Jump to content

Tim

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    672

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Tim

  1. Tim

    Friday 11th June

    By Tim,

    Dull and overcast this morning, but soon cheered up with a very nice bacon roll! A steady plod along the 6 miles and up the 3 locks to Lechlade, as good as on our own again, at St Johns lock just before lechlade we were the first boat through this morning and it was now 11.00! We were amused by the tame ducks at Buscot lock, apparantly the keeper was feeding them in march when the weather was bad and they kept coming back. The wildlife this morning extended to another kingfisher and a curlew. Went to the head of navigation and struggled to turn in the silt, we were tied up by 12.00 A walk about and a spot of lunch in the New Inn, a lazy afternoon then a walk back to the lock, the Trout Inn there was closed! so a walk back into Lechlade for drinks at the Crown, a microbrewery, offering trays of 1/3rd pint glasses for you to to try the 6 beers on offer! I quite liked the Thames tickle. To the fish & chip shop to collect dinner, then return to boat to consume - there was about 300 tons of chips so we had a few and discovered that the swans, ducks etc quite like them too, so they had the rest! Washed one side of the boat after the cows in the field decided to lick it - yuck! And fixed the bed frame which was falling apart. After lunch the day brightened up and became nice and sunny, first for a couple of days!
  2. Tim

    Friday 14th May

    By Tim,

    So, I get to start a day early!! Left Ventnor Farm around 15.00 with youngest Son Dave on board. Weather very overcast and threatening rain, however it remained only a threat. Up the 3 Calcutt locks, joining a boat in the top lock who had just pulled off the dock. An uneventful cruise as far as Bridge 100 about a mile and a half short of Braunston. The afternoon only spoiled by a work call, I have to get something finished by Monday morning, best get on with it, then no more worries. An ok chicken & pepper curry for dinner, a bit of work and watched some Family Guy DVD's with Dave.
  3. Tim
    And before I realise it's happened, I'm down the Napton flight (a few boats about) and back to Napton Junction to complete the Thames Ring (perhaps I should have brought champagne?) Weather is cloudy, but warmish, then I arrive at a deserted Calcutt Top Lock, only to find it very busy for the other 2, in fact I don't really have to get off the boat as the other boat has plenty of crew. And back into Ventnor Farm to start cleaning up and packing, in fact I'd just cleaned one side of the boat and it started raining! So I started sorting the inside.
     
    Some thoughts:
    It's been a great trip with lots of different company.
    I've done about 500 miles and 300 locks in some 200 hours of cruising!
    I didn't manage to to the Slough Arm or the Stort, but took in the Wendover Arm! Need an excuse to go back!
    All the lock keepers on the Thames were great, except the miserable bugger at Goring!
    Not impressed with BW not turning up to Old Ford Lock when we were stuck.
    Not a hint of any potential banditry.
    Met a lot of friendly fellow boaters.
    Not a single lock stolen, and a large % of boats slowing down when passing.
    I'll not forget the strange fisherman on day 2.
    The very near miss with Vitality on the Thames.
    And I'll always remember passing through the centre span of Tower Bridge!
  4. Tim

    Friday 21st May

    By Tim,

    Not a cloud in sight, looks like it's going to be warm later on! Come to think of it, it's warm now!! We drop down Cassio Lock and get ourselves pumped out at Bridgewater Boats, so that's out of the way for a while. I remain surprised at how good the cruising is, Watford is well hidden, Rickmansworth is very nice, and to cap it all, 3 cormorants flew off just in front of me! Then another sat and watched us pass a bit later. Stopped at the 'Horse and Barge' at bridge 180 for a spot of lunch and a couple of beers, then on for the last hour or so to tie up below Uxbridge Lock by the Swan and Bottle, this made it easy for the car to arrive and swap out Dave for James! Headed off intending to get a curry somewhere, but came across a flashy looking Nepalese restaurant, so in we went. Good momo and a very nice spicy goat curry, mmmmmmmm. Forecast is for hotter this weekend, boat is already like an oven, but I'm not going to complain.
  5. Tim

