Rickmansworth to Hemel Hempstead

We had a good run today, although nearly all the Locks (17 in total)  were against us. At one of the locks there was a film crew filming the next Halifax Advertisement. I nipped below to put on my Sunday best but unfortunately my presence or input was not required, so there goes my 15 minutes of fame TYPICAL!!.

We managed moor up at Aspley Marina and although you are not supposed to moor on their frontage the warden took pity on Christine, who explained that she had had a very tiring day while giving me THE LOOK, and he has let us stay overnight.

Christine got a bit of help on this lock



Getting Busy on The Grand Union

Camera! Action ! Roll! Film Crew on the Grand Union 

It's a Rap





not sure which way this one was going



Blimey!!  I thought I was in a time warp

 

Jimbo and Eileen vist for the day

We managed to get a good mooring at Rickmansworth on Monday evening in readiness for meeting Jim and Eileen the following day. The logistics worked out perfectly as at Rickmansworth the Tesco supermarket is right on the canal side and they have their own moorings for customers I had also got permission from the Tesco store manager for Jim to leave his car in the car park for the day . We went to the Tesco mooring at about 9.30am and did some shopping ready for our day with Jim and Eileen.  We then got the boat ready and at 10 45am J&E arrived. We had a coffee on board and then set off for our days cruise.  The weather was kind and we had a really enjoyable day managing to do about 8 locks there and back. ( Jim will be sleeping well tonight)


Jim is a bit apprehensive on his first Lock 



One for Dave and Betty our friends at PYC this is their Old boat Minnow still in fine fettle



Jim is now so confident that he is dancing on the lock gates



Time for lunch



Girl power takes over Christine on Helm with Eileen on ropes



What a great picture, it sums up our day





We only left them alone for  5 minutes

Brentford to Bulls Bridge (Grand Union Canal)



Having arrived at Brentford early we decided to treat ourselves to an all the works breakfast. We were meeting up with Jim and Alison (Tom's brother and Sister in Law) for a family catch up  in the evening and Brentford was deemed to be good for them transport wise, so we decided to stay overnight. We had been to Brentford before but decided to go for a walk to Kew Bridge to stretch our legs and have a look around. When we crossed over Kew bridge we came upon a local fete and had a look around. We came to the tea tent and despite having had a blow out breakfast, we indulged ourselves and had some tea and a couple of homemade cakes. While we were deciding which cakes to have a new batch of chocolate brownies arrived and Christine's eyes lit up. The trouble was that they hadn't been priced so madam  president was called upon. After  quite a bit of deliberation and taking into account all the luxurious ingredients that must have gone into the making, a price of £1.50 per cake was decided upon, despite my recommendation of 50p!! The server then gave Christine the smallest cake on the plate but in true Essex style and volume she said "for one pound fifty I want the biggest one"  The server meekly gave her the cake she pointed at and mumbled something to the effect of  Christine being a woman after her own heart.

We then went back to the boat after calling into Morrisons on the way to get some fresh fruit and other provisions that we were running a bit short of.

We met up with J &A and went to an Italian restaurant on the quay and had a very pleasant evening, catching up on all the family news.( forgot Camera so no pics) 

Today we set off at about 0930hrs making for Bulls Bridge. We met up with a couple Danny and Glyn on their boat " Prestige"  and did the Hanwell flight of locks with them, which always makes life easier, as with two boats you don't have to tie up for and aft as is the case when going up in Locks as a lone boat.



The Fete on Kew Bridge Common





I offered to take Christine for a drive around London
but she wasn't having it



Needless to say I wasn't allowed to buy it

Danny and Glyn's boat Prestige
Glyn is chatting to a couple of Sunday walkers we met along the way
(Sorry Julia I didn't recognise you but I expect you think that is a bonus)



Christine an Glyn POWER CHATTING!!!




