Noisy and chilly.

1 lock, and .5 mile . Now moored at Bridge 168 Watford

Last night was a very sleepless night due to the noise of the trains on the Metropolitan line just above us. The only respite was between 1 and 5 am when they stopped running.

This morning we moved up through the Cassio Bridge lock to the water point to start off but while we were watering up another boat came down the canal from the opposite direction and moored up where we were planning on mooring. Damn! However I wandered up and spoke to the sole lady boater and asked her if she would mind moving up another mooring ring and there would still be enough room for both of us as her boat is only about 25 feet. She very kindly agreed and we are now moored by bridge 168.

Once settled we wandered into town, firstly to Watford Junction to pick up our tickets for a trip to Devon. On the way we passed this quaint looking house which is Cassiobridge Lodge which was part of the Cassio Estate owned by the Earl of Essex.

From the station we walked down Clarendon road into the High St. Except for the Magistrates court there was not much left along this road that was recognisable to me. We then wandered down High St, through where the old market place has been replaced by an up market shopping complex and covered market place. Unfortunately it wasn't market day today.

Down Beechen Grove to where Derby road has virtually disappeared into a dual carriageway. There must have been a hell of a lot houses sacrificed here for the new roadway. From here we walked through the Harlequin centre where Queens road used to be. This took us back to the High St.

The Harlequin centre is Watford's answer to the huge shopping complex at Brent Cross which apparently was drawing customers from all over the Hertfordshire area. Now shoppers can find everything here in Watford which is closer to home.

Onward we traipsed to the High St underground station where we turned onto the new bypass to head back towards Watford West via Vicarage road and Whippendell road. By the time we reached the boat we must have walked the best part of 5 miles.

Tonight we have had to revert to using the TV straight off the aerial as the free to air box and the satellite dish cannot pick up good signals hence we either cannot get a watchable picture or the channels we want.

819 locks, 1135.5 miles, 33 Tunnels, 39 swing bridges and 19 lift bridges since Nov 2006