We are on an extended cruise the first part of which involves a journey down the Grand Union to London and then along the Thames to the River Wey Navigations. The purpose of this, apart from the obvious pleasures of boating, is to attend a wedding in the Farnham area.
We left Yardley Wharf mid-morning on Sunday (27/7) and picked up our friends Lin & Roy Healey at Cosgove Lock just about midday. The weather was glorious. The new developments at the Wolverton Works site (ex British Rail), which are nearly complete looked amazing. It will be interesting to see just how it pans out when the flats are full. It certainly looks like it could have a big impact locally. There are numerous mooring rings let's hope they become occupied by visitors.
We moored up by the "Secret Garden" close to Wolverton station and were having a great lunch when Roy and Lin's other boating friends, Dave & Janet on NB More arrived going north and they hadn't had lunch! We then had an extended lunch with the odd bottle of wine (or two). The highlight was when Janet got out her laptop and showed off pictures of her grandson. To cap it all, because she was on Skype, we had a video link to her daughter. 21st century boating or what! We all had to agree that Janet and Dave's grandson was probably the most beautiful baby in the world.
Looking at the baby!
NB More went north and we continued south to Campbell Park where Lin & Roy departed. It was getting late (around 8.00PM) when we got to Stoke Hammond but it was there that we met Ewen Hardie who is walking barefoot from Edinburgh to London to draw attention to the dreadful human rights issues in Burma. We had a good discussion about his journey and how he is to be met Gavin Strang his MP in London despite the House being in recess.
Ewen & Maggie
It looks like we will meet Ewen several times during our trip because his schedule and ours are very similar. He planned to stay overnight in his hammock in a field close to the lock. Lucky for him it doesn't look like it will rain.
