A little look at Braunston

Late yesterday afternoon I took the bike out and went on a whirlwind tour of Braunston village, although Braunston is probably one of the most famous places on the canal network, linking the Grand Union canal with the Oxford canal both southern and northern sections, you wouldn’t know it from the village, I didn’t bother taking any pictures it had a couple of pubs, a convenience store which was quite well stocked and a butchers where I purchased some real bacon, sausages and chicken fillets.

This morning being Sunday it was a full English breakfast to start the day off and for a change the bacon didn’t shrink to half its size or expel a litre of water and whatever else into the frying pan, it also strangely tasted of bacon, minor rant at the pre-packed garbage we are sold as bacon over.

I went on a walkabout along the towpath back to the first lock where I visited the Chandlers and rid my wallet of another £50 on two wheel type fenders and hooks to attach them to my roof rail, they will be utilised when the normal fenders aren’t able to prevent the boat banging on the edge for whatever reason when moored, something I suffered at Weedon Bec because of the concrete sloping away towards the boat below the waterline, and also at Kings Langley where large section steel pilings were used and the fenders did not line up with the projecting part of the section, although it doesn’t really harm the boat it is incredibly jarring, I also purchased an anti-vandal key which I will need on some of the locks and bridges around Birmingham.

Next door to the Chandlers was a boatyard and I went in to see if they could supply me with a piece of steel I need for a little project, I wanted a piece of 3 or 4mm thick by about 200mm square, after a quick look around his off-cuts I was offered a piece of 5mm about 500mm square, it would do, no charge, another nice man, I had to cut it with an hacksaw though and at 5mm thick it was not easy and it took a fair time to do, I then drilled some holes in it and this is the resulting piece, more on that later if it gets finished.

On the way back to the boat I passed Braunston Marina, theres a few workshops in there as well, including one for upholstery, I should imagine they keep busy. 

This is the bridge over the entrance to the marina viewed from the marina with a passing narrowboat out on the canal, I can be so arty sometimes J

The ‘Gongoozlers Rest’is a boat cafe moored adjacent to the entrance to the marina where tea etc. is taken on board.

Gongoozler is a term used to describe people who go along to canals just to watch the narrowboat activity, according to 'Wiki' it's possibly from words in the Lincolnshire dialect 'gawn' and 'gooze' both meaning to stare or gape.

And this is the steeple of Braunston Church viewed from the canal towpath.

Braunston Junction is just a little way ahead of me and is where the Oxford canal goes off north or south and has twin bridges and a sort of unusual traffic island arrangement, quite difficult to get them both in the frame; this is taken from Midland Chandlers car park.

So previously I mentioned it would be decision time soon, I decided at Norton Junction that I wouldn’t be heading up towards Leicester at this time, so that leaves the decision now to either head towards Rugby, north on the Oxford or towards Banbury, south on the Oxford and that is what I have decided on, I am going to head back south which will put me nearer my family for the naming/thanksgiving of my granddaughter in August.