Musing on maps
Gayton Junction (Grand Union) to Crick (Leicester Line)
Even when making a return journey along a familiar route new sightings and chance conversations can provide food for thought. Take place names, Saul Junction, for example.
Had this boat cruised this year from Saul Junction (on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal?) It’s easy to conjure up a mental picture of Saul Junction, visited by boat several times, most recently in 2024. https://www.boatwif.co.uk/boat-update/three-cheers-for-the-g-and-s
Near Bugbrooke a boat named Faith caught the eye, being associated with Frouds Bridge. That brought back memories of Cleddau being moored there between 1999 and 2008… That was her Kennet and Avon Canal phase! A mental map of England began to form in the mind. (See Map 1, bottom of post)
Somewhere on the mid-Grand Union Inca was spotted a couple of times.
Now why would someone have named a boat Inca? Fond memories of a trip to Peru, maybe? A pilgrimage to Machu Picchu ? A one-time tourist on the Inca Trail…?
Then what did the name Mosi-Y-Tunya refer to? Is it a Māori name? Apparently not – it is likely to refer to the traditional name given to the Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. ( A separate mental map was forming: see Map 2, bottom of post.)
Though Cleddau was still in Northamptonshire, heading north, boat names – and items – became suggestive of faraway places. It was at Bugbrooke that Africa came to mind again: the garden of a modern house has unusual pets.
Look carefully in the foliage of the trees and there you’ll see giraffes feeding from the leaves… They are a little taller than your average garden ornament!
After two overnight moorings at Weedon Bec Cleddau and crew chugged 3¾ miles onwards to pause below the Buckby Flight of double width locks. These locks (a flight of 7 spread over 1½ miles) can be tough – the lock gates are very heavy to open and close and the paddles can be jerky to wind up and down. Would there be a boat to share with? Would there be any lock side crew to share the efforts?
As the boat arrived at Buckby Bottom Lock water was surging over the gates (not quite Victoria Falls but similar…!) A boat descending the locks was bringing plenty of water down the flight.
The prospects of company and assistance up the locks looked bleak. The boat that Cleddau had followed from Weedon Bec had pulled in and tied up.
In the distance, then, could be seen a boat approaching; it slowly nudged in on the service wharf, maybe it was in need of fuel. The Bottom Lock emptied and a single boat emerged to head south towards Weedon.
Cleddau crept forward, to be “Billie No-Mates” going up the locks it would seem.
But no, the other boat had dropped off 3 crew members on the offside and was proceeding into the lock.
Boatwif has wrestled with the towpath side lock gate on numerous previous occasions. It is heavy! Part way through the slow drag of the gate to its closed position an angel voice said “I’ll give you a hand.”
The “angel” was Tony, whose boat had been moored up a half mile back. He’s a lock fan and equipped with extra windlasses from Cleddau he and his wife (Lindy) assisted the progress of the two boats all the way up to the Top Lock (Lock 7). What stars!
Helpers with Cleddau windlasses on the left hand gate
They keep their boat on the River Nene (pronounced Nen, not Neen) at Titchmarsh Mill while the Braunston hire boat crew hailed from Yorkshire, from a village between Beverley and York. (Boatwif’s mental map was hard at work again visualising a map of England…)
It was a jolly climb up the Buckby Flight. Thank you, Guys – and far from having to work the locks single-handed the Cleddau crew had masses of willing helpers!
At the top of the locks Cleddau was watered and serviced before making the right turn at Norton Junction onto the Leicester Line. A sunny and peaceful evening moored below Watford Locks was enjoyed with a towpath dinner.
At Watford Locks (7 narrow locks, including a 4 chamber staircase) you have to book in with the duty lock keeper before being given permission to start up - or down - the flight.
Attractive cottage overlooks Watford Bottom Lock
Two boats were already progressing downhill when Boatwif booked in. “You can come up the bottom lock and then pull in and wait,” the lock keeper instructed. There seemed to be delays up on the staircase. Eventually the first of the two boats exited the bottom staircase lock. The volunteer lock keeper seemed both bemused and exasperated. The hire boat crew (from Australia, new to boating) had managed to flood the boat’s back deck, had crashed into the front gates, didn’t understand how to use reverse throttle to slow down and thought the hire boats were made of rubber… (However many boating videos novices watch, the reality can be challenging!)
Up the remaining 6 locks Cleddau went
and a crew swap meant that Boatwif could steer into the last two locks rather than wind and push!
On the Leicester Line summit there was another global map moment, Arabia…
Back at Cleddau’s Crick moorings it was a hot afternoon. A guest boat arrived on the wharf in front of the marina office to set up for a trading session.
The Three Sheep Cheese Boat had been encountered before, memorably on the Weaver Aqueduct just before Audlem… That evening while moody French music drifted across the marina from The Cheese Boat a last towpath dinner (at least for a while) was enjoyed up on the grassy bank.
Novelty sighting en route: Somewhere south of Weedon Bec, a string of boats have permanent offside moorings. There are several canal side storage lockers and in one were these laundry machines, plugged in and hard at work.
Gayton Junction (Grand Union) - Weedon Bec - Watford Locks - Crick Marina (Leicester Line): 17½ miles; 14 locks; 1 tunnel passage
Locations of English places pondered about…
Global references…
Trip totals: Crick - White Mills ( River Nene) - Crick: 66¼ miles; 78 locks; 4 tunnel passages
Repairs, losses and gains
Repairs: (1) shower pump fuse replaced; (2) a 1 metre tear along the zip stitching of the cratch cover acquired at Northampton Arm Lock 17 resewn (3) bathroom toilet fan replaced
Losses: 1 pipe fender; 1 tyre fender, 1 mooring hook
Gains: 1 windlass (found at Weston Favell Lock), 1 fat fender
2026 Monkton Moments* (Monkton Moment*- a reference to / recognition of Cleddau’s Pembrokeshire connections): 3
2026 totals to date: 90¼ miles; 80 locks
