Visiting London: Lots of Bubbles

[Theo]

Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here!

 

Seriously, though, we are having a really good time doing lots of touristy things in the capital. We moored for a few days at Perivale, about ten minutes walk from the tube station and used our Oyster cards that I have discovered are not necessary. You can just use a contactless debit card. Not sure if a credit card will work. I don't have one.

 

Then we moved down to Alperton which is only 3 minutes walk from the tube and did some more sight seeing.

 

On to Kensal Green and a night attached to the fence just outside the limit of the four hour mooring next to Sainsbury's.

 

Today we are in Paddington Basin having watered and emptied the PortaPotti at the only water point and Elsan on the whole of the Paddington Arm. CRT services are few and far between but you could pay at Willow Tree or High Line.

 

The only mooring available in the basin was under the footbridge on the off side. We secured Theodora to a couple of rings at the stern (stern line and spring) and a turn around the bottom of the security fencing stanchion as a breastline at the bow (we are facing out having been down to the end and back looking for somewhere better.

 

What we realised after we had made fast and killed the engine was that we had moored atop the aeration pipes and there is a constant stream of bubbles under and around the boat. It is really quite noisy! Fortunately it is quite a pleasing natural sort of noise but noisy nonetheless.

 

So far we have had no problem finding quiet and reasonably pleasant moorings. The weather was well nigh perfect until today when we had a bit of rain.

 

Definitely worth a visit and with no hotel fees to pay, very economical.

 

N

Edited May 29, 2015 by Theo
Poor spelling. Write that word out 3 times, boy!

[Wanted]

Nice to hear a positive report of London Nick, we like it very much. We are out of town this weekend but next time is a shout and we will show you the delights of Southall.

[Athy]

Lots of bubbles? Are you referring to the plentiful Greek restaurants in the area?

[nicknorman]

Surely it is just the fermenting sewage from all the local CMers who daren't move off their spot and so just empty their cassettes into the cut?

[mark99]

Best bit of canal there is LV till past the Zoo. Basin is so very windy!

 

A random shot near Perivale (yes the titch pipe is incorrectly placed).

 

Edited May 30, 2015 by mark99

[Mrs Trackman]

Thanks for posting that Theo. It's encouraging to know it is still possible to visit by boat.

I'm not certain, but isn't it cheaper to use an Oyster card?

[Burgiesburnin]

I'm visiting number 1 son in London at the moment. He lives next to The Regent 10 minutes walk from Angel. There were spaces available here last night.

I must admit, having previously slated the full time moorers its nowhere near as bad as I thought. There are a few boats double breasted closer to Angel tunnel above the lock but after that they thin out.

Unless these are "all mates together" I wonder why you would double Moore when 150 yards further on you could be next to the bank?

Edited May 30, 2015 by Burgiesburnin

[valrene9600]

There was a water point at black horse pub perivale.

The bubbles form a barrier to stop rubbish drifting into the basin.

Edited May 30, 2015 by valrene9600

[Tam & Di]

Best bit of canal there is LV till past the Zoo. Basin is so very windy!

 

A random shot near Perivale (yes the titch pipe is incorrectly placed).

 

... and the cutter is the wrong way round unless you want to look like

[pearley]

Thanks for posting that Theo. It's encouraging to know it is still possible to visit by boat.

I'm not certain, but isn't it cheaper to use an Oyster card?

The cost of using a contactless card is the same as an Oyster card on the Underground and Overground. You must remember to touch out as well as in. West Drayton to Stratford cost me £3 something each direction. You can use them on the buses as well but the rules are different therebut we used our bus passes.

 

The TFL website explains it all.

 

I read recently on the London Boaters fb site that TFL fares now extend out from Liverpool Street towards Waltham Abbey.

[JohnEW2912]

And also Liverpool St to Shenfield from tomorrow.

 

It's true that contactless cards are as cheap as Oyster cards but not if you're over 60 and register your Oyster. If you do that you get an extra 1/3rd off just like a Senior Railcard.

[Tim Lewis]

Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here!

 

Seriously, though, we are having a really good time doing lots of touristy things in the capital. We moored for a few days at Perivale, about ten minutes walk from the tube station and used our Oyster cards that I have discovered are not necessary. You can just use a contactless debit card. Not sure if a credit card will work. I don't have one.

 

Then we moved down to Alperton which is only 3 minutes walk from the tube and did some more sight seeing.

 

On to Kensal Green and a night attached to the fence just outside the limit of the four hour mooring next to Sainsbury's.

 

Today we are in Paddington Basin having watered and emptied the PortaPotti at the only water point and Elsan on the whole of the Paddington Arm. CRT services are few and far between but you could pay at Willow Tree or High Line.

