Thursday 23rd August 2012 Ramble 11: Fenny Stratford, Milton Keynes to Camphill, Willen Park

Thursday 23rd August 2012

Ramble 11:  Fenny Stratford, Milton Keynes to Camphill, Willen Park; a walk of about 5 miles.

The weather was just right; warm and sunny, with a slight breeze.  

We were very pleased to have Peter, Sue, Hugh, Margaret, Russell, Tere, Glynis, John, Ian and Julie walking with us today.  All logistics worked out pretty well and it was certainly nice to have such good company.

We all rendezvoused in Fenny Stratford, walked through some side streets and down some steps to re-join the Grand Union Canal towpath. The canal follows the course of the River Ouzel until Woolstone, near Willen Park, that is practically today’s entire walk. Quite noticeably, too, a majority of Milton Keynes development was on the opposite side of the canal from the towpath and we were closer to parks, hedges; a more rural corridor.

 After going under the Bedford to Bletchley railway line (which, as recently announced, will be part of the Bedford to Oxford reopened line) we paused to watch boats go through Fenny Stratford lock.

 The next lock is 11 miles away at Cosgrove, making one of the largest pounds on the Grand Union Canal. It is also the one with the shortest fall, just 12 inches and, rather unusually, had a swing bridge across the middle of it.

 

Bridge 92A is large, imposing and modern. It carries the A5 London to Holyhead trunk road over the canal. There is a strange mix of old and new along here, as there are several other modern concrete bridges carrying the Milton Keynes traffic and then in between, the more familiar, small and hump-backed brick bridges. Some of the small bridges appeared to have been rebuilt recently (or maybe just a good clean-up) and a few were skew bridges, built oblique to the line of the canal.

 

 

We stopped to eat our packed lunches in a park alongside the canal, not far from the site of the Open University at Woughton Park. Refreshed, we continued, passing many boats occupied with people relaxing and some travelling on this pretty stretch of the canal.  Someone spotted a heron high up in the trees and we also saw several ducks including the ‘lesser yellow’. One moorhen had an insecure perch and was moving at speed after a boat passed by (may be fun but not quite white water rafting!).

 

 

 

Along our route we saw notices up about the Bedford to Milton Keynes Waterway project. Samuel Whitbread MP in 1810 proposed that a canal was built linking the River Great Ouse at Bedford and the Grand Union Canal around this point, and it looks as though it may come to fruition within the next few years. Now, of course, there are obstacles like the M1 and many roads to cross, requiring many locks and engineering feats, but a route has been identified and earmarked for the canal. The 20 mile long canal is the key missing link of a large navigable waterway ring.

 

We finished at Camp Hill café for our usual cuppa, this time at the thriving community for adults with learning disabilities, where there are productive gardens, a theatre and shop as well as residential facilities

Monday 6th August 2012 Ramble 10: Leighton Buzzard/Linslade to Fenny Stratford, Milton Keynes

Monday 6^th August 2012

Ramble 10:  Leighton Buzzard/Linslade in Bedfordshire to Fenny Stratford, Milton Keynes; a walk of about 8 miles.

The weather was mixed; mostly sunny with a heavy shower part way through.  

We were pleased that Peter, Sue, Hugh and Margaret joined us.

We started our walk by Tesco’s car park in Leighton Buzzard; this is also the official start of the Greensand Ridge Walk (the first long distance walk we did in 2010).

We passed Wyvern Shipping Co., Linslade, the canalboat hire company we have used twice for holidays. Many of their bright blue boats were moored up here at base, so perhaps business isn’t too good this year.

We stopped for a coffee with twee little almond biscuits at the picturesque Globe Inn. From a plaque, high up, we learnt this is part of the Sands of Time Trail. There is a virtual museum on the worldwide web, too, that celebrates the Leighton Buzzard sand industry.  When we set off again we needed our umbrellas and coats on as dark skies threatened rain. 

 Immediately we saw Bridge No. 111 and heard trains passing nearby. It was along this stretch of the railway line that the Great Train Robbery took place 49 years ago and passed into legend for sheer audacity and scale.

The canal follows the meandering course of the River Ouzel with gentle hills rising to both sides, but we only stopped to shelter and not to admire the views, as the rain shower was heavy.

Several bridges along here have marks on the upright edges where ropes have made indentations.

We had our picnic lunch at Soulbury, by the flight of 3 locks.  Some of the lock gates have been renewed and, although not appearing to be all wood, were much less leaky than most other locks we have seen.

Further on a heron, standing ahead of us on the towpath, was aiming to make it lunchtime. Sue slowly moved to within 4 feet of it before it flew away.  

We couldn’t quite make out what was going on here. 

After Willowbridge Marina we sensed that the end was not far off as the area had that ‘Milton Keynes’ look, that is concrete bridges, many new houses, rubbish and graffiti. Parts were pleasant though and many of the boats on the canal were very smart.

The walk finished at Fenny Stratford which means 'marshy ford on a Roman Road'. The Roman road is Watling Street, which went from Dover through London to Wroxeter in Shropshire.