    Friday 28th May

    By Tim,

    Off with clear skies, down the lock at Tottenham and onto the Springfield service dock for pump-out and diesel. Then onwards. Gentle cruising by the Olympic site as far as Old Ford Lock which had a boat in it and shut gates! So, onto the landing and off to investigate. They've been there all night, the gates wont open and are waiting for BW. So being a bit impatient, I leant through the window of the control room and pressed the reset button, the gates duly opened, but one of the top paddles stayed up. Anyway, in we go, shut the gates, open the bottom paddles and the water level will only drop to about 2 feet above the bottom level and the gates wont budge - bugger! Ok, call BW, an engineer is on the way! Wait half an hour, no sign, get impatient, keep watch while James leans through window and turns panel off and on (engineers reset!) Ah! all paddles drop, then bottom paddles open, then the gates, hooray we're off after about an hour and a half delay. On to Limehouse basin, secure boat, get information from lock keeper, and off to the DLR to head to Waterloo / Bournemouth for Mark Knopfler. A great show, and a night at home! Thanks for the Christmas present Penny.
  6. Tim

    Friday 4th June

    By Tim,

    Up early and the news from home regarding the overflow is not good! So off to find a taxi to go and sort it out. £90 later and the ball valve tied up (it's the central heating header tank!) I'm helping Penny with the Sainsburys shopping trolley and having a chat with Isander who tied up on the service dock next to us. So, rubbished, watered and Sainsburyed we set off just after 10 to find the Farncombe day boat training session taking place at Catteshall lock. We watch and wait very patiently and exit the lock sometime after 10.30. We share the locks to Millmead with a variety of day boats, then are back on our own from Stoke lock. Boy it's a real hot one again, I think about stopping at Cartbridge, but not much space there, so carry on. We catch a boat at Papercourt lock and share with it all the way to Pyrford. They headed for the marina and we tied up just down from the Anchor. We found a table in the shade and consumed a number of shandy's while waiting for our weekend crew to arrive. This that duly did (Tom and Tasha) and Emily also joined us for a drink and something to eat. A good meal in a nice spot, then return to boat for further drinks and a game of Top Gear Desktop Car Football (my birthday present from Tom) I think I prefer the bottle of port he bought me too - right, I'm off to open it, I may be some time!!
  7. Tim

    Introduction

    By Tim,

    This is a blog of my 5 week trip on 'Life, The Universe & Everything' starting from Ventnor Farm on 15th May. The plan is to head in a southerly direction on the Grand Union to London. Then take in both the Lee and Stort. I'm joining the St Pancras Cruising Club on the tideway to Brentford, then returning to Limehouse for a second trip with another crew. Then its off to Godalming then returning to Ventnor Farm by way of the Upper Thames and Oxford Canal. This is the first time I've managed to take more than two weeks on the boat, I'm really looking forward to it.
  8. Tim

    Monday 14th June

    By Tim,

    And it rained - most of the evening and some of the night! I set off at 7.30 (I do mad things when I'm single handing!) with it looking like it had more rain to offer, but it held off! Cruised the last remaining couple of miles of Thames to Kings Lock, where I turned left at the top into Dukes Cut, passing the lines of queuing cars off to real life. I saw the remains of the fallen tree that had closed the cut a few days ago and went into the stop lock - my first narrow lock of the trip, shortly followed by the second as it's immediately after the turn onto the Oxford Canal. Then came a new challenge! How the 'F' do you single hand a lift bridge (remember the balance beam is on the opposite side to the towpath! Answer, prop it open with the boathook and be very careful! Challenge over - through Kidlington I went, and as I approached Kidlington Green lock, it looked like the heavens were going to open, so I stopped well before the lock intending to moor to wait it out! As I jumped off, it didn't look quite so bad, so on through the lock I went. Thrupp is very pretty and has a dreaded lift bridge, but another boat arriving at the same time is the prefered method of operation. The rain holds off and I end up - after the awkward Shipton Weir Lock (it's sort of hexagonal in shape and is difficult to control the boat) in a quiet spot near Tackley. no boats, nobody on the towpath! A superb spicy lamb casserole for dinner and lots of reading. Back on the narrow canals, definitely on the way home!
  9. Tim

