The Weekend

Well the weather was against me on Saturday so I didn't progress the painting at all; on Sunday I was delighted to have a visit from my sister Carol and her partner Peter.

After a cup of tea and a chat Peter had a look around the boat and then we had a wander into town where there were Morris dancers
performing in the Market square, I hadn't taken my camera, which may please you, and we did not hang around to watch as we were looking for somewhere to eat. We settled on The Kings Head just off the square and spent an hour or two in very pleasant surroundings and the food was good too, one strange thing was the fact that you needed a code to get access to the toilet as they were situated in the courtyard which was also a walk through for the public, the owners obviously objected to non customers using their facilities, hence the code, a first for me. We went back to the boat for a bit more of a chat and a cup of tea and then said our goodbyes, thank you for a lovely day Carol and Peter.

Carol had told me that one of my cousins Pauline who lives in New Zealand was on Facebook so later in the evening I tracked her down and we had a chat by messenger, it was lovely to catch up a bit because we haven’t seen each other or talked for quite a few years, but hopefully we will keep in touch a bit more now, if you are reading this Pauline I hope you had a good Anzac day.

Today the weather has been ok so it was more painting, I am progressing and hopefully will get it finished before I am forced to move on, weather permitting, pictures on completion.

Painting.....again

Just a quick update really, I have decided that while I am at Aylesbury with a pontoon to walk on and work from and no overhanging trees I am going to try to get the roof painting finished, so I have been out and bought all I need to complete the job, I spent the best part of today removing rust from the section alongside the chimney which was quite deep and awkward and then filling with epoxy filler and trying to get a reasonably smooth finish back, I am hoping tomorrow will see the end of the preparation and paining proper can start Sunday.....hopefully it will stay dry and not too windy.

Aylesbury Arm part two

It was a cold foggy morning and I was almost tempted to head back to bed but instead of that I turned on the central heating and by 10am the sun has shown its face and I was ready to cast off on the second leg down the Aylesbury Arm.

On through locks 9-11 with no problems although all the locks today were against me, I passed this little chap tucked in amonst the trees, it was almost invisible until you got close.

Then came lock 12, it started ok, I stopped and tied up, filled the lock all as normal, but water was pouring over both top and bottom gates and I could not open the top gate, push as I may there was just too much water coming down the pound holding the gate shut, so I thought I would try emptying the lock and flushing some water through but the pound between 11 & 12 was a long one so it did no good at all, I went and put the kettle on, options were phone C&RT and get some advice or wait for another boater, having made a cuppa and gone back to the lock I saw a boat coming towards me to go up the lock, so I began emptying it and when the lady approached to see what was happening I explained and suggested the three of us may be able to shift it, so hubby bought their boat in, we filled the lock and with the two of them on the balance beam and me on the other end we eventually shifted it, the whole mini drama taking best part of an hour, off they went and I was able to carry on as normal. 

On past Bates Boat Yard the boats outside are not a good advert.

But then I passed this beautiful boat, put that one on the wish list.

Along through the reeded section and past the Aylesbury Canal Society’s new headquarters with its own little marina offering free 14day secure visitor moorings,

When I got to the Tesco moorings, I stopped and tied up but did not like the look of it so I continued into the Aylesbury Basin where I have reversed into and moored on one of the three pontoons available for visitors (moorings for 6 boats) outside a building site on one side and a Travel lodge and Waitrose on the other (no picture due to me not noticing the camera battery needed charging) well it is all being developed and it seems ok, there is a gate to secure the pontoons from the public held shut with a piece of nylon rope! It was a lovely cruise and a long day for me 10am to 3pm and although weary I walked back to Tesco and bought some much needed provisions, I will stay here a few days while I source some painting materials and other bits.

