Waiting for the tide.... 26th - 28th May 2013

We walked Jack around Hackney Marshes although it was 7 am and I don't think he was really awake then! We wanted to set off early and get through London in a day, and it was going to be a hard day!
We had 17 miles and 11 locks to do today, more than we'd done in a long time!
It was sunny, a lovely day. We were up for it!
We did the mile or so to the junction of Ducketts Cut (Hertford Canal) and turned sharp right, faced with the first of the three locks on this mile long cut. All three locks against us, the rubbish looming under the water like stalking piranhas looking for a prop to cling on to.

Disused factory in Ducketts cut

We managed to get through the locks with the prop still turning, and did a sharp right onto the Regents Canal to see the next huge lock looming.

Coming out of Ducketts cut, sharp right and we're on the Regents Canal

The sun was still shining, so everything was great!
The locks had all hard huge heavy gates, most were against us. The early morning joggers were all out in force, socks down their lycra shorts, wobbling everywhere! Paul didn't notice! I couldn't miss it!
Tourists lined the towpaths, gawping at the locks as we went through. The sun was out and so was all of London! Mental here! We couldn't even let Jack out at the locks, too busy.
We went through the manic canal, boats moored three a breast, everywhere.

Not much room on this roof, hey!

Then there were the posh 'regenerated' areas, all very smart one side of the canal, graffiti and rubbish the other side!

Modern buildings line the canal....

... but the original lock and wall are still here

We approached Camden locks, 3 in total and met a boat waiting to go in. We went in with them, that meant help through the locks and past all the gongoozlers at the locks, so many people everywhere, lining the streets, leaning over the bridges; they would have been all over the locks if there wasn't a locked fence all the way round, only openable with a BW key.

In Camden Lock 

Camden Market....

All went well, and as we got to the top lock we spotted a space to stop. It was 1 pm, time for lunch, and Jack needed to stretch his legs, so we pulled over to let Jack out and go do some retail therapy .... again!
Paul took Jack to Regents Park and had an enormous Ice Cream, and I went to the Market and came back laden with delicious home made cake!
We were only gone a couple of hours, and by 3 pm we were on our way again, out of Camden, leaving the hoards of tourists behind.

Little Venice, looking back towards Maida Vale tunnel

Under Maida Vale tunnel, and we turned onto the Paddington Arm, Little Venice. Mad here too!
Boats moored everywhere, making navigation tricky.
We'd done all our locks for the day, but we still had three hours to go to get to Horsenden Hill mooring.
It was all pretty plain sailing really, some really bad areas, some modernised and brand new areas. Grassy towpaths lined the canal, trees and hedges too. Still green, even here! Sun still shone, and the late afternoons cruise was just great!
It was 6 pm by the time we pulled up under the wooden footbridge to Horsenden Hill, a lovely grassy mooring spot, off towpath, so no cyclists or joggers!

Moored up under Horsenden Hill bridge 

A group of kids were fishing nearby, nice kids, cheeky! They made a right fuss of Jack and fed him almost a whole tin of Spam before I spotted what they were doing!

View towards the city from the top of Horsenden Hill

After tea we all went for a lovely walk up to the top of the Hill via the most beautiful buttercup meadows and woodlands.

Buttercup meadows, Horsenden Hill

It was brilliant, and the sun still shone! Back at the boat we had an early night, slept really well, pleased with our mission completed today... to get out of the manic canal system around London, and we did it!

Beautiful hey!

On Monday, Bank Holiday, we walked Jack around the meadows, and set off in the cold but bright morning. The winds were strong today, it was so cold! After 1 and a half hours cruise we got to Bulls Bridge junction, and turned left this time, towards the Thames!

Bulls Bridge junction, we turned left

As we approached the Grand Junction Arms in Southall we spotted Rob's boat, Lynx. He wasn't on board as the boat was padlocked up, but we waved anyway!

Plastic bag soup.... the canal is thick with rubbish

We went onwards to Norwood, through 'plastic bag stew' to the Sanitary Station at the top of the flight of locks. But it was demolished, and a pile of rubble replaced the offices and facilities building.
There were however three volunteer lock keepers all ready to give us a helping hand down the flight of 2 and 6 locks together. So we had all our locks filled up for us, we just had to get in, and get out. Saved loads of time, and muscle. Two of the volunteers stayed at the top, their job was to fish out all the rubbish in the canal! Short straw I think!

Paul working hard at the Asylam Lock, next to the old Asylam

Nice flight of locks, nice area. Although it was here, about 13 years ago that Norfolk Lass was grafittied on overnight. But you would never have known it. Really done up nice, felt safe and friendly.
At the bottom of the flight we spotted a mooring spot that looked nice at the back of a row of boats, always a good sign when boats are moored together. It was only 12.30 pm, but we pulled over and tied up.

Moored up at the bottom of the Hanwell flight

It was where the River Brent met the canal, and the bottom of the canal was full of river silt, leaf sediment and other shite. So much so, that the whole time we were here, gas was bubbling up all around us, making the noise under the boat a little bit annoying. It was very loud, didn't stop all night! Every time you moved in the boat it let gas out from under as it tilted from side to side! Still, so do me and Paul!
It was lovely and sunny, we'd had a great cruise here, and we were ready to explore. We needed bread, so we went out for a stroll to find a shop and stumbled across a craft barn, where we bought some home made bread for £2.50! It was a community run craft shop, really nice. I also bought a hand painted (purple) glass mug.
We knew that there were 3 lovely grassy meadows all together over the lock in an area called Osterley Park, and had a lovely walk in the sunshine, although it was really windy now.
There wasn't much noise here, really peaceful in fact. Slight traffic, odd siren in the distance, the parakeets but loudest of all, the bubbling still erupting from under the boat!
We left early the next day, it was Tuesday 28th May, and our turn on the Thames.
After a walk round the meadows, we set off in the rain, drizzle at first. We had two locks and about 3 miles to do until we reached the newly modernised Brentford Gauging Lock.

Getting water at the modernised Brentford facilities and moorings

Here we filled up with water, dumped rubbish and ate Snickers for breakfast! Its really posh here, there are some 24 hour moorings, but the noise is hideous! High rise flats sprout up out of the ground, more are being built as we breathe. Here you can do your laundry, shower, fill up water, dump rubbish and pump out! Modern new building, bet thats replaced the one at the top of Norwood Locks thats now a pile of rubble!

One of the lock chambers at Brentford Gauging Lock

We went through Brentford Gauging Lock and onto the semi tidal part of the Grand Union towards Thames Lock at Brentford. The rain was still coming, little harder now as we trundled onwards slowly, taking it all in. We saw the lock in the distance and moored up by the concrete wall, ready to move on when the time was right.

Happy Daze moored up at the Thames lock at Brentford,
last lock on the Grand Union waiting in the rain.... 

It was chucking it down now, only 11am and we were not due to go through with the tide until 4pm. So we chilled in the boat, fire keeping us cosy as the rain stormed down on us all day. We went to Morrisons, stocked up with loads of goodies, and struggled to find anywhere, in the rain to walk Jack. We also struggled to get him up the wall to the towpath, and back down again on to the boat! But it was fine, we managed. By 3.50 it seemed brighter, the rain had stopped and we were waiting for the Lock keeper to let us through. The river was high, it was a spring tide, it was now 4.15, where was the Lock Keeper?

Happy Daze arrives in Hackney - 22nd-25th May 2013

Well it's about time we moved from here!
We've been at this spot beside the beautiful meadows in Roydon full of wild flowers, and taller buttercups than I've ever seen before.

Jack romping the fields, with Happy Daze moored up in the distance

The day is Wednesday 22nd May, baby's arrived, car's back in its little spot in Milton Keynes, we've got a full fridge once again and we're off!
I get Jack out for his walk nice and early and we're ready to go by 8am.

Don't think Jack was too happy about leaving though!

