Aylesbury Again - A Very Different Trip From Last Time

(Posted by Alan)

These brief notes on the past 5 months have at least got me up to the last trip from the current one - in fact to only last weekend.

Our engine has been doing a few strange things, and after musing its problems on Canal World Forum there were several votes that we needed to take it for another reasonable length trip, and observe what it did.

Well anybody who knows us and our boating habits will know we do not even need an excuse that big to set off somewhere!

Aylesbury is probably our best choice of a weekend trip from the new mooring. Although 18 locks for less than 8 miles travelled each way, all but two of those locks are narrow, so it's not that hard work.

Passing Bates' Boatyard at Puttenham










The Aylesbury Arm is remarkably rural









Proud dog owner!












Well it's not normally hard work, unless temperatures rise well into the 30s, as they did that weekend. Boy was it a scorcher, and the paint on the roof and handrails of the boat got so hot they were almost "no go" areas, making operations take rather longer in some cases. Plus we were only two handed - our third regular crew member often doesn't get very involved, but if he's there he can be wheeled out if our exhaustion sets in, (well, sometimes!).

Leaving Aylesbury on the return trip










Charlie finds some much needed shade,









We failed to prove anything more about the engine issues. It was highly intermittent, but, of course, we already knew that. So next trip has no better guarantees about what could develop.

Aylesbury and return
Total Miles: 15.2 , Total Locks: 36