nb Alchemy: Almost Watford Locks

Today's Canal - Grand Union Leicester Line

A day of two very different halves, weatherwise. The forecast was for overcast skies all day but towards the middle of the day some blue patches started to break up the clouds and the afternoon was very bright and warm, even hot, as well.

Initially we wondered were everyone had gone - we passed but one boat moving on the first hour but from coffee to lunch time and from siesta to tea time there were times when it was almost a procession. Let's hope that they do not all end up at Foxton at the same time - it will be a long queue!

Between Bridges 36 and 37 we could see in the distance amongst woodland this property. Try as we might, we have failed to identify it. Anyone know? (Later: it is possible we have located them as a pair of cottages on West Hill Farm on Hemplow Hills, but from this distance they look rather grand)

It was late morning when we reached Yelvertoft which, we discovered, still has a small village shop. So when we saw that there was room on the visitor mooring at the Wharf (just before the water point) we pulled in and walked into the village, not far away.

We called into the parish church which, although fairly plain inside, is substantial in space and recent improvements have been made to enable wider uses. As far as we could see, there is quite a bit happening in the village both in the church and the wider community.

They have installed neat screen for projecting the order of service and words of hymns or songs - which rolls up out of sight when not needed.

Leaving the churchyard we continued into the centre of the village - although the road we walked from the canal to the centre is only a minor road, it was quite busy and sufficiently straight to encourage speeding vehicles.

Yelvertoft Reading Room was originally built as a school in 1711 but now functions as a small hall for various events and activities. The main wall has an interesting sun dial. No doubt the early pupils had to learn to tell the time from this device - no smartphones as a short cut then. Not sure how they managed for the first 81 years, however.

Nearby is the old village pump. Across the road was the small shop and Post Office. Although it was not extensively stocked we did find most of what we were wanting immediately, including today's newspaper.

Back at the boat we had lunch, a little late, before moving down to the water point - the tank was running quite low - again!

Our fuel is also down to just under 40% and we turned into Yelvertoft Marina who supply diesel. However, when we pulled onto the service wharf we discovered that they are closed on Tuesdays. When we turned back onto the main line we could see this on their notice board but it was ambiguous (at first we thought it only referred to their winter schedule) and also when turning in we were focused on making thew narrow gap rather than studying the fine print. Somewhere else to have our business, but probably not today.

Although there was room on the visitor mooring in Crick we felt that it was just a bit too early to call it a day and carried on. Only under the bridge however where we made a sudden stop when we spotted the elsan service point that is newer than our guide book (we should have remembered as we stopped here to have the gas locker hatch repaired only a few days ago)

Once that chore was complete we continued into the dark tunnel that immediately beckoned us. Although just under a mile in length, it is very straight and any boats already inside (one had passed us a couple of minutes before we left the service point) Despite the amount of traffic earlier it was surprising that we met nothing coming the other way whilst we were inside the tunnel.

Once through and under the rail bridge we looked for a mooring before we were too close to the noise of the M1. There is plenty of good piling to attach our ropes to but much of the canal; alongside is a bit shallow. In any event, the hot sun continued and it was a pleasant end to the day.

Today's stretch is a pretty canal and meanders most of the time, following contours more than cuttings and embankments. The one tunnel was inevitable at some point perhaps.However, there are almost no villages waterside nor other distinguishing features.