Reading to Crofton 11-21 September 2018

From the Thames, the entrance to the Kennet and Avon is so depressing. Electrified railway, graffitti on the scruffy bridge, pylons, a gasometer and inevitably a Tesco shopping trolley! The run through the Oracle Centre went very smoothly and there were remarkably few pedestrians about.The surround of the town lock was dirty as usual and leaving the town the canal is narrow with lots of overhanging trees. There were three supermarket trolleys one of them a disabled one, at Rose Kiln Lane bridge – a Morrisons store is nearby.

Garstons lock is one of only two (thank goodness) turf sided locks. They are very ugly,  take ages to fill and have to be emptied after use. Not safe for steerer to get off to assist.

  

Pill box at Garston lock

 

Tony has been trying for ages to get a good shot of a heron

Rain greeted us at Theale Visitor Moorings but we did manage a short walk to a small park adjacent to the K & A. Workmen came not only to cut a tree but to shred the smaller bits, leaving large logs, presumably for enterprising winter moorer?

The following day was a race to arrive at Aldermaston lift bridge for eleven o’clock. The bridge has developed a fault and is operated only at eleven and four in the afternoon. Tony had to keep Matilda mid stream as at 10.45 all moorings were fully occupied with boats wanting passage under the bridge, and then queuing in the limited space after, as each negotiated the adjacent lock. Sometimes a volunteer, but not this time!

After seven and a half hours we were pretty tired on arrival at Thatcham. Next day was much shorter – just three and a half hours to Newbury  park. We were delighted to see Ham Lock mooring above the water line. It had been totally submerged in April!

  

The High Street looking very wet and Camp Hopson a small but smart department store

Notices at the lock

Beautiful beech trees at More Wood

A rather nice shot of Matilda about to sail through a bridge and into a lock

Then on to Kintbury one of our favourite villages. The horse drawn boat was being prepared.

I like to check on the allotments.

  

A lovely tribute to those who lost their lives in WW1

And Vicarage bridge has not been repaired. It was in this state last year

And thinking of repairs……

A fishing match just before Hungerford

And then off to Hungerford a town we also like. It has lots of antique shops.We came across a small classic car gathering and a local choir

Leaving Hungerford in drizzle I found Marsh Lock Swingbridge a little easier to open. As we left we saw a CRT van driving towards the bridge and lock. How much has been spent on repainting vans with the new colours and logo? I’m sure most boaters would have voted for the money to be spent on maintenance, repairs and making life a little bit easier!  To give an example this photo shows how difficult it is to climb down from the lock gate, Notice the little hanging bit of metal to put your foot in. You cannot see it when descending!!  And it’s not high enough for me to step up onto the gate! Just a small wooden step is all thats needed.

By the time we had reached Great Bedwyn it was very warm. Its a pretty village with a station, so easy to commute. It has a Post Office with a very good baker! and a second village shop.   The church is pretty too and this visit it was open

 

In the middle of the village a lamp post to celebrate Queen Victorias jubilee

Interesting time at the wharf watching dredging barges being moved from lorries to canal. In our experience a huge cost, and interesting through narrow lanes around Great Bedwyn? Why not arrive by canal?

T

The man standing on the barge was on the phone for the whole time, even pushing the barge into the water! Then they were moored, filling the popular visitor moorings so that when Wessex Rose Hotel Boat came along there was no place to moor! We did offer for her to moor alongside Matilda but once through the bridge she was fortunately able to find a space with the Bruce Trust. The water and pump out facilities were also blocked all day with no warning. Just as they departed at 4pm, they left another barge with digger on, opposite the empty barges, making navigation narrow, and no appearance by 9am the next morning.

An early start to the next leg of our journey as the weather forcast was pretty dire.  We had not gone far when a boat owner told ther was a tree down across the canal. She was correct!  So out camne the tree loppers and saw and after half an hour or so we had cut a passage through, but the canal is very shallow at this point so we also went aground, A passing walker helped to push Matilda out with the pole but Tony had to do some tricky manoeuvering to finally push the boat through! The wind had increased in speed and we were steering straight into it!  As if the weather wasn’t enough to cope with we encountered an orange lifeboat drifting out across the canal Its’ forward pin had come out and the wind was pushing the bow out across the canal. So we had to sort it out! Fortunately a number of lady walkers came to help. The wind was gusting (42mph?) and it needed at least two people to hold each rope whilst Tony tried to secure it. No sign of name, number or licence on the boat, which was also moored in the winding point. We managed it in the end and made it to Crofton Visitor moorings where it began to rain again. We hot footed it to the cafe for lunch via the railway tunnel!

Heritage Lottery helped pay for reroofing and smartening up. It looks so much better

The local farmer has built a house of straw for his little pigs. No big bad wolf in sight!   In this brief period of sunshire we went and picked up windfall apples from canalside, for an apple crumble!

And finally TV at sunset

Devizes now only a week away, storms permitting?

The Thames 6-10 September 2018

We left Thames Lock Brentford at 10.00

and turned upriver

Almost immediately we saw a seal swimming down stream but a passing boat obscured our view and so we have no photo! Sailed past The London Apprentice and Richmond

Arrived at Teddington and moored up. As usual a well kept and colourful lock garden

 

Walked to the station to meet friends John & Hilary who were coming for a Thames mini cruise.

Set off next day for Staines. Saw this rather nice houseboat that made us think of a barn conversion……..