 

The only mooring available in the basin was under the footbridge on the off side. We secured Theodora to a couple of rings at the stern (stern line and spring) and a turn around the bottom of the security fencing stanchion as a breastline at the bow (we are facing out having been down to the end and back looking for somewhere better.

 

What we realised after we had made fast and killed the engine was that we had moored atop the aeration pipes and there is a constant stream of bubbles under and around the boat. It is really quite noisy! Fortunately it is quite a pleasing natural sort of noise but noisy nonetheless.

 

So far we have had no problem finding quiet and reasonably pleasant moorings. The weather was well nigh perfect until today when we had a bit of rain.

 

Definitely worth a visit and with no hotel fees to pay, very economical.

 

N

 

Not particularly exciting picture of the bubbles:

 

Tim

Edited May 30, 2015 by Tim Lewis

[Theo]

Interesting to note the lack of rubbish around the popular mooring sites on the Paddington Arm. I wonder if it has something to do with better policing. Even if the CMers are doing what amounts to an extended bridge hop it does mean that they don't set up home on a particular spot.

 

Having had Margaret and me plus a family of four on Theodora over the weekend I am now left on my own as No. 1 son and family go back to Hereford and SWMBO goes to see her mum. My plan for today is to redo the Natural History Museum. The last visit with a 3 and 6 year old in tow was a bit speedy! Spent three hours in Westminster Abbey a few day s ago and a good day in the Tower of London where I embarrassed SWMBO by correcting the beefeater who claimed that Winston Churchill was buried in Westminster Abbey. She hates it when I do that!

[Bettie Boo]

When we came through the Paddington & Regents to Limehouse we also found no problems in securing decent moorings, and no need to double up either. Well we did have someone ask to tie up to us in Limehouse, but the following day there was 10 boats going out on the Thames so it was quite busy there.

 

We have met 5 or 6 couples on our travels up and down the rivers Lee & Stort who have told us they used to cc in London, but due to crt having more regular patrols have decided to leave the capital and venture out on to the rivers and commute into the city.

 

We have also met a few boaters who have permanent moorings in Wear / Hertford & Roydon who have told us they don't remember seeing it as busy as it is currently. With it being our first time on this section we have nothing to compare it with, but to us it doesn't seem overly busy, yes there are boats moving but the only place we couldn't find a mooring spot was on the VM's in Roydon; which wasn't really a hardship as we just cruised on for a few more miles and had a lovely rural mooring.

 

We've thoroughly enjoyed our little trip from Bulls Bridge - London - Sawbridgeworth - Hertford. The Lee & Stort have some of the prettiest rural vistas we have seen on our travels, and coming through London was very interesting, pretty in spots and quite surprising.

 

The only down side I can think of is the Lee & Stort could do with a few more garbage disposal points

[spadefoot]

Surely it is just the fermenting sewage from all the local CMers who daren't move off their spot and so just empty their cassettes into the cut?

Now that would just be making extra work for yourself. Unhitching the cassette, lifting it up, trying to empty it without leaving a smelly streak down the hull. Just crap straight into the canal.

[Wanted]

Interesting to note the lack of rubbish around the popular mooring sites on the Paddington Arm. I wonder if it has something to do with better policing. Even if the CMers are doing what amounts to an extended bridge hop it does mean that they don't set up home on a particular spot.

 

Having had Margaret and me plus a family of four on Theodora over the weekend I am now left on my own as No. 1 son and family go back to Hereford and SWMBO goes to see her mum. My plan for today is to redo the Natural History Museum. The last visit with a 3 and 6 year old in tow was a bit speedy! Spent three hours in Westminster Abbey a few day s ago and a good day in the Tower of London where I embarrassed SWMBO by correcting the beefeater who claimed that Winston Churchill was buried in Westminster Abbey. She hates it when I do that!

Blenheim Palace.

 

I know this because I used to work for the company that built miniature railways. We re-built the track at Blenheim. The old groundsman there had an interesting hatred for WC, he would spit on his grave every day! He couldn't explain it though because he used to get so angry and make no sense!

[Maffi]

Blenheim Palace.

 

I know this because I used to work for the company that built miniature railways. We re-built the track at Blenheim. The old groundsman there had an interesting hatred for WC, he would spit on his grave every day! He couldn't explain it though because he used to get so angry and make no sense!

 

That's really odd that he would do that, he must have been able to spit a long way, because he is actually buried in the Church in the grounds of St Martins Bladon Village, which though probably on palace property is outside the main Palace area and up a piggin' steep hill. When I lived that way I often took visiting boaters to see it. I was there just a few weeks before I set off on this trip. They hadn't moved him then. There is about 14 of his family in the same section including an infant.

