Barry & Barry's six day jaunt to Linslade.

 

Saturday 9th August 2003

Barry & I arrived at Coppermill by 16:20 & passed the time with two anglers who were angling in the millstream. Harold appeared with the birthday party at about 17:20 but not before one of the fishermen landed a slab-sided bream of about five pounds. We set off at 18:00 in very close conditions & made Cassiobury Park in total darkness owing to the lack of a headlight! Barry was my eyes if not my ears, perching up at the front. He spotted Iron Bridge from at least twelve feet away! 

Number of locks:- 6

Sunday 10th August 2003

Awoke at 06:10 having finally stopped sweating around 04:00. Tried a few maggot-drowning exercises & moved off at 08:00. For the first thirty minutes or so we were able to omit T-shirts & caps as the mist was winning over the ever-strengthening sun. All too soon however, the caps, sun cream in Barry's case, & the kepi in mine became absolutely necessary! On the day that temperature records went through the roof, Barry & I were wilting by 14:50 when we finally made "The Three Horseshoes" at Winkwell where we met my brother Phil & his wife Di.

M25, Kings Langley   Winkwell

Plenty of interest in "Spirit of '57," taking centre stage outside the pub. Later on we met Debbi & Simon on board "Tiami" before meeting Phil & Di again in "The Old Mill" next door to "Tiami." A beer with Debbi & Simon preceded a good meal of lemon chicken, almonds & cous-cous in "The Old Mill" where we moored outside for the night. Lovely cool evening & a lack of insects ended a perfect day.

Number of locks:- 22

Monday 11th August 2003

06:15 again! Funny how a time seems to establish itself as the norm. Much more pleasant temperature-consequently better kip than last night. Fishing this morning was O.K. We moved off at 08:30 prepared to get water after the first lock but immediately I noticed a water-point not featured in Nicholson's (what a surprise!) only twenty yards from the mooring. Hasty amounts of reverse brought us into line & both tanks were filled. Slowly, we worked our way through Berko & Northchurch locks in increasingly hot sunshine, The kepi was much in evidence. Into the summit level at Cowroast, shade was swiftly sought in order for fishing to commence. Disaster!! Major bird's nest resulted in over fifty yards of line being lost. Upon reaching the Wendover Arm I decided we would try & reach the pumping station at Tringford. This was eventually achieved after strenuous efforts by Barry & myself to reverse to the end of the navigation with much poling & frustration in evidence. A spell at the pumping station revealed the huge carp in the final twenty yards of water. Although cruising backwards & forwards didn't mean that the hook bait was acceptable. I had to settle for the usual roach & perch until they too decided to stop eating. Barry got in touch with Rosemary & I with Andrea. I arranged that Robin & Andrea should meet us for drinks at "The Grand Junction Arms" at Bulbourne.

Bulborne                            

A good time was had by all with lots of news passing back & forth. Robin & Andrea departed for home whist Barry & I had to walk all of ten yards to the boat tired & happy. 

Number of locks:- 10.

Tuesday 12th August 2003

05:55 saw a boat passing Spirit with resultant knocking on the canalside as she attempted to break loose. Far too early to fish, I turned over until 06:25 when a second boat glided past. Fishing was mediocre & I decided to shower & get under way at 08:30. Just prior to this a BW man knocked on the roof to moan about our illegal mooring too close to the bridge. Moving off, we joined Roy & Jane on "Freya" for the Marsworth flight. The day was definitely grey to start with, but soon brightened to the now usual "bakerama" as we moved through Pitstone, Ivinghoe, Cheddington, Slapton & Grove. Our target became the "Soulbury Three" but, eventually, some thirty minutes before reaching there, we found an unmarked (well done, Nicholson's!!) winding hole at bridge 110 & used it-coming back to "The Globe" at Linslade where we had an excellent evening meal & I fished into the darkness, with a few decent bream in evidence.

