The Best Laid Plans.........

Firstly, can I say a big thank you to all of you who continue to follow my ramblings. I am trying to compose this with you in mind hence the lack of too much dialogue but hopefully some interesting photos.

Bad weather again on Saturday delayed departure. 26 knot wind with 45 knot gusts were forecast and as a solo boater you have to know your limitations!

Yuck weather

So I set off on Saturday planning to turn off at Bull's Bridge onto the Paddington Arm of the GU, pick up some diesel, take Tara for a good long walk in the last large patch of green on the map, shop at Sainsbury's and moor in or near Little Venice. Adventurous I know but one has to start with a plan........

A sign post for Paddington and a really tight turn

Bridge 21 on the Paddington Arm....Bulls Bridge

I stopped at Willowtree Marina for diesel etc. A real gem of a marina, only 5 miles from Heathrow but incredibly peaceful

After a lovely walk on Horsenden Hill and a huge shop at Sainsbury's (only a stone's throw from the canal - no photo! ) we set off for Little Venice about 6 miles away with no locks en route.

So far so good........

Form there for quite a distance the canal is really not to be recommended, it's dirty and industrial. 

The local council seemed to be trying to make the bridge look attractive by painting it sky blue

Loads of graffiti (hope this is not rude - I'm a bit out of touch)

However the aromas are amazing. I must have passed a couple of Indian food factories and bread factories. Not too close together, so I could really appreciate the fragrances. 

Aquaduct over the North Circular

Looking down at the traffic I remembered why I am doing this....Saturday traffic

Mega boat! Looked amazing inside

Even the pigeons in London seem to find life cramped

Then you start to notice that the narrowboats become more frequent and the canal starts to feel less alien.

This part of the canal was sandwiched between Bayswater and Maida Vale.

Notice the skeleton of the gas storage tank in the background. As part of a residential/business development near to Kings Cross, they are actually including structures like as features.

There was suddenly a huge number of narrowboats
and I was starting to feel amongst friends

Then suddenly it seemed as if the narrowboats were closing in from each side and there was a definite party atmosphere everywhere

I had to really concentrate as I negotiated my way through the narrow channel and looked for a mooring at the same time.

But on both sides there were groups of people socialising and small restaurants full of people..........

but no moorings sadly. It was lovely though to soak up the atmosphere.

So I turned down into the Paddington Basin where I had been told I would definitely find somewhere to moor. It was an amazing development and I would have loved to stay but there were no moorings again.

On the way out I had a friendly exchange with another boat as I was on the wrong side of the canal on a bend. Apologies again to Rick.......we were to meet up later.

So, back to the Little Venice Basin, passing the Theatre Barge which used to be moored in Marlow when Mark, my son was small. We went to a couple of puppet shows there, they were brilliant fun.

And I had no other option but to turn onto the Regents Canal, almost colliding with a rowing boat. The occupants were rather confused and a collision was avoided because I was fortunately going very slowly and for once on the correct side of the canal

Approaching Maid Hill Tunnel (272 yards long)

Overlooked by people in the restaurant 

Beyond the tunnel the canal follows the banks of Regents Park and suddenly the party is over. There are no more boats - but the banks are lined instead with sumptuous residences

I did think the gardens were a little on the small side and not very private for barbecues.

Me?........Jealous?.........No, of course not

Lots of signs saying 'private, no mooring' and very uninviting concrete towpaths so nowhere to stop.

This is Cumberland Basin beyond which are the first locks for about 16 miles on the Paddington Arm, not what I wanted to tackle in the early evening after a very full day. When I did reach the first lock the whole area was occupied by revellers and I could not see anywhere to moor to operate the locks. And I didn't fancy an audience of hundreds of people whilst I tackled the locks solo

And then just as I was deliberating over my next course of action, another boat arrived and on it a familiar face. It was Rick and his girlfriend, Sarah from Canada.

They had obviously failed to find a mooring spot and were continuing on through the locks. So we went through together which made it much easier and gave me the moral support I needed

Taken at Kentish Town Lock.

 I discovered the next day that this was an organised music festival, hence the crowds. It was difficult to work the locks around so many drunk and spaced-out people and I was so relieved to have Rick and Sarah there.

Just beyond the last lock we saw moorings which were really for the lock access. But at 9.30 in the evening, we would have to use them as the light was failing hoping that there would be no more traffic until the morning. As it was, another boat did come through at 10.30 but fortunately they used the opposite bank and they didn't seem to mind.