Voyages of Gabriel: Leighton Buzzard to Milton Keynes

Wed 29^th May Leighton Buzzard to Soulbury Three Locks

The first stop today was to empty bins and cassettes, before mooring on the two-hour shopping moorings. By the time we had visited Aldi and Tesco we realised that 2 hours is not enough. We set off again, hoping to conclude our boating for the day before the rain came.

Leighton Lock was against us, as another boat had just gone down.

Leighton Lock

The canal takes some extravagant loops and bends on this section, running parallel to the River Ouzel to the east. The railway runs alongside to the west on an embankment much higher than the canal.

We decided that we didn’t want to get caught in the rain while on the Three Locks , so we stopped and moored on rings and piling just before. We put up the hood, and the rain came.

We had no phone signal, no TV and limited MiFi.

A hire boat arrived and moored behind us, and a boat with an engine going tunk tunk passed us and moored up in front of us.

1 lock, 3 miles. Dep 0915 arr 1420 (includes 2½ hours in Leighton Buzzard)

Thu 30^th May Soulbury Three Locks to Peartree Bridge, Milton Keynes

One boat came up the locks and the tunk-tunk boat took the opportunity and went down.

After 20 minutes we set off, and Driftweed, the hire boat, followed us. After one lock we met a boat coming up. When we cleared the bottom lock a further boat was waiting, so we could leave the gates open.

Arriving at Three Locks

Crossing over

Synchronised boating with Driftweed

Driftweed stopped for water just below the locks. Another boat was just finishing, so we said we’d share the locks with them. It is a mile to Stoke Hammond Lock, and they were nowhere in sight behind us. We passed another boat about to set off, and they were hoping to share with us, but the boat from the water point boat caught up, so we shared with them after all. The boat that was left shared with Driftweed. We should never make promises to share with another boat, as circumstances can dictate otherwise.

Buttercups

We arrived at Fenny Stratford Lock, which has a swing bridge across it. A boat was going down in front of us. As they were leaving the lock, they started to swing the swing bridge back, before the lady from our boat share shouted. Then they were going to leave without shutting the gates. Again, a shout sorted them out. The boat was Hosanna, and they confessed to being novices.

As we left the lock another boat was waiting. That meant we could leave the swing bridge and the gates. We caught up with Hosanna, and they stopped at the Plough, with difficulty, as they were caught by the wind and nearly turned around to face the other way.

Hosanna having a bit of trouble

When they had sorted themselves out, we continued past them, mooring on piling just after Peartree Bridge.

5 locks, 6 miles. Dep 0950, arr 1300.

Fri 31^st May Peartree Bridge, Milton Keynes

We had planned a day off from boating to spend time in Milton Keynes.

First, we tried to contact Vodafone by phone for help in switching over from James’ sim, to the new one which was a smaller size on his new phone. We had a long battle with the automatic lady who kept asking silly questions. We had tried all the methods suggested on the website and had come unstuck on each occasion, so we really needed to speak to a real person. Very unhelpful! The automatic lady eventually just said goodbye and ended the call. So we walked to a nearby bus stop, and went into MK central to find the Vodafone shop, this time armed with passports and driving licence.

As a complete contrast to the experience on the phone, the young man in the Vodafone shop was very helpful, and soon switched the contacts across from one phone to the other, and put in a new sim card. Half an hour later the new phone was up and running.

We wandered round the market, and had a Pizza Hut buffet for lunch. James bought some summer shirts and we returned to the boat by bus.

Leafy Milton Keynes

Heron not too bothered

No boating today.

Sat 1^st June Peartree Bridge to Stanton Low Park, Milton Keynes

A new month! We started with an everlasting breakfast at the Pear Tree Inn, before continuing gently on our cruise route around Milton Keynes.

Striped water due to the poplar trees

Another bold heron

We passed the place where the proposed Milton Keynes to Bedford link will join the Grand Union. The junction is in place, with a few temporary moorings. There is also a new marina and an unusual bridge with three arms.

The Bedford-Milton Keynes link

The new junction

The three-armed bridge and the new marina entrance

Keeping fit in Milton Keynes

We paused at Giffard Park to empty two cassettes, dispose of rubbish, fill up with water, buy some milk from the One Stop, and posted two cards to friends. Anne Clark, who has had a serious car accident, and Pam Ekins who is battling cancer.

Moving on from there we had a further 30-minute cruise to Stanton Low Park, which is a lovely spot, away from houses, traffic and football.

Passing the old Newport Pagnell Branch

Moored at Stanton Low Park

The Champions League final was on in Madrid: Liverpool v Spurs. We didn’t want to be anywhere near pubs this Saturday night.

The weather was glorious, and we put our chairs out on the bank in the shade, for the first time this year. We heard a cuckoo. This is where James saw one last time.

Chairs out

We met Tudor and Flo, his lady. James once went for a walk with Tudor, and they both got lost. Their boat, Out and About, was apparently around the corner. We nearly always see their boat in MK, but we don’t always see them.

Later James went for a walk down a path through an area known as Joan’s Piece, crossing the canal on a road at Bridge 74, and discovering a small shopping area including ASDA in the new housing estate. Returning through Stanton Low Park to cross the canal again at Bridge 75. He saw a hobby and had a lovely view of a beautiful goldfinch. There were also dragonflies and damsel flies everywhere. He then walked down through the park to St Peters Church and on to have a look at the Great Ouse, on its way to Bedford. The willow trees have been giving off a lot of fluff this year, and it was noticeable on the river where it had collected in large rafts.