Ballot Box Bridge to Paddington Basin

The wallpaper on our laptop changes a couple of times a day to images that have been saved on it. As we bought the laptop when we moved on board the photos are of our cruising over the last three years. Most of which we can still identify where they were taken. This morning when the image loaded it was the one above on the Bridgwater Canal in Manchester.

Today we continued our approach into London with the aim of joining the continuous shufflers. Last time we tried to arrive as early as we could hoping to arrive as someone else was leaving Paddington Basin. But this hadn’t worked, so we decided to take it more leisurely, anyway we had a passenger to pick up. We pushed off at 9.15 and slowly pootled along past numerous moored boats. Three quarters of an hour later Mick could see our passenger, Christine (Mick’s eldest sister) walking along the towpath and we handily met her at a bridge where she could step on board.

Only a short distance on and we pulled over to the off side where there was an elsan point and we hoped some water. Sure enough there was a tap from which we could top up the tank. Just as Mick hopped off Oleanna a lady walked up towards us saying “Excuse me!”. We thought she was going to tell us to move on, but instead she said “What a gorgeous boat”. Thank you we like her too!

Once topped up we could carry on at slow speed pootling our way towards Little Venice. This is the third time we’ve done this journey and we gradually cross off the sights as we go by. The north circular with it’s aromatic smells, Old Oak Common Sidings with shiny new trains, Kensal Green Cemetery, the gasometers, Spiderman still clinging on, the weird garden memorials, the West Way still with a space to moor under it free.

Then for the final mile we started to look out for spaces to moor. As we came under Ha’penny Bridge we could see a widebeam up ahead. Where had it come from? Would it have left a big space that we could fill? There were a couple of places where we could have breasted up, but we decided to try further along. The widebeam must have been a boat that came past us earlier this morning luckily it turned left at Little Venice and headed towards Maida Hill Tunnel.

Two boats were on the bookable moorings at Rembrandt Gardens. A couple of months ago we’d looked at booking one of these, but there was only one day available this week. Mick had even tried calling C&RT the other day to see if there had been any cancelations, but there were none. By now we were both feeling a little apprehensive as there wasn’t much water left to moor in. Outside the entrance to Paddington Station was a boat that had turned at Bulls Bridge yesterday, but no spaces. Turning the bend past the fixed boats we could quickly see that the pontoons were all full. A line of breasted up boats outside the hospital. But then at the end of the moorings we spied a gap, would there be anything to tie up to? Two cleats sat just waiting for us to pass our blue ropes round. We pulled in and tied up, Phew! Maybe the cormorant pooh had been lucky.

Cuppas all round and some Spinach and Ricotta rolls to fill a gap. Sorry Frank no photo as we ate them all too quickly. It was lovely to have Christine with us on the way in and we’ll be seeing her again later in the week.

This afternoon we’ve had a wander around and been to Maplins. At the end of the basin, past the fan bridge is an area that you can’t moor in, it always looked really shallow. Today people were working on some pontoons which make up a floating garden area. It is due to open before the end of the month and will have a mooring for a trading boat to sell drinks from. Grass, seating and raised flower beds make up the garden which certainly brightens up the end of the basin.

0 locks, 7.65 miles, 1 passenger, 1 full water tank, 1 guided tour, 1 last towpath mooring, 1 lucky boat, 9 Spinach and Ricotta rolls, 1 can contact cleaner, 1 miffed cat! 0 shore leave, 3 moorings taken up by GoBoats, 1 sack barrow needed, 1 floating garden, 300 miles on Oleanna so far.

Cowley Lock to Ballot Box Bridge

A couple of suggestions came about after yesterdays poohing incident as to what might have jettisoned it’s load on Oleanna. Kath from NB Herbie suggested that it may have been a cormorant, we had seen a couple of them yesterday so I suspect this was the case. But another friend suggested it could have been peacocks as they tend to leave similar messes around Warwick!

We seemed to be the first to move today and it wasn’t early. Yesterday the canal had been quite busy with boats coming and going for some time after we’d moored. We pootled along in the sunshine, after three quarters of a mile we passed the end of the Slough Arm. At the beginning of 2015 we had tried venturing down the arm only to be thwarted by ice.

