PF voyage pt3

Pickle's Folly's maiden voyage, part 3

Story so far

Pickle's Folly was taken from the builders on New Year's Eve 2012. Cruising through Wolverhampton and Birmingham, the crew changed at the bottom of the Hatton Flight. The fresh crew brought her onto the Grand Union Canal, Main Line and headed through Milton Keynes before coming to a halt at Marsworth. Lock closures forced a pause in the journey to Hunton Bridge. The boat was snowed in during the winter, with ice on the canal too. A fresh crew joined the boat in March to finish the journey.

Thursday 14 March

Well, here we go; the last leg of the Pickle's Folly trip back to Hunton Bridge. Pickle's Folly has been at Marsworth for nine weeks caught up with stoppages at Marsworth, Boxmoor, Kings Langley, and then the wharf re-builder's barge was also caught up with stoppages at Iron Bridge and Cassio - this all had a knock-on effect. We left the car in the car park at 1100 hours, carrying our bedding and stocking up with food - the weather was cold but fine. one helm and two lock workers with the boat, one going ahead to set the locks - so four of us in all. We stopped off at Tring for lunch after the six locks of the Marsworth flight. The plan was to spend the night about Berkhamstead, so we pushed on, trying to find a mooring near to a pub but to no avail. Then The Mill loomed up and a space on its banks, so we moored up quick. Having settled down for food we realised the heating was not working and the temperature was falling. We tried every idea to solve the problem but no luck - so we used the gas stove for heat. With a pub nearby, the evening was spent keeping warm with their hospitality.

Friday 15 March

After a cold night, but warm in our sleeping bags, we started off after breakfast - we realised we had to push on without a break to make it back before dark. It felt like all the locks were against us [due to most locks having to be left empty]. The weather was cold and drizzling: not nice. We landed up having soup in mugs with chunks of bread, warming us against the cold. We arrived at the base at Hunton Bridge about 1600 hours whilst we turned the boat around - a mission against the stream flow from the River Gade. We were successful and all tied up alongside Dick's Folly, clearing our kit out and picking up cars, etc. Well, this is the end of 14 days delivery from Stourport-on-Severn to Hunton Bridge, via Wolverhampton: 155 miles, 203 locks, 9 tunnels and 111 miles of broad canal, with a good team of helpers to helm the boat and work the locks and prepare the food. Thanks to all concerned - I hope you enjoyed it. Very many thanks, Peter.

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