Although the day was very grey, overcast, rather chilly, it remained dry almost the whole day, with just a short period of very light rain.
We were off in reasonable time - we had been planning to call at Midland Chandlers to replace our cabin services batteries. However, by the time we reached Braunston we had changed our minds and would carry on with the aim of replacing them later in the year, so that they do not have a long period of non-use over the winter.
Along this stretch we passed this boat in a line of long-term moorings. Now rather sad as it does look mas if it was once a proud working boat and later somone's home. Now seems almost deserted.
The long straight part just before the junction showed the changing colours of autumn - still some green but red and yellow is rapidly talking over.
Nevertheless, we did call at the chandlery as it is next to the services - we filled with water this time as well as usual disposals. we did buy a new mooring chain and piling hook (to replace the former which went into the River Stort at the start of the season and the latter as one is now rather bent! We also bought some replacement straining screws for the fenders. We bent one on the last trip but managed to put it back to shape for the mo but it is no doubt rather week and may part company at an inconvenient place.
After the junction we were back on the Oxford Canal once more. Although the locks on the northern section are all narrow, as with all of those on the southern part, the canal was straightened and the bridges widened so that it can now be considered a wide beam navigation at least as far as Hillmorton where the locks, although paired, are standard narrow gauge.
The first part of the northern section has towpath banks of a similar construction to the Grand Union between Braunston and Napton junctions. Not clear what advantage it gave to working canals but it does make it very difficult to find a mooring spot close enough to the bank for an overnight stop.
Barby Moorings, for all its early controversy and apparent lack of the usual facilities, does now seem to be pretty much full. We have heard that they are offering really competitive winter rates for storage (ie no staying on board).
The middle part of the day did see rather frequent traffic in both directions. As we arrived at Hillmorton, one boat was waiting to go down and another arrived just behind us.
One lock of each pair is operational at the moment and the top lock is undergoing substantial repair. A stoppage notice has just been issued for the bottom lock, just for a short time. Unless all the locks are back in working order for next season it will cause quite a bottleneck. Difficult enough when all are OK.
Sign on gate at middle lock cottage is amusing - anyone have any shillings available?
Kent Road Bridge is decorated to show canals then and now.
We had lunch on the go but stopped at Rugby for a quick trip to the nearby Tesco supermarket. Just after setting off again we were surprised to see a wide beam dredger - but see above.
The straightening of the canal left numerous short arms, many marked by the elegant towpath bridges. Some remain is use, this one is called the Rugby Arm and is used for moorings and a hire base.
An entry in our unusual boats gallery - rather different design of butty than the traditional!
Just after bridge 48 we could see a boat offloading the results of earlier dredging. Wed had seen some lengthy sections where it was deposited on the offside bank but presumably this was not always possible. (Disposal on-site, which include the banks, is so much cheaper and involves simpler regulations)
A few metres further and we saw a sign for diesel at 72p a litre, plus duty, which was he best we have seen. As we were planning to fill up a little later this was an offer we could not refuse! We had planned to call at Lime Farm Marina where we have filled up before but we were surprised to see that their price was much higher.
We tried to moor just before Stretton, but could not obtain a tv signal as trees were in the way. Eventually the rest of the crew persuaded Mike that there was time to go further in the hope of a better line of sight!
At Stretton Stop we were glad that we did not need to fill up here!
Another strange butty! We had seen this boat moored when we stopped for shopping but it left before we returned. It has a notice saying that the butty is for sale complete with an hydraulic platform to park a motorcycle!
Not much further and we did find an open mooring not too close to the railway or the motorway. But we were not all that close to the bank either! Still, we did not have to deploy the gangplank.
19.5 miles - 3 locks
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