They think I don’t know what’s going on! They think I don’t realise that they are going off into the outside and leaving me all on my own. They don’t realise what a hard, exhausting job looking after the boat is. But I know I am more than capable. I quite look forward to days like this especially when She gets my magic food bowl out, it does mean though that there won’t be anyone to snuggle up to when it goes dark.
Kings Coss and St Pancras
Bags packed, Tilly in a sulk, we were ready to catch the train northwards to Scarborough for the weekend.
Our train north
With seats booked the train journey was fine, plenty of space for everyone. We swapped trains in York and arrived in Scarborough to meet Bridget and Storm, leaving our bags in their car for the afternoon. We were all heading to the Stephen Joseph Theatre to watch the matinée of The Girl Next Door the latest play from Alan Ayckbourn.
At Christmas the auditorium had been about a quarter full, but today it was just under half, couples sat in a checker board fashion across the rows helping to fill the space.
The Stephen Joseph Theatre
The play, Alan’s 85th is set in lockdown last year. Rob an actor who is famous for playing a fireman in a 1940s drama is stuck at home with his sister who works at the treasury and spends most of her days on zoom calls.
When a girl is seen through the garden hedge, hanging clothes out to dry, Robs life is about to have a hole new dimension added. Cheese souffles, brandy, blackouts, covid 19 all make for a time travelling love story.
Monty… my Monty …. oh and a frock
After the show we’d booked a table at Eat Me Cafe who have taken over the theatre restaurant and bar during the pandemic. We all enjoyed quality burgers and very fine chips.
Lovely to see Bridget and Storm
It was lovely to spend time with Bridget and Storm seeing the play, along with catching up with various people around the theatre it made for a great day.
Our arrival at the house was a noisy one, we’d been warned and a small bag of treats had been left in the hallway to appease Brodie and we soon made friends.
Brodie our lodger woofer, don’t tell Tilly!
It’s odd being in your own house, yet not quite being the occupiers of it. For the last 9 weeks Bill and Alex have been our lodgers whilst The Girl Next Door has been rehearsing and playing at the theatre. Tonight was the last night of their run, so it was safe for us to stay over.
The wild flower seeds have sprouted and gone bonkers. Does anyone know what this is please?
Last nights usually involve a drink with the director so our lodgers were quite late coming home to have a catch up and drink with us which was far more relaxed than when they had first arrived.
Sunday morning and it was time to say farewell to our lodgers. Bill was on an early train whilst Alex and Angie had breakfast with us as they packed. A few weeks ago they had kept our neighbours amused as they had done a run of the play in our house and garden. Our kitchen being two terraced houses knocked together and the rear gardens being still separate, it was an ideal location to rehearse the play.
Back on our own in the house, we had chores to do. The garden needed some taming, so our compost bin had a major boost of greenery.
My favourite rose
Once the bed linen had been washed and dried there was ironing to do, beds to make up for our next lodgers who would arrive on Monday after we’d left. So it was a very busy day.
The Great Escape was on TV
We’d asked Alex if there was anything that was missing from the house. A cafetiere (they bought one and gave it to the house), a ladle (I found 4 in storage) and a mirror in one of the bedrooms, this was easily rectified as we had one upstairs upstairs.
A spoon of laddles
Last thing to do was to hang the painting my Dad did in 1954 which was a scheme for our house in York. The design changed quite a lot over the next 8 years, but this is one of my prized possessions.
The house ended up being quite different
We ended the day with fish and chips from Capplemans and a glass or two of wine. One very good weekend.
Fish and chips
0 locks, 0 miles, 10 minutes walk to the station, 2 trains, 1 Sir, 1 Lady, 1 play, 2 times, 4 burgers, 1 Monty, 2 actors, 1 roadie, 1 Brodie, 1 back bedroom, 3 gardens tidyish, 2 hours ironing, 1 painting hung, 2 of each.
Knowing when the first train is likely to go past kind of helps when you wake up at just gone 5am and luckily we managed to get back to sleep.
I spent the first part of the morning making lists, next week I’ll be in Huddersfield for a few days doing costume fittings before a photo shoot for #unit 21. All the overalls have arrived along with a few bits and pieces to do neon hair dos. But I was still missing a few bits so a trip into town was called for.
Where did the trees go?!
Mick and Tilly were left busy working their way through the washing and awaiting another visiting boat that would be pulling up alongside us today. They also caught up on the cycling.
Tasty things to eat
I could of course get on the tube or climb on a bus, but when I roughly know the way and it’s not too far I much prefer to walk around London. Heading out of the gate from the cruising club I walked up Camley Street which parts St Pancras and Kings Cross stations. On the paved area in front of Kings Cross, where the old station used to have lines of waiting passengers queueing for their trains, there was a food market today. Everything looked tasty, most of it full of gluten. It was still too early in the day to purchase food and the tasty cheese would have spent far too long on a hot day fermenting in my bag.
This side was good
I wove my way down towards Oxford Street. A modern block of flats had a very good bit of painting on what most probably is the bin store. Such a wonderfully atmospheric painting.
But this side was even better, what an atmosphere
My first port of call was Primark, for my sins! With a small budget and not a very long run, Primark is usually a good starting point. Anything I bought that doesn’t get used can be returned to the Huddersfield store quite easily next week. However, Primark seem to have gone for grown up colours this season! If I wanted shorts today I would have come up trumps with neon colours, but there was only one t-shirt in a good size for one actor in the whole store! It’s a good job we don’t actually need the t-shirts for the photo shoot, so I can gradually collect them when I see them.
They did however have a lot of buns. Not edible ones, but ones to help make big hair buns. These were cheaper than the ones I got online, so I may require more to create big space buns!
