Wednesday 25th July 2007 Great Linford to Wolverton Mike, Wendy, cats Tilly & Mandy
We made a late start (at 15:53) because of Tilly going exploring. We moored by Wolverton station at 17:05 for the sake of some shopping. DAY'S RUN 2.5 miles, no locks in 1 hour 12 mins Thursday 26th July 2007 Wolverton to the foot of Stoke Bruerne locks Mike, Wendy, cats Tilly & Mandy The weather was filthy.We started at 12:05, when the weather appeared to clear, hoping to get up Stoke Bruerne locks before evening. We stopped at Cosgrove facilities point to take on water & dispose of rubbish. Soon the rain came back and became vicious. We stopped before Stoke Bruerne locks at 15:10 because the rain was making the visibility very bad. DAY'S RUN 7.5 miles, 1 lock in 2 hours 44 mins Friday 27th July 2007 Stationary at the foot of Stoke Bruerne locks Mike, Wendy, cats Tilly & Mandy It was a nice sunny day so, by Sod's Law, Tilly spent it hunting in the hedgerow and we weren't able to do any boating. Saturday 28th July 2007 Foot of Stoke Bruerne to top of Stoke Bruerne Mike, Wendy, cats Tilly & Mandy Setting off at 11:18, we waited half an hour in the bottom lock, but no partner appeared and some downhill boats did, so we set off up the flight. We reached the top of the locks at 13:47, where the lock-keeper was very helpful and suggested we moor on the "disabled priority" mooring. I went to the "Boat Inn" and the museum (where there was an interesting temporary exhibition about tracing ancestors on the waterways). While I was away, the boat next to us left and Wendy was able to move the boat off the disabled mooring. DAY'S RUN 0.9 miles, 7 locks in 2 hours 29 mins. Sunday 29th July 2007 Stoke Bruerne local Mike, Wendy, cat Mandy Tilly at the start) By 11:40 we finally got Tilly on board & set off with both cats (as we thought) settled in the cabin. But as Wendy went into the cabin to turn some inside lights on for the tunnel, Tilly shot out of the cabin doors, leapt onto a moored boat we were passing and ran up the bank. So we moored again, only ten minutes after setting off and just a few yards further. Wendy spoke to the lock-keeper and he agreed to us overstaying on the mooring until Tilly came back. DAY'S RUN 0.3 miles, no locks in 10 minutes Monday 30th & Tuesday 31st July 2007 stationary at Stoke Bruerne Mike, Wendy, cat Mandy Tilly didn't come back aboard, although she was on the roof of the boat quite often at night, talking to us. She'd obviously found some good hunting. Wednesday 1st August 2007 Stoke Bruerne to Gayton Junction & return Mike, Wendy, cat Mandy We needed both water and a pump-out, so decided to do an out-and-back run to the other side of the tunnel setting off at 11:41. We had an easy run through the tunnel with little traffic coming the other way and no fumes. At Gayton Junction we took on water, then winded and made our way Blisworth Tunnel Boats, where it was a difficult mooring for a pump-out because of other moored boats. So we decided not to buy gas, which was another thing we'd had in mind. The return run through the tunnel was quite unpleasant, with a lot of diesel fumes bouncing the light of our tunnel lamp right back at us, and quite a lot of traffic to cross. We arrived back near Stoke Bruerne winding hole at 15:10. At first we could only moor rather nearer the tunnel than we'd been before, but when another boat left, we were able to go back onto the same mooring that Tilly knew. We were next to our friends Dennis & Bridget's boats. DAY'S RUN 6.0 miles, no locks in 2 hours 55 mins. Thursday 2nd to Sunday 12th August 2007 stationary at Stoke Bruerne Mike, Wendy, cat Mandy &b occasionally Tilly Tilly was still mostly away, although from time to time on the roof of the boat or the fore-peak, but avoiding coming into the cabin. We began to wonder whether she was fed up with living with us, or with boating. On the first Thursday, Wendy went to Northampton for shopping as what was available in Roade or at the Boat Inn shop was very limited. She travelled in with Bridget, who was visiting her mother. Northampton Sainsbury's wasn't very inspiring. Next day Mike decided to go to London for a few days to do some paper work for the museum and other things, including talking to our neighbours about them buying the flat (they're going to). Wendy discovered that, contrary to report,Towcester doesn't have a Tesco, but does have a Waitrose (much better) a Somerfield, a decent greengrocer's stall (in the later part of each week) and a traditional butcher. It's also a shorter and prettier journey than to Northampton. By the end of the second week, we were beginning to despair of Tilly's return. TO BE CONTINUED -- Mike Stevens narrowboat Felis Catus III web-site www.mike-stevens.co.uk No man is an island. So is Man.
