Started well, went uphill from there............

02/04/12
Fishery Lock 63, Felden - Dudswell Locks 47/48, Northchurch
14 Locks - 5 Miles - 5 Miles Cycled


We left early again today, were off and running again by 8am.  Was a bit chillier than it had been the last few days but once we got going it was bearable.Had to take a picture of these peoples garden, how cool to have your own bridge to your own private island! 

Came across this heron on the way to the next lock. Intently watching something in the bushes before my approach startled it.


The wildlife is lovely along the towpath, there are loads of robins that just sit happily on their branches, chirping away.  Not even bothering to fly away as you go past.  Its like theyve seen it all before. Ive also spotted a few plants I want to identify when I get a bit more time.  

Am starting to get a bit frustrated with the camera on my phone.  Am having problems with the zoom on it.  Have been trying to get pictures of birds that I see and it just isnt up to it.  


Trying to identify birds from memory is a bit hard.  Holding a book while cycling isnt that easy either, I have enough trouble keeping my balance with both hands on the handlebars!!


This Picture was taken at Sewer Lock 58.  By this time the sun was out, the sky was clear and blue and everything was going swimmingly.


We spotted some BW workers walking down the towpath from the lock above.  They asked us to wait before filling our lock as two boats were on their way down and us filling the lock would possibly cause them to ground out.  

Just before getting stuck

We did as insructed and waited for the other boats to arrive before filling the locks.  Both crews of the incoming boats looked very stressed and the atmosphere of the day suddenly took a turn for the worse. 


When the lock was full, we squeezed our way past the 2 waiting boats, and started to make our way up the pound.  I think Yog just managed to get round the first turn before he got stuck.  I cycled upto the next lock, looking for the BW man that I had been told would be there, but he wasnt.  So I cycled back to the first lock to grab one of the other guys to ask about opening the lock above to let some water into the pound.

The Rising Sun, Berkhamstead

He walked back up to Bottom Side Lock and let some water into the pound to free Silver Blue from the mud and we managed to make our way through.
It transpired, as we made our way through the next couple of locks that BW had to release water from 4 pounds up to get some water into the stretch we had gotten stuck in.  Apparently it would normally be fed by the River Bulbourne, but that river is dry as a bone, hence all the problems.  I was quite suprised that there had been no mention of the problems at Berkhampstead on the Waterscape emails we had been getting.


We finally pulled in just below Dudswell Locks thankful that the day was over.