Saturday 6th April 2013 Ramble 15: Blisworth to Bugbrooke Wharf

Saturday 6th April 2013  Ramble 15: Blisworth to Bugbrooke Wharf, which is 5 miles (verified by Jem’s GPS gadget).

Together with Jem, Sue and John, we continued from Blisworth Mill flats, roughly north to north-westwards along the canal. If it wasn’t bright sunshine to start with, it soon became so, and the temperature rose considerably during the walk (so hat, scarves and even coats came off). All very welcome after so many recent cold and dull days.

The first bridge we walked under was Candle Bridge (No. 50). It was so called, because years ago, it was from a nearby cottage that candles were sold to boaters to help light their way through the long, dark Blisworth Tunnel.

Just beyond here at Gayton Junction, with its smart signpost, the
Northampton Arm joins the grand Union Canal. The arm has 17
locks down to the River Nene at Northampton, about 5 miles away.
Boaters can then reach places such as Peterborough, The Fens, The
Wash and up the River Great Ouse to Bedford, if they have enough
time to spare.





 
We saw clumps of purple and white violets, also the greatest amount of colt's-foot that I have ever seen. This was close to the water’s edge and blooming brightly in the sunshine.

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  All along the walk today we saw that the main West Coast railway line, which closely followed the course of the canal. The speed that the Virgin pendolino trains travelled made them difficult to photograph. Two main trunk roads, the A5 (the route of the Roman Watling Street) and M1, were not far away either side of the canal and railway and early on in the walk we passed under the A43 Northampton to Oxford dual carriageway. Despite all these transport routes being nearby, our walk was surprisingly tranquil and peaceful, mostly with gently rolling hills of agricultural land around.

 Snow was still present in hidden sheltered areas alongside a few hedges.
 

 As we approached Bugbrooke the canal passes over the Hoarstones Brook. From the towpath we could look down the steep embankment through the trees, to see the small river below. Jem and Ian ventured down and found that there were two tunnels under the canal (one for the brook and one for farm traffic). So, in a while, Ian appeared on the other side of the canal having crossed under and without getting wet.

 We finished at The Wharf, Bugbrooke where boats were turning at the winding hole and, yet more people were out enjoying the sunshine.