Warning – this archive may be boring – do not read unless you really haven’t got anything better to do!

Waterways: Kennet and Avon; River Thames; River Wey; Oxford Canal; Grand Union Canal

MAY – JUNE 2006

17/5/06

Well, another busy day on the Indigo Dream – more cleaning, fixing and unpacking – all in torrential rain. We did spend the night on the boat and cooked or first boat meal – spag bol! This was possibly the most exhausting birthday I’ve ever had but by the end of the day the boat was starting to take shape

18/5/06

We had our first cruise on Indigo Dream today – from Hilperton Marina to Bradford-on-Avon. The boat running well – powerful engine though the tiller’s a little heavy. Couldn’t put her through her paces due to large number of moored boats!

Mum and Sybil left us today and we’ve had a pleasant afternoon of pottering round the boa. Now it’s starting to look like home.

Note: Lock Inn Cafe – great menu but food not as good as described.

19/5/06

Cruised down to Bath top lock – good moorings here and convenient for picking up crew.

Note: useful free car park – go up to the road bridge (from the mooring side), turn left then left again into a small lane by an empty showroom.

Quite a hike from here to the town centre but good bus service. Very nice town centre but worth getting a taxi back to the boat with a load of shopping.

Joined by Liam and Lena for a weekend cruise.

20/5/06

Cruised down to Bath right onto the Avon. Liam and Lene very competent crew. Moored in Bath past the bottom of the locks (useful railings). Easy walk from here to the train station. Had a great afternoon at the Heineken Cup Final in Cardiff. Munster beat Biarritz – great game – never heard such a noise in the Millennium Stadium!

Had a pleasant evening cruise back up the Bath locks having gone up to look at Pultney Weir – looks great from the water though I wouldn’t want to get too close!

Bath is beautiful from the water – well worth a trip.

21/5/06

Cruised back up to Trowbridge today with Liam & Lena as our able and cheerful crew. Quite amazing as we got thoroughly soaked – rained spectacularly for most of the day!

Hard to leave the boat at the end of the day – wanted to spend a bit more time on board. But we left her feeling quite cheerful as Liam & Lena complimented the boat extravagantly and we could finally see past the stress of the build and think “yeah – this is our beautiful boat”!

26/5/06

Came down late and just loaded up and cruised a few yards up the canal to spend a quiet night on the water – bliss!

27/5/06

Cruised from Hilperton Bridge to Sells Green.

Joined in the evening by our “Caen Hill Crew” – Hannah, Jenny, Neil and Max the Spaniel!

28/5/06

Caen Hill flight – done swiftly and efficiently by our crew.

Big shortage of decent moorings on this stretch – lots of scenic and overgrown towpaths but no so good for tying up to!

Moored in Honey Street by the Barge Inn (decent pub) – useful spot – rubbish point. Overgrown towpath but just about accessible with a plank.

17/6/06

Since I last wrote hte log I’ve had a disaster. Went to Crick boat show on 29th May, had a nasty fall and broke my arm very badly. Have had to have the bone screwed back together and can’t cruise for the rest of the summer. So the boat is stuck in Honey Street for a few weeks until we can recruit crew to help to move it. Having said that, Honey Street is a good secure mooring.

We’ve come down for the afternoon just to potter around and check that the boat’s ok.

Blue had a drama with a fly at the pub – I think it may have put him off cruising.

Note: BW were very helpful when we explained the situation and allowed us to extend our mooring at Honey Street. The enforcement officers are pretty quick witht he ‘parking’ tickets on this stretch!

25/6/06

Back for the afternoon just to potter around – the boat is fine. Hope to move next week if Denise and Wyn can crew for us. Definitely moving the weekend after as Gil & Nick are coming to help.

30/6/06

Came back to the boat – ready to say ‘goodbye’ to Honey Street! Got perfect mooring spot outside the pub and water point. Also found great walk for Blue in the fields across the canal (directly opposite the pub).

Denise, Wyn and Rhodri joined us in the evening. Unfortunately Richard had to go home to supervise an Ikea delivery so we just hit the pub and had a relaxing evening on board.

JULY – SEPTEMBER 2006

1/7/06

Hurrah! We moved the boat today. Very nice woman at the fuel/boatyard just up from the pub in Honey Street. Diesel 60p per litre which caused a sharp intake of breath!

Murderously hot today – the metal on the boat was just too hot to touch. Lots of locks and Denise & Richard worked ever so hard in difficult conditions.

