This is a very ad-hoc video because as I was sitting on the boat near Braunston, staring out of the side hatch, a chap paddled alongside in a kayak. As I leaned out to chat, it turned out he wasn’t doing it for fun but for charity. So here’s his story.
I’d spent about a week moored at the Saltisford Arm while I went to visit family (the ones who I was supposed to have gone down the Birmingham and Worcester canal to see, but didn’t). With the Crick Show fast approaching, it was time to head on back towards Northamptonshire, so here’s a couple of days cruising in that direction.
Every year sees the rally of historic working boats at and outside Braunston marina on the Grand Union Canal. I went along to get some footage and talk to the people who make it what it is.
I’d spent several days idling away my time quite pleasantly at Kingswood Junction at Lapworth but now wanted to go and visit family for a bit so needed a better place to leave the boat. So I went down the Hatton lock flight to Warwick and moored in the Saltisford Arm, run by the Saltisford Canal Trust. Lovely spot albeit a bit noisy from the traffic nearby.
After a few days paused at the mooring in Shirley, Birmingham, I moved on down the Stratford upon Avon canal, through the Lapworth lock flight and turned at the Lapworth Link onto the Grand Union canal. During the journey there was sunshine, wildlife spottings, draw bridge dilemmas and a squashed horn. This video explains all.
We interrupt our scheduled broadcast to bring you a quick Vlog from the Crick Show 2016, the annual inland waterways extravaganza held at Crick Marina in Northamptonshire.
This was supposed to be the video from the Crick Show, so as to keep the show video timely. However, since I’ve been ill and off visiting family, the Crick video is only 1/3 complete, so have this one instead. It’s the next part of my travels after doing all those locks in the last one.
Finally the big day is here: a massive 27 locks await my pleasure on the way from Curdworth into the middle of Birmingham. It was a warm, sunny day and a lot of effort – I ached for several days afterwards – but it was rather satisfying. The route goes down the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, up the Aston and Farmers Bridge lock flights into the centre of the city.
The first of three long days begins in this video as I head south from Fazeley towards Birmingham and the many, many locks I will have to go through to ascend to its giddy height. In this video, I move to Curdworth which is just outside the Birmingham suburbs.
A busy day in this one: 8 miles, some locks, a water refill, a loo emptying and a near-miss round a sharp bend. But all’s well that ended well. Except for the results of an irresponsible dog owner.