Onto the Grand Union Main Line again

Sunday, 30 November 2008 19:58

26th November 2008

15.54 miles, 5 hours 6 minutes

John got going before I did this morning! It looked rather grey as I peeked out! However we needed to wrap up as although the wind had dropped it was still cold.

The railway main line to the South West follows the canal and the surroundings are industrial and urban. I was still in London!

It was pleasant to get to the Perivale area again as it opens out with the golf course and parkland. After that Northolt is to the right and Green ford to the left. After a couple of big bends around the Rank Hovis factory (a wonderful smell of baking assaults the nose!) and other factories there is a bit more of green!

Soon we could see the beginnings of the Bulls Bridge Junction and the Tesco! We turned right into more industry!

There is a marked difference on the Grand Union Main Line - perhaps les graffiti but certainly more rubbish lines the off side. Why do people do it? Imagine making time to drive in the dead of night, or at least when it is dark, into nearby parking in a bus station, factory or road and dumping bags of it, TVs, microwaves, oil cans, you name it  - the detritus of society. There really is no excuse because most councils provide excellent dumps - why not take the car there if you want an outing!

I was pleased to see however BW "operatives" on a boat hooking out rubbish and the really dirty areas in the canal that we encountered on the way down were much cleaner. Maybe BW had had the super scooper out!

We made for Cowley - knowing that there were visitor moorings below the lock. Hey Ho, not surprisingly they were full (7 days allowed, how many will move on?). So we winded and came back to the end and moored on what is technically "unlimited", but 14 day in reality. No rings, just our pins down behind the metal strip!

Anyway despite the proximity of the M25 it is quiet and we look out onto the parkland here!