Thunder and lightning (very,very frightening!)

The words of Bohemian Rhapsody were ringing in our ears as we journeyed northwards from Stoke Bruerne today.

Before setting off at 8 o’ clock this morning the rain showers had already started.

As we left Stoke Bruerne we entered  the south portal of the 3076 yard long Blisworth Tunnel and, despite the recent dry spell , water was still pouring down from the roof  of the tunnel in a number of places.  Anyway it was great fun as always, and we didn’t meet anything coming the other way so it was an easy run through.

Safely out of the tunnel and it seemed that we’d arrived in some sort of different world.

Passing through Blisworth, the Mill is a handsome building and was once used as a depot for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company – now it’s apartments.

Between Bugbrooke and Gayton Junction we had a marvellous thunder storm.  At 11 o’ clock this morning it almost turned to night time – very black, very ominous and then lightning followed by huge claps of thunder.  The rain showers were torrential and James was steering in shorts and t shirt with an umbrella up and it was great fun.

Storms over, the sun came out at lunchtime and we briefly stopped at Weedon Bec for provisions.  Some of the buildings in the village date from the early 1700’s.

After 14 miles of lockless pound (300 feet above sea level) we arrived at the flight of 7 locks at Buckby.  At the fifth lock in the flight we waited under the London mainline railway bridge for the lock to clear.  More rumbling but it wasn’t thunder this time.

Between the first and second locks is the little shop which is now the “home” of the Buckby Can – the painted water carriers used traditionally by the original boating families on their working boats.

Top lock at Buckby and ‘Chance’ and ‘Waterlily’ (who we travelled with again today) sit quietly waiting for the last drop of water to fill the lock.  With 7 hours travelling, 17 miles and 7 locks under our belts we started to think about mooring up.

We are now moored near Norton Junction ready for the Braunston Tunnel and Locks tomorrow. A cooler, but another great day, behind us.