Escaping from the Wendover Arm in the Friday morning sunshine, it was back to the descent off the Chilterns from Bulborne Junction through Marsworth Locks.

With traffic coming up to set the locks for us, and an energetic volunteer, we soon made short work of seven wide Marsworth locks, which brought us to the start of the Aylesbury Arm. The Captain wished to investigate Aylesbury Ducks, so it was another diversion… 16 narrow locks (some also called Marsworth Locks, just to confuse) descending through pleasantly remote countryside into Aylesbury Basin. Starting with a two chamber staircase surrounded by a new posh housing development, the first narrow locks for months came as a bit of a surprise.

We did 13 of the little perishers before calling it a day (20 locks in a day is quite enough), leaving just three to take us into Aylesbury Basin the next morning, which is now being “developed”. The basin used to be Aylesbury Boat Club, but as part of the Waitrose/Travel Lodge/new University buildings project, the developers built the club a nice new marina and club house just outside the town, so the basin itself is a bit quiet, boat wise.

And the only thing special we could find about Aylesbury Ducks were that some come already pre-packed into sandwiches.