Yesterday evening we realised that another recent Braidbar Boat, Dona Ferens, was moored a couple of boats behind us. We knew Dale and Dawn were on their way, but hadn’t realised they’d caught us up. We agreed we’d share the locks today, and were both ready to set off just before 8.30. A few minutes later the boats were in Stocker’s Lock.
Below the lock there’s another very long length of permanent moorings, and then on the offside there’s a warehouse where a monkey has been hanging about for years. He looks a bit worse for wear now, but has been joined by a friend.
As we went past the wharf of Wood Hall and Heward, there was some activity on a boat. As we passed, the man standing on the boat called out — it was James from Willow and Ure. He came past later steering a push tug. I’m so glad he shouted, because I would never have realised it was him otherwise.
We’ve commented before on the house with a big glass box extension. The problem is you need massive blinds to stop everyone looking in. And it’s opposite the sewage works.
Below Copper Mill Lock is a powerful flow entering the canal. It’s so powerful they use it for canoe slalom.
At Widewater Lock we got our first glimpse of the Colne Valley Viaduct, which will carry HS2. As you get closer, you can see more of it striding across the landscape — it’s just over two miles long. Whatever you think of HS2, this viaduct is an amazing engineering achievement, and is also rather beautiful.
We’d been following another boat all the way since the second lock, so after Widewater Dona Ferens went ahead as they were carrying on while we were stopping. We moored on the visitor moorings at Denham Country Park; we chose a spot that wasn’t under dangly trees but that was close enough that the trees would give us some shade as the day went on. It’s been hot today, around 29 Celsius apparently, and will be hotter over the next couple of days.
This afternoon a boat passing gave us a hoot, and it was Obsession, the one we shared the locks with between Radford and Calcutt. They’ve also been to London but are now heading back north.
5 miles, 5 locks. (91 miles, 116 locks)