Where is everybody

Mooring in Braunston can be tricky, especially this week with all the boats on their way to Crick, so we set off at a carefully calculated 9.30 so as to arrive between ten and ten thirty. This worked out exactly, the trip taking just one hour.

We were pleased to find a space just through Bridge 89, our favourite spot as you can walk up the hill towards the church from here to get to the shops and there is at least a bit of mobile reception. There were even two bits of poly string threaded through the old style piling (concrete with an old railway line as waling) just the right distance apart to tie to.

After a trip to get meat, bread, cheese and stuff, we ate lunch and relaxed for a while. Finally stirring ourselves, we walked round to Midland Chandlers to buy the replacement bump stop for the back door catch and carried on to the bottom lock for ice creams from the shop there. We sat and ate them whilst being entertained by the antics of a large scary woman off a privateer laying the law down to a Canaltime crew about the right way to draw a top paddle.

Her advice was perfectly sound, it was just the way she started shouting from halfway along the lock side and continued with undiminished volume when on top of them. And this with two Volockies standing by...

We walked back along the towpath to discover the whole length from the road bridge to the Turn past the pub deserted apart from one small boat at the further end. I can't recall seeing Braunston so quiet, not even in the middle of winter.

The wind continues very gusty; I just hope that it calms down a bit before tomorrow.