Back in the countryside

Left London and joined the Grand Union at Bulls Bridge still very built up for quite away, so happy to finally get to the countryside again and it really is beautiful, The weather has been really warm and Mark has made great progress preparing the bow for its new colours. We are in Marsworth moored up by some stunning reservoirs, met up with Jona and Graham( from London) and had a lovely evening in the local pub with them. Friends from France visiting on Saturday, hope the weather holds out x

Mark on HMS BELFAST

This was about midnight at Kings Cross with no Queues for the pic 

A baking hot day Mark having a break from rubbing down the paintwork 

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9 Days in London

I am condensing this so you don't fall asleep reading it. Fantastic mooring in Kings Cross with the lovely Jona who was the warden there who is now a friend for life.Walked miles around the city did HMS Belfast and Grenwich Maritime Museum, ate street food and drank far too much, visits from the children and friends from home, I still don't understand the tube system even though we used it a lot,good job Mark was there.I have loved London but really glad to leave too and get back to more rural surroundings I think I would have burnt out if we'd stayed much longer.

                                          I guess we were more easily entertained in those days

                                                          The creepy asylum
                                              Done in black and white to look creepier!

Ever nearer to London

I absolutely love the Thames there is such a diverse range of river craft from the tiniest motor boat to the almost super yachts, and the houseboats are amazing ( good and not so good ). We were surprised and pleased to get a mooring right outside Hampton Court Palace, and had a visit from daughter No1s friend Daniella along with her two sons Jayden and Logan. Had a lovely afternoon wandering round the palace thanks to Daniellas free pass.Having got our days mixed up we left the mooring to get a few miles under our belt and coming off the Thames at Brentford onto the Grand Union was a bit of a shock, so much rubbish everywhere, we did the Hanwell flight ( 6 locks ) at dusk and met some local characters ( some a bit dodgy ) we also passed an old mental asylum ( the internets words not mine) it was so creepy there was no way I was mooring up next to that place.As we now have a day we didn't know we had, an easy day tomorrow I think .......Lou.  Xxx

Beautiful Godalming....and then the Pikeys moved in

Speakeasy at the southernmost point of the network; during a maintenance period!

Our friend's children Freddy and the lovely Isabelle fishing for treasure at Cartbridge.