Next I headed to Sally’s, here they sell hair products mostly to hairdressers. I’d hoped they might have some colourful hair extensions, but fortunately they didn’t as the cheapest ones there were around £30! I did however get a very large can of hairspray to help with the space buns.
Not such an Aladdin’s cave of fabricness that it once was
Down to Berwick Street, hoping shops I now of old have survived. Borovicks is still there, but I’m sure there used to be three times as many rooms full of fabric.
MacCulloch and Wallis on Poland Street pulled me inside. Here the basement is full of haberdashery. Want a zip? Any type, length, teeth, they have it! Sewing cottons, you’ve a whole wall of colours to choose from. The yarn on the ground floor was all so tempting, but I was good and only bought things for the show.
A window display that I couldn’t walk past
Returning on a more westerly route to Oleanna I walked along roads surrounded by hoardings hiding the ongoing works for HS2. Pile drivers driving and four story high portacabins, most probably accommodation for the builders.
Back at the Cruising Club our whirligig was very full, towels were drying on locker lids, Mick had run out of clothes pegs. We have a new neighbour who is staying for one night. He had more difficulty getting in due to the weed.
Lists were ticked off for work, train tickets printed out, just need to pack things now.
At around 7pm we could hear loud music, just where was it coming from. A peek out the front of the boat suggested that this might be a regular thing. Heather yesterday said there is a chap who turns up with a big sound system at the gas holders. Here he shares his music with others.
Yarns
It was an eclectic mix, 80’s, reggae, bhangra, modern pop, allsorts. Across the way people were dancing, laughing and having a great time. At 9 pm the music stopped, two hours of jollyness shared amongst strangers.
0 locks, 0 miles, 7 miles walked, 2 stages for Cav, 4 space buns, 1 t-shirt, 1 triangle of chalk, 250m thread, 1 M&S sandwich, 2 clean boating caps, 4 loads washing, 1 bag half packed, 1 new neighbour, 1 bored cat.
With a little under a quarter left in our water tank we decided to push off and have a top up this morning. We were fortunate to find the taps on both sides of Westbourne Terrace Bridge unoccupied so we didn’t have to share the water pressure with anyone else. Once the rubbish was disposed of and the tank full we reversed back through the bridge, winded and came back round the island to our mooring.
The Waterway
We tidied ourselves up and set off for our lunch date with Christine and Paul. We’ve passed the restaurants that run along the side of the canal numerous times, but never been inside, so today was going to be a treat as we were going to The Waterway.
Very nice squid under the salad
Christine had booked an outside table. Outside is actually under two huge canopies and surrounded by large see through plastic walls, but there is still a lot of air circulating, heated by large electric heaters, one above our table.
Chicken and chips
As a meal out is now quite a treat we all had three courses. I had Squid with chilli sauce for starters. Followed by a very aromatic chicken in an basket enamel tray with fries and beetroot coleslaw. The chicken had been rubbed with cumin and was very tasty. My pudding was a scoop each of their sorbets, mango, lemon and raspberry, the first chilled medication I’ve had this year!
Chilled medication!
A very leisurely lunch with good company and wine. Again it was so good to be with family again after such a long time. Hopefully things will have improved sufficiently by Christmas for there to be a Geraghty Leckenby get together this year, well we can hope.
Us with Christine and Paul
Much of the rest of the afternoon has been spent on the verge of snoozing. Mick has caught up with Mark Cavendish winning a stage of the Tour de France, I’ve got the blog up to date and done a little bit of work.
A new neighbour
Tilly had some excitement when she came across a rat almost nose to nose with her. Tilly was far keener than the rat, who in the end after a stand off decided it would be best to run away, all be it closely followed by Tilly. I however decided that maybe it was dingding time for her and managed to encourage her back inside and closed the doors.
0 locks, 0.28 miles, 1 full water tank, 2 outsides, 1 confused Tilly, 2 boaters cleaned up, 3rd day in a row, 1 squid, 1 goats cheese croquets, 1 gravlax, 3 burgers, 1 chicken in a basket, 3 scoops, 1 cheese cake, 1 crème brulee, 1 brownie, 2 bottles wine, 1 lovely lunch, 3rd sister, how to get to see the 4th? 3rd neighbour, 1 snoozie afternoon, 1 long tailed friend.
NB Billy had booked the mooring here for a couple of nights so it was time for them to move onwards to their next booked mooring in Paddington Basin. Shortly before midday they walked down to check it was available. There was plenty of space waiting for them so they moved down.
Bye Bye Clare and Pete
Saturdays are busy round here. The popular Go Boats are constantly coming and going from Paddington Basin. Paddle boaders, canoists, then boats looking for a mooring. Add to that the trip and restaurant boats. Billy joined the masses going through the bridge.
Slotting in down the arm
Their space only remained empty for about 5 minutes, another boat pulling in who’d tried to book a mooring here but hadn’t succeeded. They stopped for a couple of hours for lunch, then pushed off again. An hour later our new neighbours arrived, so thankfully nobody was already on their mooring.
You shouldn’t be there!
Today I had set aside for work. Costume designs to finish off for #unit 21, a budget breakdown, an updated storyboard of the coloured model for panto, alterations to the props list and a gentle nudge to the director as there is a props maker chomping at the bit to make a start on things over the summer.
Costumes
Mick headed off to stock up on supplies and furnish himself with a new polo top or two, most of his tops are starting to disintegrate so need replacing. This meant that Tilly and I could take over much of the boat. Drawing board out, printer scanner, bits of model, laptop etc.
Cosy with the Scouts
As I worked away a Scout narrowboat arrived wanting to moor on the Community Boat mooring in front of us. This should have been easy, but there was already a boat tied to the rings. They tapped on the roof of the boat, but no-one was home. So they breasted up alongside us whilst they made space for themselves.
