Several of my last posts have been about the (currently) unnavigable part of the Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal. Now, with photos this time, here's a record of our first cruise along the navigable part in July this year.
When you turn off the main line onto the arm you are immediately in another world. The canal is narrow; the trees crowd in; and there's a sense of mystery. You don't know what's around the corner.
Well, in 20 minutes, this is: Heygates Flour Mill.
This comes as something of a shock after the trees and the isolation.
It's always good to see industry still going, especially in such a deliciously canalside location. Look at those bags of flour just asking to be loaded onto a boat.
Almost reluctantly we carried on past the factory ...
... and its grain silos ...
... straight into fields of wheat which one hopes will keep those silos topped up.
I remember several years ago walking along here and looking at this new brick bridge over a dry concrete-lined canal.
It's worth reading the right hand plaque for the history of the Little Tring Bridge:
"This award winning bridge was rebuilt to reinstate the original canal bridge demolished in 1973 despite many protests that the canal would one day be re-opened. It was opened on May 27th 2001 ..."
Five minutes later we'd arrived at the current head of navigation.
Another plaque reveals that
"This length of canal was restored in 2004 by the legacy of Tim Wilkinson, author of Hold On a Minute", a Number One with a great love of the cuts."
One last photo provides evidence of the red kite we saw overhead. We were to see many more of these birds of prey on our camping holiday in the area three weeks later.
I'm glad we did this little excursion off the main line, and I'm looking forward to being able to cruise, one day, all the way to Wendover.
1 comment:
Lovely. I've enjoyed all these posts about the Wendover arm, Halfie. Great to see they are restoring it.
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