As an accredited CCBM (Certificate in Community Boat Management) Training Centre, LNBP run a number of training weeks each year for prospective candidates with demand always high to join us and complete the course.

This latest course was once again another successful few days of training with all of the candidates successfully passing the course after several days out on the Oxford and Grand Union canal network in and around Braunston.

And even the weather was kind to our trainers Mike, Paul and Russ and their trainees!

The pictures below give you a flavour from last week.

Many thanks to everyone who attended and made it a highly successful and enjoyable week.

And sincere thanks to Mike, Paul and Russ for giving their time and running the course, and to Russ for the photos who could possibly have a new job in photography if ever he needed or fancied one.

• To find out more about LNBP’s CCBM courses and future dates including to register your interest for our next courses, email Mike at training@lnbp.co.uk

The post In pictures: CCBM Training Week: Spring 2026 appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

Here we have picked a number of great places with particular historical significance and etched in waterways heritage.

Hatton Locks

The Hatton Locks or Hatton Flight are a flight of 21 locks on the Grand Union Canal in Hatton, Warwickshire.

Affectionately known as the ‘Stariway to Heaven’ the flight spans less than two miles of canal, and has a total rise of 45 metres.

These state of the art locks were built at Hatton to fight off stiff competition from the roads and railways and widened in the 1930s. Getting through them – remember there are 21 of them – is no mean feat and an achievement in itself, so give yourself plenty of time and preparation to navigate them all.

Birmingham Canals

One of the most intricate canal networks in the world, the city’s extensive canal network is often said to have more miles of canal than Venice and played a crucial role in its industrial growth.

The canals were the life-blood of Victorian Birmingham and the Black Country. At their height, they were so busy that gas lighting was installed beside the locks to permit round-the-clock operation. Boats were built without cabins for maximum carrying capacity, and a near-tidal effect was produced as swarms of narrowboats converged on the Black Country collieries at the same time every day.

Today, Birmingham’s canals have been revitalized into scenic walkways, lined with bars, cafes, and visitor attractions. The Gas Street Basin is a particularly popular spot where visitors can see colourful boats and historic canal architecture sit side-by-side with vibrant modern restaurants, cafes and bars.

Read more about the route from Braunston to Birmingham here

Hawkesbury Junction

Hawkesbury Junction is the northern limit of the Oxford Canal where it meets the Coventry Canal, near Hawkesbury Village, Warwickshire.

Its alternative name, Sutton Stop, arises from the name of a family which provided several lock keepers there in the nineteenth century. In commercial carrying times, the junction was a major rendezvous for working boats awaiting orders for their next cargo from the many pits in the area. A stop lock on the Oxford Canal isolates the water levels of the two original canal companies, with the Oxford being a few inches higher.

The most immediately striking feature in what is now a conservation area is the elegant bridge over the actual junction of the two canals. This cast iron structure is a fine example of the Victorian engineer’s art, and has a span of 15.2 m (50 ft).

Edstone Aqueduct

Located in Shakespeare Country between the Warwickshire villages of Wotton Wawen to the north and Wilmcote to the south is the longest cast iron aqueduct in England spanning 475 feet (145 metres) of rural countryside. This aqueduct is located on the South Stratford Canal.

Completed in 1816, the aqueduct crosses a minor road, a stream and a railway carrying trains on the Birmingham – Stratford-upon-Avon train line, in fact many years ago, a pipe linked the canal to a point on the railway to enable steam locomotives to draw water.

An unusual feature of this structure is that the tow path runs along the base of the 4’9” (1.5 metre) cast iron trough giving a different view of oncoming boats.

The structure holds Grade 2 listed status. If you are ona trip or take the boats from Braunston to Stratford, take a few moments to appreciate the engineering that created this fine aqueduct.

Napton Locks

Napton-on –the- Hill, as it is properly known, is as its title suggests a hillside village, watched over by its majestic Windmill which can be seen for many miles around.

