Welton Hythe

Today's Canal - Leicester Section

Although still very warm, this morning was somewhat pleasanter, but still with clear skies. We spent some time last night sorting out plans for the next few days -but that included fixing some details of the end of the trip - where do we want the car to be? We are mindful that Sileby Mill have been most generous and accommodating so we do not want to leave the car there any longer than is necessary. There are still some possible events or activities before we moor up and return home for a short while so we need to hedge our bets. One2 complication is that from now on we will be going down the Grand Union that takes much the same route as the railway into Euston with almost no simple connections onto the line through Leicester and Sileby! The upshot was that we aimed to get as much of the cruise between Welford Junction and Long Buckby into th log book today. But, of course, we have to allow for the restricted opening hours of Watford Locks, same as at Foxton with the last entry at 3:15.

Hence we set off, still at a good early time of 8 o'clock.

On previous journeys along the Leicester Section we have photographed and added to our database, a number of Living Milestones - at the time there seemed to be something in the hedge that was decorative but with a metal plate giving its identity. Even four years ago we only found some of the twenty or so originals. This time even some of the ones we saw last time seemed to have disappeared and in all cases the only visible remain is the metal sign - hardly 'living'.

T

he unrelenting sun is not good for boat painting. (At least that is the excuse that we, and probably many others, use for not doing any this week!) However, under the wide A14 road bridge, one boater found good shade and was making progress.

There was social media coverage about a month ago about a possible breach of the canal just south of Yelvertoft Marina with some local residents complaining that it was flooding their property. At the time, many of  us wondered about the substance of these reports (the location looked some distance from houses). This large buoy marks a spot where some 'temporary' off side bank repair has been done but little water was flowing under the canal!

The canal then takes yet another circuit around a hill - this time Crack's Hill. The route this morning is much longer than might otherwise have been the case as the engineers at the time were very keen to follow contours rather than dig their way to a direct line.

Crick Marina is one of the larger ones - it also has three entrances from the canal. Here is the first, which is where services such as diesel can be obtained - but we carried on to the wharf a little later as we only needed the usual water, elsan and rubbish.

Pre-Covid (probably) the wharf was busy with visitors to the popular tea room in some of the former workshop buildings. (The sign for the Red Lion directs the hungry or thirsty some distance into the village itself)

Alas, the place is largely empty with a mournful sign co firming that there is no imminent expectation of a re-opening.

After completing our servicing we continued with Crick Tunnel a few minutes ahead.We met two boats whilst in the tunnel with a third just hanging back as we emerged back into the bright sunshine.

We moored just before the top of the Watford flight to have some lunch. However, when Christine went to book in with the lock keeper he was most intent that we follow straight after the one waiting boat. There was still lone up-coming boat to clear the flight so we had just enough time to make a sandwich but immediately we were summoned into the locks. Sandwiches on the go was the scheme!

This flight is a mixture of three single locks and a four lock staircase. This means that the lockies can manage the flow kin a more complex way than at Foxton, with more boats being able to pass whilst in the intermediate short pounds.

Below the flight there are several different forms of transport very close together - motorway, railway, main roads, lanes and a canal all within a few hundred metres of each other. Hence we wanted to get a bit beyond the locks to where there is less noise. This did mean that once we stopped, we stopped for the rest of the day! At least it was shady although later in the afternoon the sky became a bit cloudy.

14.5 Miles - 7 Locks