A reflection

5½ months away!  What a fantastic summer.  It has been an absolute privilege to travel through our countryside at only walking speed - almost medieval - watching the scenery and the seasons change.  Even the changes in local accents  could be noticed as they morphed from one area to another.  As each new flower or leaf came out we could stop, look it up in our flower book and appreciate what was happening.  

The waterways are a parallel universe. One where the clock ticks slower and people find they have time for one another - to pass the time of day and offer a lending hand where needed.  We have made several good friends whom we would love to keep in contact with.  We have also met many total strangers - who have stopped to chat - told us their life story, and then left some hours later knowing all about us - with a cheery wave we will never ever see them again! But they went away smiling and our lives are a little richer.

I hope that doesn't sound too gushing! It had its tougher side too.  Whilst it was on the whole a beautiful summer, we started in the snow and had our fair share of wet, cold and windy days.  We traveled for up to 10 hours a day some days, eating on the move and on more than one occasion after several flights of locks we were almost too tired to continue.  The distress of loosing the two young birds we found was only outmatched by possibly finding a body on the Hatton flight in Warwickshire.  If there wasn't a body then it certainly caused us to reflect on the plight of the homeless.

In short - every day was an adventure!

Some facts:
While we were away the engine ran for 600 hours and used 660 litres of fuel.
We travelled for 1150 miles
Went through 620 locks, 109 swing bridges and 34 tunnels
Neither of us fell in once!
The route we took is shown below:

Sunday 8th September 2013 - Aldermaston to Frouds Bridge Marina

We had difficulty finding motivation to do the last few yards to the Marina.  I had phoned last week to say we were coming but did not know where we would be put.  Some moorings are quite claustrophobic.

We slipped our mooring from alongside Whistler, said goodbye to Graham and moved several hundred yards to a more suitable place for the day.  Partly as a delaying tactic we got the bikes off one last time and cycled back to try and spot Stockton.  This was of course like looking for a needle in a haystack and doomed to failure.  We then cycled to the marina to find that we could have our old mooring back - fantastic!  Its in a corner and we think a lovely spot.  Well pleased.

We finally upped pins and moved the final few hundred yards into the marina.  Claire and Rob came for lunch - we had booked a table at the Butt Inn again - a late birthday celebration which was absolutely wonderful and quite took the sting out of coming home.  After a stop off to see Mum, Claire and Rob ran Annie and I home - the adventure over!

Slipping our mooring from alongside Nb Whistler

Early morning fog - autumn is upon us

Saturday 7th September 2013 - Sonning to Aldermaston

Though much cooler than of late, the weather started off quite nice, becoming more cloudy as the day wore on.  After breakfast we set off through Sonning Lock and turned off the Thames onto the Kennet & Avon.  Through Blakes lock and County lock there was the interesting trip through the Oracle shopping centre.
We reached Theale in good time where we had planned to drop Penny off to catch the train for home.  However a combination of our good progress, a still lovely day and not appreciating how many locks there were left - she volunteered to continue with us to Aldermaston.  Of course from this point on the weather deteriorated and by the time we neared Aldermaston it was lashing down.

About then we realised that Stockton was no longer on the boat.  He has been in the cratch, but we needed the cover off going through the locks.  Our flying lessons had worked too well - we only hoped he was sufficiently developed to be able to feed himself.  There was a problem with the lock gates at Aldermaston, which further delayed us so after locking through Annie and Penny went straight to the Butt Inn to find a table for a meal and order, while I went on to moor Ceilidh.  Typically all the visitor moorings were taken, but then I spotted Nb Whistler in its new mooring on Aldermaston Wharf.  After a swift reunion and catch-up with Graham and Jan they kindly agreed to my breasting up with them for the night - leaving Ceilidh moored alongside theirs.  After a nice meal with Penny we saw her off on the train, and walked back to the boat, where Whistler's cre came aboard for a grand catching up of both our summers wanderings.

Sonning bridge - think about it.....

Penny helping Annie with the locks

Gathering clouds

Friday 6th September 2013 - Sonning returning to Sonning

Awoke to a wet day after a very wet night.  Some 10 degrees cooler than yesterday.  Started off in T shirt and shorts but we both soon put several layers on.  Set off early to get to the 'Reading Loop' to moor up and walk to the station to meet Penny.  Got there by 10 and Annie walked up to meet her off the train at 10.30am.

After the obligatory cup of tea and settling Penny in, we set off back to the Thames and a cruise in to Henley.  After some initial rain it turned out to be a mostly dry day and a great time was had by all.  Returned to our spot at Sonning for the evening and the sun came out to allow us to sit out on the bank for a glass of wine.

Penny - "Dont you dare take my photo!"

Thursday 5th September 2013 - Marlow to Sonning

After breakfast I poked my nose out of the boat - to see a chap in a hi-viz jacket on the far side of the river.  After a while he was joined by a guy with a tripod, then another with a big hairy boom microphone.  Before long there was a small crowd stood on the pontoon opposite.  It transpired they were filming a programme of Grand Designs with Kevin McLoud.  As we were in the background Ceilidh may well be making an appearance on telly if the programme ever gets to air.

