Caution Stream Increasing

Having left Little Venice with the intention of making passage from Brentford to Teddington and navigating up the Thames to meet family in Reading, our friends have reconsidered their options.

I looked on the Environment Agency's river conditions site today to find that from Oxford to Boveny lock (below Reading) there were yellow caution notices in force.
"Caution stream increasing - We advise users of all unpowered boats not to navigate and users of powered boats to find a safe mooring. This is because river flows are likely to strengthen and red boards could be displayed very soon and without warning."

Assuming that the water from Oxford will need to get to Teddington, our friends agreed that a couple of days moored in a safe mooring like a lock cutting was not how they wanted to spend their holiday so they have turned north and are taking SONFLOWER back the way she came.

Arm or Armless?

As Easter approaches we need to plan our next cruise.

The next major event in our boating calendar is the Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice. Well, with a new professional paint job one can show off a bit, can't one? We will need to get there.

We hope to start the journey on Easter Saturday. I do not really like travelling on Bank Holidays when the world and his wife take the yoghourt pots out for a picnic trip but needs must.

We could be passing through Braunston then as well which is not good planning! It may not be the best thing for our new paintwork!

Then we need to decide where to stop. We have to get the boys back to college/school. The holidays just are not long enough these days. We may need to take a break. We have left the boat at Cosgrove in the past but that is quite a way from London. Granny Buttons thought Bulls Bridge mught be suitable but that is too far from Banbury as we won't be out of the boatyard until Good Friday.

We have never done the arms. We got to Marsworth Junction, looked toward Aylesbury and thought '16 locks there....16 locks back' and went on past; we got to Cowley Peachey Junction, looked toward Slough and thought 'flat and straight...' and went on.

So this may be an opportunity to reach out an arm!

I have just come across this walking site, foxyislandwalks,that has a photo log of the Aylesbury Arm. It looks very nice.
I've nicked this picture from their site.