I’m not too keen on this stretch of the canal as it brings back sad memories of the day we knew we had to say goodbye to Houdini our old second mate who had move on board with us in 2014. After passing West Drayton Tescos I headed below to have a shower and keep myself busy as we passed under Colham (Murderers) Bridge. Tilly kept me amused either by being transfixed by the shower gulper or putting the bath mat out of it’s misery.

One of the first boats to be moving towards us was a very wide widebeam. Mick pulled us right over giving the chap at the helm as much space as we could, he still had to keep walking the half mile to look down is starboard side to check he had enough space. We were relieved once he had passed.

Soon Bulls Bridge Junction came into view and the water point by Tescos was chocker. A small tug was on the end of the mooring, two narrowboats breasted up with a third filling their water tank. There was no point in us trying to find space to top up so we pulled in on the same side but where the wall is quite high. This would mean we could easily stock up on things from Tescos before turning left into the Paddington Arm.

Shopping done and a load of washing on we reversed up a touch and then swung Oleanna into the Arm heading north east. Tilly came out to join us for a while, passing trains didn’t bother her, but she really has a problem with bridges. Someone steals the sky! It looked like something had been demolished near the Southall gasometer, but it turns out that the old gas works had been being used as a car park for Heathrow for sometime. Now the 88 acre sight is being cleared for a development comprising of 3750 homes, schools, commercial space and a lot of green park areas.

On we pootled passing the water point in Southall. Here there were a disappointing number of swans, but masses of pigeons. Locals come to feed the birds right by the tap, piling mounds of bread or seed up on the mooring point, it somewhat puts you off stopping! Arriving at the Black Horse Pub the water point here was free so we made use of it before continuing onwards. Our hope is to just need to top up tomorrow morning before heading deeper into London where once we’ve found a mooring we are unlikely to want to move for water as we may not have a mooring anymore!

A short distance on and we approached Ballot Box Bridge at the foot of Horsenden Hill. A suitable sized gap greeted us so we pulled in. Mick was pulling us in with the centre rope as one of the working boats we’d seen in Rickmansworth came past. He didn’t slow down or even acknowledge that Mick was clinging on for dear life to a now unpredictably moving Oleanna! He just kept on going at speed pulling another boats bow spike out as he went. Cheers Mate!

I suspect Tilly will be gone for hours as we are right next to a nature reserve! Eek!

0 locks, 9.99 miles, 1 straight, 1 left, 0 space, 1 high wall, 19 swans, 1 bikini, 37 parakeets, 1 full water tank, 1 load washing almost dry, 1 absent cat, 1 laminated map!!

Black Jack Lock to Cowley Lock

Last night we crossed over the canal and climbed the steep hill to The Old Orchard which had been recommended to us last year by Joa who moors nearby. I believe she had suggested that it was the only pub within the M25 where you couldn’t see a street light. As we passed by last year we looked up at the pub and didn’t believe that this was possible, but last night we could understand the claim.

We’d booked our table online which always makes me slightly nervous, but yes we were known about and directed to our table which was waiting for us. This was certainly a busy pub, parking for around sixty cars, numerous tables which were swiftly being turned for the next booking and people being turned away at the door. The menu was varied, I opted for Sea Bass with asparagus, saffron potatoes and a spinach cream sauce and Mick opted for the far simpler Steak Burger, both were very nice indeed. A choice of beers both local and Mancunian and a log fire. A very good recommendation, thank you Joa.

The waitress was relieved that we were had decided to finish our beer outside watching the sun go down as the next people had arrived for our table. Outside a dark band of cloud was overhead, the lake below and trees as far as the eye could see. A fantastic view that got even better as the setting sun suddenly shone below the clouds. Even the staff came out to have a look, we really could have been in another country.

Breakfast was an improvement to the last one we’d had. Thank you Naughty Cal for your recommended sausages a great improvement on Quorn ones.

The sun was back out this morning and we soon lost our extra layers as the day warmed up. Boats were on the move and we managed to swap with two coming out of Black Jacks Lock and then swap with another as we came out below. The air soon became full of fairies, it was snowing the fluffy seeds from the willow trees that lined the pounds above and below Wide Water Lock. There were so many horizontally flying past that it made our noses itch and the surface of the water was getting covered with them.

