Bats and bumblebees

 Emerging from Saddington tunnel

We said goodbye to Foxton for the second time and headed on up the Lecister section of the Grand Union canal. Fairly sunny but very windy leading to some interesting manouvers! We passed through Saddington tunnel which is a bat sanctuary, but alas we saw no sign of any apart from a couple of 'bat boxes' fixed to the roof in the darkness.

 Angela with today's new friends

Rolling english countryside all the way today with lots of fine views and an ever increasing number of farm animals and sheep in particular. The lambs are now half grown but still enchanting. Having been more exposed to seeing these lovely gentle creatures I (Angela) am now feeling increasingly gloomy about the day. Very soon, when they are taken for slaughter ( often not very humanely) - "The Silence of The Lambs". I am dreading seeing the fields without them and so glad I don't like meat - especially lamb!

A distant Leicestershire church

The locks on this section of canal have been pretty awful. All of them have been hard to operate, with stiff gear, jammed gates and the wind blowing gates open as fast as we closed them! We have moored up tonight in the middle of knowhere, by bumblebee lock just south of Leicester. Tonight will be the last quiet evening in the countryside before we fight the locks into the centre of Leicester.

Goodbye Market Harborough

 Market Harborough wharf in the sunshine

We spent another lovely, hot, sunny day in MH, having brealfast in the sun and walking into town. We would like to have stayed longer, but decided we needed to restart our trip, and so we set off for Foxton in late afternoon. Little Banjo can just be seen above.

 Ahh, what would we do without them?

an uneventful journey in the sunshine, with the usual family of swans. We have seen many families of swans but never tire of seeing the beautiful little cygnets.

Foxton trip boat Vagabond

Just after we moored before the junction at Foxton locks, this trip boat passed us full of happy people having a great time. Not a bad way to spend a Friday evening!

Sunshine in Leicestershire

We awoke to brilliant shunshine and the sound of boats being scrubbed and polished. The wharf in Market Harborough is home to a hire fleet and their changeover day is Wednesday. As we eat breakfast on the rear deck, we were surrounded by boats being manouvered to and fro, the clang of gas cylinders being changed and engines being serviced. Sounds awful but we really enjoyed sitting out there in the sunshine. We were also joined by the duck from yesterday which kept trying to fly onto the table, but never quite made it despite many attempts - it left having eaten most of a loaf! The rest was eaten by shoals of Roach.

 A grammar school but not as we know it

We explored the town and its shops,it is a charming place, returning with the week's food shopping, several new outfits for Angela and yet another wireless broadband dongle - it you are reading this, then the last item works...

We're moored in a millpond!

We returned to the wharf and chatted to the proud owner of a stunning, shiny, new boat which had moored near us - it turns out that 'Chance' was the runner up for best in show at Crick. Yet another dose of the "I Wants". We dined royally on the faggots which Pat and Bob bought us at the show - Thanks P&B they were delicious.

The sun returns

A cute foal

The sun was shining in Foxton as we awoke fronm a very peaceful night. We headed out early to find the launderette behind the shop at the bottom lock. It was in use and so we asked if we could be next in the queue, had a coffee and visited the museum. Foxton has a fascinating, no longer in use, inclined plane boat lift which was built in 1900 but closed in 1911 as the Watford Locks remained a bottleneck. The scale of this lift is enormous and a fantastic feat of engineering.
After waiting an age for the previous used of the washing macjine to return with the key, bedding washed, we set off to Market Harborough. The was a pleasant trip and we encountered only one swing bridge which was complex - a real "idiot test"!

 A cheeky duck

Whilst manouvering into a berth in the wharf this cheeky duck flew on board and ended up in the stair well, wher she was rewarded with bread. The moorings here are lovely and have the bonus of electrical hook up and water. It is £8 a night but worth it to be without restrictions on hot water and power.
.

Moorings in Market Harborough

Stuart and Lorraine joined us late afternoon and we walked into town and had a lovely Tapas meal. Thanks for a great evening S&L- we will catch up with you once we are through Leicester

Hail and sunshine

 Driving through hail

Tuesday dawned bright and sunny but the forcast looked gloomy with predicted thunder and heavy rain. We were fortunate to only get a heavy downpoor but it was of hail the size of peas. Intrepid Graham continues to weather the storm and I retreated to the cabin.

Rolling countryside

The countryside was lovely with rolling hills and wooded areas. 

 Foxton Locks

We had heard a lot about these locks which take boats down a 75ft descent, We booked in and had the usual wait pleasantly spent chatting to other boaters before starting our descent. The locks were pleasant to operate and the views lovely. The engineering of this set of locks is very clever and as we progressed, it seemed even more impressive as it was opened in 1812. It was a very enjoyable experience.

 In the last lock

View from tonight's mooring

After negotiating the swing bridge we moored for the night, We are heading for Market Harborough tomorrow and the weather looks to be improving. We can dawdle as much as we want as a lock closure for a few days just before Leicester means we will have to spend time in this area.



Crick Show - days 2 and 3

 Ladies that lunch

Sunday's boat show was in fairly grey and windy conditions. Pat and Bob met up with us and incongruously, for a boat show, we found a stall selling glam hats which were very reasonable. Pat needed one for a Christening this weekend but couldn't make up her mind so she bought two, and we wore them fot tea and cake on Banjo. Passers by looking into the moored boats took a double take.

A Wet Bank Holiday Monday

We awoke to teeming rain and it continued to drizzle all day. We met Pat as she had very kindly taken Graham's phone to an Apple store in Solihul for us as it was not working, and she met us for a coffee, bringing a new phone. G has lost all his data but to have the phone replaced under warranty was a great result. Many thanks to Pat and Apple Customer care! We bought provisions and visited a very dismal scene in the show to get a few last minute bits.

Tiller umbrella  holder

One of the items we purchased was an umbrella holder which looked good as we set off in the latest downpour but was a bit like a sail. Graham quickly removed it and we travelled for a few hours before beating a retreat indoors and lighting a fire. Hope the weather is better where you are and you had a good weekend?