Sat 12th July - Leighton Buzzard to Wolverton

Collected much beloved friend Shay from Acton Centralk station, and made the journey up to LB together. We were briefly tempted by the pleasures of the Leighton Buzzard Carnival, but Shay was only up for the day, and wanted a boat trip with access to as train back to London at the end, so we pressed on. Always a difficult balance for me - stay & explore, or get the distance covered. I am keen to see places and make the most of them, but also it seems a shame for the summer to be used this close to home.

I made sure Shay sat out on the front deck before we hit MK, and of course she loved it - it's an essential pleasure, I think, memorable from the first time I was ever on a boat. Otherwise we passed the day in lots of chat and a bit of fruit cider - I always find the bit around MK a bit tedious - all very nice, but not very interesting... we made it most of the way to Wolverton, so had time for a pint in the New Inn before the short walk to the station. I pulled up behind several other boats just before the bridge there, and found myself grounded on gravel. An odd night, as the boat didn't rock about gently as I moved around.

(40l diesel at Willowbridge)