    Monday 17th May

    By Tim,

    Day 4! First on the agenda - Cosgrove lock, had a chat with the mooring warden as we descended, she's not too happy with life, so a speedy exit was made! Through Wolverton and the mural, some of it now defaced by graffiti, a shame. Then through the conglomorate that is Milton Keynes, a surprisingly pleasant cruise, and a really nice cottage at Great Linford, I could live there! Stopped at the Pear Tree Inn for a couple of jars at lunchtime, beer was ok but I shan't be rushing to return! Then onwards to Fenny Compton lock by the New Inn, I remember being in there years ago - a dire place! Through the isolated Stoke Hammond and then to Soulbury and the three locks, up we went, a bit confused by setting the lock ahead - we kind of lost our rhythm, never mind, tied up at the top intending to return for dinner. Watched a Wyvern hire boat get stuck on the bend, it took them a while to get moving again. I took pity on them and did my good samaritan bit for the day and helped them down the locks, they were Israeli and seemed glad of the help. So, back to boat to collect Dave and into the pub. A nice couple of pints and a pizza for dinner, not great, but adequate! Back to boat again, Dave fishing and me moaning about quality of internet connection! Nothing changes! Feeling the sun again today, been very lucky with the weather so far, it must be waiting for a flight of locks!!
  10. Tim

    Monday 24th May

    By Tim,

    No birthdays today, but phew, another scorcher! Opened the side hatch at 8.00 to watch the world go by over coffee, and couldn't touch the boat then, it was so hot! Saved on gas for breakfast though! A lazy start today, didn't get going until sometime after 9, the Lee looking much the same as yesterday, the electrified locks making life a bit easier, but when they ran out the gates were hard work - paddle gear was ok though! Notices on all locks up to and including Enfield asking for all gates to be closed on leaving, nobody around here can read it seems! So, through Edmonton, Ponders End, Enfield to the more rural looking Cheshunt and beyond, it's really worthwhile making the effort to cruise up here. Stopped at The Crown in Broxbourne for a couple of refreshers and considering it was Monday, it was very busy, as was the pedalo / canoe / boat hire business - the river was full of them! Decided to head towards Hertford first and eventually gave up for the day at Stanstead Abbots, there was a nice cooling breeze blowing now, and the mooring was in the shade - bliss. Some kids having a good time at Rye house by the The Rye House Pub - jumping off the bridge. Then a thing occurred to me - stuff going to Bishops Stortford, it'll be a couple of hard days to fit it in, and besides it'll be an excuse to come back! Just going to have a short day to Hertford tomorrow, then take 2 1/2 days to get to Limehouse - I think we deserve it, and a couple of pubs I think deserve a visit on the return!!
  11. Tim

    Monday 31st May

    By Tim,

    Feeling a lot better than the previous morning, we have coffee and thanks to the wind being in our favour, wriggle out of the mooring, turn round and head back to Little Venice. It's very quiet, but it is only 08.00 or so. then along the Regents canal we go again! Lots of incredibly expensive looking houses and the towpath becoming increasingly busy as the day goes on. As we approach Actons Lock, there's a boat waiting for us, in the ensuing chat, they find out I'm heading back up the Thames and ask if they can come with me - they were planning to do the Lee / Stort, then return via Regents Canal and Brentford. They had a meeting on the way to Old Ford Lock, and decided to seize the moment and tag along (me having the required VHF and them (Hobo) not). So, to a much emptier Limehouse for the second time, plenty of space along the wall. Off to check with the Lockie for tomorrow's departure time (14.00) and to call London VTS (his recommendation) to inform them of our two boat convoy to Teddinton. Lunch and cake then goodbye to the guys for the time being, they go back to real life, I remain in fantasy land!! A tidy up, clean etc then off to Limehouse DLR to meet Penny. We co to Gordon Ramsey's 'The Narrow' for a drink, decide to have dinner - very tasty - but with Ramsey prices! never mind Penny paid. Oh, and we entered the quiz. It went on a bit and was quite hard, but we didn't come last, our main objective, about 6th out of 8 teams, but there was only two of us! Yet another good day with a second trip up the Thames to look forward to tomorrow!
  12. Tim

