Learning stuff off YouTube

Sat outside the Greyhound last night studying this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ziNRSQFHNJI
This morning we'll see if I learnt anything

Mixed grill in the Greyhound

Day 25, Hillmorton to Hawkesbury Junction 5 1/4 hours.

Most of it in me, actually.

Stop 'n' shop

Day 24, Marston Doles to Hillmorton, 7 1/2 hours boating and a four hour sojourn in Braunston.

We were away early this morning as planned, and it was lovely. First down Napton (just) and we didn't get stuck at all, so that's good news. And it only took two hours. We stopped at Braunston for essential supplies of vegetables and chimney strings and treated Jim (as recompense for the six am start) to an all day breakfast at the Gongoozlers Rest, which was a very long time coming. We left Braunston at three and tied up here below Hillmorton at six. Jim steered nearly all day (except down Napton) and thoroughly enjoyed it, whilst I enjoyed sitting in the sun.

We'm stoppin'

Day 23, Elkington lock to Marston Doles

Under six hours and just five locks - the Princess Lucy crew could have joined us today. Renfrew were off at 6.20 and we followed a couple of hours later. We got up Claydon very smoothly, and wound our way around the summit. We got word from Pete that they'd arrived at Marston Doles at 11.30 and waited two hours to go down. By the time we arrived, the queue to go down was fourteen boats long so we made an instant decision to stay put, and go down in the morning. I have even got Jim to agree to an early start. Not forgetting of course that we are not entirely certain that we're not going to get stuck in one of them. This means no stopping for steak at the Nelson but holding out for a mixed grill at the Greyhound on Wednesday. Today was another lovely sunny day. As the weather in June and July was so disappointing, I joked that we were saving it up for our holiday and this has turned out to be true; the weather has been fantastic very nearly throughout the three plus weeks we have been out and is promised to continue until we get back to Alvecote. Would it be too much to ask that it be nice for the bank holiday weekend too when we'll be there for their historic boat gathering.

Farewell to our travelling companions

Day 22, Lower Heyford to Elkington lock, 11 1/2 hours

Pete's photo of a bereft Chertsey... You can just see Renfrew's wake in the foreground

 Another eleven and a half hour day, and this time none of it was spent sitting on the bottom. Seventeen locks and a final day in the company of Renfrew. Tomorrow they will be home in Braunston. We'll also be aiming for there but might take it a bit easier. Apparently it transpires that eleven hours hard boating isn't Jim's idea of fun. Whereas for me there's nothing I'd rather be doing. Ah well. Today went really well. There was more water (mostly) but still mile upon mile of moored boats, especially at Cropredy of course where the festival has just finished. I hear that the Herbies waved to Jim as he steered past the marina while I was running down the towpath. Massive thanks to Pete and Irene for their company and to Pete especially for his patience and all the stuff I've learnt (and the things I've been reminded of that I really ought to have known). And for the snatches, and the pub at Iffley

The Living Room's Full of Coal, Mother; or A Trying Day on the South Oxford

Day 21 (Saturday), Iffley to Lower Heyford, 11 1/2 hours.

Including two hours in one pound, which was about fifteen inches down thanks to a log in the paddle at Pigeons lock. We crawled along the bottom until we could crawl no more, then moved a load of coal ballast forwards. Meanwhile some nice people walked two miles to let some water down. After that it was pretty plain sailing but the morning hadn't gone too well and over all this was the most trying day of the trip (so far). The South Oxford has less water than the Basingstoke and more moored boats than the lower GU. Still, we met up with Bones at Heyford and she restored our spirits just as she did on the day of the Great Osney Bridge Disaster of 2008

Stunning day

Day 20, Goring to Iffley

A stunning day, sunshine and cloudless sky. Now in the Isis Farmhouse (properly known as the pub at Iffley lock) What a pub. Local beer straight from the barrel, excellent food from a limited menu, and later the prospect of folk music. And we have raised a glass to the memory of David Blagrove, having earlier today heard the news of his death on the waterways grapevine.

More sun, more river, more locks, more stars.

Day 19, Lashbrook to Goring

Another rivery day, unmarred by anything but the lightest breezes, and a lovely mooring tonight above Goring lock with a field where the dog could have a good run round and we could look at the stars again.

Culture and cake in Cookham

Day 18, Boveney to Lashbrook, above Marsh lock. About 8 hours in total. But we stopped at Cookham to visit the Stanley Spencer gallery, which was well worth a look. Irene then bought us cake!We weren't on great form this morning but things picked up after lunch (cake!) and we're now on another lovely mooring from where we can look at extremely rich people's houses.

Riparian revels

Day 17, Weybridge Town lock to above Boveney lock, 9 hours

An absolutely marvellous day on the Thames. Perfect weather. The platform in the fore end has worked excellently enabling us to easily get out at the front of the boat. Tied up in a lovely spot in time for tea and later lay on the deck watching the stars come out, and seeing an occasional bat. Oh - and most importantly - went through Chertsey lock!

