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20 days ago
Wednesday 21st October 2009 Up early as there are a lot of locks to do today. Took Bill and the ball twanger into the park and over to the shops to get the papers. There is also a takeaway pizza shop an Indian takeaway and a Chinese for future reference. What a stroke of luck, another boat Nb Rusty Nail came along just as I was leaving so I buddied up with them. There are three guys, Bernie and Tim who own the boat between them and have been sailing for years and a pal of theirs, Paul, who’s spending a week with them. At the end of the day we not only got up through Rickmansworth we got all the way to Abbots Langley which was 18 locks and 14 miles – fantastic, thanks guys. So went in search of a pub where I could by them a beer or two and found the fantastic Dog and Partridge just up from bridge 167 and had far too much to drink. We also got roped into a raffle for the ladies darts team and I won three prizes out of my five tickets, but I put two of them back to be redrawn ...
32 days ago
Sunday 11th October 2009 Drizzly start to the day. Set off for Bishop Stortford by 9.30am. Want to get up to BS and back to the moorings above Sawbridgeworth Lock today. Lovely scenery and very rural. At the first lock of the day, Sheering Mill Lock, there’s a commemorative plaque to show that this is where the wings of the WW” fighter bomber plane the Mosquito were made – and the link – well my dad joined the RAF in 1936 and served in a Mosquito squadron throughout the war in North Africa, Italy, Crete, Burma and India. Well I never. Got to Bishop Stortford and back out again PDQ, sadly not very enticing with the odd wino lying on the towpath. Even though there are plenty of visitor moorings there wasn’t one boat staying over. Got back to Sawbridgeworth in pretty good time and tied up by 3pm. Went up into town to explore and found the Queen’s Head, A BEER AT LAST and Bill is very welcome, ah heaven. Monday 12th October 2009 Staying over today. Had a good ...
47 days ago
Thursday 1st October 2009 Was going to go down the Aylesbury Arm, however, there’s a boat in Marsworth No 1 Lock south so decided to go that way instead. Good decision, Martyn and Ela on Nb Isadora are going all the way to London so will buddy as far as we can. Did 21 locks out of Marsworth through Berkhamsted to tie up above lock 60. Went into the Three Horse Shoes for a well earned beer with Bill (beware the Dobermans – eek scared me even!). Friday 2nd October 2009 Set off together by 9.30am for Cassio Bridge. Nice weather again and good company. Another long day today with one swing bridge and 19 locks. Good moorings though the pub is now a Harvester (euk!) and the shop doesn’t exist anymore. So an early night in front of the telly. Saturday 3rd October 2009 Set off together again by 9.30am. I’m only going as far as South Harefield (Widewater Lock 86) but Martyn and Ela are off on a mission to get as far as possible. Lovely to meet them and I’m ...
Monday 21st September 2009 to Wednesday 30th September 2009 – Heading South to the Big Smoke and ...53 days ago
Monday 21st September 2009 Walked Bill up to the shops the papers, had breakfast and set off in lovely weather by 9.30am. Buddied up with a boat in the Bottom Lock called Nb Hawkeye with a lovely couple called Dave and Ella. Went all the way together up through the 6 locks out of Braunston and then through the Braunston Tunnel (2042yds) and down through the 7 locks in the Buckby Flight. Tied up in Weedon by 4pm. Took Bill for a walk up the towpath and met Sam and Cynthia off Nb Guinevere with their new springer puppy meg. Chatted for a while but they were off to a pagan wedding (don’t ask!). Few beers early doors in the Wheatsheaf in Weedon. Great village, good stores in Weedon Bec, plus Indian restaurant and takeaway and a Chinese takeaway, what more can a man ask for? Tuesday 22nd September 2009 Walked Bill all the way to Weedon Bec, about 2 miles to the shop and back. Set off for Stoke Bruerne about 9.30am. Nuther lovely day. Got to Stoke Bruerne about 3pm ...
54 days ago
Friday 11th September 2009 Staying over here in Fradley Junction today. Walked down past the BW shop and over the canal to the nature reserve. Special building here being used as a bird hide. Built by my very good friends David and Andrew Raffle, who are not only Master Thatchers but also National Living Treasures no less. Had a few early doors in the Mucky Duck and met a couple of boaters, Alan and Jim and we discussed propellers, very interesting, honest. Saturday 12th September 2009 Set off for Hopwas at 10am. Again a lovely cruise in fine though breezy weather. Tied up by 3pm and took Bill for a walk back along the canal and up into the woods. Went for a couple of beers in the Red Lion where a staffy had a go at Bill though not seriously. Early night. Sunday 13th September 2009 Set off at 10am after a long walk with Bill. Passed through Fazeley Junction and up through the two locks in Tamworth and tied up in Polesworth by 2pm. Walked down ...
