Into the depths of London

Our mooring in Cowley was for 14 days without charge but after the one night we were keen to get into the thick of London.

I picked up some provisions from the local high street which was delightful - already I noticed the diversity of cuisine in the variety of ingredients in the smallest of shops. With our preparations on the hatch, horn, map, camera and tea...

we pulled out the mooring pins (like giant tent pegs) and set off for the last lock. Just before we used the facilities - rubbish bins, water and Leigh went into a canalside cafe to order a quick sarnie. They dropped it out to him as we were leaving.

We were in and out with Leigh working the heavy gates and me on the tiller and the sun was gleaming down.

I was glad to see the back of the locks! We were now on the look out for landmarks... was that Wembley Stadium?

We passed this most delightful boat...

with along the side, black 'lee' boards as noted by Andy's comment.

A mile along the way we reached Packet Boat Marina and the Slough Arm. Our guide book noted that this waterway of the GUC is badly silted and in a decrepit state. By the sounds of it, it doesn't get well used and you can get stuck, running aground. We carried on our way to the Paddington Arm.

We stopped at bridge 200 - Station Road bridge as there is a laundrette just round the corner from the canal.

I spotted a crazy Coot - one of the many birds that live on the canals. Their sounds are quite alarming! Particularly when the are warring.

Back on board, and with the engine going we were very close to Bulls Bridge Junction and the Paddington Arm...

The broken side of the sign is Braunston.

Leigh did an excellent manouver of a 90degree turn to get onto the arm. With a blow of the horn we warned any other boats coming through.

We were invited to our friends mooring at Northolt and popped over to see them.

We left their place early in the morning and the trip was lovely as the dew was glimmering, there was a fresh bite to the air and the canal was ours!

We passed through Perivale Wood (a lovely wooded stretch with Eucalyptus trees and green parrots!), Alperton, Park Royal and Acton, Wormwood Scrubs and into Kensal Green...

We began seeing some London views....

We passed through Little Venice, which is just that, little - not what I was expecting. And round the corner we were into Paddington Basin. We moored opposite this...

A beautifully engineered bridge that curls up like a scorpion tail forming a carefully closed octagon.

Paddington Basin is modern, majestic and full of busy office workers. The jetty is illuminated at night, it almost feels like a marina. There are no facilities here and the mooring is for 7 days only. It is perfectly situated close to the station, tubes and bus routes so it's easy to get around.

We had some lovely family visit us yesterday and we got to show off our brilliant home in the big smoke.

Today we walked to Hyde park and hired the 'Boris Bikes' for the afternoon to explore the park. It was so much fun!

Tomorrow I've got a job interview, so fingers crossed I'll get that. And by the sounds of it, we are staying put in London for winter (getting to Birmingham's out the window) so there will be more from us about life afloat in the smoke.

To London days 21 and 22

From the M25 (Abbots Langley mooring) we spent the last two days working the locks down the Grand Union Canal to Cowley (near to Uxbridge) our current mooring point - North West Greater London.

We stopped over at Rickmansworth last night, in a strange residential area of Croxley Green. It was here that two boats moored in front and behind, both with cats to torment little Delia Derbyshire (how easily her bubble can be popped!).

Today we cruised a delightful stretch parallel to lakes and nature reserves - which really do deserve walking round. But we didn't stop. We cruised 10 miles and the last of the locks into London. One last lock tomorrow and we have a straight run to the Paddington arm and into Paddington basin.

On route we have seen some of the most original and unusual forms of house-boats from floating sheds and pirate ships to ornately carved pixie narrowboats and dutch barges. All very eye-opening.

Overall, it has been a most exhilarating journey and in 22 days from Nottingham, a steady cruising time.

To London days 19 and 20

Tring summit was so delightful and beautiful.

I would say it is my most favourite spot along the GUC so far.

The variety of trees stood majestically with a vast array of foliage climbing, hanging, filling the spaces below the leafy canopy.

The woods felt magical. Some of the trees were perfect for building tree-houses too.

Notice the roof after a night under the trees...

There were only occasional boats moored along the stretch. It is a BW designated 14 day visitor zone, so you can't stay long. It was by the bridge for Tring station that I saw the first sign with mention of London! I was so flummoxed that this was as good a photo I could manage on a moving craft!

At Cow Roast begun the locks down passing through Northchurch and into the trendy town of Berkhamsted. Here it really felt like london, with folks in fashionable breton tops, sand-stone coloured brick houses and commuters. We passed a couple of lovely looking pubs and found a mooring just before dark.

