Slow travel

Overnight in Chester, moored near the walls (ceaster = fort),  in the city centre. Halloween fireworks, parties, a little noisy, so for tonight we have moved 2+ miles east, near the village of Christleton. Our last day in Chester, we walked the timbered 'rows', verandahed first floor covered shopping, dating from mediaeval times. A sensible choice in this climate. A town crier entertained a crowd at the High Cross, later, a cheeful evangelist sang hallelujah,  but attracted fewer enthusiasts. Leaving our mooring in the city, we moved half a mile upstream to the Cap'n's favourite supermarket, Waitrose, which fronts the canal, mooring provided.  Think DJs' foodhall, with only metres to your kitchen. Love the convenience of boats. In the fine chilly late afternoon, walkie talkie in pocket, windlass in hand, 1st mate walks the 2 miles up the towpath, setting the locks for the Cap'n (that's where the w-ts are very handy). Around 6, as the sun sets, we moor up

24/4/2018 A bright sunny day,  the south of England enjoying Spring, and we are taken to a Chichester gallery, the cathedral, by our dear Southsea friends. A fine town, blessed with stone and flint buildings, gardens dreaming in the sun, bluebells, tulips. The Pallant Gallery rich in architecture,  paintings, volunteers. An easy, peaceful day, sufficiently stimulating for the jet lagged without stress or drama. Tomorrow we tackle the telcos, hunting sims, and also the banks. Wish us luck!

24/7/2018 With low rainfall the Thames is a peaceful highway, traversing swathes of England in a wide lazy sweep, past boathouses, grand properties, ancient trails. The boathouses make a fascinating study, many restored with fine woodwork, immaculate paint, centuries old. Others are genteely declining, tree embraced, a thatched roof somewhat holey. Finding a mooring can be challenging. One late afternoon we nudged the prow into a tree (photo attached), a tight spot, the steep hill rising to the north belonging to Cliveden, a National Trust property. After dinner we strolled the river side path past some of the cottages on the estate, then up the hill in fading light towards the mansion. In the woods a large deer paused, before leaping away. Yesterday's mooring found us against a blackberry lined field, providing foraged berries for dessert, al fresco dining on the field, passers by intriguing us, a couple dressed in fine apricot cheesecloth long bloomers (him), his companion in l

22/7/2018 The River Wey leaves the Thames some 16 miles west of London, and climb up 16 locks over 19 miles to its terminus as a navigation in Godalming,  on the edge of the North Downs. A quiet winding river, moored craft, intermittent estates lawned to river's edge. Between the 2 major towns of Guildford and Godalming lie ancient water meadows, some of the last in the country.  Sluices allowed water to flood the meadows in winter, the water drained off in spring, with new grass providing pasture and hay for the summer. We moored next to one such, with the photo attached of JJ using a willow to lever the boat to the bank. The horse pictured was pulling a tourist boat, unhitched during a lock descent. The river was made navigable in the 17th century, first through the  use of flash locks.  These involved damming the river with planks or gates, with the water released in a 'flash',  allowing the banked up boats to make a rapid descent down a shallow weir. From these earl

20/7/2018 From London, a dear friend, AB, aboard, we travelled west to join the main line of the Grand Union,  then SE to Brentford, where one waits for an incoming high tide to provide enough water depth to leave the tidal lock. Annie the lock keeper marshalls craft into the lock, crew rope their boats to the sides, Annie operates the automated lock, and each craft heads to the Thames, turn right, go like the clappers upstream the 5 miles to the first lock, at Teddington. Through that and you're free of the tide. The Thames  is a  highway, classified as such by law we were told.  It speaks history. Bounded with towns, fields, stately homes, houseboats, boat houses, Runnymede, Kew, Hampton Court. We moored outside the Court,  the gold painted gates glinting in the waning sun. The next day a delight, no small fry to herd (bless 'em) - the chimneys a favourite, all different. The king's velvet covered thunderbox. The art, tapestries,  gardens.

Our first two nights here we double moored, a standard practice given the large numbers of boats in London. Most must move every 7 days,  and enforcement is more evident than before. Boats that don't move have licence restrictions.  It makes it tricky for people working, sending children to school. Etiquette with double mooring is simple - check with the neighbour that they don't  mind, and discuss whether they will need to move before you do. If no-one is at home, just tie up, using the other boat to access the towpath. The alternative is to find a permanent mooring, costing up to £13000 pa. I've attached some pics of such boats, and particularly like the one with the rooftop couch. Others have gardens, outdoor tables, hammocks, a small street library. This morning we queued at the water point to fill our tank, depleted through the wonderful washing machine, and frequent showers - humid weather, around 30° most days. Am waiting for a drought to be declared. This aftern

For the past 2 weeks the good narrowboat Santiago and crew have been climbing up and down hills, including the Chilterns. These lie to the west of London, the summit area at Tring a classic ,  long tree canopied channels, before the descent to the London plain. We moored at Berkhamsted to rendezvous with friends from Switzerland, for an interesting journey into the city. In medieval times Berkhamsted grew watercress, the streams still winding between the canal and town. A mere 30 minutes by express to Euston, and a pilgrimage to the British Museum. The fine Assyrian carving c 600 BC, a protective spirit, near the gallery containing George III's library, a precious gift by his son to the fledgling museum. On the journey down to London, we were delayed by the movement of floating work pontoons through the locks. We were fascinated to find these were being used in the installation of fibre optic cable - 18th C infrastructure assisting 21st C communications. Today a rollicking journ