Grand Union - Linslade to Berkhamsted return - June/July 2021

[RebeccaM]

Day 1, June 29th 2021 - Linslade to Ivinghoe - approx 5 miles, 6 locks

 

We arrived at Linslade at 13:25, with me having my usual attack of anxiety at all the things that could possibly go wrong.  Thankfully having a midweek start meant there was only one other group going out hiring, so all my worries about having to wait ages to be able to set off were for naught.  We got the boat quickly loaded and within an hour we'd had our on boat briefing going over all the equipment, engine checks and so on and were ready to set out.  I'd also been worried about the fact that we intended to go south, where it's almost two miles to the first lock, unlike the northbound route where it's only two and a half furlongs.  But the instructor stayed on with us.  The boat - Poppy - was facing the wrong way for a southbound start but the instructor reversed her a couple of boat lengths down to Bossington Lane winding hole and got her round quickly (far quicker than we would have managed at this point, I'm sure!). 

 

There was a little drizzle as we set off, although it thankfully didn't persist for long.  Husband took over the steering from the instructor and we started making our way out of Linslade.  There was early excitement when we had to slow down approaching Mardle Road Footbridge because just beyond we could see another boat across the canal.  When we got nearer it turned out it was involved in recovering a partially sunken boat that had been in the water for some time beforehand.  They were able to move the working boat over so we could pass, and we continued on to Grove Lock.  We moored the boat up on the lock landing and walked up to be shown what was what before we moved the boat in and brought her up.  Then we were free and on our own - although with the next lock only about half a mile away we barely had time to get used to the idea before we were tackling our first solo lock! 

 

We then had a gentle mile and a half cruise through lovely countryside before coming up to Slapton Lock, quickly followed by Horton Lock and Ivinghoe Bottom and Top Locks.  After this we were on the stretch I'd pencilled in as a likely spot for mooring, and we ended up stopping shortly before the bridge.  It was a bit silty but we were able to get close enough to not need to rely on the gangplank. 

 

 

Day 2, June 30th 2021 - Ivinghoe to Dudswell - approx 7.5 miles, 15 locks

 

We woke bright and early and fed the ducks, had a leisurely breakfast and eventually set out around 08:00.  The weather was cloudy but at least it was dry!  We had quite a few locks to tackle today, the first being Seabrook Bottom Lock which we reached within fifteen minutes or so.  With this lock and the middle and top locks all being fairly close together husband stayed on the towpath and walked between them - by this point the division of labour was definitely that I was the steerer and he was the lock turner!  We also had Seabrook swing bridge to pass through which he'd been looking forward to working.  As I was waiting for him to close up the bridge and rejoin me I was able to watch the trains speeding past on the WCML bridge, and a heron also flew over. 

 

We proceeded on past moored boats at Cheddington and Pitstone Wharves (amusing ourselves by pointing out the punny names we could spot and admiring ones with particularly nice paint jobs and decoration), and did the first two Marsworth locks (37 & 38) without any undue delays; we were starting to get into a good routine and I was much better at controlling the boat when bringing it in to drop off or pick up. 

 

A short cruise past quite a few moored boats the junction with the Alyesbury Arm, and we were now coming up to the Marsworth flight proper.  We had taken a walk here with a picnic a few weeks previous so we were now entering recognisable territory!  One of the volunteers arrived as he'd come down to set the lock for a descending boat, so he helped us finish off and we didn't have to close the gates as the other boat was visible just up ahead.  We pulled in and moored up for lunch; minor excitements up ahead during this as an unoccupied boat appeared to have come unmoored at one end (thankfully not both!) so a volunteer was having to resecure it. 

 

After lunch we set off again.  The volunteers were involved in bringing down a day boat (decked out with balloons for a party!) which we passed in the pound after lock 43, so we got the odd bit of help from them and a couple of other people.  Once we reached the top of the flight we could see the Wendover Arm off to our right, and we passed through Bulbourne into the Tring Cutting.  The other half took over tiller duties for a while so I had a chance to relax with the camera.  

 

We reached Cow Roast shortly before 16:00, and the husband had some interested onlookers asking questions as we locked down - our first descent.  There was another Wyvern boat waiting to come up by the time we had finished, the first we'd seen.  On we pushed to the Dudswell locks, mooring up for the night a little beyond Dudswell Lane Bridge.  The railway passed fairly close on the offside, but we were so exhuasted it didn't disturb our sleep!