This morning I popped into the town of Berkhamsted for some provisions. Weaving through the tiny town houses by bridge 142a, I discovered a shop. A lovely organic butcher shop. I picked up some of the tastiest bread I have ever eaten, along with cheese, ham, bacon and sausages - the quality of the produce is excellent. I had to find a post box too, but this was simple as it was practically next door to the butchers. It was actually in someone's front garden, I had to check and double check that it wasn't ornamental, like the red phone boxes have become!

This is a regular experience as a traveller to new areas. When you run low on foods, need medical access, need a cashpoint it's always a new experience to find said need. I have considered building up a log book of the best places and useful info around the country, but maybe I just need a label on the blog for "useful info". I discovered that someone is compiling a list of recycling points around the canal network on their blog and another person has produced a list of launderettes too!

The guides we use as maps on our journey are Nicholson Waterways guides that are pretty comprehensive but lack that little spark - for example they list supermarkets but not independent sellers like those in cottages along the towpath. But that isn't all that realistic I guess. Also I've thought about noting where I find foods in the hedgerows, apple trees, plum trees, etc, etc. But it's just an idea, the food is in abundance so you've just got to keep your eyes peeled.

It was mid-day and we mustered ourselves together to move. We reversed to the waterpoint near by (at a petrol station) and filled up, hosed down the boat and picked up some kindling. We set off for the first of many locks today.

Leigh caught this lanky fellow on camera...

Hemel Hempstead was a little disappointing, too many locks and not enough views. They are big double locks too, so it was slow going and hard work today.

We didn't stop once and Delia was going stir-crazy inside, enough to do an escape act and try to throw herself into the water! On the whole she is a darlin' settled inside but when she's had enough we sure know about it. I like to get her out and keep her on my lap when I can so that she is part of the move but it was hard to do this today with all the working of locks.

We passed through Winkwell swing bridge, a key operated bridge that stops the road traffic...

A notice still stands stating that if the bridge is not put back in place a fee of 10 shillings will be demanded "by order!"

Two boats passed us here, one towing the other - would they make it through the gap?

We passed Kings Langley village and it was 7pm. One hour until dark, but we carried on determined to get beyond the M25 motorway. We went through lock 70 Home Park Lock - a deep lock, and motored 1/4 of a mile...

under the huge bridge number 160 - the M25

We pulled over and after a bit of jiggling around on the shallow we found the perfect spot to moor. Delia has explored the area and just popped in meowing her approval.

So we are in the larger ring of London it feels. Brilliant. A few more days and we will be in Paddington.

Tonight after 15 locks we relax, tired and aching under the glory of a full moon.

To London day's 17 and 18

We left the mooring on the outskirts of Milton Keynes (in an area called Wolverton) on Tuesday. It was extremely blustery and I wasn't convinced it would be a good day of cruising. Being 65foot and quite high in the water, the boat is prone to gliding about the canal at a mere whisper of wind. However, we decided to give it a go, learning to 'work with the wind' (my ridiculous saying I pester Leigh with) and see how she fares.

With Leigh on the tiller, she did surprisingly well. Giving moored boats plenty of room...

so as not to crash into them and riding the throttle we managed to pass the whole of Milton Keynes without any hiccups. The route was rather pleasant as the town is below the canal and so the views are mainly of open parks and tendered woods. The bridges however were awful, that is to say not aesthetically pleasing or well designed. I thought 1983 was a great year (Papa Bear shall confirm) however not for the designing and building of concrete bridges. How can they get it so wrong.

We had our first and only lock of the day at Fenny Stratford, which we shared with the same boat we did the flight at Braunston with, Bottom of Arden.

We moored at the opposite outskirt of MK near Bletchley. 'The' Bletchley park. I am humbled.

We didn't hang around, the next day we were off again, stopping at a boatyard for the facilities and headed on towards Leighton Buzzard.

We shared the locks at Soulbury Three locks 26-24 with a lovely couple who have a beautiful lurcher, with fur like silk. She like Deila was going a bit loopy with all the wind, running up and down the tow path. Obviously not at the same time. Delia was tucked up indoors when the lurcher was lurking. We stopped for food at the canal-side Tesco in Leighton Buzzard and by the next two locks we'd had enough.

The route from here skirts many tiny villages and looks out to the Chilterns. It is delightful. As this is a broad section, there are plenty of good looking barges and wide beams...

We passed a boat's permanent mooring with these...

sadly it is time to think about our heating again.

Today we reached our first lock and shared with a hire boater. They were winding and returning back on themselves so when we reached the next lock we waited for another boat to share with. Alas it was the lurcher and co. who had teamed up with another boating friend and were working the locks together so we carried on alone.

Lock after lock with a quater of a mile in between each.

I got it down working the gates and paddles.

