Month: June 2017

We have really enjoyed these last few days Close to transport links & M & S Food!  We did not venture into Patisserir Valerie even though it was open till late!

We are sheltered from al the noise and bustle in this tranquil oasis.

 

Looking back from Matilda

Every Wednesday and Friday at noon (and Saturday 2pm) the Rolling Bridge and the Fan bridge are actioned and are so interesting to see.

 

  

 

 

 

 

We are in very good company: adjacent apartments (not flats!) are selling or renting at ridiculous prices…….

Tuesday, a rainy day,  was spent at the Imperial War Museum and from arrival just after opening, we were thrown out before we had completed floor five!

Wednesday we took the train to the Port of London Authority at Gravesend to collect charts of the River Thames, after some very helpful staff there encouraged our journey, even with train and visitor information. Train reaching 140mph at times was a change, and resulting in just over 20 minutes all the way out to an interesting area on the Thames.

 

We saw the statue of Pocahontas in the churchyard.

Then we spent the afternoon at Westminster Abbey as I had never been there before. I was delighted to see the memorial stone to mathematician Mr Green of Greens Windmill, Sneinton, in the company of Darwin and Faraday. So sad that the feet of so many visitors are destroying the commemoration stones, lacking any protection. Even at an off peak time it was so crowded we didn’t really appreciate it all and at  £17.00 entrance fee each, plus tea and cake to recover………

We waked back seeing……

Yesterday we visited the Army Museum in Chelsea.where we spent hours in their research area trying to find more detail about my Fathers Normandy exploits. I now think he was in the 5 Royal Tank Regiment part of the 7th Royal Armoured Corps commonly known as the “Desert Rats.” But there are yet more unanswered questions that will keep me busy next winter. We  ended the day by seeing the Carole King musical “Beautiful”  We really enjoyed it as being of our era we knew all the songs. We were too polite to sing along!

Today has been less active, although we notched up over 14,000 steps by walking from Little Venice through Camden to Regents Park.

Tomorrow we set sail again with quite a few locks as we go to the Lee & Stort Navigations.

Thanks to fellow boaters leaving as we arrived we have a 7 day mooring in the Paddington Arm outside St Mary’s hospital and next to Paddington Station (but beyond train noise) surrounded by smart offices and restaurants.

Thia afternoon we walked back to Little Venice (most disappointing and rather scruffy) and then to Kensington Gardens and up to the Serpentine.

Now relaxed after supper with a few glasses of Merlot!

We plan to spend tomorrow at The Imperial War Museum tomorrow (Did my Father drive a Sherman or Cromwell tank on D Day?)  and hopefully take in a show later in the week.

So if you are this way drop in and see us.

Our second day at Bletchley Park proved as interesting as our first and then we moved on to Leighton Buzzard/Linslade where we met up with the charming Alan Partridge from Vancouver. As he put it the only partridge not to fly!

Thanks to Ian on Kiskadee who helped us through so may locks and the volunteers at Soulbury locks.

View of Whipsnade Zoos Lion

We cruised on to Cow Roast Yes, it is a real place!   Notice the sunbathing heron!

As the temperature rose we moved on to Berkhampstead and moored in the shade opposite the park. Our neighbour had this amazing mermaid at the bow and an octopus at the stern!

 

It has a castle motte & bailey and classic high street with wonderfully sinful strawberry tarts from Simmons the baker.

We stayed three days and fitted in a train trip to St Albans. Did you know Alban was the first english saint?  That day we walked 10,840 steps 3.92 miles. At 20.04 the temperature was 27.7degrees.  Alan Partridge caught up with us.

The 21st we explored Hemel Hempstead and the old town is very pleasant. We had tea at a cafe called “Elbows off the table.” The name amused me.  The new part of the town is like any other recent shopping centre- very dull. They have taken limited advantage of a river flowing through, but with large trout surviving! At 4.40 it was 31 degrees and at 9.59 was just getting dark.

An unusual vessel!

This is the M25 supported by scaffolding near Maple Cross. It inspires you with confidence…..

This is the path from the mooring to Sainsburys store at Apsley Mills. I complained at Customer Services, and was told it was the councils responsibilty. If I was the manager I’d have it cleared up.  It doesn’t encourage me to shop there. Inside they have a huge wall poster about all their volunteering efforts  – a pity they don’t volunteer to litter pick this path.

