28th April - 3rd June - various locations Crookham Wharf, Barley Mow Wharf, Odiham

During May we lived on the boat, keeping the car nearby, but stayed in the close vicinity of Fleet.  We extended out 1 month canal licence to 2 months.

North Warnborough lift bridge

Zebon Copse swing bridge

Negotiating the Dogmersfield cutting slip

Extra payload to get under Reading Road bridge - thanks all.

Peggy on top

Being attacked by a swan protecting his young

Moored at Crookham Wharf where we later hosted a BBQ

Kingfisher hanging out at the Dogmersfield slip

The sun has got his hat on, hip hip hip hooray!

Fleet Wharf

We now have the car with us and will be moving it as we move the boat.  Annie collected a new hatch cover for the RS Vision from the parcel office.  After breakfast we set off for Fleet Wharf - the simplest and shortest of journeys BUT....  After carefully negotiating the very low Pondtail bridge we came upon a tree leaning across the canal at 45 degrees.  A

We carefully sawed the worst branches and moved through very carefully - I was concerned the tree might fall all the way - which it did a few hours later.  Reading Road bridge is even lower and we inched up to it - but it was just too low, even with David Millen on board who was jogging by.  We pulled over for a cup of tea and scratch our heads, when another boat came up behind us - the first we had seen going in our direction.  The crew hopped off their boat and onto our bow, and between the lot of us got it under the bridge with nothing to spare.

We spent the afternoon moored at Reading Road Wharf, but moved to the Fox & Hounds when we realised it was Saturday night and likely to be noisy.  Out of the frying pan and into the fire as a late night party was going on at the F&H.

Tree down

Safely at Fleet Wharf at last

25th April 2014 - Remained at Pondtail

Rain all day - discretion the better part of valour.

24th April 2014 - Ash Lock to Pondtail Bridge, Fleet

Started the day by filling up with drinking water at the Canal Maintenance Yard.  After that its only a short journey into Fleet.  Farnborough Road bridge was a tad low - we only just squeezed beneath!  Found a spot to moor on the offside in the winding hole - something I would not normally do (you are supposed to leave them clear) but the dearth of boats meant it was no problem.
Annie and I then walked home for showers and open 2 weeks worth of mail. We were spotted by Ben on his way home from school so were joined by him and Anne for a cuppa.  In the evening we were joined by Cathy and Philip Summersell

manoevering to get water

Limboing beneath Farnborough Road bridge

Peggy negotiating the plank at Pondtail

23rd April 2014 - Brookwood to Ash Lock

Didnt see our Lock Keeper this morning so rang the office at 9am and we told to go on without him. Had lunch at lock 23 then had difficulty getting through the next lock as the dense weed was preventing the gate from closing.  I had to shimmy along the gate and attack it with a boat hook. After collecting some firewood we continued on arriving at Mytchett Canal Centre at 3.30pm.  Called in to say we were through the locks.  Continued on in the rain and arrived at Ash Lock at 6.30pm soaked.

Dense weed above the lock

Negotiating a 'flash' at Mytchett

20th - 22nd April - Remained at Brookwood

Dog walked, worked on the boat and read.  Got talking to several passers by who commented how nice it was to see a boat using the canal - we are quite a rarity!

Brookwood Country Park Wharf

19th April 2014 - West Byfleet to Brookwood Country Park

Set off from New Haw lock, turned right onto the Basingstoke Canal and moored up below lock No1 to meet the BCA Lock Keeper.  He duly arrived, went through our paperwork and set us on our way - the Woodham flight of 6 locks followed by the St Johns flight, a further 5 - all double locks so quite heavy.  We generally found the condition of the equipment fine (just in need of some grease) but the canal, particularly east of Woking is woefully full of weed.
Mark and Julie joined us at lock 4 and speeded up our progress with the extra pairs of hands. Arrived at Kiln Bridge, St Johns at 3pm and Mark and Julie set off back to find Marks car and return to Fleet.  Ruth phoned for a lift from her family ending four lovely days with us.  With the extra crew gone we motored on to a nice mooring at Brookwood Country Park where we would remain for the next few days.

Under the M3 before turning right onto the Basingstoke

Waiting for the Lockie at Lock 1

Weed

Mark and Julie - extra crew for the day

18th April 2014 - Runnymead to Byfleet (River Wey)

Walked up to the Magna Carta memorial after breakfast.  Set off and did the last few locks to the River Wey turn off.  Annie just managed to prevent one chap  'hanging' his boat with an over-tight mooring line in Shepperton Lock.

Annie and Ruth at the Magna Carta memorial

After the Thames the Wey seems very narrow and tree lined.  Not many boats moving.  Locked through New Haw lock and moored just above for the night.  Walked the dogs down as far as the Basingstoke Canal junction.

Ruth and Maisie and Peggy

Poor mooring technique

Thames lock on the River Wey

17th April 2014 - Marlow to Runnymead

Made Windsor by 1.30pm and Runnymead by 4pm.  Rang the Basingstoke Canal to confirm our booking through Woodhams and Deepcut flights.  I had previously booked Sunday and Monday, only to be told they could no longer do this.... Saturday and Wednesday!  Leaving us 3 days to kick our heals at Brookwood.

Impressive from the river

Moored opposite Runnymead Island

16 April 2014 - Reading to Marlow

Annie and I walked to dogs whilst Ruth got ready then set off after breakfast.  Headed to Caversham to fill up with diesel, then turned around downstream.  Lunch at Shiplake and also filled up with water.  Just tying up in Marsh Lock we were greeted by a "mind if we join you?" as Dave Myers (Hairy Biker) arrived in his dutch barge 'Ollie'.  We had met him previously at Reading Marina when we were looking at a dutch barge for sale. Travelled together as far as Henley where they were off to the pub.  Moored up for the night in Marlow with a game of scrabble after tea.

The Hairy Bargee

15th April 2014 - Cunning Man to Reading Jail loop

Delayed from starting by two swans mating at the back of the boat!  The river sections were running very fast and Fobney lock was nearly under water.  County lock wasnt much better.  Safely moored in Reading Loop and having helped another boat out of the shallows where he had run aground, we walked over to Reading Station to meet Ruth who is joining us for a few days.  Ruth was one of Annie's Mum's friends.

Don't look Ethel!

14th April 2014 - Frouds Bridge to Cunning Man

Left the marina at 9.25am.  We seem to have gained a dog for a few days - Maisie.
Had lunch at Burghfield  moorings and joined 'Wind Flower' to go through the swing bridge.  We hit a problem straight away as the canal beyond Sheffield Bottom lock was-- er-- empty! There had been a breach but contractors were on site repairing, delaying us about an hour until we could re-fill the pound.  Moored up at the Cunning Man.

Turning out of Frouds Bridge

Rough looking repair of the breach

Not a lot of water

13th April 2014 - More getting ready

Mended Claire's car in the morning so didnt get to the boat until 3.30pm. Abi and Mark arrived with BBQ and burgers, salad, fruit etc and we had a lovely picnic in the warm sunshine.  Mark drove our car home.

10th-11th April 2014 - Getting ready

Unloaded car and installed new cupboard I have been making to replace some time-expired shelving in the kitchen.  It fits!  But Annie found that there wasn't enough space on top for her plastic duck collection.  Not in the original job spec I'm afraid.