We got to Marsworth bridge 130 by 4pm and took an hour out to relax.

At 5pm we were on our way again passing a beautiful thatched cottage just before the Aylesbury Arm...

and headed through Marsworth Locks - 7 in the space of a mile.

It was here that Leigh noticed the worn stone...

from years of people standing astride working the ground paddle.

The surrounding view was bliss as the sun began to go down.

We reached the final lock and passing the Wendover Arm...

and the Toll House, now someone's fabulous pad...

We came to a beautiful wooded stretch to moor up just before Tring Summit Level. It was dark within 5 minutes of mooring up so we time it just right. 16 locks today and they were big and heavy - let's just say we will sleep well tonight.

To London days 14, 15 and 16

We left Weedon continuing along the GUC passing the village of Bugbrooke and the Northampton Arm of the GUC at Gayton Junction. We passed Blisworth and were preparing for Blisworth Tunnell 3057yards long!

On our way there, a guy on a narrowboat asked us if he was on the GUC and which way to London. It seemed a strange thing to ask, didn't he have a map? As he left Leigh wondered if he knew about the tunnel but it was too late to ask him.

We carried on, put on hats and rain mac's and entered the tunnel. It was rather frightening as it was impossible to see the exit. About 600yards in, we spotted a boat across the tunnel - This was very distrubing. It is a rather oppressive space with engine fumes looming, echoes of rumbling machines and vague lighting by headlights, it is only wide enough for two narrowboats to just about pass. Leigh slowly approached ahead wondering what was going on. It turned out that one boat was towing another boat behind - the guy I mentioned before, he had no lights on, and his engine had apparently packed in so they were towing him back out. As we scraped along their side, their tow rope came off, so I lent a hand to get it back on. We carried on into the darkness. The blackness was amazing!

I was pleased to get out into the fresh air and daylight.

At the entrance of the tunnel, there is an old blacksmiths hut and an example of the renovated section. As in 1984 BW completed a restoration of the tunnel, lining with concrete the inner section. This tunnel is in fact, the third longest canal tunnel to navigate in the UK. It was built in 1805 and originally the boats were legged through. Yes, by men on their backs - what a job!

We moored up under a beautiful wood just before the village of Stoke Bruerne where we walked into and enjoyed a lovely curry from "Spice of Bruerne".

The next day, we waited until later in the day to head through the locks at Stoke Bruerne. It was Saturday and there were plenty of day hire boats, sight-seers and on-lookers plus many narrowboats all trying to get through the locks. We teamed up with a couple on 'Lady Ada' and went through the locks together. Leigh was on the tiller and I was working the locks. They were rather smooth locks but still quite heavy to open and close.

At the bottom of the lock was a little cottage with a sign and box, whilst the lock was emptying I wandered over to see what it was. They were selling free-range eggs for £1, unfortunately the box was empty of eggs! We have been lucky over the last few days, as another cottage over-looking the canal had a bowl of cooking apples for people to help themselves to, so I took a few of those to make a crumble.

We filled up with water at the bottom lock and carried on for another couple of miles until the sun began to go down. At Yardley Gobion we found a mooring point opposite a boatyard. Delia was happy as it was a nice stretch of grass for her to run up and down with bushy hedges to hide in.

This morning we left Yardley Wharf on our way to Milton Keynes. We reached Soloman's Bridge, 65 at Cosgrave, a gothic style bridge built in 1800.

We passed through the lock at Cosgrove...

leaving the gate open as there was another boat approaching and continued toward the aqueduct.

This aqueduct passes over the Great Ouse River which you can see far below.

To the one side is a railing and towpath, to the other there is nothing but a sheer drop. It was incredible! This aqueduct is a square cast iron trough situated on stone pillars and was built in 1811. It was very majestic feeling indeed.

Before we reached Milton Keynes, we passed this lovely boat, a Tjaik I think.

The one thing Leigh wondered was what is the purpose of the wooden flat pieces?

We reached Milton Keynes and were looking for a mooring near the station to enable Leigh to visit his mum. The wind was so blustery it was really difficult to moor up. The bow was in but the stern was floating away so I tied off the centre line to help stop the wind pulling the boat away from the side - I wont do that again! as the boat begun listing right over. Fortunately the wind died down, Leigh got control of the boat with the tiller, I managed to loosen the rope and the boat righted herself. We pulled over and tied up. Phew.

To London day 13

It has officially been 1 month since we left Nottingham for London. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. We have cracked on today determined to get to London as soon as possible. There have been more water restrictions on route due to the low levels in the reservoirs and we have been waiting to share locks again. Like last time, most boats are coming up and not going down with us so we've been riding down on the lock to allow boats coming up.