On the move

 

After several days a Hillmorton and with itchy feet it is time to move on again. Passing Hillmorton boat shop and seeing Diesel at 60 pence a litre we decided to pull in and fill up. 84 litres and a comment from the person serving Carolyn about not paying any tax on it we proceeded towards Braunston. Its funny how some suppliers get funny about us declaring zero tax and others just aren't bothered. As far as Im concerned we are charging our batteries while travelling and if the Tax man thinks I owe him anything he is most welcome to contact me. Beside that I'm sure he has better things to do.

Coming into Braunston and you pass this tree just before Midland Chandlers . Its a bit like the one we saw on the Llangollen where the tree had grown around and consumed the barbed wire. But this tree is even more impressive ,it seems to have grown through the railings that probably once protected it when it was a lot smaller.

Not long after mooring we had the pleasure of finally meeting Marilyn and David on Nb Waka Huia. We were invited on board for a cuppa with cake and biscuits .It was good to meet you both ,have a good trip back to NZ and hopefully we will meet up again next year.

Here we go again . Just a week later and yet again there are no working elsans in Braunston. We were going to use the elsan and the tap to fill with water, but after seeing all the sewage across the towpath we decided against it

 

After queuing and getting water by the stop house its on towards Braunston bottom lock . What a pleasure it is to see all those hire boats tied up and not out on the cut smashing into us..LOL.

We shared the locks with fellow bloggers Phil and Jacquie on their lovely looking Hudson built boat Achernar. They are also having their hull metalized like we did which I still think is one of the best things we did to Inca.

Approaching Norton junction and there is now a very different skyline to the last time we were here earlier in the year. Just a few wind turbines blotting the landscape.

Still on guard on the Buckby flight.

Near the bottom of the Buckby lock flight and this is lock 12 where a gate suffered a serious failure a short while ago. The flight was closed for several days when one of the gates suffered from a small large bit rot. A temporary repair was carried out to last until the stoppages in November. I must admit it does look a very good temporary job. (well done C&RT for a change, now get down to Braunston and sort out those elsans)

We are now at the bottom of the flight and will spend a night on the 48 hour moorings which are possibly the noisiest moorings on the Grand union canal opposite Whilton marina.

                                                                                                   Happy Days