    Monday 7th June

    By Tim,

    Little bits of yesterday in today! Marlow to Pangbourne, through Henley, Wargrave & Reading, bits of the river frequented by me in many places in years gone by. Off around 8.30 or so and through Hurley, memories of Venture Scout canoeing here, then on through Hambledon, canoeing again and the many camps had in the area. Then stopped in Henley for lunch and a walk about, saw NB Hobo (the boat who accompanied us along the tideway the second time) and I forgot to say yesterday we also got waved at by the passing NB Galatea (the boat tied to us in Limehouse the first time). Shared Marsh Lock with a trip boat then on by yet more houses that must be worth many millions, including that of Paul Daniels. Cloudy and cooler today, but no sign of the wet stuff. Bumped into Hobo again at Sonning Lock, and shared this and Caversham Lock with them, before they tied up on their mooring their trip finished. Saw the Reading Blade Building - I've not noticed this before, must pay more attention! Then through a bit of less interesting river by Tilehurst, eventually to Pangbourne where finding a mooring as it started to rain was a bit of an effort, but thanks to the guy in the big plastic in front (self interest here I think!) we got it done without too much of a soaking.
  13. Tim

    Saturday 12th June

    By Tim,

    Hmmm late posting today as I got back to the boat last night after beer and nearly 2 bottles of wine! So now I'm struggling to remember yesterday! Weather was cool and windy to start, but the day got better as it went on. Wildlife count was 2 curlews and 2 kingfishers today, we also got to see the red arrows who appeared to be in the vicinity of Fairford. A couple of cows tried to get onto the boat during the night, a noisy process in which they didn't succeed, they did manage some more lick marks after it's washing of yesterday afternoon. Uneventful cruise to Newbridge, where we first tried the Maybush, but settled in the Rose Revived for the evening - I had to return to boat to put the defrosting chicken back into the fridge, the menu looked good! Emily and Gareth joined us for dinner, the mixed grill being very nice thank you, then the football and all the beer and wine - I think it was a good evening!
  14. Tim

    Saturday 16th May

    By Tim,

    Aha, Day 1 proper, or is it 2 now? Dawns with clear skies and a shining sun, so off we go! Through Braunston, not many boats about at all, and straight into the bottom lock, not literally, we did open the gate first! And most unusually, straight up with no delays, must do this more often. I see the works on the cutting collapse are in their final stages, looking a lot better. So on into the tunnel, and out the other side passing a couple of boats, then to the strange fisherman, I slowed down and was in the middle of the cut, then as I passed he said "you've caught my line, didn't you see me?" I said, well I've slowed right down and am in the middle, didn't you see me? Off I went, thinking that he seemed to expect me to see his rod and line and to drive around it - most odd, never seen the like of it before.
     
    On by Norton Junction and the house we liked, to find Buckby Top Lock Cottage for sale - hmmmm......... Ah, I know? Too near the road I can hear Penny say! Down a very unbusy flight of locks, putting my hat on as I start to feel the sunburn and on through some very pretty countryside to moor in the vicinity of Bugbrooke for the night.
     
    A lamb curry for dinner tonight, a bit more work, and the hope that one of these nights I might get a 3g internet connection - I live in hope!
     
    Next objective is to try to get a picture into this blog, hmmm...... maybe I should take one first?
  15. Tim

    Saturday 22nd May

    By Tim,

    Well, here I am in Paddington Basin! What a stonking hot day, more sunburn all round, but a nice cool breeze and we got moored in the shade. Started before 7 this morning, all quiet and very pleasant. Filled the water at Cowley Lock, then down and onward. An awful lot of moored boats, never seen the like of it, but after Cowley Peachy they were much less frequent. Through all those great sounding places - West Drayton, Southall, Hayes and many more, but in fearing a fairly uninteresting scary urban journey, I was most wrong! Yes, there were small bits like that, but they were far outweighed by some very pleasant cruising, even to the extent that there were a number of places I'd be happy to tie up for the night. Saw the Wembley arch, went by some Cardiff fans boozing it up at a canalside pub (10.30!) near Wembley, some more cormorants put in an appearance, and a bit of all our yesterdays as I went by the Old Oak Common Railway depot where I served a large part of my apprenticeship some 35 years ago!!! Plenty of tourists and the like as we neared Little Venice, many photo's being taken of the boat, good job I gave it a polish last night. Then down the arm to Paddington Basin to tie up in a surprisingly quiet spot next to St Mary's Hospital where I had my tonsils out some 45+ years ago!!! Went off to dump some rubbish (responsibly!) and James said 'can we go somewhere interesting' so we went to the science museum, still an amazing place. A bit of a long walk there, so we tubed it back, despite the circle line being closed, and bumped into some sad Cardiff fans returning from the play-off final, made my day that! Some provisions procured at Sainsbury's then to boat for dinner and chill. A good boating day.
  16. Tim