Gongoozlers greeted us at Denham Deep Lock who filmed our whole journey down and this lock lives up to it’s name. After Uxbridge Lock we swung Oleanna into Denham Yacht Station and waited our turn. The diesel was 68p litre well worth filling the tank as ever here. As we left another boat was pulling in.

We decided to stop on the 24hour moorings opposite for some lunch before carrying on. So once moored up we retired inside for a cuppa and a bit of sustenance before the last lock this afternoon. A load of washing had finished and we toyed with putting the airier out on the well deck, but decided to leave it inside as it would only get in the way.

After lunch I came out into the well deck and was confronted with an absolute mess. What on earth had happened?

Had someone maliciously splattered white paint over Oleanna? She was covered with splatters of thin white stuff which extended half way down her. I called Mick over, we’d heard nothing whilst inside. Examining the white spatter as a scenes of crime police officer would I noticed that there was no angle to them that would suggest that they had been propelled from the towpath. It had definitely all come from above hitting both sides of the bow, covering the well deck, spreading half way up the length of Oleanna, but none on the bow or cratch window, not a dot! Only one thing it could be bird pooh! From a very big bird, an Albatross! Being poohed on by a bird is supposed to be lucky. Oleanna is extremely lucky!!!

We pootled our way on to Cowley Lock with me washing off as much of the white as I could as we went. The Uxbridge Boys (who we encountered in 2015) were at their home mooring. The mile of moored boats brought us to the services above the last lock before Paddington. We pulled in and dealt with the yellow water tank right in front of drinkers sat outside the pub, they didn’t seem to notice what we were doing. Once down the lock we spotted a 7 day mooring alongside the park the right size for Oleanna so pulled in.

With mooring up complete, trip computer co-ordinates noted and turned off Tilly was allowed shore leave for the rest of the afternoon. Today this meant annoying the local squirrels and birds, being chased by a black dog up a tree, loosing a collar and having passers-by worried that she was stuck in a tree! Firstly I went up the tree to taunt the dog and see how long it would keep barking for, stupid thing! I really didn’t need any assistance and my experiment was thwarted when she came and grabbed rescued me! Secondly the couple who were trying to stroke me whilst I was out of reach were also stupid and I climb trees as often as they are available, so needed no help what-so-ever! Thirdly, my collar just dropped off my neck,I had nothing to do with it, at all! Anyway it was looking decidedly tatty!

Tilly now has a new collar on with tag and bell, Mick is threatening on buying a tracker to add to her collar, at least then we’ll be able to find it when she looses one!

5 locks, 5.41 miles, 1 Braunston Banger, 1 Turkey sausage, 7245 bezillion fairies, 1 wave to NB Beatrix, 10 minutes of water lowering a boat, 0 floating dry dock, 71 litres at 68p, 2.7 gallons of accurately jettisoned bird shit, 1 blue brush kept busy, 37 drinkers unaware, 1 port side rinsed, 1 fantastic park, 9 trees, 1 stupid woofer, 2 stupider people, 1 cat without a collar,  1 last name tag, 1 slice of birthday cake for Mick, 0 for me!

Cassiobury Park to Black Jacks Lock

Having managed to keep lots of things secret yesterday Mick was very surprised when I handed him three presents and a couple of cards this morning in bed! He does surprise quite well. Originally we were going to have a cooked breakfast but with 6 miles, 8 locks and a festival to navigate our way through we thought we’d best not take our time, so the birthday breakfast has been postponed until tomorrow. NB Book and Spud came past as we were finishing our cereal they were only heading down this lock today so we didn’t feel the need to rush to join them.

We paused for quite a while to fill the tank at the water point above Cassiobury Bridge Lock and watched the tube trains coming and going from Watford. Two swans were starting to make a nest on the other side of the cut. Mum was sitting down and collecting any sticks around her whilst Dad was passing sticks back to her, a true team effort.

The sun that had greeted us this morning kept being hidden by very black clouds all day. From glorious sunshine one minute to torrential rain the next. I really thought that Mick could have arranged his birthday weather better.

