Thursday, 21 April 2011

Apologies and more birds on the way to Cassiobury

Apologies first to Les with regard to comments on my earlier blog - it really wasn't my intention to imply that you sleep all day - just that you were not up as early as us!! It was lovely to see you and Jack of course before we set off from Marsworth.
16th March - lovely morning here at Cowroast at 08:30 ...
... a fine view from the galley hatch...
 ... and also looking back towards bridge 136.
 We set off for Cowroast lock at about 11am and were lucky enough to meet up with Shirley and Don on Narrowboat Drawing Breath; we shared the locks with them for most of the day.
We moored at Waitrose in Berkamsted for a few supplies and ...
 ... couldn't resist these pictures of a Moorhen opposite...
 ... on her nest with chicks!
 They couldn't have been more that an hour or so old ..
 ... some are already in the water - you can just see on about to 'let go' of that branch!
 Bottoms up! Not sure if he's coming or going!!
 ... and there's another one still in the nest! It was fascinating to watch their antics!
 He was a big one!
 Totem Pole in Berkamsted.
When we were in Gas Street Basin in Birmingham in March we met Nick Owen - BBC Midland News presenter - and when we told him that we were on our way to London he mentioned that he used to live and work a few hundred yards from here when he left school.
 A very smart bridge as we leave Berkamsted.
We continued on our way and moored up for the night above lock 59 at Winkwell, Hemel Hemstead.  We rounded off an enjoyable day with our evening meal at The Three Horseshoes public house.
17th April - a long way to go today - we're going to try to catch up with Sue and Vic on No Problem
 whoops!
 never seen so many swans altogether.
 a very sad lock keepers house at Frogmore End Lock as we leave Hemel Hemstead.
 All that's left of Nash Paper Mills - this will soon be covered with houses and apartments - but anything would be better than it was when we last came this way.



 A motor and butty (narrowboat without an engine designed to be towed) at the top of Red Lion lock.  The water was so high it was flowing over the top gates and George was having real problems opening them, in the end he had to ask two lads who were fishing below to give him a hand!
 The lovely bridge at Kings Langley.
 My first sight of tiny ducklings - through the top lock gates as I descend.
Grove Bridge - we usually enjoy mooring here but it was full of permanent moorers!
We continued on our way covering just 7 miles and 18 locks before meeting up with Sue and Vic just above Iron Lock at Cassiobury - it was great to see them both once again.
If you would like to see more pictures of the area please click on the link below - these pictures were taken during our London trip in 2009.

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