Aylesbury to Leighton Buzzard

Mon 1^st May  Circus Field Basin

Today was a day of chores, including shopping at Sainsbury’s, and getting ready for the trip up to Marsworth tomorrow.

We had a very enjoyable Indian meal delivered to the boat.

No boating and no photos.

Tue 2^nd May  Circus Field Basin to Marsworth

We started with a few final chores, including topping up the water tank, emptying the toilet cassettes, filling the coal hod and disposing of rubbish. We put the hood down ready for boating.

Our guests arrived. Joyce, who will be 90 in August, was our guest of honour. She had walked a lot of the canals in the area when she was younger, but she had never done the Aylesbury Arm. We tried to take her last year, but she became ill just before, so it never happened. This time there was no such problem. She sat with Hazel, first of all in the dinette, and then, when it warmed up a bit, they both sat in the bows on some new folding chairs we had bought.

Jack and Eric also joined us, and they worked the locks while James steered the boat. It was a very successful day. Sandra met us in Marsworth with a car, and we all had tea in the sunshine, before all our guests left.

We moved on half a mile to the mooring rings beyond Red Lion bridge 130. We rang the pub to see if they were serving food, but they have stopped food altogether. What a shame. We ate on board instead.

Farewell Ruzenka

Keen helpers heading for the first lock

Eric

Jack

Project boats at Bates' yard

Eric Jack Joyce Sandra Hazel

Moored in Marsworth

Wildlife spots today:

A brood of ducklings, a heron in a field, several chiff chaffs, two swallows, cormorants, a sedge warbler, and a snipe.  Yellow flowers: Buttercups, Dandelions, Cowslips.

Sedge Warbler

14 locks, 5 miles, 1 lift bridge, dep 1140 arr 1625 including 40 minute tea break.

Wed 3rd May  Marsworth to the Globe at Linslade

A sunny day today as we set off from Marsworth on our own. We negotiated Marsworth Two Locks, and passed Pitstone Wharf. The swing bridge was very heavy work.

Just after the swing bridge, we found Two Ducks, Elaine and Roger, who have been mooring in Circus Field Basin. They were just about to leave, so we were delighted to share nine locks with them all the way to Leighton Buzzard.

Between Seabrook Locks and Ivinghoe, we saw the film set for Wicked. We guess they were filming as there were huge floodlights suspended from cranes. One scene was Munchkinland, and there was another set in scaffolding.

On the approach to Leighton Buzzard, we found Steve on Stargazer, another person from Circus Field Basin.

When we arrived in Leighton Buzzard there was no space large enough for us, so we rested the bows alongside the stern of the first permanently moored boat, with the owners permission.  Hazel went shopping in the High Street, while James picked up a few bits in Tesco. Sadly, they wouldn’t take a Brita filter for recycling, even though they are on the Brita list of recycling points.

We moved on down through Leighton Lock, and moored by the Globe, where we found Chris and Sue Theobald on A Narrow Escape – more Circus Field moorers.

We went for a pleasant meal in the pub with Roger and Elaine.

No wildlife pics today, although we saw a tern catch a fish right in front of us. They don't like posing, sadly.

Dawn at Marsworth

Moored in Marsworth

Marsworth Two Locks

Marsworth Two Locks

Amazing trees at Pitstone

Heavy swing bridge

Sharing with Two Ducks

Seabrook Locks

Munchkinland film set

Film set

Ivinghoe with Two Ducks

Synchronised boating

Grove Lock

Steve

Stargazer

Approaching Leighton Buzzard

Wyvern Hire Boats

Leighton Lock

Moored by the Globe

12 locks, 8 miles, 1 swing bridge, dep 0910 arr 1340 Leighton Buzzard. Dep 1455 arr 1530 The Globe.

Next: Trying to get to Blisworth by Friday evening, where there is a TV signal to watch the coronation, and the Baptist Church to visit on Sunday morning. Stoke Bruerne has no TV signal and only occasional church services.