Number of locks:- 19

Wednesday 13th August 2003

Lie-in today-06:25! I was eager to resume fishing because it started looking good last night but, it was hopeless so I decided to cast off & start the long journey home. Barry surfaced at about 07:45 & we made our way towards Leighton Buzzard where he went to Tesco's for milk & to post a letter, whilst I showered. The day got hotter & hotter just for a change but kepis weren't needed as we were facing the sun rather than have it behind us. I'd promised myself that the water point somewhere in the Marsworth flight would be used by us today but BW fooled us by relocating it since the day before yesterday! (That's my story anyway!) Plenty of willing assistance (& assistants) through the Marsworth flight in the shape of various kids watched by proud parents. Just past "The Grand Junction Arms" at the Tring Summit I spotted a water point which we duly used & then decided at 16:35 to call it a day in the shade of trees that typifies this top stretch. Fishing was constant for two hours, followed by a meal, Corrie, The Bill, & a couple of pints of Flowers back at the Junction. As luck would have it, there was a quiz on & yours truly managed to come second & win a bottle of wine. First was a curry meal for two, & a bag of crisps for last. I beat a team of teachers into third place & there were six of them! Back at the boat, Barry, who had decided to chill out after a long, cool, shower, was convinced I'd been waylaid in the pitch dark & was already considering the possibility of steering the boat back to Coppermill alone! 

Number of locks:- 16

Thursday 14th August 2003 

The beer obviously had a soporific effect on me as I didn't open my eyes 'til 07:25. Got fishing straight away & into quality roach. Moved off eventually at 09:40 & greatly enjoyed the tranquillity of the summit level at Tring with the cool, tall, trees on either bank. All too soon Cowroast appeared &, as they say, it was all downhill from now on! A couple of  locks down,into Berko, we decided to stop for a fishing break & for some brekky. The fishing was poor but I was more concerned about a moorhen whose foot was tangled in some discarded fishing line-effectively giving it the use of only the other foot. Impossible to catch -I did try- I hope it survives. Leaving the very pleasant parkland area we pushed on down through the town centre, wishing Debbi a fond goodbye as we passed "Tiami." Again we teamed up with Alan, Sue & Neil Braunton on "B-Hive" & stopped at "The Three Horseshoes" at Winkwell for an early supper & a couple of pints. Finally we moored above Boxmoor Top Lock where the roach eventually succumbed to the lure of cheese. A surprise last catch was an accursed American Signal Crayfish-yeuccchh! 

Number of locks:- 16

Nash Mills, below the bottom lock     

Friday 15th August 2003

Determined to cash in on the fish bonanza, I arose at 06:02 to a mist-wreathed world. The chimera rose to a height of six feet above the water & my trainers, left out to fumigate last night, were soaked. As the sun rose over the trees,the mist dissolved, but not before a hot-air balloon had floated silently, except for the occasional roar of the burner, overhead. The bites came regularly-good, solid ones but, I missed them all! Eventually one roach just wasn't quick enough & he proved to be the last of the holiday. at 08:00 Boxmoor Top Lock receded into the distance as we continued our downhill trek towards Coppermill. 

misty Boxmoor             Barry, Mk2

Apsley saw us get stuck behind a push-tug with an unwieldy load-just our luck. We stopped & had brekky on the old Ovaltine wharf at King's Langley hoping that he would get far enough ahead but it wasn't until we got to Cassiobury Park that he kindly let us pass him & make some progress, now in the company of John, Marlene & Holly on "Zappora." Iron Bridge Lock saw us threading our way between lock-swimmers & bridge-jumpers. Apparently this activity at Iron Bridge has been popular for over thirty years! A final, hot slog brought us & Spirit back to base at 18:00. In the week we covered 118 locks (23 today) 65 miles and cruised for approximately 56 hours. The weed hatch was opened on the second morning just to show Barry what it was- after that it wasn't touched, na na, na na na!!