Little adventures lift the spirits – and a couple of ‘little adventures’ were planned for early September. One was a Day Out to mark a fairly unremarkable birthday, but the onslaught of sciatica and a (rare!) rainy day put paid to that.

Then there was to be an all day boat trip on the River Great Ouse, to mark three September birthdays. It would have involved a 6 miles and 3 locks outward journey, a lunch on board or at the Great Barford Anchor pub, followed by a return cruise. Walking between locks was to have been optional. Alas, the John Bunyan trip was cancelled due to lack of sufficient crew. Shame.

*John Bunyan trip boat at Bedford River Festival July 2026*

https://www.bmkwaterway.org/johnbunyanboat/

Disappointment turned to resolution: one missed John Bunyan river trip could become one Cleddau canal trip…

So, up the M1 it was to Junction 18.

“Proceed 2 miles to your destination,” guided the Satnav voice.

Some picnic provisions were unloaded, the boat untied and the horn sounded twice for left as Crick Marina was exited.

Out on the Grand Union now, onto the Leicester Line summit. The boat passed the new Smithwoods Narrowboats business on Crick Wharf.

Under Bridge 11 and into Crick Tunnel.

The leaky drippy northern end of the tunnel is always wet – but on a showery day it was almost wetter outside than it was inside the tunnel…

Along the canal there were green fields on either side and a few boats moored up beside the towpath.

Under Bridge 7. There was a need to turn now as the way ahead was blocked, Watford Locks being long term closed because of the limited water supply from the Leicester Line reservoirs.

It was noisy overhead as the Captain reversed the boat under the M1 motorway towards the top of the locks.

What? What was his plan? To tie up just ahead of the water point…?

With Watford Locks chained closed top and bottom, the area empty of boats and devoid of lock keepers and gongoozlers, surely it wouldn’t be a crime to picnic on board…

After a late lunch on board Cleddau trundled back along the canal, through the tunnel – and into the marina. It may not have been the 6 lock river trip with pub lunch option – but it had been a mini cruise, a pleasant few hours out afloat on a boat!

In chronological order a “mis-“ happened next, a mishap, a mishap on a large scale. Suffice to say that a phone call from the marina to report that Cleddau’s engine had been running overnight was alarming and confusing. It’s a complicated story, an oversight from a servicing engineer led to unprecedented fuel usage and an unexpected day trip up the M1 to fathom things out and restore Cleddau to her proper somnolent state…

Next up was a proper little mini cruise: think of a pair of bookends, one further south at Watford in Northamptonshire, the other further north at Foxton in Leicestershire. Cruise as you like between the two (22 miles available) but do not dream of going up or down either set of locks at present. This summer’s heatwaves and limited water supplies in the reservoirs have kept the locks restricted to boat passage since 14th July and totally closed since 1st September.

Off Cleddau set, northbound, destination Welford, a distance of about 11 miles from Crick.

Familiar sights: the steep-sided Crack’s Hill, the shepherd’s hut (its door open) at Yelvertoft, a Leicester mileage sign, one of several black’n’white towpath benches…

A mile before the River Avon Aqueduct Cleddau was pulled in for a peaceful overnight mooring.

Ready for action the next morning, two grey cygnets came alongside the boat, optimistically investigating it for chance of some food. As the boat was untied there was a flypast salute from a low flying skein of geese.

Along to Welford Junction to make a right hand turn onto the Welford Arm.

This is a quiet landscape: horses and sheep graze gently on the fields that slope down to the River Avon. Small birds chattered in the treetops and once there was a vivid flash of colour as a kingfisher skimmed low over the water.

Boating excitement was felt at Welford Lock: with such little lock action this season would the crew remember the drill?

Boatwif jumped off at the narrows where previously there might have been a swing bridge and hastened to the lock. Bottom gates were opened – and a memory returned of how the bottom right hand gate is inclined to swing back open. Boat positioned to keep the gate closed, Boatwif could then paddle-wind and watch as Cleddau gently rose in the lock, a satisfying sight…

Moored boats lined the towpath all the way to Welford Wharf – but patience paid off and by early afternoon a prime mooring spot had been secured.

