Olympic Park

A less than busy day! We decided that we would try to moor near Clapton Park where an old friend of ours from Milton Keynes days is now a part time URC minister. As a result we were not in a hurry to set off as we only had less than four miles and one lock to do.

Mike popped down to the local shop for a paper and, later, Christine also went with her short shopping list for a few 'essential' supplies.

Limehouse Cut

Before leaving Limehouse Basin we stopped on the services pontoon to empty the elsan as the map suggest that it will be later tomorrow before we have another opportunity. In the end it was almost 11 o'clock when we set off along Limehouse Cut.

This canal was built quite late on and was, until more recent times, a busy commercial waterway with lighters that brought goods from docks along the Thames. It is along straight stretch with most of the older warehouses replaced by modern medium rise housing.

Olympics Security?

At one point a depot for old military vehicles amused Mike as he wondered if they were being made ready for Olympics security!

Bow Locks

At the end of the cut we came alongside Bow Locks and paused for a while to take a look at what was once an important junction between the Lee Navigation and the tidal River Lee. At one time, there was quite a network of rivers and canals but most of these have fallen into disuse.

Tidal River Lee

The locks have extra gates to allow passage when the tide is higher than the navigation - judging from the level today it must be a very high tide when such working is necessary.

Bow Locks above

Three Mills

On again  - passing Three Mills - and we were disappointed that the Back Bow River loop is closed to navigation because of the Olympic construction work so we had to be satisfied with the views from the main stretch up to Old Ford lock where the loop re-joins the main line.

Northern end of Bow Back River

Old Ford Lock

Old Ford Lock

It had been raining for most of the morning so by the time we arrived at the junction with the Hertford Union canal, that is short cut through to the middle of Regents Canal, we opted to find a lunchtime mooring. Alas, the main canal bank here, clear of any moored boats,is presently barred from mooring, no doubt because of its proximity to the main Olympic site. However, we could see a spare stretch of bank with grass just down the Hertford Union, below the first lock, so we reversed down and took a break.

Junction with Hertford Union Canal

In fact it ws we half past two before we set of but we knew that it was likely that we would want to find a mooring before very long.

Olympic Stadium

Anish Kapoor's ArcelorMittal Orbit

To our surprise, there were very few moored boats along the first stretch of Hackney Marsh, nearest to where we want to be for tomorrow morning. We have heard so many stories about the numbers of moored boats on the Lee, legal and illegal, that we are currently left wondering where they all are. Perhaps a bit further on or have they been chased off in advance of the Games?

3.9 miles - 1 lock