UK Canals - Journey reports

Grand Union Canal:Berkhamsted

Rain forecasted all day, but I need to be in Berkhamsted for a pickup tomorrow, so off we go.   Got to the bottom of he Marsworth flight to find a lovely pair of brand new gates.   Access to the lock side is across the main road.  From the boat there is a little stairway just immediately next to the arch.   It has a handrail to make access from the boat safer.  Time to go slow and careful., but no difficulty.   Onwards up the next, then met a pair of volunteer lock keepers, so now I was motoring and so much easier with locks ahead made ready and no need to stop to close gates after.   The rain was light drizzle really, so no problem.  However, once into the long Tring cutting it started becoming heavier and persistent, to the point that I considered myself stupid for being out there in cold nand very unpleasant conditions when I could be tucked up in the warm by the fire.   So I started to look for an easy mooring, but all would require mooring pins and the hassle that entails whereas I was looking for sheet piling for which I have the instant hooks.   Arriving at Cowroast, the top lock, I saw some gaps ahead which looked potential suspects, so in the rain, filled the lock and went down.  My technique for going down on the GU is to stay lockside, then starting the boat moving out on the centre line, dropping the line to close the gate behind the still slowly moving boat in time to descend the steps and step on boat retrieving the rope on the way.   This is fairly standard practice for single handers.   Then the rain stopped, so I gave up on the idea of mooring and carried on.   There were a few more quick showers, just enough to maintain my soaked condition.  There is nice mooring in the park, but remote from the pubs.  To continue one more lock is a bit of a gamble that there might be a mooring space there.   15 locks today.    It’s very good exercise, strengthening the core as well as upper body.   Bit stiff this morning after yesterdays efforts.  

Grand Union Canal:Marsworth

I am pleased to have completed the day’s plan again, although this time pretty well 2 hours longer than expected.  It’s harder to put a finger on why, but strong winds making tying up very difficult and losing the boat exiting a lock (it was simple to get it back), lock gates swinging open in the wind, multiple lines of moored boats and having to wait for a broad beam are all good excuses.  The good thing is that I have not taken on too much and 15:30 hrs is not a bad time to moor up.   Today’s scary challenge was the swing bridge (No 125).  There are very short landings on the operation side, but they are surrounded by dense vegetation and overhanging branches making an approach impossible.  So my efforts were a total embarrassment.  Just thank goodness I didn’t have any obvious watchers.  The gate is quite stiff and took all my effort to move it.  No pub tonight, although there is one apparently opposite a little further on.  JUST 12 LOCKS today, 15 tomorrow!!

Grand Union Canal: The Globe Inn

After the washout yesterday, the day looked more promising on the weather forecast with hint of sun poking our from behind white clouds, but it was all a lie.  It got quite windy to the point of being a bit troublesome later on and approaching Fenny Stratford the rain set on with a vengeance.   The first three hours just takes one through Milton Keynes on the level.  The canal has been integrated into the town suburbs quite well.  The grass is cut and the borders landscaped to merge nicely with well spaced properties.   The water looks very clean with no floating rubbish.   Problem is it is three hours of all the same.   Fenny Stratford gives a respite with its one foot rise lock complete with a swingbridge in the middle, but in the rain with everything wet I wasn’t amused.   I caught sight there of a boat just departing the lock as I arrived and met the boat later in Stoke Hammond Lock.  One approaches round a corner and I spotted the signs of daylight at the bottom of the gates.  After mooring up it soon became apparent that there was now a boat halfway up the lock.  This was nb Haversham.   They told me that they were hoping to take on water before the three locks and would wait for me.  Very kind of them.  So we went up together and we had a volunteer lock keeper to boot which I guess allowed me to make up a bit of time.   The CanalPlan software I use if generally very accurate with timings when planning and I was expecting to take five and a half hours today.  In fact it took six and three quarters.  I put that down to the “miles” of moored boats needing slow passage.   I managed to get a mooring almost outside the pub and took the opportunity to book supper there.  An excellent menu and not over priced.  Had a new drink for me.  Passion fruit gin with a splash of lemonade.  Really pleasant.

