Thursday 8th November 2018



We are headed for Braunston for Remembrance Sunday. With this being the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, we wanted to be somewhere that would mean something to us. Originally we were going to spend it in Lostwithiel, the place of Brenda’s maternal family. During my family history research, I uncovered Brenda’s grandfather’s life story. Thomas Keast was in the army from 1906 until 1927, and came right through the First World War on the Western and Macedonian Fronts. Out of respect for Thomas, we had decided on Lostwithiel. However, we since thought of the distance and leaving the dog and boat somewhere and decided against it.

We then thought of Coventry Cathedral but had overstayed the moorings there and hadn’t much taken to the city. A number of years ago, we were on our time-share boat in Braunston for a Remembrance Sunday, when our Aaron was serving in Afghanistan. Although we didn’t attend the service, we laid poppies on the war memorial. A few of the church lady’s spent some time with us. It was very emotional. Hence the reason we are spending the Sunday there.

Braunston is 23 miles from Hawkesbury. With 3 locks in between, it is two days by canal. The weather, supposedly, is not going to be good tomorrow, rain and wind, so we left Hawkesbury and pushed on. Back over old ground and retracing our steps. The run was uneventful and we moored up just beyond Rugby, making good 14 miles, picking out suitable winter moorings en-route.



Weather: dull and overcast, some light rain.



Day Total: 1 lock; 14 miles; 1 Tunnel; 1 Swing Bridge; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 7.4

                                                                                                 (including running of engine for hot water etc)

Overall Total: 310 locks; 552 miles; 25 tunnels; 4 Swing Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 336.2

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