Thursday 28th October 2021 at Marston.
We made a start at 7:30 to get through the five locks of the Claydon flight quickly. It was only just light and the moon was still high in the sky.
It was a very good thing that we did start early, as we soon met a C&RT volunteer named Derek, walking down the flight to close the bottom lock so that he could run some water down the flight. As we were already in the flight, he very kindly helped us through up to the top in record time so that he and his colleague could start what they needed to do.
As we were on the summit pound, M decided to walk a bit and couldn't resist looking through the hedge to see what crop was growing. It was a a huge field of spring cabbage!
At Fenny Compton "Tunnel", M again got off to walk along the towpath. Soon after the tunnel was created it was found that the roof was unsound, so it was removed and now it is just a narrow cutting. M always likes to walk this bit as the very pretty towpath is slightly raised and offset from the canal.
The briony is spectacular everywhere this year.
M's "Picure This" app on her phone says that this is actually "Wild Privet", bur it is quite unlike the conical clusters of black berries that she is used to.
M was delighted to see two "Spindle" trees today. Not that common and normally difficult to spot, but at this time of year they sport beautiful pink and orange fruits, which makes them stand out.
R and MM approaching the turnover bridge just after the "Tunnel".
Once again, M took a short cut across one of Mr Brindley's extravagant loops by following footpaths while R took MM the long way round. M had an attentive audience!
And another very large field of spring cabbage. When M walked this path in May, the cabbages were barely out of the ground.
We moored up just short of Marston Doles, exactly where we moored up in the spring with Mel and Peter close to the heart shaped tree.
It is a lovely mooring.
Today: 9 miles, 5 locks and 4.7 hours.
Trip: 508 miles, 256 locks and 260.5 hours.
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