Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 April 2016

We sat still yesterday but had a big cruising day today.  We slipped lines at 8am leaving the very peaceful Battlebridge Basin (hard to believe it was only a five minute walk from Kings Cross Station) and made our way through St Pancras Lock and the three locks at Camden Town.  No shortage of water today like there was back in October!

We carried on along the Regents Canal - it's funny how different it looked doing it the other way.  Past London Zoo and over the North Circular.  At Bulls Bridge we turned left another stretch of unchartered waters for us.  We tackled the Hanwell flight (six locks) plus another four and chugged under the M4 arriving at Brentford at 5pm.

I don't think this stretch of water is very busy as most of the people that we bumped into at the locks asked lots of questions and were fascinated that we lived onboard - particularly three Indian ladies that said they wanted to buy the boat and followed us down the six locks of the flight asking questions all the way.  One then suddenly said we have to go as we still have to cook dinner so I told her that I did too! 

All the birds, in the trees and on the river, are busy building nests and sitting on eggs.  And I saw the first babies today!

It's busy down at Brentford but we managed to squeeze on the end.  The new development here looks nicely looked after but then everywhere looks nice in the sunshine doesn't it - haven't we been lucky with the weather so far!  Looking forward to being back on the Thames tomorrow - hopefully we can lock out at Brentford in the morning and see Windsor etc in the sun this year rather than the rain.

Battlebridge Basin at night.

Battlebridge Basin in the morning.

Leaving the basin - another peaceful haven in the middle of London!

St Pancras Station.

A garden in a gasometer!

Interesting houses approaching Camden Locks.

And into the top lock at Camden.

The volunteers have turned up to help us - apparently it's their first day back this year!

Peacocks in the Avery at London Zoo.

And through Maida Vale Tunnel

Through Little Venice.

And past the cemetery at Kensal Rise.

Do you think they've had words?!

Over the North Circular.

Wembley, a satellite dish and some scaffolding!

Babies!

Another "Y-Not" - Hope Alan, Kathy and Baxter are having fun on the Great Ouze.

We all live in a blue submarine!

Orange bottles make good nests...apparently!

Turning left at Bulls Bridge.

Not quite Phil and Claire's Jasper!

The water level is high on the Hanwell flight.

Under the M4.

Look what I've found - free fuel!

Anther 14 locks under our belt!

Arriving at Brentford - looks busy - can we squeeze on the end?