Friday 27 February 09, Great Linford to Linslade 5 locks 7 hours 15 mins.



A nice long day on the boat today, we were awoken by a jogger thumping along the tow path at 7am (these boats are extremely silent at night and you can hear the faintest noise inside or out). Breakfast was done and dusted when we realised that the toilet was approaching full at an alarming rate, checking the Nicholson guide the nearest boatyard was of course miles away
(All of about 5) so off we had to go.
Slipping our moorings on a really nice springlike day we headed off, we were soon moving through a lot of peoples gardens which does feel odd at the moment but nevertheless quite interesting!

We arrived at Willowbridge Marina in the early afternoon a little bit worried if this was going to be successful as Whilton Marina where we bought Ubique said they have never seen a pump out system like the one aboard and didnt have a clue how it worked.

Didnt need to worry, the people at the yard were all over the boat worked it all out and now we know what to do. They were great and after chatting for a while it turns out that they had taken early retirement only planning to do the canals for a couple of years which turned into a 6 year lifestyle ending with them running this boatyard. mmmm.


Moving on we passed through the strangely named village of Fenny Stratford which although sounding about as rural as you can get was home to the biggest Tesco distribution
depot I have ever seen, it was huge!!!

Bletchley was on the other side proudly boasting its link to the "codebreakers" of WW2.

Near the end of the day three locks in quick succession, Debs called these her first "flight",
best wait for Foxton or the Cain Hill before thinking again.

Going up.

Made it.

Have moored outside of a waterside pub called the Globe Inn at Linslade, took one look at the menu and wine list, decided that we don't need another mortgage, had a pint and left for the boat.

Tomorrow will see us turning around as there are more stoppages below us, cant believe we have got here already!! will have to slow down a bit.

The log burner and a glass of wine awaits now.

Cheers till the morrow.