Grand Union III

Bank Holiday Sunday. People are always interested to know what other people are doing for Bank Holiday.
"What are you doing today?"
"Walking to London".
This is a conversation to kill all conversations as well as attracting some peculiar looks.

Today's leg is from Whilton Locks to Brockhall Road Bridge No.21 on the Grand Union Canal. As much of it is squeezed between the M1 motorway and the West Coast main line railway we can expect noise, although less than on a weekday.
Speed walking is not our 'thing'. This is because our starting point invariably offers a great opportunity for window shopping like this, even when we don't need pots, allied to the fact that there is always somebody to stop for a chat.
This is Adrian 'Awesome' Dawson from the village, so-named for his skittles ability.  For his mythical football exploits he received the 2002 White Horse Football Club Most Consistent Player for "never having shown up once in 5 years - that's consistency!" (Extract Welton News & Views).

Adrian works at Whilton Marina seen in the background.
Or you can stop to stroke the dogs and talk to their owner.

On a walk like this you will already know there are the standard sights to gaze upon. Waterway views of great rustic charm although we, and it later transpired one of the occupants, were in fear of having to give the boat facing the wrong way in the distance a good shove. Fortunately the skipper made a satisfactory three point turn!




There are also sites that can leave you somewhat bemused. I cannot recall seeing Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergmann on a boat like this in the film of the same name.









But, it could be that Barnacle Bill lived on a wreck like this.

And you could be excused for wondering what the shed is like if this is the house that went with it?

People who play golf and use canals often remember their friends and relatives with seats to sit upon or plaques to recall their interests in life as this one which reads:
REMEMBERED BY HIS FAMILY RODNEY FURZE DIED 15.2.93

Here's a site to wonder at with an individual close-up.  Never seen any before.

What are they? Do you know?

                                              

                                                   For another puzzle, work out this one!

And if you can't afford a boat, build your own with materials from your own back yard.






So much to see; so many people to talk with. Before you know it Bridge No.21, our destination, is in sight.



Another 1 mile 7¼ furlongs making 4 miles 6¾ furlongs in total.

And here we are having some sympathy with the message on the bridge that feels like us, finally 'logging off' (sorry about that) with a look at the starting point of our next stage.