Boats everywhere!
The community mooring must be quite long as the Scouts managed to pull the other boat to one end and get themselves moored up in front of us. The restaurant boat however wasn’t too pleased as they wind and then reverse down the arm to their mooring and the other boat was just in the way for where they wanted to put their stern.
How many neighbours in one day?!
Mick returned with some sad gits Cajun chicken from Waitrose for our evening meal meaning I had longer to work. Sadly not quite long enough there is still a list of things I need to do before work can sit on the back burner for a while. The budget for #unit 21 is extreamly tight and spending £350 on two large sheets of perspex to make a lift is simply too much, I may have to use Twinwall instead which comes in at a quarter of the price and hopefully will still back light once painted to create nice shadows.
0 locks, 0 miles, 5 neighbours in 1 day, 34 Go Boats, 5 paddleboards, 2 canoes, 9 costumes designed, 1/7 on Perspex! 1 storyboard, 1 props list, 1 gentle nudge, 2 sad gits chicken breasts, 1 boat in the way, 4 old scouts, 1 new top.
At around 3:15am we were woken by what sounded like an outboard motor. We laid in bed fully aware of the noise hoping that it would pass by us reasonably quickly, but it stayed constant. Constantly annoying with a bit of revving added into the mix, or may that was a motor bike. After a while Mick opened up the hatch to see what he could see, it was quite dark. A small strange looking cruiser was pulled up quite close to our stern with it’s engine running.
Currently Mick’s tool box has a nomadic life and yesterday had been left out under the pram cover. Just in case someone was eying our possessions Mick popped out the back to bring it inside. Other than move there wasn’t really anything we were willing to do about the noise. Yes one of us could have politely asked them to move to turn their engine off, but at that time of night it didn’t seem wise.
The revving stopped, possibly a motorbike had headed off. Then after at least half an hour we noticed the engine noise had stopped too. Thank goodness! We fell back asleep.
On waking this morning I opened up the side hatch to inspect our new neighbours. Well the canal bank was just as empty as it had been when we arrived, not a boat in sight! Maybe whatever happened last night was the reason for there being no boats on this stretch!
Thankfully no alarm was required this morning as we hadn’t really got that far to go. So we had a relaxed breakfast and pushed off a little before 11.
I wanted to pick up a few bits of shopping so we pulled over so that I could visit Alperton Sainsburys which was thankfully not heaving. We pushed back out to move over to the water point through the bridge on the off side. Mick admitted we’d actually pulled out in front of another boat, they were the kind of distance away where up north it would have been polite to wait for them to pass.
I looked behind us and there almost angel like a chap stood at the helm, highlighted by the sun before dipping into the darkness of the next bridge. I knew who that was!
As the bow came back into the light my suspicions were confirmed, it was NB Billy with Pete at the helm, Clare soon popped her head up at the stern lifted binoculars to her eyes, we waved back.
NB Billy overtaking
Last night on Facebook people were making comments regarding the new eco moorings in London, Clare had made a comment that she hoped her booked mooring at Little Venice would be unoccupied on their arrival. Well we were going to be neighbours! We last saw NB Billy last year near Newby Hall on the River Ure, they were returning from Ripon as we were heading there. Earlier in the summer we’d shared most of the western locks on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
What a stupid configuration, fine if approaching from the other way
We pulled into the water point and let them pass, we’d catch up later. Now the elsan and waterpoint at Alperton are not the easiest to get to. A railing has been put in to stop people from falling in, but this means we’d have to pull along onto the permanent moorings and hope our hose would reach to the tap as there was nowhere else to get off your almost 60ft boat. We decided against it and would fill the tank on reaching Little Venice.
North Circular
We followed at a reasonable distance, both boats catching up with another who waved us past. The going was very slow, plenty of weed below the waters surface.
A temporary bridge has been put in over the canal for HS2 even though the line is a touch further away from the canal. From here numerous pipes, possibly containing electrics snake along the bank and through the water for quite a distance.
We passed more colourful boats, piles of rubbish and strangely enough several mooring spots big enough for us. But we knew there would be space for us up ahead so there was no need to take note of them.
The row of terraced houses that back onto the canal in Kensal Rise always make you wonder how many more such streets used to back onto the canal and do they have a problem with rising damp! Imagine the outcry from London boaters should the canal walls require repointing and a stretch be dewatered.
A good view from up there Pete
One property has a lot of satellite dishes on the back wall. Is it flats? Why would someone need so many dishes? Well it turns out it is the rear of Jamal Satellites, so that’s why.
It felt as though there was a lot more graffiti about. Mostly tags, some quite good, but very little of serious artistic merit.
Two years ago, where the Westway offers shade to the canal there was a series of wooden ramps and a drop in centre of sorts, but that is long gone, instead piles of rubbish line the wall, rather sad really.
Is that Micky?
A short distance on a red haired lady was chatting to a chap on the towpath, she pointed at something on the canal. I recognise that face! It was Micky whom we’ve met several times up at Crick in fact when Oleanna was brand new she was one of the first to make a bee line to have a nosy.
The last stretch
The water point on the near side of Westbourne Terrace was occupied, but the one on the other side was vacant. Oleanna is a touch too long to slot in here, but the water tank needed filling up, so we slotted in as best we could, stern sticking out under the bridge. Thankfully no widebeams came along which would have meant having to move.
Not the best place for a water point
Micky came and joined us for a chat as the trickle from the tap did it’s best to fill our tank. It was nice to see her and have a catch up. When she left to head home we decided we’d cope with what water we had, we can always top up the tank later without loosing our spot if needs be.
We have reached our destination!
We followed the one way signs round the island and pulled into our spot at Rembrandt Gardens. A catch up and compare cruising stories was had between us and Clare and Pete, very good to see them again. Sadly their hope of finding the other half of the original Billy on the K&A didn’t pay off, but they’d had a good time cruising there and back.
