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