Staines has some interesting sculptures

Saturday we left Lammas Park in Staines to visit Runnymede and moored next to this beautiful boat

Then we moored up in Windsor although our favourite spot was already occupied. Saw the famous Duck Tour

  

And on the Maidenhead where we just had to test the echo under Brunels railway bridge!

This is the view from the mooring

Sunday cruising on

  

to Henley where we found the prime spot to moor

 

Waterside Cottage with an amazing garden

 

 

 

 

And you always find something novel……..

    

And we met another Matilda also making her way to the same marina as ‘our’ Matilda

And from Henley to Reading but at Hurley Lock we spied this craft

  

Moored at Christchurch Meadows close to the station

Rickmansworth, Denham, Cowley & Southall 1-5 September

Someone with a love of wildlife moors here

We were able to find a mooring in Rickmansworth (just, on a bend) and visited the local flower show. Some good veg but the flower arrangements and cakes exhibited were disappointing however the tea and homemade cakes were excellent.

Met the very pleasant crew of Capetown Rose moored behind us who came aboard for a look see! Again we walked through the park and watched people in wheelchairs being hoisted on board little sail boats for a sailing afternoon. Water sking, no not on the canal, but just yards away.

Left Rickmansworth on Sunday morning and moored up at Denham Deep Lock Visitor moorings. Walked through the country park to Denham Village which is very smart indeed.  There is a blue plaque to Ben Nicholson the artist who was born in the village

     Three Pubs and a restaurant but no shop!  Had tea and cake in the Vestry.

Walked back over the golf course

Just a short journey the following day to Cowley where we moored alongside the large park.We had a half of bitter at The Malt Shovel where Tony learnt to pull his first pint!

  

And a sensible idea to have an outdoor fridge

Tuesday we went to Tesco at Bulls Bridge.  Another example of supermarket rubbish everywhere  Almost as bad as Sainsbury at Apsley.

So onto Southall where we moored alongside the Bus Stop.

As usual we litter picked the area but we only collected half a black sack compared to a full one on our earlier visit.

Moored nearby was a lifeboat! Seen quite a few on our travels

Lovely Volunteers Peter, Tina and her extremely well behaved dog Benjy helped us down the Hanwell Flight which meant we only had two to do on our own.

At the penultimate lock we had to fish out a tree, stuck in the top of the lock gates! No I’m not exaggerating! A following boater came to help, and with ropes and poles between the three of us we got it out. Again no mooring in the nice visitor moorings at Brentford. Janet our friend from our last visit had flown out to Spain just a few days ago. We hoped she was going to put out Reserved signs for us!  We had to go through the Gauging Lock and moor against a high bank before the Thames Lock, not pleasant. 24 hour mooring but rest of the space occupied by boats not apparently moved in months.

Cassiobury Park Watford August 26-31 2018

Bank Holiday Monday was fine after a very wet Sunday so we went to the Countryside Event in the park. The usual sort of thing dogs, horses, birds of prey, food and a large tortoise called Boris! We also walked the park on the other side of the canal that is even more extensive with woods and a golf course.

Wednesday we ventured into London catching the tube from the edge of the park. We visited Fenton House NT in Hampstead – beautiful garden. This is definitely one of the best gardens I have ever seen.   Inside houses collections of china -definitely not my thing, and musical instruments.

 

  

And the gardeners had a sense of humour or a taste for chocolate

Then Burgh House Museum and excellent cafe. Notice the blankets on the back of the seats.

Lunch!

We followed this with Keats House (brought back memories of A levels and all the odes we had to memorise)

 

I was really impressed by the listening posts.  Comfortable cushions and well read odes!

On the way we spotted this. Read the notice….

Then No 2 Willow Road. Not impressed at all by this 1930 house or the NT arrangements for admission or the person manning the door.  It might be a 1930s time capsule but its ugly and out of place in Hampstead.

Returning the Matilda we found chums from Devizes moored in front so had a few drinks and a lively catch up with Rachel & Jeremy

Thursday I had another catch up with Jean former colleague at Henry Whipple. We met up with her and husband Derek for lunch in Chelsea at the Saatchi gallery.

  

Not sure what to make of this modern art…….

Then Jean, also a former London Guide, took us on a guided walk pointing out the homes of the famous and infamous

and not so famous

The home of the Chelsea pensioners notice Battersea Power Station in the background

 

The Dining Hall prepared for tea and Chapel

And they are well prepared for any eventuality

Jean and Zita befriended this Pensioner

 

 

 

 

 

The No 11 bus returned us to Charing Cross by way of a few recognisable buildings.

Our local MP works here…….

A lovely day out and a walk across the park in darknesss back to Matilda.

Hemel Hempstead 22-24 August 2018

Hemel Hempstead is a town in three parts. Firstly the new shopping precinct and then the old High Street – much more interesting and the vast park.

The newer bit is like any other town centre but an effort has beeen made with the most recent additions

Memorial garden in the midst of the precinct

The Old High Street   Notice the absence of people   Lots of restaurants, few antique shops, hairdressers and a couple of cafes

  

 

The park and gardens with the best begonias I’ve seen in years

 

 

And this reminded us of the Magic Roundabout in Swindon!

We had a fantastic visit to Frogmore Paper Mill.  Definitly worth a visit. It was just a short walk along the towpath near Apsley Visitor Moorings

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We learned about elephant poo paper too!

I loved these exhibits.  All made from paper. I was longing to get my hands into some papier mache

 

The fire engine an important piece of equipment

Stopped off at Sunnyside A gardening and cafe enterprise that employs adults with a learning disability. Loved the mural.

And here are the view from our mooring