There is no wind at the moment, calm, but cold! You could even see your own breath, my hands got really cold by the end of the day. Mental for nearly June!
We enjoyed the last little bit of cruising on the River Stort, only a few miles and 4 locks.

Making the sharp right back onto the Lee

The Stort joins the river at a hard right angle, and after swinging round to the left, the lock was open and ready for us. The lock landing stage below the lock is shared with the water point and crap dumper place, so we pulled over and did both, feeling very conscious we were on the lock landing stage ..... Only one boat came down the lock, as they went passed they shouted out, "do you want us to wait for you at the next lock?"
"Brilliant!" I shouted back, "won't be long"
So we set off again about a mile till we got to the next lock, a few minutes of waiting and magically the gates opened and I cruised in.
I started chatting to the man on the back expecting some smiley jolly man to answer me. Instead his first words were "interesting colour scheme!" Obviously he didn't like it but had to say something! First person to comment and not like it! His boat was black, and it was called Ophilia or something stupid like that. I didn't like his colour scheme of black either but I never said!
I found out that they had a huge house, never in a million years would they spend a winter in a boat, and didn't understand why anyone would want to! They had more money than us, had cruised more than us, polished their brass more than us. Knobs, especially him, the man on the back.

Waiting at a lock mooring with our little star, Jack

We pulled over as planned at the 14 day moorings at Cheshunt in the heart of the Lee Valley country park, they carried on. I hope we don't see them again, trouble is they're doing the same trip up the Thames to the Kennet and Avon as us so I expect we'll see them again!

We moored by a bench put there by my mate Rob, in memory of Serena who was raped and murdered here, ok towpath but we wont be sitting out anyway, great lake and YHA kids sailing and canoeing club, climbing wall, all fun stuff to get kids outside in the fresh air!

We did some exploring and it's brilliant. Lakes, meadows, woods, even a doggie playground with agility things to amuse your dog!

Jack had a go and could do it all, up the ramps, through the hoops,
Through the tunnel, over the jumps, in and out the poles, you should have seen his little wiggley body! He loved doing all the stuff, especially as there were treats involved! Happy, happy Jack!
There's all sorts of wooden carved things, really good.
There's frogs, loads of fab seats, mermaids, dragonflies and a massive chair that we climbed up on!

What a twit!

And we dont care!

The weather has turned cold, windy and very wet. We stay here Thursday and Friday, mainly to keep out of the cold, wet weather.
On Friday, after another amazing walk around the lakes, this time in the rain, we collect together our bits of washing we have and go and hunt out the local laundrette. Over a mile to walk, we set off again in the rain. In the laundrette all hell was let loose! The local travellers came in ordering the really lovely lady who did the service wash about, wanted to know how much money Paul had in his bank account and wanted to sit next to me and stroke my leg! They wouldn't pay the lady without an argument, the kids were rude, the lady was swearing, they were swearing, and the two old ladies in there were gob smacked! The washing cost more to wash and dry here, the coffee and tea we bought for 60p was lovely and all the machines were clean and modern. We also bought huge cakes from a very handy bakery next door! We'll never forget our dull rainy day at the laundrette in Cheshunt!
We walked Jack again in the rain, came home and stayed in the lovely warm and cosy boat.
On Saturday, May 25th I got up ooober early and got Jack out for his last walk over the Lee Valley Country park. We set off for our trip, I was really early but we were well excited. We were back cruising the canal and we were on the move again. Cold and windy, 11 miles and 8 locks to Hackney Marsh, our destination for today.
Same stuff, different view. The river isn't at all pretty the nearer it gets to London.

High armaco on both sides, pylons and industry and London's supply of water in the miles and miles of reservoirs that line the river. Bloomin' freezing too, my hands were really cold, this is May!

Tall tower block line the river as we get nearer and nearer

We stopped at the start of the Hackney Marshes, it was only lunch time, we'd got on mega quickly and had arrived early. The mooring spot was great, boats all around, big towpath, away from the millions of cyclists and flabby joggers that really should be on the sofa with a bar of chocolate....
We went for a lovely long walk, over playing fields, through the original Filter Beds that used to supply and clean the water for East London. Now its a country park, loveingly restored for dog walkers and bird spotters. The sun came out for us on our walk, making it a beautiful place to be in London.
Back at the boat we chatted to our neighbours, a lovely couple called Bella and Ed, and a baby of a year called Loki. Had a wide beam, lovely people.
We sat outside on the towpath, had our tea and watched the sun go down.

Grafitti on the way to Olympic Stadium

The next day we left early again, this time with the intention of whizzing through Ducketts Cut to the Regents Canal to Camden and on to Little Venice, and carrying on the Paddington Arm to Horsenden Hill mooring for the night.
It was going to be 17 miles and 11 locks, probably our longest day yet....

Leaving the River Lee, Olympic Stadium on the left and the entrance to Ducketts Cut to the right

Week 5 and 6 ..... 8th - 20th May 2013

Linz, Paul's and Jacks adventure, 8th - 20th May 2013

Well we haven't gone far since I last wrote to you! In fact we stayed at Tednambury lock until Monday 13th May and have only gone a few miles and a few locks down the river back to the meadows at Roydon, nr Harlow.
As we had the car with us we went shopping in Harlow. We also had a visit from my brother, Matt, and his wife Jo. That was lovely. We went to Hallingbury Mill for a fantastic Sunday lunch (the pub we tried and didn't think it looked good), it was lovely, and had pudding! It was lovely to see them, we had a lovely time.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here, but were quite keen to find a new view out of the windows, so we decided we'd move a bit further down river, somewhere we could move our car to just in case we got the phone call saying my new grandson was on his way!
We stayed there until the Monday and then left for our trip down the river. It was a lovely day but the forecast said wind getting up to gusts of 25 mph. In the morning it was calm and we had a lovely cruise. We stopped at Harlow lock to fill up with water and got some diesel and a bottle of gas from a passing work boat, guy by the name of Mike. Behind him came another working boat, Archimedes. When I was moored in Uxbridge area 13 years ago, different owners, same work boat, used to deliver me coal, diesel and gas! Only now Trish and Alan who used to own it have retired to a bungalow in France and now a chap called James is running the business. had a good chat to them.
Just below the lock and around the corner we came to a very hurried halt. There was a tree blew down in the strong winds we had been having lately and a huge Canal & River Trust boat was across the river, chopping it up so the river was clear. They turned their boat so we could get by, cutting out the prop as we glided over the branches and debris across the river.
As we got out of Harlow the wind picked up making landing at lock stages very tricky if the wind was in the wrong direction. At one lock, Parndon Mill lock, Paul was struggling with an extremely tough lock gate while I was clinging on for dear life to the boat as the wind tried to take it across the river as I was trying to land it. Paul was oblivious to what was happening, and felt terrible because he hadn't seen I was struggling.
But all sorted, wind really getting up now, waves coming down the river and we weren't enjoying the cruise one bit. So we stopped at the nearest convenient place, under some trees in a sheltered lock cut just above Hunston Mill lock.
We decided to stay there although we didn't have a telly picture or Internet we felt safe and cosy.
Paul went on his bike to collect the car, a 7 mile cycle ride up the towpath. I walked Jack round an amazing meadow and he ran and ran like Forrest Gump!
We moved just below the lock the next day back to the Roydon meadows except we stopped in an even better place than before, nicer wider towpath and such a choice of walks!


It's so lovely here Paul's happy to stay here while I'm away, as soon as I get that call!
Well the call came, well a text anyway. On Wednesday morning about 8:30am. Panic mode..... Pack bags, collect washing together (Donna would be cross if I didn't bring our washing). The day had finally come, nearly a week late, but he was on his way! So was I. I wasn't going to miss this for anything!
Paul and Jack walked up to the car with me, Jack looking a bit puzzled as Paul and I struggled up the towpath with duvets and two huge bags of washing and all my gear.
It took me about 2 and a half hours to get to Diss, I was about 5 mins away when Deane called me an said they were on their way to hospital. It was about 1:30 by now, so I made a slight detour to Eye and turned up at Donnas, my home for the next few days.
All day we were waiting for the call, we got a couple of texts as things progressed, and at 8:35 little Leo Bernie Mayes was welcomed into this world! Fantastic! I was sent a picture within an hour of him being born, gonna share it with you!




