Surprisingly sunny

I've got a little job arranged for Sunday morning in Northants, and Adrian is visiting his mum this weekend, so I've taken the opportunity for a couple of days out on Briar Rose.  I left home mid morning, and had rather a slow journey to the marina: there was a mattress in the outside lane of M3, and delays at various other places too, as well as a few downpours.  I arrived at 1pm, had a quick lunch, prepared the boat for cruising, and set off at 1.45pm.

The weather was much better than forecast, with plenty of warm sunshine.  There weren't many boats about; just two little boats were on the visitor moorings at Cosgrove, both of them regulars, otherwise it was deserted.  I had to turn Cosgrove Lock, but was soon down and heading for Wolverton Aqueduct.

At the aqueduct, I could see a big group of workmen in high-vis suits.  As I went across, I could see that they were taking down an old gantry which crosses the river just downstream from the aqueduct; at the time I passed, it was down in the water, and they seemed to be trying to work out how to get it out.  Its removal will certainly improve views of the aqueduct from that side.

I carried on through Wolverton and New Bradwell, where the fuel boat, Towcester, was alongside a boat.  I moored up just before Bridge 75 in exactly the same place as the last time I was here (which was the night England were knocked out of Euro 2012), except that I'm facing the other way.  Not long after I'd moored, Towcester went past.

It's lovely at the moment, with blue skies, sunshine, and white fluffy clouds.  There are warnings of torrential showers for this part of the midlands tonight, so it'll be interesting to see whether they arrive.

4.5 miles, 1 lock.