Slightly less good day

Day 16, Woking to Weybridge Town lock
5 3/4 hours

This was actually the worst day of the trip so far, with multiple getting stuck on the bottoms, messing up lock entrances etc - but would have been a normal day five years ago so I guess that's progress. We started well with Sebastian and Izzi helping us down the locks, but it was after they left us the trouble started. Renfrew got masses of stuff on their prop, and had to pull Lindsay (sp?) off a rock. We're still paired up with them and planning to remain so on the Thames. Thirty one Thames locks to go through to take us to Oxford! Jim and I are going to switch steerers at each one to stop it getting too monotonous/exhausting. Second lock of the day once we're on the Thames will be Chertsey and a not to be missed photo opportunity.

Sixth!

Day 15, Woking

Another brilliant sunny festival day filled with beer and sunshine, and prosecco and cake and not doing very much all day except thinking of a name for our quiz team. Being comprised of the crews of Chertsey, Renfrew and Purton, we settled on GUCCI GUCCI GU which we thought was obviously pronounced to rhyme with cootchy cootchy coo, but this had to be explained to the organisers. Anyway, we came sixth out of an exceptionally strong field of nine teams, which I was well pleased with.

Day 14, Woking (Saturday August 6th)
A long and fun packed day, beginning with watching Pete loading eight tons of massive oak planks into Renfrew and ended with Sebastian and Izzi stripping the willow, taking in the purchase of a new cabin shaft along the way. A lovely hot sunny day.

Here at last

Day 13, Coxes lock to festival site, Woking, via winding hole. About 6 1/2 hours.

Yes, we have arrived. I fear further details, including the story of the winding hole where you're not allowed to touch the bank, may have to wait for later, as we have discovered the beer tent and enjoyed a very interesting talk on the history and dubious legal status of the Basingstoke canal, and I'm very tired and it's time for bed.

It moves!

Day 12, Weybridge to above Coxes lock, 1 1/4 hour

Thought to double check the time we're booked up the Woodham locks tomorrow and it's 1000, not 1100 as I'd thought, so it seemed prudent to make a start tonight as Jim doesn't really do early mornings. The Wey locks are quite demanding to operate as firstly the gates are left open on leaving and both these were against us. They're wide locks but you have to use both gates even for a single boat to avoid damaging the wooden gates; likewise you have to use ropes to keep the boat away from them, and you can only cross at one end. So I'm glad we've got two if the three required under our belt before the morning.

Crown Jewels

In the Old Crown, Weybridge. Pint of Directors, £4.35.

Resting in Weybridge

Day 10, Weybridge

Today was a day for a well earned rest. Renfrew left our side at seven to go up the locks at 9.30. Meanwhile we have stayed tied up above Thames lock. The BBC forecast was for a dull but dry day but it actually rained fairly persistently through the morning. We set off for a long walk to the festival site but aborted because of the rain and went into Weybridge instead. A great place if you want to buy a flashy fitted kitchen.

This is where we did some of our earliest boating, on Helyn, and where we worked our very first locks for ourselves.

What a day

Day 9, Hanwell bottom to Thames lock, Weybridge

This morning (or yesterday morning s it now is) seems so very long ago. Renfrew were on a schedule to get to Weybridge by 5.30 - six at the latest as that's the last passage through the lock onto the Wey, and they're due up onto the Basingstoke tomorrow (today, Tuesday) whereas we're not booked until Friday.

We set off at eight and were at Brentford by 9.30. Found a spot on the visitor moorings and used the services before going through the gauging lock and down to the Thames lock for 12.30. Then it was five hours hard river boating to deliver us to Thames lock on the Wey at 5.30 on the dot. We stopped at Teddington for a transit licence which worked out at two pounds an hour. At Weybridge, our Wey transit licence (included as part of the rally fee) would only cover us for a day so as we are here til Friday I bought a three day one. Whether we will explore much remains to be seen. Right now I just want a rest!

Once we'd safely tied up it started to rain heavily - what excellent timing - so the Renfrews came over to take advantage of Chertsey's being fully clothed up, and we played 78s on the wind up gramophone (and, admittedly, on Pete's iPad) and drank beer until midnight. An excellent end to a brilliant four days boating together.

Tomorrow the Thames

Day 8, Rickmansworth to Hanwell bottom, 8 1/2 hours

A later start today, as the crew of Renfrew had a breakfast date so we didn't set off until 10.45. I had forgotten - or failed to appreciate - how much I like the lower GU. Far from being the grubby linear mooring I had feared, it's a good wide deep canal with interesting boats, very few holidaymakers, and very largely friendly natives. I'd say it's a strong candidate for my favourite waterway. And you can't beat doing it in a pair of GU boats. Together we have made excellent time and tomorrow... Brentford and the Thames! We're booked out at 12.30... Just about when it's due to start raining. If you look back at the Warrior blog for August 2008 you will see we have some experience of the Thames in the rain.

We have also almost decided to come back via the South Oxford and risk Napton. One of the locks there is narrow and we don't know whether Chertsey goes through.

Missing mill

Day 7, lock 56 to lock 81, Rickmansworth, 10 1/2 hours

Another great day boating with Renfrew. Passed the final point of Chertsey's working life, and there's not a thing there to show for it, just an estate of new houses. I'll come back to these brief posts and elaborate once I get home.