Fenny Stratford

Pat went ahead to set the first lock but phoned me to say that there was no water below.  The top gate of the lock below was open and clearly the bottom gates leak badly.   So we shut the gate and opened a paddle in each gate above, making a mental note of the level we needed to get enough depth.   When this was reached Pat filled the lock below and we proceeded normally.   Total delay 40 minutes.   No problems thereafter and the pound at Ivinghoe which we have twice found empty previously was fine.  Here we joined  nb Rose for a couple of locks, then continued solo again to Leighton Buzzard for a top-up Tesco shop.  Our intention was to make Great Linford, but it became apparent that we would be very late and then it occurred to us that we would then, on Sunday, find the supermarket at Wolverton closed until 11 am, so there was no advantage in pushing on.   Wolverton is the last major supermarket on our route to the Blue Lias for the Cutweb Rally, so we have to be stocked up for about a week and with guests expected, so this shop is important.   So we stopped opposite the allotments just before Fenny Stratford where we know of good visibility for the Eastern TV transmitter which my GPS calls "Sandy".