On our way to Crick

[NB Alnwick]

We left our mooring at Cropredy at 7:00 pm on Saturday evening (26 May) so that we could moor below Claydon bottom lock and be ready to ascend when the locks became available at 10:00 am the following morning. All that went as planned and this morning we ascended Claydon locks, stopped for a couple of hours at Fenny Marina where we took on fuel and browsed around the chandlery (while Graham cycled back on the Brompton to bring the car up) and we eventually tied up about half way along the summit level between Bridges 130 and 129. So far, we have only gone aground once! The water level is lower than we would like but we can still make reasonable progress. We plan to be in Braunston on Tuesday and arrive at Crick on Wednesday.

 

So far we have been greeted enthusiastically by several forum members and we are very sorry that it hasn't always been possible to stop and converse . . .

[mrsmelly]

We left our mooring at Cropredy at 7:00 pm on Saturday evening (26 May) so that we could moor below Claydon bottom lock and be ready to ascend when the locks became available at 10:00 am the following morning. All that went as planned and this morning we ascended Claydon locks, stopped for a couple of hours at Fenny Marina where we took on fuel and browsed around the chandlery (while Graham cycled back on the Brompton to bring the car up) and we eventually tied up about half way along the summit level between Bridges 130 and 129. So far, we have only gone aground once! The water level is lower than we would like but we can still make reasonable progress. We plan to be in Braunston on Tuesday and arrive at Crick on Wednesday.

 

So far we have been greeted enthusiastically by several forum members and we are very sorry that it hasn't always been possible to stop and converse . . .

 

Have a fun time u2 but remember you are both prone to accidents and we dont want any broken bits this year

 

Tim

[NB Alnwick]

I am rather pleased that we did't start on Friday as planned - had we done so, we might have got in front of the Finchers between Wigrams and Norton Junction and that would have been dangerous!

[NB Alnwick]

We had a really pleasant cruise along the summit level of the (South) Oxford Canal this morning. We set off a 9:00 and didn't see another boat moving until we were almost ar Marston Doles - two lock keepers were in attendance on the Napton flight - one of which was a very helpful volunteer. Having stopped for an hour at Napton to top up our fresh water tank, we tied-up at Foxes Gate on the GU/Oxford Canal between Napton and Braunston near Bridge number 100.

 

We managed to complete the journey without incident except during the last few minutes when the day tank ran dry and the engine stopped on a bend with two boats following us! I had forgotten to replenish the day tank before starting the engine this morning! Fortunately, being a gravity feed system, the engine started again as soon as the tank had been refilled.

 

We hope to be in Braunston tomorrow and then waiting to ascend Watford locks on Wednesday.

Edited May 28, 2012 by NB Alnwick

[NB Alnwick]

Despite our relaxed and leisurely boating, we are now tied up by Watford Bottom Lock (a day earlier than expected) ready to ascend as soon as the locks reopen in the morning. In fact we arrived here just as the last ascending boat was admitted but a little after the scheduled closing time so we are quite content to wait until the morning. The lock keeper at Watford is quite a character - very appropriately for the current spell of sunny weather, he is wearing a white Pith Helmet, so he is easy to identify and, furthermore, he claims that it is exceedingly practical and effective. This isn't the best place to moor - it is all very attractive from a canal point of view but the constant drone of traffic on the M1 motorway spoils any real enjoyment of the place. Having said that I have just enjoyed an excellent cheese souffle that Jane prepared using a recipe from 'The Dairy Book of Family Cookery' published by the Milk Marketing Board in the 1980s - highly recommended! We have also been invited aboard the boat moored behind us so good food and good fellowship will help us to make the best of our overnight mooring . . .

 

During a brief stop at Braunston, we bought some items from Midland Chandlers and we were impressed by the reorganised sales floor and range of stock that they now supply - Braunston is definitely the place to go for anything connected with narrow boats. Although we did not see many other forum members today, we did see NB Helvetia receiving repairs just below Braunston Bottom Lock with a wondrous array of boats in the background - including the steam narrow boat 'Adamant' on the slipway and sporting a new coat of paint . . .

[RLWP]

I was at Braunston all morning and didn't see you

 

Richard

[Timx]

is crick just three days from sat, not very well advertised about information on line, or is it just a click

[steven wilkinson]

Its four days this yoear thanks to queenie lasting so well and giving us all an extra bank holiday!

 

http://www.crickboatshow.com/

 

I have had loads of info about the show and in the magazines!

 

We will be there Sat and Sunday!

[NB Alnwick]

I was at Braunston all morning and didn't see you

 

Relaxed and leisurely means we don't do mornings! Well not that much - although we are up and about this morning!

 

Are you coming to Crick? - we find it is always a great show . . .

 

Its four days this yoear thanks to queenie lasting so well and giving us all an extra bank holiday!

 

http://www.crickboatshow.com/

 

I have had loads of info about the show and in the magazines!

 

We will be there Sat and Sunday!

 

Do make a point of introducing yourself if you see us - hopefully, Alnwick will be moored on the towpath . . .

[Liam]

I will be there at Crick from this Friday, all over the weekend

[steven wilkinson]

will do - it will be our first visit to Crick, so we are keen to make the most of it and talk to as many people as possible.

 

[Ray T]

I'm off to Crick show on Saturday, by car. Do CWDF members need to wear a rose behind our left ears so we recognise each other?

 

ETA Or better still a red with white spots cravat.

Edited May 30, 2012 by Ray T

[Guest]

I'm off to Crick show on Saturday, by car. Do CWDF members need to wear a rose behind our left ears so we recognise each other?

