Journey's End

With only eight miles and three locks between me and Braunston, today was always going to be a doddle. I had a lie in and even found time to polish the brasses before setting off at 10.00. At Calcutt locks I teamed up with a local boat that had just come out of the marina and so had an easy passage, hardly having to get off the boat. As usual, the other crew were very helpful towards a single-hander.
The stretch of the Oxford / Grand Union canal between Napton Junction and Braunston is one of my favourites on the whole system. That's probably because of the memories of my first canal trips in the 1970s, where a combination of a shallow cut and inexperience with a 70-footer had us aground more than once on the Shuckborough bends. But I also find the gently-rolling Warwickshire countryside, the lack of high hedges and consequent views and wide-open skies particularly appealing. I tried hard to find a photo-opportunity to convey this feeling, but this is the best I could manage.

Approaching Braunston from Napton Junction

By early afternoon I was tying up in Braunston on a 14-day mooring at which I can legally stay until the Historic Working Boat Rally and which is about two miles nearer the action than I managed last year!