My sister Laura and her husband Phillip took Virginia and me to Nevills Cafe in Medbourne, a charming old village with a stream running straight through it. By the traditional Church the stream even makes a ford! A lot of water had fallen recently and a Land Rover and trailer made a bigger splash when they rushed across the ford. There's an ancient pack horse bridge there too if one doesn't want to get one's feet wet.

The cafe was interesting, but I don't know I want the cucumber and mint presse again. So colourless I thought they had brought me water by mistake! But the taste was really pungent.

We then went to Foxton Locks, a picturesque marvel of canal engineering where canal boats can ascend or descend in a staircase of ten locks manned by volunteers. To save water there are side ponds and two sluices for each lock. A popular spot with a pub at the bottom, and a cafe at the top which we patronised for ice cream cones.

Medbourne

Nevills in Medbourne

Ford in Medbourne

Foxton Locks

Foxton Locks

Foxton Locks