Moored late by the Crofton pumping station and headed into Marlborough. Very attractive market town and superior meal in Cafe Uno.

Note: Swan Inn – too far from the canal and a bit hit ‘n miss as to whether they’re doing food

2/7/06

More murderous heat and Blue very stressed. Got as far as Hungerford – good moorings by the church.

Encountered kids swimming in the lock above Hungerford – bit fraught as we couldn’t convince them to get out of the water. Also kids leaping off the next swing bridge but these were a bit more sensible about getting away from the boat!

Identified shoal of baby fish as Roach – very attractive – green above and red below.

8/7/06

Welcome to Gil & Nick who’ve come on board to crew for the next leg of the journey. Went from Hungerford to Newbury today. Newbury is a very nice town and good moorings by Victoria Park.

Ate at a truly excellent chinese restaurant – Chenz in Cheap Street (off the marketplace opposite the post office). Tel 01635 550888

Perfect cruising weather – warm and sunny but not excessive.

Note: 0871 200 4950 Woolhampton – Hungerford

9/7/06

Cruised from Newbury to Aldermaston today. Horribly raining first thing but amused ourselves with a bit of shopping (mooring is close to excellent pedestrianised high street) before setting out mid-morning. Soon dry and sunny but gusty wind made for interesting cruising.

Woolhampton lock and swing bridge negotiated without drama so that’s the tricky bit of the canal done.

Interesting how the river meanders around teh canal throughout this section.

Followed several time by fishing tern – beautiful to watch, so graceful.

Blue had good day – much more settled today.

14/7/06

Back on board just by ourselves for a change – all very pleasant.

Ate in the Butt Inn, Alder maston Wharf – also had supper there last week – decent food and huge portions.

Found good parking across the canal – useful spot – go over the swing bridge towards the station and turn first left into the lane – park there. Looked quiet and secure but only time will tell.

15/6/07

Note: Engine serviced today

Moved from Aldermaston Wharf today having been joined by Danusia and Polo the dog (utterly adorable though too much of a mix to describe!). Danusia was a very good crew apart from when she was distracted by a boat-load of men who shared locks with us for most of the day. Too many lift/swing bridges on this section! Nice bit of canal though – scenic and rural in places but modern and trendy through Reading. Now moored in posh moorings in the Thames and Kennett Marina – very secure here as we were warned that Reading is not a safe place to moor.

Ate in the “Cunning Man” by Burghfield Bridge – good food and nice service.

Blue is having his first overnight stay with Richard’s mum – hope he settles ok.

16/7/06

Busy day today! Spent the morning pottering round the boat, which we both enjoyed immensely. We were sad to leave but we had to go to North London for Anusha’s wedding. Spectacular indian event – colourful and interesting.

Because of our concerns over our shore power connection we then came back to the boat, pottered around a bit more, then went home via Danusia’s to pick Blue up. All too much really…..

21/7/06

Here we are again but no crew this time – it will be great to have some peace and quiet though Danusia’s offered to crew (manhunt!) again! Our mission this weekend is to move our boat from Reading to our home mooring. We didn’t do so well today as we got here a bit later than planned then lost the day to domestics – getting shopping, pump-out etc. Will now need 2 days cruising to get back in time.

Note: Large Tesco with moorings on the Thames just upstream from the entrance to the K & A canal; Useful DIY type retail park up the K & A past Blake’s Lock – turn right into the ‘loop’ by the canal museum – good moorings just past the bridge.

22/7/06

Hot morning’s cruise to Henley-on-Thames but great to have lock-keepers- so much less effort. Henley very civilised – intersting town, nice shops.

Note: Great park for dog-walking with ample moorings (unless it’s regatta time) – on the left just downstream from Marsh Lock

Unfortunately, exploration of Henley cut short by a torrential downpour – all soaking wet and now sitting in comfort on the boat.

Note: Good dog walking at Bourne End – on the left (going downstream)

Had supper in the Bel and Dragon in Cookham. Good food and really thoughtful service – very dog friendly pub – they’re allowed inside and out and the staff were soppy with Blue. Good moorings on the right just bup from Cookham Bridge. Very busy moorings here.

Note: Bel and Dragon is on the ‘main street’ – 10 minutes walk or so from the towpath

23/7/06

Another fine day on the wealthy Thames – big fat villages and houses. All lock-keepers cheerful – amazing how many boats they can fit into one lock.

Danusia and Polo joined us in Windsor and had a great cruise through Runnymeade with fine views of Windsor Castle.

