Berkhamsted Again

We woke at Hunton Bridge on Saturday October 28th to some cold clear weather. Today our aim was to reach Berkhamsted where we we planned to leave Albert for a few days so we could return home by train for some childcare duties in Northants.

Setting off to operate the first lock of the day

North Grove Lock

We left just after eight and made great progress up through Kings Langley, Apsley and Hemel Hempstead. At Fisheries Lock where we had lunch on the way south, Maggie popped in to the excellent cafe and bought us a take-away lunch. It would have been great to linger and have a meal in the cafe but tempus fugit and we wanted to get to Berko before dark.

On some stretches, notably just north of Winkwell, some pounds were quite low and we were pleased not to be stopping overnight around there.

Also there are many locks where you have to raise a bottom paddle and leave the lock empty. At Bottom Side Lock (57) there were the usual signs requesting this and then at Lock 58 Sewer Lock the signs took a humorous turn, perhaps with a nod to the name of the lock!

Original

Modified

Maggie, who took these images decided not to reveal the modification to the CRT name but it is obvious. 

The leakage referred to in these notices is not the usual leakage due to badly fitted gates, faulty paddle mechanisms and worn mitres but leakage into the lock walls due to poor brickwork and a lack of mortar (pointing). At Lock 57 this is very obvious when you look at the dreadful condition of the brickwork. Large sections of the lock chamber walls are missing bricks. Eventually this can lead to the sort of lock chamber failure that occurred a few years ago on the Aylesbury Arm.

Poor lock brickwork

It is obvious that leaving locks empty helps eke out the life of brickwork but it only puts off the day when proper remedial action is required.

We made Berkhamsted just before dark and moored up immediately above Ravens Lane Lock. As we got to the mooring, opposite Castle Wharf which was the same as we had used going south, we wondered quite why the moorings ahead were so quiet. Between the Crystal Palace and The Boat pubs there was only one boat other than Albert - a small fibre-glass cruiser. Only a month ago we had claimed the last overnight mooring on this section. I can only assume that CRT had ushered the boats we saw earlier  onto winter moorings elsewhere in the town.

Quiet moorings in Berkhamsted

That night we tried cooking some chestnuts we had picked from a tree in our village on our stove. They cooked well and tasted fine - free food often tastes excellent!

Chestnut roasting

On the Sunday morning we scrubbed up Albert, packed a couple of bags and after an excellent Sunday Lunch at The Boat we head home on the train. It took just over 30 mins to get to Milton Keynes.

Good stuff and the brand has a rowing connection

(see the double sculler)