The Thames!!!!!!

Look what time we passed Big Ben - this was AM!!

Beautiful Tower Bridge

The most exciting and looked forward to part of our journey arrived Friday 24th June, the only bit not too welcome was the early start, 5.15am!! Our trip up the tidal river Thames from Limehouse to Teddington. Our friends Jennie and Ian came to stay with us the night before so we could do the trip together. We got up with no problem, Jennie and Ian hadn’t been to sleep, something about Ken’s snoring kept being bandied around. Anyway, we set off through the big lock at 5.15am, it was a bit fresh at this time in the morning as you can imagine. The river is huge and straight away you see the tower bridge, it is the first one you go under. Jennie and I sat at the front snapping away with our cameras, while Ken and Ian did the man thing at the back with the tiller and the radio. Ian did get to speak to London Vessel Traffic Service, which tickled him pink. We got into Teddington lock four hours after we set off. A very smooth, exciting enjoyable four hours with no hiccups or problems.

We saw Jennie and Ian off on the bus at Teddington, then got back on the boat and cruised to Hampton, past Hampton Court Palace. I missed getting any pictures as was making a drink at the time.

We had to make arrangements to go home for a couple of days. So that our boat was safe and we could get good connections we cruised up to Shepperton. This so far was one of the nicest moorings we have had. It was a shame we were actually not going to be there with the boat. Turned out to be the hottest two days of the year as well. On the Sunday we set off early for the train station, which was a two and a half mile walk. Then we waited an hour for the train, which took an hour. Then went for the tube, oh bloody hell, the tube was closed for the day!!!!! We ended up having to get two buses across London, what a nightmare. We missed our connection and had to get a slow train which took forever. Eventually after over 5 hours we landed in Peterborough and got a lift home. We had been invited to a BBQ in the afternoon, so went along there and had a lovely afternoon in the blazing sun with our friends and some of their family who were visiting from Australia.

Monday an even hotter day we traveled to Barnsley to lay our friend to rest. Everything went as well as could be expected but a very, very sad day. We then had to travel back to Shepperton to collect our boat and carry on with our holiday. I am pleased to say the trains, tube and connections all worked fantastically and we even got back to the boat three hours earlier than expected. We were completely worn out, but happy to be back.

Max was very pleased to see us. He had been spoiled rotten by our friends while we were away, thank you John, Mary, Trisha and Pete.

We were chomping at the bit to move off again. We got as far as Staines and the heavens opened and there was a huge thunder storm. We just got inside before the rain fell.

Yesterday we moved on and are now at Windsor, next to Queenie’s house, the castle. Its really nice here, so I think we will stay a couple of days. We saw the changing of the guard this morning, but, I didn’t have my camera and forgot to press record on my phone video, what a plonker I am.

I had been told to seek out the famous fish and chip shop in Windsor, however, there are about a hundred fish and chips shops here. Anyway, we have had chips with loads of salt and vinegar and a wooden fork, only thing missing was the newspaper, they just don’t taste the same nowadays.

I apologise for the lack of pictures, but the signal is so dodgy here that they wouldn't upload. I will put lots of pictures on as soon as I get a signal. Don't know how Queenie puts up with it, she must want fast broadband for her Facebook!!!

London town

Paddington Basin - our home for a few days

And so our journey continues, but, not without the usual ups and downs. The weather has been on and off, when it rains it really does, then the sun comes out and burns us to a frazzle.

One of the rainy days happened to be when Pete broke down in the middle of the canal. Ken ended up head down in the engine bay and eventually got Pete going again. Some more maintenance and repairs were required when we eventually moored up in London.

The morning of the day we were to set off into London didn’t start too well. I woke at 4.00am in the morning and the cat was wowing to go out. Well I was not going to take him for a walk at that time but for some reason the door didn’t look right and I touched it, it flew open and the cat escaped!!!!! Ken and I were running round like headless chickens with the ’Dreamies’ (cat treats) trying to get him to come back. Anyway, Ken decided to get dressed and while he was inside Max came bounding up from about half a mile down the towpath. What a relief, but I am paranoid now about the door. Max is just like a teenager and can’t wait to leave home, but we don’t want him to!!!

