Lady Elgar Log

Upton-on-Severn to Tibberton Wharf
The old working boatmen used to call it a “good road”. What they meant was one of those days when every lock is in your favour. We certainly had a “good road” today!
Having left Upton at 0730 we chugged up the River Severn to Worcester. This took about three hours and, as it is not a particularly interesting stretch Mary went below and did the ironing.
Having passed through the Diglis river lock – huge and mechanically operated – we turned off the river and went through the middle of Worcester. Passers-by find it rather surprising when, having just crossed a busy road in the city centre, they come across a canal boat!
We were now on the Birmingham and Worcester Canal. The locks are narrow (i.e. 7 feet) but, unlike those on the Stratford Canal they do not have little bridges to enable you to pass from side to side so, having opened one gate you have to step across a 3’ 6” gap to open the other one (or go round of course). I used to perform this operation confidently. I still do it but age has brought with it a certain circumspection and the thought of falling ten feet into a muddy canal means that I now have to brace myself a bit before stepping over.
All canals have their own, idiosyncratic lock gear; the Birmingham and Worcester has a rather neat pawl mechanism which enables you to release it with a backward flip of the windlass handle before lowering the paddle.
We were fortunate to meet a British Waterways lengthsman making his monthly inspection of the stretch and he very kindly opened each lock for us as we went up. We parted from him at the top of the 16-lock flight out of Worcester with profuse thanks for his help.
We are now moored on the pleasant visitor moorings at Tibberton Wharf. Because of a very poor signal on my cellphone I thought that I would be unable to send this report, or clear my email, but, by dint of fixing an antenna onto our rear chimney I have managed to connect.
We shall stay here for tomorrow at least.
Day’s run: 15.7 miles and 17 locks in 6.9 hours

Wyre Piddle to Upton-on-Severn
Lady Elgar may not be very nimble in tight situations but she just *loves* the deep water of rivers! This morning she ran like a bird down to Tewkesbury. We passed under the multi-arched bridge at Eckington which was built in the 16th century and is still in good condition today, over four hundred years later: a great credit to its Elizabethan builders.
I contacted British Waterways and it seems that Wolverley Lock will not be passable until Friday 4th June. I have also spoken to a boater who has actually seen the collapsed wall and he thinks that this forecast is *highly* optimistic so we have decided to take a different route: we shall now only go as far as Worcester on the River Severn and then turn up the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.
We arrived at Avon Lock, Tewkesbury, during the lunch hour and had to wait for the lock-keeper to arrive (only the Evesham and Tewkesbury locks are manned on ther Avon) but were soon on our way up the Severn. Our three-cylinder Perkins engine struggled gallantly but it was still fairly slow going against the stream. We eventually arrived at Upton-on-Severn where by dint of a rather inelegant piece of reversing, we were just able to occupy the last mooring on the pontoon.
We walked into the pretty little town and later ‘phoned for a takeaway from ‘Pundits’, the local Bangladeshi restaurant. We felt rather like members of the old British Raj as this splendid meal was delivered to our boat.
Days run: 21.8 miles and 5 locks in 7.3 hours

