Grand Union Canal:Stowehill

Frost on the boat roof this morning and cold fingers and toes setting off, early as usual.  However things soon warmed up and there’s nothing like a lock flight for getting the circulation going.  The bottom gate for the Braunston Flight was already open for me.  Volunteer lock keepers were appearing but I was on my own.  Two locks had obstructions behind the open gates on the towpath side necessitating the opposite gate be opened to avoid damage.  Lock 4 would appear to be leaky because the pound above was well down and being on my own I was not wanting to get stuck mid pound.  So I let one lock full down from above to replace that which I was about to take.  This enabled careful progress.   Then the tunnel.  I hate Braunston Tunnel because it is crinkly and worse just when to need to pass another boat.  At Norton top lock I teamed up with a charming couple on a hire boat before continuing on to stop for the night just round the corner after the long embankment at Weldon, and just before Stowehill Wharf.