Stoke Bruerne

It was a very wet and cold day! It began grey but dry although half way through the morning the rain arrived and continued for much of the day. What made it unpleasant was the temperature - more like winter than late spring!

Closed Steps to Wolverton

Mike had planned a prompt start but overslept and so it was half past nine when we started. The plan was to move just half a mile at first to pause at Wolverton to pick up a paper.

New Footbridge to Wolverton

To Mike's surprise the steps up the main bridge have now been closed and an alternative route to the shops is found via the nearby new footbridge. This passes through the converted railway carriage works for which Wolverton was once famous. Alas, Mike did not have a camera as the battery needed changing as he left the boat. The conversion is very interesting - a little gloomy but it was good to see that the industrial heritage has not been entirely swept away by new office developments.

River Great Ouse

We then continued, gradually leaving behind the outskirts of Milton Keynes. The edge of the city is marked by the Cosgrove Iron Trunk aqueduct. We did not really have time to stop and inspect the newly-painted trough from below but the river was looking very swollen and a strong wind blew us sideways as we crossed over the narrow iron trough.

Cosgrove Iron Trunk Aqueduct

Below Cosgrove Lock is a line of moored boats - Mike wondered whether the owners of Vital Spark know that its West Gallery music connections are with a popular funeral anthem!

Vital Spark

Just above Cosgrove Lock is the point at which the Buckingham Arm joined the main line - hopefully the efforts to restore it will one day be successful. As we left the lock - only a small rise - the rain arrived.

Start of Buckingham Arm

Despite the promise of only 'one drop' rain on the BBC web site forecast, it arrived heavily and stayed that way for the rest of the morning. Christine wisely kept inside whilst Mike gradually soaked through and felt as if his feet were standing in a puddle!

The Old Brewery at Thrupp Wharf

The Old Brewery at Thrupp Wharf has been converted to offices which are now ready to let. Other parts of the area also form a high quality development but we suspect that most of the buildings are newer than they are meant to look!

Taking photos in the rain is not likely to produce the best of results!

With so much rain, it was perhaps not surprising that the overflows were running quite fast - despite still being subject to drought conditions!

What was driving us onwards was the opening restriction times at Stoke Bruerne - last entry at 2 o'clock. We reached there just after 13:00 so there was time to use the sanitary station and to fill the water tank. Waiting to fill up, we made a start on lunch - another of Christine's special soups. Extra chilli flakes meant that it was just what was needed, along with eggy bread.

Stoke Bruerne Bottom Lock

We were still finishing off when the hire boat which had passed through Cosgrove just before us opted to begin the flight of locks - Mike had already started to set it. They were a family of three from Finland and, although they had hired the boat from Gayton Junction, had not been warned about the limited opening. They were relieved that they had started in time! We were all rather pleased that the rain took a long lunch break and were able to complete the flight in the dry.

As we arrived at the fifth lock up we met the lock keeper who was ready to put the padlock on the top gates - we were a bit surprised but probably this is because the next, longer, pound is a recognised mooring place even though no-one was there!)

Boat Scales - Stoke Bruerne Top Lock

The other boat decided to stop for a while above the top lock - unlike other times we have been here there were almost no onlookers!

Sample Tunnel Section

It is only a short distance then to the entrance to Blisworth Tunnel. Alongside the tunnel portal is a sample of the concrete sections that were used to repair the central section of the tunnel. The lock keeper had warned that it would be a bit wet but, apart from one very short section and the air vents, it was remarkably dry.

Blisworth Mill

After emerging from the tunnel we continued for about another hour - the former Blisworth Mill is now a set of apartments - through Gayton Junction, finally pulling in to the bank when we found a spot with the possibility of a tv signal yet not to close to the very busy railway line.

Gayton Junction

 13.0 miles - 8 locks