Grand Union Canal:Wolverton

Sadly today’s forecast was not good with rain predicted pretty well all day.  My guests needed to be at Wolverton to catch a train back to Rugby to pick up their car.  This should not be difficult but we left a little earlier than usual.  After our brilliant run with another boat yesterday down the Buckby Flight, today with the rain and the large flows of water down the Stoke Bruerne flight making gates more difficult to open, we were a little ragged.  Nevertheless the team were magnificent showing much humour and fortitude in spite of the unpleasant conditions.   Then it was a straightforward cruise on with hot coffee served at intervals, chocolate biscuits and visits to the stove  to warm up.  There was a brief visit to Baxter Boat services for some coal.  One can’t afford to run out in these conditions.  Wolverton was reached in good time and a quick lunch followed with some warm Cornish pasties thanks to Juliet’s foresight.

Day 2

Blue sky seen this morning.  Actually a lovely day, even feeling warm at times and the early buds of spring tentatively showing. We aimed to set off at 9:00 and whilst getting ready saw signs of a boat locking down behind.   The boat was Frances Alberta and the single handed skipper was please to have someone to share the locks with.   The resulting share worked extremely well, us going into the lock first on the offside, then allowing our new companion to leave first to set the next lock while we crossed and departed from the same gate and closed up after.   Juliet took the sensible option of walking ahead to assist.   There was a lot of water going down the flight, so most locks were full or nearly so to the extent that opening bottom gates required assistance from time to time because of the GU type lock bywashes bubbling up copious quantities of water at the back of the lock.  Nearing the bottom we were aware of an upcoming boater so waited, but it turned out that the water pressure was such that as another single hander he was unable to open the bottom gates to come up and decided to wait for us to come down and lose some water.   After that, our boating liaison came to an end and we carried on alone in much warmer conditions than yesterday.   Finally Blisworth Tunnel appeared and we had that to ourselves.  Moored up, our first though was a welcome drink and meal at the famous Boat Inn.  We retired to the boat for a whisky and closed up for the night.

Grand Union Canal - Buckby top Lock (or just under)

My guests arrived very promptly, so we were off to a good start.  Left the moorings at 10:25 and the wind, which is always a problem at Barby when extricating the pontoons was kind to us.   Made good progress to Braunston turn.  Approaching the locks it was pleasing to see two boats exiting, so it was theoretically an easy start, however the crew were yet green and were slowly introduced to the workings.  Very quickly, by trial and error and instruction they became an excellent team by the top which was reached in good time (14:00).   Lunch followed and then the tunnel and Norton Junction.   Sadly, there were no moorings between the the bridge and the lock, so we waited for an upcoming before going down.  The moorings below are actually much nicer.  Then the promised visit to the pub.  Unfortunately the New Inn takes no orders for food after 4pm on Sundays but is still open for drinks fortunately.  Returning to the boat a scratch meal of chicken jalfrzi and rice was sorted and everyone was happy.   There’s a lovely spot to moor just below the top lock (shown here) as apposed to above which is rather “industrial” and usually busy.

Spring Hosting Trip GU

Final preparations today for first trip of the New Era.   Solo boating.   Thus far there has always been Pat.  We were such a team and had so much fun always looking for ways to work the boat with least effort and maximum speed (measured in lock miles/hour).   Now I know I can work single handed (mostly) but will I enjoy it overall.   So for this trip I have invited some friends to join me, just for a few days at a time and separated by gaps of single handing with challenges of various kinds.  For instance, I know the canal well and how long it takes us to do certain lengths.   Will I keep up?

First section is Barby to Wolverton in three days - first I have to pick up the crew!   It’s very windy over the coming few days ….