locks

The plan today was to travel just 8 miles and 3 locks, however, read on...

The day dawned dry and bright.  Moving the boat back yesterday (Monday) worked and we were pretty leaf free this morning.  We moved along to the water and elsan disposal point and emptied and filled as required.  Then it was onto Midland Chandlers and yes, we did need a few bits and bobs!  I did pop in for a short time, but shopping is not my favourite occupation and most things in a chandlers leaves me cold.

We turned onto the North Oxford Canal, or is it still the Grand Union?  They seem to be one and the same thing from Braunston to Napton Junction.  There were two boats ahead of us - the one in the lead was so slow we were in tick over and even then had to reverse to keep our distance!  Thankfully he let the boat ahead of us past.  Just after I took this photo Monty and I jumped ship as it was quicker to walk.  Chris did get past and we both fervently hope not too many other people got held up by him.

Moving along we came across some work boats putting in some new ARMCO.

At Napton Junction we turned right to join the Grand Union to Birmingham.

As we approached what should have been our only locks of the day at Calcatt there in the distance was

someone in a red life jacket - was it a volunteer lock keeper?  Sadly no, it was a boater going down the lock.

We were joined by another boat

and by the time the we got to the next lock the first boat had waited, so we joined them leaving the other boat with a crew of four to do the last two Calcutt locks on their own.

The boat we shared with was stopping at Ventnor Marina just below the locks, so we proceeded on alone past this boat - in the same place as it had been on 13th August, so we assume this must be a permanent mooring.

It was just past here that we had intended stopping for the night leaving the 10 locks at Stockton to the next day.  However, we had gathered that the boat behind us was going down, so we made the decision to join them.  The certainty of a boat with a big crew to share with is something it is hard to pass up, so on we went. 

We discovered whilst locking with them (as you do!) that nb Jameson is a skippered charter narrowboat - see here for full details.  Basically they take paying guests and do all the work, leaving the boat every evening so the guests can enjoy the boat to themselves & to enjoy time on their own.  A step between hiring a boat and a hotel boat. 

Ben and Chris did quite a bit of synchronised steering whilst Chris and the two Australian guests, Mark and Sharon, were out working locks.  

Before the last two locks we passed the scene of my fall on 12th August on those 'croquet hoop' type of mooring rings at the Blue Lias - my knees are still not 100%, so I hope it is not a mistake I make again.

We had made the right decision to go for it as we breezed down - it took 1 hour 10 minutes to do the 10 locks and 1.5 miles - so much better than the 2.75 hours it took to do the 2.25 miles and 7 locks at Buckby on our own.

So we moored in Long Itchington - our target for Wednesday, so 2 days really did go into 1.

Wednesday 4^th October 2017

Long Itchington

So having got a day ahead again we had another day off!  A leisurely start and a few jobs were done before we headed off to find the local shop.  This is our fourth visit to Long Itchington and we have always slogged our way up a very long, boring, busy road that seems to go on for ever.  This time we decided to try a footpath that Chris thought might exist.  It does!  It is just before bridge 26.  Sneak between the brick of the bridge and a wooden fence and it comes out to a great path across a field - much nicer for all of us.  Follow this and take the first fork to the left, then keep right and you come out at a kissing gate which goes out into a small housing estate.  Turn left and follow the road past

this old house

the church

 
and the Old School House, where you cross the road, turning left past the day nursery and

the School House and the Co Op is just past that on the right

 We think it is a shorter route, but whether it is or not, it is certainly much nicer. 

The rest of the day we chilled out and just enjoyed our day of rest. We were moored two lengths ahead of where we were back in August when we had no internet at all.  This time it was intermittent, but we did have some - the vagaries of modern technology!