We decided to give Stockton some further flying lessons.  Standing a short way from a park bench we could launch him and he would fly to the bench.  This got further and further until he could fly half way across the park.  Then a foolish attempt for him to fly to Annie.  Just before he got there, he swerved off and landed in the top of a tree!  After waiting a couple of hours for him to come down (picture it - a pigeon in a tree in a park!) we tried more drastic means.  Tying two boat poles together I knocked him off to a lower branch, then stuck another pole under his bum so he stepped onto the end - then carefully lowered him down.....

We are meeting Annie's Aunt Penny tomorrow in Reading and she is joining us for a couple of days.  We moved the boat up to our favourite spot near Sonning Lock to give us a short run in tomorrow to meet Penny at Reading station.  Up to 27 degC today and we had a lovely day- but rain forecast for tomorrow.

Filming Grand Designs

Passing through Marlow

Temple Island, Henley

Henley bridge

A former Grand Designs subject Annie recognised

Wednesday 4th September 2013 - Bourne End to Marlow

Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me!  After walking the dog and flying the pigeon we set off for Marlow.  Did I say that our heron has morphed into a pigeon?  Well it has.  We picked up a little tiny bundle of fluff several days ago. With its huge beak, long legs and neck we could be forgiven the mis-identification!  Anyway we became suspicious because as the days went by our heron chick became more and more pigeon-like...
..
Found a lovely mooring in Marlow just before the lock and I did a reccy into town to find the George and Dragon which Christine had booked for lunch. I returned to find the boat bedecked with balloons and 60th banners. Ho hum it didn't matter after all you cant feel self conscious if you had just walked through the centre of Marlow wearing a large 'I am 60' badge chasing a chihuahua on a lead!

Met Mum, Chris & James for a lovely meal except the kitchen forgot our order and they came back to the boat briefly afterwards before setting off for home.  Son Mark and his girlfriend Abi came over in the evening and we went for another 'light' meal which was great.  Kept things simple and returned to the George and Dragon again.  True to form they again forgot our order, thie time due to a fault with the till.  Nevertheless a lovely evening.  Returning to the boat I was ordered to sit *eyes forward* and suspected a birthday cake was to be produced.  Behind me Mark had managed to stuff no less than 60 candles onto a chocolate cake - respect!  I suspected there were a lot of candles when I could feel an intense heat on the back of my neck.

The cake was brought around for me to admire (admiration given) and I was asked to blow out the candles.
Now being a none smoker I have a decent set of lungs and put down my inability to blow out the candles to the fact that there were 60 of them, fast becoming a conflagration!  Then a suspicion - are these magic candles that wont blow out?  Ah yes they might be.....  Annie managed to avoid using the fire blanket and extinguished the bonfire with a wet tea towel that any air raid warden faced with an incendiary would have been proud of..  After the smoke had cleared we were able to cut the top half of the cake off and eat the rest - warm gooey chocolate - lovely!

Tuesday 3rd September 2013 - Windsor to Bourne End

We have arranged to meet Mum & Chris in Marlow for my birthday tomorrow - so we dont want to get there too soon.  We are therefore going to aim for Bourne End, which leaves us a short hop on Wednesday morning into Marlow.

It was lovely coming through Windsor with some lovely views of the castle from different angles as we came passed.  Stopped before we left Windsor to top up with water ready for tomorrow.

Coming down the tidal Thames we came passed a stonking big blue barge moored up along the tidal section.  At some point when we hadnt been on the boat it had managed to sneak passed us, towed by two work boats.  This thing travelled very slowly and was very hard to get by - we managed it yesterday when they pulled in for lunch.  However we found ourselves behind them again.

Big blue barge

I felt sorry for the lads moving it - though they were doing themselves no favours with the other river users.  The skipper just shouted and cursed at his lads - two chaps, one with his 10 year old son. One of them told me it was only his second day with a boat! The barge had no rudder so they were trying to keep the back in line with the second workboat. An almost impossible task given that the barge weighed over 100 tonnes.
Anyway at Boveney lock the wheels fell off (so to speak).  As well as being very tight in the lock, the barge had a metal roof structure on top which projected over the sides.  As it went into Boveney the metal structure jammed against the lock gates to the sound of splitting timber and graunching steelwork.  The young lad who had been sat on top sprinted off the boat like an olympic runner!  The gates were superficially damages but some serious damage was done to the barge superstructure.  After a delay they got it through - and we managed to get passed them while they scratched their heads!

Bit miffed that at the public mooring at Bourne End we were charged mooring fees - thats remained the only time in 5 1/2  months that we had to pay for mooring.

Walked into town looking for a pub.  Found it but it was boarded up.  Had a half at the marina club bar but they weren't very welcoming.

