The Campbells are coming

 What on earth? The canal boat ahead of us has sprouted a huge crane from its hold. First it was extended across the canal and then across the towpath. What the ...?

Not a very good picture - taken through two windows

When we set off we found that it was a C&RT vessel and that the men had probably been working the equipment to make sure that it all still worked.

There it is, all folded up and back in place.

Not far from our overnight mooring is The Three Locks. A friend of ours in our village used to be landlady here, so we feel as if it is 'our pub.' 

As we got close to Milton Keynes we passed a very nice development complete with its own private moorings and lift bridge. It was good to see several boats moored up on the pontoons. 

We noticed today that there are fewer boats on the cut than when we came down on Saturday. Obviously, folk were making a long weekend of it but today we fairly sailed along, only slowing for the residential moorings. 

Below is a picture of the second lifeboat that we have seen on our journey this time. Probably difficult to sink, unlike another poor boat that was well down in the water. 

Well, tonight we have stopped at Campbell Park where there are mooring rings and nice views from the windows. 

As you can tell, we are now on our way back home but we've had a lovely time coming down this way. We would have liked to have gone further South but the weather was against us at the start. OK, we could have pressed on through the rain and snow but we wanted to enjoy our time away and not motor just for the sake of motoring. We did all that when we were much younger and enjoying our leisure time now takes precedence. 

See, a nice view from our window.