Over the next few days I spent all my time with family; my daughter Donna and my two lovely grandsons, Callum and Jay, little sister Milly, husband Mark and her lad Jack, my little brother Pete, wife Bev and their two lovely kids, Courtney and George, and of course Deane and Marie, granddaughter Lexi, and little Leo, our brand new baby!


I came back to the boat on Sunday after a 2 hour drive and was met at the car by Paul and a very bouncy and happy Jack! we went for a lovely long walk following the Ordanance Survey App I'd just downloaded. It was brilliant, jack was amazing, very happy and full of running! In the evening we walked into Roydon and went to The Crusader in the High Street. Jack came too and we sat outside and had steak and chips in the sunshine, he was brilliant, loved his extra walk along the rabbit filled fields back to the boat.
On Monday we went to Harlow shopping, Tescos, and had to call in at the KFC as its the law here! Shopping unloaded, we walked again, and came home and relaxed.
On Tuesday Paul took Jack out for his walk and I did the journey out to Milton Keynes in the car to take it back to its little spot at Mel and Elaine's, Lyndz's parents. The journey was good, my mate Sat Nav came with me and got me there no trouble. After getting a bus to Bletchley, I caught the train to Euston, the underground to Tottenham Hale and a train to Roydon. Paul and Jack came to meet me and a very excited Jack showed he'd missed me!
More tramping around the fields and two hours later we were back on the boat with a much earned cuppa!
We're moving off from here tomorrow, were going back down the River Lee and back into London in the next few days. we've had an amazing time here, but were needing to move on now, get ourselves down to the Thames ......

Last updated 20.5.13 at 18:00, Roydon meadows

Cruise 2013 - week1 to 5

Our dream ......

Well as you will know by now we've made the journey up the River Nene.

After waiting for two weeks for the river levels to go down we finally said our goodbyes to all at Woodford Riverside, our wonderful home for nearly 4 years. 

A phone call from EA came on Easter Sunday, 31st March 2013 at 11.15 am letting us know the river was safe to navigate. So a couple of hours later we went, Lyndsey on board ready to hop off at Ringstead Lock and paddle board back, wouldn't expect anything less from our Lyndz! The river was running at quite a speed and the wind was bloomin windy, bloomin cold too!

We cruised till about 5pm when we reached Ditchford lock and moored up on the lock mooring opposite our friends, Jan and Terry. After coffee and biscuits and a good old catch up we went home, ate and slept. Exhausted. 

Found a lovely walk for Jack in the morning round some lovely lakes.... Real nice. Another catchup in the morning over coffee and were off.

Set off with a vicious wind blowing straight through us, made landing the boat tricky. River conditions were better after Ditchford, definitely not so much flow but more and more wind. Soup and coffee was consumed in vast quantities ..... and on we went to Cogenoe where we moored up for the night. It took at least 5 hours and a burning log fire and a hot shower to defrost.

Lovely walk in the morning in the now empty-of-cows cow meadow, sun shining but oh so bloody windy and cold again!

Set off past the very empty Billing, not the weather for camping I think, and out into the open washlands of Weston Favell. If you thought waves were only on the sea well they aren't! Wind blown waves.... Blowing the boat crabbing up the river, fighting the wind. Into the cut of Northants and through the toughest two locks on the nene. We moored up for the night near Morrisons, shopped (yes I went to Primark!) and went for a walk in the park. Not the best walk I must add. Same again in the morning, not a lot of choice really. But jack was having fun all day today running from lock to lock with Paul, and back to me on the boat! He's great, loving it massive! Up the first lock then the blankets of weed hit us. The shallowness, narrowed up by thick reeds and weeds made this really hard going. But onwards we went and made it to the top, shouted out loud and moored up opposite Gayton marina for the night. After being visited by Paul's brother and family we settled in for the night. 

Cold cold cold.... That sums up the next day. We left the Northants arm and turned left heading south down the grand union. A little way on and the tunnell was rearing its open mouth at us, beckoning us to come in if we dare. 

Wet wet wet .... That sums up the tunnel, although a few degrees warmer in the tunnell than outside, and no wind! We put the umbrella up, steered round the cascading waterfalls coming out of the walls and roof lining and still got soaked in places! As it was such a horrid day we thought we'd not meet anyone in the tunnel, and up to about half way (its 2.5 miles long) we didn't. Then we saw a convey coming towards us, 5 boats led by a BW workboat, 3 'normal' narrow boats and the thump thump thump of the loudest single pot engine you ever did hear! When he passed us going the opposite way and put up the revs I thought it was going to crack the tunnel lining it was so loud.

We moored up in the 48 hour moorings at stoke bruerne for a couple of days just to get our breath back and to clean our well dirty boat, Happy Daze, and do a few jobs now we can reach the sides.

Went for a bril walk through a proper woodland walk that takes you to the other end of the tunnel, made a few detours in a couple of fields, and explored the area. Went to the little shop and back to the boat where we stayed til morning.

Walked jack in the morning, lovely old cow fields, lots of rabbits and pheasant smells, woodland, a disused railway line, it's amazing here, so high up with beautiful views.... Stoke bruerne is the place! 

Stayed and cleaned and fixed and sat in the sun in our sheltered spot on the grassy towpath talking to all who've got the time, jacks getting so much fuss, everyone loves him!

We moved off the mooring on Saturday in the sunshine, beautiful sunshine! No wind but fairly chilly in the morning. Along with us came our new friend, Karl. Karl has been asking to go down the stoke bruerne 7 locks with us for two days now, he's only had his boat a week but he's lost all confidence to use it. Think he wants to be our stalker. So along comes Karl and the flight of locks is a breeze! All but one lock full and open for us, and at the bottom of the flight we stop to fill up with water, where we met some people we met last year, can't remember their names but always up for a natter. Karl heads off down the canal, i expect well see him again if he can follow someone else! Beautiful day now, sunny and blue skies, calm water and green meadows. We arrive at Cosgrove lock, open and waiting for us! 

This is where we stop for the night, just below the lock on the 14 day moorings. Amazing! Just approaching the aqueduct, lovely sunny spot, great towpath. We're gobsmacked by the stunningness of the place. Have lunch and off we go to explore, our faithful hound by our sides. We walked down the Iron Bridge aqueduct and through the horses tunnel, along the river Ouse, and into the most beautiful grassy meadows. Lots of history here, such an interesting place. We decide to stay here another day cos we love it so much here!

This morning (its Sunday I think) we woke up too more sunshine, another amazing walk and a beautiful day to sit out on the towpath watching the boats go by and chatting to all who amble past us. 

We are having the best time! Well leave here tomorrow but for now ....relax...

More to follow ..........

Week 2 - Monday 8th April 2013

A cold wind blows down the canal and into the boat when we unzip the hatch and poke our heads out. No sunshine, bloomin cold again. Off we go with Jack for our last walk along to the aquaduct and down to the meadows of the river, wind blowing right through us. As Pete says, it's a lazy wind .... It's too bloomin lazy to go round you so it goes right through you! Back at the boat we fuel up with coffee and toast and start the engines. Off we go about half an hour to Wolverton where we find great moorings with rings in a newly regenerated area, with a convenient Asda nearby and stock up with supplies. More coffee and cakes and were on our way to Milton Keynes. With no locks on this bit it only took a couple of hours to reach Campbell Park, our home for the next couple of days. We know its lovely here cos we spent some time here last year. And it's still the same, great parklands, lovely meadows, two great lakes, all walks for Jack. We manage to get on the 48 hour moorings, usually busy here but the towpath is wide enough to be able to put jacks bed out, he loves laying on the towpath just watching people go by.

