Wilstone Visitor Moorings to Aylesbury Basin
No morning shore leave for Tilly today, there’d also be no shore leave at lunchtime as we wanted to reach the end of the canal, we couldn’t risk someone getting a touch too busy for our human plans!
Down the first lock, Mick with windlass in hand and me at the tiller. The locks are now spread out more so picking Mick up meant I’d be able to sit down between locks. At the second lock Mick hopped off to open the gate the lock already full for us. Just as he was about to cross the top gate to open it a chap appeared from below and started to wind the bottom paddle up. ‘HEY!’ It’s quicker to shout on Oleanna rather than open up the rear hatch to bip the horn and risk Tilly eagerly waiting for some shore leave. Once Mick realised what was happening he also shouted to the chap. On quiet waterways this happens, as you get into a routine and with not many boats you can forget to look. The chap was apologetic and wound his paddle down.
He wasn’t keen on the canal, ‘too much hard work!’ We wondered where he’d not been. We thought about it between locks. The bottom gates are such that stepping across gates isn’t possible as the only walkway is on top of the gates and some handrails get in the way, so unless you walk over your boats roof you have to walk all the way round to open and close gates.
We wondered why the canal had been built with the majority of it’s top gate beams on the off side. This means you have to cross the gate to open it, most narrow locks on the system are operated from the towpath side unless there is a serious lack of room. If anyone knows, please tell us. My hunt for more information came up with that the canal was originally planned to head to Abingdon on the Thames, but the route west of Aylesbury had so much opposition from landowners that it was never built. What a ring that would have been.
When first opened in 1814 the canal was busy, timber and building materials were transported into Aylesbury and agricultural produce went out. The Aylesbury Condensed Milk Company was established by Bridge 17 in 1870. The canals commercial use went on into the 1950’s. In the mid 1960’s the canal was threatened with closure due to neglect, The Aylesbury Canal Society was formed to encourage the use of the canal and assure it’s future.
A Tern joined us, swooping and turning over head, it’s shadow flitting about announcing it’s arrival. They fascinate me, I must remember how to turn the multi frame function on on my camera for such moments.
Reeds encroach the canal, hopefully we’d not come across another boat. Except we did! Thankfully he pulled to one side before a few trees would have made it impossible to pass. Old wooden boats sat on the bank, those still in the water were being pumped out at regular intervals.
There was space to moor up above Broughton Lock 14, so a pause for lunch was had before we carried onwards to the basin.
At Circus Fields Basin, run by the Aylesbury Canal Society, you can moor for free for 7 days, but we wanted to reach the end so carried on past. You can tell the majority of boats stop and don’t carry on as by the next bridge the weed increased. Down Osier Bed Lock 15 there was even more weed. A pause in Hills and Partridge Lock 16 to clear the prop was necessary, I tried to also clear the weed that had come into the lock with us.
Mick battled on wading through the weed towards the basin, now the weed lessened. We pulled in to use the elsan for our yellow water, then reversed back onto one of the pontoons. A chat with Over the Yarnarm a trading boat was had as we tied up and they made ready to push off having been here for 7 days.
It was now time for me to sit down, my knee despite not working locks or walking much still a problem. I answered the questions on the NHS 111, see a GP or visit an Urgent Treatment Centre was the advice. Looks like we may be doing that tomorrow.
8 locks, 5.1 miles, 1 pause for lunch, 1 bord cat, 1 empty wee tank, 2 sad git pies from Waitrose, 2 trips down the weed hatch.
Well done on preserving to the end! Is it a silver propeller location? Probably not!
Hope that darn knee starts behaving soon, Dr Moore prescribes keep it up when sitting keep it iced and none weight bearing exercise. Get the Brompton out no hills spinning gently. Plus all the other seated exercises! Take care.
Thank you Ade. Have to say I’m not a fan of the Brompton, but I have to try to keep moving.
The Aylesbury Arm isn’t a silver prop location, the Wendover arm is and we’ve been there loads!
Ah there you have it, wendover arm wins!
Currently has stop planks across it part way down. But we’ve been there loads of times