Stratford Basin to Wyre Piddle
Yes, Wyre Piddle, and we have just passed Tiddle Widdle Island – my grand daughter will think we are taking the piss!
Anyone who knows the geography of the Inland Waterways and has been following my blog will realise that we have changed our plans. Our original intention was to go up the River Nene to Peterborough and thence, possibly, through the Middle Levels to Bedford or Cambridge. For a variety of reasons which I will not bother to enumerate we decided against this plan and opted instead to do the southern section of the Stratford and the River Avon to Tewkesbury, a run which has been highly recommended to us.
Rivers are quite different from canals; not only because they have a (sometimes strong) flow But also because the levels can change quite dramatically as a result of rainfall.
Mooring, too, is not always easy. Whilst on the canal system the ever-present towpath is owned by British Waterways and it is possible to moor almost anywhere, but on the rivers most of the bank is owned by private individuals, the riparian owners, whom it is important not to upset. On the River Avon most of the main towns have areas where one can moor but there is not a great deal of mooring in between. We have found, however, that the Trusts which administer the Upper and Lower Avon have been careful to provide areas at most of the locks where it is permitted to moor overnight.
On the Upper Avon all the locks are named after benefactors whose donations helped to restore the waterway but we were particularly pleased to note that there is an ‘Anonymous Lock’, dedicated to all those who contributed but did not wish to be named.
After a superb day’s cruising we moored on one of the above-mentioned lock approaches. We have now heard by ‘towpath telegraph’ (the amazing word-of-mouth network by which boaters learn, within hours, all the latest gossip) that Wolverley Lock on the Staffs and Worcester Canal has been closed. This could seriously affect us as we had planned to go that way.
More anon.
Day’s run: 26.4 miles and 13 locks in 9.3 hours.

Wilmcote to Stratford Basin
Once again we started in perfect conditions and soon reached Wilmcote Top Lock, the first of eleven.
Crew relations were much better this morning although I did get a slight wigging for allowing a lock gate to swing fractionally whilst talking to the owner of two magnificent Bearnese Mountain Dogs. It was, of course, the dogs rather than the glamorous appearance of the lady owner that attracted my interest!
All the locks on this section are rather battered, often with creaky mechanisms and wobbly gates. Also, there is often very little overhead clearance and we had to take down our chimneys and high exhaust stack. We do have a short stack (know as a ‘titch’ pipe) but dislike using it because it tends to gas us.
Having heard many contradictory opinions as to the merits of mooring in Stratford Basin as against going down on to the river and mooring alongside the recreation ground opposite the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre we eventually settled for the basin and moored on the pontoons there.
Having become seriously short of supplies (especially grog) we set off into the town on a provisioning expedition. My own feeling is that I would rather do 20 locks than make one visit to Somerfields (or any other supermarket) but we were able to replenish our supplies as well as topping up on literature and obtaining a relevant Ordnance Survey map from one of several excellent bookshops. Needless to say the town’s connections with the Bard are widely promulgated.
Tomorrow we hit the Upper Avon.
Days run: 3.7 miles and 16 locks in 3.7 hours.

We spent a very pleasant weekend moored on the Rowington Embankment which, unusually on the canals, has gorgeous views in both directions. The only event to mar our pleasure was when, on Saturday night, a boat loaded with about ten young guys moored on the offside quite close to us. Clearly already in a cheerful frame of mind they now made their way to a pub which lies some quarter of a mile from the canal. Their return at 2 am was accompanied by tremendous whoops and howls which were enough to wake the entire neighbourhood. As we struggled to get back to sleep our only consolation was that they would all have thick heads in the morning but, of course, they were up bright and early and on their riotous way. Oh to be young again!
Despite our elevated position at Rowington the TV signal was not good, a vital matter as the Monaco Grand Prix was on, however by dint of much fiddling with the aerial we were able to get a reasonable picture.


