Feeling Happy Enroute Leicester City, UK

It's been a few weeks since the new engine was installed into our narrowboat, and we are happy with all aspects of the performance so far. My husband and I are ecstatic to be back on "the cut" navigating our way down to Leicester City to see family and friends; and continue with the necessary refurbishing and improvements to the boat, before we make our way back to a convenient location over winter.

Our trip has been smooth sailing, and we've been cruising at 4 km/h, the full slow speed of a narrowboat, gleaming with delightful satisfaction, and it feels fucken good!

We are completely thrilled with the new engine, not only because it looks and sounds good, but it performs well too.
Before, with the old engine, the chances of breaking down were highly probable; Now, that stress is gone, leaving us the chance to enjoy the breathtaking, scenic views of nature at its best - that of the English countrysides.

Getting Onto The Leicester Line

From the Coventry Canal to The Grand Union Canal; the views along the Grand Union Canal are hilly and green, and as I was preparing a quick snack, I looked up across the field and saw this postcard image of cows dotted along the canal.

Being hilly, there are two separate flights of locks to operate: Watford Locks, and Foxton Locks, the manmade engineering system used to ascend and descend boats to different levels on the canals, and four tunnels also. A rather streneous, but fun and exciting journey, with water points and facilities along the way.

Our journey which started in Tamworth, after three months of wait for the new engine to be installed, had taken was to Braunston, where we'd made plans to stop for a few nights to visit our friend George at his horsebox coffee shop.

While spending a few nights in Braunston, we moored up at an idyllic location where we could watch the sun go down as we warmed up to colourful flames from our firepit, along the towpath.

Braunston Tunnel

On the last morning in Braunston, we set off early after having a few cups of coffee and conversations with George, and we made our way towards Braunston Tunnel, the longest of the four tunnels enroute Leicester, 1.87 km long.

Tunnels were something I dreaded at the start of our narrowboat journey, because being under the tunnels always made me feel like I was being buried alive. However, with the new engine, and also a brighter headlight that was installed many months ago, my tunnel anxiety has become a thing of the past.
Now I relax at the bow of the boat in darkness, with nothing but random thoughts of wherever my mind wanders.

Here you can see a video as we go through the Braunston Tunnel, which I enjoyed for the first time.

Watch on 3 Speak

Our new engine has has given us so much confidence, that we adroitly continued on with our journey over two days, and for the first time, we navigated our way in the dark, (yes, we operated three locks just after sunset, something we don't foresee becoming a habit).

Despite low water, fallen leaves and shrubbery which got stuck around the prop a few times, it was a heartwarming as always to see lovely Leicester's canals lit up at night, and swans everywhere.

I would be deluded to think that the swans were happy to see us moored at Castle Gardens Visitor Moorings again, I know for a fact that they are shameless scroungers, and like a fool, I served them my entire loaf of bread, as I watched them use their long beaks to grab the bread from the water. I am ever so curious to get a hold of a swans neck.

Have you ever felt the neck of a swan?
Do you like traveling under tunnels?