Widewater to Winkwell

I probably pushed the crew a little too hard today. Lots to report but will have to wait until I can get a proper internet connection. But we are here and looking forward to supper. (Posted by mobile phone) Update 31/5/04 Up early at 6 am for 7:10 departure. The journey north is full of interest and never fails to enthuse us, however, of the lesser attractions are the rows of in-line moorings between Stockers lock and Croxley Green. One particular isolated towpath eyesore is shown here a few furlongs below Back Jack's Lock. Surely many of these boat could never get a licence on Boat Safety Certificate grounds so it will be interesting to see how BW deals with then eventually. Having said that many are now licenced that were not last year. We stopped at Tesco (Rickmansworth) for re-victualling as the store-side moorings are so convenient. Above Cassiobridge Lock we met another Braidbar Boat taking water (No 76 - Briar Rose) and I got a picture of it on our way back moored opposite Tesco. The Andy Russell signwriting is characteristic. I swapped experiences with the owner whilst the crew looked after Nuggler in the lock with a small cruiser destined for a party in Berkhampstead that evening. We left the party goers to it beyond IronBridge Lock and stopped for lunch. At the next lock I was surprised to pass a boat (no name) skippered by Paula, a woman I had shared a few locks with on the start of our last summer cruise on her way to new moorings on the Macclesfield. She seemed as surprised as I was. We passed lock 73 which has been largely rebuilt, although rather cunningly it looks as if is has been given a new concrete jacket because the original brickwork, weeds and gates appear untouched whilst the surrounds look like very solid concrete topped of with attractive block paving and newly seeded grass. Nick Atty's Canalplan software suggested that Apsley would be the right place stop for the night to break our journey neatly into three segments. However, I was rather concerned that we might arrive at Berkhampstead too late to find a mooring and Sunday Lunch (ostensibly the reason for going there) so was keen to press on and get some locks "in the bank". So we passed Hemel Hempstead and The Fishery Inn at Boxmoor (which I had heard was not a good place to stop on account of yobbish behaviours at closing time) and we aimed for Winkwell. In retrospect this might have been a lock too far because we didn't arrive until 18:45. Supper again courtesy of Pat, this time by popular acclaim, beef casserole. A brief visit to the pub saw us early to bed. That night I had an inspirational thought- how about staying put the next morning, having a proper breakfast, indulge ourselves by cleaning the boat, getting a pump out at the boatyard and being first in the queue for Sunday Roast at the three horseshoes.