After jumping out at Elaine and Mel (my good buddy Lyndsey's parents and the keeper our the car!) we arranged to meet up for a meal at the pub tomorrow night where we all ate and drank plenty, Lyndsey's joining us too! 

The next day (Tuesday) we took advantage of being moored up on the opposite side of the boat and washed and cleaned and polished. Paul put some bolts on the solar panels and did some engine checking... all good so far. Lovely walks were had around the two Willen lakes and Campbell park and we relaxed on the towpath while Jack played with his toys and anybody who was passing by! 

Great meal out in the Barge Inn, great company, great food and only 10 minutes walk away!

We left Milton Keynes on Wednesday after a stroll around the park and the grazing field in the sun! We've had a great time here, quiet nights, green 'urban countryside' all around us. 

We left about 10am and cruised a couple of hours to Fenny Stratford lock, with a swing bridge right across the lock! Great place to put a swing bridge! After opening the bridge and opening the lock I get the boat in and it only goes up 1 foot! It took a bit of working out if we were going up or down! We dumped our rubbish at the rubbish point and made our way through Fenny Stratford, the sun trying (not hard enough in my opinion!) to come out, still cold. We cruised on the next 3 miles through beautiful green fields, hills and valleys, we look down on the flood plains and meadows of the River Ouzel now, there's not many people about at all, only a few boats chug past us heading where we've just been. We get to Soulbury Three Locks, massive locks in a flight of three, gates shut, full with water, all against us ..... but then we see two figures walking down the flight with life jackets on, here comes our help! Volunteer lock keepers take us to the top, Paul and Jack are off the boat willing to help but they have it all under control. So we let them do it all! And say a huge thank you when we get to the top. We go on through some amazing countryside, and then through Leighton Buzzard, which is really nice, past lovely back gardens of all the posh houses, past Tescos (we've got enough food at the moment).

We spotted our place for the night right beside a footbridge leading to Tiddenfoot Lakes and Country Park. Nothing around, no boats, no people! Great! Walked around the lakes and woodlands and then Jack got bundled by a posse of 3 huge dogs but no harm done. Back home Paul did some fishing, caught 11 fish! Apparently good sized fish too! Dinner time but not fish on the menu, we've got pork steaks and veg tonight.

On Thursday we woke to drizzle and grey. Paul took Jack over the lakes again and I tidied etc. off we went, thinking we were only going to do a couple of locks today but it changed when we came to the first lock. A 1935 narrow boat, Tug No. 2 was leaving the lock, "We'll wait for you at the next lock!" They called back. We went through the first lock, round the corner and there were the gaping gates of the next lock, four bodies busying around, waiting for us! How lovely! They were keen to do the gates, so Paul set the next locks coming ahead and they did the lock i was in, worked really well till they ruined it and decided to stop for lunch! Well it was 1pm so I suppose that's allowed.

We went on to the next lock (they're all quite close together) and there was a boat waiting to go up! Bingo! More help, it's always a bonus if you can work locks together. We discovered 'smelly' Ken, nice enough man but on his own, lived alone in his stinky boat. No teeth, filthy dirty, but a friendly man! We went up the next flight of locks, the 'Seabrook 3' and the 'Marsworth 2' with 'smelly' ken, who was on his way to London, oops, same as us. He wants us to go up the 'Marsworth 7' with him but we're stopping now, late lunch of crumpets and marmite, and its just started to rain. Im sure well see 'smelly' Ken again on our travels, he's the kind of person who will pop up out of nowhere! We moor up opposite the entrance of the Aylesbury arm, the last space before the flight of 7 locks, lovely spot, lots of boats about but no noise, quiet area, odd boat or two chuggin' past. Nice towpath but lots of varieties of poo of the doggie kind! 

All around us are three large reservoirs which feed the canal. Walks all around, we stroll down the Aylesbury Arm and find a nice field for some running... that's Jack not us. 

We get home and I start dinner while Paul gets his rod out .... fishing. After a short time he spots a huge shadow under the water. Big carp. One, two, four,  seven! oh my got there's a swarm of them... too big for Paul's tackle to catch, they're everywhere lurking under the surface of the murky waters. He decides they would be a bit huge for his little rod so feeds them bread instead and watches them gloop the bread from the surface. Different rod needed, that's for tomorrow. 

Curry for tea, settled in now, tipping it with rain now so tellys sorted and were in the cosy boat for the evening. 

On Friday we wake up to rain, in fact rain woke us up! We went for a lovely walk round the reservoir with Jack and decided not to move today. Weather forecast is for heavy showers all day today and in the afternoon tomorrow and its a flight of 7 locks coming up, no point in getting soaked half way up. So we decide to stay here and go in the morning tomorrow. I do the mumsie thing and make some chocolate brownies! Yes i really did! From proper ingredients! Paul gets his stronger rod and tackle out and lands a monster of a carp! Huge it is! 15lb he says! He can hardly pick it up for the photo!

Beside from the rain showers today, we've had a lovely day. No pressure to do anything really. Nice walks exploring the fields and meadows, shepherds pie and veg for dinner, hot shower and a cosy night in now.

Off in the morning up the locks after a short walk with Jack, he's getting plenty of exercise going up and down the locks. As we are about to leave a hire boat comes past and moors up at the lock mooring. They're about to go in and open the gates and beckon us in first! Bingo again! We go through the first lock with them and then Mr BW man heads in our direction to let us know they are filling up some low pounds and we were to wait in the lock. Luckily they were lovely neighbours for about 10 mins then we got the all clear to go up the locks. Nice hire boaters, from Luton, hired boats for 17 years, made me laugh!

As we got to the top I got a whiff of something familiar ...... anyway, a boat was leaving the top lock and we went in, filled it up and out the top. To our right was the under restoration Wendover Arm, and to our left was the old lock making workshops, now converted to an ironworks making art from steel. We had reached the summit, Tring summit. 3 miles now in a huge dark wet damp cutting. Some of the trees had been cut back bringing in a bit more light but it was cold and damp. ..... there's that smell again.... it's him! It's smelly Ken! He's moored up on the summit, cheery wave and were past him, phew!

As it was windy and threatening rain and we wanted to go to the Chandlery at Cowroast Marina we pulled over just before the marina on the 14 day moorings. It was horrid! Towpath was full of slippery mud and puddles and people hiking and lots of bikes splashing filth onto the boat! Well, we'll see, we're not sitting outside today cos its raining! So it'll do for now. We go to the chandlery and get stuff; extra centre rope, battery water, coal.... walk jack in the horrid weather up the horrid towpath and then were in! Warm dry boat so we don't care! Tea - sausages - Britains Got Talent, early night. 

Woke to sunshine and winds. Went for an amazing walk over the Chiltern Hills again, it's so nice! Back along the horrid towpath and breakfast. A coal boat comes by and pulls over for us to get some diesel. Then we go and get water by the lock, dump rubbish in the bins provided and go through the lock. We moor up out of the strong winds on a nice bit of towpath with lovely grassy banks and enjoy the sunshine. Were not going anywhere else today! Clean the boat off all the muck from the horrid towpath and were happy again! Paul fished and caught a huge bream, another photo fish! Had a lovely walk again, relaxed and enjoyed the warmth of the afternoon. 

..............

Oh my god! This bit deleted! 

Week 3 Sunday 15th April Cowroast, near Tring

We left pretty early after our Jack walk, relaxing in the sunshine with only 6 locks and 2 miles to do today. Our destination Berkhamsted. The 14 day mooring outside Waitrose was pretty empty so we glided in to land and tied up. Clean and tidy mooring, by the railway but no bother. We went shopping and our lovely friends Steve, Lyndz and Karen came to see us! The boys were going off to a rock concert in London and the girls had a very girly catch up time! We all sat out on the towpath and ate cake and drank coffe, then me and Lyndz and Kaz went for a walk up some old ruined castle. Old, nice. Um, lovely view from the top!

We had a great time, calling in at much craved for chips from the chippy. We had curry sauce and chips in ciabatta bread. Yum yum. Followed by home made brownies and strawberries and ice cream!!

