Continuing the journey

Today is Thursday 18th August and it has rained all day, so we have the ideal opportunity to bring this up to date.  After completing the Hanwell flight we had a very sporadic journey to Cowley Peachey.  We stoppped for services and moved on a little.  We then stopped for provisions at Bulls Bridge Tesco.  Very disappointed not to have time to go down the Paddington Arm but this was closed following a bridge fire caused by the riots over that weekend. 

On passing through one lock we encountered a different type of guard pacing up and down.   Who needs dogs?

Whilst having breakfast next morning we had a very special visitor.

You can just make out the heron perched on our boat.

Having travelled up through Stockers Lock (No.82) we were advised of lovely moorings at Grove Mill so we took heed and stopped there overnight on Sunday.  On leaving Monday morning we passed under this very ornamental stone bridge.

Grove Bridge No.164

We caught up with a couple who had just purchased a boat and were cruising it home to Oxfordshire via the canals.  It was good to have company through the double locks all the way to Hemel Hempstead.  Once again we stopped for provisions. Sainsbury's this time and then continued to The Fishery Inn where we had arranged to meet Tim and Gwen from the Alvis Owner Club.  Very pleasant evening spent wining and dining.

On leaving next morning we carried on through the Port of Berkhamsted.

Entering Berkhamsted

This is a very well maintained town, with well kept gardens and plenty of interesting artifacts to look at. Display boards explaining the products transported by canal from the area.  And still we are climbing up from the Thames valley to the top to Tring Summit, where we stopped Tuesday night.

Wednesday we took a detour onto the 1 1/2 miles of restored Wendover Arm.  It was very narrow in places after the wide  G.U.canal and very rural.  Moored on the visitor moorings after winding at the end and then went for a walk to look at the reservoirs that feed the canal plus the restoration work continuing towards Wendover.

Wilstone Reservoir very low of water.

British Waterways are having to pump water, from this and two other purpose built reservoirs at the top of Tring Summit, every night for 3 hours, just to maintain water levels in the canal, as many pounds are low.  Each time a lock is used 50,000 gallons pass through.

After the walk we settled in for a lovely evening enjoying the beautiful sunset.

Wendover Bridge No.3  in front of our moored boat.

And this is where we have stayed all day today (Thursday) looking out at the rain and grey clouds hoping for better weather tomorrow.