 

 

Day 3, July 1st - Dudswell to Bulbourne (via Berkhamsted!) - approx 7.5 miles, 13 locks

 

According to my Fitbit records I conked out in bed at 9pm the previous evening and woke up around 4:30 in the morning.  The sun wasn't up when I took my first picture of the day at 4:44, but the ducks were!  The cloud cover was not so constant as the previous day, and there was mist rising off the canal.  When the sunrise did begin soon after it was quite a lovely scene.  We took some photos around the boat, had breakfast and made a chocolate biscuit cake before finally setting off around 8:00.  I'd been unable to find out if the next locks were still out of use overnight so we were reluctant to set off any sooner, but it was quite a nice time of day to get moving anyway; the trains rushing past, some joggers and walkers out on the towpath.  As we cruised towards our first lock of the day we were followed by a tern who repeatedly dove into the water immediately behind us, trying to catch his breakfast (and eventually succeeding).  The water was very clear here and we could look down and see fish moving around. 

 

As we worked through the locks down into Berkhamsted the setting became much more urban - first gardens, then flats overlooking the canal.  One of the bridges was covered over with scaffolding with men working above on the restoration.  No temporary traffic lights but we did have a narrowed channel to contend with as we passed beneath - but being a broad canal to begin with it wasn't impossibly narrow. 

 

We moored up on the 4 hour stretch so the other half could pop into Waitrose for a few things we were low on like milk and juice, while I melted the chocolate for the chocolate biscuit cake.  When he got back we moved the boat to the offside to top up with water, before going through Lock 53 - below which I had to wind the boat.  There is a very wide part of the canal here so pushing the tiller hard over and giving bursts of motoring interspersed with letting the momentum turn it got me round safely if slowly.

 

Straight back into Lock 53, then we knocked off 52 and 51 before mooring for lunch (and chocolate biscuit cake) just beyond bridge 140.  It was hard to get the mooring pins in far enough but as we were only staying for a short while and weren't leaving the boat it wasn't much of an issue.  (We were also using the method of putting the rope through the pin and bring it back to the boat to tie it up, so even if we pulled one out it would still be on the rope and not lost!)

 

We continued on, nearly picking up a locking partner but they were struggling with a boat that kept breaking down and didn't get anywhere - we left them on the towpath bowhauling it to a suitable mooring spot!  Someone coming the other way didn't have a CRT for the lock that had an anti vandal mechanism so we nearly had to stay until they'd locked down, but just on cue someone else going down turned up and did have a key so on we went with a clear conscience.  A heron was kind enough to swoop around and pose for us as we approached the site of our previous night's mooring.  Before long we were through Dudswell and Cow Roast locks and entering the Tring Cutting. 

 

Our mooring for the night was just beyond Bridge 134.  We wandered down to the Grand Junction Arms for a drink (outdoors only since this was still Covid Times, thankfully the sun was still out) and passed some boats moored right opposite the winding hole (despite there being a good bit of space elsewhere!). 

 

 

 

Day 4, July 2nd - Bulbourne to Tiddenfoot Lake - approx 8.5 miles, 18 locks

 

Our final day started with our first fall:  I slipped getting back on the boat as it was damp with dew - thankfully I fell onto the boat so stayed dry (mostly - dew!) and the only injuries were a bruise on my leg and a dent in my dignity.  We set off, passing the Mikron Theatre boat moored up, and were soon approaching the top of the Marsworth flight.  The volunteers were out in force today as it was a sunny, summer Friday, so locks were set ahead for us and we had extra help with paddles and gates.  As we were about to leave the last lock they said they would close the gates so we were both onboard the boat, looking back as the lock gates closed behind us - the positioning of the road bridge immediately by the lock hid the volunteers from view so it looked like they were closing of their own accord!  

 

It was a much hotter, sunnier day today and we had a lot of locks to get through so at times it was tough going.  We were also encountering more boats on the move, although being a broad canal these didn't cause many problems.  We had lunch in roughly the same spot we'd moored in on the first night, and not long after getting underway again we came out of a lock to find another boat stopped in the middle of the canal, with a chap in the water trying to get it going.  We ended up having to share our remaining locks with them; they were moving the boat for a friend and didn't really have much clue or control of the boat - waiting for one lock to be free (someone was coming up) I pulled over to the landing giving him space to use it as well, and instead he tried to hold his boat in the middle of the canal and ended up ploughing into some boats on long term moorings on the offside.  They pissed off some anglers by flying past in the wrong part of the channel, and when we completed the final lock, Grove Lock, they overtook us at a place that was particularly narrow due to reeds on the offside and moored boats on the tow path side - while going at such a speed that I could see the boats surging back and forth and straining at the ropes. 

 

Anyway!  Not the most pleasant introduction to lock sharing but at least it happened at the end of the journey rather than the beginning.  We moored up near Tiddenfoot Lake and went for a walk around it, although as we were both exhausted and the day was hot it was perhaps not as enjoyable as it could have been. 

