Day 16 – Friday 19^th May 2023

We moored outside of Northampton Thursday evening after another long day having completed 9 locks broken up by enjoying an unexpected brief lunch at the Britannia Inn.  It had a welcome sign we couldn’t refuse – Moor Up and Join Us.

As I knew it was going to be yet another long and challenging day I insisted we both had a relaxed breakfast before we pulled anchor on our quest to get to Crick on time. Despite a weather forecast for rain, the sun had come out.

At our final lock on the River Nene we twigged we only needed to swing one of the wooden pairs of gates open to exit and conversely only one back to close instead of two.  Why did it take us a fortnight to figure this time and energy saving trick earlier?  I’ll tell you.  As we began our journey we were very careful not to further damage the paint work and eventually it dawned on us that no matter how careful we were, we were going to get bumped and scraped anyway.  Narrow boating has often been described as a contact sport as we were finding out whether willing or unwilling participants.

Suddenly we had left the wide, open and mostly empty tidal River Nene and begun our journey on the very narrow, non-tidal Grand Canal with a completely different lock system. The locks were much narrower, hence one pair of gates at the entrance and only one gate at the other end, each having to be walked across to get to the other side. You will see my glamorous assistant Captain sLog demonstrating as I am behind the camera. My antics of carefully waking across reminded me of the film “Man on Wire”. The true account of Philippe Petit.  My high bridge tip toe walking, not quite as wide or high as Philippe’s dare devil achievements, was to me and just as dangerous. I know several of you reading this will know I have dodgy knees and appreciate the fear I overcame with such courage.  I also know that others of you – the real boaters – will be muttering under your breath “oh, just get on with it, silly moo!

Many of my boater friends had been talking about the Northampton Arm.  I kept thinking it must be an amazing pub for everyone to know about it. My imagination ran away with me.  I was visualising a gastro pub with easy moorings, parasol covered lunch tables, a menu to die for and a glass of Prosecco.  I was getting hungry and decided I deserved a glass or few of bubbly.

Well, we arrived at the Northhampton Arm, and it wasn’t a pub.  It turned out to be one of the Grand Canal’s great lock flights of 17 consecutive locks.  Uphill! The locks were so close together it was easier for me, with my windlass (must get a holster for it – good thing we’re on our way to Crick)  to walk to the next one than hop on and off Pegasus. We negotiated the first couple and then it began to rain. I got out my bright burnt orange waterproof jacket from Mountain Warehouse. I didn’t care we were in the UK with its unpredictable weather.  I was not a happy bunny.  Encouraged by Steve to keep going we quickly developed a routine, which worked a treat, and thankfully the rain didn’t last.

No pub at the end, no rainbow and we didn’t even find the tea or souvenir shop!

IMPORTANT NOTE:

I would like to credit Angela and Graham Hill, great people we met when we first arrived at Hartford Marina and have since become wonderful friends, who have encouraged me to resume my blog post entries on Narrow Boating.  From leaving the marina on 3^rd May I had been keeping in touch with them with cryptic notes of our adventures. Always happy to hear compliments and receive praise, Angela told me I made her laugh and I should resume blogging. The previous posts have all been composed from notes sent to Angela. Today’s post and what follows is my inspiration from Angela to continue blogging actually planning note and image taking in advance – first time for quite a while and it feels good. Very good!