Apsley to Cow Roast, 7.5 miles, 19 locks
Well I'm in Cow Roast, but I honestly didn't think I'd get here. The weather this morning was okay, with sun and a lot of cloud, and I thought that I might get a few locks done before the heavens opened, but it didn't rain until about 3pm and then it was just a heavy 5-minute wonder. The main thing that has made today possible are two guys called John and Rod, who joined me at the first lock at Frogmore End and--unbelievably--said their aim was to get to Cow Roast today! So that's what we did.
We set off about 10am and kept going until about 5pm. There were two of them, so while one did locks the other was brewing tea or coffee, or making sandwiches, which made going non-stop all that time fairly straightforward. Also, they've got a cruiser-style boat, with seats on the back counter so they could have a sit down with their tea in the bit between the locks. I, on the other hand, have stood the whole way, had to do my half of each lock, and didn't manage to nip below to get some lunch until nearly 2. There wasn't time to 'make' anything, so I just chucked some cheese, oatcakes, grapes, smoked mackerel paté and an orange in a lunchbox, and washed it down with Dandelion and Burdock, all while steering and locking. It sounds like I'm complaining, but I'm not. John or Rod (but usually Rod) consistently went ahead to open the gates, leaving me to worry about getting in the lock, doing the paddles and controlling Oothoon. Towards the end, Rod was even closing my gate behind me, to save me from having to moor after the lock so I could close it. I could not have wished for better or more accommodating travelling companions and I consider myself very lucky to have met them.
Berkhampstead was very pretty, but at least some of the bad reports must be true because all the locks there have the paddles padlocked to prevent tampering. The bridge before the lock that is round the corner from the railway station seems to be a favourite haunt of underage drinkers, which was a worry, but they slunk off as the boats approached. At the next lock there were a bunch of kids and I was expecting the worst, but they were largely well behaved and even closed the gates behind us. It wasn't until I looked back later that I saw them opening and closing the gates, swinging on them, and jumping from gate to gate. I'm sure they'd say they were larking about, but it only takes one slip, or a hand in the wrong place, and that's someone's childhood ruined. I was really glad once Berko was behind us.
Otherwise it's been uneventful and I'm completely exhausted. Tonight's movie is that of Winkwell Swing Bridge. The cinematography isn't great, but not too bad for someone who was looking backwards to film while steering a boat.
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