Danny totally un-wound 

No blog tomorrow as it is only a boring part of the Grand Union Canal with nothing of real interest. When we first did this stretch a few years back I noticed coconut shells with candles in them floating down the canal. I asked a local what they were meant to be and he explained that the Sikhs put them in the canal as their belief is that all water leads back to the River Ganges.
( I WAS TEMPTED BUT RESISTED)

Update to 3rd September

Weybridge to Teddington

Left Weybridge at around  0900hrs (got to start getting nautical again as we are back on the Thames don't y' know) got through the Thames Lock and headed east towards London. Even though we stopped for fuel on the way we made good time and arrived at Teddington lock at 1330 hrs (1.30pm for the landlubbers) As the tides were not in our favour for the tidal transit to Brentford we will moor overnight at Teddington with an 0545hrs start tomorrow for the 1-2 hr transit. Christine is not amused with the early call, it's a good job she didn't come on the Channel Island sailing trip with 0330hr shouts!!


NB Lottie emerging from the Weybridge Town Lock



David Gilmour of Pink Floyd had this houseboat restored and is now used as The Astoria Recording Studios and it is now moored just upstream fro Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace (we moored here the last time we were on the
Thames and spent the whole day looking around this wonderful palace)





For those that are old enough "Tugboat Annie " comes to mind

 

Grand Designs or what Totally Glass



Kingston Bridge



Stunning Riverside Property in Kingston




"May The Force be with you" I'Modernistic Houseboats
I'm sure Daft Ada had an influence here!!!

 



Cute but this one looks like a cricket pavilion
 (Rain Stopped Play?)

 

Guildford to Weybridge

Well after two days of heavy rain we woke up this morning to a much better outlook so had breakfast and got underway. Christine decided to do some washing while we were on the go which worked out well as it had nearly all dried by the time we got to Weybridge.  We went for a walk around the town of Weybridge and were not that impressed considering it is stockbroker belt we then had a walk over the Wey Meadow Park which when you consider how near to London it had a remarkable country feel.


Guildford Castle (I didn't know it had one)


Part of the Castle Gardens and Grounds (very well maintained)

Allo Mrs Cani ne come aboard? ( a towpath visitor quite a regular event when the hatch is
facing the bank)





Hawkes Lock cottage ( and a belligerent crew member. I think she was thinking of hanging me)

 

 

 

Coxes Lock on the River Wey (The Mill has now been totally converted to apartments)



And last but by no means least the Famous Wey Bridge

Lottie and Matt visit us on The River Wey

Well how lucky were we to choose Sunday to meet up with Lottie and Matt and not today (Monday) as the weather has really changed. We had a great day cruising down to Godalming from Guildford and this turned out to be the prettiest part of the River Wey. We had lunch on board and then did a tour of Godalming ( a lovely old Surrey town) and then back to Guildford. We said our goodbyes at around 8pm so we had both a very long and pleasant day with our lovely daughter and Matt.




Lottie and Matt arrive on Board



Christine and Matt setting The Lock

The Horse Drawn Trip Boat  IONA that is based at Godalming When she was a working cargo barge she used to carry coal
from The Midlands horse drawn all the way



Lottie on Lottie

All ashore at Godalming

Tom with his Girls

 

 




Godalming Town (Crown Court)



Godalming Town High Street

Shepperton to Guildford on The River Wey

We set off from our overnight mooring at about 9.30am after Christine had got her weekly fix(The Mail on Saturday) and of course breakfast, although we had forgotten to get the sausages and bacon out of the freezer last night so had to settle for boiled eggs. It was very cold as we were travelling down a channel of large oak trees and the sun just didn't break through to warm us up. It was also very dark and I expect this had a bearing on our views of The River Wey. We had heard so much of what a pretty river it is but we just didn't see it that way. Perhaps it is because we have been lucky enough to travel some of the really outstanding Rivers and Canals. We are meeting up with Lottie and Matt tomorrow and are really looking forward to seeing them both. We plan to cruise down to Godalming and back with an on board lunch on route.  I am sure that the river will live up to it's  reputation for the last stretch as what I have seen online looks good.


You can just see the Old Priory to the right of the picture



M'Lady the boat we shared most of the locks with down to Guildford



The last remaining Turf Lock on The River Wey



Unusual waterfall side stream at this lock