We moored just a few minutes' walk from Aspley End church, across Sainsbury's car park. The service was at 10 o'clock so we did not have to make an early start. It was a chilly and grey morning as we made the walk across.
The service, for Palm Sunday, was a standard, middle of the road, Church of England service, nothing fancy but we were made welcome and it flowed well. It was led by a retired priest and there were around 50 people there, with a good age range and mix.
By the time the service had finished, the weather was turning brighter and the rest of the day was pleasant with plenty of sunny spells in between the clouds. We called at Sainsbury on the way back, mainly for milk and bread but also picked up some extra vegetables as well.
Back at the boat we changed quickly and made our way up the lock immediately above our mooring. This was so that we could fill up with water, as well as the other servicing, and then have some coffee whilst we waited. In the end the tap has a good flow here - much better than some places - and it was not too long before we were ready to continue. There are no long gaps between locks today!
Just above the next lock, demolition is in progress on the off side. Perhaps when we come this way again we will see what the replacement is to be. Let's hope that it is not just yet more housing in tiny boxes.
We always seem to have a splendid view at Boxmoor Lock - although the best is in the autumn as these trees have a wonderful colour.
Not far from here is Boxmoor Church - this was our other option for mooring last night but we opted for the safer place when we found room as we did not know what space was available up here and it would, by then, have been getting too late to go much further.
On the edge of Hemel a circus has pitched its Big Top and no doubt will be pulling in the crowds over the Easter weekend.
At Bridge 150 there was a huddle of race marshals with a clear FINISH sign but it seems that all of the runners have now completed the distance. The next sign said 19 miles so perhaps this was a 20 mile race, shorter than a marathon.
We were joined by another boat for the next couple of locks - they were looking for a winding hole and the next is just below Winkwell Boatyard.
A large rugby event for younger boys was taking place across several fields, with plenty of shelters for the team coaches!
As usual we looked forward to holding up the traffic at Winkwell Swing Bridge. However, this time when Christine pressed the start button the barriers came down immediately without any warning signal. In the process she nearly decapitated a walker scurrying across the bridge before it opened!
No doubt the reactions of runners at this point would have depended on whether they felt that there were only two miles to go or that there were still two miles to go!
We had help at several of the locks - in this case a couple of lads out on their bikes. It seems that the grandfather of one of them often walked the towpath to help boats through.
Some of the off side trees have had some serious surgery, leaving them standing tall and stark against the sky.
It was still a lovely evening as we came up through Top Side Lock at Bourne End. With only two or three locks left to Berkhampstead where we expect to meet up with Andrew sometime tomorrow, we moored up, hoping that we would be able to get a tv signal. We have not bothered trying the past three nights as there was not really very much to interest us!
4.2 Miles - 11 Locks
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