Hmmm?!
Rembrandt Gardens back at the beginning of 2015 had only just started to be a bookable mooring in London. The day we arrived in January that year was the day we met Heather Bleasdale. Today is our second visit and we find ourselves sharing the mooring with Clare and Pete. I wonder if we’ll know our next neighbours here?
These trees are maybe a touch too big!
Back in February when the roadmap out of lockdown was announced I suggested to Mick that we look to see if any of the moorings in London were available. I think we looked within ten minutes of the announcement being made. Paddington and Rembrandt Garden bookable moorings are usually booked up months and months in advance, but we were lucky, we got in before anyone else had the idea. We booked our slot, we just needed to get to London and escape from Goole!
Little Venice with the Lady A going past
So over the last month we have accomplished our mission to get to London. 293.15 miles and 143 locks. Now it’s time to actually see some family in the flesh.
0 locks, 7.33 miles, 3:15 noisy neighbour, 2 pints milk, 5m wrapping paper, 1 glowing Pete hopscotching us, 2 boats for Rembrandt Gardens, 1 Micky, 0.75 full water tank, 1 bemused cat, 29 days, 293.15 miles, 143 locks, 1 escape plan accomplished, 1 happy Oleanna, 2 happy boaters, 4 humongous trees!
Black Jack’s Lock to Ballot Box Bridges 13, Paddington Arm, Grand Union Canal
Such a lovely mooring above Black Jacks
Over the years we have been gifted a few things by the God of the London Waterways. On Lillian we had a hose pipe brush javelined onto our roof whilst we were on the Lee Navigation. We still have this and it occasionally gets used, although the plastic that holds the bristles in can scratch your paintwork. Then on our last visit we were breasted up to by another narrowboat at Little Venice waterpoint. We didn’t notice until much later in the day that the chap had left us with his rather good lightweight boat hook, this is now the preferred hook to use.
A present from the waterway gods
So our mooring today was offering us a blue trolley with accompanying yellow bungee. All we had to do was bring it out from the friendly cover and pop it on the roof. We actually noticed it when we pulled up yesterday, then we debated about it. A trolley would be handy, moving heavy things around such as gas bottles (the chap yesterday used his mobility scooter to great effect) and our yellow water container to elsan points, coal bags etc. But it would have to live on our roof which we prefer to keep uncluttered as we cruise so much. In the end our roof stayed uncluttered and we left the find either for it’s original owner to reclaim or for someone with a greater need, anyway it hadn’t been placed on our roof like the previous gifts had.
Jack’s Mill Cafe
The lady at Jack’s Mill Café was putting tables out in the sunshine this morning getting ready to open up. The crocodile that used to lie on the grass below the lock seems to have moved off to pastures new, a shame as it was one of those things you look out for.
The local opposition to HS2 is very obvious by the time you reach Wide Water Lock, as is the big crane a little bit away from the lock. Once we’d dropped down and passed a few boats we could see the start of the works. Fencing along the towpath marks the spot where the line will cross on a viaduct. Another area fenced off part way across all the trees felled, waiting for construction work to start. Here there used to be a protest encampment, the trees which surrounded it now gone.
We could see mounds of gravel, diggers and cranes. Further along plenty of green fencing stretched out parallel with the canal, upturned black boxes sat by the fence at regular intervals. What was this all about? It wasn’t on the route for the railway. Was it a compound for the works? But there was a lot of water in between. In the end we think this area is where they will be adjusting the overhead power cables, maybe dispensing with the pylons and dropping the cables to underground.
As we cruised on, Mick was somewhat distracted by the works, Oleanna’s line drifted off centre. The first we were aware of this was a horrible scratching squeaking noise of pointy branches doing their worst down the port side cabin. This is the first time I’ve ever shouted at Mick, I did apologise quite quickly as did Mick. Just what damage had been done now?! Poor Oleanna!
Oh blimey!!
Denham Deep Lock required filling so this gave me plenty of time to take in the damage. At least two more big scratches along the cabin side. These are more wiggly than the one created yesterday. We’ll try polishing them out, we have some blue polish. If anyone has any handy advice please pass it on, we are not shiny boaters but we also don’t want to look like a well used hire boat!
Denham Deep is suitable named, not the deepest lock we’ve been through, but still deep. We dropped down, only one paddle usable on the bottom gates and a queue was forming for Fran’s Tea Rooms at the lock cottage.
Open at 10am
Approaching Uxbridge Lock we had a tight squeeze past a breasted up pair and a work boat carrying a big reel of cable or pipe. Luckily there was space for us all and the neat gardens on the offside didn’t give us any cause for concern over more marks on Oleanna’s cabin side.
Mick brought Oleanna into Uxbridge Lock, closely followed by the local swan family. We did our best to move them out, or in, we didn’t mind which just one or the other would do. But the cob had other ideas sitting in the open gateway, going one way then coming back, he was refusing to let Mick close the gate. In the end a crust of my new loaf of gluten free bread had to be brought out, food was what he was after along with the rest of his family. We could now close the gate.
Is the lock cottage still for sale or just on the market again?
We swung Oleanna in to the service point at the marina below, the diesel renowned for being the cheapest in the area. No price showed on the pump. A head popped up from behind a boat on the offside to give us the news that the marina was closed on Wednesdays! Pooh!! Oh well. I hopped back on and we reversed out, we’ll hopefully find a coal boat, we still have half a tank.
The next lock Cowley Lock was to be our last, the last lock down into London. We topped up with water and disposed of yellow water at the services then swapped with two northbound boats to drop down onto the Paddington Level of the canal.
