Today's Canals - Grand Union, Wendover Arm
It had rained not long before we got up but by the time we were ready to set off the weather was dry. It remained that way for the whole day apart from one brief, but heavy shower. The forecast said 71% chance of rain!
Only a short distance before we started the climb to the summit - the first was Grove Lock.
The next lock, actually closer to the tiny hamlet of Grove, is Church Lock. The tiny parish church closed in 1970's and converted to a private dwelling.
At the next lock we were joined by a boat that was just setting off for the day. The owner had recently bought it in live aboard after retirement in the near future. A week's hire was his previous experience! But he was learning fast . . .
Each time we pass this way we keep an eye open for the Dunstable Lion, cut into the chalk on the hill to the south west. It is only visible through the trees and canal hedge in a few places. Also, it does look as if it could do with a wash as it seems rather grey at the moment4. Hence the red arrow!
For a couple of locks we closely followed two boats roped together. They did work through rather slowly!
At Cheddington we stopped for lunch in the shadow of the huge railway bridge - well, as the sun was shining the other way, we were not actually in anything's shadow! The tracks were quite busy.
When we set off again we were faced with some rather ominous dark clouds. Would it be 71% chance of rain or 29% chance of staying dry?
We stopped at Marsworth Junction for water and elsan. As it happened, whilst we waited for the tank to full we had the only real shower of the day! The service point is alongside a smart housing development that replaces the former maintenance yard on this site.
Many of the houses have smart cars outside but it does feel to us that the architecture is strongly reminiscent of industrial units! And they have no gardens.
A rather splendid design on the sides of this boat.
At the top of the flight - Bulbourne Junction - we had a sudden change of plan, just after we had passed the turning to the Wendover Arm. Andrew had never been down there before and we were unsure whether there would be a mooring space just ahead of us on the main line. So, we backed up and turned under the junction bridge.
Alongside the canal at Tring Wharf (the centre of the town is quite close at this point) is one of the three Heygates Mills. They are one of the larger processors of grain and produce 80 different grades of flour!
Since we last came this way 7 years ago, the navigable channel has become noticeably narrower with reeds beginning to choke the water. Let's hope that this will be cleared and not allowed to undo all the hard work of the restoration trust.
There were at one time three pumps to keep the canal - and the summit of the Grand Union, topped up. Only one remains and today was working well to raise water from the reservoirs.
Some 1.5 miles from the junction we arrived at Little Tring, the current end of the navigable section. Here is a large turning area as well as room for several boats to moor.
Andrew and Mike took a walk on the towpath beside the next part of the canal which is currently undergoing restoration. This is the part that is being worked on - in the July work party they laid around 100m of concrete. This is a critical part of the restoration as when the canal was closed a water pipe was laid buried in the centre of the bed.
Once the concrete is in place then a waterproof sheeting can be laid on top with slabs placed on top to give a boat-proof protection. The next section is waiting permission to start soon on re-watering it.
Finally, this is what the Trust is working towards - a navigable channel. For the present, the water level is much reduced from the final navigable depth but that will be increased once the connection back to Little Tring is complete.
9.8 Miles - 18 Locks
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