Thursday 6 October 2016

I’m pleased to say the wind has settled down this morning. 

This is the third time that we have cruised this bit of the Grand Union and it has always been quiet – in fact I don’t think we have ever shared a lock with anyone along here!

We are heading for Cow Roast as we have moored there before and it get us well on the way to Berkhamsted which is always a must stop place.

Once we arrived at Cow Roast I went for a walk and when I got back to the boat a fellow boater moored just down the towpath came to tell me to watch out for a guy walking along with a big dog - apparently he has been knocking on boats and if there is no answer he has been helping himself to things off the back or out of the cratch – charming.  Anyway we didn’t see him and he didn’t knock on our boat.

As I was washing up after dinner I realised that the boat was leaning heavily towards the middle of the canal so went outside to investigate.

All the boats moored along the same stretch were having the same problem so Steve and the guy on the boat in front went to investigate – it was pitch black outside and there was a boat in the next lock (going down) with the bottom gate paddles open but he also had the top gate paddles open so all the water from the pound that we were in was being drained through the lock!!!  An hour later with the top paddles closed and opening the lock paddles on the lock behind us and we were afloat again!

Lovely sunny morning and the wind has calmed down!

Goodbye Lamas

Come on Steve I've had this lock open for ages!

Through the swingbridge.

There's the entrance to the Aylesbury Arm - I wanted to do it but it is five miles long with 18 locks so Steve said let's save it for another day!

In the top lock of the Marsworth flight - this is where we saw the film crew filming Call the Midwife last year.

That's the Wendover Arm on the left but it is only navigable for a mile.

Yes I think it does!

This building was all set up as a dock for the filming last year

Here is the same building - the photo I took last year of the film set!

This is Tring Summit Level - the locks will start to go down again from here.

Pretty Flutterbyes! 

Trying to sort the locks out by torchlight!