Last Days...

27th July........

Fellow NZers Bruce & Nat, who join the narrowboat two weeks earlier in Bedwyn on the K&A canal were counting down the days until they caught the big bird home, Malaysian Airlines and could hardly wait, to get back to the work routine......

Our plan was to head North on the Grand Union canal and Nat & Bruce were only too keen to help with locks, there are plenty of them, and then catch a train to Heathrow from somewhere close to the canal...

Heading out of Paddington Basin for the final time....




Leonie takes the tiller.......

And.....

Nat had a turn at driving as well......

We moored for the night at Bulls Bridge, done the Tesco thing in the morning then headed North...

It's about 14 miles out of London until the first lock....

 

Being Cowley lock... The "A" team were raring to go......

Then onto.....

Denham Deep lock..... waiting for the lock to empty......

To get a free feed one only has to....

Pick Blackberries.... Nat picked the low ones.......

There are some "Free Loaders" living on the canal and.......

This Bird is no exception.....

Looking to firm up those shoulder muscles......

Nat opens a gate paddle........

Between locks.....

Leonie and Nat walked the talk......

The Gand Union canal cuts through the picturesque Grove Park area....
To gain permission to do so the G.U. company had to.....

Build this fancy bridge to please the Earl of Essex who's land it was....

Farther on the canal passes under....

The M25... not as ornamental....

At Berkhamsted the....

Rising Sun pub is always easy on the eye....

And it sits next to the.....

Rising Sun lock..... Bruce works the Last Lock of their canal adventure.......

So the NB trip was all but over for Nat & Bruce.  Bedwyn on the Kennet & Avon canal to Reading, joined the Thames, 50 miles of awesome hot weather and untold sights, past Big Ben, under the Tower Bridge, through Limehouse Basin to Paddington then up to Berkhamsted.

So just as they arrived by the towpath....

They left by the tow path.... 6.45am short walk to the station.... Heathrow.... home.....
Thanks for the good times and a lot of fun.....

Overall Leonie was the card playing Champion.... Nat was the Champion of the wine......
I'm unbeatable on the dishes and Bruce is the Lockmaster........

(it was only 10 pounds more to get a cab from the station to Heathrow direct, which they did,  no having to go into London and change trains... a good deal...)....