Bulls Bridge to Uxbridge

Sun 12th May

Yesterday evening we had a sudden rainstorm, and there was more rain in the night. This morning it was all clear and sunny.

Rain at Bulls Bridge

Early morning

Hazel rushed off to buy a cover for her new phone at the Western International Market when it opened at 8am, before we caught a 195 bus to Brentford. From there we took a 267 bus to Twickenham Green.

We enjoyed a coffee in a café on the Green before going to the Baptist Church. We had a warm welcome but were surprised that the church was not full. The worship was led by two guitarists and a lady singer, plus a guy on percussion. Alan Bott, who used to be in our Pioneer church in Leatherhead, was the pastor, and led the service with enthusiasm.

Twickenham Green Baptist Church

Alan Bott and the worship band

Trevor Dearing was the speaker, and needed to be helped up to the microphone, as he is 86. He gave a simple message about religion and reality, using the story from Luke 18 about the pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple. There was a time of ministry at the end when many people were prayed with, and some had real encounters with God.

Trevor Dearing preaching

Ministry time

Sadly, Alan’s wife Jane was not there as she is unwell. We were sorry to miss seeing her, but it was good to catch up briefly with Alan.

We took the bus back, passing the Cabbage Patch pub where we knew Sue Graves would be that evening at Twickenham Folk Club, but with an hour and a half bus journey to make, we felt we couldn’t stay. When we changed buses at Brentford, we just had time to pop into Morrisons to pick up some wholemeal muffins and some milk.

Back at the boat, we set off straight away, and cruised to the Slough Arm, where we found some peaceful moorings just before the footbridge they call Bridge 1. There is another footbridge earlier, which is Bridge 0.

Leaving Bulls Bridge

Into the Slough Arm

It was a lovely evening, and we went for a walk over the bridge and round Little Britain Lake, which was delightful. There were three sorts of goose there, as well as a tree full of cormorants. We were hoping to hear a cuckoo, as we have done here in previous years, but it was not to be this time.

Moored on the Slough Arm

Little Britain Lake

Lakeside path

Egyptian Goose

Canada Goose

Greylag Goose

Cormorants

0 locks, 4 miles. Dep 1455, arr 1610.

Mon 13^th May

After a very quiet night, perhaps because the wind was from the East so we couldn’t hear the M25, we set off further down the Slough Arm to turn near Iver.

Early morning on the Slough Arm

The canal crosses over three aqueducts within 1 mile. The first is Fray’s River, the second is the River Colne, and the third is the Colne Brook. These are followed by the M25 bridge over the canal. We continued for a further mile to the winding hole at Bridge 4 where we could turn.

Colne Brook Aqueduct

M25 Bridge

Iver winding hole

One the way back we spotted two terrapins sunning themselves on some reeds. When we came to the bridge that crosses to the new marina, Bridge 0, we saw the sign that says we have to give way. Since when does traffic on the canal have to give way to traffic emerging from a marina? Bah! Humbug! Thankfully nothing else was moving, so no problem arose.

Bridge 0

Give way

Emerging from the Slough Arm onto the mainline, we turned right as we wanted to visit the nearby Aldi to stock up our wine cellar. When we set off again, we reversed to the Slough Arm again to turn the boat, as the canal was not quite wide enough. As we were doing so, our bow thruster suddenly ceased to function. We can manage without it, but it is very useful at times.

We spotted at least twenty red kites circling round, so either someone is feeding them, or they are breeding nearby. We stopped to use the facilities at Packet Boat Marina, and discovered that the water taps had been closed off. The pumpout was also out of commission. Thankfully we could still empty a cassette and dispose of rubbish.

We moved on up through Cowley Lock, where there were two CRT volunteers. One was Roger, who is training to be a Waterways Chaplain. We used the water point above the lock, and while we were waiting, we had a pleasant drink at the Malt Shovel. On the towpath we met a guy who goes to Waterloo Road Church, where we have been occasionally on a Sunday. We Christians seem to get everywhere!

Water point at Cowley

We moved on towards Uxbridge, where we need to be for an appointment at Denham Marina tomorrow. We spotted a swallow! We have been looking out for them, but we have only seen one other one, and that was at Rickmansworth on the way south a month ago.   Thankfully we found a mooring not far from where we need to be in the morning.

Moored in Uxbridge

1 lock, 6 miles, Dep 0930, arr 1500

Tue 14^th May

We didn’t have far to go this morning. We cruised gently up the canal and into Denham Marina, where we tied up on the fuel pontoon. Jason, our engineer, unfortunately was delayed as his son was not well. Meanwhile we filled up with diesel, before moving round to moor alongside another boat to await Jason’s arrival.

Denham Fuel pontoon

In Denham Marina

We received our post, which Denham Marina had kindly taken in for us. It was our European Parliament voting papers, which we completed. It was silly that form A did not fit into envelope B without folding.

Hazel went off to find a Vodafone shop to get her new phone configured properly. James waited for Jason, who arrived about midday. He managed to change the glass in our Squirrel Stove and re-sealed the join where the chimney comes through the roof. We can now see into our stove!

New stove glass

When he had finished his work, James tried to phone Hazel, but was told her phone was switched off. He set off to find her, but Uxbridge is a big place. He found the person in Vodafone who had helped her, and was told that the phone had a new sim, but it could take several hours to be activated. Hazel got back to the boat about ten minutes before James. The phone started working about an hour later.

We set off again, heading south, as we needed to ensure we had an elsan point within range so that we could arrive at Rickmansworth with empty loos. We went through Cowley Lock where there were three volunteers helping. Below the lock we turned the boat before mooring up on a visitor mooring.

Hillingdon Canal Club

Volunteers at Cowley Lock

Moored at Cowley

We made a song list for Saturday and had a run through, timing each song. We will need to cut some out as we only have 30 minutes.

1 lock, 2 miles. Dep 1430, arr 1515

Next: A day of rest, with a song practice. Then two days to get to Rickmansworth for the festival. We are performing on the Batchworth Lock stage at 1140 on Saturday.