Thursday 13th September, 2018

We left the mooring at the Navigation at around 9.30am and stopped along the canal for coffee at 11.40 am.

We continued up to the locks at Stoke Bruerne.  When we got to the lock there were already two boats travelling together waiting and another one had already gone up the first lock.  One of the men ran ahead, to ask those already in the lock if they would wait for us, and do the next five locks together, which they were happy to do.  They were new to canal boating as well, and the lady wouldn't steer the boat, so she was working the locks, which can be quite hard work, so John was able to help her.  Which meant, I was left to steer the boat into and out of the locks !!! John says I managed this very well, for a first timer !!!

 At the last lock, there is a Canal Museum/Coffee Shop, so we stopped for tea and cake before checking out the museum.  The lovely couple we had travelled up the locks with actually asked if we were travelling anywhere near Reading, and if so, we were welcome to visit and stay a night.  

Back into the boat and almost straight away, there is the Blisworth Tunnel.  It is 3076 yards long, very dark, mostly straight, and apparently has a ghost (which we didn't see, but will look out for on the way back).

The tunnel is just wide enough for two narrow boats to pass, and even then you bump the wall !! We passed one or two canal boats coming the other way.  The tunnel was quite hard work and very confronting.



We stopped for the night not long after exiting the tunnel just past the Blisworth Mill, which is now housing.