Prime parking spots were being secured too beside the Wharf Inn; small classic sports cars were gathering for a lunch-time Meet…

*Open top tourers assembling at Welford Inn*

A team of C&RT volunteers had been hard at work all morning, cleaning, sweeping, scraping weeds from between the paving slabs, even grass cutting around the Wharf. After the long, baking summer this was a novelty – freshly trimmed grass ready to tread into the boat!

The volunteer ethic is strong at Welford when the following morning another team was hard at work trimming and strimming, mowing and fence repairing in the small Pocket Park just along from the Wharf.

Water level check – in August 2025 the Welford “puddle” had been inspected by car.

In early October this year the reservoir reveals less beach and more water; on a sunny Saturday various anglers were enjoying their sport.

Down at the Pocket Park the little pond had more water than it did 7 weeks earlier…

*Waterless pond at Welford Pocket Park, August 2026*

Back through Welford Lock on Sunday morning, closely observed and assisted by several families (and one wet black lab which swerved damply past Boatwif’s knees…)

Familiar sights again: the Junction signpost, the moorings rings at the aqueduct and the gate down to the infant Avon, the signpost from where the view is blocked by very high hedging…

“Look,” said the Captain round about Bridge 34? “Riders on horses, they’re all wearing pink bibs…” For several miles, horseback pairs were being spotted on the offside field track. A bit of Google research later revealed that these may have been participants in the October Fernie Fun Ride or in the Avon Valley National Pleasure Ride Endurance Event – whoever they were it seemed good gallops were being enjoyed!

Onwards, to moor within sight of Mountain Barn Wood, just past a sturdy tree, Living Milestone number 13, and close to hanks of sloes.

*Tree planted as “Living Milestone Number 13”*

Next morning ducks had bagged a sunny bankside spot. As the season changes boaters will appreciate this “boater’s gold” left after towpath works;

at Yelvertoft stacks of coal bags indicate preparations for colder months

and freshly planted fields glowed in the Autumn light…

Nearer Crick escaped birthday balloons were hugging the towpath while just yards away a single-hander wielded his barge pole to edge away from the shallows.

Return to base: though it’s not winter yet seasonal change is in the air - fuel tank topped up, boat moored stern to bank, water tank emptied.

Crick - Watford - Crick - Welford - Crick: 29.40 miles; tunnel transits: 2; lock passages: 2

…..

As for the missed Day Out trip in early September, a rearrangement (in better weather) happened. Canons Ashby hadn’t been visited before. This courtyard house in south Northamptonshire has Tudor origins. Over time the onetime farmhouse has been altered and added to but never rebuilt. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/leicestershire-northamptonshire/canons-ashby/history-of-canons-ashby

The visitor entry to the house is via Pebble Court: it’s not easy to make sense of the cluster of buildings, much of the stonework being recycled from a disused priory and from the demolished east end of the abbey church. The addition of a square tower is thought to be a feature influenced by the Pele towers found in Cumbria built to give protection from Scottish raiders.

*Access to Canons Ashby house via Pebble Court*

For about four centuries the house and estate had been in the hands of the Dryden family. Edward Dryden (owner between 1708 and 1717) oversaw several major improvements. The south front overlooks a fine series of terraces and a charming kitchen garden.

*Extraordinary shapes and textures in the kitchen garden*

Within the house National Trust room stewards provided family history and enthusiastically pointed out unusual features or special items. Look closely at the cabinet behind the doorway in the Tapestry Room and spot ornate and bejewelled men’s waistcoats…

The patterned decoration on the vaulted ceiling in the Drawing Room is most impressive.

What looks like a library is known as the Book Room – a place for study and meticulous recording of works across the estate.

Cross the garden to the Priory Church (it’s surprisingly small) but inside there’s a model of the priory and monastic buildings before Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries…

*Fine arcading on St Mary’s Church west front*

*Model of church and priory buildings as they would have appeared in early 1500s*

Canons Ashby - it was a grand Day Out, albeit two weeks later than originally planned.

And so ends Boatwif’s miscellany of early Autumn ‘adventures’…

Adventures: missed, mis- and mini…

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A jaunt for some jazz