To Crick: Day 3

I was up early again this morning, and left my mooring just after 7, immediately making the turn onto the Leicester Line.  It’s lush and green everywhere at the moment, and it was a real pleasure to be on the water.  I arrived at the bottom of Watford Locks at almost exactly 8am, when they open — just beating Liz and Austin on Just Siviting, whom I passed as they were about to set off from a mooring very close to the locks.  We both expected there to be a queue already, but there wasn’t, and the lock keeper said we should head straight up.  I emptied the bottom lock while she went to change the signs to say lock keepers were on duty, and then I could go in.

There’s a very awkward turn from the second lock to the staircase, but I’m pleased to say I did it without touching the sides.

The lock keepers stayed with me all the way up as I was single handing, and they were both excellent.  I was at the top in a little over 45 minutes.  I didn’t want to get to Crick too early, partly because I’ll be there long enough, and partly to try ensure that the boat I’m due to be breasted up to was already there.  So I moored up between Bridges 9 and 10, having passed Jubilee on the way.  I went for a walk, taking the lane from Bridge 8 into the little village of Watford, which is very up-market and has a sizeable church.

I then took a path across the fields, which had an unusual stile and bridge over a stream, and then a tunnel under the M1.

The path comes out at the locks, so I chatted to the lock keeper who’d helped me earlier, and spent some time opening gates to repay the favour.  Then I walked back along the towpath to the boat.  I didn’t set off again until gone 2pm, and soon reached the tunnel (which as usual is dry for the first four-fifths of its length and then very wet) and the show moorings.  I knew I was in number 6, where there was no other boat — in fact it turns out there won’t be another boat because they’ve gone into the marina, which will make things a lot easier.  I wandered up the towpath chatting to various people including Chris and Steve from Amy Jo, and then over to the show ground, where there was plenty of last minute activity.

Tomorrow, the show begins.

5 miles, 7 locks.  (27 miles, 21 locks)