Finally arrived at New Haw in the eraly evening – Hooray! It was quiet and tranquil when we arrived but I wanted a brass band and fireworks – we were at our ‘home’ mooring at last – what a great moment!

30/7/06

Just popped in to clean the boat and potter round. Few odd-jobs seen to then off home. Nice to be so close to the mooring that we can just pop in. Met our neighbours in Jester II – pleasant people though the man seemed a bit competitive!

5/8/06

Met Val and Chris J in the pub just below Pyrford lock – good evening. Note: this pub stops serving food at 9pm!

Great trip with Neil, Jenny, Hannah and Jenny’s parents who are over from Australia. We were very pleased to have them on board – apparently there’s nothing like this in Australia.

Cruised down to a pub with a great mooring at The Albany pub (on the left going downstream just past Hampton Court Palace) – we stopped there for lunch but didn’t quite make it down to Kingston (our initial target). Bit of a rush to get back through Thames lock
in time (shuts at 6pm in the Summer).

14/8/06

Me, mum, Blue and Sybil the pekingese popped in to see the boat after a busy day of looking at camper vans (for mum!). Mum seriously thinking about buying a camper but Richard thinks she’d be better off with a trailable narrowboat…..

18/8/06

Our first journey to Limehouse Basin this weekend ready for our foray up the todal Thames on Thursday. Got to operate Molesy lock ourselves – easy peasy – we need electric mechanisms on ALL locks!

Stopped overnight outside the Albany pub (again). Great food here and dogs allowed on the terrace.

Note: The Albany, Queens Road, Thames Ditton 0208 972 9163

Note: Useful dog-walking spot nearby – walk down the right of the pub and turn right onto the footpath between the houses (it’s a dead-end). There’s a gate into a bot of riverside parkland at the end. The walk is well-fenced and safe for Blue to run around.

19/8/06

Left the Albany (stayed overnight here – really great mooring) and headed down to Teddington lock – arrived an hour early and were surprised to be just be waved into the lock behind two other narrowboats. Ended up punching the tide down to Brentoford! This was fine but a bit like steering through porridge! No problem with the river and lock-keepers very helpful.

Fascinating journey through West London – didn’t seem like London at all – in fact, it was positively rural! Stayed the night opposite Willowtree Marina.

Note: Great dog-walking on Horsenden Hill – walk back to the bridge and cross over the canal (busy road – Blue on lead here). Just past the road entrance to Willowtree Marina is a footpath leading up the hill – good unrestricted run for Blue and fine views over London for us.

20/8/06

A bit more industrial on this stretch but still hard to believe we’re in London. Serious number of gongoozlers at Camden Top Lock. Shared the lock with a trip boat – pleasant guys. Very quiet through Regent’s Park and strange to take the boat right underneath the zoo’s aviary. Forgot to mention that earlier in the day we had fine views of the Wembley arch and went right past my favourite car supermarket!

Arrived early evening at Limehouse Basin and moored on the wall – fine mooring here and free! Got a warm welcome from John – one of the lock-keepers there and felt good about leaving the boat there.

Long trip home but Blue spectacularly well-behaved on the train and tube.

23/8/06

Back to Limehouse ready for tomorrow’s trip up the tidal Thames.

We had a work jolly with Simon, Si and Agnieska up Limshouse Cut, Lee Navigation and round the Bow Back Rivers. Seriously rough areas, water full of garbage and hard to believe this is where the olympic park will be in a few short years.

Note: Old Ford Lock – electric mechanism; BW key needed

24/6/08

Welcomed James on board – our instructor for the day. Nice guy and really useful guide – picked up yet more hints and a few more knots!

The tidal Thames is amazing – choppy and busy right the way up to Victoria or so then the commercial traffic just stopped and we were back to serene and peaceful – like having our own river as the tide prevented lots of downstream traffic. Great views of London from the water.

Feel a lot more confident aout navigating the tideway now.

Didn’t make it therough the Thames lock so moored up on the Thames by the entrance to the Wey ready for the weekend.

Note: The Thames Lock-keepers do excellent up and down-stream guides to the tideway – don’t go onto the river without one! We laminated ours and put them in a ‘flip’ file so we could always have the relevant page on display as we cruised. The diagrams of the bridges and indicators of which arch to take are particularly useful.

25/8/06

Short hop back to our moorings; went to IWA national rally by car on Sunday.

3/9/06

Note: Oil filter changed to Isuzu.

