New Year’s Cruise: Day 5

It rained quite heavily during the night and there was another brief shower while we had breakfast, but it soon dried up and we set off at 9.20.  It was pretty grey and chilly.  Immediately after the first bridge we were interested to see how the building site had come on since we were last here at Easter; Campbell Park Marina is now pretty much full.

We plodded through Milton Keynes.  It’s pretty slow going because of all the moored boats.  I began to estimate how long we could go at a stretch without having to slow down to pass a moored boat — and I reckon it was no longer than two minutes.  I came over all Brenda from Bristol each time we turned a corner to find more boats sat there.

At Fenny Lock the gates were open but we still had to stop first because the bridge needed swinging out of the way.  Gradually the sky behind us was clearing, and by the time we got to Stoke Hammond Lock the sun was out.  We continued to the water point below the Three Locks, where we filled the tank while having lunch, which was the left over of last night’s chilli on toast.

The Soulbury Three Locks either have masses of water or not enough.  Today was not enough.  A boat had gone up before us, and a lady who’d helped them and was returning to her car said it had taken them ages because the pounds were so low.  I walked up the flight emptying locks, and then ran some water through the top lock into the pound below.  I feel sure there must be a leak in that pound, because the level seemed to drop very quickly.

The Jackdaw Pound, above the locks, is really nice, and looked particularly good in the sunshine.

We carried on to the winding hole at Old Linslade, turned around, and returned to a favourite spot by Bridge 109.  We have a nice view out of the galley window — although the West Coast Main Line is right there.  We have been watching all the former Virgin trains going by, now naked of livery, but have also seen a couple in Avanti West Coast colours.

10 miles, 5 locks.  (29 miles, 6 locks)