June weekend - Day 2

We spent some time this morning dozing in bed, so it was gone 9am before we set off.  It wasn't nearly as sunny as forecast -- in fact, it was cloudy and quite chilly.

We did the familiar plod through Wolverton, Great Linford, and Milton Keynes, meeting a few boats on the way.  At Fenny Compton Lock the gates were open but the bridge was across, so Adrian got off at the bow and swung the bridge, and then I took the stern to the other side of the lock so I could close that gate.

At Stoke Hammond Lock, a widebeam was just going up, so we had to turn the lock.  A couple of walkers sat on the grass and got their flask of coffee out while we rose.

We were still behind the widebeam at the Three Locks at Soulbury.  There were four people on board, but only two had windlasses.  The spare crew member was at the next lock up -- but only taking photos.  All in all they were pretty inefficient.  For the first time at these locks, there were people sitting outside the pub.  Other times we've been this way it's either been too early, or it's been raining.

Once up the locks we continued to Old Linslade, and moored just before Bridge 110.  It was before 4pm, so we washed and Bullet polished one side of the boat.  Then we turned in the wide bit of canal right there, moored back in the same place and washed and polished the other side.  When the sun came out, it was really quite warm.

16.5 miles, 5 locks. (18 miles, 6 locks)