Home Counties Cruise: Day 2

We had a great time at the barbecue last night, meeting some people we already knew from the St Pancras Cruising Club, and others that we hadn't met before.

This morning, we were asked whether we minded staying where we were, because the towpath was still full of boats.  We didn't mind at all.  The Angel Canal Festival got under way at 11am.  In the park next to our moorings were owls and falcons, a bouncy castle, and a Punch and Judy, as well as lots of stalls.  Graham Street was full of food stalls and others.  At the far end of City Road Basin was the Seaside in the City, with a pirate ship and donkey rides.

The Mayor of Islington arrived by boat to officially open the festival.  There was a variety of musical entertainment, including a ukulele band.

During the day a couple of my colleagues from work came to visit, so we had more children on board.  We also had a visit from Linda and Richard from Mary H, and we also bumped into them later and had more of a chat.  It was good to meet them, having had conversations via the blog and facebook.

Once the festival closed at 5, people started to disperse.  As soon as there was space on the towpath opposite the basin, we slid out from our space (helped by the very kind harbourmaster, Tony, and other boaters), and moored up pretty much where we were yesterday afternoon.

It's been a nice relaxing way to spend a day -- wandering round the site several times, meeting up with people, and generally just enjoying the increasingly sunny day.

0 miles, 0 locks.  (5 miles, 5 locks)

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.