Heading for the Summit and Beyond

In the words of Canal and River Trust a drained pound due  to "paddle left open" or  "vandalism" - no the lock leaks like a sieve. A Wigan Flight moment!!!

Fortunately we were locking up in the opposite direction , although it did mean the pounds above were lower than normal as CarT were running water down the flight.

Travelling in unison!!!

Just love this Fen dog!

And the rain came!!!

and we passed the strangest boat ever!

Rain!

Captain Trev on poo patrol at Crowroast Lock, I had already done the rubbish patrol.

How times have changed!!!

Moored at the start of the summit just beyond Cowroast Marina and the sun is shining after yesterday's downpour.

Tring Summit- 3 miles of uninterrupted cruising - bliss for the captains!!

Inventive mooring while we take on water.

Bulbourne workshops where lock gate manufacture took place until 2004 when British Waterways abandoned the site. 

It is now occupied by a ornamental ironwork firm.

The Wendover Arm at Bulbourne Junction 

There is a dry dock alongside the lock

38 down 55 to go!!!

Lovely waterside property....

Just the job for a water fix!!!

The Aylesbury Arm at Marsworth Junction

complete with today's way of living.

The swan family checking out their new neighbours.

It's ok we are only here for the night!!!

8 miles and 17 lock the past 2 days.

Onward to Berkhamstead

We have been blessed with glorious weather these past few days and while we have only travelled 7 miles or so we have worked our way through 18 locks!!!

Here we are approaching Apsley and the Grand Union is now loosing its London overflow residential boaters feel.

A spot of good timing here.

O.K. we will take the left bridge hole!!!

The very up market Apsley Marina

How the canalscape has altered from the era when John Dickinson's Apsley Paper Mills employed upwards of five thousand folk in buildings which pressed in upon the canal for half a mile.

Here we had a bit of a swan issue, Mrs swan had to be coaxed out of the lock before we could empty the locks.

Mr and Mrs swan are so determined to get down the lock. It transpired that they had got separated from their brood  so once we had exited we emptied the lock and opened the gate so they could be reunited.

Our resting place Monday night, opposite the Three Horseshoes pub......well after 11 locks we had earned a drink.....or two!!!

Reflections

Waiting for the crew to do the business.

Canal bank garden art.

Approaching Berkhamstead

Ooooh I am liking this place already.

The south side of the canal between Ravens Lane and Castle Street, known as Castle Wharf, was the centre of the town's canal trade,navigation and boat building activities.

The Grand Junction Canal from the Thames at Brentford to Berkhamsted was completed in 1798 and continued all the way to Birmingham in 1805.

Berkhamsted then linked the estuaries, ports and industrial centres of the country.

A genuine Canadian totem pole, given as a gift to John Alsford when he owned the timber yard that was originally on the site where it stands.

The carving is a fertility symbol and legend has it that women wishing to conceive should visit and make three wishes for the child they dream of!

Its getting closer now.

Locks,Locks,Locks

Lovely sunny morning here at Iron Bridge Lock

On the edge of Cassiobury Park it is a popular haunt for walkers,cyclists and picnics not to mention gongoozelers!!!

Cassiobury Park Locks, a set of two, and we encounter congestion. We had to wait for the boat coming down before we could turn the lock.

Yes this notice has been in place since Feb 2016.

 Yes this made the pound above very low of water.

A Wigan Flight moment!!!

The South is no better maintained than elsewhere.

A one out two in moment!

The former water mill at Grove is under renovation.

Countryfile Calender 2018????

We do like a nice bridge

These former oil rig lifeboats are very popular down here.  This one having been across the channel to Calais.

Our next obstacle - a moored boat on the loose.

Captain Trev nudges it into the side

with Mr Lifeboat man pulling it in from the centre rope.

He kindly moored it up securely.

Captain Trev busy brushing the roof while the lock is filling.

Sokai's latest crew member.

Lovely lockside cottage.

Leaking....just a tad!!!!

Still waiting for a Stobart moment!!!

O.K. your bridge!!!

Lurking beyond is the last lock of the day.

The crew is hot and hungry.

5 miles and 9 locks.