It was beautiful this morning when I took Macc for a walk round the reservoirs.
The Marsworth and Tringford reservoirs both appear to have a feed into the Startopsend one, but that one is still pretty low. At the far corner there’s an overspill weir, which clearly hasn’t had anything over it for a while.
We set off a bit before 9, with Adrian walking down to set the lock which needed filling. Once down, we crossed the junction where the Aylesbury Arm goes off.
We’d been planning to stop at the water point because we’ve done a few loads of washing and drying over the past few days, but a widebeam had just pushed over onto it, and we weren’t going to hang about waiting for him to fill what could be a big tank. Instead we headed on towards the two Marsworth Locks, passing plenty of spaces on the moorings. The pound in between the two locks is often a bit empty, but today it was up to its proper level. There’s a flat section next, past the Dunstable and District Boat Club and Cook’s Wharf. After we’d gone under the railway bridge, I saw a bright blue Inter City 125 go over. It’s a special train, the Midland Pullman, which today was doing Lancaster to Penzance for the weekend. Adrian had got off at the rail bridge to operate the swing bridge just ahead.
The three Seabrook Locks all needed turning, but at the top Ivinghoe Lock there was a boat going down. They waited for us at the second Ivinghoe Lock, where there was also a boat to come up, soon to be joined by two more.
We were only doing one more lock, but At Last we’re carrying on to Leighton Buzzard. Just before the moorings at Slapton Lock, these young cows were all looking over.
We stopped in the first available space, but then I walked up to see if better spaces were available further up. There were a couple, so we picked one of them and moored up. There’s piling here, and it’s the first time we’ve used piling hooks to moor since sometime in June! Last time we were here, we noticed that the glamping pods opposite no longer seemed to be in use. This time, they’re reduced to piles of timber.
After lunch, Macc and I did a circular walk taking in the village of Slapton, which is just up the lane. There’s not much there, but they do have a nice village sign.
On the way back along the towpath I found some blackberries, so returned with a bag full. Most of the ones we’ve seen recently have been well past their best, but these ones were ok. I stewed them with a couple of slightly elderly apples that were in the fruit bowl, and then as we possibly have visitors tomorrow I made some cup cakes with some of the fruit inside.
During the day, CRT notices have come up with slight relaxations to the restrictions at Stoke Bruerne, Buckby, and Braunston Locks, which is good news. But there’s a one day stoppage on Monday at the Three Locks and Stoke Hammond, because of low water levels. Our tentative plan involved us going down those ones on Tuesday anyway, so hopefully the short closure will be enough.
5 miles, 9 locks. (139 miles, 106 locks)