Mon 19th October
Old Wolverton to Stantonbury Park
Some chaps from CRT came to take away their barges of
rubbish. There had been a canal clean-up just before we arrived. We offered to
move out of their way but they said it wasn’t necessary. Then they set off and as
they went their dumb barge bumped against our new paintwork. Oh well! There
will be other knocks and scratches in due course.
We left for the short cruise to the Wolverton moorings, past
the old sheds where they used to build railways engines and carriages, and then
under the original Brunel railway bridge.
Wolverton Railway
Sheds
Brunel railway bridge
We moored on the mooring rings by the new development of
apartments. While we were there, who should arrive but Tane Mahuta? Gael needed to
go somewhere by train, and the station is very close to these moorings.
Railwayman Sculpture
Moored at Wolverton
with Tane Mahuta
We walked over the bridge to visit the nearby shops, before
returning and setting off once more.
There were glorious autumn colours in the bushes and trees. We moored as
far away from houses as possible, near the ruined St Peters Church, opposite
Stantonbury Park. Hugo was pleased to be
able to explore without people or dogs to worry about.
Autumn Colours
Sunshine and stormy
skies at Stantonbury Park
0 locks, 3 miles
Tue 20th October
Stantonbury Park to Giffard Park
So there we were enjoying a peaceful morning, when around
the corner on the towpath came a team of men wearing high viz jackets wielding
lawnmowers and strimmers. Knowing what a
mess they can make of the boat side, we decided to make a hurried departure
before they drew level.
This is where the Newport Pagnell branch used to join
We didn’t have far to go, as we stopped at Giffard Park,
where we had to use our chain, hooked onto an iron rod in the crumbling
reinforced concrete.
We were close enough to fill our water tank, with the help of
a long hose from the boat that was waiting on the water point for others to
join them.
We went to have a look at bus stops for a shopping trip
tomorrow. There were some more lovely autumn colours. We also found a Rohan shop, where Hazel
bought a pair of waterproof trousers.
Autumn colours
The afternoon was pleasantly dry, and James took the
opportunity to paint the port side gunwales, as the bank was low and it was
easy to reach the necessary areas. The Hempel Multicoat mixed with some Owatrol
seemed to work nicely, except there were some thin patches where the raddle
black had rubbed of earlier.
People always come and talk when you are working on the boat
and today was no exception. Paul and his dog came past twice. He is from a boat
called Yarmouth, originally built in
1914.
We had a meal in the pub.
Moored at Giffard
Park
0 locks, 1 mile
Wed 21st October
Giffard Park
Rain was forecast, so we took bus no 2 to Central Milton
Keynes where we had a meal in a buffet restaurant, before visiting one or two
shops. We went to the cinema to see
Transylvanian Hotel 2. What else do you do on a wet day?
Bus back to the boat. This is a good mooring place to
connect with the bus system.
Plenty of shops –
lots of choice
No boating today
Thu 22nd October
Giffard Park to Peartree Bridge
James first touched up the thin patches on the paintwork. While he was doing this he ended up chatting
to a man who turned out to be a fireman.
Paul also came past again.
Also a CRT man with a mobile notepad device came to take our
number. He said that if we asked CRT
they would give us a list all the recorded sightings of our boat. Not that we
need it – we know where we have been!
Before we left we emptied our cassettes and rubbish, and
then went on a gentle cruise further south round Milton Keynes. Again there were beautiful autumn colours.
We moored on the visitor mooring rings near Peartree Bridge.
James went for a walk and came across Tudor on Out and About; last seen in Ellesmere
last year. Tudor joined him on the walk,
and they both got lost attempting to go round in a circle. They asked a native and finally found their
way back in the dark.
Near Peartree Bridge
0 locks, 4 miles
Fri 23rd October
Peartree Bridge to Leighton Buzzard
We went for breakfast at the carvery. It looked closed from
the canal, but we found another door round the corner. They could do with a notice on the door
facing the canal. The breakfast was good value - £3.99, eat as much as you
like.
We then thought it was time to leave Milton Keynes, and
continued our journey south. We passed Tudor on his boat, plus a boat that had
burnt out – possibly a fraudulent insurance claim.
Out and About
Tudor on Out and
About
Burnt out boat
At Fenny Stratford lock we found a hire boat and we shared
the lock and swing bridge with them. Stoke Hammond Lock we negotiated on our
own, and just as we were reaching the top, another boat appeared below. We agreed to go slowly and share the next
locks with them.
We enjoyed a dawdling cruise along the Stoke Hammond pound,
where we might have stopped for the night, but the next day was forecast wet,
and we wanted to be in Leighton Buzzard for church on Sunday.
The other boat caught up at Three Locks. It was very
colourful, having been painted by a street artist. It was called Electra, although the word
“Gloopy” was written in big letters along the side. Tom and Sarah were the
pleasant young couple who lived on board.
Three locks with
Electra
Globe Inn at Linslade
We moored just above Leighton Lock, which turned out to be
very pleasant. Every time the lock was used, the boat bumped against the side,
so we put out the tyre fenders we keep for such occasions, and the problem was
solved.
5 locks, 9 miles
Sat 24th October
Leighton Buzzard
We walked across the meadows and along the river bank to Leighton
Buzzard for a bit of mild shopping on an overcast day. We bought some special drill bits from
Homebase.
Back at the boat, James attempted to drill some ventilation
holes in the side of the bed, to avoid the condensation we had last
winter. The wood was extremely hard, and
the drill bits were causing smoke to rise from the holes. DIY is usually a disaster
when James has a go. Instead of the
twenty-one holes we had planned on each side, we ended up with achieving
three. Oh well, just thirty-six more to
do!
Autumn leaf
No boating today
Sun 25th October
Leighton Buzzard
We walked to the Baptist Church at the top of the High
Street. This was well attended, with a good cross section of ages. The worship band
was up on a balcony by the organ pipes.
Hockliffe Street
Baptist Church
After the service we went for lunch at Wetherspoons – always
good value. After that we wandered back
to the boat via Aldi, Wilko, and Tesco.
We saw Robbie going past on Naughty
Lass.
Moored by Leighton
Lock
That night there were owls in the trees by our boat, and there
was a full moon.
No boating today
Next week: The final leg of our journey back to Aylesbury
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