Back to bed and up again early to set off. It took seven hours, but thankfully only one lock. We arrived in Paddington Basin, West London at around 4.00pm. We were in the middle of sorting out moorings and a security guard came and set upon Ken and told us ‘NO MOORING’, wrong move. Big argument, misunderstanding, almost fisticuffs, threats of police and British Waterways man!! Anyway, after another couple of hours we were told, ‘yes you can stay’. We knew that because the security guard had given us a letter to say so, but he thought he had given us a letter to say we couldn’t, what a c**k up!

That evening, we all went to Wetherspoons for dinner over in Shepherds Bush.

To get to Paddington Basin from Peterborough Yacht Club takes around 93 hours and there are 130 locks – just thought you might like to know.

We have not TV here but as you would expect excellent dongle reception.

My sister, Caroline, came to visit us Sunday as she was in the area. Due to closures on the tube it took her 3 hours, she wasn’t best pleased, so we fed here and sent her back where she came from. Was really nice to see her. Thank you for visiting sis.

Eying up London

Monday was fine and sunny, so we set off for the London eye and some sight seeing. We did the eye by 12.30. It made me feel a bit dizzy in the big glass pod. Then we walked down the Embankment had chips and ice cream on the way and went to the London Bridge experience, which was hilarious, but you’d have to be there, can’t explain. We walked all the way down to Tower Bridge and walked round the Tower of London. On the way we spied two narrowboats doing the trip down the Thames that we will be doing on Friday, bloody hell, the waves looked a bit big, but we are brave. Called into another Wetherspoons for dinner and caught train back to the boat. I was in bed and fast asleep by 7.30, amazing.

Did the builder lose his plumb bob????

We had quite a quiet day yesterday, doing a few chores and mending Pete’s engine. Went for a drink last night, nothing flash.

Today the idea is to go to Camden market, however, the rain and wind is slightly off putting, so maybe later.

Tomorrow we will travel to Limehouse Basin ready for going on the tidal Thames on Friday.

We are due to go up the Thames on Friday morning at 5.15am. Our friends Jennie and Ian are coming with us for the experience. We are really looking forward to it.

This is what we will be doing on Friday!!!

You don't get waves like that on a canal!!!!!

Back soon to tell you how we get on.

Seems Elvis is alive and well living in a penthouse in the middle of London!!!

Not our best week!!!

Do you like our back garden???

I apologise for the big gap I my blogging but we have had quite a traumatic week. You will understand by the time I finish this blog.

First of all everything started fine and off we cruised down to Leighton Buzzard for a wander round the shops and get a ‘civilization’ fix’. The canal was right in the middle of the town, which is always nice, as carrying shopping can be quite a pain.

Anyway, here things started to go a bit wrong. I sat down to do my last blog and by the time I finished my arm was feeling really painful. Then I started to feel cold and sick. The arm got bigger, hotter and more painful. I spent the next two days virtually asleep while the rest of our mates did all the locks and carried on life as normal. Then I emerged feeling a lot better and suffering cabin fever so couldn’t wait to see people and have a drink. By this time we were moored at Cowroast which has a pub famed for its Thai cuisine. Ken and I sampled this famous grub and boy they were right it was delicious. Just the thing to build my strength back up. I am happy to say I am feeling quite well again. We have no idea what caused the problem, but I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

Thai food and 'Side Pocket for a Toad'!!!

We woke next day to constant rain, so donned our waterproofs and wellies ready for the ensuing 10 locks. It was hard and miserable work. We are three boats traveling which is not ideal, but we have quite a good routine going on. Anyhow, the routine got messed up somehow and Ken and I ended up in a lock on our own trailing behind the others. I was on the boat in the lock and Ken was doing the gates, which I cannot do at the moment because of the arm. All went t**ts up and the boat got caught and started to go down!! I screamed at Ken who closed the bottom paddles and opened the top ones quick enough to re-float the boat, but not before it had tipped nearly 45 degrees to one side. The inside of the boat looked like we had been burgled!! I only lost the lid to one coffee canister, amazing! The experience has left us both very shaken.

The day unfortunately only got worse. We had a message to say Dave Mason, Ken’s best friend had died, no detail or anything. As he had not been ill we were speculating all night what might have happened. All was confirmed the following day with details. Ken went on a bender! I think eight or nine pints later we carried him back to the boat and he thankfully slept till next morning.