The Grand Union and Oxford Canal form a moat like quality at the foot of the hill, with a set of eight locks being some of the nicest locks around, set as they are in beautiful peaceful countryside and climbing 49 feet.

For such a small village, it offers a surprisingly large number of amenities which includes a village store including post office, general store and coffee shop, play park, plus canal side shops and marina.

Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth Tunnel

Stoke Bruerne is lovely village of which its canalside setting becomes a hive of activity especially during spring and summer.

Here you will a Canal Museum which is located just off the canalside path in a historic Grade II listed corn mill and has three floors of waterway heritage and panoramic views, a café and gift shop. Outside the museum you can normally find the historic boat called ‘Sculptor’ which was built in 1935 and still going strong.

To get here (and back to Braunston) is to navigate through another historic tunnel, the Blisworth Tunnel,  which at 3,075 yards (2,811 meters) long is the longest wide, freely navigable tunnel in Europe (it’s wide enough for two narrowboats to pass in opposite directions). It is the third-longest navigable canal tunnel in the UK, after Standedge and Dudley Tunnels and the ninth-longest canal tunnel in the world!

Watford Locks

This group of seven locks on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire is formed (looking from the south), of two single locks, a staircase of four, and a final single lock.

The locks are hemmed in by the A5 road, the M1 motorway, and the West Coast Main Line railway, which all fit through the narrow Watford Gap, between two hill systems. The locks are usually manned to prevent water shortages in the ponds between the locks and to speed up the process of boats getting through them (there is a queueing system in place during peak periods)

The keeper also ensures the locks run smoothly and quickly. It should take approximately 45 minutes to complete this flight; it is made quicker by the fact that the locks are single beam and the gates are light.

Foxton Locks

Further up the Grand Union’s Leicester Line, Foxton Locks is a Grade II listed site and home to the longest, steepest staircase flight of locks in Britain.

Each year, over 400,000 visitors experience the rich heritage of the site, including the remains of the unique Inclined Boat Lift, listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Also located at the site are two pubs, two cafés, and the historic Canal Museum located in the Boilerhouse run by the Foxton Inclined Plane Trust.

Read more about the route from Braunston to Foxton Locks via Watford Locks here

Braunston – historic junction, locks and tunnel

Last but by no means least for this feature is Braunston, our mooring base and where the Grand Union Canal and Oxford Canal canals meet.

Braunston Marina, which you can see a stone’s throw from our boats are moored up, used to be a reservoir for the Grand Junction Canal. Water coming down the Braunston locks was collected and then pumped back up to the summit level. The pump, originally steam powered, and pump house, are still in place beside our mooring place and the initials GJC and 1897, the year of its build, can be seen in the chimney brickwork.

It’s here – at Bottom Lock – we have the first of the six locks of the Braunston flight onto the summit level of the main line of the canal before reaching the majestic Braunston Tunnel.

A true feat of engineering this, it opened in 1796 its construction was delayed by soil movement and it was probably the resulting movement that led to the tunnel having a slight ‘S’ bend.The tunnel is 2,042 yards (1,867 metres) in length.but has no towpath which means a walk over the top of the tunnel by the footpath if you are claustrophobic and don’t fancy going through it. Inside, it is 4.8 metres (16 ft) wide by 3.76 metres (12.3 ft) high providing just enough room for two 7 feet (2.1 m) beam boats to pass.

To go from one end of the tunnel takes you underground for approximately 25 minutes and it is well worth experience.

For more details about these great places and the routes to get to them, click here

To make a booking or check on availability and the dates you want, head to our Bookings Page here

Or please do get in touch to find out how we can help. Contact Nigel, our Bookings Officer, by calling on 07783 002073 or emailing him at booking@lnbp.co.uk

The post Heritage wonders of our canals to visit with LNBP appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

For many years (someone will tell us how many in total now) LNBP have been a regular feature of the weekend-long show which is held over the late May Whitsun bank holiday; for this year running from Friday 24^th May (with its Preview and Trade Day) through to Monday 27^th May.