Rowington to Wilmcote
This morning we set off early in perfect conditions. To pass through a deeply wooded cutting with the sun reflecting off a mantle of trees, the slightest touch of mist still clinging to the surface of the canal and a heron, flying in slow-motion ahead of the boat, on a May morning in England is for me a supreme pleasure.
All too soon we arrived at Kingswood Junction where, for the first time since leaving our mooring, we parted company with the Grand Union Canal. We passed through the short section which connects the Grand Union to the Stratford-on-Avon Canal and came out in the middle of the famous Lapworth Locks. In the past we have always been heading for King’s Norton and Birmingham and so have turned to the right but this time we turned left towards Stratford. It is strange that, in nearly ten years of full-time boating we have never come this way and so we felt again the excitement of new water, of not knowing what might be around the next bend.
The Stratford, with its barrel-vaulted cottages and split bridges, is a delightful canal and, as we enjoyed the woodland and meadows through which it passes – almost unchanged for two hundred years – we remembered with gratitude the efforts of Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman, founders of the Inland Waterways Association, whose efforts (assisted, of course, by many others) were largely responsible for the restoration of this lovely waterway. Neither was an easy man but I suspect that it was their particular brand of awkwardness that enabled them to overcome so many bureaucratic obstacles in those pioneering days.
The Stratford has narrow (7 foot) locks rather than the 14 foot ones on the Grand Union and, in the course of adjusting to these and accustoming herself to the drag of the side weirs Mary did not enter the first few locks with her customary precision. This always irritates her and there was also a certain amount of crew dissent occasioned by my habit of engaging approaching crews in conversation (when she thinks I should be concentrating on the boat). I, of course, believe that I am conducting essential intelligence-gathering operations about the route ahead!
Having taken on fuel from the ex-working boat ‘Bletchley” ( a Town Class, Large Woolwich for the cognoscenti) we headed for the Edstone Aqueduct. Just before we reached it we heard a loud bleating and found a lamb in the water, unable to get out. By ramming our bow into the dense undergrowth I was able to get ashore and rescue the creature but, in the course of doing so, ripped my forearms to shreds. This, added to our resuscitation of the “dead” sheep at Marsworth earlier on this trip, makes me feel that I have now done more than enough to justify that next, delicious shoulder of lamb.
Unable to find a decent remote mooring we pressed on to Wilmcote where we moored on the excellent visitor moorings. One of the great advantages of a longish day is that our engine-heated calorifier produces a huge amount of piping hot water so I have been able to indulge myself with an extended shower. This together with a medicinal quantity of Stella Artois has made all seem right with the world but I still reckon that having taken on both water and diesel, ditched sewage and rubbish and rescued a sheep as well as doing eleven miles and eighteen locks is not a bad effort for two sixty-five-year-olds.
Day’s run: 11.1 miles and 18 locks in 7.5 hours.

I have always believed that the old time boatmen referred to the Hatton locks as ‘Heartbreak Hill’ although many of the cognoscenti now consider this to be a modern fiction. Certainly it is one of the five or six *great* flights of locks on the canal system.
We set off early from the Saltisford Arm and arrived at the first Hatton Lock at about 0800. The discouraging thing about Hatton is that, when you have done the first eleven locks and are just beginning to feel knackered you are faced with the awesome main flight of locks at 100 yard intervals. Fortunately the weather was cooler than yesterday and rather overcast so our labours were made easier and we got up the entire flight in about three hours.
Having taken on water at the top of the Hatton locks we cruised on to Rowington where we are moored at a favourite spot on the embankment and have just been joined by boating friends who had heard that we were in the area. We shall stay here until Monday, when we set off down the Stratford-on-Avon canal.

Calcutt to Saltisford
The term ‘lockwheeling’ refers to the practice of sending a crew member ahead to set the next lock whilst the boat is still passing through the previous one. We find this technique very useful when faced with a series of locks and thus it was that we brought out our faithful Brompton folding bike as we approached the Stockton locks. This is a beautiful flight of ten locks and our passage down them was poetry in motion, despite every lock being against us. Having got the boat into the lock (with Mary steering) I closed the gates and drew one paddle (effectively a sluice valve) before cycling down to the next lock where I also raised one paddle. By the time I got back to the first lock it was almost empty and ready for the gate to be opened to release the boat. When I had closed the gate, dropped the paddle and cycled down to the lock below this was ready to be opened. And so it went on; I was almost sorry when we reached the bottom!
We spent the rest of the morning cruising through the lovely English countryside – incomparable at this time of year – in perfect weather. Out idyll was somewhat spoiled when we reached the urban areas of Leamington Spa and Warwick but we were at least able to take on supplies at Tesco.
We moored for the night in the pretty little Saltisford Arm, although we had a long wait to get in as the hotel pair ‘Duke’ and Duchess were busy carrying various vital servicing procedures (narrow-boaters will know about these) and were blocking the arm.
Day’s run: 13.7 miles and 22 locks in 8.1 hours