The water gypsies!!

The next couple of days had been pretty hard work, lots and lots of locks and long days. At least the sun has been shining, which it is not today. The rain is pouring and we don’t plan to move anywhere.


We are moored now on the outskirts of London at a little place called Croxley (Watford suburb). There is a good pub if we get too bored which we ate at last night, seemed wrong not to when they were doing two meals for £8.95. The food was really good too.

Under the M25!!

M25 from the lock!!

There have been some lovely stretches of canal here, beautiful green tunnels of trees, pretty lock cottages and a lot of houses as we are now getting nearer to highly populated areas.


We have had some laughs. Ken left a paddle up which meant the lock would not empty, duh!!!!! John caught his centre rope in his prop, which stopped his engine dead and he had to sort that out, duh!!! And bless her Trish thought she had a launderette all lined up, got all her washing ready, and guess what, went past the bloomin thing!! You can’t turn round in a canal!!!

Is it a ???????

Narrowboat Wannabe??

Love the fender!!

We set off on Monday for a long day cruising. It was only a 7 lock day so not too demanding!! The canal here is not very interesting, although there are a lot of ducklings and cygnets. Mind you we seem to have enough entertainment traveling with us. Pete broke down with his water getting too hot. The men all got stuck in and he was sorted in no time.

To be efficient at a service stop we all got our toilet cassettes ready to empty at the facilities. Unfortunately John forgot his cassette was out and pee’d in his loo, no cassette, what a mess!!! I have heard an even funnier story regarding loo cassettes not being in situ at the required moment – but think I would get skinned alive if I re-told it.

We moored at Cosgrove, outside a pub, where else and decided to eat in. But, this was a very expensive pub, so didn’t go the whole hog.

Is it a boat or is it a plane???

Max had a lovely towpath with a nice hedge next to it to play on. There are a lot less people and boats here so we could let him play without too much worry. Well, soon after going out he popped back onto the boat, with a shrew between his teeth!! He promptly dropped it and the shrew ran round and round the boat with both Max and me chasing after it. I couldn’t do anything for laughing it must have been a hilarious sight. The shrew, which was really tiny, about the same size as a large bumble bee, disappeared behind the bookcase. It was safe, but Max was fuming and watched and waited. By this time we had moved off, so basically the shrew was going to be relocated. It eventually came out, Max chased it, Ken caught it and put it outside at Wolverton.

We moored up later at Campbell Park. We thought this an ideal place for a cat, but unfortunately we had to rescue him twice. Once he climbed a tree and couldn’t get down so Ken had to climb up after him. Then Max got attacked by a greyhound, which has been traumatic for all of us. Max is ok, but he bit me and it bloody hurt!!!!

Ken to the rescue!!

We spent last night just outside Leighton Buzzard at ‘The Globe’. Fantastic curry night, very cheap and very good curry. (I am not a lover of pub curry usually, but this was excellent). Today we went into Leighton Buzzard shopping and are staying here for the night. Not a lot going on here considering we are in the middle of a town.

Lovely pub grub here 'The Globe'

Lots of things cross your mind while moseying down the rivers and canals. When we left Peterborough the river was crystal clear, you could see all the fish and weeds right to the bottom. When I look at the water of the canals it looks just like soup!! Mind you I saw someone catch a really big fish in the ‘soup’ this morning, so it obviously doesn’t affect the wildlife.

The other thing I have noticed is just how damn loud the countryside is, what with the birds twittering, cows mooing and how even when you think you are in the middle of nowhere, you can hear TYRE NOISE!!!! Amazing.

Stoke Bruerne - Canal Village

Stoke Bruerne - Famous Canal Village

Mad Max and the Moo Cows

Cogenhoe just happened to be Max’s heaven, even when he did come face to face with COWS!! Thought he might try and scare them by fluffing up his tail, but they just looked at him a bit gone out, ah well cows are stupid anyway!!

Silly Cows!!

We all hit the Crow’s Nest club and had a really nice evening. The highlight being feeding the fish mini cheddars, which was a bit bizarre.

