Narrow Boat Albert: Back to Yardley Gobion

Back to Yardley Gobion

Frosty Morning in Berkhamsted

We travelled back to Albert on the evening of Thursday 1st November so we could get an early start on the Friday. The aim was to return Albert to Kingfisher Marina over the weekend. It was interesting negotiating the towpath in the dark but it was clear that in the intervening four nights the empty moorings had filled up a bit. We immediately set the stove and turned on the Alde and tried to get the boat warm. The morning was clear and very crisp with a good layer of frost on the roof.

Frost

As I opened up the hatches on Friday to sort our the exhaust stack, chimney etc. I was greeted by an unusual sight. A professional photographer was taking advantage of the light to photograph a young ballet dancer in a variety of poses around Ravens Lane Lock. Wearing her leotard she was obviously having to brave the cold. Her mother was carrying a blanket that she used between shots and she had a trolley bag with her clothes in! I presume that the shots were to be used for her portfolio - quite a bizarre moment.

Moved off after an early breakfast and picked up water in the town. Maggie visited Waitrose for supplies as I waited for the tank to fill. By mid morning we were working our way out of Berkamsted into Northchurch where were at one of the locks we met another boat going in our our direction. We were able to share the locks for the first time since Brentford. The other boat was going to Cowroast for a few days before taking part in the floating Christmas Markets later in the month.

Cowroast Lock

Tring summit

Bulborne Dry Dock

The trip across the Tring summit was quiet with no other boats moving and just a couple of walkers. At Bulborne we started to see some boat movement and going down the Marsworth flight we passed boats going in the other direction.

Marsworth Flight

The clocks had changed to GMT so dusk came very early but we managed to reach the last two locks on the flight just before dark. Unfortunately, the pound between the two last locks was well down. I was on the boat and Maggie was on the bank operating the locks. She warned me of the levels so to try I crept into the pound slowly but ran aground about half-way between the locks. We let some water down and after about 10 minutes we had enough to get afloat again and gingerly enter the lock.

We moored up just below the flight. It is a quiet location away from the train-line.

The next day, Saturday 3rd November, we were again up early and took Albert back across "The Fields" to Leighton Buzzard. A series of Wyvern Shipping hire boats were out for some late autumn cruising and passed us going South. There were also a number of live-aboards moving their boats.

Mike Askin's motor Victoria and butty Mercury at Leighton Buzzard

Bloggers Derwent 6 moored up at The Globe at Leighton Buzzard

We reached the Three Locks at Soulbury and moored up just below the lower lock. We hadn't managed to moor there for some time, because this is usually a popular mooring. That night had an early meal at the Three Locks Inn. It was delicious. The inn is part of the small chain that include 185 Watling Street in Towcester which we can also recommend.

On the Sunday morning, 4th November we dropped down our last significant lock at Stoke Hammond where we met a crew coming up (very handy) and then cruised through Milton Keynes to home.

Since we passed through MK a month ago the contractors working on the new marina and other developments at Campbell Park had made significant progress.