A wedding and Wormwood Scrubs

On Sunday (22nd June) Chuffed stayed in the marina while we drove up to a family wedding near Cambridge.

I started the day with a short run with Meg along the Slough Arm – even though it was only 8 on a Sunday morning the M25 was busy where it crossed the canal.  But we saw a kingfisher for a good start to the day.  We got togged up in our wedding finery and had a good drive up to a little village called Melbourn, where we left Meg in the care of an excellent day kennel for the afternoon.  Such a betrayed look as we left her!  but of course she was absolutely fine.  We had a brilliant day catching up with family and although we missed the speeches when we went to pick Meg up we made it back for the cutting of the cake and the dancing!

Here we are (in the centre) with my two sisters and their spouses;

and the rest of the photos are only of family interest!  We had a great time in fabulous weather. 

On Monday (23rd) we didn’t rush to leave, not having got back till after 11 the night before, but after filling the water tank and emptying a cassette, and putting our finery back in the car, we were still away by 10.30.  It’s not the most exciting of routes into London, and we’ve done it before, so not a lot of pictures.  But here’s one of Chance taken as we reversed out of our berth;

and a view of the Wembley arch.

We stopped at the Alperton Sainsbury’s for some supplies, then continued to Kensal Green where we moored at the Mitre Bridge end, furthest from the visitor moorings.  The reason for this was Wormwood Scrubs!  Until we researched London moorings for their dog-walking potential, we had no idea that there are acres and acres of common land and sports pitches as well as the prison.  It was 5 minutes to the bridge, then 5 minutes over the railway and down the road to the nearest entry.  Meg had a great time hurtling around after her ball. 

 

After a while she got too hot so we strolled on down to the grassland area where they have the closest breeding meadow pipits to London.  There are polite notices asking people not to use certain paths to protect the nests from disturbance – they are ground-nesting – in here somewhere …

We were really surprised to see such a huge area of relatively wild land so close to Paddington.  There was the prison of course -

and if you turned to your left here you could see the Post Office Tower and the Shard.

Back to the boat in time to shut up the cratch as the rain started!  It did cool the air but not by much.

14 and a half miles.