 

Day 5, July 3rd - Tiddenfoot Lake to Linslade - approx 1.5 miles

 

We woke to light drizzle on our last morning, but with just under a mile and half to go to get back to the hire base, we weren't too concerned - and in the end it stopped raining shortly before we set off anyway.  We packed everything up and tidied up the boat as best we could, then set off for the short journey back, which was completed without incident, getting us back well before the 9:00 deadline.  Then it was time to clear everything off the boat and bid a sad farewell to Poppy, who had served us well!    

 

(photos from Days 4 & 5 in following post!)

 

[RebeccaM]

Day 4:

 

Day 5:

 

[Stroudwater1]

Lovely memories, especially the hovering boat, it can go wrong but  I must admit I usually do that when  I can as it saves so much time and bother . 

 

Are you going on another journey this year? 

 

 

[RebeccaM]

39 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Lovely memories, especially the hovering boat, it can go wrong but  I must admit I usually do that when  I can as it saves so much time and bother . 

 

Are you going on another journey this year? 

 

 

Yes; booked in with Kate Boats for a midweek break in early July which can’t come soon enough!  Would have loved to hire from Wyvern again but saving it for when we have enough free time to have a whole week’s holiday so we can north to Braunston. 
 

Edited to add - yes, I did hover at locks sometimes… but our boat was in good working order so I didn’t collide with anything!  

Edited May 12, 2022 by RebeccaM
Missed a bit.

[David Mack]

A nice trip report!

The only thing I would add is, next time you are passing Bulbourne, take the trip to the end of the navigable section of the Wendover Arm. Its not that far, there is plenty of room to wind at the far end, and a nice mooring too, to stop for lunch or overnight (if you're happy not to be near a pub).

The Aylesbury Arm is worth doing too, but with 16 locks will take rather longer.

[RebeccaM]

14 hours ago, David Mack said:

A nice trip report!

The only thing I would add is, next time you are passing Bulbourne, take the trip to the end of the navigable section of the Wendover Arm. Its not that far, there is plenty of room to wind at the far end, and a nice mooring too, to stop for lunch or overnight (if you're happy not to be near a pub).

The Aylesbury Arm is worth doing too, but with 16 locks will take rather longer.

I had the Aylesbury Arm itinerary printed as a backup in case circumstances meant we couldn’t to get to Berkhamsted!  As it was everything was smooth sailing so we didn’t need it.  I expect at some point we will hire in the area again and do Aylesbury and Wendover both, but at the moment there are so many other places to go and so little free time it might be a few years before we get round to it. I feel like every time I plan a trip I find another half a dozen we-must-go-here-next-time ideas! 

[Lily Rose]

On 12/05/2022 at 19:34, RebeccaM said:

Yes; booked in with Kate Boats for a midweek break in early July which can’t come soon enough!  Would have loved to hire from Wyvern again but saving it for when we have enough free time to have a whole week’s holiday so we can north to Braunston. 
 

Edited to add - yes, I did hover at locks sometimes… but our boat was in good working order so I didn’t collide with anything!  

 

Which Kate Boats base, Warwick or Stockton?

 

Assuming it's Stockton, which is near where we keep our boat, and offers several route options, where do you plan to go?

 

[RebeccaM]

6 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

 

Which Kate Boats base, Warwick or Stockton?

 

Assuming it's Stockton, which is near where we keep our boat, and offers several route options, where do you plan to go?

 

I gather all their boats are based at Stockton this season due to building work adjacent to the Warwick base. Current plan is to do the north Oxford and back - not the most picturesque or exciting I know, but there are various things on the way that interest us and having watched the Waterway Routes DVD I think it will suit us.  I do have a list of various questions I’ll be asking on here a bit nearer the time but waiting until we’re close enough to have an idea of the weather! 

[Lily Rose]

31 minutes ago, RebeccaM said:

I gather all their boats are based at Stockton this season due to building work adjacent to the Warwick base. Current plan is to do the north Oxford and back - not the most picturesque or exciting I know, but there are various things on the way that interest us and having watched the Waterway Routes DVD I think it will suit us.  I do have a list of various questions I’ll be asking on here a bit nearer the time but waiting until we’re close enough to have an idea of the weather! 

Ah, didn't realise they weren't using the Warwick base at the moment. It sounds like you've already done your research on where to go. If you fancy good fish & chips as you go through Rugby then stop before the tunnel and walk through the Barley Mow car park and turn left. A 5 minute walk to Fishsmiths.

 

If you get as far as Hawkesbury Junction then The Greyhound is well worth a visit. Food (and beer) has always been good when I've been there, admittedly not since Covid though.