Goodbye Milton Keynes, hello Cosgrove

Today – Linford Park to Cosgrove, Grand Union Canal, 4.5 miles 0 locks
Yesterday – Moored Linford Park, Milton Keynes

You know, just watching the world go by can sometimes be the most entertaining activity.  On yet another warm morning yesterday I decided to sit on the roof and watch 6 skillful fishermen on the far side of the canal, just to the south of me, with their long poles, concentrating intently on that little movement from the floats…… drag a fish back, and dump it in their keep net.  For sure the third one along was miles ahead… no sooner he had got his line and float back into the water, he was dragging it in again with yet another for the keep net. 

Such quietness and concentration was suddenly shattered when a 70ft heavy old narrowboat decided to leave the moorings here in Linford Park and reverse back to the winding hole (turning point).  Obviously not wanting to do 10 miles further the way it was pointed to turn round.  That was fine except the path it had to take was straight through this tranquil scene of the 6 fishermen. There was a slight breeze…. and those who have experience of handling a narrowboat going backwards will know exactly what happened!  And those that don’t can guess!

Then from under the bridge came 2 long hire boats,  they too had to pass the fishermen!  Yet another boat, going forward, was following the 70ft boat going backwards into the incoming two hireboats…..fishermen shouting and moaning..  I tried very hard not to smile, but in the end I was giggling out loud looking round to see if anyone was watching me!!  I will let your imagination picture the scene…. it has started me off giggling again now just writing about it!!  All six fishermen decided to call it a day soon after…. no doubt off to the pub for a pint before lunch all reflecting on their nightmare an hour earlier!

Sunday lunch for us was at the Nags Head, in Linford Park (the white building in the distance in the pic) .  I highly recommend this one for a Sunday stop.  Gorgeous roast dinner… £4.99 too!  A very comfortable pub this, it’s just outside the Linford Park gates near the church.  Moor on the offside after bridge 78 (going north).

It was nice to see Colin and the boys in the afternoon, and we spent the time until dusk fishing.  Well the fishermen in the morning had much more luck…. with 5 rods between us, we managed just one perch!!

Lucy has not been too well lately, well not eating.  I had a feeling she ate something about a week or so ago.  She went missing for about 15 minutes, and later Annie from Moore2Life found a rabbit’s leg near the boat.  I am wondering if she ate a dead rabbit or something.  Anyway she wouldn’t eat.  It didn’t help that I had run out of her favourite food, and she definitely wasn’t keen on the Tesco mix I had got her… Colin very kindly went to one of the big pet stores for me this morning and appeared with Lucy’s regular stuff.  Thanks Colin, you're a gem . No sooner had I opened it and put some in her bowl she was emptying it!…. so was it a poorly tum, or was she sulking with me!… Wish they could talk sometimes..

So today it was goodbye to Milton Keynes, the town built around the canal in the most amazing way.  Criss crossed with walk and bike ways, a truly modern town with an eye to leisure and pleasure… perfect.

Today then. Just a short trip to Cosgrove… a late walk this evening,  taking the walk along the Great River Ouse.  Watching the water flow, my mind was on the Middle Levels when we will be taking in this river further downstream as we cruise to Bedford sometime in the coming months..