Over the last few days we had heard that Rickmansworth Festival was on this weekend and doing a bit of research on the internet we realised that we would be cruising right through the middle of a lot of boats, however there were more than we’d imagined. At Batchworth Lock the local Sea Cadets were helping to work boats through, with three trip boats going back and forth they were being kept busy. The two lads on the gates were quite soggy from the storm that had just passed over, but chatted away whilst we waited for the next trip boat to load up, reverse and eventually come into the lock. Once it was our turn I jumped onto Oleanna and took the opportunity of a ride down, it also looked like it would make things a lot easier if I was on board as the way through the bridge below was blocked by boats.

Below workboats were breasted up four deep and we were very glad of our narrowness. We’d wondered about pulling into the Tesco mooring for a paper, but there were boats there too, so we carried on. A vast array of boats and lots of music from every direction greeted us as we crawled past. I suspect we were the newest boat in the whole pound.

At Stockers Lock a boat was rising, so I went to lend a hand. Most of the time was spent asking gongoozlers to please move to the other side of the lock beams otherwise they would get pushed in. It was just like a sunny Sunday afternoon at Foxton, except there was only one lock and the heavens opened as we were going down.

At Copper Mill Lock there was a  family with two young boys enthusiastically helping a boat up, they stayed to give us a hand. Mum and Dad were as enthusiastic as the boys were, wanting to know how far you can travel in a day. Our days are far slower than hire boaters so it was hard to give him an answer, 3-4 miles or about 4 locks an hour. I should have told him that the most we’ve ever done is 44 miles in a day, assisted by the tide, but I suspect he wouldn’t have been that impressed.

We stopped to drop off rubbish as they all raced down to the next lock to help there, Mick did tell them that we might just stop before it if there was space. Luckily there was and we pulled in between a couple of other boats and retired below for a cuppa and a surprise birthday cake with candles. One young lad walked past wanting to steal the cake but Tilly would have seen him off!

This evening we have booked a table at The Old Orchard for a Birthday meal. I believe it was recommended by Joa last year.

8 locks, 6.37 miles, 2 cards, 1 search light, 2 old fogie CDs, 1 full water tank, 1 vertically challenged pony, 5 drenchings, 3 trip boats, 30 odd working boats, 82 other moored boats, 6 bands, 1 play, 31 gongoozlers, 0 balloons for us, 1 super excited family, 1 handy mooring, 1 disappointed family, 7 candles, 1 Birthday Boy.

Toovey’s Mill Arm to Cassiobury Park

The rain didn’t seem too bad this morning so we prepared ourselves with full waterproofs, well those that used to be waterproof. Every lock ahead was set against us, we were following someone.

We worked our way down the couple of locks before going under the M25. Here a couple of cruisers caught our eye. One had had a wooden top (much like an arc) built around it’s existing fibreglass top, whilst the other had built a wheel house spanning it’s two cabins. They made us smile as both boats were aspiring to be just that bit different.

The M25 looked like it was being held up with tonnes of scaffolding. I seem to remember some scaffolding the last time we came this way, but today we hoped we’d get under before anything collapsed! Once through we could see that none of it was structural, but still there must be something major going on for it to be there. A short distance on and we arrived at North Grove Lock. What a peaceful lovely place it must have been pre 1975.

Heather from NB Bleasdale had said what a lovely place Hunton Bridge was to moor. Certainly other people thought so today as it was quite busy. We’d just been wondering where we’d see the boat with the car, when there it was. It seems to have added a motorbike to the bow now. It was far too early to stop, maybe we’ll have a look round on our way back. Shortly after the two locks the railway stopped following us as it goes into a tunnel and heads off further east.

I was just starting to set Lady Capel’s Lock when Mick shouted that there was a boat coming. I had looked ahead but the canal takes some sharp turns and Mick could see a boat around the bend just as I was lifting a paddle. So I emptied the little I’d put in and we both helped the chap up. He confirmed that we were following about six boats who were all heading to Rickmansworth for the festival this weekend. Last time we came through here we were sharing with what appeared to be a single hander, until his girl friend surfaced from inside just as we’d finished working the lock and he moored up. Today as the boat came into the lock there was a surprised gasp from an oriental lady inside who then disappeared from view very quickly, maybe I should try hiding at this lock!

