Past Narrow Boat Trips 2004

February 2004 was very cold, our first time out at this time of year. now moored at Kate Boats at Warwick every trip started with a hat full of locks. We headed off through Leamington Spa and Stockton locks towards Braunston.

Climbing Stockton Locks.

During our overnight stop at the top of Calcutt locks we became frozen in although we where snug and warm in the boat.

Frozen in at Calcutt Locks.

We tried to get away but the boat would only plough a straight line in the ice.

You can just see the straightish line the boat took from the mooring,
straight to the opposite bank, it would not turn.

We had an enforced extra day stay here until a BW work boat cleared a way to Braunston. We only made it to Braunston that day where most moorings where taken and the Marina area was thick with ice so we had to reverse back to the North Oxford moorings. Tricky with the ice.

Braunston Mooring.

The following day we where told that the South Oxford was passable so we headed for Napton locks, there was still a bit of ice about, tinkling away on the hull.

Path through the ice.

After over nighting at Marston Doles we carried on along the summit, plenty of loose ice about, roughly an inch thick.

Ice.

On through Fenny Compton and the opened out tunnel, through Claydon locks our destination being Cropredy.

Fenny Compton "Tunnel"

Claydon locks.

We then winded and made our way back to Warwick where on the last night we had snow.

Snow covered NB Centurion.

Other trips that year was a cruise down the Grand Union to Cosgrove, Another trip up the Leicester arm to Welford and a trip to just before Shirley on the Grand Union.