All on the flat from here. Lots of building work about. A widebeam had difficulty coming through the bridge by Packet Boat Marina, it seemed he’d got his bow thrusters the wrong way round, but the amount of tyres on his bow suggested this happens frequently.
Straight on past the Slough Arm, we may do this on our way back, we had to abandon our cruise down there back in 2015 due to ice and sadly it was the day before we had to say goodbye to our first second mate Houdini.
At Bulls Bridge there were plenty of boats moored up on the offside, only one boat on the visitor moorings. We have enough stocks on board so we left the rest of the stretch to the magnet fishers. Oleanna was swung round to the left and passed under the bridge onto the Paddington Arm.
Straight on to Paddington
We decided to have lunch on the go, our chosen mooring still a distance off, but if we saw anywhere before hand we’d pull in. Plenty of boats moored up, not many moving. Some familiar, like the one that looks top heavy and wouldn’t fit through bridge holes now sat on a mooring. Boats that invite themselves to be painted by graffiti artists, life rafts of different shapes and sizes.
At Willow Tree Footbridge it looked like most people had moved in and onto land. The possessions next to one cruiser made you wonder how they would move if they had to take everything with them! I think they’d sink.
Black Horse Bridge
At Black Horse Bridge bend building works are still on going, high rise buildings going up. A wharf with mooring bollards and what might be an elsan looked all very smart. On we went, not much further till we reached Ballot Box Bridges.
A whole stretch to ourselves!
As we rounded the bend we were surprised to see not one boat moored where we’d managed to slot in last time. The towpath has been redone, the hard surface getting quite close to the edge, but we thought we’d be able to get some spikes in, which we did. Was there something we didn’t know?
You be good in that nature reserve!
5 locks, 15.4 miles, 1 aborted left, 0 diesel, 1 left, 0 shopping, 1 crust, 2 strawberries, 2 lunches on the go, 0 swans, 1 warmer day, 0 boats at the mooring, 1 super speedy boat, 1 nature reserve, 2 loads washing, 1 fox, 1 cat not so keen.
https://goo.gl/maps/KBH7fNiaWyZyo7jeA
In other not so good news a C&RT update regarding Selby Swing Bridge
Update on 23/06/2021:
Since Selby swingbridge was damaged by overweight vehicles our team have been reviewing options for carrying out repairs to rectify the damage.We regret to inform that the design detail of the temporary pedestrian footbridge is still being finalised. This alternative means of access over the canal must be in place before it is possible to put a road closure in place to lift-off the defective bridge and re-open navigation.
We now expect the defective bridge to be removed and navigation re-open in mid-July.In recognition of the additional disruption this causes we are investigating whether it is possible to perform and emergency swing of the bridge for a limited period to allow boat passage should those moored in the area wish to move.We will make a further announcement on this as our plans develop, and not before Monday 28th June 2021.
A chilly start but there was some sun about every now and again.
Just not quite far enough
With not quite being fully into the bank it was hard for me to give the bow a big enough push off to get past the widebeam in front without leaving my legs behind! A blast of bow thruster assisted and we were soon on our way.
At the Cassiobury Park Locks we met a boat coming up them. The chap was on quite a mission aiming for Lichfield as quickly as he could. His estimates were Braunston in two or three days then another couple up to Lichfield! Not sure if he’ll be getting any sleep, slowing for moored boats or closing locks after himself to achieve those times especially as he was single handing! Good luck to him and I hope his family problems get sorted.
Well trodden paths
We took our time going down, leaving the bottom lock empty, well it half empties all by itself anyway. At Iron Bridge Lock we swapped over with an Aqua narrowboat who were pleased to see another moving boat, down here there appear to be few of us. Here the wooded sections of Cassiobury Park show signs of hefty use. By the little weir there is little if any friendly cover left the paths having been widened by many feet over the last year.
Then as we made our way past the lines of boats below the locks we could see numerous seating areas in the woods, all circled around burnt out camp fires. A nice spot to have been locked down in maybe, well until someone decides to do a touch of engine maintenance, leaving it in the middle of the towpath for everyone to wonder how long it will stay there without a vessel to call home! Lack of respect for nature.
Tube
Approaching Cassio Bridge Lock we got to see our first tube train on the bridge high above. We’re still quite a long way out but dropping down this lock does feel like we are crossing a line in towards London.
Maybe these were meant for the monkey later in the day
For some reason bananas sat on the lock beam, were they there for anyone to take? Or just sat out hoping for sunshine to ripen them from their green state?
We pulled onto the diesel point at Bridgewater Basin as we’d spied a full cage of gas bottles. Would they be full or empty though? Oleanna carries three 13kg bottles. We’d replaced one in Goole, another we knew was full but the third one had leaked somewhat after our boat safety, so we had no idea how much remained in that bottle. Since being back on board we’d used a full one and the dubious one ran out a couple of days ago. We’ve been hearing of LPG shortages around the system, it’s thought that staycations, people caravanning etc has meant there is a shortage of bottles to refill. Luckily for us the chap here said he had plenty and at £38.50 they seemed reasonable, as up ahead they were quoting over £40. Diesel here was 84p, shame it wasn’t the price painted onto the board originally 48p! We’ll hold out for Uxbridge though.
Common Moor Lock had just brought a wide beam up, the chap apologised to us for there being two widebeams breasted up towards the lock. There was plenty of width here, but as they were the last boats before the lock landing it made pulling in very awkward indeed. The outer boat brand new, the spray foam insulation visible through the windows, well you’ve got to have a nosy especially when someone is in the way!
Two narrowboats were rising slowly in the lock, two young couples taking their boats up to Tring for the week. One of their dogs really wasn’t enjoying the experience so they were hoping someone would take it off their hands so they could have a peaceful week.
