Stoke Hammond

Monday 22nd July 2013
It's been a hectic few days. Liz arrived on Friday night, bringing Daniel. He is to stay with us for the week.
This is new territory for us, while we've had him for the occasional night while moored in Clarence Dock, this was a completely new ball game.
For the first night Liz stayed with us, but on Saturday morning she was off on her favourite pastime, LARP.
We decided to move straight away, and after chugging down to the winding hole we turned around and headed back to Linford Wharf, where there are services. After watering, dumping rubbish and a can we had intended to moor here for the night, there was a playground close by which we thought might be good for Danny. A closer look showed it was in a poor state, and mooring was tight anyway so we turned around again and set off back to Campbell Park but moored on the opposite side where there is 14 days allowed. We then set off to catch the bus into town to do a bit of shopping.
Later I took Danny for a walk around the park area to the east of the canal. Here we found a Gulliver's Kingdom amusement park, but at £16 for him and 15 for me I didn't reckon I'd get a good deal, he's a bit young yet to make full use of it.
Sunday we moved off and went through Fenny Stratford Lock. This was Danny's first time on a manual lock, so we were a bit apprehensive at first. He was very well behaved, not getting too close to the edge, and pushes like a trooper when opening the gate. We'll soon build him up, and then we can relax and let him do all the work.
During the evening a heron came and landed in a tree close by and I got this piccy.

Today we once again cast off and chugged down the canal, heading towards Leighton Buzzard. First stop was for Stoke Hammond Lock. This place has bad memories for us. Many years ago we were visiting an old college friend of Cath's, and while here our car, a TR6, was stolen. The police found it on its side in a ditch. It was a write off.
After that lock, it isn't far to Soulbury 3 Locks. I managed to get a few pics here.

Not long after the locks we decided to moor up for the day as the sun was getting very hot. It's supposed to be the hottest day so far according to those chuffs at The Met Office.
This afternoon Dan and I went for walk along the canal, he picked some flowers to take back for his Nan.