UK Canals - Journey reports

... and back again

An early start as we have a birthday celebration lunch booked.    Not as early as a cruiser that motored past at around 6 am.   We winded easily below the lock and had an easy run back to Harefield arriving there at 9:20 this time hopefully with full batteries.    Shame that the Denham gravel traffic has ended.  The two custom made barges are still moored above Cowley Lock and the loading conveyor by the A40 already looks derelict.   Quite a lot of investment went into that traffic including the wharf and turning point at the cement plant.

Weekend Jolly

We left the boat last month with half emptied batteries.  On returning today the battery monitor indicated that the voltage was 12.8 and the amp-hour counter was full.    So well done solar panels.   However, I am still a little cautious about the numbers as the monitor doesn't tell the full story.   Better that we use the engine for a while and no better way than slipping down to Cowley for the night.   It's a straight forward trip.  Just three locks and a vacant mooring below Cowley Lock by the park.   We moored in front of nb "Cargo" and I was interested to see an advert in the window for cratch cover repairs.  Soon after our arrival, the skipper came out to say hallo and we got chatting about his service.   Really the work is done by his wife who was away, but he did replace a missing stud on our cratch cover for me.   Apparently they will make new covers.   Returning from the newsagents later in the day I noticed that the good lady had returned and was working on the towpath with a customer making adjustments to a jacket she was making.    WE went to the canalside Malt Shovel pub for a meal in the evening.  Very busy there with trouble finding a table.   In the end we had to eat in the bar, but good food.