We wound our way round under the roving bridge, past the golf course where President Obama played golf with David Cameron last year. There were a lot of golf buggies out today and the hole flags weren’t the normal sort. Round the next bend at Grove Mill there was space to moor. It is a lovely looking place and normally full, but sadly today it would have given me a very long walk to collect my deliveries so on we continued and down the two Cassiobury Park Locks.

We managed to moor up, in a sort of fashion before Iron Bridge Lock. The pound was down today which made it hard to get the stern in, but this was where we needed to be and is a perfect place for Tilly. Since last year a large gap in the woodland has been created, a fire gap maybe, which makes our mooring much lighter.

Once I headed off across the park to the Post Office Tilly was allowed shore leave and she headed straight for the trees not to be seen for hours. This place is amazing! One trip out I went that way. Came back for a drink, bath and to tell them all about it before going back out and going that way instead. So many trees! I really didn’t know which ones to climb.

My parcels had arrived and once I was back at Oleanna some secret wrapping took place, before some secret baking.

8 locks, 3.91 miles, 2 sets of waterproofs to stop the rain, 5 showers, 1 stowaway oriental lady, 1 rambling honeysuckle, 1 jaunty mooring, 1 sunny warm afternoon walk, 1 pair of padded waterproof trousers 2 warm, 2 parcels, 1 White House in Watford, 1 paddling lapping dog, 4 presents wrapped, 7283 trees, 1 secret cake baked, 1 deer.

Pixies Farm Bridge to Fishery Lock

No way! Is what should have been said this morning. The weather forecast had suggested light rain this morning followed by heavy rain this afternoon. The volts meter on the battery monitor was low so we needed to run the engine no matter what, so it might as well run as we moved along in the light rain.

The first lock of the day was full, even though it should have been left empty, and we arrived at the same time as a widebeam who was wanting to come up. He climbed over the bottom gates and worked the paddle on his side to help us down. As Mick was pulling Oleanna out of the lock the chap warned that there was another widebeam on it’s way. Here there are quite a few moored boats and the widebeam met us just where the canal bed was too close to the top for us. They hung back to let us pass, but we were well and truly stuck on the bottom so we waved them past. Standing on the port side, forwards, backwards, pole pushing, eventually we worked our way free and could carry on.

Here was our first lock with both the gates left open, we’ve got to get used to this now we are within 30 miles of London! A short distance on was Winkwell Swing Bridge which often has problems remembering how to operate. Today in the now heavier rain it behaved itself lowering it’s barriers and swinging out of the way for us, it also remembered how to close up too.

The next lock had been left empty and we timed our arrival along with a narrowboat from below. We exchanged comments about the rain as we both stood and waited for their boat to rise. They were on a mission to get to Worcester in ten days having left Tottenham two days ago. The closed lock just north of Berko would give them a short day today which I think was a relief as they were both quite soggy.

By now our waterproofs were just holding water not repelling it. So we decided that if we could get into the side below Fishery Lock then we would call it a day there and not carry on further into Hemel Hempstead. With some of the ground paddles leaking  I had to re-open the offside paddles to be able to open the gates which all took extra time and meant we were absorbing more rain. Holding onto the railings to cross the gates I wasn’t sure if the water pouring from my hands was from the railings or my non-waterproof-waterproofs.

Once down Fishery Lock we stopped under the wide road bridge for me to take off my coat and head inside. My waterproof trousers weren’t going to come off until I was inside as there were no trousers underneath them! Mick stayed outside and valiantly moored us up for the day. We wondered what the rain would be like later on if this was meant to be light showers!!

Tilly as always was keen to be outside as soon as we moored up, we certainly had no plans on heading out for the afternoon, so the back door was opened up for her. She jumped onto the roof, jumped down onto the stern and returned inside all within a minute. What has happened to our rain loving cat? No way was I going to go out in that stuff! What were they thinking of moving the outside to a wet place!!

The rest of the day we’ve been sheltering inside, pottering. The bedding has been changed, which led to a discussion about Ikea bed sizes and UK bed sizes. The new sheet we bought the other day is 2m long,, UK beds are 1.9m long and our cross bed mattress is 1.8m long. Even if we had a UK sheet it would need shortening. Then the duvet cover was too long, that one is easier to sort out though and I’ll wait for it to have been washed first in case it shrinks.

