NB Zindagi: London By The 'Tradesman's Entrance'

Plan? What Plan?

When we started out in 2007, we had a vague idea of the main places we wanted to go first, and then worked out where we might go after that. Our plans have been flexible, to say the least, and we like it that way!

In 2007, though we started up in Lancashire, we headed south and spent spent most of our time exploring some of the waterways in the south of the UK – but not all of them!

In 2008, we headed north and stayed there for most of the year, heading southwards in November to moor up in Blisworth Marina for the first time. After that, it became our usual winter 'home' until early 2013.

2009 found us fitting our cruising around Val's replacement knee joint operations in January and July. They were very successful! In the Spring, we went down the Nene to the River Great Ouse and the Cambridgeshire Fens. After the second op, and more recovery time in Blisworth, we set off for the Kennet and Avon Canal, via Braunston, the southern Oxford Canal, Oxford and the Thames.

An eventful time on the K & A, and a magnificent frosty journey back up the Thames from Reading to Oxford – and we entered 2010.

To start with, largely immobile in Aynho and Blisworth, but then we headed north-east via Leicester and Nottingham to the River Trent, from which we branched off wherever we could, down to Lincoln and Boston and back, then along the Chesterfield Canal and back before leaving the Trent on our way to Rotherham and Sheffield.

Then north and west over the Pennines by the Rochdale Canal, down to Manchester and then via the Macclesfield, Trent & Mersey and Staffs & Worcs Canals south to near Wolverhampton, via Birmingham and on down to the Severn at Worcester. Right down to Sharpness, then back up to Stourport, to head up the Staffs. & Worcs. Canal near to Wolverhampton again.

Blisworth again for the winter, then in the spring of 2011 we took a trip down the Grand Union to London, through and out the other side to the Lee and Stort – and slowly back! Then over to the Stratford Avon and up the Severn to visit the newly re-opened Droitwich Canals.

By boat to London for Jeremy and Laura's wedding in October 2011, then back to our 'second home' in Blisworth for the winter, enjoying a little more involvement with Christian folks there, too.

In 2012 we started by heading north again to see the Caldon Canal in the Spring, then changed our plans and decided to cross the Pennines again - up and down the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and then back over the Leeds & Liverpool to the Bridgewater. Our proposed visit to the 'Shroppie' and the Llangollen followed on after that – beautiful countryside on the way and once we were there.

Then onto the southern section of the 'Shroppie' and from there the Staffs. & Worcs. – we decided not to go down to Stourport but turned north again to Great Haywood, then south via the Trent & Mersey to the River Trent and then the the River Soar – up to Leicester.

From there, we dawdled back towards Blisworth for the winter again. The folks at the marina were expecting us on 5th November 2012, and we just managed to avoid being there early!

January 2013 saw us move back to the land in Lapford, and very little 'boat-related activity' until October 2014, when we moved Zindagi onto the 11-mile long Grand Western Canal near Tiverton in Devon. 3 years there gave us the opportunity to carry out some needed maintenance, but we did very little cruising!

The future? Well, as you can see, we moved Zindagi back onto the main national canal system in early October 2017. Just those couple of days gave us a fresh taste of enjoying life on board – almost like old times!

So, we hope to get out for some more trips, hopefully sometimes with friends, re-exploring some of our old haunts. Looks like there may be some interest from the younger members of the family, too. Lots of different routes to follow from Hatherton! Only about 3 hours drive to get there from Lapford – not too bad!

Sunday, July 08, 2007

London By The 'Tradesman's Entrance'

Having arrived from the Thames at about 7.30 a.m., we mooched slowly up the Grand Union Canal to just below Hanwell locks. Val's nephew Paul lives just a few minutes away and we had arranged to meet him (and Caroline, Billy and Tom) after he finished work in the afternoon. Our daughter Shireen came to join us soon after lunch.

Friday morning – Shireen had to go to work and we started up the 8 locks at Hanwell and Norwood Green, sharing the work with 'Polveithan'. Then a stop on the edge of Southall, where we serviced the diesel-fired hob and got it working well again. Shireen rejoined us after work.

Generally westwards along the Main Line of the Grand Union, before turning north at Bulls Bridge to join the Paddington Arm. This definitely did not feel like London! A very green and semi-rural canal, gradually turning eastwards towards Paddington. Here is an old wharf crane, still visible on the modernised canalside.

And so under the blue bridge into 'Little Venice', where the Regents Canal Joins the Paddington Arm. The Visitor Moorings were full up (probably due to the Tour de France and the Live Earth concert) but we managed to find a space – surprisingly quiet in spite of being practically under Westway and near Paddington station!

We continue to enjoy the way in which we can chug right into the city centre and find a 'free' mooring (included in our annual licence fee) while all around motorists are paying high parking fees and even the Congestion Charge for the privilege of staying in the same area.

1 comment:

Barbara said...: This little Venice bit looks fun and a change from yur usual scenery. Check out my blog and see the wrecked garden afte the storm.; 10 July 2007 at 16:12

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Sunday, July 08, 2007

London By The 'Tradesman's Entrance'

1 comment: