Day 17: I came, I saw, IKEA

20 miles, 9 locks Fenny Stratford - Blisworth

We began the day with a trip to IKEA, in Milton Keynes, a 10 minute walk from the canal. I wanted to go there to get a new duvet cover and sheet for the bed. I'd been looking for some for a while but everywhere I looked in Cambridge they were either REALLY expensive or made of polyester-cotton mix. I can't stand sleeping in synthetic fabric. But IKEA does pure cotton bedlinen for reasonable prices and we got a pretty printed floral one with 4 pillowcases for £12. We also picked up a few bits for the kitchen - including this lovely retro style bird print tray and a new optical fire alarm to replace our ionising one. I had no idea they sold safety equipment!

Once we'd got everything, we had to stay and have Swedish meatballs for lunch. Yum.

It was drizzling when we set off at 12, but once through Fenny Stratford lock, there are none for miles through Milton Keynes. We pressed on, and on, shared Cosgrove lock with two other boats, and decided to finish the day with the Stoke Bruerne flight and the Blisworth tunnel. Moored ready for the Northampton flight and an assault on the Nene tomorrow!