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.