Thursday was boiling hot. We set off late morning for a leisurely cruise to Northampton for a nice rest and a bit of shopping. I fancied chips and mushy peas, but where the hell is a chip shop when you need one, certainly not in Northampton. Ended up with a McDonald’s, followed by a beer in ‘King Billy’s’. Ken sampled Betty Stogs (real ale!!) whilst listening to the loudest rock group we have ever heard in our lives. Still suffering with a bit of deafness!!

Friday morning was something else. Started off up the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal at 06.58, are we mad one must think. No, just wanted to get a place at Stoke Bruerne before all the mooring spots were taken. It was a red hot day for 17 locks, was so pleased when we hit lock one at the top of the flight. Blisworth Tunnel was blissfully cool for half an hour. We moored with no problem at Stoke Bruerne and hit the pub that evening to sample the live Jazz and real ale – Ken was on ‘Boondoggle’ (I think that’s a fab name).

Was I glad to see this lock!!

As you can see there are 17 locks in the Rothersthorpe flight

Our lazy routine

We are staying here until Tuesday, so have settled into a very lazy, boozy, foody routine. Max is having a fantastic time romping around the towpath catching mice and being fussed by every passerby. In actual fact the towpath is quite a petting zoo. There are numerous dogs, Max and a couple of boats down there is a 67 year old tortoise, who has upstaged Max completely!!!!

Oh Dear - Max upstaged by a tortoise!!

Our plan is to move off on Tuesday and go down to Milton Keynes for some shopping and a taste of civilization.

We've set off for the big smoke!!!

At last we have set off for the big smoke ‘London’. This nearly didn’t happen as a last minute disaster occurred. We discovered our prop was loose!!! A huge thank you to Dave, Vernon and Wayne for all their help getting our boat out of the water and the prop fixed in time to leave as planned.

This year we have a new crew member ‘Max’ our cat. Max loves swimming (well I say this loosely) he keeps falling in so he has no choice. We will be joined next week by three other boats to travel together. But first of all there is the ANRC rally to go and enjoy at Titchmarsh.

New crew member 'Max' - the swimming cat!!

Tuesday 24th May we set off for Wansford lock and our traditional stop off at The Angel Inn at Yarwell. Lovely evening as always spent with old mates catching up on all their news.

A leisurely cruise on Wednesday and we moored up at Ashton with the intention of going for a drink at the Chequered Skipper. Some old friends turned up on their boat ‘Housemartin’ and we never actually got to the pub. We sat out all evening with a drink watching Max and their dog ‘Misha’ getting used to each other. Misha decided the cat looked quite tastey sitting on top of our boat and went to grab him – ooops, a very wet Misha, she fell between the boat and the bank. So much for the shampoo she had the previously evening!!! In the cat’s panic he knocked my specs into the river and Ken had to retrieve them, so he was a bit wet too, ha ha.

Thursday we were up bright and early to clear the willow catkins and snow off the boat, what a mess the countryside can be. Set off for Oundle and some shopping. It was market day, so after stocking up at the butchers we hit the strawberry stall. Back to the boat and we set off for Titchmarsh.

The London Exhibitionists - (Sorry - Expeditionists!!)

ANRC rally at Titchmarsh – this was the usual meeting of old friends, getting a bit worse for wear in the bar and having a laugh on stage. Items of note – Max fell in the water shortly after arriving!! That kept him out of mischief all afternoon.

Tuesday 31st May – we set off again. Four boats, Caipercaillie (Pete and Trish), Sarob (John and Mary), Elvira Madigan II (Frank and Lynn) and ourselves on Amarantine. We decided to make a day of it and go on to Wellingborough to do some shopping, as supplies were getting a bit low (would hate to run out of wine/beer etc). This was a 10 lock day and we were all a bit cream crackered to settled in for an early night.

Man standing on top of tower thingy

Taken from a different angle, its not a man at all!!!

Today has been an easier day, although 7 locks is still a good one. We are moored at Cogenhoe, in the sun. Max is running around the field thinking he is in heaven. We are all once again weary from fresh air. Maybe we will be up for a drinky later.

My intention is to blog about once or twice a week, so keep watching this space.

Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that Trish's clothes horse fell over today and her knickers floated off down the river!!!!!