NB Rock 'n' Roll

Monday 31st August - Friday 11th September

Friday 11th - the return journey - what a trip - a monunmental day as George called it!

We did a total of 31.5 lock miles - 7.25 miles and 23 locks from Aylesbury Basin to Bulbourne.

The weather was still very warm and the scenerey great

George has walked all the way except for the mile or so through the weeds
and done all the lockwheeling too - he was shattered at the end of the day - no wonder!

Molly was tired too!

On Monday 7th we upped sticks from Bulbourne and cruised on to Cowroast for services before winding and mooring at Marsworth by the Bluebells Cafe. Off down the Aylesbury Arm tomorrow.

into lock number 1

looking down the first set of locks

The Charolais cattle were interested in the lock operation - he was a big fellow!

I think this was the approach to Puttenham top lock - the willows were very impressive

looking back at the beautiful house on the lock - I'd like to live there!

a stiff lock gate - it was a very hot day - brilliant for September - I hope it will last

the weeds encroach from both sides

but do not heed navigation - fortunately nothing coming the other way!

thought this pony silhouetted against the sky made a good picture

Aylesbury Basin - excellent mooring slot provided by the Aylesbury Canal Society - the towpath mooring was chock-a-block but as we had telephoned ahead and were promised a space we were allowed to moor in a member's slot for 3 nights.

The basin at 6am on the 9th

We loved Aylesbury especially up by the St Mary's church; we had lunch on the lawn between the old graves and from where we sat and looked out over the wall around the church we could have been in the 1800's - it was a peaceful scene. We took loads of photos, but here a just a few.

Market day around the cenotaph

nothing seems to have changed much in at least a century

speaks for itself!

the high alter

time for a pint in the courtyard of the Kings Head

Molly immortalised sitting on the top of a narrowboat on an underpass near the college

glad of a sit down after a long day!

Sunday 6th - Sunset over the reservoir taken at 8pm

a crested grebe on the Tring Reservoir

Tuesday 1st September - on Sunday when we returned to Bulbourne after our trip with my brother and his family we discovered that the alternator had packed up and so had the genset!! We had no jump leads so on Monday morning George walked into Tring and managed to buy some from a garage. He connected them to the starter battery and used that battery to charge the others so at least we managed to get the engine going.

We rang Sam Matts of Foxton Boats as both are still under guarantee - here he is arriving today - our life saver!! He replaced the alternator but couldn't do anything about the genset as time was short and we didn't know how to dismantle the back steps to access it. Graham boat fitter is coming on Saturday - he'll show us how it's done. If Sam can't fix it, he will remove it to get it repaired and return it when we're next in the areas, in the meantime we will need to ensure that the engine is run sufficiently to cope with the washer, freezer etc.