When we left our mooring at Harefield last year, I forgot to retrieve our spare set of keys which the marina had for any emergency. So Harefield Marina was our first port of call today to see if they still had them and to top up our diesel tank. Amazingly, the keys were quickly produced. Then I saw bags of our favourite solid fuel (as of last year) Pureglow, so we had two of those. Interestingly, the old Horse & Barge pub opposite which we visited a couple of years back and were embarrassed on behalf of our guests, has had a major make over with new owner and is thriving. It is now called the Bear on Barge. Other small changes in the canal environment were evident having been away for a while, mooring practices particularly. There is new building everywhere - large blocks of apartments. The John Gest factory building between the canal and railway line has gone and a new railway bridge evident. We stopped at Bulls Bridge for a small amount of shopping and then moved on to one of our favourite moorings just past Willowtree Marina entrance. A decision has to be made where to moor tomorrow. We would like to be in Paddington with access to pubs restaurants and shops, but have been disappopinted in the past, the problem being there is nowhere convenient further on (it's full of liveabord boaters) and turning back through the Paddington arm would commit us to winding at Ladbroke Grove, 2 miles further back. If we can get some intelligence from opposite direction boats then fine, otherwise we stop at Kensal Green and perhaps visit the cemetery.
Comments