Beautiful cruising weather!!

What fantastic weather we have had over the last week!

When we left our mooring at Crick last Tuesday it was completely different to when we had arrived!

After a quick trip to the shop we pulled pins and moved away in sunshine!

We had even taken off our plastic bags from the pigeon boxes (these were necessary to keep the rain out until we get back to MGM for them to “adjust” them).

We looked for “AmyJo” but couldnt see her on her mooring! Sorry we missed you Steve and Chris!

We motored along, enjoying the sunshine and marvelled at the very still water and beautiful reflections.

We decided to moor at Welford Junction – and guess who was already moored there – Yarwood! Look at those reflections!

We decided to go for a walk down the Welford Arm – but the towpath wasnt very good – so we didnt go far.

It seemed very strange to see the water as still as a millpond after all those waves over the last weeks!

When we left next morning we managed a hello to Joe but no sign of Lesley and the boys!

We were soon passing through Husbands Bosworth Tunnel – on electric drive of course!

There was evidence of the recent bad weather.

We also passed the vegetation clearing crew and lots of their handiwork!

It was another terrific sunny day – we spotted these hay pyramids just before we stopped for lunch.

We intended to drop down Foxton Locks, and were pleased to arrive at 2.30pm as last entry was 2.45pm in winter with the locks being closed at 3.30pm.

But unfortunately despite arriving in time, the volunteer locky had other ideas – and told us it was too late to go down as he had to chain up both ends of the flight before 2.45pm!! We were not amused, but had no choice but to fill the water tank and then moor up to look round before spending the night at the top of the flight!

View from the top of the inclined plane.

And look – I found our Mule!

As luck would have it the sun didnt shine the next day, but at least it didnt rain as we made our way down the Foxton Locks.

These are unique, as they are two sets of 5 staircase locks.

Luckily it was a different volunteer locky today, and he was very helpful and chatty, so armed with my instruction of red before white (the order to do the paddles in) we headed down the flight.

Nearly there – I can see the pub at the bottom!

The locks are really deep – I’m glad Gary steers the boat!

Even on an overcast day there were plenty of gongoozlers about, and a lovely young couple helped us down the flight – opening and closing the gates as we went down, so we made good time down the flight and they did most of the hard work!

Thanks for your help Tom and Cianne, I hope you enjoy your next canal holiday!

We decided to stop at Bridge 61 to have lunch and some liquid refreshment, so turned right at the bottom of the flight and went through the swing bridge and moored up!

As we hadnt gone far, we moved on after lunch and headed on to Market Harborough, having first to negotiate the more awkward swing bridge at Foxton village, where luckily even though a road passes over the bridge, I didnt have to stop any traffic to open it!

It had turned chilly as we motored on, so we were pleased to arrive at the moorings before the basin, where we discovered we had our own personal water tap! – there are several spread out through the mooring points!

The next morning we had a quick trip to the shops and a look round the basin – we had a chuckle at the name of this boat!

The basin is home to a fleet of Canaltime boats, luckily there werent too many novices about (but we did have a “close encounter” with one on the way down the arm!).

You can see our personal water tap, as we pull away from our mooring.

Heading into the basin to “wind” (turn round). As you can see, it was another lovely sunny day!

There are some really big houses and gardens that back on to the canal. Pity none of them have canal boats moored!

We think this is the old glue factory.

They have been cutting back the vegetation along the Arm – but they havent got all the way yet still a bit narrow here!

This tree must have been a casualty in the winds lately!

Gary was really enjoying himself today!

We moored up at the bottom of Foxton Locks – and guess who we spotted on the other side of the canal – Rudolph! He’s obviously given up looking for snow!

The next morning we filled up with water at the junction, and then headed on towards Leicester.

We passed the landslip above Debdale Wharf

and headed through Saddington Tunnel on electric drive again!

Entering the first of five double locks today in more sunshine!

We moored for the night near Wistow Rural Centre, and there was a lovely sunset!

On Sunday we had intended to move on again, but after chatting to our “neighbours” for quite a while and then receiving a phone call from Yvonne and Roy we decided to stay where we were so they could drop in on their way home from purchasing a motorhome!

We had a lovely walk in the sun to let Tilly have a good run, and after a cup of tea on the boat we walked back to their car with them and had a look around the Wistow Centre.

Who left those boats on top of that hill?

Muleless and neighbour NB Djinni basking in the sun! Look at that blue sky!

Monday we all had to move on, so we shared the first two locks with NB Djinni.

But then they were turning round, so we parted company. We hope to catch up with them later in the year.

Ricky and Poppy, with Mo ready to turn NB Djinni.

Six more double locks today – the water level is really high - the locks were mostly all full as the water overtopped the gates, apart from the odd one with the bottom gate open, so at least they were ready for us!

Last lock of the day – you can barely see the top of the gate!

We are on the final approaches to Leicester now, only a few more days to go!