Licence decisions and blocked footpaths

3rd Dec - Cruising between Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard, Grand Union Canal, 1 mile 0 locks

The young lady from the Anglian Region Environmental Agency was full of information when I phoned.  "April 05-March 06, er that will be £497.52" *GULP!* "Yes a visitors licence for use for 28 consecutive days, now that's £125.00 as long as you have a BW normal licence" *GULP!* again!

So decision made, we will have the 'Gold' Licence next year.  I am absolutely certain we will be spending more than 28 days exploring the Rivers and Middle Levels in the Anglian region next year.  Anyway I would like to go to Cambridge.... I might even have a punt!  Well that sounds much more English than taking a trip on a gondola down the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal!

Just moved on a little way today so Chas and Ann on NB Moore 2 Life could pick up a Tesco order at a handy bridge.  After lunch went out walking.  It was very difficult one.  I chose a cross country route and set off only to meet gate after gate padlocked.  At this particular gate (see the chain and padlock), There was just nowhere for Lucy to scramble through to the next field.  All the hedges had stock proof wire through them, and the gates were hung low as you can see, The so she couldn't scramble through.

The white disc on the post by the gate is a wayfarer arrow pointing the way forward.  Luckily Lucy is very agile, and was able to leap over this gate, but me being not quite so agile, decided better of that and climbed over it!

I thought that I would make a point of reporting this particular path.  It was very obvious that people were not using it, at times the grass was long underfoot, for sure there had not been many people passing.  I went to the Ramblers Association web site for advice, and found some interesting things about blocked footpaths and what constitutes actual blocking, and had to smile... "a heap of manure dumped on a path is an obstruction"  Well I never!

Anyway, I might come by this place again, and it was a very pleasant walk, or would have been without all the obstructions.  Going on through some ploughed land my boots felt twice the weight with the amount of soil deposited on them.  Came back a bit tired today.

Just been relaxing a bit this evening.  Tomorrow I might just spend some time on the back deck with the rod dangling.  Apparently there are some nice fish in the canal here.