We walked to Weedon Bec, last visited with Chris and Alan 4 years ago. We remembered it although some things have changed. The wonderful quilting shop is still there - I had to visit to check. The village store and chemist still function although the post office is temporarily closed as they try to get a new postmaster. One of the cottages had a lovely thatch.
A new cafe has opened and yet again Graham managed to find somewhere on the summer holiday with a cooked breakfast!
There is a set of buildings called The Depot which have been used as army storehouses and ammunition warehouses for hundreds of years before the army finally left in 1965. At one time they were even connected with the canal and a portcullis guarded the entrance from the water.
The portcullis is still there but some of the buildings are now being used as a bookshop, furniture outlet centre, antique shop and offices. Lovely to see them being used and you can at least enter the grounds to take a photo whereas 4 years ago the photo was through a large security fence!
Weedon Bec is obviously continuing to thrive and its decorative name plaque is now enhanced by a best village award.
Just as we were about to leave our mooring, two fuel boats who ply their wares up and down the Grand Union canal appeared. Luckily they were delivering to a boat behind us so we made our escape.
We cruised down to Gayton Junction where tomorrow we will turn left up the Northampton Arm with 17 locks to tackle before we reach the city. At one bridge we saw 2 young ladies with a wide beam boat. They had only picked it up this morning and they said we should pass as they were finding it difficult. This was just going under a modern bridge. As we passed them we heard a scraping sound and various chimneys etc on the roof were too tall for the bridge. I think that a bit of reorganisation of the roof would be needed.
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