Bank Holiday Weekend: Day 2

We had a very quiet night at Campbell Park at Milton Keynes, but as we had trouble getting the fire going to any great extent last night, the boat was pretty chilly by this morning. We had porridge for breakfast, and set off at a little after 8.30. We had only about half a bag of coal on board, so were hoping to come across a fuel boat. Sure enough, a bit further through MK we found Gary on Ascot selling diesel to a moored boat; we went alongside too, and bought a bag of coal. A Wyvern hire boat coming the other way seemed a bit confused about what was going on.

As we went through Simpson a swan got up from her nest and started turning her eggs. The Canada geese at Fenny Stratford were a step ahead as they had lots of fluffy yellow goslings.

At Fenny we were looking out for Jaq on Valerie. There was a Briar Rose sized space right behind so we pulled in and knocked on the boat a couple of times; there was no answer, so we decided we'd carry on a try to meet up again when we're on our way back on Monday. Two boats were coming out of Fenny Lock so they left the gates open and the bridge swung put of the way for us. No sooner were we in the lock than Jaq appeared on her way back from the shops. We had a nice chat, then she waited for us to go through the lock and swing the bridge back. Here she is on the left, sitting outside the pub.

We swapped with boats coming down at Stoke Hammond lock, then at the Three Locks at Soulbury a couple of boats had just come down so the bottom lock was in our favour. We had to turn the other two, though.

At the top, it wasn't entirely clear what was going on, as there was a Wyvern boat on the lock landing but no-one making any sign of working the lock. By the time we'd come up, two more boats had arrived, one pulling alongside the Wyvern as it to make a point -- and the Wyvern crew were having lunch on the well deck!

I was aiming for a favourite mooring spot just through Bridge 109, and amazingly (considering how many moored boats there are in these parts) the whole area was free. We moored up at about 1pm, had the rest of last night's lasagne for lunch, and decided we wouldn't be going any further today. Adrian, who's been working lots of hours again, even went for an afternoon nap. Later, we did a circular walk, going across Bridge 109 and the railway line, picking up the Cross Bucks Way across some fields to Bridge 110, and back along the tow path.

9 miles, 5 locks. (17 miles, 6 locks)