Underlined
Now we got chance to look and see what damage had been done below the last lock where we passed numerous moored boats, which pushed our line of travel over towards numerous branches sticking out into the canal. Mick got Oleanna just a touch too close to them and sadly this now means we have a scratched line all the way down the port side. ‘Well it’s about time someone gave her a good polish!’ I said to Mick. He knew what I was meaning, but I also know who will end up trying to do something about it!
Above Lot Mead Lock several chaps were fishing another crossed the lock gates just before we arrived. He brought out his phone and started to film us , doing close ups of the paddle gear, then long shots of Oleanna entering the lock all the time he was talking, not sure if this was as a running commentary to a friend on the other end of the phone or just to accompany the filming. He didn’t say anything to us, maybe because his first language wasn’t English, but he helped close the offside gate getting a thumbs up from Mick.
Filming on his phone
Living on a narrowboat you get used to having your photo taken, you are asked questions, you are a tourist attraction whether you like it or not and if you choose to be polite you help promote the waterways. But sometimes, just sometimes someone crosses over the line. This was one of those occasions.
More gongoozlers
Mick went to close the paddles on the offside, I was trying to take a photo of the cuddly toys all gongoozling through a window at the lock cottage. Then I heard Mick with raised voice shouting at the chap, who was stepping onto Oleanna! ‘You don’t walk on anyone’s boat!’ He stepped off and carried on filming, we’re not sure if he understood he’d pissed us off, but he had. Our boat is our home, I’m sure he wouldn’t like us turning up and walking into his hallway! This was the first time I’ve ever not said thank you to someone who helped me with a gate, even if I didn’t want their help.
Sorry house
Onwards to Batchworth Lock, the house here had been for sale a while ago and we wondered if any improvements had been made to it. Sadly it doesn’t seem so, dead hanging baskets curtains pinned across the windows, it all felt really quite sad. It’s not the most attractive house and left to decay it is even less so.
More troublesome swans
We worked our way down through the lock, then managed to persuade the local swans not to stay in the lock so I could close the gates. No need to stop at Tescos today so we carried on to Stokers Lock.
Stokers Lock
As we cruised the next pound we waited to see if he was still there, the monkey who’s been clinging on for years to a ruin of a building.
That really must hurt
He was, his arm must ache so much after all this time! But at the other end of the building there was someone new. Hanging high above the cut was a bear in a superman costume, sat in a canoe, fishing for hearts. How do people get these things in such places, these bears and monkeys are way up high?
Superbear
We made our way down to near to Black Jack’s Lock where there was plenty of space for us. We pulled in and let Tilly off to explore, not seeing her for quite a few hours, I think she found quite a bit to be busy with!
Fishing for hearts
The afternoon turned quite frustrating as I tried to place an order for overalls. Sadly despite Amazon saying the smallest size would be delivered in 2 to 3 days they were lying! The delivery date was going to be at least a week after I needed them. I spent too much time hunting round the internet for somewhere else, but in the end I’ve opted to do more sewing and bought the next size up.
Ordering our shopping online meant someone else got the pleasure of walking round the store in the early hours of the morning saving us time. However there were certain items not available for Click and Collect, the right sized bin bags and odour control cat litter! Our experience whilst in the house is that for some reason some things don’t show online, but are actually in the shops. So after breakfast we both headed over to Sainsburys, Mick headed to the Click and Collect area whilst I went into the store finding the items we were missing. Thankfully they had the cat litter, bags and some highlighter pens I was after to finish my #unit 21 costume designs. Sadly our trolley wheel locked as we left the car park, so we weren’t able to get it back to the boat as we’ve done before, good job it wasn’t too far to carry everything.
When everything was stowed we put on our waterproofs as today we would be cruising in rain no matter what. At Apsley Bottom Lock a chap was walking round taking notes and photos of the paddle gear. His behaviour was that of someone who worked for C&RT, but nothing else suggested that, no logo or life jacket. Maybe he was going to complain to C&RT about the poor state of the lock. He’d be right as both top ground paddles are only just holding it together with metal ties through them and at some point some expanding foam has been added to the post, all quite rotten.
Obligatory photo. Which arch?
NB Candi had headed off before us so we were on our own today. Woody’s Vegetarian Café is for sale, we bobbed under the left hand arch of bridge 154 and didn’t spot any Kingfishers as we made our way to Nash Mills Lock and the water point there. We topped up the tank whilst the washing machine cleaned a load of clothes and then started to fill the lock, with only one paddle actually there (the other two missing) it took forever to fill.
The mile long pound between Red Lion Lock and Kings Langley Lock gave us a rare opportunity to come out of tick over as at last there were lengths with no moored boats. But what had replaced them was school kids, not a hand full, but what felt like thousands of them. It looked like the whole school was out on a walk. Some kids said it was six miles, others said they’d already done six miles and still they kept coming.
Hundreds and thousands of kids
At the road bridge below Kings Langley Lock the towpath changes sides and so did the kids. A chap came up in the lock, going in the same direction as the wave of youth, he’d been asked numerous times if he could give them a lift, Mick was almost gloating that we were going in the wrong direction for them.
A new coat of paint
The Cottage alongside Home Park Lock has just sold, it’s had a new lick of paint and looks very neat and tidy LINK.
This was where the school kids were crossing over the canal and joining the towpath. Most just followed the flow, we got a surprising number of waves and comments about how nice Oleanna looked. Then once we dipped under Bridge 159 the world quietened down again, well until the M25 came closer!
Most of the scaffolding has gone from the viaduct, but there is still plenty about. The underside of the concrete looks to have been painted if nothing else. Now we were within the M25, not much further until we reach our destination.