    Saturday 29th May

    By Tim,

    05.30 - Alarm clock goes off - ouch! A quick coffee and off the the station for the return trip to Limehouse, Wake new crew (Chris, Dave and Stephen) for tea, coffee etc and find out what happened at the SPCC safety briefing last night. Off to Frank's cafe for a good old fry up, a stock up of essential supplies at Tesco's then to hang around chatting to the SPCC guys for recommended moorings between Brentford and Bull's Bridge. Owned up to not having enough life jackets for the whole crew and the very nice Andrew Phasey called me a bit of a rascal, then lent me some - thank you Andrew. At last our scheduled lock time arrives and in we go with one other, both heading for Brentford. Limehouse lock is an interesting experience, especially the final few feet! Then onto the tideway we go, sounding the obligatory horn, the boat bouncing up and down like I've never experienced before! Then it's all over in a flash, a lot of concentrating on getting the bridges right, watching out for the trip boats, hiding from the intermittent rain, I could go on for ever, but cruising through the centre span of Tower Bridge was a bit special. It's a bit of a shame that you do all the really good bits first, as the entire trip is great, passing all those places mentioned on the boat race commentary and the like, but after 2 and a half hours we pull into the lock cut at Brentford, behind 3 boats from the previous lock and before long there were 3 more from the lock behind us. Anyway up Thames Locks with the boat in front, through the gauging locks, drop off James for Brentford station and on to the Fox and the bottom of the Hanwell flight for the night. Into the pub we go (it's about 17.30 I think) and down goes the beer, a very nice meal (liver and bacon) then the evening spent taking the mickey out of the Eurovision song contest with the rest of the pub accompanied by copious amounts of beer - a good day and a good evening!
  17. Tim

    Saturday 5th June

    By Tim,

    Last day on the Wey! Just as hot as yesterday so the first couple of hours before the sun really gets up are very pleasant. Tom and Tasha very keen to get on with the few remaining Wey locks, Penny just sat and watched! Through Thames Lock with no delays this time and back out onto the Thames and the left turn to Shepperton Lock. No problems handling the boat in the enormous Thames Locks and plain sailing to Staines where we tied up for a rest and lunch and ice cream. Onwards through Bell Weir Lock, a bit of a drama though as a narrowboat at the front broke loose and the keeper had to drop the paddles to allow it to be retied, he also took the opportunity to give a small cruiser a bollocking over being overloaded! Onwards by Windsor Great Park and views of the castle and Eton College and we find a mooring opposite the Windsor wheel, a very busy bit of river this, trip boats, party boats, rowing boats and all sorts!. Off for a stroll about, a ride on the wheel (to try to get an overhead of the boat) a drink in a nearby hostelry and back for a spag bol for dinner, at least it's cooled down a bit! Rain tomorrow - we'll see?
  18. Tim

    Sunday 13th June

    By Tim,

    A lie in listening to the rain! Which soon stops. Penny packs her bags, a bit of a sort out in the boat and we move the couple of hundred yards to tie up outside the Rose Revived. Kim duly arrives, I take another beer and we have lunch in the sunshine. Kim and Penny return to the real world and I'm all alone! So, an afternoon cruise to about 1/2 a mile below Eynsham Lock on something that might be a mooring! It shows one in Nicholsons and there's no 'no mooring' sign and the arrival of the farmer is probably halted by the most prolonged torrential rain I've had in 4 weeks! A really nice Thai Red Curry which we were going to have last night now reading and blog updating. I also rough out a plan for the next week - Only 48 miles and 41 locks remain! And back into canalworld tomorrow as only about 3 miles of Thames remain.
  19. Tim

