Milton Keynes

 We had an early start as Carolyn wanted to get into Milton Keynes as early as possible. As we approached the town we came across this motorcycle that had been thrown in the canal . No doubt someones pride and joy that some little scroat nicked.

 We passed this boat with a generator and I was well impressed that someone added an exhaust and tried to quieten it down.

 No sooner had we moored at Campbell park then Carolyn is off over the bridge being watched by Hamish. Its a one mile walk uphill to the shopping centre in Milton Keynes.
 With Carolyn gone myself and Hamish went around for a cuppa with our friend Paul on his boat and ended up on the Whiskey. Needless to say I had one or three too many and after returning to Inca I didn't see much more of the day. ZZzzzzz

 With the camera in her bag Carolyn snapped a few festive snaps from the centre.

After what she said was a very enjoyable 7 hours shopping Carolyn caught the bus down from the shopping centre to Campbell park and somehow I walked over to meet her and carry everything back to Inca. Hopefully that's all the Christmas shopping done ,but I wouldn't bet on it.

                                                                Happy Days

Always have a backup

They say that on a boat you should have a backup plan for every eventuality. We have a generator if the engine fails , spare water pump , two forms of heating etc etc. But when it came to hair clippers who would have thought that they would pack up halfway through cutting your hair. Luckily being in Leighton Buzzard Carolyn was soon on the phone and tracked down some new ones. I just had to sit on Inca with a hat on for a couple of hours..... Its all good fun !!!!

                                                                  Happy Days

To Buzzard

 After a couple of peaceful and very enjoyable days at the end of the Wendover arm its time to move. We pulled pins at 09.00 and with the level up in the arm and the pumps pumping water into the canal we made good time down the arm.

 All was going well until we reached the Marsworth flight of locks. For some bizarre reason some idiot decided to leave a paddle up on the bottom gates of every lock on the flight. As I've said before the rules of locking are very simple. Close all gates and paddles unless otherwise instructed. So with empty locks and some low pounds going was slow.

 

 We saw this strange Duck and didn't have a clue what it was. It was with a load of Mallards who didn't seem to want it around them and was bullying it .

 Like the jumper Carolyn ..Whats that all about ?

 

 Contractors busy on the towpath above Grove lock. But I'm not sure why they were cutting the grass, It couldn't have been more than an inch or two long.

 Incoming Swan.

After a good days cruise we arrived at Leighton Buzzard where we will have a couple of days for her Ladyship to do a bit of Xmas shopping before moving onto Milton Keynes where apparently there is a need to do even more Xmas shopping as there are even more bigger and better shops there.

                                                                 Happy Days

Chillin up the Wendover

 We are still up the end of The Wendover arm and with Nb Mandalay we are the only boats here. At this time of year you get very few walkers so its a great place to chill for a day or two.

 With plenty of good walks we are soon off on our travels and enjoying The Chiltern hills. I think more practice is required in the art of taking a selfie.

 I wonder what Carolyn is putting in her pocket ?. Could it be a Turnip from the Turnip field we are in…..PS It tasted lovely with our roast Pork dinner.

 Nothing much has changed on the Wendover arm restoration work below the wooden bridge 4 since the last time we were here.

 But its good to see work is being carried out on the Wendover side of the bridge. With all the work being carried out by volunteers its a very slow job. But you can see that progress is being made.They have a website where you can follow them just click on the following link.        http://www.wendoverarmtrust.co.uk/

 The bridge at Little Tring ,just before you get to the end of the arm.

 Built 15 years ago and I bet that brickwork wasn't easy to do.

 This is the pumping station where water is pumped from the reservoir that keeps Tring summit topped up. It has been pumping most of the time we have been here. With very few boats on the move and the locks not being used I would have thought there is probably a rather large leak somewhere.

This is one Bird we see a lot of up here in the Chilterns , Its a  Red Kite. Between 1989 and 1994, kites from Spain were imported and released into the Chilterns by the RSPB and English Nature (now Natural England). Red kites started breeding in the Chilterns in 1992 and now there could be over 1,000 breeding pairs in the area. The reintroduction has been so successful it is not possible to monitor all the nests, so the overall size of the population can only be estimated. Since 1999, chicks have been taken from the Chilterns to reintroduction sites in other parts of the country.
After a couple of peaceful days here and enjoying the Red Kites soaring overhead it will soon be time to move on again .It will take us a couple of days to get from here to Leighton Buzzard where Carolyn wants to do a bit of the S word ( No not that S word ,its shopping) so we will have a couple of days there before moving on again  .

                                                               Happy Days

Dopey Swan

 

At 09.10 we pulled pins after a couple of enjoyable days at Berkhamstead, it was a good cruise  up to Tring summit with all the locks in our favour. At Cowroast lock you are asked to leave the lock empty ,so after Inca left the lock Carolyn lifted a paddle on the bottom gates to allow the lock to drain, just as she was getting back on-board a Dopey Swan decided to jump from the bank and into the lock. We could have left it trapped in there, but being good boaters like we are the lock was refilled and we then had to persuade the Swan to come out of the lock which was easier said than done.

It was good to see this old working boat near Bulbourne, especially as we had passed the site of the old Ovaltine factory some days ago at Kings Langley.

The Iron works at Bulbourne and they do some brilliant pieces of steel art there.

What about this for a centre piece in any garden. I absolutely love it and the way its rusting just adds to its charm.  

Turning into the Wendover arm and its always slow progress up this shallow and narrow canal. Its made even worse if the pumping station is adding water up at Little Tring which it was today.

With the water level being well up we didn't have any trouble getting around the corner next to the Heyfields flour factory like we have had on previous visits when we have gone aground in the middle of the canal.

After a most enjoyable cruise and with very mild seasonal weather we were lucky enough to pick up this mooring at the end of the navigable arm. We will have a couple of days here in the Chiltern Hills and make the most of the peace and quiet and some of the good walks in the area.

                                                                                                           Happy Days