Home Counties Cruise: Day 1

First job of the morning was a trip to the M&S food hall to stock up a bit.  Then, at just after 10, our first visitors arrived: Nicola, Alex. and little Ewan, who we last saw when we boated past the end of their road on last year's Big Trip.  Then it was off down to Little Venice and into the Maida Hill Tunnel.

Having been through Regent's Park and the zoo, we came to the right angle turn.  A trip boat came out at some speed, so I was glad I wasn't going any faster.

At Camden, a boat was just going into the first lock, so we joined it. It was a young chap with his parents, and they were excellent locking partners.  There were scores of people watching; I always look out for the old TV-am building, with the egg cups on top.

At St Pancras Lock, next to the St Pancras Cruising Club, there's a big building development going up.  They seem to have restored a gas holder.

We stopped for lunch at King's Cross, opposite the AstroTurf steps.  A party boat turned up to collect a group.

We went through Islington Tunnel down the lock, and moored just below.  There we were joined by our second lot of visitors: Jenny, who's a lawyer who does work for Adrian's company, and her kids Lottie and Sophie.  We had a great couple of hours chatting, drinking tea, and eating cake.  It's a very busy towpath, so there was always something going on.

When Nic, Alex, and Ewan headed off, we moved over into City Road Basin, where the boats attending the Angel Canal Festival were gathering.  We were asked to moor outside the floating cinema.  More boats have since moored outside us.

There's a barbecue tonight, so we'll be going to that, and the festival takes place tomorrow.

5 miles, 5 locks.