Bridge Hopping on the Grand Union, via Buckby Flight

4.39 miles, 3 hours 39 mins, 7 locks

As usual we woke when a boat passed us! It was an earlier wake up call though - 7.30 am. Obviously they were making the most of the glorious sunny morning despite the temperature of 6 degrees!

We took our time and finally left around 11am! The morning was definitely glorious - "it is good to be alive" John announced!

We arrived at Norton Junction pretty soon. It is a pretty junction with a lovely house on the corner.

Norton Junction

After the junction there were lots of BW boats and we moored to wait for the first lock of the Buckby Flight. A couple of boats were coming up.

One a coal boat and the other a private boat

The hire boat on the water point joined us in the lock and we went down this and the next together. We decided to moor before lock 9, by the farm shop to see if it was open. The gate on to the canal was shut, but we decided to stay for lunch anyway! It was a bit shallow and we ended up on a shelf when a couple of boats came up, listing badly! John loosened the ropes and shoved us off so we could eat in comfort!

The hire boat went on without us so when we set off we went down the remaining 5 locks on our own. At lock 12 we met coal boat "Jubilee" (we think) and John bought some coal. It was left on the side of the lock to be put on our roof and I gave the helmsman the money as we passed, as he came out and I went in!

The guy on Jubilee told John that all the working boats are on their way to Braunston as they are meeting to do a run to London. Maybe they will pass us one day - a sight to be looked forward to.

Buckby Bottom Lock (13) has Whilton Pottery in a lovely cottage on the towpath side and Whilton Chandlery on the off side.

Buckby Bottom Lock and cottages
 
Immediately below is Whilton Marina - it has a large brokerage which is boat avaricious!

It also has all the facilities for its moorers but I would not like the trains running so close above the marina

The M1 and the railway sandwich the canal for a lot of this stretch and at one point the noise from the motorway drowned out the noise of our engine - well above the "dangerous" decibel level I think!

It is not until Diamond bridge (19) that the motorway moves away, leaving the railway and Watling Street (the A5) to accompany the canal.

We decided to moor up in reasonable time so once out of the really wooded section we spotted some sunshine and moored just before Watling Street bridge (22). A little noisy with windows and door open but as evening draws in and we close up I expect the noise will drop along with the traffic.



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