Entertaining Visitors

Last week was a busy one with various family members coming to stay or popping by for a while. Last Monday our son came and joined for a few days, meeting us at Paddington and staying with us as we made our way up the River Lee to Hertford.

On Thursday we also met up with Ian's brother and his wife at Ware, we had lunch together and a short cruise down to Stanstead Abbots, where they hopped off the boat and onto a train to get back to their car.

Later on Thursday my brother and nephew came and joined us for a few days on our journey up the River Stort. We met them at Roydon, and have been up to Bishop's Stortford and back. It's been great having their company and help with the locks. T is a brilliant cabin boy helping with gates, paddles and washing up too!

Working the locks

Having fun

So over the past few days I have taken less pictures and so far not posted any of the Lee and Stort, but I shall try to catch up soon.



Easter Eggs

It's a bit late in the day but Happy Easter everyone.Just a quick post today and a reminder of New Life, appropriate for today.

We saw this swan turning her eggs at Harlow Mill lock. A quick count made 8 or 9 eggs.

And the very first ducklings we have seen this year. Only two of them and they were in the lock as we went in, getting panicky so we waited for them to swim out. They were tiny but moving about so fast, hence the blurry photo!



A Very Good Friday

What a surprise this morning to wake up and see the frozen windows, on the inside! And outside was so beautiful. Jumble and I enjoyed a crisp morning walk in the bright sunshine. Enjoy these lovely views.

Across Hunsdon Meadow

Along the River

Ice patterns on the ropes

on the leaves

on the grass

on the twigs

on the spider's web

It was a lovely way to start the day. A special Good Friday Day.

London Canals

Leaving Paddington Basin we come to Brownings Pool in the area known as Little Venice. Here there are trip boats that leave from here to London Zoo and Camden Town, and restaurant boats and a puppet theatre on a boat too.

Through another guaging stop and onto the Regent's Canal the start of the journey to Limehouse Basin and the River Thames.

Leading up to Maida Hill Tunnel the route is lined with long-term residential moorings.

Once through the tunnel and past some very grand houses we come to London Zoo with the large Snowdon Aviary on one side, we only spotted a warthog on the other. Unfortunately there are no visitor moorings, so we couldn't get into the zoo for a visit.



the boys enjoying a moment together

At Cumberland Basin the floating Chinese Restaurant is still there, I think the Black prince boat was winding.

Camden Town was quiet, the shops weren't open yet as we passed through.

no gongoozlers here today (yet)



Down through St Pancras lock, home to a busy and active cruising club, keeping things ship-shape on the London Canals.

And soon we were on to the Hertford Union taking the short cut through to the River Lee. At the first lock there was a problem, the next pound was drained to a trickle. A BW (or should that now be a CART) man was coming through on his bicycle and agreed we could let some water through to be able to cruise along, he phoned ahead to colleagues to let them know the situation. He blamed the local kids on their Easter holidays for playing around.

Here the pound is filling up, and once through and in the second lock, the gates were so leaky maybe it wasn't just the kids!

In the final lock and the water was flooding over the gates,

Then it was on to the River Lee, a quick look back at the Olympic Stadium

and we were off  heading away from the city.



Regents Canal and Hertford Union

8 miles, 10 locks, 2 tunnels

Around Paddington

Whilst we were staying in Paddington Basin, we have enjoyed walks in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, through Regents Park and up Primrose Hill.
Even though we were surrounded by these tall office blocks and St Mary's Hospital it was a comparitively peaceful mooring.
(2nd attempt to get this post written!)
On Sunday we walked to Westbourne Park Baptist Church, where we were made welcome and enjoyed worship led by a good band. I think this must have been the most multicultural church we have been to so far. It was good to be there.
In the afternoon, we hopped onto some 'Boris Bikes' a really great way to get around London.

And headed for Camden Town as we thought we would probably not be able to moor nearby when passing on the Regents Canal.

A sunny Sunday afternoon and it was very busy. Just a few pictures to show some of the sights,

The Main Road

Side Streets

Food vendors

to suit all tastes

great place to sit and eat

you will have to imagine the sounds and smells too.

(3rd attempt!)

Kensington gardens; The Serpentine; Views from Primrose Hill

In this last picture you can see The Shard, the final bit was added to the top on Monday, making it the tallest building in Europe.(until 2016!) It houses offices, restaurants, residences and hotel. It has 72 floors and is 310m tall.

Whilst we were at Paddington, our son came and joined us for a few days. That might explain so many interruptions to my blogging time!





Sneaking in the Back Door

That's what it felt like we were doing yesterday as we made our way along the Grand Union Paddington Arm into London. Most of the way the canal banks are lined with moored boats so the journey is slow and we crept in. We moored up in Paddington Basin, in the first space we found as there was no room at Little Venice on the way in. So a few pictures of our passage along the peaceful way to the city. (not necessarily in the right order)

 The North Circular Aqueduct

The World Rushes By

Peaceful

Contrasting Old and New Housing

More and More Buildings

Kensall Green Cemetery

Litter Artwork by Schoolchildren

Little Venice Guaging Stop

Moored below St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington

Slough Arm - Paddington Basin

27 miles, 0 locks (9 hours)