Tin Slug Syndrome as we head up the Rothersthorpe Locks.

After a very enjoyable, late and alcohol-fueled evening with Simon and Ros we were up early, Simon and I about half-six, the ladies a little later. The beautiful sunny morning beckoned us on, and we moved out of Northampton Marina at 9 o’clock.

Our last bit of the River Nene, under the Cotton End Bridge, past Carlsberg’s brewery and onto the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal.

“Probably the best lager in the world”

Other beers are available…

The entrance to the Northampton Arm lies discreetly on the left.


Lock 17 is only just around the corner and set the scene for the rest of the flight - empty!

There’s a whole lot of development going on in the city, apart from large residential complexes rising around the fringe, the derelict Nunn Mills is to be demolished in favour of a new University Campus, accessed by a new bridge across the river from Midsummer Meadows.

Nunn Mills, soon to go.

The first 5 locks are spread over 3 miles, the “thick” doesn’t start until after passing under the M1.

Definitely back on a canal…

We took it in turns on the tiller and working up the locks, Simon and Ros are competent boaters so can be left to it.

Steering…

…or locking 

Three-quarters of a mile of canal is occupied by the top 12 locks, and at the moment by a dredging crew too.

Under the fancy concrete bridge carrying the M1

There’s a memorial bench and a couple of clever wire-frame sculptures alongside lock 10

A kestrel perched on one of the three open lift bridges among the locks

We started to have water problems soon after passing under the motorway. The pounds were getting shorter… and shallower!
Simon started to run water down, and was soon joined by Mark from C&RT who went further up to open paddles on the higher locks. He didn’t have a windlass though, so borrowed one of ours. Luckily we have three!

So the next three pounds involved a slow scrape and slither across the silt and slime of the bottom of the canal. The cabin was soon filled with the musty, rotting vegetation aromas of the mud we were churning up.

None of us could understand why these pounds were so low, where the dredgers were working the water was flowing over the gates!

Now we had plenty of water we were held up a bit by the crew shifting a mud hopper, but once clear of that it was plain sailing.

A bit congested…

…stinky dredged silt

Unfortunately Meg took advantage of the delay to do a bit of dredging of her own…

Stinky dog!

And we’re off again! Mags was feeling a bit redundant so took the tiller for the last five locks.

We met a couple of downhill boats on this last stretch, too, so we didn’t even have to do much opening and closing of gates.

The top lock was the only one against us, being three parts full when Ros went up to open the gates. Strange, considering we’d only just passed that downhill boat… The mystery was solved when we realised that the lock crew had left a top paddle half up. It must have taken a while to empty the chamber, but the water was needed further down…

Lock 1, 17 done in a little under 4 hours
It would have been quicker without the low pounds and dredgers!



From the top lock to Gayton Junction it’s about half a mile, passing Gayton Marina on the right…

…and C&RT’s Gayton Yard on the left just before the junction.

We turned to the right at the junction, heading north again now, and moored just before Bridge 47.

We’d had a couple of short showers that didn’t amount to much, mostly it’s been bright and breezy.

We sat down with a well-earned brew and bacon sandwiches before Simon rang a local taxi company to run them back to their car parked in Northampton.
We’ve had a really good couple of days, good company and an easy run up what would have been hard work on our own. Sorry to see them go, really, there’s seven broad locks to tackle at Buckby later in the week…

So now we’re back on the ditches for a while, after an enjoyable excursion on fresh waters for us. And a bit of salty water too! Plenty more river cruising yet, though. We’re heading up to Ripon so we’ve the Soar, Trent, Aire and Yorkshire Ouse to tackle before September. Bring it on!

Hi Carol. Yes, it's been a good trip, overall we've enjoyed it.

Locks 17, miles 5½ 

Meeting up, into Northampton and The case of the Missing Sanitary Station!

One for old Sherlock Holmes!

Derek and Sheila arrived on Saturday afternoon as planned, and moored next to us on the washlands pontoon. We hadn’t seen each other for a few weeks so had some catching up to do over tea and cakes.

Looking out over the washlands



The pontoon moorings 


The Washlands was created in the 1980s to manage floodwater in the Nene valley. Excess water is diverted into the basin, then allowed to slowly return to the valley as and when conditions allow.

Both boats left the pontoon moorings yesterday, reversing out into the main river. It was entertaining, with the gusty wind pushing us back up towards the lock!

Clarence follows us out – backwards

There’s a lot of river here…

The navigation channel leaves the main river about a ¾-mile below Weston Favell Lock, turning sharp left to pass under another barrage bridge and enter Abingdon Lock

Abingdon Lock

The cut continues around to Rush Mills Lock, passing some ad-hoc moorings…

…and rejoins the river under the A45 dual carriageway.

We pulled in on the Midsummer Murders Meadows moorings, while Derek and Sheila pushed on. I helped them up the last of the river locks, Northampton Lock, then said goodbye. A bit of shopping from the handy Morrison’s then they were off up the narrow locks of the Rothersthorpe flight, up onto the Grand Union Main Line. We’ll not be following them till tomorrow.