    Sunday 16th May

    By Tim,

    I've come to a decision, this will be day 3! A surprisingly quiet night next to the railway, I suspect it's closed for maintenance today, but was fearing the worst last night! So, whilst making first coffee of the day, it started to rain! Oh bugger me thinks, but while still overcast it stopped, so off we go again. The cloud started to clear, and then it rained from blue sky! Unbelievable! Chilly and very slightly damp cruising by Gayton Junction, then Blisworth tunnel, and I thought it was wet outside! Water was pouring through roof and sides at frequent intervals, certainly made me wetter than I was before entering. Played bumpy scrapey with 3 or 4 boats in the tunnel including a day boat! Then out we came and to Stoke Bruerne, very pretty, it's a long time since I was last here on a boat.
     
    Warming up a bit now and looking less like rain as the day wears on. Did the top two locks solo, then we were joined by a boat from the moorings between 2 and 3 for the rest of the way. This guy had cruised around a bit and tried to tell me everything about lower GU, Regents Canal, Lee and Stort and much more, too much information so I ended up taking none of it in!
     
    So onwards from the bottom lock, canal looking a bit on the shallow side at times, couldn't get moored near the Navigation at Cosgrove, so ended up on the visitor moorings
    instead (opposite the Barley Mow!) Dave doing more fishing, but with less success than last night and this morning it seems, and I got the bit of software completed that had been bugging me for the last couple of days, now to focus on boaty stuff and the weeks ahead.
     
    First 3g internet connection, and it's still rubbish! Chicken in hoi sin sauce with noodles for dinner and I could at last put the work laptop and stuff away and out of sight.
     
    Life is good.
  20. Tim

    Sunday 23rd May

    By Tim,

    Happy Birthday Mum. James summed up today quite nicely - 'we're seeing London by the back door' and once we were through Camden, which wasn't really open yet, he was bang on. It was hot again, even the great me admitted defeat and used the factor 30. More cormorants, one on the island at Little Venice and others and the most unbelievably busy towpath I think I've ever seen - joggers, walkers, cyclists and all sorts. It's good to see the canal being used as such, even if there weren't many boats about. The olympic stadium is a magnificent sight. Again I was surprised (in a good way) about the canal and its environs, that'll teach me not to judge book by proverbial covers! Eventually gave up in the mid afternoon heat at the bottom of Stonebridge Lock on the River Lee, unbelievably only a few hundred yard from Tottenham! You'd never know it. Whiled away the afternoon sat on the towpath, a few beers, watching the world go by. Managed to make a passable cauliflower cheese for dinner, think we'll have a bit of a lay in in the morning. The Lee valley is looking promising too!
  21. Tim

    Sunday 30th May

    By Tim,

    Happy Birthday Tim! Wake up with head ache, I'm not surprised! Unblock toilet, make tea / coffee, and up the Hanwell flight we go. A boat is going up a couple of locks ahead of us, so Stephen does a grand job walking ahead and setting them all for us, we need water, so the law of sod dictates that all the active boats need it too! Never mind, there's always the next one. Chris produces a most welcome set of bacon / sausage rolls for brunch, then law of sod applies for the second time as we start to turn into the Paddington Arm at Bull's Bridge, the only other boat about is coming the other way with the two boats on the water point watching the debacle!! anyway, we sort it out - a great fending off job by Chris and back down the Paddington Arm we go. We find our borrowed life jacket return boat at Willowtree, drop them off with much thanks and proceed to Greenford for water. Then a gentle cruise on into Little Venice / Paddington. A lot busier here than last week - bank holiday w/e perhaps? We managed to squeeze into the last available mooring in the basin, the two boats in front of not fancying it, then off for a wander, minor restock and ice creams from Sainsburys - it was quite pleasant out now, a check of the comedy pub, then to Praed Street for the pub's. A couple somewhere with a guy telling us about the cockroach in his mates burger (at least it was a whole one!) then a curry - very nice! Then another beer somewhere else, then one and some pool with Chris in the Dickens - the worlds longest pub apparently! (I can remember one of the names!) Then most of us were completely knackered, probably as a result of the previous night, so back to boat for a relatively early night - after coffee and birthday cake - thank you Liz! and a reasonable nights sleep.
  22. Tim

