Saturday 29th June 2013 Ramble 19: Napton Junction to Long Itchington.

Saturday 29th June 2013

Ramble 19:  Napton Junction to Long Itchington. This walk we estimated to be about 4½ miles.

We were joined on this ramble along a very attractive section of the Grand Union Canal by Glynis and Nigel. The weather was bright, sunny and, by the end of the walk, beautifully warm.  

At Napton Junction or Wigrams Turn there is a large, new, well-sited marina of the same name, with a large signpost. We first walked along a long, straight stretch with private moorings, mainly on the opposite bank, to the three locks and yet more marinas at Calcutt.
There were yellow flags or irises dotted along the canal edges within the high growth of reeds and grasses.
  

 Many people on boats were making outings in the sunshine, as well as families of swans and geese.

 We had read that the windmill at Napton -on-the-Hill was visible from the canal but we didn’t spot it until nearly to the first lock at Calcutt; it was on the horizon and in the far distance. Incidentally, from Napton Hill, on a clear day, 7 counties can be viewed and, for some time, locally made bricks, stamped with a windmill, were transported by canal boats.

 

 The Warwick and Napton Canal, as the 14½ mile section of the Grand Union canal that drops down from Napton Junction to Warwick was originally called, was completed in 1800. It was built as a narrow canal allowing only one boat in a lock at a time. Improvements were made in the 1930s so now the canal is wider and deeper and new locks were built which can accommodate 2 boats at a time. The original single lock at Top Lock has been put to good use as a boat maintenance and repair dock. Immediately, we noticed the unusual ‘candlestick’ type hydraulic paddle gears, in pairs, by each set of lock gates. As they are non-standard, they require a
larger socket-hole in the windlass to operate, and apparently, the locks fill and empty more efficiently.

As we approached the top of the Stockton series of 8 locks several canoeists and helpers passed us. One told us that they were on a charity challenge travelling from Harlech, Wales to Kings Lynn by bike and canoe. 

 This is a very picturesque part of the Grand Union Canal, surrounded by many trees and rolling, green hills. There were several stretches where there were permanent moorings, with canal-side gardens, but this just seemed to add to the colour and interest. We didn’t hurry, but soon we came to a road bridge, beyond which was the prettiest scene of a traditional pub with wooden benches full of people down to the water’s edge. The pub was the Blue Lias, named after the local hard limestone/clay that is quarried locally and used for building and making cement. It is well-known, as it often contains fossils, hence the brontosaurus on the Inn signs. We could see the tall, redundant chimney of the old cement works, (which are gradually being restored to form a nature reserve), from the towpath and, also, the beginning of a canal arm that, at one time, led to the works.

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Our walk finished at The Two Boats Inn at Long Ichington where there was much ‘stag’ activity, especially aboard three canal boats. There were pirates, Vikings and sailors celebrating, all of which, was very entertaining to us while waiting for a bite to eat.

Thursday 13th June 2013 Ramble 18: Braunston , Bridge 91 to Napton Junction

Thursday 13th June 2013

Ramble 18: Braunston , Bridge 91 to Napton Junction.

This walk we estimated to be about 6 miles.

We were joined by John, Julie, Ian, Sue, Peter and Margaret making 8 of us. The weather was rather blustery and unsettled.

 We started this walk with a return trip to Gongoozlers café, aboard a canalboat moored near to the Stop House at Braunston, for some light refreshments. We tried to convince ourselves it was necessary as it was unlikely that there would be places to stop on today’s walk to Napton Junction. 

 So, later than anticipated, we started off and walked the short distance to Braunston Turn. This is situated at the junction of the Oxford Canal (Northern Section), the Grand Union Canal (Oxford Canal Section) and the Grand Union Canal (Grand Junction Canal - Main Line) and forms a triangle with a central island. A footpath goes over two black and white, iron bridges (made using mass production techniques at Horseley Ironworks in the 1830s) and carries the towpath over the canals. This triangular junction is unique to the canal system, but I guess, as one of the most photographed sites, pretty well known.

 We headed westwards along the towpath and over a grand brick built bridge complete with farm track/road one side and rounded towpath for people and horses pulling the boats on the other. It is designed so that the horses didn’t need to be unhitched from the boat whilst travelling under the bridge.

Soon after here we crossed from Northamptonshire into Warwickshire.

Next was a very straight section where the rebuilt Oxford canal goes along a long embankment, called Braunston Puddle Banks, over the River Leam valley (low lying, marshy ground). Originally, in the 1770s, the canal had been built cheaply hugging the contours of the land, but later it was improved by straightening, making wider and shorter. All this was an attempt to compete for trade after the Grand Junction Canal was opened, providing another route to London.

Around here, we saw disused railway lines that were never really profitable and nearby is St. Peter’s Church of Wolfhampcote, a church that was once part of a medieval village, now deserted.

Once we were away from Braunston, where there is a big gathering of historical canal boats in two weeks’ time, the countryside becomes very open with a few rolling hills in the distance. There are no locks, no villages and few bridges along the 5 mile stretch to Napton. The canal is fairly wide with winding holes in places.  We saw several fields of sheep and cows, as well as some chickens in small allotments and gardens on land adjacent to mooring on the far side of the canal to the towpath. 

While it was sunny we had a picnic besides the canal and watched a mother mallard with her brood of ducklings. A drake was around but not with the family, looking rather worse for wear.

Towards the end of the walk the dark clouds loomed over and it began to rain fairly heavily. We sheltered under the bridge at Napton Junction for a short while before quickening our pace and heading for the car parked at the Marina nearby.

 At Napton Junction the Oxford Canal goes south and the GUC heads off north towards Birmingham. Next time we will continue, northwards, and leave the Oxford Canal section of the Grand Union Canal behind.