Grove Lock to Stoke Hammond (cruise retrospective)

We slept late. Yesterday had been unusually enervating for some reason. But no matter. We're in no hurry. Except for the slight pressure to leave before Jules leaves.

Late yesterday afternoon, two Jules Fuels boats came down Grove Lock and moored outside the pub (see photo above). They travel together, tied together for the main part, and we didn't want them to get ahead of us and slow our progress. So we were glad to set off towards Linslade and Leighton Buzzard.

The weather was cold, bitterly so at times, with a persistent gusty winds and some nasty, albeit briefish downpours of icy rain. I ended up wearing the same layers of clothing as I'd worn when travelling from Debdale to Yelvertoft in the snow of March 2013. Crazy weather!

Shortly after leaving Grove Lock, we moored at Leighton Buzzard Tesco to do a bit of shopping. Later, as we prepared to cast off, the Jules boats arrived, and moored behind us. What a good job we hadn't dillied at Grove Lock. Or dallied, for that matter!

It was raining, windy and chilly, and we were only one hour away from what we'd normally call lunchtime. There's a two-hour limit to the Tesco moorings, so we moved on just a quarter of a mile or so, past the Wyverne Boats yard, and moored again. We decided that it'd be best for us to eat early and spend the rest of the afternoon in uninterrupted travel. Fingers crossed that Jules would be shopping for long enough for us to have lunch!

We arrived at Leighton Lock less than an hour later, to see NB Suchar Daval pulling away from the bottom gates. She hadn't passed us recently, so she must have only just moved from their overnight mooring, probably having already driven their car on the next leapfrog, and cycled back. We waved as we passed them tying up again, below the lock, perhaps for watering.

photo - chalicecruises.blogspot.co.uk

We passed NB Naughty Lass round about here, too, but Robbie was not to be seen. 

Soulbury Three Locks next, where we found no less than four vollies, who saw us down the flight. I stood at the middle lock, and watched with interest as the bottom paddles were raised, and water flooded into the middle pound.

I came down this flight two years ago, with Jess, and we watched frozen with horror as the water rose in the pound until it overflowed the walls and and ran across towards the doors of The Three Locks pub. It was only the combination of Jess dropping the paddles while I fled down to open the top paddles of the bottom lock that averted disaster.

Today, I watched the start of the same flood. But today, there were vollies waiting at the bottom lock, and when the water started to overflow the gates, they calmly opened the paddles, and there was not even the threat of a flood. I suggested to the nearest vollie that it might be a good idea for CRT to put notices up to warn boaters of the danger, and instruct them in how to avoid it. How on earth would a canal newbie, a hirer from nearby Wyverne, perhaps, know?

photo - geograph.org.uk

We pressed on to Stoke Hammond Lock, where we'd now decided we would moor and escape the cold wind and rain. We met NB Achenar moored just above the lock. They've been out cruising for some weeks now, but like to travel slowly, often staying at one mooring for several days. We hooted as we drifted past them, and Phil came out to chat while we waited for a pair of boats to come up the locks. Determined to do just one more lock, we descended, and moored for the night a few hundred yards further down.

It was cold. Silly-wooly-hat cold.

photo - www.sierratradingpost.com

Tring Reservoir to Grove Lock (cruise retrospective)

I forgot to tell you yesterday about the strange sign we saw on the towing-path. From CRT, addressed to anglers. I missed taking a photo, but it looked very much like this.

Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that there's another couple of arrows, one either side of this, some tens of metres away. But there were none, I swear, and Grace will vouch for it. So I can imagine that anglers really aren't too bothered about the restriction being imposed by this!

Cruising today was purely functional. If we weren't quite so keen to get back to the marina and get our inverter replaced, then we would have stayed where we were this morning. The day has been really cold, with quite a strong wind, and if there were not the urgency, the reservoir would have been an excellent place to be.

Before we left this morning, we got chatting with the couple on board NB Suchar Daval, moored nearby.

It's not unusual for boaters to have their car with them as they cruise. And bikes, too. And what they do, and what this couple were doing, is to leapfrog the boat and the car. Today, the two of them drove their car from the reservoir car park to Leighton Buzzard, and parked it there. Then they got their bikes out of the boot and cycled back up the towing-path to their boat. Tomorrow, they'll take the boat to Leighton Buzzard, and drive the car on another step. They passed us on their way back when we were at Seabrook Lock. They'd driven to Leighton Buzzard and cycled back that far - about six miles - in the time it took us to navigate five locks and two miles.

It was a dull day, and the countryside through which we passed just didn't have the zing that a late April ought to give it, so we were glad when we exited Grove Lock and moored up for the night. There's a good pub back at the lock, and I've booked a table.

(3 hours later) The Grove Lock Inn is excellent! A very good Sunday Lunch is available until 7:00pm. It's highly recommended.

NB Suchar Daval went down the lock while we were eating, on their way to Leighton Buzzard. We were glad to be where we were.