Limehouse

A long day with an early start. We were rather determined to make it to Limehouse but Andrew had a meeting in Peterborough at midday so had to catch a mid-morning train from Kings Cross. We also had to make sure that we made it sufficiently far back that we would be able to reach Packet Boat early enough tomorrow afternoon that there will be time to do the planned work on the pipes around the pump.

Battlebridge Early Morning

So, we set off as early as we could make it - well, 7:45 at least! The route towards Limehouse has locks quite frequently and in the early morning sunshine we very soon entered Islington Tunnel - not long by the standards of Braunston, Blisworth (not to mention Standedge!) - but at least it is the longest in London. It is also able to take wide beam boats so it is spacious for a narrow boat - and single direction operation is required.

Towards Islington Tunnel

From there we dropped down three locks before reaching Mare street bridge where Andrew hoped off for a short-ish walk to Bethnal Green Station, leaving us to carry on by ourselves.

Warehouse above City Road Lock

Entrance to Hertford Union canal

Almost immediately after the next lock - Old Ford - we passed the entrance to Hertford Union Canal, also known as Duckett's. The entrance looks little more than many of the old wharves to been all around the system. there is a wide turning area opposite the bridge so we suppose that it is not too difficult to negotiate.

Former Lock Cottage at Mile E|nd Lock

Another four locks were needed to bring us down to the level of Limehouse Basin. There are very few visitor mooring spaces in the basin and we could only find space on the new disabled access pontoon to tie up temporarily whilst we found our where the service station is located.

Limehouse Dock

Canary Wharf and start of  Limehouse Cut

Limehouse BW Office and Lock Keeper's Office

We could not find it anywhere but fortunately a kindly lock keeper came to our aid (the main office was closed today) and pointed out a rather unlikely pontoon which has a pump out, water and elsan facility on it!

Limehouse Lock

The keeper did not seem to think that our temporary location would matter for a short time - we had only seen one other boat moving on the whole of the way down - so we wandered down to the Thames as well as looking at the large lock out onto the river. Mike has been here several times before for residential conferences at the nearby St Katherine's House.

River Thames upstream from Limehouse

After using the services and a quick lunch break we set off back up the Regents Canal once more, unsure about where we might end up for the night.

At Mile End , ghe adjacvent park is called new Globe Tavern Gardens. After looking at ther information board, Mike walked back to Mile End Road to see the original New Globe Tavern (with a globe on the facade) which in the mid nineteenth century had large gardens which were a popular attraction.

The New Globe

By now there was an increasing amount of traffic and we met boats at several of the locks. In any event, they were almost all set for us this time, unlike when we came down.

Towpath Cafe

Slightly reluctantly we passed the mooring spot we used last night - it was a close run decision between the certainty of a mooring, close to where Andrew would be returning but with a long day tomorrow and efinitely an early start, or pressing on with the nail-biting anticipation of being mooring-less when darkness falls. Our time estimate was that it would be after six o'clock before we reached Paddington and there are almost no mooring opportunities after leaving St Pancras.

The three Camden Locks were busy with onlookers - and two boats were coming down the middle lock as we arrived which meant that we were able to reach the top level pound in about half an hour.

By now it was becoming almost dark and after leaving Maida Hill Tunnel we kept the headlight on. As we came through Regents Park and Little Venice there was a busy succession of boats perhaps 15 - 20 in all, close following each other. We never did find out where they were heading and would find a night's mooring as by the time they had descended Camden locks it would be fully night time.

Ghost of Islington Tunnel

Six o'clock and we reach the junction and turned down the Paddington Arm in some trepidation. Secretly we both made plans in our minds about what we would do if all the official moorings were taken - we definitely did not want to end up under the busy dual carriageway bridge for the night!

A couple of 'almost' spaces appeared in the first section but were were completely amazed as we turned into the basin to see that there were three pontoon spaces available as well as all the four off side moorings! Relieved is not an adequate Christine texted Andrew to let him know where to find us.

14.2 miles - 20 locks