Superb sunset last night

Now then, the missing sanitary station. There should have been a facility block providing water, loo emptying and rubbish disposal just along here somewhere… but it was nowhere to be seen. No wharf, no building, no tap, just a depression in the ground with a grating over. Further essential investigation showed that the whole kit and kaboodle was now in the new marina opposite Becket’s Park.
It turns out that the old facility was owned and maintained by the local council, and, when the jointly funded development of the marina was planned, they decided to close the park-side one in favour of a more secure position in the marina.
We really did need the chance to fill and empty; we’ve guests arriving this afternoon to help us up the locks tomorrow.

So, just a short cruise this morning, around the corner, up the last lock, a sharp left into the marina and find the services. Having done the necessary we intended to come back out and moor alongside the flats above the lock.

Mags bringing Seyella into Becket’s Park (Northampton) Lock

Into the marina

This looks pleasant, now where’s the facilities?

The warden came out to meet us and directed us to the appropriate amenities, no charge as the marina is EA run. Then I had a word with him, a fee changed hands and we’ve a berth in here tonight. I’m sure it would have been fine where we’d planned, but here we’ve power and water on hand, as much as we want. And it is more secure…
So now we’re waiting for Simon and Ros to arrive, they’re due shortly. They’ll spend the night with us, then help us up the 17 locks to Gayton Junction tomorrow before heading home again.
Locks 3, miles 3 (two days)  

A bit of mowing…

After a day off yesterday we got away at around half past nine this morning. The day had started calmly, but the wind has increased steadily, strong and gusty by mid afternoon.

A beautiful stretch of river…

…but it’s not all bucolic.

Some of the gravel pits are still not worked out yet.

The reach between Earls Barton and White Mills Locks is quite shallow and very weedy. We left a trail of chopped up blades of that spikey stuff that grows to just below the surface. Approaching the latter lock we almost stopped, so much was wrapped around the prop.

White Mills Lock and bywash bridge

We had six locks to do today, all the regular Nene type with a guillotine at one end and mitre gates at the other. We dropped lucky, at two we had boats waiting to come down, and at another an EA crew were repairing the upper landing and they offered to reset the lock for me.
They’re all fairly close together at this, the top end of the valley. Just enough time for a brew in between…

The tower of Whiston church rises above the woods on Combe Hill.

Nature will take advantage of any opportunity, a hawthorn growing out of the top of a rotten post.


Cogenhoe came and went; this one was where the top landing was being repaired, then we were at Billing, with the extensive holiday camp alongside. Lots of people about, enjoying the fine weather.

My two girls in Billing Lock

The river runs wide and deep to Clifford Hill Lock, then on to Weston Flavell. It’s here that the flood relief washlands run to the south of the river, sluices and flood gates control excessive water, diverting it to the shallow basins for release later when conditions improve.

Northampton Boat Club in the lock cut at Weston Flavell

In Weston Flavell Lock, our last for today

We motored under the flood barrier bridge, out onto the river again and turned sharp right to moor on the EA pontoon.

It’s quiet here, and if the wind changes it’ll be quieter still. It’s carrying the traffic noise from the A45 this afternoon.

We’ve been entertained by a coot family on the island opposite. The parents are busy feeding the very young chicks.

This is the second brood, there are another three adolescents hanging around squawking plaintively. Obviously feeling left out!

We’re staying here tomorrow. All being well we’ll be joined by Derek and Sheila, NB Clarence, in the afternoon.

Locks 6, miles 5½

Grey start, blue finish.

It was drizzly and gloomy when I went for my morning run, but has steadily improved through the day and now it’s warm and sunny. By the time I’d run, showered, breakfasted, walked Meg and visited Tesco I was ready for the 15 minute sit-down I had while a load of washing reached the rinse cycle. Then we reversed to the water point to fill up the tank and empty a loo cassette.


The moorings were opposite Victoria Mill, much extended since it’s construction in 1887 by the Whitworth family. Amazingly it’s still doing the job it was built for, milling flour! The machinery droning on all night wasn’t that annoying…

Wellingborough Upper Lock is only 10 minutes from the moorings, and is another conventional lock with mitre gates at both ends.
 

On the moorings, at the services and also at the locks either side of the town the signs have this addition tacked on…

I just hope that the scroats responsible need to be rescued at some time…

Do the pulleys on the framework of the by-wash bridge indicate that the centre span once lifted?
 
Maybe for water-borne transport to the adjacent gravel pit.

The locks came rapidly today, it’s getting hillier as we rise further up the valley. I found that out this morning on my run!

Wollaston Lock, back to the guillotine at one end, pointing gates at the other construction.

Doddington Lock was next, and we thought about trying the unofficial moorings above but the banks are well overgrown. So we pushed on, another 15 minutes to Earls Barton Lock.

He’s a big boy…

Earls Barton Lock
Mags started off in a jacket, she’s now down to a fleece.

We pulled over just above the lock, with horses and foals for company.



We’ve time in hand, and it’s supposed to be a good day tomorrow. It’s quiet here so we’ll stay put tomorrow, I reckon.

Locks 4, miles 3½