We laughed and were gobsmacked by Britains Got Talent (watched on the iPad, this is how I used all my gigabytes up! Too much telly!) and Lyndz took Jack out for a walk in the dark! Not me! We caught up on all the gos, I couldn't shut up about all our adventures.

Steve and Paul came home to a very sleepy three girls, 12.30am, it was passed our bed times! 

They left and apparently got home to Woodford at 2.30am. Poor them. 

We woke late the next day, walked Jack round a playing field with a tennis ball and set off cruising.

Sun trying to shine but its not trying hard enough. It's windy and cold too, cloudy.

We are now getting a lock every half mile, big booming locks.

Some were full with the gates open ready to swallow us up! Some had to be left empty with notices to let you know stuck on lock arms.

Out of Berkhamsted the houses disappear and we follow the train line for a few miles, really close sometimes. As we approach Hemel Hempstead we go through the two Winkwell locks with a busy road swing bridge between. We get help there as a boat comes through and has opened the bridge they beckon us through and close the bridge up after us! And the lock is ready and waiting for us too! Through our last lock of the day and we look for somewhere to stop. It's nice here, even being in town. The train line is a distant rumble and the main road is far enough away for it not to bother us. There's grassy meadows on each side of the canal. And it's sunny! I take Jack out over the meadows by the river and Paul pumps out the toilet! I know what I'd rather be doing! We have yesterday's pizza and its lovely! Settle in now, lit the fire and chill out! 

The next day, it's now Wednesday (just to remind me what day it is!), we wake up to drizzle on the windows, very grey outside, windy again but not cold.

We walked Jack over the meadows and decided to do the 7 locks and 4 miles to Kings Langley, this will be our first laundry stop! So we set off in the drizzle, turned to rain and then stopped. At the second lock we stop at a BW sanitary station to dispose of our poo! And dump our rubbish. All done and we set off again, with an empty toilet! 

It was all pretty built up going through Hemel Hempstead as you would expect, very new modern flats line the canal side, all very clean and tidy. I'm sure it wasn't like this 9 years ago?! Lots of locks again, all close together, all pretty big and deep. We get to Hemel by 1.30 and moor up by the footbridge nearest the laundrette. Lunch, and out with Jack round the playing field (not exactly jacks most favourite walks) and then into town to check the laundrette is still there! And it is with a very friendly smiley lady to help us. We head back to the canal along the towpath, back to the boat. 

The next day we were woken in the night by a wicked wind bashing us against the bank. All day the sun came and went and within seconds it was followed by rain showers and vicious winds gusting all around us. We had washing to do but thought we may move for somewhere new later on in the day when the winds were supposed to die down. We walked jack and discovered a lovely field, he was happy but I'm not sure the land owner would have been, we had to climb a padlocked gate to get in! Back on the boat we get our smellies together and head off up the hill to the Laundrette. Once the washing was in we went next door to the chippy! Not as good as we'd hoped, near solid curry sauce, weird spring roll and dry hard to eat  chips! Sad! We were so looking forward to those chips! 

Washing done and we went back to happy Jack, very excited to see us. Walked him over the playing fields with the aid of a tennis ball I think we wore him out! Not a lot of choice of walks around here! 

Rain still comes and wind whistles through the trees, no leaves on the branches yet. 

Paul sets up his rod and the heavens open, and he waits but decides to fish in the rain out the front deck under the cratch cover. Really cold and blowy, and only one tiny fish later he doesn't last long and decides to come in the warm. The fires been going all day today so the boats warm. It's been a nasty day today, I'm glad we decided to stay here!

We wake up to rain. After walking Jack, again round the playing field with a ball cos there's nowhere else to walk him, we set off by 9am through the first lock. Forecast today was for heavy showers but we've been here long enough now, for Jack especially. Lets find some fun! All very nice here as we cruised out of Kings Langley and on towards Abbots Langley and we stopped just below Hunters Bridge Locks so Paul could stock up with maggots and fishing stuff. While he was gone Jack and I played on the towpath. We had one passer by who said he "represented the church and was the appointed Waterways Chaplin"! Never knew they existed! He was walking the towpath to see if there were any boaters in need of anything! I laughed and said we needed bread, he would have given us some I'm sure! He never once mentioned god either! Wasn't trying to get you converted, just there to represent boaters in need! How nice! 

Anyway Paul came back laden with fishing stuff, we set off through the last lock of the day, Lady Capels Lock, just north of Cassiobury Park, Watford. Through the lock and we see amazing green meadows, woods, a massive golf course (with public right of way) and a space just big enough for us! We moor up next to a huge beautiful meadow, double pins in the ground, it's a bit soft and we don't want to be waking up on the other side of the canal. 

After lunch we go for a massive explore. We're out for two and a half hours walking the meadows and woodlands and the golf course and along the towpath to the shallow wide clean running stream where Jack loved splashing and chasing sticks so much. It's lovely here, love our spot on the towpath tonight by the meadow. Maybe we'll move just a little way tomorrow and stay the other end of the Park. It's lovely there too! Tough decisions! This is what we're faced with now, all this stress! 

Back after our brilliant walk (hope that's made up for the last couple of crap ones Jack!) I put sausages in a casserole and chill out while Paul fishes. Not many tonight, all quite small ones - except for the large Chubb!  

Well Saturday brings us glorious sunshine and no wind! After a run around the massive meadow with Jack, Paul takes him down the towpath to the first lock. I chug on down to meet them, the sun is glorious, the canal is beautiful and still. Through the pair of locks and we're in the beautiful woodlands of Cassiobury Park. We moor up just before the lock mooring in a lovely spot, wide grassy towpath, woods all around and we get the chairs out and enjoy the sunshine. We've only moved about a mile! Exploring the woods is amazing! Whipendale woods is huge, and has so many paths through it you can get right in to the depths of the woods, the sun shines through the trees making long shadows on the ground. We walked miles. There's a stream here too, shallow and clear, lovely for jack to go splashing in! He scampers around the woods so happy. We've decided to stay a bit longer than one night, maybe several! It's the best place yet, Jack agrees! Very busy here with familys out walking, lots of dog walkers, cubs galore, more 'is it cold in winter' questions, but for us were enjoying lots of chatting and relaxing. But when they've all gone home all you can hear are the owls hooting and you see the bats swooping.

Week 4 Sunday 21st April Cassiobury Park, Watford 

Wake up with the birds singing reminding us where we are, still here to enjoy another day in the sunshine in the most glorious place we've been to yet. We do pretty much the same for the next few days really, we sit, we chat to people, we sit, spend lots of time saying what a beautiful place this is, we sit, we play with Jack in the dry brown crisp leaves on the forest floor, we sit. He's mental! I've never seen him play like he's played here! 

We walk a lot too, exploring the meadows, the nature ares, the streams and canal ways, the woods! Ah, the woods! Stunning, never been anywhere quite so interesting, and amazing. 

We've done some more little jobs on the boat too, I've made the wood box cover, painted pink top coats on the top box and wood box, and then we sit! 

We watch the boats as they go up and down the locks, the dogs as they scamper past, sniffing Jacks bum on the way! 

We saw the hire boaters come up through the lock, the ones from Luton we travelled with for a bit. They pulled over and were telling us all their tales of going down to Limehouse and back and visiting Camden market on the way! That'll be us soon! They also met 'smelly ken' waiting in one of the locks for someone to travel with, and it happened to be them! Small world.

We meet up again with some people we'd been yo-yoing for a while, Phil, Jackie and Boycey the Staffy. Lovely, lovely people who we are bound to see again, they're doing a similar trip to us. And they've got a purple boat! 

We're going to stay here till Wednesday. Food will only last till then, water will need fulling up then and we need to dump rubbish. So we're here till Wednesday. Yippee! Lovin it! 