Edited June 2, 2015 by Maffi

[Wanted]

That's really odd that he would do that, he must have been able to spit a long way, because he is actually buried in the Church in the grounds of St Martins Bladon Village, which though probably on palace property is outside the main Palace area and up a piggin' steep hill. When I lived that way I often took visiting boaters to see it. I was there just a few weeks before I set off on this trip. They hadn't moved him then. There is about 14 of his family in the same section including an infant.

That's what he told me, I believe he lived out that way, in a house belonging to the estate no doubt.

[junior]

I thought Churchill's coffin was carried by a special train to a small village miles away from Lobdon where there was a private burial ceremony?

 

I only know this because the train was pulled by one of OVS Bulleid's finest.

[Mrs Trackman]

When we came through the Paddington & Regents to Limehouse we also found no problems in securing decent moorings, and no need to double up either. Well we did have someone ask to tie up to us in Limehouse, but the following day there was 10 boats going out on the Thames so it was quite busy there.

 

We have met 5 or 6 couples on our travels up and down the rivers Lee & Stort who have told us they used to cc in London, but due to crt having more regular patrols have decided to leave the capital and venture out on to the rivers and commute into the city.

 

We have also met a few boaters who have permanent moorings in Wear / Hertford & Roydon who have told us they don't remember seeing it as busy as it is currently. With it being our first time on this section we have nothing to compare it with, but to us it doesn't seem overly busy, yes there are boats moving but the only place we couldn't find a mooring spot was on the VM's in Roydon; which wasn't really a hardship as we just cruised on for a few more miles and had a lovely rural mooring.

 

We've thoroughly enjoyed our little trip from Bulls Bridge - London - Sawbridgeworth - Hertford. The Lee & Stort have some of the prettiest rural vistas we have seen on our travels, and coming through London was very interesting, pretty in spots and quite surprising.

 

The only down side I can think of is the Lee & Stort could do with a few more garbage disposal points

 

 

Again, thanks for that. It really is encouraging. I greatly enjoyed our only trip to London years ago and had been rather put off by comments about the huge number of boaters there now.

And also Liverpool St to Shenfield from tomorrow.

 

It's true that contactless cards are as cheap as Oyster cards but not if you're over 60 and register your Oyster. If you do that you get an extra 1/3rd off just like a Senior Railcard.

 

 

Now that's really useful information. I'll check on the Web site how to register my age.

[fudd]

Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here!

 

Seriously, though, we are having a really good time doing lots of touristy things in the capital. We moored for a few days at Perivale, about ten minutes walk from the tube station and used our Oyster cards that I have discovered are not necessary. You can just use a contactless debit card. Not sure if a credit card will work. I don't have one.

 

Then we moved down to Alperton which is only 3 minutes walk from the tube and did some more sight seeing.

 

On to Kensal Green and a night attached to the fence just outside the limit of the four hour mooring next to Sainsbury's.

 

Today we are in Paddington Basin having watered and emptied the PortaPotti at the only water point and Elsan on the whole of the Paddington Arm. CRT services are few and far between but you could pay at Willow Tree or High Line.

 

The only mooring available in the basin was under the footbridge on the off side. We secured Theodora to a couple of rings at the stern (stern line and spring) and a turn around the bottom of the security fencing stanchion as a breastline at the bow (we are facing out having been down to the end and back looking for somewhere better.

 

What we realised after we had made fast and killed the engine was that we had moored atop the aeration pipes and there is a constant stream of bubbles under and around the boat. It is really quite noisy! Fortunately it is quite a pleasing natural sort of noise but noisy nonetheless.

 

So far we have had no problem finding quiet and reasonably pleasant moorings. The weather was well nigh perfect until today when we had a bit of rain.

 

Definitely worth a visit and with no hotel fees to pay, very economical.

 

N

You moored exactly where we moored up last year. I wouldn't exactly call it a pleasing sound. Mind you our bedroom was directly above the epicentre. Didn't sleep at all, all night. Still, it was either that or carry on and risk trying to find somewhere in the dark. Had a nice meal and would moor up in the same place again but would face the other way.

Steve P

[JohnEW2912]

 

Now that's really useful information. I'll check on the Web site how to register my age.

I don't know whether you can do it online but you certainly can at any tube ticket office. You just need proof of age and a senior railcard will do.

[chubby]

Also , the boat that carried Churchills coffin to his funeral service at St Pauls

Cathedral , called Havengore is often to be seen in , or just outside of St Katherines Dock across

the road from The Tower of London

[Peter X]

This footnote re Oyster cards won't be any use to most visitors, but if you're a resident of a London borough aged over 60 you can get a 60+ Oystercard which gives free travel on tubes and buses at any time, plus trains at weekends and after 9:30 on a weekday.