Spring Cruise: Day 2

I was awake early, and we set of at 7.45 — it was sunny but still cold.  On our way into and through Milton Keynes we saw our first ducklings and goslings, and I also saw a crow grab a moorhen chick, much to the dismay of its parents.  I always think moorhens care far more about their young than ducks, who seem to take the loss of them very much in their stride.

It’s pretty slow going through Milton Keynes because of all the moored boats.  At the marina, a boat was coming out and we had to go into sharp reverse as he just kept coming.  Eventually we got to Fenny Lock, which Adrian worked us through.

We had lunch on the move between there and Stoke Hammond Lock.  At Willowbridge, a pipe over the canal has become bright green.

I walked from Stoke Hammond Lock to the Soulbury Three Locks, to get some steps in.

At the locks, it appeared that a boat was coming down the top one and was about to swap with a boat going up the middle one, but in the end the downhill boat turned below the lock.  We were well on our way up by then so they waited for us in the top lock.

We continued on to Old Linslade.  The Allcotts are coming to see us this evening, and there’s a handy car park by the bridge.  We took a walk up past the church through the very well kept cemetery, and took the path on the offside of the canal to the bridge by The Globe, before coming back along the towpath.

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

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)