Monday 15 June 2015

Coole Pilate

Following breakfast we readied ourselves for the short two and a half mile trip to Hack Green Locks. We did not make it. After just a mile we passed a delightful mooring spot with picnic tables and extra wide towpath. It had just been trimmed by the strimming teams and so we pulled in and stopped for the day. After a brief rest for an hour or so we headed off on our walk. Approaching Hack Green a sign was spotted in the bushes pointing the way to a not so secret tourist attraction.

       

We went and had a look and found a large, above ground concrete building, a relic of the Cold War. I have to say that I doubt this building was even secret in its day.

     

Entry to the above was over eight pounds each, and given that both myself and the crew have both worked in a real one during the early eighties, we decided against going inside. The establishment we spent time in was fully below ground, so unlike this one it must have been a really really secret bunker. Even so I suspect the locals knew it was there.
I was not going to post the next picture as it requires some imagination on the part of the viewer, but yesterday at the Marina we were treated to another Cold War spectacle. The last remaining, airborne Vulcan bomber flew over the Marina on its way to an airshow. The sad fact is, that may have been the last time we see it fly, as it will be permanently grounded in the autumn due to safety reasons.

      

You may just see the dark shape an inch above the centre tree. For any interested in aviation stories if you haven't already, have a look at the account of Operation Black Buck. This involved a solitary Vulcan flying the then, longest bombing run in history, to bomb the airfield at Port Stanley in the Falklands. Apart from anything else, the refuelling method to get the Vulcan there and back, was an amazing feat in itself.
Once back from the walk we settled down for the day, enjoying the sun in comfy chairs on the towpath. We may move on tomorrow, or may stay another day, that's yet to be decided.

      
    
      
                                        Our mooring at Coole Pilate next to the milepost.

Totals 1 Mile

Running total 269 Miles 126 Locks 11 Tunnels

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