{"id":2370,"date":"2014-02-08T10:05:47","date_gmt":"2014-02-08T10:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/martinblack.com\/?p=2370"},"modified":"2014-11-22T15:14:01","modified_gmt":"2014-11-22T15:14:01","slug":"kings-cross-to-birmingham-via-the-grand-union-canal-stage-7-leighton-buzzard-to-milton-keynes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/2014\/02\/kings-cross-to-birmingham-via-the-grand-union-canal-stage-7-leighton-buzzard-to-milton-keynes\/","title":{"rendered":"King\u2019s Cross to Birmingham via the Grand Union canal. Stage 7: Leighton Buzzard to Milton Keynes"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the seventh stage of the\u00a0King\u2019s Cross to Birmingham jaunt via the Grand Union Canal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the map below you can see the stages completed prior to this one (red line), and the stage completed on this occasion (yellow line). Birmingham itself is up in the top left corner and we’re getting closer all the time!<\/p>\n

\"Map
Almost half way to Brum!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was joined on this stage by my old pal Fred, it was great to walk with someone else for a change.<\/p>\n

The title of this post states ‘Leighton Buzzard to Milton Keynes’, i.e. moving northwards towards Birmingham.\u00a0 However, due to tedious reasons and idiotic train companies we could only buy tickets to Milton Keynes.\u00a0 Which meant we’d have to do the hike from north to south, i.e. from MK to LB.\u00a0 I was less than happy about this, after all, the expedition is about walking towards Brum not away from it.<\/p>\n

Anyway, we reached MK at midday and walked for a mile and half or so before reaching the canal.\u00a0 I’m afraid to say that MK lives up to its stereotype (at least the part we saw), not a place I wanted to spend much time in.<\/p>\n

The towpath south takes its time moving through MK’s suburbs, it felt endless at times and it took almost 90 minutes to get out into the countryside proper.<\/p>\n

By this time the clouds had cleared leaving us with a joyful winter afternoon to walk in.<\/p>\n

\"A
A view from a bridge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the many benefits of walking with other people is you have someone to take your photo every-now-again-again.<\/p>\n

\"Sitting
Sitting on the lock gate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Only 55 miles to the Thames!<\/p>\n

\"Only
Feels like further…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We stopped for a replenishing drink and snacks at the Globe Inn<\/a>, a fine pub on the canal towpath.<\/p>\n

\"A
A pint at the Globe Inn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We passed many lovely narrowboats, the smell of wood burning stoves never fails to make me happy<\/p>\n

\"Narrowboats\"
Narrowboats<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The sun began to set as we reached the outskirts of Leighton Buzzard.<\/p>\n

\"Winter
Winter sunset over the canal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We had just enough light left for a quick ‘selfie’.<\/p>\n

\"Your
Your intrepid adventurers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I think Milton Keynes must be about the half way point in this epic expedition.\u00a0 The next stage (up to Northampton) might include a wild camp, we’ll see!<\/p>\n

And thanks to Fred for joining me on this one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is the seventh stage of the\u00a0King\u2019s Cross to Birmingham jaunt via the Grand Union Canal. On the map below…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[24,12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2370"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2370"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2370\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4550,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2370\/revisions\/4550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}