Stockton isnt as ugly today as his feathers are starting to fluff up. Small mercies.... Set off at 9.30am with me sanding the new tiller handle to get it to fit as we went. Arrived at the northern portal of the Blisworth tunnel at 11.55am - at 3,050 yards long this is the longest tunnel on the system in regular use. Annie drove through and made a fantastic job of it - meeting just two boats coming the other way. Whilst this is a wider tunnel and allows two way traffic, it is none the less daunting passing other boats in the dark underground. Made it through to the other side at 12.35pm.
At Stoke Bruerne lock amidst seemingly hundreds of gongoozlers, a lady came up and introduced herself. Kathryn Doddington who organised the Basingstoke Canal reopening cruise, had recognised our boat name and chatted to us for as long as it took to lock through. She has recently moved to Stoke Bruerne.
There are lots of hire boats about now. Some moving erratically, some barely moving at all. Still we all had to start somewhere! Caught one up moving slowly, then got passed as it ran aground. Made sure they got off first though.
Moved into Milton Keynes before stopping - we have to press on hard if we are to make London by the weekend.
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| Entering the Blisworth tunnel |
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| Annie helming through the tunnel, looking understandably pensive! |
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| Crossing an aquaduct |
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| Mega-mural in Milton Keynes |
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