UK Canals - Journey reports

Harefield

We woke at the usual time (early) to heavy rain.   We didn't rush.  However, this turned out to be just the last of the night's rain and by daybreak things were looking up.  We set off soon after realising that had we moored on the other side of the canal arm we would have had rings, all neatly painted white.   It is just that the bridge 200 is close to a pub but seems to be the haunt of strong beer can canalside drinking and I wouldn't really want to spend a night there.

We continued on, passing a dead dutch barge shell being propelled by a tug at Cowley and a number of other boats.  Frays, the gravel barge, was being readied for loading at Denham, but the rest of the journey was uneventful.  We got home before the worst of the rush hour.

River Thames and Hanwell Flight

After a night of heavy rain the day dawned bright and sunny.  The strong winds had moderated considerably. Our guests arived in good time and after a trip down the weed hatch to remove a large batch of mixed plastic bags and other routine preparations  we motored to the lock at 9:45.   The lock keeper had already cycled the lock to blow out the mass of rubbish which collects outside, but advised us to pass through that which remains in neutral. The river was relatively calm, ususal for a Sunday morning before trip boat operations, but the catarmarans were operating with their consequent long swell of a wash and we leapfrogged one alternately overtaking at landing stages and being overtaken between.  Bridge closures meant that we slowed him down when we got ahead.  The roughest water was around Blackfriars.  We had a headwind, but blue sky and sunshine for the whole trip and it couldn't have been better.  We allowed 2 and a half hours for the river cruise, so in theory we would arrive at Thames Lock an hour before high tide there. With a 6.6 metre tide one would expect Brentford Bridge to be impassable at some point.  Indeed, arriving at 12:45 the lock keeper suggested weaited for the tide to fall.  We only had 5 feet air draft available.  As we moored up, the tide turned and 30 minutes later, after a quick visit to "The Brewers Tap" nearby, the level had fallen a foot and we had enough room at the bridge.  Carrying on up the canal, the River Brent was in flood, but not a problem save for the rubbish which it produces.  Hanwell was in good condition and with a large temporary crew we shot up. We reached the bridge (200) giving access to the railway station for our guests to leave at 17:10 in the dark of course.  A good day all round.

Paddington to Limehouse

We left at 7:00 am. Shortly after we arrived last evening, as forecast, the wind got up.  The canal which had been smooth was running with white topped waves and the boat was banging against an underwater shelf.  Even the large fenders didn't seem to work and we had to resort to the wheelbarrow wheel which I normally use in the marina. Most of the night the rear doors were rattling away and the rain which must have been heavy if I could hear it.  So there was some concern that we might be being stupid continuing with the cruise having had bad experiences in high winds on the Regent's Canal in the past.   However, Sunday's forecast for the river was quite good and today was showing heavy showers with the worst of the gales passed.  So we set off, again in the dawn twighligt. The weather gave us no problems, save for one heavy shower at Camden.  After Victoria Park the canal opens out, losing the tall buildings which up to now had shielded it and yes the wind was waiting for us - and the rain which set in really heavily until Limehouse.  Johnson's Lock is the worst as there is a street of high rise flats close along the towpath with little on the opposite side.  This seems to funnel the  wind making mooring up for the lock tricky.  We reached Limehouse at 13:20.  At Limehouse we found a spot on the wall next to the lock and again had to deploy the large fenders to stop the boat surging back and forward and banging against the wall.  A visit to the lock office confirmed our arrangements for the morning but the river looked very threatening. For the evening we tried the gastropub "Narrow Street" for the first time.  Nice food but very expensive for our tastes.  

Thoughts on visitor moorings on the Regent Canal.

We expected to have no problem mooring at Paddington as this is a 48 hour limited mooring and we are past the high season, however it was almost full.  Islington Visitor moorings were a joke  I have never ever seen any possibilities for mooring here as a visitor.  They seem to be packed with resident boaters.  Likewise Victoria Park where the moored boats packed the bank on both sides of the bridge right up and onto the lock landing leaving us no alternative but to put the boat into the "armpit" of the lock gate to get off to work the lock.  This means for the most part that as a visitor one is denied the opportunity of actually visiting. The canal becomes just a transit route.

Harefield to Paddington

This morning it was still raining.  The weather forecast does not look good for the weekend, but then when did a bit of rain stop us?  So we were off at 7:15 in the twilight, MIke wearing the "yachty" over trousers which come up to the chest, three layers on top plus the waterproof hi-vis orange from the railway work site.  At Uxbridge we were surprised to see Terry on "ARUN" going opposite direction en-route to Ricky. At our combined speeds of passing there was only time for a few seconds of Mini-Gig.   The rain eased off until we emerged from Tesco at Bulls Bridge, when it set in again with a vengence, but again had stopped at Greenford with a hint of sunshine for a few moments, then gloom.  Nothing else seems to be moving, so we are hoping to be in Paddington by 4pm.

6:00pm update

We arrived at 15:50. There were no moorings on rings at Little Venice. It rather looks as if the whole line is occupied with winter moorings.    So we pressed on into Paddington basin and again, at first appearances, it did not look good.  However as we drifted down the line one space did appear, half under the office bridge.   A quick visit to the weed hatch before closing up produced a clutch of ripped plastic bags of various descriptions.  Finally much to or surprise, we have a good digital freeview (terrestrial) signal even though our little stick aerial is on the front of the boat right under the bridge.