Stuck in the lock

and graunching out the other side

Monday 2nd September 2013 - Hampton Court to Windsor

For some reason we are not in any particular hurry to start off - knowing that we are on our way home!  Didnt get started until nearly mid day then passed through Sunbury, Shepperton and Staines before passing beneath the M25 and entering 'the countryside'. We had lunch on the move and managed to moor up right next to Winsor Hall Farm, part of the royal estate.  Unlike a canal, river banks are both private and wherever you moor on the Thames, someone will find you and ask you to pay for mooring.  We felt that Her Majesty might not be too hard up for the extra fiver - anyway we were behind the trees.

Last nights mooring right outside Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court

Sunday 1st September 2013 - Lime House to Hampton Court

We were all up at 6.30am.  After breakfast we all set to preparing the boat - Annie fastening down anything that might fall and break, Mark rigging up a bilge pump and I running around (someone said like a headless chicken) exchanging phone numbers with the other boats and checking in with London VTS.  Our three boats were all in the lock at 8am and moving out onto the Thames at 8.10.  What a beautiful day!  The water was flat calm although there was a chilly wind.  Our worries of fast boat movements were unfounded - there aren't any at that time on a Sunday.

Annie helmed through the busy bit - from Lime House we passed under Tower Bridge (sadly not the main span) HMS Belfast close up was imposing.  Next it was London Bridge...Cannon Street...Southwark bridge etc etc 30 bridges in total.  Highlights obviously were the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, and such a drop dead brilliant view of so much of London from a very different view point.  I navigated, with Mark the official photographer, although we all swapped roles during the trip.

Nb R.J. left us at Brentford and at 12.30 we arrived at Teddington and locked through onto the none-tidal Thames.  Mooring up, we arranged out Thames licence and had lunch.  Mark decided to stay with us a while longer so we continued to Hampton Court - finding a brilliant mooring right outside Hampton Court Palace.  Walked with Mark to the station then returned to the boat for tea. What a fantastic day!

Saturday 31st August 2013 - Victoria Park to Lime House Marina

Set off after breakfast for the short hop (4 locks) down to Lime House Marina.  The Docklands skyscrapers began to loom larger lock by lock.  Our way was somewhat impeded by a thick mat of duck weed that covered most of the canal - we had to take care Maisy didn't think it was grass and jump off!

Arrived down the last lock and into the marina - full of big boats!  We soon found our mooring and went across to the marina office to check in - we are booked to lock out onto the Thames at 8am tomorrow morning some 3.5 hours before high tide to give us the advantage of the flood tide.  Jeremy from CRT asked if we would 'look after' another boat that had arrived without a VHF radio which would involve us travelling together.  We were quite happy with this!  It is a requirement of the Port of London Authority that all craft using the Thames through central London have VHF, lodge a cruising plan, and listen out to instructions on channel 14.  As it happened contractors were working on Battersea Bridge with some arches closed.  We had to contact London VTS for permission to pass through and be allocated an arch for transit.

Rang Mark to see if he was free to join us tomorrow - he is and will arrive tonight ready for the early start.

With the afternoon now spare we walked across to St Katherines Dock where the Clipper Round the World race is due to start from tomorrow.  Had a look at all the boats - and crews.  Poor things, they dont know what will hit them!  Their start will be at 1.30pm - after we have gone through so we hopefully wont get in the way.  On our walk back we saw two working narrowboats chugging back up the Thames.  One turned out to be our diesel boat so we were able to fill up once he had locked through. At this point CRT phoned me - another narrowboat had turned up without a radio - would I mind very much.....  so Ceilidh was now leading a convoy of three boats!

Mark arrived around 10pm and I walked up to meet him at Lime House Station.  On the way back to the boat we looked over the sea wall - the Thames was very choppy!

Moving through London

Canary Wharf looming closer

Towards Canary Wharf from the river

Clipper Round the World Race ready to go at St Katherines Dock

The Clipper boats

GB Entry

Filling with diesel

Friday 30th August 2013 - Little Venice to Victoria Park

A slightly noisy start to the day.  We are used to looking out on idyllic countryside with the only noise a few sheep and the odd crow.  This morning was a bit different - right by the entrance to Paddington Station and the underground!

We really need fuel before venturing out onto the Thames. There is a diesel boat parked next to us - old work boats still operated to make a commercial living - but a phone call to the owner drew a blank as he is away delivering fuel on the Thames at the moment.

Set off through London on what is now the Regents Canal.  This is a great way to see London - not the tourists view, but all the forgotten bits with hidden nooks and crannies.  We paired up with a couple of other boats during the day - young people who had bought boats to live on and out for the weekend.  Boats are becoming one of the cheapest ways to live in London, but their owners are not always particularly adept at handling them!

Arrived at Victoria Park and moored just west of Old Ford Lock, very close to where we were going to moor for last years Olympics.  Got the bikes off and went a lovely ride through the park and followed the route of the Lee Navigation for a while.  Maisy travelled in Annies bike basket as happy as anything.

Passing London Zoo

Venice?

Camden Market.  This cafe is equipped with seats from scooters.!