Monday 21st January 2008
Location: Great Bowden, Leicestershire, Grand Union
Today: 2 miles, 0 locks. Total distance: 1061 miles. Total locks: 691
Headed out of town and moored up near Great Bowden.
Last time we passed Great Bowden there was a small group of boats moored up on the off side opposite a building that looks like it has recently been refurbished. The boats are now all gone and BW has cordoned off the offside bank to stop any further mooring. There is also a sign on the access gate that suggest that the land owner was a bit unhappy about not being able to use the land for moorings – see photos below. I had a quick search on the web and it looks as if the land had been used for illegal residential moorings before being closed down.
Wednesday 23rd
Walked into Great Bowden village with the dogs.
The village is about half a mile or so from the canal at Bowden Hall bridge.
What a pleasant surprise the village was. The village isn’t even mentioned in the Nicholson’s guide book.
There are two pubs, a shop that sells just about everything and a bakery come delicatessens come tea rooms. It was well worth the walk. Some photos below.
Spent an hour or so patching up the front fender. A new fender is in the region of £45 and they don’t last long when you are passing through hundreds of locks a year. I picked up an old tyre 6 months ago and have been carrying it around until I plucked up the inclination to use it to patch up the fender. Cutting a tyre is a nightmare and I had not been looking forward to it. Anyway, it is all done now and there is a before and after photo below.
Current mooring
Last time we passed this way back in may there were a load of boats moored here
No more mooring here then!!
Hard to spot from this photo but there was a water point on the site
Fairly new renovation on the right by the look of it
Access to the mooring site
Don't think the land owner is too fond of BW now.......
Great Bowden village photos - bit of a grey day - nice village
A bit out of focus as dogs were pulling on their leads - the guy on the chair is sorting the veg display
AD 1604 above the door
Bakery, delicatessens and tea rooms
Fender before patching
After patching. Note blacking has all gone at the waterline - this was caused by cutting through the ice some weeks back
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Material Copyright © 2007 Ernie Williams
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23 April, 2014 4:24 PM