"Demoted" from Kings to Abbots on the Grand Union

Tuesday, 04 November 2008 20:22

We stayed in Kings Langley until after lunch. It was a pleasant mooring to stay at as we were still expecting some post. John walked up to the high street and collected it from the post office.

We set off around 2. 20 pm, just around the corner was Kings Langley lock - not sure why it is 69A, but there already is a 69, Red Lion lock which we went through yesterday.


Her name was Daisy Mae and she lived in a house by the lock. She was not at all fazed by the paddle rattle or the water rushing up in the jaws.

She wrapped herself around John, walked along the beam to "help" him lower the paddles and then crossed to sit on the end of other beam whist he opened it - a bit worrying as we were afraid she might go into the water.


There is a new development below the lock, on the old Ovaltine Factory site I think - well laid out and mixed flats and houses.  We wondered why the car park was so full. Maybe the residents are all retired!


This park is the site of the old Royal Hunting Lodge - maybe they were looking for him! Now he gets his own back.












Our final lock of the day was North Grove lock (71) with its lock cottage and we moored just below.

We can see the lights of the motorway behind us and Abbots Langley (near Watford) on our off side. The village was in the Doomsday book and had links with Oxford and Cambridge Universities, Roll Royce and the Breakspear Brewery. There are also some film studios - the Rolls Royce airfield has seen filming for Goldeneye, Sleepy Hollow and Harry Potter!

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