Stoke Bruerne

We managed to get off at 7.45am yesterday on a grey & cold morning, definite touch of autumn about it.

 A very long mural next to the railway in Wolverton which surprisingly doesn't seem to have been defaced by graffiti 

A brief stop at Wolfreton Tesco to stock up the cupboards & then on to Cosgrove. We did really want to top up the water tank but the tap is almost on the lock mooring & as a Wyvern hire boat was in the lock kindly waiting for us we decided to fill up later. Once through the lock & it's straight onto the service point & another tap except one boat filling up & another waiting so we pulled in behind, emptying loo cassettes & disposing of rubbish whilst we waited. It seemed we would be in for a longish wait as the tap was slow so feeling impatient we decided to push on.

under the elegant Solomon's Bridge, Cosgrove...

then over the Great Ouse Aqueduct...

 We spotted some good moorings just before Stoke Bruerne locks so decided that would do for the day. After lunch we had a walk up into the village & as far as the tunnel, we noted some 24 hour moorings after the 5th lock & decided they would be okay for to overnight before going through the tunnel on Thursday.

Up early this morning, on the water point by 7am (!!) a good fast filler so it didn't take long & all but the 5th lock were in our favour so we were on the 24 hour moorings by 8.30am. As the towpath is on the port side I decided to give the gunwales on that side a coat of blacking as it will be a while until we have the towpath on that side again. It was quite pleasant being outside doing the painting, much warmer than yesterday ( when we nearly lit the fire!) & the sun poked it's nose out now & again.

After lunch we had a walk up into the village to check out the museum, we enjoyed the exhibits, our daily grind ( well not really now I'm retired but you know what I mean) pales into insignificance when you consider how the navvies that dug the canals earned their crust & then how hard the boat people worked. Hard times though for them just life as it was....

Anyway we looked out of the window to see...

 hire boaters enjoying their lunch oblivious to the fact (or maybe don't care) 

that they are moored on the water point

 a busy top lock... 

& in the eaves a house martin nest with young, 

the parents dashing back & forth to keep them fed.

I though it was a bit late for young but my RSPB book says that house martins can have up to 3 broods & as late as October before flying to Africa for the winter.

We are planning to get through the tunnel early doors ( knowing Mark it'll be a 6am call!) then press on, we are hoping to 'do' the Ashby Canal this autumn then plan to head back up to the Shroppie before winter sets in, stoppages permitting as usual.