A full report on the weekend is to follow shortly but here’s the first of a couple of glimpses of some of the images taken in the lead-up to and during the Show.

The first galleries – moving Guinevere up from Braunston to Crick.

Firstly Braunston to Norton Junction, which entails getting through the Braunston Locks and the magnificent Braunston Tunnel (you may notice that our avid photographer went through the tunnel and then disembarked to then walk across the path that leads over it back to Braunston again!)

(photos: Karl Quinney)

And then next morning, the second leg of the journey – from Norton Junction to Crick via Watford Locks

(photos: Denise Iversen)

The post In pictures – LNBP at Crick Boat Show 2024: The trip to Crick appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

Another glorious morning greeted the crew of husband-and-wife team Paul and Denise, who were again joined by Richard and our Press and PR Karl and a special guest for the meander from the overnight mooring at Norton Junction down towards Crick.

So to that special guest visitor and traveller with us.

We were pleased to welcome BBC Radio Northampton reporter James Grant aboard to join from Norton down to Watford, in doing so for James to experience life on board Guinevere and to interview the crew live on air. Find out more HERE

If you have experienced Watford Locks – either taking a boat through them or visited and walked the area – you will know it is a lovely setting and amazing piece of Victorian engineering. (If you haven’t, it is highly recommended you pay a visit)

After a short wait to get in line and then get through Watford Locks, James (and Karl) left the crew here

Next stop..Crick Marina for the weekend’s Boat Show

The post In the picture – LNBP at the Crick Boat Show part #2 – Norton Junction to Crick appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

As part of the trip in taking Guinevere along to this weekend’s Crick Boat Show, we welcomed BBC Radio Northampton’s Breakfast Show reporter James onboard to join us from Norton Junction down to and through Watford Locks.

During the course of the Show between 7:00 and 9:00am, James kindly interviewed our crew live on air at several points and recorded a couple of segments for later broadcast, and even took to the tiller to have a go at steering the boat whilst live on the Show..much to his anxiety!

If you missed the Show, you can hear a playback of James talking to Denise, Paul and Kevin on BBC Radio Northampton’s Annabel Amos Show via the link HERE

(starting from about 1:24:00, and about every 20 minutes thereafter)

Interview segments are:

1.  1:24:00 to 1:31:10
2. 1:53:23 to 2:00:06
3. 2:25:49 to 2:30:11
4. 2:52:30 to 3:00:53

There is also a segment with our Press and Media Officer Karl on the Tim Wheeler Afternoon Show HERE

Many thanks again to James for joining us, it was a pleasure to have you, and to BBC Radio Northampton for the opportunity.

The post LNBP hit the region’s airwaves appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

We have added a new article to our series of Routes and Places To Visit, this time heading on the Grand Union Canal and into Leicestershire.

 

 
One of LNBP’s skippers, Brian Tibury, has kindly produced an excellent article from regular first-hand experience on what you can expect to sample and enjoy on a trip from our mooring base at Braunston to Foxton Locks.
 
This wonderful journey takes many highlights including the Braunston lock system before heading through Braunston Tunnel (always a treat!), before sampling the staircase of Watford Locks. From there, there is the chance to head through Crick Tunnel ahead of a very generous lock-free stretch of cruising through the Leicestershire countryside before reaching Foxton.
 

To read the article, click the image below

 
https://www.lnbp.co.uk/boats/routes/another-favourite-trip-with-brian-braunston-to-foxton-locks/
 

The post Another favourite trip with Brian – Braunston to Foxton Locks appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

 
Our Booking Calendar for 2020 is filling up quite rapidly, so if you have weekend or midweek dates (maybe both) in mind for your group, book now to avoid disappointment (and we would not want that would we!)
 
Take a look at our current availability on our online availability calendar  here

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