Racing the Rain

04/04/12 - 11 Locks - 7 Miles - 5.5 Cycled

Marsworth Locks

Marsworth Lock 38 - Bridge 114 Leighton Buzzard


Started early, the grass was wet with dew and the towpath and first couple of locks were causing damp feet and bum.  

Yog and Pete approaching Lock

We knew it would rain at some point today, so the plan was to get as far as we could before getting soaked.




We were starting to work really well as a team.  After yesterdays 10 locks we had pretty much got it sorted.  


Pete had been learning my peculiar hand signals (eg rubbing your hands together = pull alongside ).  Made perfect sense to me when I was doing it lol.


Yog was always on the right and always first in.  

Water Pit

Opposite the Engine House at Seabrook Lock 36 there was a large pit.  I think it used to be part of the original lock, perhaps to house water to be used for filling and emptying the lock.  

Northern Engine House

The engine house used to house a coal fired pumping engine that was used to pump water back upto the summit of the canal.


Thank you google I had no idea what they were before I googled them lol.

Pete doing his Benny Hill Impression

Busters standard position whilst travelling

We made really good progress and by lunchtime were at Great Seabrook.  The only downside being that we had run out of tobacco.  


No worries I thought, I have an app for that.  So I checked for the nearest shop and found one half a mile away.  I cycled off all confident and returned 45 minutes and 2 miles later empty handed.  Lesson for the day, read maps properly and remember that hills don't show up on the 'app'. I was knackered and still had no tobacco!! Never a good thing.  While I was away, Nip phoned to find out where we were and Yog told him we were heading for Leighton Buzzard.  He said he would see us there :0)

Slapton Lock Herb Garden

3 Locks later we arrived at a place called Slapton.  Yog happily amused himself telling me how much I would love Slapton.  Every time I even said the word he would giggle!  The man is warped, truly warped.


Anyway, moving swiftly on.  By the time I got there I was totally exhausted.  That extra couple of miles hill cycling chasing illusive tobacco had done me like a kipper and Slapton Lock I really started to feel it.


I could barely open the slush gates.  Time to put the bike on the roof and have a power nap to the next lock and get rid of the wobbles.


There was a really cute little herb garden under the Lock sign with Rosemary, Thyme, Basil and a few other herbs with a sign to boaters to take what they needed but to leave enough for others to use.  I thought that was really nice.

Clouds are catching us !!

We only had a couple more miles and 1 lock before we got to Leighton Buzzard, Pete knew the area and suggested we moor up outside Tesco.  Just as we got into the town it started to rain.  We were all tired and were pleased we had managed to outrun the rain today.
Phoned Nip to let him know we had arrived and he said he was at Dunstable and would be with us soon.  Excellent stuff, good days travelling to be followed by some good company in the evening :0)