Watford Gap

As soon as we set off this morning it was into Braunston Tunnel - no-one else was about until the last couple of hundred metres when a boat entered from the other end.

It was still a misty morning when we emerged from the tunnel, not cold but with a definite autumn chill. Even when the mist cleared, the cloud stayed.

Just before Norton Junction we could see a hunt taking place in the adjoining fields - quite a number of horses and a large pack of hounds. We could not decide what form of hunting was taking place.

At Norton Junction we turned northwards onto the Leicester Branch of the Grand Union Canal. An hour later we arrived at the bottom of the Watford flight and Christine checked in with the lock keepers. We would have a little wait but there was only one other boat ahead of us but a couple in the flight coming down.

By the time we reached the staircase (of four locks) the keepers had gone off for their lunch break so we were left to operate on our own. Despite often being claimed to be intimidating, they are straightforward: raise the red paddle before the white. The first lets water into the lock from the side pond and the other lets it out from the lock above into the side pond. Between them, the result is that the lock is levelled with the side level - the only consequence of raising the paddles in the wrong order is that water may be wasted if it overflows the side pond.

Out through the single lock at the top and we stopped briefly for the services but did not bother with filling up with water. Just a little further we stopped for lunch.

From here it is around 20 miles level cruising and there were few events to report - apart from a hire boat that we met approaching a bridge hole and then seemed to become stuck as it attempted to come through the bridge! Crick Tunnel came and went - no boats came the other way although a couple followed behind us.

By the end of the afternoon, the clouds cleared and it was a pleasant end to the day, albeit rather chilly. Although we were still short of the Welford Arm - which had been our target - we moored close to Bridge 33, well away from the noisy A14 and with a good view of the satellite for TV and mobile phone!