On Wednesday we set off for our walk in the woods in the sunshine. We wander about in the woods and see if the bluebell carpet of green has erupted into purple, but no, a few days later and this woods will be carpeted in bluebells, only we're a few days early! Met Jackie and Boyce from the purple boat on their walk and chatted for ages! After a while we head back to the boat and get ready to roll. 

We go through the first lock and get water at the second. Here another boat comes into the lock with us, a lovely old couple on a boat called Samantha Jane. He was a right laugh, hilarious! We went through the next few locks with them and then we pulled over at Tescos in Rickmansworth. So did they, but they left before us and had gone when we came out laden with food. We carried on just a little way to the visitor moorings and had a nice little spot on the towpath. We found a brilliant walk around the Rickmansworth lakes (spotted Samantha Jane below the lock) and Jack went in the lake and swam! Accidentally, but all four legs were paddling! The bird song had changed on our way through the countryside, we now mainly hear Parakeets, the sun we've been having has turned everything green and its a beautiful evening. We've watched the winter change to spring in only a couple of weeks! 

On Thursday we set off from Ricky as a boat comes down the canal! What a coincidence! Seems to happen a lot! We had 5 locks to do today and 5 miles, we managed to pair up with a couple of IWA committee members who, within 2 minutes had told me they'd got 80 years boating experience between them, and were still sucking on the plums in their mouths they'd popped in there earlier! Their boat, Josephine, was made of polished brass and polished paint, not one to be scuffed in a lock. 

We cruised on in the sunshine, not a bit of the surroundings looking like London at all with the now green of the trees and the white of the sloe blossom, cyclists, walkers and gongoozlers. Lakes all around us, we enter Copper Mill lock, with warnings of strong stream coming in from the left. I remember this bit, used to dread it 12 years ago, still sends my heart thumping just a teeny bit. The IWA ladies let me go first, so kind, so they could watch how I handle it first. The stream chucked me about a bit, nothing I couldn't handle. Followed by IWA ladies... bouncing about like gooduns!

Heading to Harefield we stop at an old favourite spot of mine, many an excellent night I've had here! Off towpath, quiet peaceful clearing in the woods, backing on to more lakes! Lovely. We put my hammock up in the trees, the suns shining and I have a lovely time. A few boats are passing here, and for some reason I look up and recognise the scruffy looking narrow boat called Lynx. I squint, have a double take and shout, "Is that you Rob?" Oh my god! My long lost buddy from at least 12 years ago! Wow! We were great mates then, Rob and Serena. Used to go every where together, had some awesome parties here, at this very spot we are moored on! Ha! 

We chat across the boats but before we could get all our news out, he had gone past and had to keep going. 

Probably about an hour passed and Paul was fishing and spotted the now familiar narrow boat, Lynx, coming the other way!!

They were back, moored up near us in the next clearing, brilliant!

We had a great old catch up, lit an amazing fire and drank and smoked till we could see no more.

Old times, different, as our lives move on. He wasn't with Serena any more, she was killed 7 years ago. I did hear at the time, so shocked. His new girlfriend, Donna is similar. Of course, I'm now with Paul, he knew me when I was with Jon. Times change, Im sure we'll meet again sometime and have lots more catching up to do. 

We wake the next morning and walk Jack round the lakes again.

After a quick goodbye to Rob and Donna, we'll see them again one day. we set off down towards Denham Deep lock, deepest on the Grand Union. As usual, there's a boat waiting for us to join him, makes it a lot easier for both of us. 

Out the lock and things begin to change. There's boats everywhere along the towpath, doubled up in some places. Onwards towards Uxbridge, new flats and offices seem to be everywhere, through Uxbridge lock with the grumpy old man who never said a word to me! Not too much has changed here, some familiar boats, most nearly sunk. Under Cowley bridge and there's two volunteer lock keepers ready to give a helping hand, so we let them!

We pull over in the moorings below the lock, about 50 yds from my old BW towpath mooring 13 years ago! We stop to give Jack a play with the ball in the park, sausage roll and tea, and were off again. No more locks for 6 hours! We get to Bulls Bridge, the junction with the Paddington Arm, and do a sharp left. We've left the Grand Union. There's a few showers today, but windy with the odd sunny bit, ok weather really.

We get to our planned overnight stop at Horsenden Hill, natural meadows and woods and lovely lush green fields, right in the middle of the London skyline with aeroplanes landing in the distance at Heathrow. Its another off towpath mooring with our own little clearing in the trees. 

We go for a great walk up the hill through lots of fields, all hay meadows, with Jack and he's lovin it! 

When we get back we chill .......

Next day I get up early bird and walk Jack up the hill through wooded paths and up to the top of grassy meadows, unbelievable this is London!

Back at the boat we set off early again, it's really cold and we've got a 3 hour cruise to Camden. No locks! We pass lots and lots of boats moored up, new flats and tower blocks all very built up now. Still lovely, some areas are modern and clean, some parts just BAD! Lots of graffiti. We get to Little Venice where there are boats moored everywhere. Creeping along slowly so as not to rock anyone's boat we head towards the tunnel at Maida Vale, short and only one boat wide. This area we are entering is Jason's Trip Boat area, Regents Park Waterbus area and two party boats, they own this part of the canal, well they think they do. Bugger off! They're intimidating pirates who pay no attention to other boaters! Barging here and there, fast.... That's not the word for it! Nothings changed!

We go past huge palaces, manicured gardens and Regents Park Zoo. Turn left at the floating Chinese restaurant and we're here, just got to find somewhere to moor up ..... hhmmmmmm there are no places. Everywhere is full except a slot which is about 6' too short. After passing that spot and realising there was no other place to moor, I decided to reverse back to the short space and stick the nose in and leave the arse end hanging out in front of my reverse neighbour. Get it? I did, our spot for a days shopping in Camden Market! We're in and were not going anywhere. 

Except shopping. I go for my fix and Jack and Paul stay on the boat. Paul takes Jack to Regents Park for his walk while I'm still shopping and comes to meet me and we headed back home after a bit more shopping!

After a stroll around Regents Park with Jack we go home. All's quiet, we sleep well with no noise!

Cold when we wake up Sunday, Regents Park again, I'm afraid Jack.

We leave early again, by 8am. Good idea to leave Camden early, sunny but cold today.

Three locks straight off and not too many people about. As the sun comes out so do the cyclists, joggers and general gongoozlers. At every lock cyclists whizz past you at such a speed, fat joggers in lycra with their MP3 players wobble their bum and thighs and all are bright red in the face, struggling for breath! Blimey, this is early Sunday morning, what happened to the Sunday lay in? 

And we've lost a windlass. Not just any windlass, but my special aluminium one we won in the 'windlass and wine' raffle. How? No idea but I'm not happy!

All the locks are big and tough, gates are huge and heavy. Slow to fill. Leaky.

One gate nearly beat me and Paul! Both of us together found it really difficult. Flat pack houses line the canal, tall tower blocks. 

We get to the junction of Ducketts Cut which is the through way to the River Lee. As I start to make the turn someone shouts from another boat "It's closed! You won't get through. They're repairing the locks!" Oh bugger. Someone else said that to us several weeks ago and we forgot everybit about it. 

I carry on and make the sharp left turn into Ducketts Cut and pull over just to the left outside some ok houses. Paul gets out the bike and goes to investigate the lock situation while I hold the boat off with Jack eagerly looking down the towpath for his dad. We don't want to carry on as there's no turning place at all on this canal. It'll mean a huge reverse otherwise, and its windy today. 

Half an hour later Paul pedals back. "the locks are open now, lets go, there's another boat just going in and they're gonna wait for us!"

So off we go, luck on our side. We go through the locks with two ladies who were complete novices, didnt have a clue! They reminded me of Girl Guide leaders, they even had matching blue tshirts, just missing the woggle and badges! So we did the right thing and helped them through. There were hundreds of carrier and coal bags on and under the water, wafting around looking for someone's prop to cling to. Well they found ours! So did j-cloths, an assortment of fishing line and zillions of bags of different colours and pieces. 