    Sunday 6th June

    By Tim,

    My fourth Sunday of the trip, but alas the penultimate one! A bit strange today, passing through all those places where I've previously spent many hours on the bank, so to speak. Windsor to Maidenhead, where I walked on my scout standard 6 mile hike, the sounding arch at Maidenhead where I spent many hours with my Father fishing for barbel, passing within a mile or so of where I was born in Taplow, Maidenhead to Cookham where I remember walking with a girl from school, Formosa Island where we spent some time at the scout camp site, Cookham Dean up on the hill where I spent my first couple of years in a caravan behind the jolly farmer, and onto Marlow where we stopped for the night, passing the Longridge scout boating centre where many more good times were had. Today we saw more cormorants, some kingfishers and red kites. We gave Stephen, Tessa and family a short trip from the sounding arch to the top of boulters lock, passed through the mayhem of the dinghy races at Cookham and Bourne End. Lost control of the boat in boulters lock, went for a walk around Marlow and sent Tom and Tasha home. Chicken Dopiaza for dinner and peace and quiet. And last but not least, not a hint of the promised rain - a bit special today.
  23. Tim

    Thursday 10th June

    By Tim,

    And away we go again, very overcast, chilly, windy and looking distinctly like it's going to pour down at any minute! But, undaunted (me anyway!) we head off towards Lechlade. Uneventful cruising, it's like we're the only boat on the river! At Eynsham lock we discover that Dukes Cut is closed due to a fallen tree, hopefully it'll be cleared before I need to muse it on Monday, otherwise it's a 6 mile detour! The river is now very Wey like, trees, fields and twisty turny, in fact it's a bit samey the further you travel up it, hard to distinguish one bit from another! Shared our first locks for some time (Shifford and Radcot) last one was Goring I think! I know we took our first weekend hire boat along here, but I've no recollection of any of it, absolutely no bells ringing at all! Anyway, the rain just about stays away and we tie up on the limited moorings at Radcot. I conjure up a really nice vegetable curry for dinner and look forward to a couple of short days ahead, and the misery of losing Penny and having to single hand back to Ventnor Farm.
  24. Tim

    Thursday 17th June

    By Tim,

    Started the day off with a bang! Bashed my head on the underside of the hatch - ouch! don't remember ever doing that before! 07.30 and away I go, not meeting another boat until the middle Claydon lock, and the second at the top! Canal as shallow as ever, only met 2 oncoming boats in the long narrow bit, but it got a bit more exciting just beyond Fenny Compton wharf, NB Carrow (deep draught) pulled away in front of me at the other side of the bridge and made very slow progress by all the moored boats, I had to keep taking the boat out of gear from tickover just to keep some manouvering room. Another boat joined the convoy, then we met 3 coming the other way at a bend, full of moored boats - I really enjoyed it, had to use a bit of skill for once! Carrow let us by at the first straight bit, then I tied up on the North side of Wormleighton (Napton on the hill in sight) for a spot of lunch, and the night it turned out! Did some engine checks and adjusted the alternator belts, then read, internetted and whiled away the remains of the day - a slight headache, not booze for once, but the rude awakening I think!
  25. Tim

    Thursday 20th May

    By Tim,

    Happy Birthday David Dunning. Left at 07.30 this morning in a very overcast looking sky. Worked the first 2 locks single handed, then got Dave to help with the swingbridge at Winkwell. It was a perfect boating day in my book, no sun to burn you to pieces and cool enough so as you don't break into a sweat swinging the windlass! Anyway, on the day went - lock after lock after lock!! Didn't even see another boat on the move until 11.00 and that was a trip boat leaving from the bottom of Red Lion Lock. Hemel Hempstead has some nice bits and some not so nice and boy, doesn't Kings Langley Lock take an age to fill. Stopped for a break and lunch after Hunton Bridge Locks then on by some pretty stuff to tie up opposite Cassiobury Park, a very pleasant spot, and pretty good for Dave's fishing too! Checked that we can get pumped out at Bridgewater Basin in the morning, then a bit of a chill after the days 19 locks. Chorizo pasta again for dinner, a bit of chilli in it this time, very nice. Oh, and star of the day was the squirrel which used the Iron Bridge Lock top gates to cross the canal! Why was my camera inside the boat?
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.