 

ETA Or better still a red with white spots cravat.

 

Good idea -

 

 

however, regrettably we won't be there this year....

[Proper Job]

 

Do make a point of introducing yourself if you see us - hopefully, Alnwick will be moored on the towpath . . .

 

Isn't that a bit inconsiderate? How will people get past

[RLWP]

Relaxed and leisurely means we don't do mornings! Well not that much - although we are up and about this morning!

 

Are you coming to Crick? - we find it is always a great show . . .

 

 

No, because a/. we are doing the BCN Challenge and b/. I got bored with Crick being exactly the same year after year

 

I was on the bit of cut you didn't go along at Braunston

 

Richard

[steven wilkinson]

Martin

I do like your choice of BBQ! I have one exactly the same, and we had the best BBQ ever on the towpath at Middlewich! 3 steaks - one for me, one for Mrs W, and one for Fizz the crewdog!

 

[Guest]

Martin

I do like your choice of BBQ! I have one exactly the same, and we had the best BBQ ever on the towpath at Middlewich! 3 steaks - one for me, one for Mrs W, and one for Fizz the crewdog!

 

 

That's a couple of years (at least) ago now, we'd forgotten to take our Weber Smokey Joe and got that little bucket BBQ from Tesco, I think it cost a fiver.

 

Served us really well for a two week trip around the Leicester ring...

 

.we left it on the boat from memory so probably went in Napton Narrowboats skip...

[steven wilkinson]

we did exactly the same thing - thank you Tesco!

[alan_fincher]

I am rather pleased that we did't start on Friday as planned - had we done so, we might have got in front of the Finchers between Wigrams and Norton Junction and that would have been dangerous!

Charming! And I have "Dominic M" telling those I'm sharing locks with to "Watch your paint - he is a hooligan". (I's not me who goes through major tunnels with no tunnel light, though, is it Dominic ?!? )

 

However Graham, I guess with all this emphasis on slow pace, for you it is a case of....

 

Slow, slow, Crick, Crick, slow.......

 

 

 

Coat!

Edited May 30, 2012 by alan_fincher

[Ally]

we'll be driving down saturday just for the day..........suppliers to see!

[NB Alnwick]

We have arrived!

 

Being second in the queue at Watford Locks, we fired up the K3 at 9:00 and kept it running at a brisk 'Nelly the Elephant' to warm it up and recharge the cabin batteries. We started our ascent just after 9:30 and were tied-up at Crick by midday. Although our passage through Watford Locks went very well thanks to a very professional Lock Keeper ably assisted by an equally efficient volunteer, our trip was not without incident - we were well into Crick Tunnel with a boat following and another coming towards us when it became apparent that our ancient Lucas tunnel light had failed. Jane Promptly grabbed a 'Bardic' lamp and went down to the front to provide a very good imitation of a modern tunnel lamp. However, in the short period when we had no illumination forward, I managed to steer a rather eratic course that almost convinced the boat following that there was a 'U-Boat' alert. Fortunately the fault proved to be nothing more than a loose connection inside the lamp shell and it has now been repaired. This evening we took a gentle cruise up to the winding point at Crack's Hill and returned to our allocated mooring with our bows pointing in the general direction of Lapworth where we hope to attend the forthcoming 'Banter'.

 

This is our first trip out with our newly adopted cat - a sooty black tom called 'Paw' - he has behaved well so far - exploring every new mooring and always returning to the boat in time for supper but he is much more nervous here at Crick and has spent a lot of time hiding in the hedge beside the towpath. It may be that there are more people and dogs about - hopefully he will settle down when he gets used to it all. Certainly our last cat, the never to be forgotten 'GC', thoroughly enjoyed his visits to Crick . . .

 

Statistics for the trip so far are: 31 locks, 33.75 miles and 24.75 engine hours. In the past, we have managed a similar number of locks and miles in a single (long) day but we had to plan our trip to coincide with lock restrictions and we had plenty of time to enjoy a leisurely pace. Interestingly, despite an overall average speed of 1.36 mph, no one complained that we were going too slow - similarly no one complained that we were going too fast!

[MIKE P]

We left our mooring at Cropredy at 7:00 pm on Saturday evening (26 May) so that we could moor below Claydon bottom lock and be ready to ascend when the locks became available at 10:00 am the following morning. All that went as planned and this morning we ascended Claydon locks, stopped for a couple of hours at Fenny Marina where we took on fuel and browsed around the chandlery (while Graham cycled back on the Brompton to bring the car up) and we eventually tied up about half way along the summit level between Bridges 130 and 129. So far, we have only gone aground once! The water level is lower than we would like but we can still make reasonable progress. We plan to be in Braunston on Tuesday and arrive at Crick on Wednesday.

 

So far we have been greeted enthusiastically by several forum members and we are very sorry that it hasn't always been possible to stop and converse . . .

 

 

Nice to hear of your progression, after mooring near the 'mast'.

We are currently in Banbury, heading for the river.

Hope to see you on the way back late August.

[NB Alnwick]

 

However Graham, I guess with all this emphasis on slow pace, for you it is a case of....

 

Slow, slow, Crick, Crick, slow......

 

 

Brilliant! :

 

Nice to hear of your progression, after mooring near the 'mast'.

We are currently in Banbury, heading for the river.

Hope to see you on the way back late August.

 

Indeed and we look forward to meeting you again too . . .

 

Something I should have mentioned earlier, forum members are welcome to use our temporarily vacant mooring at Cropredy provided you water our primroses and guard our coal - we don't expect to be back before mid June so please feel free to use it if you see it vacant . . .

Edited May 30, 2012 by NB Alnwick