Norton

Today's Canals - Grand Union, Main Line and Leicester Arm

For once the forecast overnight was unduly optimistic. We had been promised a dull start followed from mid morning by at least sunny spells. In reality it was cold and wet most of the early morning, turning to sharp showers later. Only as we drew near to time for mooring did the sun appear for any length of time. However, we did do the locks in the dry!

After about an hour and a half we reached Weedon where we have visited for shops before. (On a previous trip we also explored the old military depot) Sadly, once again, the church was not open but the shops did offer what we wanted.

As we walked into the centre of the village we saw lots of protest signs saying No to new street development. Not being able to work out what was the issue we stopped an older lady who had just been in the same shop as ourselves. It turned out that she is a long time resident of the village and was happy to chat - we could have been there the rest of the day if we had had the time! It seems that a developer is wanting to build a plot of new houses and those closest to the site are up in arms. She suggested that they are really newcomers! She herself is not unsympathetic and recognised that people need places to live and that without them young people will move away and many of the facilities will disappear with them. a little later we saw a poster in another shop window.

Our wall mounted reading lights have started to fail - several of the individual leds no longer illuminate and we have been trying for a while to find a repair or replacement. At bridge 21 we spotted Bedazzled, one of the specialist supplier of leds to boaters. Alas they did not have anything suitable.

As we set off again, we spotted this gentleman taking a rest!

we stopped at the visitor mooring just below the Buckby flight. With the weather so chilly, Christine had made a special vegetable soup - it was both welcome and delicious.

After lunch, Mike visited the chandlery at Wilton Marina. He first sorted out a replacement seal for the other elsan cassette and then asked about lights. Whilst they could not supply a replacement for the existing fitting, which seems to be entirely non-standard, they did have two wall lights. He also said that he had another person in earlier today after almost the same. Back to the boat to collect Christine to see if she approved of the design and then back to the shop. They were extremely helpful in discussing alternative lamps and fittings and just as we decided what we wanted he discovered that the particular design of light was not on his stand (even though it was on his order list!) However, his supplier is Bedazzled and a quick phone call established that they had some in stock and they popped over with them. They arrived just as we were completing the first lock. Service indeed!

Although the bottom gates of the Buckby locks are notoriously heavy to close, we made steady progress, helped by a number of boats coming the other way. Even so, a couple were set against us.

Oh look - almost at the top and there is a patch of blue sky at last.

At the top we quickly emptied the elsan and disposed of rubbish but did not bother with water this time.

After turning right at Norton Junction onto the Leicester Arm of the Grand Union, we went only a short distance before finding a night mooring. We stopped where it is quiet - a motorway, busy railway and the A5 are all never far away and making the wrong choice can leave one in a very noisy place!

The sign at the junction says that we are just over 41 miles from Leicester but that does not include the couple of branches we place to go down. More another day. However, it does look as though we can sort out a mooring for when we have to go back home for most of June.

Time now to see if we can fit the lights!

OK - so some things work!

By the time the lighting work was done and the evening meal well on the way, we had a lovely sunny evening to look out at! Still, we lit the fire anyway.

8.8 Miles - 7 Locks