Moved boat up the Thames lock. Picked up family for cruise to Hampton Courty. Lunch in teh Albany (one of our favourites!) and then back.

5/9/06

Note: 133.5 engine hours on the clock; 5 locks

Finally the start of our holiday! Did not get to the boat ’til quite late. Richard is dog-tired but being ont he boat was relaxing. Went from New Haw to the Thames Court pub upstream of Shepperton lock.

Fixed mats at the back.

Note: We’re using touch cheap rubber ‘doormats’ from Tesco – much cheaper than the proper stuff.

6/9/06

Thames Court pub – Marlow 135.5 engine hours

Westerly journey along the Thames is stunning – some amazing riverscapes. The river was very quiet compared to recent trips – lovely!

Moored in Marlow – good moorings upstream of the picturesque Marlow Bridge and good eating and shopping in town.

7/9/06

Marlow – Reading (T & K Marina)

Kingfishers just downstream of Temple lock – stunning!

Fast trip – arrived just after 2pm.

Beautiful scenery on this stretch.

Great mooring on the towpath side between the Marina and Sonning Bridge.

Note: Jimmy the ‘lectric at T & K Marina 07976 912183

8/9/06

Came back to the boat int eh late afternoon and relaxed – enjoyed marina mooring. Had drinking session with Jimmy, hiw wife and other marina guy – thoroughly pleasant evening.

Later joined by Liam and Lena – good Thai takeaway in Caversham.

9/9/06

Reading – Wallingford

Great day’s cruising though we started late after a lie-in and long slobber over the Aqualine wide-beams in the marina. Liam and Lena now considering boat instead of house extension!

Saw more kingfishers on this stretch than we’ve seen in all our days of cruising.

Stayed the night in Wallingford – good moorings after the bridge for a charge of £5 per night. We ate at The Castle Hotel in town – dogs allowed in the courtyard.

Note: There is a ‘bad’ pub between the bridge and the moorings; take the path down the side of this pub to get into town. There is good dog-walking upstream of the moorings but watch out for cattle (or, more precisely, cattle dung which Blue loves to roll in!).

10/9/06

Wallingford to Oxford

Beautiful weather today – misty start which made for stunning views across teh water. Followed by amazingly hot and sunny day.

11/9/06

Oxford – Lower Heyford

Another hot and sunny day – Oxford canal shallow and busy but runs through some lovely countryside. People at the boatyard extremely helpful and friendly – good little shop there.

Saw two terrapins basking on a log today.

Ate at The Bell pub – follow the path by the lift bridge. Good and plentiful pub food and great provisions for Blue (i.e. dog water bowls and room in the bar).

12/9/06

Lower Heyford – outskirts of Banbury

Slow day owing to emergency closure of the lock at Kings Sutton – had a 4-hour stop (which was actually useful for getting some domestics done!). Less hot today and overcast but still dry and a good day for cruising.

Met members of ‘Cutweb’ – a club of boaters and, like many clubs, they seemed a bit ‘institutionalised’ to us – we didn’t want to join! Met a couple from Tadworth (near to where we live) – they thought the same so it’s not just me!

13/9/06

Banbury – Fenny Compton

Slow day as delays at Claydon locks but got through to Fenny Compton – good moorings here and good pub also (apparently!).

Saw a grass snake swimming across teh canal today – fast and sleek. I wouldn’t have recognised it if I hadn’t read up about them after on came into our house the other day!

Went to the pub for supper – good food there. Went back for the pub quiz! We really don’t read enough celebrity magazines! We weren’t bottom though, so still holding our own in the middle ranks!

14/9/06

Fenny Compton – Braunston

Leisurly start to the day followed by amazing weather. It was as dark at noon as it was at 7pm the night before – felt like a partial eclipse! A particularly dark line of could yeilded a torrential downpour, thunder and lightning. We then caught up with a long queue of boats at Napton top lock – we were 10th in the queue and it took 2 hours to get through followed by a long slow trip down through the remaining 8 locks.

Still made good time past the locks to get to Braunston – busy here – lots of boats.

Weather much better in the afternoon.

15/9/06

Braunston – Stoke Bruerne

Very relaxed cruising today though we made pretty good time. Some things of interest – we did two lock flights – shared the first with Wndy Hook (of cross-stitch fame) – very nice to chat with her through the flight. Shared next set with a hire boat with very pleasant people so a very sociable day on the water. Came through Blisworth tunnel and Braunston tunnel – 3rd and 7th longest respectively.

