What a Difference a Day Makes

Friday 15^th September 2017

Batchworth to Kings Langley

7 miles, 13 locks

Today dawned bright and sunny.  My first job was to ensure Monty was 'empty' which is when I discovered another walk I had missed due to my knee - a circular trip around a lake which looked very inviting, but there was no time to dally as we wanted to be off early.

Was this another casualty of Storm Aileen?  The break certainly looked fresh

We moved across to Tesco at 08:00 where I popped in to get the paper before we headed to the services below Batchworth lock where there is this working model canal system - supposedly working from March to October, but definitely out of water at present.

I popped up to check the status of the lock and lo and behold once again both top gates were open. Did another difficult day loom ahead of us?

Well maybe not as the blue boat going under the bridge had arrived and gone down the lock by the time we had emptied and filled as required

There were still many long lines of moored boats - a lot on 14 day moorings, however we are sure that many have been there a lot longer than that.  The sun was shining and as we progressed we found every lock in our favour.  Our target for today was just 4.25 miles and 7 locks, but as you can see above we far surpassed our target.  We just felt we had to make the most of the weather and the locks in our favour.

Through Grove Ornamental bridge


and passed the golf course in Cassiobury Park

I did not note which lock, but I noticed this little plaque on a gate - we are assuming it is this boat.  We too went through our 1000th lock in 2015.

Looking south from North Grove lock it looks quite rural and pleasant

but look the other way and there is the M25 to shatter the rural peace

We moored shortly after Kings Langley Lock - the only one of the 13 we did today that was against us.  We were inside by 14:30, just 6 minutes before the rain started!

We are opposite this house

which I took a picture of two years ago - there have been some great improvements.

The rain kept going and going, so it was deemed time to light the fire which, as I type at 8pm, is so toasty the jumpers have come off.

A good day all round.  Another morning cruise tomorrow as rain is forecast for the afternoon again.