Us within the M25
Due to the rain, Mick had been trying out some protection for the phone we run Waterway Routes on. Quite a good idea, except the whiteness of the tupperware restricted the view of the screen somewhat, if you could see where it was at all! We’ll have a better hunt through the cupboards for something hopefully clearer.
A boat was coming up the top lock at Hunton Bridge, everyone a little bit damp to be overly chatty. This lock always reminds me of my friend David who passed away some years ago. The arched trellis on the cottage walls is the same as I made for an opera he was overall designer for at Stowe in my secondment year from college.
Hello David
After we’d passed down Lady Capel’s Lock 74 we were starting to have had enough of being damp. Our aim had been to drop down the two Cassiobury Park Locks and find a space there, but when a gap just Oleanna’s size showed itself in front of the golf course at Grove Park we decided to pull in early. We’d been aiming for trees and here certainly had plenty, but none overhanging our mooring which was a bonus.
Lady Capel’s Bridge
At first Tilly had second thoughts about heading off to explore, but that soon went and she was off in the friendly cover and climbing trees under their shelter. She did however come back in time to help me inspect and measure the overalls I’d got the other day. With enough information now I can order the right sizes, along with a few the next size up just in case.
By the time we’d eaten our stuffed peppers it was time to join a zoom meeting on hot composting, held by the Composting Toilets group on facebook. A very interesting hour and a half talking about polystyrene versus polypropylene boxes, Audrey’s, thermometers, bark, cardboard and the virtues of adding nettles.
Hunton Bridge Lock cottage on the off side
9 locks, 4.5 miles, 1 damp day, 2 boats passed, 45723 school kids, well maybe that’s a slight exaggeration,M25, 1 nod to DIT, 60ft, 4!3 months rather than 12.
A boat came past as we were finishing breakfast, no point in rushing to get ready to join them as it would take at least quarter of an hour to get ourselves sorted. So about half an hour later we pushed off, light weight rainy clothes required as the air was full of drizzle.
The bridges in Berko have had a make over, paint and statistics to brighten a grey gloomy day. As we came towards Ravens Lane Lock we were admiring the hanging baskets on the interesting house with coloured bottles in it’s windows, I’d love to see inside one day, a lady walked out onto her balcony.
I now want to know even more bout the lady who lives here
We made a comment about her hanging baskets, not in bloom yet but so many they will be spectacular when they are. The lady then asked if our boat was named after the play. Well, Oleanna is and the lady was correct, the first person ever to make the connection. There was just time to chat a little, we both agreed that Oleanna (by David Mamet) is an extreamly good play, my favourite and that it was about time it was put on in the West End. I vote for Malcolm Hebden to direct it as the production I saw in Scarborough in 1995 is most certainly the best I’ve seen.
We descended four more locks on our own, at Sewer Lock we just about caught up with the narrowboat in front of us, they had been slowed by a widebeam that was weaving across the navigation. We did catch up with them at the next lock and then shared the rest of the days locks.
The Hemel Crew
Stood at Winkwell Swing Bridge was my old college friend Jen who lives in Hemel Hempstead. Two years ago she joined us for a few hours of boating, last night she’d noticed on Social Media that we were near and had volunteered to come and join us again.
Jen winding a windlass again
Using the key of power I got the bridge moving quickly, only holding up a few cars, one of which disappeared whilst I was chatting away to Jen. Both boats came through, there was just enough time to pop Jen’s bike on Oleanna before it was our turn to work down Winkwell Bottom Lock. The widebeam thankfully had reached it’s destination at the marina below so the way ahead was clear.
Nearly there
We worked down the next five locks with NB Candi or is it NB CandI? Jen soon remembered what to do at the locks and we chatted away the hours until we reached the 24hr mooring by Sainsburys. Here we moored up, enough space for both boats, then had a very late lunch.
It was so lovely to see Jen and have a catch up. She’d decided to take a sabbatical from working at the National Theatre in January last year to do some scenic art tutoring amongst other things. This of course didn’t go too well and meant that when all the staff were furloughed from the theatre she missed out. So when October came along and there were shows that needed painting again Jen went back to working three days a week on the South Bank. Lockdown had been hard for her and her family, her son very much missing out on the social interaction with his friends at school.
We all had a lovely afternoon and if only she’d work for free and come and help me paint panto that would be wonderful. The thought of a weeks painting in Cornwall in a workshop with fresh Cornish Pasties being made next door nearly swung it.
By the time we said our goodbyes it was too late to do a big shop at Sainsburys. So instead we did ourselves a Click and Collect for the morning, which would only delay our departure by a little bit.
Last lock of the day
Because our mooring is right by an access road into the retail units for wagons we don’t allow Tilly out here, much to her distain. How ridiculous! Then She gets all annoyed with me for something that She hadn’t done. In fact dear readers I got shouted at! I’d been trying to tell her that my pooh box needed refreshing, but She’d been distracted all day long. So she didn’t take too kindly to my making use of the fresh litter whilst it was still in it’s bag!
Please let this be finished
14 locks, 8 shared, 5.1 miles, 1 swing bridge, 4 held up, 1st person to make the connection, 1 extra crew member, 4 hours of constant chattering, 1 hunt for eco glitter, 1 click and collect sorted, 1 protest wee, 1 hour cleaning the bathroom! 50 panto model photos, 1 email sent, 0 regrets, 1 fish, 1 obligatory photo.
With the possibility of more rain today we popped on our waterproofs, trousers at hand should the need arise. The going was slow back along the arm and just when we’d given up hope of company from our fishing friend it reappeared.
Tern
Another 50 odd photos trying to get one really good one, but terns swoop and dip and dive so quickly it was really hard to keep up with it. One failed dive brought a loud skwark! Bit a few moments later the dip into the water was far more fruitful as it came back out with it’s mouth full of silver fish. This morning we’d seen a much bigger fish swimming past the moored boats, getting on for 18inches long, too much of a mouthful for a tern.