Stoke Bruerne looks lovely – good pubs and very nice mooring below the second lock.

16/9/06

Stoke Bruerne – Bridge 111

Long day: moored by good pub an met couple of friendly boaters and talked engines all evening.

17/9/06

Bridge 111 – Berhamstead

Big locking day today – but lovely sunny weather.

Shared first flight with the boaters we met last night – they were great. Good company and very competent boat handlers (nb Clumber) – hope we meet them again. Millions of gongoozlers on next flight – too busy for my taste but the Tring cut to here very pretty and peaceful.

18/9/06

Berkhamstead – Kings Langley

Short day’s cruise today as needed to be within reach of a station for Richard to get the car. The plan worked well but it was a long journey for him.

Now unpacked (mainly dirty washing!) but will be back at the weekend to take the boat to Limehouse Basin.

22/9/06

Kings Langley – not recorded

Sat our a rainstorm before setting out for late afternoon cruise in the sunshine. This was a nice stretch of canal – tree-lined and quiet with great dog walks in the woods. Made good progress.

23/9/06

‘not recorded’ – Perivale

Busy day’s cruising today – Grand Union continues to surprise with some lovely stretches.

Moored up in Perivale where we stayed a month ago. Great dog walk and mooring feels very quiet and secure opposite residential/trip boat.

24/9/06

Perivale – Limehouse

Good day’s cruising – weather fine, ambrown for the first time in my life!

26/9/06

Limehouse round the Bow Back Rivers.

27/9/06

Limehouse Basin – Paddington Basin

Interesting day’s cruise – stayed in bed until lightning/thunder/rain cleared before heading up Limehouse Ctu and round the Bow Bakc Rivers. Richard looked for (and found) a relevant drain so valuable site visit completed! Turned right through Old Ford Lock then turned left into the Hertfordshire Union canal. Haven’t done that stretch before – it was surprisingly pleasant.

Moored up in Paddington Basin – visitor moorings were busy but manouevered into a cunning spot right by the towpath. The far end of the basin has a little traffic noise but there is some sort of generator going – hope that stops later!

Ate at superb Lebanese restaurant on the Edgeware Road (get onto the Edgeware Road and turn right, restaurant opposite Woolworths) – Tarboush 0207 706 9793

OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2006

1/10/06

Paddington Basin – Willowtree Marina

Another leisurely cruise. Richard stocked up with goodies at the TEsco at the end of Paddington Basin and off we went. Weather variable – not a cloud in the sky when we left; half an hour later it’s thunderstorms.

Stopped off at Car Giant to drool over a Jaguar estate!

Abbey Road Bridge – got stoned by some young kids – no harm done but lucky that no passengers on the front deck.

Willowtree Marina very pleasant and much bigger than it appears fromt he canal.

Note: poor access by rail to the marina but good by road and very handy retail park with TEsco and chinese takeaway nearby.

6/10/06

Back to Willowtree Marina – disappointed as engineer hadn’t done service as expectedand a week’s mooring fees wasted – never mind.

7/10/06

Willowtree -

Danusia’s birthday – shame she couldn’t make it today – very sunny though windy and sometimes chilly in the breeze.

Early start for big day’s cruising. Did tidal Thames from Brentford to Teddington, much better 2nd time around though no room to be complacent as the tide runs very fast.

28/10/06

Diesel fill at Pyrford 138 litres

270.4 engine hours

28/12/06

Note: We got our second greyhound, Lou, on 20th December

New Haw – ‘The Anglers’ pub

Wow, have we not been on board and cruising since 28th October. How time flies! Richard di come back ont he 23rd to run the engine and clean barrowloads of leaves off the back deck. He’d been on board a few days earlier as well just to run the engine.

Anyway, this is our winter move to Limehouse Basin where we intend to spend the next 3 month. We’re joining the flotilla to the London Boat Show and Richard is joining the protest cruise to the Houses of Parliament on January 16th. We also anticipate numerous cruises round the Bow Back Rivers before they’re eventually closed for Olympic Development.

Fine mooring near the Anglers Pub – Blue and Lou finally settled but steps are still a trial for Lou!

29/12/06

Bugger! Have misread the BW leaflet which says that the locks open during manned hours. But it turns out that between Xmas and New Year they’re not manned AT ALL unless you pre-book and that has to be done by 18th December – remember that for again.

So we’re off to moor at Teddington lock and will do the full rollercoaster to Limehouse on the 2nd. We will leave the dogs at home for that!