Started early (0715) to get an easy passage through the Braunston Tunnel. This one is somewhat shorter than the Blisworth but has a pronounced ‘kink’ in the middle.
Braunston is regarded as the capital of the canal system. Although only a modest size village it marks the hub of James Brindley’s great ‘Grand Cross” scheme to link the rivers Thames, Mersey, Trent and Severn. It has always been a busy centre of canal activity, today more so than ever with the increasing number of pleasure boats that moor there. We find there are rather too many ‘poseurs’ for our taste and are always pleased to get through the place.
Having worked down the six Braunston locks we made our way through a gaggle of boats to Braunston Turn, where we chugged off down the South Oxford Canal and tranquillity was restored. The atmosphere on this stretch is completely different from the Grand Union and we much enjoyed the open Oxfordshire countryside – very lush at this time of year – in perfect conditions.
At Napton Junction we turned onto the Grand Union again and moored below the Calcutt locks where we enjoyed a peaceful afternoon.
Days run: 8.9 miles and 9 locks in 5.0 hours

Nether Heyford to Welton
There is a spot near Brockhall Park where the canal runs within a hundred yards or so of both the M1 motorway and the London to Birmingham railway. Thus three centuries of transportation are represented: canals in the 18th, railways in the 19th and roads (or at least motorways) in the 20th.
Having chugged past this spot and watched the mad fools careering up the motorway we arrived at the Buckby Locks. As we were working up these we met an ex working boat coming down breasted up with a butty. This was Nb “Petrel”, a ‘Josher’ (named for Joshua Fellows, managing director of the famous canal carrying company Fellows, Morton and Clayton) built in 1914 and having had its original Bolinder engine replaced with a Lister HP2. The steerer reminded us that we had shared the Stoke Bruerne Locks with “Petrel” back in 2002 – I hope he remembered us for our efficiency rather than the reverse! On that occasion he demonstrated to us one of the trick knots used by the old working boatmen.
After heavy traffic over the weekend we now found ourselves almost alone and were easily able to moor at a spot before the Braunston Tunnel where we first moored in 1993 when my brother-in-law, Paul, and I brought Lady Elgar south for fitting out.
Days run: 8.6 miles and 7 locks in 4.8 hours

We spent yesterday cleaning the boat and doing domestic duties. The canal was extremely busy with many boaters taking advantage of the lovely weather to give their craft a run.
This morning the steam narrow boat “President” passed us again, this time on her way home to the Black Country Museum – anyone interested in this historic craft can find details at: http://www.nb-president.org.uk/index.htm
Attracted by the thought of some live jazz I cycled into Bugbrooke at lunchtime and visited the Wharf Inn. Whilst mine host and his wife are not exactly a bundle of joy the beer is good and there is often live entertainment. Today’s combo had a front line of trumpet, tenor sax and electric guitar (doubling on banjo) with bass guitar and drums as the rhythm section. All middle-aged, they played what I suppose might be described as Mainstream. Starting with ‘Avalon’ they progressed through ‘See-See Rider’ to ‘Route 66’ via ‘Fly me to the Moon’ – you get the idea. Despite the overt presence of guitars and electronics I rather enjoyed the music and, particularly, the banter of the band and their louche group of cronies, who brought back memories of smoke-filled cellars long ago.

We said goodbye to our friends Susie and Tony and chugged the couple of miles to one of our favourite moorings, just beyond Nether Heyford. Having moored up and cleaned the brasswork we walked into the village where there is an excellent butcher, also a mini-supermarket.
Although some of the modern housing in Heyford is a trifle twee the old part is definitely redolent of Jane Austen. As at Bugbrooke many of the houses employ the local sandstone and one is festooned with the most glorious display of wisteria. The sandstone church is a typical example of perpendicular gothic design.
We shall stay here for the weekend.
Days run: 2 miles (no locks) in 0.9 hours