We limped to the entrance to the River Lee in Hackney and turned left, glanced to the right and there was the enormous Olympic Stadium. We pulled over when we could and tied the boat up. After clearing crap off the prop we had lunch and went for a walk to the Stadium. Couldn't really get near, but there's a lot of building work being done, looks like an enormous building site really.

We decided to stay here, the walks were good; there was woods and massive playing fields, lots of sports pitches. It was quite peaceful apart from the hundreds of cyclists whizzing past us at 100 mph, the train line just behind us.

Along came our buddies from the locks, they had decided to stop here too. Didn't have a clue what a weed hatch was, or even what a prop was! So I showed them how to check the prop. My good deed done for the day, that's the Girl Guide law!

We decided it was a nice enough spot to stop the night so that's what we did.

The train kept us awake a bit, but all else was quiet.

When we woke on Tuesday we walked Jack round the woods and playing fields and set off soon after.

It was really windy today and mostly sunny. When the clouds came over it was also very cold. We left Hackney pleased with our chosen mooring spot for the night. 

There were lots of straight wide deep parts, parts the wind catches and blows cold on to you. Not at all pretty, lots and lots of boats moored up everywhere until Stonehill Lock. We went past Tottenham and Enfield, and all the way electric pillons line the river. To one side of us is industry and the other there's miles and miles of reservoirs. It looks and feels like a canal at the moment. The locks here are wider than usual, 16' wide and mostly all very deep and strong. The water fills in from the sides of the lock chamber instead of the front as normal, so all water pressure is pushing the boat away from the sides, I battle to hold it around the bollards. Next we stop to dump rubbish and fill up with water at the BW sanitary station, by a cafe called The Narrowboaters Cafe and stop just the other side of the road bridge - we've just spotted a Maccy D's! It's late lunch time, were both ready to stop and were starving. Weve done 11 miles and 6 locks today, time for relaxing now and junk food, we need junk food!

There's a Pets at Home shop too, and a Home Bargains! 

After our Chicken wrap and chips we walk Jack round The Lee Valley Park, another great find! Miles and miles of walks! Brill! we get back and set up the telly but sit out till 7pm when its finally too cold to sit out.! 

On Tuesday (think its 30th April?) we decide we like it here, it's sunnyish most of the day, walks are ace and Paul's found a brilliant fishing tackle shop for maggots! (He only catches two tiddlers tho!) 

So we relax, chat to boaters coming through the lock and a pair of boats moor up beside us. After chatting to them for a while we find out one of the crew is Roy of the River Inspectors, his patch being on the River Nene from Woodford to Wisbech! Just below Woodford lock! small world!

They were on their way to Cambridge, the way wed just come, give em a wave when you see them you guys at Woodford! 

They left and that left just one other boat and us. Nice couple.

Walked miles with Jack again, great walks here as I've already said! 

........... Last entered 30/4/13 18:17

Week 5 ..... Waltham Abbey

We love it here so much we decided to stay another day. Jack is so happy, the sun's shining and we have a great front garden for another day. As the road bridge was quite close, we did have a bit if noise overnight. MacDonalds car park was a meeting place for boy racers, donuts in the carpark. not the ones you eat! Lorries thundered over the bridge.

Traffic started to build up by 6.30am. So not too restful. But we stay anyway, going shopping and relaxing and walking and chatting all day. Sometimes to people we just feel its polite to chat to! Llike the smiley flowerery ladies from the Jehovahs Witness cult. Ages they were there, I told them my religion was my narrowboat! They smiled a lot! And we found a Home Bargains shop and spent loads of money on crap! And I bought some dog clippers from Pets at Home, gonna have to give it a go and see how I get on! At least Jack wont care if I mess up! 

We had another disturbed sleep, and the next day we set off early again after a Maccy D's bacon and egg Mcmuffin and a walk round the Lee Valley Park.

Sun shining we go through the first lock and onwards to the next. Just above the lock there's a blue boat with a man eating his egg on toast balanced on a box. His names John, he's Robs friend. Rob said to say hi to him and we had a good old chat. Turns out he's the one that found Serena in the canal. Face down. He was questioned for 4 days by the police. they got the guy who did it, he got 50 years for rape and murder. He said Rob can't even talk about it still, 7 years on. Poor, poor man. he must have gone through hell.

We go through the next lock, stiff huge doors. the river is wide and pretty, has high armaco walls to the banks. the river changes to look more like a proper river, reedy shallow banks, nowhere to more now. We'd gone through 6 locks and we were looking for somewhere to stop. we were ready to stop, but couldnt get in anywhere on the 14 day moorings in Broxborne, all full so we kept going. Through Stansted Abbots no moorings, but not a nice place to stop overnight. To find a place for the night we had to do an extra 2 locks and 3 miles and we were just above the lock north of Stansted Abbots. We eventually got in on a dodgy bank with wooden sides, loads of nettles, nothing the other side of the planked banks except more nettles, all the soil washed away. Instruction notices said not to bang in mooring pins in the bank as there was a hidden gas main just behind the planked sides! So we tied up onto the planks the best we could but werent really happy. 

We took Jack for a walk to the lakes and discovered just around the corner under the next bridge there was a beautiful mooring spot with lovely grassy banks right up to the boat and no nettles! Bloomin typical!

So we had to make a decision now, do we move to the sunniest grassy spot on the river or do we stay put and just accept this is where we are? No way, were moving to where the grass is greener!

We go back to the boat, start up the engines and move the 200 yards to where the grass is definitely greener, and someone's even been along and cut it!

We still couldn't bang in mooring pins so we tied up to the planks but this time when we stepped off the boat we were on solid ground!

The sun continues to shine and were in a sun trap, so the chairs come out and we do what we always do best, sit!

Jack plays a lot now, he seems so happy. He's been at all the locks today, lots of walks and he's still playing on the towpath!

No telly or Internet signal tonight, we watch a film. It's lovely and quiet here, the odd rumble in the distance of the aeroplanes coming in to land at Stansted Airport. We can hear all sorts of wild bird sounds, mainly geese, on the lakes and the nature reserves around us, but we like that!

Thursday, 2nd May. we had decided we would go to Hertford today, it was only 4 miles and 3 locks and we needed shopping. After our walk with Jack we set off with our neighbour behind, the plan to go through the locks together. We pulled out behind him and set off on tick over, and carried on in tick over, and occasionally had to put it in reverse cos we were catching them up in tick over!

 Now, I love the slow pace of life we choose to live on the narrow boat, but this was doing my head in! At the first lock we came to I suggested we set off first at the top and we would get the lock ready for them to come straight in, but no, they insisted they go first. And at the next lock too. So we arrived at Hertford at 12.30, little bit later than we hoped. 

Got to the end of the navigation, did a 360* turn and pulled into the last spot to moor in Hertford that was near the brand new and huge Sainsburys and went and did some shopping. Including buying the most amazing cakes which we ate when we got back! I managed not to eat mine on the way home only cos I was carrying shopping and had no free hands!

The sun still shone down on us as we left Hertford, back down the 3 locks and 4 miles to where we'd just come from. There was absolutely nowhere to moor between there and Hartford, we'd been looking for possible mooring spots all day, I mean we'd had plenty of time to look going up! 

So we moored two boat lengths away from where we were last night! Jack was happy we were here again and got his toys out on the towpath, making friends with everyone who notices him. Paul can't fish here, it's out of season and were now officially on a river. It's a late afternoon's walk for Jack today, he's been so hot it's best we wait till its cooled down. So we go explore the lakes, don't really get far, along tracks behind a wire fence the other side is the lakes.

we get back, have dinner and play cribbage.