One of the jobs today was to email Ricky at Finesse with our up to date snagging list. He beat us to it by calling us for a catch up. They are still waiting for a new cooker top to arrive and had emailed the battery people earlier today for an update, which he hadn’t had a reply from. Our list has been amended and emailed to them, so that anything that needs prep work doing can be sorted before they come out to us.

It’s still raining and Tilly is still dry!

5 locks, 1.64 miles, 1 swing bridge, 2 low volt reading, 2 widebeams, 1 narrowboat, 1 grounding, 1st gates left open, 2 soaked non-waterproof boaters, 1 soggy moggy, 3 NO WAY!!s, 1 cat growing up, 1 list longer, 8 inches too long, 2 inches too wide, 0 battery news, 1 exceptionally wet day, 1 shower full of clothes, 1 broken nephew!

Berkhamsted Castle sits close to the canal so we decided to go and have a look round. Originally built out of timber the motte and bailey was begun in 1066. In 1155 Thomas Becket was granted the honour of Berkhamsted by Henry II, so he rebuilt the castle to show of his new status and to house his large staff. A large flint curtain wall was most probably built then, portions of this still stand today. In 1164 Becket was accused of embezzlement by the King and lost the castle.

The castle is surrounded by large earth works and water filled ditches to stop anyone from tunnelling under the curtain wall. In 1216 the defences were put to the test as Prince Louis of France bombarded the castle  with huge stones. Besieged for two weeks they only surrendered after orders came from the King.

In the 1830s plans to build the new London and Birmingham Railway threatened the castle, but there were concerns over the need to protect ancient monuments and buildings. Berkhamsted Castle was the first building in Britain to receive statutory protection from development, however the route still required the track to pass through the outer fortifications and in 1834 the gatehouse was destroyed.
The earth works are huge and the flint walls now surround a large lawn where once numerous buildings would have stood. Instead the 19th Century chocolate box Keepers Cottage now sits in the grounds only missing some rambling roses and a white picket fence. Entry is free and it’s worth the climb up the steps to what was the keep on the motte for the view across the valley as trains hurtle past. I’m not sure that the two ladies we met had chance to admire the view as their personal trainer kept sending them running up to the top of the steps, “We’re paying for this!” said one of them as the younger personal trainer checked facebook pretending to time them.
Sam from NB Red Wharf paused to say hello and ask after Tilly as we were having our lunch. Our paths last crossed with him at the bottom of Lapworth when we were making our way to Crick on Lillian. Have a good summer Sam and maybe our paths will cross again.
We had to wait for a couple of boats to come past before we could pull out, this would mean that the locks would need resetting for us. No lack of water as we  made our way to Ravens Lane Lock,in parts it looked like it was about to cover the towpath. Here and the lock before have new top gates and when refilling the locks, all paddles open they resonate and sing a note until they are all but a couple of feet full.
A hire boat was coming up hill and had to wait for us to come down as I’d not seen them until it was too late. The chap I was talking to said they would be heading on through Berko, the chap Mick talked to thought they’d be staying the night. At least I mentioned that Gas Lock was closing in the morning and they could end up being stuck for a day and half, I think they’ll be heading a bit further today.
Back in the land of leaving locks empty again and the boats ahead were leaving paddles up as instructed, at least both gates were closed so it wasn’t too much of a pain to drop them. Here the lock chambers leak and boy do they look like it, chunks of brickwork are missing in places and there are just only traces of mortar left between the bricks. Apparently they are scheduled for routine maintenance this coming winter according to the sign dated 2014.
The clouds around us got darker and heavier and there was a distinct feeling that the heavens would open any minute. Luckily we only had a few spots before we pulled up for the day. Our mooring is one we’ve used a couple of times before and featured in our Christmas card in 2014 on a frosty morning, today it is just humid and we were grateful that the towpath was on the opposite side to the side hatch, so we could have it open whilst Tilly went to find friends amongst the watercress.
6 locks, 2.22 miles, 1 cat lucky not to have been thrown in! 0 sign of swans though!! 2 visits to Waitrose, 1 very old draughty castle, 2 foolish fit ladies, 1 Lily Ann, 1st time spotted, 2 ahead, 3 left empty, 1 shiny boat standing out somewhat.