Tonights view from the side hatch

Totals Today:  5 Miles : 8 Locks

Onto the Aylesbury Arm

After posting the previous fishy blog entry I got sorted and went on deck, I am growing a couple of herbs which I forgot to get in last night and would you believe there was a slight frost, Parsley seems to have survived, but Basil is no more :-(

For some reason I was quite keen to get moving this morning so at 9:30, that’s early for me, I set off the quarter mile or so to the Aylesbury Arm, as I approached the entrance two boats were coming towards me on the mainline so I held station and let them pass before turning in, at this point the wind caught me and pushed me parallel with and to within 150cms of a moored boat, a bit of breath holding saw me past without actual contact.

In lock 1 of the staircase looking down on lock 2

A double first for me today, single narrow locks and the first two forming a staircase(where locks are together with no gaps between to give a big rise or fall in a shorter distance and avoid one very deep lock)

All went as planned, although with single locks there is no chance of sharing and a bit more walking is involved, the levels of a couple of pounds were very low and so the C&RT men were letting water down from the mainline, I had to hold at one lock until enough had come through to give me a chance to get though the next pound which was about 300cms lower than needed.

Passing a modern little development of housing the locks come at you thick and fast, 8 in all (including the staircase) over the next ¾ mile or so, not much time for pictures or admiring the views but it was very pleasant.

Having done my stint for the day I moored up at Wilstone, and went for a walk, down to the next lock Gudgeon Stream , they have wonderful names some of them.

 and then along a footpath to the village, following what I assume was Gudgeon stream, it must have strong flows at some time to warrant this guillotine gate unless the farmer uses it to irrigate his fields.

Wilstone, so the information board told me, is famous for its association with Hertfordshire’s last recorded witch hunt in 1751 which resulted in the death of Ruth Osborn the so called ‘witch’. The coroner’s inquest on her death was held at the Half Moon pub, in front of “25 good men and true” and Thomas Colley, the instigator, (of the witch hunt) was hanged at nearby Gubblecote, Colley’s ghost and that of his black dog are reputed to have haunted the scene long after.

Apart from that Wilstone is a small pleasant village, the Half Moon pub, A Village Community Shop (7am til 1pm) and a Church were all available to its residents and visitor’s, what more do you need.

Views from the side hatch.

Totals today :  1.5 miles : 8 Locks

Early morning update for the anglers.

This morning when I was making my early morning cuppa I raised my galley window blind to see this.

There were about eight of them the biggest about 60cm long taking big gulps of air, I am no expert but I think they are mirror carp.

Some things you see are surprising and make you smile.

Plans change

Lock 39 and closed down Pub

Jules Fuels

Thursday was my rest day, I walked down the Marsworth flight of locks (7 in all) and took a few snaps of the views, one of Jules Fuels boat entering a lock,

and the reservoirs that feed the canal, Marsworth, Startops and Tringford reservoirs, 

Bluebells, a nice little tea room serving ice creams as well.

When I got back to the boat I did a bit more prep on the roof.

I woke quite early on Friday and decided to walk up to start of the Wendover Arm to see what is was like, I had heard it was quite shallow so I wanted to see for myself before cruising it. The entrance was not far from where I was moored so I set off about 8:30 intending to look at the first quarter mile or so, the weather was lovely and the walk peaceful and I ended up walking the whole arm, whoops, not much point in cruising down it now. 

Looking back at the junction with the main GU.

Tree Lined first part

It starts out quietly meandering along edged by trees and hedging which mean you don’t get to see the views across the farmland.

Then after about half a mile you come to the only blot on the landscape, a flour mill, not very attractive but still in use.

After that this pleasant little arm opens up to the views, a little haven of peace and quiet with only a small cluster of housing and only two moored boats to be seen.

It suddenly ends with a winding hole and a ninety degree turn at Little Tring, the restoration of this section was completed in 2004 and restoration of the remaining section to Wendover is currently being undertaken although I did not walk further.

