Lots of locks - onto the Grand Union Main Line

A beautiful and productive days boating.   Just over half a mile after setting off under blue skies with very little wind we reached Watford Locks.  We will now be going down hill until we descend close to sea level on the Great Ouse beyond Peterborough.

Waiting above Watford Top Lock, M1 in background

View of Watford locks

View from Watford Bottom lock

Watford locks are a smaller version of Foxton and take the canal off the summit level.  They comprise 3 standard locks and a staircase of 4 chambers located in idyllic wooded suroundings.  Well, nearly idyllic but the M1 crosses the canal above the first lock and the west coast main railway line does the same below the bottom lock.  Despite this I prefer Watford to Foxton because of the scenery, the lack of crowds and the absence of any tourist trappings.  Note that Watford is a small village in Northamptonshire perhaps best known for the nearby Watford Gap Services which can be accessed from the canal.

Looking back at Norbury Junction, Birmingham left,Leicester right at the large willow

We had minimal waiting time and were helped part way down the flight by the volunteer lock-keeper.  Beyond Watford the canal passes through woods to Norton Junction where it meets the main line of the Grand Union Canal joining London and Birmingham.  So we reached the end of our 66 mile journey from one end of the Leicester Section to the other.

We could have moored at this point but since it was not yet lunchtime we decided to carry on down the 7 lock Buckby fight.  These large, double width locks locks were notorious for being difficult to operate but despite us being on our own we had no problems and completed the flight in about 90 minutes.

We moored for the day soon afterwards near Whilton where we had lunch and visited the chandlery.

Today: 4.88 miles, 14 locks 4 hours 5 min travelling.