Today we had arranged to meet two old friends, Tony Gould and Susie Mason, who are cruising in their boats ‘Juspidorious’ and ‘Foxglove’ and are presently moored at Bugbrooke, just a few miles along the canal from Stoke Bruerne.
But first the tunnel.
Blisworth Tunnel was opened in 1805 and is 3057 yards long; it takes about 40 minutes to pass through it. There are several ventilation shafts and it is not uncommon for water to come streaming down these and soak the steerer! Most tunnels have their resident ghost: at Braunston the cries of the old-time working boatman hailing each other can often be heard and at Crick the tunnel is said to be haunted by a character called Kit Crewbucket. As far as I know, however, the Blisworth does not enjoy any spectral presences. Our only problem this morning was when our headlamp failed, plunging us into pitch darkness. Fortunately I was able to get it working again by cycling the switch several times. Meeting another boat is always a testing time as there is very little room to pass; having left before 0730 we had hoped to have an unimpeded passage but did, in fact, meet one boat very near the far end.
Having emerged into sunshine at Blisworth we now enjoyed an hour or so of very pleasant cruising before mooring at Bugbrooke (so named after a local stream) where we enjoyed catching up on news with our friends over a pleasant lunch at the Old Wharf Inn.
Day’s run: 6.8 miles (no locks) in 2.8 hours

Fenny Stratford to Stoke Bruerne
Left Fenny at around 0830 to begin the long haul around Milton Keynes. Actually this is not as unpleasant as some people make out and uneventful travel with minimal traffic quite quickly got us to Wolverton at the north end of MK. Here we marvelled at the speed with which nature re-absorbs the follies of Man. The lofty, cavernous hulks of the derelict railway workshops which line the canal at Wolverton are now almost completely engulfed in undergrowth, but it is still possible to see, in one’s imagination, the bustle of activity which once took place here in the great days of steam.
Pleasant cruising in overcast conditions (despite the weather forecast) brought us to the famous Stoke Bruerne flight of locks. Here we encountered problems at the second lock up as British Waterways are working on the towpath below the locks and taking the spoil up in a barge to be emptied by a JCB on the lockside. This meant a significant wait and the passage of only one boat at a time through the lock. Fortunately for us, all the other traffic was coming down and we passed a stream of returning Wyvern hire boats. Having cleared the main group we were only just in time to prevent a straggler from filling the next-to-top lock as we approached it and at the top lock another Wyvern crew had succeeded in opening the paddles whilst we were in the (very short) pound; so we had to watch a lockful of water go to waste! I fear that I allowed my irritation to show but there was really no point in prolonged acrimony and we parted on friendly terms. Moored on the visitor moorings above the lock and near the Blisworth Tunnel, which we tackle tomorrow.
Day’s run: 18.3 miles and 8 locks in 7.5 hours

Set off at 0800 in overcast conditions. A common tern was fishing the stretch and a heron rose majestically as we approached. Near Grove Lock a flock of feeding house martins swooped and dived around the boat.
For many years the lock cottage at Grove Lock was uninhabited and near-derelict but it always had a crudely-painted sign saying, “NOT for sale”. It has now been developed as a rather posh pub (Fullers beers) complete with outside terraces.
Reached the Leighton Buzzard moorings just after 0900 and found plenty of room there so the purser masterminded substantial re-victualling at Tesco’s whilst I supervised the loading of a case of Reserve Shiraz. Having restarted we found the crew of a Wyvern hire boat under instruction at Leighton Lock and travelled with them to Soulbury where we shared the three locks.
Leaving our companions to enjoy the pleasures of the “Three Locks” pub we pressed on to Fenny Stratford, where the lock is unusual in having a drop of a mere 13 inches – some say its very existence is due to a miscalculation during construction of the canal.
The visitor moorings at Fenny were unexpectedly crowded but we were able to slot in neatly about halfway along.
Day’s run: 10.7 miles and 8 locks in 5.1 hours

