Rickmansworth to Little Venice

Sun 9th April   Rickmansworth to Black Jack’s Lock

Morning in Rickmansworth

We walked through the Aquadrome on a path between two lakes, and crossed the River Colne on a footbridge, in order to visit the first church of our cruise, Mill End Baptist.  The worship team led us in a song we have sung several times recently in Aylesbury – “What a beautiful name”. The talk was about Palm Sunday, with a focus on the laying down of cloaks before Jesus.

Mill End Baptist Church

We thought we would grab a quick bite to eat in the cafe in the park on the way back to the boat. However, there was a very slow moving long queue to get to the counter, and we were told that, once we got there, there would be a 40 minute wait for the food.  We decided to abandon the idea, and eat on the boat.

Five minutes later, back on the boat, we were preparing salad.  “Where’s my fork?” said Hazel. “I haven’t seen it”, said James. “I am sure I put it here on the table”, she said. After a few more searching minutes: “Oh, here it is!”  (Buried under the salad on her plate!).

We moved on through Stockers Lock, past the lovely old farm buildings which have been used for filming in the past, including the Black Beauty TV series of years ago.

Stockers Lock

Farm buildings

We continued on through Copper Mill, where we shared with another boat – the first time this year. This followed by a short river section, where the water is beautifully clear.  Then we moved down to just above Black Jack’s Lock, where we moored up for the night.

Warm evening at Black Jacks Lock

We walked up a lane opposite to a restaurant called The Old Orchard, which is on the crest of a hill overlooking the Colne Valley, and there are amazing views. We enjoyed a very pleasant meal, but it was very crowded. That’s what lovely sunshine on a Sunday does.

The view from the Old Orchard

Sunset

3 locks, 2 miles

Mon 10th April   Black Jack’s Lock to Willowtree Marina

We started early as we had a fair way to go today. Black Jacks and Widewater Locks we had to ourselves. We noticed that the very loud peacocks were no longer in the garden by Black Jacks. There was some lovely blossom just coming out on a tree nearby.

Pink blossom

Just south of Harefield Marina we spotted the sign where HS2 is planned to cross. This will be on a high viaduct spanning the valley, which will be seen and heard for a long way around. Who wants this expensive and destructive project?

 HS2 crossing point

We also saw our first baby birds – ducks in this case. They seemed to be several days old. We still haven’t seen any swallows yet this year.

 Baby ducks

As we passed the moorings above Denham Deep lock, some people on a boat called Rosella II asked if we could wait to share the lock with them. Good idea!  The lock needed to be filled, and as the name suggests, it is deep and takes a while. By the time it was ready, so were Colin and Deborah.  We shared the following lock as well, Uxbridge Lock.

Sharing Uxbridge Lock with Rosella II

When we arrived at Cowley Lock, there was another boat there already, skippered by a single guy who hardly spoke, so we shared with him, and said farewell to Rosella II. We will probably see them again, as they are going up the Lee, and then onto the Thames.

Hot sun makes shadows

We paused at the Packet Boat Marina to fill up the water tank, empty cassettes and rubbish. Our next stop was at Tesco at Yiewsley, just after the Slough Arm junction. We only needed a few things, so James stayed with the boat while Hazel spent the money.

We continued to Bulls Bridge, where we turned into the Paddington Arm. We saw Dave on Chavori moored up. We have met him in Oxford and Reading in previous years.

Bulls Bridge

 Chavori

We carried on for two miles and turned into Willow Tree Marina, where we had booked for two nights. Initially we moored in front of the restaurant, but later they found us a place on a pontoon, with electric power. We were next to Charis, a BCF boat, but no-one was on board.

Enterprise car hire came to pick us up at 4pm, and we drove to their depot in Southall.  We were allocated a small Hyundai which suited us fine.  We returned to the marina via Southall High Street, where we spotted some restaurants. We returned to one later for a curry – very good food.

5 locks, 12 miles

Tue 11th April   Willowtree Marina

We drove to Old Woking for the funeral of Di Wallace, someone James was at school with from the age of five. She was very much a part of the “Cobham Crowd”, married to Pete for 45 years.  There were over 300 people from many different circles of friends – skiing, squash, sailing, as well as work colleagues and relatives.  The weather was very kind, and we all moved on to the Olive Tree in Sutton Green, where we parked in a field.  We were treated to a very good buffet. It was good to catch up with many friends, and it was a positive day, despite the sad occasion.

We gave a lift to Woking station to friends Andy and Vicki, who had arrived by train earlier.

We returned the car to Enterprise in Southall, and they drove us back to the Marina.  We sat in the bows and had an aperitif before eating in the restaurant.  We saw that the Wilderness boats had arrived.  This was the end of their cruise, which had started in Stoke Bruerne.

Wine, Wilderness and Willow Tree

No boating today

Wed 12th April   Willowtree Marina to Little Venice

This morning we spoke to BCF member Clive Snashall, who had arrived to de-winterise Charis, as they are planning a cruise next week.

Moored next to Charis

We disconnected the electric, and disposed of the rubbish, before we set off from the marina.

 Leaving Willow Tree Marina

  

One step up from living on the street

Nearing Horsenden Hill, we came up behind Dave on Chavori, who was rafted up with another boat, Samantha Jane, and they were travelling very slowly.  He beckoned us past as we were passing moored boats, one of whom was Mike on Shiraz, whom we know. He came to the bows and we said we would see him at Cavalcade. He usually does the commentary for the parades.  We carried on to Kensal Green, where we visited Sainsbury’s for lunch and groceries.  When we returned to the boat, Chavori was just pulling in to moorings in front of us.

Kensal Green gasometers

Chavori

There are boats of all sorts around London. We saw lifeboats, sailing boats, Dutch barges and more.

A boat with character

Swan taking off

We filled up with water just before Little Venice, and then found our way to Rembrandt Gardens, where we had booked a mooring for six nights.

Into Little Venice

  

Moored in Little Venice

Then someone hailed us from across the water. It was Simon, from Daedalus.  He and Pat are moored further up, in Paddington Basin. We will catch up with them later.

0 locks, 11 miles

Next: a few days in London, doing touristy things.