Just a 4.2 hr jaunt today. Thru that wretched Braunston Tunnel – the one with the kink! Met several boats coming thru! Then its six big, heavy locks. Luckily we teamed up with some holidaying Germans who had hired their Pintail boat from Rugby for 3 weeks. They had done a big ring down to London/Oxford/Thames and were now on their way back! I said we were on day two and normally do only 4 hours! He did raise both eyebrows at this! But understood that we live on our boat and were in no hurry. They managed to get into a lock ahead of us, that already had a boat waiting, so we let them go. Took us ages to get thru the last two locks but that’s the way it is. It was getting hotter and hotter but we puttered on past all the busy workshops and hire fleets, the Gongoozlers Rest cafe and made the left hand turn at the iron bridge. Not done this for a long time. Past more moored boats and finally had enough at bridge 102. A was too hot and we did promise our panting dog a swim!
Here’s the light at the end of the tunnel (2042 yds!)
And Viv working the last of the heavy locks
The opposite had bees inside – not a sign you see often!
Goodbye to Braunston!
