Dont get caught out!

 Bit of a restless night what with strange coming and goings from 11pm onwards. First the boat rocked causing Ian to immediately grab his dressing gown and rush outside. There was no one on the tow path or on the boat, hmmm, most strange! Then about 15 minutes later we became aware of an engine chugging in the distance. Sure enough a boat appeared out of the gloom making it's way down the flight. No sign of any light coming from it which seemed a bit odd and it was then we assumed that the lock emptying must have been why FS rocked earlier. I was just drifting off to sleep when I heard the sound of running footsteps going past the window in the direction of the retreating boat. Sticking my head through the curtain I noticed two more bodies walking very fast in the same direction. Hmmm, thought I, even more strange. By now I was wide awake and listening to every sound. Thankfully only the owls hooting disturbed the rest of the night and before I knew it dawn had broken. With both of us awake and no longer our beloved Woofit to take out for a walk we thought we may as well have an early breakfast and get on our way. Blisworth tunnel was coming up (my ghostly encounter) and although I have seen one of the side shafts in the tunnel I knew from comments from Adam (Briar Rose) and reading his article in January 2013 issue of Canal Boat, that another side shaft was nearby.  With no other boat in the tunnel we slowly made our way to where we expected it to be. Sure enough we found it. But as you can see it goes off at an angle with no visible end so I am discounting this shaft as the one where light was. I definitely saw what appeared to be a candle at the far end and no way can you see the end of this shaft.  I have now done all I can to explain my sighting that March day and with Ghost stories about Blisworth tunnel on the web site I am going to leave this topic and assume it's one of those unexplained phenomena.

The first side shaft and one that has water pouring down at the far end

Water at the far end and the most likely shaft where I saw the candle

And the lesser seen side shaft going off at an angle

There is no way anyone can see the far end unless one tries to crawl through

As seen going South through the tunnel

With no plan on where to stop tonight we kept going until we reached Nether Heyford. Here we stopped for lunch, a quick grocery shop and visit to the fisheries for bait. By 1pm we were on the move again but this time to Stowe Hill wharf for diesel at 77.9p a ltr. Now thereby goes a tale. On arrival the place was shut. Notice on the door said closed Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th. Reopen at 9.30am 16th. Not much use to us with only a small amount of diesel left in the tank. So Ian looked in our Nicholsons for a phone number for Whilton Chandlers (01327 844442) situated at the bottom of Buckby flight and they confirmed they sold diesel and at 76p ltr,  a much better deal. So we arrive at Whilton. Ian puts in 125 ltr of diesel and payed the man £118. Now that's where he suddenly thought, hang on...... at 76p a ltr it should be £95 whats going on. He went straight back to the Chandlers and it turns out the actual price is 95p ltr! The phone number in Nicholson is very much out of date. The chap who used to own Whilton chandlers moved to a chandlery in Hillmorton and took the phone number with him. When Ian phoned that number the chap answered 'Good afternoon...... Chandlers' and, wrongly as turns out, assumed it was Whilton. Moral to this tale always confirm the price of diesel before filling and don't always believe phone numbers in old copies of Nicholson. We paid nearly £20 more then we normally do!
We didn't bother to go up the flight this afternoon and with torrential rain forecast over night didnt want to be stuck in the flight.

Reckless still in the same state.as when Guy Martin did the program

Wildlife on route

Green Woodpecker