Bugbrooke to Milton Keynes?

[Simpo Two]

Just watching Canal Boat Diaries and it's titled 'Bugbrooke to Milton Keynes'. He's gone down 17 locks on the Nene Navigation, into Northampton then left onto the Grand Union. That's fine, but the only Bugbrooke I can find is west of Northampton, nowhere near a waterway. The programme had a map which showed Bugbrooke on the Grand Union to the northwest (it's not on my canal map). Yet if he'd come FROM Bugbrooke as per the title it would have to be back up the Nene Navigation to the northeast. Can anyone explain?

[spitfire-ian]

You don’t need to go down the Northampton arm of the GU to go between Bugbrooke and Milton Keynes as they’re both on the GU main line.

The junction for the Northampton Arm is between the two places so I imagine he just took a detour onto the Nene for a bit then back up the locks onto the GU proper again.

Edited to add: I've just put the route into canal plan to show what I mean.



Leave Bugbrooke heading south, turn left at Gayton Junction on to the Northampton arm, down the locks to Northampton and the River Nene, turn round, head back up the locks, turn left at Gayton Junction back onto the Grand Union and continue south to Milton Keynes.

Edited by spitfire-ian on Sunday 16th March 11:01

[Simpo Two]

Ah yes, it never occurred to me that he'd go 17 locks down to Northampton, turn round and then do them again!

[spitfire-ian]

It’s not something I’d choose to do unless going down the Nene for a few days which might be what he did.

I have gone to places just to say I’ve been there but that never meant 34 locks out of my way!

[Simpo Two]

That's what I didn't consider to begin with - I assumed he must have come from the Fens direction and the locks were east of Northampton.

I've done locks on my own a few times, electric ones, but only when essential as I consider it too much of a risk for normal cruising.