Braunston Flight is busy, but that tunnel isn't!..

Braunston Puddlebanks to Norton Junction, Oxford and Grand Union Canals, 5 miles 6 locks

An early start this morning.. well we had a lot to do today.  I couldn’t believe the weather this morning, the canal was like a mill pond, not a ripple on it.  Yesterday along the puddlebanks the waves had white horses on them.. what a difference this morning.. thank goodness for that, at last a break from the wind.

We stopped at the services at Braunston by Midland Chandlers, we had not ‘done’ services since Banbury, quite a while ago that was.. and all our cassettes for the loo were done today.. hey not often that happens, and we sure did have a lot of rubbish onboard!.. Here is a pic you won’t see in all the glossy brochures for a narrowboat holiday!!..

Reversing back under the bridges you can see behind No Problem we then turned to go in the opposite direction to meet up with Ivor Batchelor for some coal and diesel.  10 bags of small anthracite cost me £58, and my diesel today cost 49p a litre.. “It’s going up in two weeks Sue, 2p was sneaked in for it in the budget”.. cheerful is Ivor!  So OK we didn’t really need diesel, but a top up today to beat the budget!

It was so busy up the locks today.. And difficult too.  The towpath is closed in a lot of places so putting a stop to lock wheeling.. ie walking up the flight. But of course at some stage or other we had to reach the top.  I really wasn’t in the mood for the tunnel today.. I had had a headache since early this morning.. spose it was the thought of it.. It was pouring with rain as we left the top lock for the short distance to the tunnel.. “It’s OK for some” said a boater coming in the opposite direction out of the tunnel “I bet you can’t wait to get into the tunnel and into the dry”..   Errr I didn’t say anything.. and just gave him a smile..

Just one boat in the tunnel today to have to pass.. and no it wasn’t a wide beam.. my most dreaded thought as I enter these tunnels.  They are suppose to tell British Waterways if they need to use tunnels to stop people like me from entering the other end.. but…

It was sunny out the other side… and here comes Chas and Ann of Moore2Life exiting the tunnel after me..

We have moored tonight at Norton Junction.. I like it here.  Probably will stay for a few days.