So instead of moving Friday I decided to do a bit more work on the roof, charge the batteries and stay Saturday moving down the Marston flight of locks on Sunday. The great thing about this life is you can move whenever you want or stay put, subject to the 14 day rule and a few other minor factors, like food, water, gas, diesel, a bit of forward thinking needed but only minor! So Saturday a bit more work on the roof (I need more paint so cannot rush it) and then I noticed the Formula 1 is on, I haven’t had TV reception for a while and don’t mind a bit really, but here I have a good signal just on BBC, so I decided to watch the qualifying Saturday and the race Sunday, I could have still moved Sunday and be moored in time to catch the race but what if I lost the reception?, I decided not to chance it so the plans changed again, I decided I will move Monday! It’s a good job I don’t have to be anywhere in a hurry. It was a good race, well done Hamilton, a bit boring at the front but some good battles lower down the order, and as it happens the weather here was not good, so chilly in fact that I relit the solid fuel burner, although it warmed up late afternoon.

This morning the weather looked great, 10:15 cast off intending to go down 6 of the 7 locks and find a mooring, a short run but I am intending to do the Aylesbury Arm tomorrow and it looks like I will need to do 8 locks there before finding a mooring spot so I did not want to do 14 or 15 in one go, why would I? No rush, Aylesbury isn’t going anywhere. So into the first lock (45) no problem, snagged a fender coming out and lost it, it probably went down the Wendover Arm thinking I was heading that way J. Next lock revealed a volunteer so a bit of lovely help and he stayed with me through the next two, 

Leaving lock 43 behind

All say Arrrrrrrrrrr

on the 4^th lock there were two volunteers so even better, I stayed on the boat and they saw me safely through the remaining locks, so I had another easy cruise and was moored up again by 12:15 just past lock 39 and just before the branch for the Aylesbury Arm, perfect. 

This afternoon I did a couple more hours on the roof, but I am low on materials for it now so will look for more in Aylesbury.

Where are those fish?

There's one, just a second, I'm starving.

Herons are plentiful around here, he got the fish but it was in and swallowed before I had a chance to snap it.

Mooring for the night.

Todays total: 1 Mile : 7 Locks

Cowroast to Bulbourne

What a lovely start to a lovely day. I woke at 7:30 and the sun was attempting to get above the hedge line, first thing in the mornings on the boat are still quite chilly, so I had my breakfast and got dressed and went on deck, it was warmer there than inside so I sat up there with a cuppa, saying hello to the passing dog walkers, cyclists and early starting boaters as they cruised past, at 10 o’clock I was getting ready to cast off when Matt from the boat in front of me walked up, so we exchanged ideas and generally chatted for half an hour when I decided I had better get moving, so saying goodbye I cast off and entered my only lock of the day Cowroast lock (46) which was in my favour, then I topped up with water as I was leaving the lock and set off on the cruise to Bulbourne.

Residential Moorings at Cowroast

Nice little garden

It was warm and a delightful little lock free cruise towards Tring cutting.

Unusual DIY canopy !

A cutting is where they dig a route through the hill instead of installing numerous locks to go up and then down it. 

Tring Cutting approaching bridge 134

Tring Cutting

The sun was partially shielded by the cutting which is up to thirty foot deep and 1.5 miles long.



Imagine digging that out with a pickaxe and wheelbarrow, no machinery in those days.

The only noise I could hear was from the birdlife.

Moored temporarily at the summit.

I stopped at the summit and went to have a look at the view of the Chilterns, the camera doesn't do it justice, beautiful, with only one large blemish in the shape of a wind turbine.

Looking down at Quinquireme through the trees.

Setting off again I was soon at Bulbourne and had two mooring choices in mind, the first before bridge 133 was quite busy so I carried on and just after the bridge there was a nice sized gap at the beginning of the visitor moorings right outside the garden of the ‘Grand Junction Arms’ with rings to tie to as well, a nice bonus. It is glorious weather and the punters (adults and children) are enjoying refreshments and play. I opened a bottle of beer and went and said hello to the lady moored in front of me, she has a lovely little dog called ‘Monty’ who’s afraid of water.

Tonights Mooring.

Totals today: 3 Miles : 1 Lock