Leighton Buzzard – fragglefilm

I went down to south at the beginning of April to visit Ben and Lewis, and on the only Sunny day we drove to a different bit of the canal than in my last visit (HERE). We parked up and walked through the grounds of St. Mary’s Church, Linslade. Pilgrims were originally attracted to a holy well on the site during the 10th century. The first church was built in the 12th century, though was rebuilt in the 15th century into the form it is today. We didn’t check to see if it was open, as we were heading to a canal side pub for lunch!

Walking down to the canal on a path running alongside a rolling landscape and Lewis and I took pictures of the trees ( he had my little Fuji for the day 😊 )

The canal was brown due to the heavy rains causing run off from the fields, but this swan didn’t seem bothered

People decorate their canal boats with cool things

We got to The Globe Inn and sat in the garden as it was too nice to go in. The chap in this photo kept staring at us, then looking away, I thought he was just admiring our family genetic beauty, but Ben said he was a person of disrepute and if he didn’t stop looking at us Ben would have to ask him to leave. Luckily the guy got up and started walking up and down in front of the pub which was a relief as Ben asking someone to leave wouldn’t involve any words.

After lunch we crossed over the bridge to the other side of the canal, and walked back to the car.

Along the way there’s a graffiti’d wall Lewis liked the look of

Not sure what this post was all about but I liked it’s ivy coat

This section of the canal didn’t have as many boats on it as the first bit I did, but that didn’t matter, this one’s owners had their washing hanging out

I liked this little barge, and it was reflecting nicely.

We went back past the church, so I took a shot of the grounds

and then we were back to the car. That’s all folks!

📷 🎞️ 😊

all photos taken with my Contax Aria and Kodak Gold 200 film.

Back in the Jurassic era, when there were heydays and I was in mine, on good weather weekends, my friends and I would cycle to the Grand Union Canal in Hemel Hempstead, where we lived, and cycle 8 miles along the canal paths as far as Tring, then we’d cycle back home. There were, and still presumably are, several establishments along the way where you could rest and refresh yourself with beverages, usually half a pint of Bulmers, and have a nice lunch. Summers were fab down south back then and I got fit and tanned, and only rode my bike and myself into the canal once. Ah halcyon days indeed.

The Grand Union Canal came to be in 1929 when it amalgamated with a couple of other canals to try and mitigate against the competitive rail and newly-developing road transport system. It’s the main navigable waterway between London and the Midlands, starting in London, with an arm running to Leicester and a second arm going to Birmingham. The London-Birmingham route is 137 miles long and has 166 locks to pass through.

When I went and stayed in Leighton Buzzard to look after my grandson whilst his Dad took his lady to the Isle of Wight Festival, I took my Contax to the bit of the canal that you can access from the carpark at the Tesco Superstore, and spent a pleasant couple of hours having a wander.

I found this carved felled tree trunk at the beginning of the walk

Plenty of narrow boats that people either live in or use as holiday homes are berthed on the canal. Lutra is named after the Eurasian Otter of the same name.