Trunk Route
Posted: June 20, 2013 Filed under: Moving on | Tags: Aylesbury Arm, Chilterns, Grand Union, locks, Marsworth Flight, sunshine, water, Wendover Arm 3 Comments
Turned out from the Wendover Arm, back onto the main line and into Marsworth top lock. Helped all the way down the flight by a great volunteer who attacked the locks like a man possessed, seeing us through in no time. Got talking to a lovely couple at the bottom who are thinking of living life on the water, they wer
e subjected to the boat tour. Pulled up for a water fill by the currently closed Aylesbury Arm. Lazy boaters in abundance today with gates left open and paddles up, thankfully every one was for us, making light work of the afternoon. Talking to a guy at one lock when I realised he was on one of the only other two boats we set foot on before buying ours. Stopped just short of Linslade having read our Nicholson. Tied up next to fields full of sheep, with views over the Chilterns, snifter hour was spent feeding enormous fish while t
he hazy sky grew pink. Another night without a fire or central heating, the summer essential is the midge screens, we forgot them a couple of evenings ago and paid the price; not so sure about the fan that sits motionless at the bottom of the bed…think it’s day’s are numbered.
Boat
Posted: June 19, 2013 Filed under: Bobbing about | Tags: batteries, Grand Union, Wendover Arm Leave a comment
Finally a boiling hot, sizzling day. Didn’t move, just did a bit of boat maintenance, mainly checking the electrolyte levels in the batteries as they don’t seem to be pumping out quite what they once did – can’t expect miracles though, we do hammer them and never hook up to shore line. Painted the ceiling, painted the poles, fixed a small leak on the radiator and discovered a sheered bolt in the engine bay. Wendover wins the award for live fish, the water is packed with them.
Wendover World
Posted: June 18, 2013 Filed under: Geeky facts, Moving on | Tags: Cowroast lock, Grand Union, Heygates Flour Mill, stop lock, summit of Grand Union, water, Wendover Arm 2 Comments
Warm air so heavy it cast a veil over the canal, we moved up into the immaculately maintained Cow
roast lock, marking the summit of the Grand Union. Pulled in for water before making our way through a whole bunch of beautifully kept traditional boats, enjoyed the easy three mile lockless ride. Made a left hand turn at Marsworth top lock, down onto the Wendover Arm, originally a feeder 
to the main line it was widened making it navigable. Problems soon cropped up, masses of water leaked from the banks eventually draining water from the summit rather than topping it up. and so the arm closed in 1897, a hundred years after it opened then nature took it back.
Now partly restored, it’s the ultimate 30 minute canal fix. Beginning with an abundance of
lush greenery and narrowly winding water creating a ‘completely lost at the bottom of the garden feeling’ that’s hard to achieve over the age of ten. Not long before swinging round for a scene change, Heygates Flour Mill, a dazzling burst of red brick work, still fully functioning with tea breaks taken next to pallets of flour and bran. On and along to the old pumping station, through an old stop lock and under Little Tring bridge. Great 48hr moorings before a generous winding hole signals the end of the road. Beautifully maintained, no low bridges, no locks and no compulsory charge. What’s not to like.
Marpessa2 