Thursday 20 June 2013

Light at the end of the tunnel

Yesterday, we made our escape from Braunston after filling with water and emptying the bog (I'm sure you wanted to know that).  The following weekend there is going to another classic canal boat rally.  Having already attended one at Etruria a few weeks back we know what to expect - lots of old barges with men wearing scarves and waistcoats and women in big dresses and funny hats.  Great fun if that is what you are in to.  But a bit of a pain if all you want is access to the pub.  The place was already filling up so there was every reason to leg it.  That's a relative term because, as usual, we  didn't get underway until well past ten.  Unfortunately everyone else seemed to have the same, idea which resulted in a bit of a queue for the first lock.  It did mean however, that we shared the locking with another boat, as all the locks now are doubles.  Although the gates are bigger and heavier with two crews working together its quite easy work and very sociable.  Later that day we ended up in Norton junction and did the last lock of the day on our own - right outside a pub with loads of onlookers (the Canal term for these is 'gongoozlers' - not sure where the word comes from).  To expectant stares, we managed to open the gates, bring in the boat and lock down with aplomb and no shouting.  Tigger even made a foray into the pub when no one was looking.  I was mildly disappointed when the expected round of applause wasn't forthcoming.  Today we moved on to fill up with diesel and are now in the little village of Weedon Bec near Daventry.  Our game plan is to do the Blisworth tunnel on Saturday, as once past it, there is a little village with two pubs just right for our on going Sunday lunch challenge.



The canal equivalent of the M25 and a bit of jam for all the escapees from Braunston.
 
 
The reason for the title of this entry, the end of the 2000yd Braunston tunnel.  It has a kink in the middle - apparently they started from both ends but didn't quite meet up at the same place .....

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