I telephoned Brentford and Limehouse today to book our passage up the tidal Thames on Sunday.  No potential problems apart from a river closure for a race Mortlake to Putney starting at 13:15.  We should be at Brentford by then.  High Tide London Bridge is 12:30.

The London Ring - Preparations

This time I remembered to turn the heating on before leaving home, yet when we reached the boat at around midday, an hour and a half later, the temperature in the boat was still only 60 degrees.  Got the stove going on wood to start with - it burns up quicker - and did a few chores, like filling with water.  Pat then stayed in for the afternoon and Mike went to Watford.  By early evening the promised rain had arrived.  Some of the local roads were becoming flooded, probably leaves on the road!  Made ready for an early departure in the morning.

Back to Harefield

A change in the weather this morning with light rain.  So we didn't rush.  We saw a boat coming up in the lock so I suggested we went and asked if he would leave the gate open for us, but Pat said  don't bother.   A while later, the boat was still there so I thought I would take a look to see if he needed any help.  In fact, the boater was in the process of asking a fisherman for help and didn't seem to be getting an enthusiastic response.  The boater and I went to have a look at the scene.  The lock was about 3 feet down and had been there for a while.  The chap was telling me that he had enjoyed the Oxford Canal and the Thames with its orderly Locks, but was having a bit of a problem with the Grand Union.   Ironbridge as we know is a difficult Lock but not this bad.   I believe it is on the schedule for new gates this month.   A quick look and the problem was obvious.   The bottom gate paddle was half up.  So we were both soon on our respective ways after a lot of grunting with the top gate that is!   Naturally when we reached Cassio Lock the water was weiring over the gates.  Below Cassio we were hailed at the wharf by a resident boater warning us about two boats ahead, one being towed, but out of control and very abusive.  We rounded the corner and there they were, the narrowboat across the cut blocking the canal with what looked like a pontoon houseboat behind it, but in the bushes. We waited.  The bloke on the boat moored on the right of the picture emerged and we asked if he knew what their problem was. "Oh! Theyr'e just inept" was his only comment.  There seemed to be about four people on this assembly and gradually they straightened up and with a blast of water from the stern of the narrowboat they were moving again.  Then the problem became clear.  The towed boat was not being steered, so as it swung haphazardly, it was pulling the stern of the towing boat over and making that uncontrollable.   They saw us behind and waved us on and as we passed, the lead boat was driven under branches on the offside coming to a standstill despite fountains of water coming from the stern and the other boat crashing into its stern.    I put our boat into warp drive (warp factor 6) and left them to it.  We never saw them emerg round the corner at the end of the long straight leading to Common Moor Lock.

At Rickmansworth, there were signs of activity on the towpath suggesting that there might be a race in progress.  Sure enough, at Stockers Lock the first of the runners appeared with quite a gap before others.   Halfway down to Springwell we were watching the main body of runners, some obviously struggling lost in their world of pain, others just running together chatting and greeting us with smiles.  It was a half marathon apparently running from Uxbridge to Watford.  We passed that last straggler by the sewage farm, closely followed by a cyclist removing all the signage.  Soon we were back at Widewater.  Time for lunch, and give the bilge a washout.  (I use a wet vac and dispose of the washings at home in case you are concerned)

Harefield to Ironbridge/ Cassiobury Park

Today turned out to be sunny and pleasant, but at 7 am it was cold with frost on the vinyl cratch cover.   I had forgotten to set the central heating on in advance so first job was to get the stove going.  It still took an hour for the boat to get warmed up, but by then we were well on our way.  No locks in our favour today it seemed, all had to be turned round.  At Stockers we came up behind a barge just leaving the lock mooring to go up.   So there was a bit of a delay, but fortunately in a way, we needed shopping at Tesco, so we would not be held up again until we caught up with it.  Pat was grumbling when finally after half an hour she emerged from Tesco.  She just wanted to get a few bits and pieces, but it was Saturday and the crowds were all dawdling and dithering.  She gave up waiting at the deli counter and did the rest of the shopping and returned to find the same woman there still dithering.  At least it gave the barge time to get ahead.  So Batchworth was full and needed to be turned round, then round the corner, below Lot Mead Lock, there was the barge moored up!   Lot Mead has one ground paddle out of action and the pinions were slipping on the rack on the same top gate.  The pound above was a foot down.  No problem until reaching the lock landing for Common Moor where we were just aground.  Emptying the lock sorted that out.  Then goody, Cassio Lock was open and waiting for us.  We decided to moor up above Ironbridge Lock, as the TV reception was OK there on a previous occasion, but getting through the Lock was a challenge with a massive leak at the bottom and no gate paddles to speed filling.  It took the two of us to force the top gate open after a long wait.  Winding above the lock was difficult on account of shallow water and silt opposite and mooring there is always "off the bank" for the same reason.  A community boat arrived about half an hour after us and ended up about 3 feet off the bank.  Good fun for the kids of course who had to walk the plank.   This evening, fireworks in the park!