Thursday 26th July 2012 Ramble 9: Marsworth to Leighton Buzzard

Thursday  26^th July 2012

Ramble 9:  Marsworth to Leighton Buzzard, an 8 mile walk. The weather was glorious; such a difference from the last walk and we were joined by Peter and Sue.

We re-joined the canal at Startop’s End, Marsworth by bridge No. 132. After a short distance we walked across the lock gates of a rare pair of staircase locks at the beginning of the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal. The canal arm is only 7 feet wide but the six miles to Aylesbury are still navigable.  We carried on walking alongside the main canal towards Pitstone and Ivinghoe; a rural and peaceful stretch where we saw many house martins flying around a more remote house besides another lock.  We passed under the busy west coast mainline railway, near which was another busy marina. Here is the base for Grebe Canal Cruise boats, two of which we saw plying their trade further along the canal. The ladies from one of the boats were stretching their legs and apparently paid compliments to the male members of our party!

 A small swing bridge, just a little further on, is operated by hand (not electrically like Winkwell, near Hemel Hempstead) and seemed perfectly balanced.

Several bridges along this stretch are double ones. There were plans to install additional locks at these points to speed up the passage of boats, but they were never fulfilled.

After a brief stop for sandwiches (and lovely cake) we continued mainly beside a hedge (providing welcome shade) and lush growth of reeds, meadowsweet and Willowherb flowers by the water.

 Sue spotted a heron perched high in a tree surveying the area and no doubt seeing us well beforehand.

Sue also spotted the White Lion, created in 1933 in the chalk of the Chiltern Hills to advertise Whipsnade Zoo. The lion is about 5 miles from the canal and we had a lovely clear view of it.

Church Lock was a delightful spot where we lingered a little before going on to expansive Grove Lock PH for much needed refreshments.

From here it wasn’t far to the Leighton Buzzard / Linslade conurbation and the end of this walk. This weekend there is a canal festival here and some participating boats were already moored at their allotted spot and selling their wares.  

Overall, ramble No 9 was delightful; a lovely day, a picturesque stretch of canal and good company. A slight mar to the day was that I twisted my ankle so I have to rest today. We saw what we think is a dead crayfish (without pincers) floating in the water but have been unable to find out whether it is native or one of the invading species.

Saturday 14th July 2012 Ramble 8: Northchurch lock (no. 49) to Marsworth

Saturday  14^th July 2012

Ramble 8:  Northchurch lock (no. 49) to Marsworth, a 5 mile walk. The weather was very damp!

We re-joined the canal at Lock No. 49/bridge No.139. We were soon walking across the canal at Dudswell to follow the towpath on the other side. All along this section the West Coast Mainline railway line was very close and we were surprised as to how frequent the service was. We saw many Virgin Pendolino trains.

A little further along was Cowroast Lock and associated buildings. It is a busy place with a large, but well-hidden Marina.  In the past the area was apparently called Cow Rest, as it was where cattle were grazed before transportation to markets in London.  A Roman road (Akeman Street) and an old drover’s route are nearby, crossing over the Chiltern Hills (and there I was thinking the cows would go in the barges along the canal!). 

Cowroast Lock marks the end of the Grand Union Canal’s climb up from the Thames at Brentford to Tring Summit Level. This is a 3-mile stretch of canal in a deep and wooded cutting (a major feat of engineering; lined with bricks, but still leaky). It is usually very quiet but today we came across an orienteering event with people running in both directions and also in canoes on the canal, all with maps strung around their necks. Most were mud-splattered as the towpath was not dry and some were more fragrant than others!

Still more people were loaded down with camping equipment on their backs, with brightly coloured orange waterproof covers (as now it was raining and they looked a little down).

Half-way along the cutting we saw signs to Tring Railway Station and further on, as we came out into a brighter section with less over-hanging trees, we met a swan family on the towpath. One of the cygnets practised swimming in a puddle while the parents stood on guard, causing a minor holdup, as people were reluctant to get too close.

Other hazards included fallen branches across the towpath and larger puddles, both due to the inclement weather of late, no doubt.

At Bulbourne Junction, where the Wendover Arm joins the main Grand Union Canal, there is a dry dock and other buildings that look older than many we have seen previously. In one large building, until recently, were made lock gates and other things for the canal. Now, it houses an iron works for large scale restoration projects, some of which were on show outside.

The Wendover Arm was originally non-navigable and built just to feed water, from springs and streams in the Wendover area, into reservoirs supplying the canal at the high level (all of 120m). This eliminated the need for a tunnel. The arm was widened to accommodate traffic but then fell into disrepair. This ‘withered arm’ is now in the process of being restored.

As we were walking past Bulbourne Junction we saw a lovely boat and butty both with Fellows, Morton and Clayton Ltd livery, going through the lock. 

We passed several locks, going down now, and saw reservoirs to our left, before completing our walk at Marsworth Lock No. 132; the Bluebells Café to be exact to get dry and have a warm drink.