Marsworth Bottom Lock to Slapton
Yesterday afternoon Nb “Clarice Elizabeth” moored in front of us. We met her crew on the Caldon Canal last summer and were able to regale each other with our doings since then. It’s this sort of encounter which makes travel on the waterways so enjoyable (for us at any rate).
Heard “Clarice Elizabeth” leave at 8 am this morning – much too early for us (and for them actually, but the boat they had paired-up with wanted to leave at that time).
After doing my usual checks we set off down the Seabrook and Ivinghoe locks. At Ivinghoe bottom lock we met a fussily immaculate narrow boat festooned with fenders whose effete crew insisted upon using a line (something we regard as quite unnecessary on the Grand Union). “When climbing in a double lock on your own you should always use a line”, quoth she. Well we don’t Madam! Don’t know why this prissiness irritates me so much but it does.
Moored at one of my favourite spots – near Bridge 118 and wonderfully remote – ready for an early morning assault on Tesco’s at Leighton tomorrow morning.
Along this stretch one can often see the lion that was carved in the chalk hills near Whipsnade Zoo in 1935.
Days run: 4.2 miles and 7 locks in 2.8 hours

Set out from the boat this morning to get a Sunday paper. The OS map marked a footpath on the offside bank which seemed to provide a more direct route into Pitstone village so I thought I would try it. WRONG! Both I and the bike got completely bogged down in mud and by the time I finally scrambled through a hedge and on to the road I looked as though I had been sleeping rough for about a week! Only consolation was that the shop did actually have the Sunday Times so my journey was not in vain. Cleaned up the bike by brushing vigorously and dunking it in the canal.
On Friday I was able to save the life of a sheep which had somehow got onto its back. Apparently when this happens their internal organs sink downwards so that they can’t move and gas builds up with the result that they cannot breathe properly and eventually die. It was surprisingly easy to flip the animal over and she ran off down the field.

Cowroast to Marsworth Bottom Lock
Made our way across the Tring summit and in sunshine for a wonder! The summit levels runs through a deep cutting which is heavily wooded and rather dank in wet weather but, in the sun and especially at this time of year it is certainly very pretty. We saw the flash of a kingfisher as it raced ahead of us.
At Bulbourne we found Nb “Mucky Duck” on the water point and agreed to share with them down the Marsworth Locks. In company with this excellent and highly experienced crew we simply flew down the locks and were sorry to part from them at the bottom. It was, however, essential that we stop for water and sewage disposal. They are on their way to the Wash, which they hope to cross.
Chugged on to a mooring where we know that there is an excellent TV signal as it is the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. We shall stay here until Monday.
Day’s run: 4.7 miles and 9 locks in 3.2 hours

Winkwell to Cowroast
At Winkwell swing bridge we met a boat from the “Muddy Ditches” i.e. the Middle Levels. He reported that the River Nene is in flood but assured us that it only takes about three days to subside so should be alright by the time we get there, assuming there is no more heavy rain of course. We feel somewhat unsure about tackling the Nene but will wait until we reach Gayton Junction before making a final decision.
Pleasant travel to Berko (Berkhamsted) where we moored briefly to visit Eastwood’s, the butcher near the lock, for a selection of their splendid sausages and then enjoyed a pint of London Pride at “The Boat”.
This section of canal is heavily locked and we usually employ a technique known as “lock wheeling” i.e. one person (myself) riding ahead on a bike to prepare the next lock. On the stretch between Berko and Cowroast every lock was against us so this procedure paid dividends.
Cowroast is on the Tring summit level of the Grand Union and marks the end of the long, 45-lock climb out of London and up into the Chilterns. After this brief respite we shall then begin to descend again at the Marsworth locks.
Our mooring operations at Cowroast were slightly hampered by a group of novice oarsmen under instruction but we are now pleasantly settled and enjoying a glass or three of Shiraz Mataro by the celebrated house of Banrock Station (S.E. Australia). Cheers!
Day’s run: 5.4 miles and 16 locks in 4.9 hours