This is the towpath side
Newish signs warn of a submerged ledge. The one on the way out doesn’t give any indication of where the shelf might be, at least the one on the way back does mention the offside!
I walked up to the bow to act as look out at Bulbourne Junction, nobody coming so we could swing out and return to our route southwards a couple of groups of trainee canoeists slowing our progress.
The development at Bulbourne Wharf has come on in the last couple of years. A new house stands elevated at the end of the plot followed by the old warehouse and workshop buildings all now with new upvc windows that mimic the original metal frames. A block of new builds stands at the back of the plot, still some way to go before they are inhabitable.
The road and towpath are closed by Bulbourne Bridge 133, a new footbridge is being built alongside the road bridge. The bank is being reinforced and so is the edge of the road, a diversion whilst the work is ongoing is through the pub garden.
Trees!
As we made our way along the tree filled cutting to Cowroast we joined the weekly Geraghty Zoom. Birthday cakes, armless tennis players and flamingos were todays topics, hope Penelope’s 2nd Birthday party went well.
Life raft
At Cowroast we took advantage of the towpath being on the portside and emptied the yellow water for disposal at the elsan. Another boat had just finished filling with water so we could share the lock. The chap was a single hander who’s knees had known better days so he preferred to pull his boat out of the locks rather than climb back down.
Cowroast
We shared Cowroast and the two Dudswell Locks with him, he was gradually making his way to Berko in time to see the two Mikron shows in a few weeks time at the Rising Sun. So he would pull up somewhere in the pound to Northchurch Lock. He must have found space as we took our time setting the lock and he didn’t show.
All locks so far down from the summit are to be left empty, whether this is to stop water leaking through the walls into nearby properties, or the top gates seal better than the bottom ones who knows, but it does mean that the locks are set against you, all requiring to be filled.
Look how clear that water is
A pump pumped out clean clean water just above the lock, here the greenery on the canal bottom could be seen clearly. As we set the lock Mum and Dad brought their teenage offspring over to say hello, eight cygnets all now with necks long enough to feed from well below the waters surface.
They then stopped pulling at the weed and sat waiting patiently for the gates to open. Oh blimey, they were here for a free ride down the lock! Mick tried throwing fake bread which distracted them towards the stern of Oleanna. I opened the gate, hoping we’d managed to get them far enough away, but no such luck they easily beat Oleanna into the lock. Thankfully the locks are long enough to accommodate ten swans and a narrowboat!
The gate was closed behind everyone and I slowly opened the bottom gate paddles, taking our time keeping everyone safe. Our passengers became impatient as the last foot of water dropped. As soon as the gate opened they were straight out, a quick head count, ten, all were accounted for before I let the gate go into the recess. Swan noises came from below, were they ‘Thank you‘ s or ‘About Bloomin time!’ ?
Guard Dragon
The house with the garden gate made of branches has a friendly dragon keeping an eye on the towpath and a bunny sits high up for safety.
With all the locks being left empty it means paddles are left up at the bottom end which need closing before you can start to fill a lock. At the two Gas Locks they were both empty, I could see people at the second one so I pushed the bottom gate open at our lock and let Mick know a boat was coming up. I then walked down to see if I could lend a hand.
Bow hauling into the lock
A cruiser was being pulled into the lock, the chamber was then filled as the lightweight boat bobbed about. The chap then started to pull the boat out from the lock. ‘You’ve got a quiet engine there’, a comment we quite often receive, but this chaps engine was so quiet, it was absent and currently in Rickmansworth being mended. So he was bow hauling his boat up the two locks to the next mooring, to get away from the park and most probably make his 14 day move. He said he’d be back for his other boat a 70fter he’d just bought, also without an engine!
In the top lock, cruiser being pulled along the side of a widebeam
At the second lock there was extra crew, a young lad eager to help open gates. We all let him push the gate on his own, the other being opened by two, blimey he was strong and beat the others to have his gate fully open.
Our turn now, Mick moved Oleanna out of the way for the chap to pull the cruiser out of the lock. As we started our descent the chap could be seen walking along peoples gunnels pulling his boat to get to the next available space.
A narrowed bridge hole
Footbridge 140A is covered in scaffolding. The towpath has been built out over the canal using temporary pontoon sections. The astro turf on the surface squelched as I walked on it after yesterdays rain. There was plenty of space on the 4hr shopping mooring, so we made use of it for lunch and a top up shop from Waitrose. We managed to time our visit well to coincide with the next round of reductions of the ‘Sad Git’ items. When we were in Newark one winter we got to know the best time to shop at Waitrose and ended up having bargain shops along with free newspapers quite frequently.
This must be the chaps
There was a space towards the next lock, so we pushed off and claimed our space. This end of the moorings has less footfall and is sheltered somewhat from the trains whizzing through Berko station.
new 70fter!
Tilly headed out to explore the narrow strip of friendly cover, although the local birdies weren’t too impressed with her presence! She spent most of her time sitting on the stern watching the world go by. That was until we heard a lot of SHOUTING from a lady who obviously had a dog. The dog had spotted Tilly and thought she looked tasty! Tilly started to puff herself up to be threatening back. But that SHOUTING She kept SHOUTING and SCREAMING at her woofer, so noisy! I decided to protect my precious hearing and retire inside at speed. One needs to keep one’s hearing in good order for hearing friends in the friendly cover.
Propy bits for the model
7 locks, 7.01 miles, 1 tern turning, 1 empty wee tank, 1 Mikron fan, 11 in a lock, 2 engineless boats, 1 handy pole, 4hr shopping spot, 2 wrens, 1 big ginger disobedient woofer, 1 very loud She, 2 hours model making the last bits, I hope.
