English: The towpath is closed to dogs. As I was photographing Lock No 1 of the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal Franci ambled along the towpath and I suddenly realised what was happening. Franci was then almost 17 years old, very deaf, and with poor eyesight, and I reckoned that rushing to the rescue would aggravate the problem and I might as well photograph what happened.

In fact I pressed the shutter about a second too soon as the swan opened its wings and raised its head to look as aggressive as possible. Franci paused for a moment and slowly turned and ambled back to me as if nothing had happened. As the footpath is normally frequently used by dog walkers I assume most took their dogs along the canal edge - with many protestations from the cob - and the pen eventually hatched the eggs.

Step through pictures of, or near, the junction 1462817.

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