Tring Summit

Definitely cooler again and rather grey for most of the day. At least the threatened rain stayed away until after we had moored. We also managed to remember that the clocks went back overnight!

All Saints, Marsworth

We were moored in the centre of Marsworth so that we could go to the church just a few hundred metres away. as we walked up from the canal we could hear the bells being rung. We already knew that the service was at 10 and that it would be a Songs of Praise family service. There were about 35 including a ladies choir of 8 singers. The worship was led by one of the choir - it seems that the person who would normally do it was away. this form of family service happens only very occasionally.

The hymns had been chosen by various members of the congregation and an excellent organist ensured that they were sung to a lively pace. Although it was obvious that the local people were very friendly and relaxed with each other, no-one actually made any attempt to speak to us either before or afterwards. still, much better than some places we have been to this year!

Afterwards, we walked back a different way - there are a good number of attractive buildings in the centre of the village.

Once changed we moved the boat under the adjacent bridge to the water point where we filled up our tank before setting off properly up the Marsworth flight of seven locks. The former workshops have almost all been demolished - leaving just the former office building - as work is about to commence on the housing development (which caused some controversy when the planning application was submitted)

Marsworth Bottom Lock

 

 

When we came through here in the spring, the drought was with us and the adjacent reservoirs were quite empty (see http://takefiveboat.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/leighton-buzzard.html). Today, however, things are very different. The summit pound is still being kept at a reduced level and we understand that it appears to have been successful in preventing so much loss of water, said to be the result of a lower water table.

Lock in autumn

Marsworth Top Lock

Most of the locks were against us but, with Christine going ahead to prepare them we made steady progress and before long the top lock was in our sights.

Bulbourne Dry Dock

Bulbourne Junction is a comparatively complex location - as well as connecting to the Wendover Arm (now open - it was closed in the spring) and also a dry dock, still in use. Just above the lock we found an empty mooring (there were quite a few boats here, perhaps gathering for the winter mooring season that starts on November 1st). A further helping of the soup saw that brew finished off - Christine will have to start again tomorrow, no doubt helped by the bones from the belly pork joint for tonight's roast)

We were still experiencing alarming rattles from the engine at low speed and, after a trip into the engine bay, we suspect it may be a problem with the engine mounts, but a lack of mobile signal along the summit pound prevented us from trying find any advice.

We keep noticing the more unusual boats - wondered if this was a granny annex, or perhaps a children's naughty corner!

Tring Summit

Progress along the Tring Summit pound was quite slow because of the reduced levels but the autumn colours gave us plenty to admire as we chugged along. Strangely, a short distance before we arrived at Cowroast our speed picked up quite considerably to a respectable pace.

Top Lock Pumping House

We eventually reached the top lock at the other end of the summit - we debated about where to stop, still uncertain about the engine mounts but opted to go down one lock (using the sani station as we did so) before mooring shortly afterwards. The pumping station building dates from the 1930's.

We took another look in the engine bay but remained as uncertain as before - we had a chat to the next moored boat where they were working on their engine (an historic Mercedes marine engine with an unusual steering mechanism) but they were not much more expert that ourselves, but they did recommend the mechanic at Cowroast marina.

4.1 miles - 8 locks