From Abbots Langley the water level was very low and the first lock had so little water we were unable to proceed. We informed the CRT but tired of waiting (rang back after 1.7 hours) we dealt with it ourselves, as just above the lock water was escaping over the weir. Other boats were approaching to below the next lock.

We moored just below Springwell lock 83 and took on 118 litres of diesel from a passing fuel boat. On Saturday 24 we moored in Uxbridge – the end of the tube line! We walked into the town to find the underground station facade unchanged from when Tony worked in Uxbridge 40 years ago. A lot of new shops and Malls adjacent now.

Turning into the Paddington branch, with signpost, unfortunately Braunston removed. Just beyond is where Tony moored briefly in Blue Samba when starting work in Yiewsley, approx 42 years ago.

Immediately to the left of this picture is yellow notice saying do not leave any food waste or litter. See the gulls on the house roof just waiting………

On our journey today we encountered a sewage farm, walkers and cyclists doing a charity event, a fight between cormorant, moorhens and coots, increasing amounts of rubbish, rats (encoraged by rubbish on the bank) and a gasometer! Never a dull moment!

Now we are moored up for the night in Greenford and thinking of Lionel as a young boy living here with his mother and siblings, approx 84 years ago.

Took the train to Bletchley Park 3 minute journey

Fantastic day! Can’t say too much but going back tomorrow to perfect our sleuthing skills!

Aqueduct over the River Ouse just after Cosgrove and then alongside the railway

We are very impressed by Milton Keynes. The canal is a green corridor that snakes through the town. We are moored up at Campbell Park

. Alongside is a small pond with ducks etc and a path meanders up hill past the cricket ground and open air theatre to a view point and then into the town with John Lewis the first store on the right, Library and theatre on the left and large bus station between. We took in the matinee for Billy Elliot. (The choreography & dance were first class, but there were disappointing bits). The shopping malls are excellent light, airy and exceptionally clean, and there is a big space that was filled with a craft and vintage fair this weekend.

An outdoor courtyard had striped deck chairs! As some chairs seemed double width we weren’t sure whether MK had an obesity problem or was romantically minded!

On the opposite side of the canal the park continues with Gullivers World and two more lakes, a Premier Inn, retaurant, fitness centre, water sports and tree top climbing adventure and playgrounds.We have just watched the Run for Life pass Matilda.

Setting off shortly to see if we can get closer to Bletchley…….

Well, it’s polling day and we await the outcome with great interest. Our votes were posted in Loughborough (another long story) last Saturday morning. After a bit of research we found we were able to make a “declaration of local interest” and so were able to vote in Devizes.

Yardley Gobion is somewhere between Stoke Bruerne and Milton Keynes and at last we have an internet connection!  We are spending the day here in Kingfisher Marina  because our engine is being serviced.

On our return journey we revisited the delicious butcher in Braunston went through the tunnel in 29 minutes (without touching the sides) and met up with Simon at Calcutt Boats. Here is his mooring and then see him hard at work at the locks. Grateful thanks Simon and I hope the boat inspector was kind.

 

 

Braunston

We booked a passage through Blisworth tunnel at 8.00am Monday morning. Just before the tunnel is a wharf where Pickfords started their removal business.

 

It took 44 minutes to travel the  3057  yards and that took us straight into Stoke Bruerne the famous canal village.

This one is for all those ex teachers!!!!

As heavy rain and wind were  forecast for Tuesday we decided to stay moored up but do a bit of exploring. The bus passes took us to Towcester where we enjoyed a morning at the museum.

We really enjoyed Warwick. Having planned to stay at Saltisford for two or three nights we ended up staying longer….Eye catching welcome sign.

 

The town trail took us past the Castle Gates but we didn’t stop!

Views from Mill Garden – well worth a visit

 

Lord Leyster Hospital exterior, courtyard, interior and delightful gardens

And not forgetting the best presented cream tea yet!!!  It was delicious.

There are so many interesting places to visit but Hill Close gardens are unique. Apparently shopkeepers who lived above their shops purchased or rented plots as gardens; a place to relax on Sundays or after work. Several of the original 32 have been saved. There are fruit trees, vegetables, flowers, lawns, summer houses and a pigsty or two!

My very first visit to a racecourse where inevitably I lost all my money!

Tony remembering his childhood visits to the riverside park

 

 

Saltisford Arm just below the Hatton Flight was recommended by a passing boater. It exceeeded our expectations. An absolutely delightful spot within ten minutes of town centre.