King’s Langley to Winkwell
Another day of bright intervals between heavy showers.
For those of us who remember the muddy towpaths and run-down paper mills at Apsley the vista there is now greatly improved: several new blocks of apartments have been sympathetically designed to blend with the canal environment and the whole area is greatly improved.
Having stopped at Sainsbury’s for supplies and taken on water above Apsley Lock we proceeded on our way towards Hemel Hempstead. Hemel looks attractive from the canal with its chestnut trees, greensward and a charming, Dutch-fronted building but the huge and rather uninteresting Kodak building tends to dominate the scene.
We were disappointed to find that there was no room on our proposed mooring at Boxmoor so steamed on to Winkwell and moored at a spot which we have often used before; it was here, some years ago, that a willow tree fell on us and we had to be cut free by British Waterways staff with chainsaws.

Cassiobury Park to King’s Langley
On Bank Holiday Monday it rained without respite all day so we stayed where we were and watched the snooker from the Crucible.
This morning (Tuesday) we woke to find it raining once again and contemplated reversing the 200 or so yards back to the water point and then staying where we were. However, when we opened our rear doors we found that we were in the middle of a fishing match (unusual on the Tuesday after a Bank Holiday I would have thought – how do these guys get the time off work?) so decided to press on regardless.
Cassiobury Park bottom lock presents a very English scene: there is a lovely house beside the lock and, in high summer at any rate, the pleasant sound of leather on willow can be heard from the adjoining cricket ground.
We were sorry to see that the donkey is no longer at Hunton Bridge. He has lived alongside the bottom lock for as long as we have been coming this way but now he is gone and his field seems to be about to be built on.
At Hunton Bridge top lock we paired up with a single-hander and travelled in company with her as far as King’s Langley. Although perfectly competent she clearly had little interest in canal tradition: I noticed immediately that her boat had been decorated by Ron Hough, doyen of canal boat painters, but she cheerfully admitted that she had painted over his castles as she hated them. Whilst myself never the greatest fan of Ron’s I know plenty of people who are and privately felt that she had rather diminished the value of her boat by this piece of vandalism. I kept this view to myself however!
Talking of vandalism, it is sad to see that the old Ovaltine works are being demolished – another great reminder of the working days gone.
Having left our companion to the joys of the King’s Langley launderette we motored on the half mile or so to our usual mooring near the confluence with the River Gade.
A pleasant days cruising despite the shocking weather but, with no donkey and no Ovaltine works, a sad one too.
Day’s run: 4.8 miles and 9 locks in 3.4 hours.

Denham to Cassiobury Park
By this morning (Sunday) the weather had improved considerably and we decided that it was definitely time to move.
We sauntered down the long straight to Widewater Lock, passing Harefield Marina, and then on to what is perhaps the prettiest lock on the Grand Union: Black Jack’s (so called because a ferocious negro used to terrorize passing boaters back in the nineteenth century, or so it is said!). This remote lock has a very twee little thatched cottage alongside it and, at this time of the year, some spectacular cherry blossom.
At Copper Mill we paired up with one of the many narrow boats called “Narrow Escape” and travelled with them as far as Batchworth where we stopped at Tesco’s whilst they were intent on a visit to the White Bear.
At Cassio Bridge Lock we met a group of pleasant but highly irresponsible young men on a hire boat out of Packet Boat Marina. Having kindly waved us in they proceeded to jump down on to the cill whilst the lock was filling and then clambering up the gates to get out again. We formed the definite opinion that they had been looking upon the Stella Artois whilst it was crimson!
Moored for the night a little further on in Cassiobury Park – a spot where we often used to moor but have not, I find, done so since 1999.
Day’s run 8.5 miles and 9 locks in 4.7 hours.

As we are in no particular hurry and the weather was very unfriendly we decided to stay on our pleasant mooring hard by Denham Country Park and enjoy the local walks.
I cycled into Uxbridge today to get some new OS maps of the Peterborough area.
Pleased to report that our generator is now working better than it has done for some time.