Croxley Green to Harefield on the Grand Union Canal

Thursday, 06 November 2008 19:05

Off to Harefield for a couple of days! Those that know me well will know that Harefield is one of my so called  "homes" and familiar territory. I shall not be staying in the usual place though you will be relieved to hear I am here on Epiphany, passing through as they say! Although I am popping up the road for my blood tests

Today was uneventful - all the locks behaved, we only met a couple of boats coming up them. We have walked up to Lot Mead lock from Batchworth in Rickmansworth, so immediately we recognised the area and even the moored boats, which are prevalent on this stretch.

We watered up below Batchworth. Batchworth is the confluence
of the Grand Union, the River Chess (River Chess lock in photo) and the River Colne. There is also a Canal Centre and a Tea shop if required!

I walked on to the Tesco just along the canal and John brought the boat along, taking advantage of their purpose built moorings.




After lunch, moored at Tesco, we continued our familiar Odyssey, seeing the towpath from the canal, not the canal from the towpath!





Soon we recognised the approach to Springwell lock (83) a very familiar and significant lock.

The "tame" heron was nowhere to be seen today so John contented himself with recording Epiphany's arrival for posterity!







It was here, in the car park below the lock (on left behind yellow bollards in photo below), that we finally decided what our new boat's name was going to be!  We usually come down here for lunch when  I visit Harefield.

Last year when we were here we wandered the towpath towards Stocker's lock. We wondered when we would bring Epiphany down - no plans then for "CCing". It has all happened faster that we hoped.

For family and friends who also remember visiting Harefield to see me, there are a number of photos in our photo gallery, click the camera and click on the thumbnails at the bottom and then look at page 3!



The next lock is Copper Mill lock, also full of memories. It has changed a little in that the warehouses have been restored and are now offices and Hillingdon Boats use the wharf.

The inrush of water below the lock is used as a canoe slalom. It takes the boat rather!



The pub here used to called The Fisheries and was frequented by John and other members of the family! Many a time we have sat at the lights and then crossed the bridge!




We quite fancied one of these properties with their own moorings. Some are houses and some are flats and would do us if ever we needed to be here permanently.





Black Jack's lock had Black Jack's Mill beside it. It was a restaurant at one time. The lock still retains it's quiet out of the way feel.





So to our final lock of the day - Widewater lock (86) just before bridge which carries the road into Harefield from Denham and the M40.

The Horse and Barge pub is just below with a number of moorings. We just managed to get in on the end, opposite Harefield Marina, a way away from the pub. It is quite shallow here so our bows stick out, but the canal is wide enough for passing boats.

And yes, we did have a boat pass us in the dark again, and no, it was not a ghost boat, it had a headlight and two men with torches in the bows   Now there are more fireworks. LOL

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