Grand Union---- First Impressionss

We have now been on the G U for 5 days, we have travelled each day completing 60 double locks, with plenty more ahead. We can assume that the term Grand refers to the size of the cut  (at 14 feet wide ) Rather than any great beauty or grandeur,  so far,we have been under whelmed. The moorings are uninspiring, and filled with constant moorers in anything that floats or may have at one time ( boat safety scheme don't make me laugh ) The locks are hard, slow, and relentless, with heavy gates and often boats moored on the lock landing stages ( guess who ) We have pulled in near Marsworth, just above the Aylesbury arm, we plan to stay a day or two to re charge our batteries ( plenty of boat admin too !) before moving up towards Leighton Buzzard, and soon after we hope things will get a little more countrified.
If things do not improve ( C&RT ) tourists will not want to spend their precious time and money coming on to this canal, and it will die again.

Bulbourne, once a British Waterways workshop of repute

Garden sculptures now the main product

Some continues moorers take the biscuit

Thought our luck was in, Friday and a pub by the cut, closer inspection shows out of business

The best we can find for our mooring a large road motorbike has just been ridden past us on the narrow path

We hope that with a little rest we will feel a bit more positive, the boat is showing signs of our many months of cruising, a good  clean and polish will help, we noticed the state we were getting in, while cruising with the immaculately turned out Dolphin, earlier in the week. Some paint to the roof is needed and to the sides where lock walls have jumped out to scratch us.

Bye for now 

Baz and Ali.