Friday comes and the sunshine finds gaps in the curtains to make rippley reflections on the bedroom ceiling. Beautiful day again and after a quick walk for Jack. Paul sets off down the towpath to the lock with Jack. I get the engine started and get going and its only 8.30am! At the lock we fill up with water and a BW boat comes up the river Three men wearing life saver things came up to the lock and started preparing it for us! They open the swing bridge over the lock and beckon us in, just as we finished the water and they do all the work and instruct us to stay on the boat. ok. So were through in minutes, and off we go. A couple of miles and we see Rye House racing stadium, go karts racing around at humungous speeds and tight leather suits!

At the weir around the bend is where the junction of the River Stort is, so we swing the boat around up the sharp left narrow channel of the Stort. Wow! Its beautiful. Trees line the river, its so lush and green and grassy here. we go to the first lock not far into the river, Lower Lock its called. Someone's rubbed off part of the 'W' in Lower and now it says Lover Lock!

These locks are too narrow for two boats to go up side by side as they're only 13' wide, about 8" too narrow. So you can only go in one at a time. The locks are all big except for the first one, all definitely easier than the locks on the Lee. We went passed Roydon Train Staion, under a difficult to line up bridge and then came the rail bridge everyone had warned us about. It's very low, and we don't know if we're going to get under it yet! Some do, some people, we heard, have had to reverse miles back because they couldn't get under and couldn't go any further. But we were fine, had a few inches to spare aswell! 

Theres a huge new Marina erupted, it seems, from the depths of the river. It wasn't there when I came up here before, it's just there! It's even got its own lock for its entrance and goes on for miles, then a massive caravan site! At the next lock, Roydon Lock, the people in the lock house have got into the swing of things and had opened up a little shop selling everything from ice creams to 'loo blue' to windlasses. They had a cute toilet and wash basin in a little garden shed, they also took in washing!

We obviously had an ice cream and passed through the lock, just around the corner Paul spotted a lovely little place to stop right beside a huge massive ginormous meadow, full of cowslips and buttercups. 

It was lovely, a few hikers and cyclists, mainly nature people and twitchers. all very quiet other than the train line which you have no chance of getting away from on this river. The bank is grassy and we have the meadow for our front garden tonight!

We go for an explore round the glorious meadow, Jack cools himself off in the stream at the other end. We come home and relax in the boiling hot sunshine, only moving to clean the roof of the boat. Then we relax some more. After another walk in the evening with Jack we go in and have pizza for tea.

In the morning it's grey and rainy. In fact it nearly rains all day, only letting off late afternoon. So the day is spent cleaning. The boats a tip and I can't stand it! We both get jobs done, Paul up the engine end and I take on the rest! Soon we have it beaten, and the boat looks clean and fresh inside once more. We even started the generator and hoovered for the first time since we've been away, you can imagine what a state it was in! its been too nice for housework!

Paul joined the good Samaritans when he rescued a boater from not having any battery power and not being able to start his engine. There was a tap tap on the kitchen window, "I'm moored just up the river and have total flat batteries. I can't start my engine, can you help in any way.?" So off came our starter battery and out went Paul, jump leads and battery, up the towpath. A little while later he came home, he had re-routed some wires, jumped it off the battery and got him started. All good. We'd also decided to take a load of washing to Steff, the lady at the lock. Paul walked up to the lock heavily laden with dirty washing.

We had a lovely peaceful night but woken 6.15 am by the train so I decide to get up. I'm so glad I did, the early morning was amazing, the dew and mist was rolling off the meadow and over the water and the bright bright sunshine was beating down the river. Wow! So glad I was up! 

Today were doing nothing. a day of rest, and thats what we did, nothing. Apart from setting up a little camp in the meadow next to our boat. We got chairs out, blankets, Jacks bed, the windbreak to use as a sun shield for Jack, pillows and cusions and we sat there all day admiring our view, waving to all the boaters going by. We walked in the sunshine, and sat in it too! We collected wood for the evening. We had a barbie for tea, then made up a lovely fire to see us through to sunset which was stunning again!

 Paul went off to get the washing, £10 for two loads, washed, dried, folded and socks paired. Smelt great, so fresh.  

We'd had a lovely day, finished off with a bit of telly.

It's Bank Holiday Monday and the suns shining, it's going to be a great day. Everyone's happy and smiley, the rivers beautiful, not a drop of wind. We set off early, 8am, and just really enjoy the day. We planned to stop at Sawbridgeworth to meet up with my big bruv, Maff. But the timings were all wrong, he was on a push bike with his mates on a cycle run and didn't really have any spare time, and we were in the wrong place for him. Sad. So we decided to carry on through Sawbridgeworth and moor somewhere between there and Bishop Stortford.

We found another amazing spot above Tednambury Lock. a walk across a lovely meadow was a pub recommended to us by another boater we were with in a couple of locks (he had a 40' boat and with our 55' boat, we managed to get in the last two locks diagonally, they're just too narrow for boats to go in side by side).

So we tied up the boat and went off to explore. 

All around was lovely meadows and over the field was the Hallingbury Mill pub. We called in and sat in the garden with Jack laying by our feet, in the shade under the table. But the beer wasn't too good, only bitter they had, my coke was flat and the crisps were nearly out of date! There was no one else there, 2pm on a bank holiday Monday. Beautiful sunshine and the gardens were empty! Tells you something I think! We had planned on treating ourselves to a dinner there later but changed our minds! We walked the fields and buttercup meadows and Jack cooled off in the river. Back at the boat we relax, Paul gets his Mandalin out and sits in the sunshine on the towpath and strums away, he's lovin it! Making music!

Tea time and im doing scampi out of the freezer, we can pretend we're at the pub then!

Fantastic evening, beautiful night. 

Tuesday, 7th May. The weather today has changed. It's chilly, it's cloudy and grey and not a nice day. After walking over the fields and meadows with Jack, we set off through the 3 locks and 3 miles to Bishop Stortford to stock up on shopping. The river was still twisty and narrow in places, all tree lined and pretty. The locks were big and the lock gates were tough and heavy. All were against us, making the journey take 2 hours! We got to the end of navigation, did our 360* turn and moored up at the visitor moorings, which were empty apart from one boat, right near the High Street. It all looks very different here to how I remember it, there's apartments built up high overlooking the river, all with underground parking and pointless nonexistent balconys, looked more like a child's stair gate up at the patio doors 3 stories high! 

 We walked through town and called in to Sainsburys and stocked up with food and drink. All done we moved the boat 50 yds and filled up with water and dumped our rubbish. We were soon off, although it was already 3pm. Our trip back to Hallingbury Mill was quick, all locks open and waiting, took us 1: hour 20min to get back to the same place we were lat night, only were now facing the other way round. We like it a lot here. We've now got a different view, but all the lovely walks too! 

The day has brightened up now, we sit outside and relax after taking Jack out for a much needed run around after a day in the boat (he couldn't get out at the locks, they were all by main roads) 

We spoke to a few people today, havent seen any boats on the move till this evening, then only a couple. We sit outside and enjoy the now beautiful evening, till eventually I have to go in and cook tea. Even then we eat outside with plates on our laps! 

It's a bit noisy here with Stansted Airport only 5 miles away, we see, and more to the point, hear, the aeroplanes as they take off and land, the very distant rumble of traffic on the M11 and the very quiet but still in the distance train as it thunders through the countryside. But its beautiful too! So were going to stay here for a few days. 

On Wednesday I take Jack out for his walk and Paul goes off down the towpath for the 1 half mile walk to Sawbridgeworth train station. He's on his way to pick up the car today. My son Deane, and his wife, Marie are having a baby any day now making me a granny again, and I'd like to get to them as soon as I can, so having the car here saves a panic and rush trip when it happens. 

But this involves the walk to Sawbridgeworth train station, a train down to Liverpool street, an underground train to Euston, a train to Bletchley, a bus journey to the bus station and another bus to Newton Leys where the car is. Then an hour's car journey to us here! Phew! 

Then he's got to find somewhere to leave the car until the phone call comes!

So I'm tidying up and pottering around the boat, the fires lit cos its cold and rainy and I'm snug in my little boat with Jack. All's good on Happy Daze.

Last entered 8th May, 12:16 at Tednambury lock