Well we made it back down the Oxford Canal and onto the Grand Union almost without incident.  We moored at the same places on the way back as we did going up, creatures of habit.  We did have one slight incident at a bridge 'ole though.  As we approached the bridge, lulled into a false sense of security by the seeming quietness of the day, a boat approached from the other side.  Much reversing ensued with us eventually going forward and the other boat waiting.  All went well until we were almost clear, when I dropped my walking boot, which was on the top of the boat, into the water.  Can't believe it didn't just sink, but it bobbed about on the top and we had to reverse back to retrieve it.  Apologies/explanations to the other boaters who looked a bit bemused as we reversed back into the bridge 'ole that they were waiting to go through.

Napton Locks

Graham had seen Sunday lunch advertised on the website for the Bridge at Napton, £4.95 for Sunday carvery.  This seemed like a good deal so we stopped for lunch.  Turns out though that the website was out of date and the pub had changed hands recently.  Still had lunch though.  Nice food (not carvery) but the beer was a bit strange, real ale but icy cold!  Just plain wrong, I was forced to drink wine instead, Graham managed a couple of pints though.  Back to the boat for a bit of a nap, due to alcohol, and then onward to Napton Junction and back onto the Grand Union.

Napton Junction

Monday was a long day as we wanted to get up Braunston flight and through the tunnel.  Stopped for some shopping at Braunston as Graham wanted faggots from the butcher.  Not my favourite food, however when we ate them they wern't too bad, better than Brains faggots anyway!  Shared locks through Braunston with a boat called Blue Mist, who were heading to Welton Hythe to moor up for the winter.  Sad times summer is almost over.

Braunston Junction

Braunston Marina

As we came round Norton Junction onto the Leicester section of the Grand Union, someone told us that Watford Locks were shut for emergency repairs.  Moored up for the evening and next morning Graham took the dogs for a walk to check it out.  When he got there the locks/pounds were being de-watered and loads of C&RT workers were trying to rescue the fish that were stranded.  There was a queue of about 12 boats waiting to go up and several at the top waiting to go down.  They re-opened about 4:00ish but we decided to stay put on the mooring and let the queue disperse.

Chatting to the lock keeper at Watford flight

Continued onward on Wednesday and went up Watford flight without delay.  This is unusual as often there is a long wait.  Think we had timed it just right though as we were instructed by the lock keeper to follow the boat in front through.  Stopped at Crick and Graham went to the Co-op for supplies.  Went past the new marina at Yelvertoft, which I hadn't seen since it opened.  Moored up for the evening in a good spot for the dogs.  Not a single person walked past the boat all evening.  Cold evening but we had a free fire as Graham found someone's discarded coal in the hedge and I broke the wooden broom, which burned quite well.

Today (Thursday) was a day of reminiscence as we spent a lot of time on this part of the canal with our previous boat.  Went through the boat yard where we used to moor and spotted boats we recognised from when we moored there but also lots of changes.  Plan for today is to get through Foxton flight and moor up somewhere at the bottom.  Saw Ben and Primrose Time moored at the top of Foxton and arranged to see him later this evening.

Foxton from the middle pound

Working our way down Foxton flight

Market Harborough tomorrow and then on Saturday Andrew is picking us up to go to Jacob's 2nd birthday party, the first one where he will hear us all singing Happy Birthday to him!!