- an account of a tour by open canoe around the Grand Union and Oxford Canals, and the River Thames, beginning and ending near Rickmansworth

Our tour took place during the first two weeks in August 1997, which was, although hard to remember now, during a prolonged heat wave with temperatures rising to thirty degrees on several occasions. The water was a cool medium to travel on, but offered little shade, so hats, appropriate clothing and plenty of sun block were essential. At times, the rain covers on the boat were drawn up over our legs to give some protection, and the third member of our crew, Emma the dog, spent some time sheltering underneath.

Our boat was a Reflection 16, built from Royalex. Most of the journey was paddled, although we were able to sail some downwind sections of the Thames, which was a delight. Our sailing rig is home made from an old Enterprise sail, cut down with a wooden boom and gaff sewn in. The mast is half the canoe pole held through a 'D' ring on the after side of the bow seat, and secured to a block glued in place on the hull. The sail has a sleeve sewn in to slide over the mast, and an uphaul through a fitting at the top to raise it. This is tied off to the thwart. The main sheet is controlled by the forward crew member who positions themselves just aft of the mast. Steering is carried out by the stern crew using stern rudder strokes with the paddle. We have no lee board, and the rig was used entirely for downwind sailing.

Coppermill Lock on the Grand Union Canal was our launch and recovery site, for no better reason than it was where we could get a lift most easily. Most of the camping gear was packed into two rucksacks, although we also carried two waterproof stuff sacks and an old flare bottle for food. We carried two spare paddles and a throw rope.

The journey north along the Grand Union revealed much about the canal's history. The grooves cut into the iron supports of bridges, worn by countless tow ropes together with many pubs, cottages, warehouses and narrowboats each told part of the story. On the summit reach, a short detour up the incomplete Wendover Arm led not only to the principal pumping station at Tringford, where 4,000,000 gallons from Tring reservoirs are pumped into the canal each day, but also to a section full of clear water. Here fish could be seen, countless dragon and damsel flies hovered around us and amongst other plants, flowering rush was found.

At Stoke Bruene we visited the waterways museum. This has excellent displays about the history and lives of the people who built and worked on the canal network. The collection of photographs was fascinating making it a most enjoyable visit. Camping in a field just outside the village, we were- surprised to discover fellow DCA member Stanley Dean on the same site, but travelling by more conventional means on this occasion.

Camping was found at authorised sites beside or near the waterways on some evenings. The publications below helped find these. British Waterways were happy to let us camp on the towpath if it was not obstructed, and on at least two occasions we did this. A couple of places allowed camping in a garden and at Banbury we decided to have the luxury of B&B with a shower, and found a place beside Banbury Cross. I think we brought a smile to the Monday morning faces of workers driving through town as we wheeled the boat, with the dog proudly sitting inside, down the main street and through the shopping centre back to the canal next morning.

Negotiating locks was a chore, as our license did not allow us through them on the canals. We were equipped with a portage trolley stowed behind the bow seat. As we reached a lock, using the kneeling mat on the edge to protect the bottom of the hull we hauled up the boat bows first. Then one person lifted the bows whilst the other slid the trolley under. We tied this in place and it was usually easy to pass the lock and re-launch with no need to unload any gear. In many places, queues of narrowboat owners were somewhat envious of our speed, especially at flights of locks. However, the system has its draw-backs. These included locks with bridges and steep steps up to a road, spiral ramps up to the bridge, towpaths in subways with right angled comers and extensive plant operations to lay fibre optic cables. At two places we were left no alternative but to hitch a ride through the lock with the next narrowboat. On the Thames, canoes are allowed through the locks. This is much easier, but does sometimes involve a long wait. At some locks like Boveney just above Windsor there are rollers which are a faster alternative. Unlike the narrowboats which moved at about the same speed as ourselves, were relaxed and generally very careful, some of the cruisers on the Thames appeared to have scant regard for us as they sped past and we were very careful in locks, being usually last in and last out.

On the Oxford Canal which we joined near Braunston, we had the delight of watching mink scamper around one campsite and playing in the reeds and in the water near Wormleighton, a deserted medieval village where the patterns in the fields give the only clues to its past. We also saw a brown rat swim close to us but saw no water voles. Great care was taken to preserve their burrows on the Grand Union during repair work recently, but this mammal is becoming increasingly rare. For a short section the River Cherwell shares the canal and the water is much more clear. Balsalm, butterbur and pendulous sedge grew on the bank and several frenzies of whirligig beetles performed their strange dance on the surface. A tern flew overhead.

We made two interesting diversions on the Thames. In Oxford we wound our way up the Cherwell from its mouth. It runs in series of channels amongst the colleges littered with disorientated punts full of foreign students. Along one arm past St.Hilda's we realised a grass snake was hunting on the bed directly below the boat. It nosed amongst the stones looking for food, before surfacing and exploring holes in the brick bank. A second animal joined it and they carried on apparently oblivious to our presence. Another reptile we spotted was a large red-eared terrapin basking on a log which slid into the water as we passed. We by-passed Shiplake Lock by taking the St. Patrick's Stream and the River Loddon. This flows more swiftly than the Thames and is quite overgrown in places as it winds quietly between fields and large gardens back to the main channel. Shortly after this, the Hennerton Backwater provides another diversion. This is less remote and guarded by a low arched bridge but is a more peaceful approach to Henley.

To complete our circuit, we hauled out in the weir pool below Romney Lock onto the Playing Field of Eton. We had a two mile portage which took us across the playing fields on a footpath, over the M4 on a bridge, over the A4 on a pelican crossing and down a few side roads to the Slough Arm of the Grand Union. From here it was a straight paddle back to the main canal and north, once more to our start at Coppermill Lock.

Our inland waterways have much to recommend them. We enjoyed the history, wildlife and atmosphere. Then there were those canal side inns like the Boat at Stoke Bruerne which almost made the weather tolerable.

Route covered by: "Nicholson Guide to the Waterways" Vol's 1 and 7.

Accommodation Guides: "Grand Union Canal Walk" pub: British Waterways Board. "Camping Beside the River Thames" pub: Environment Agency.

Licenses: British Waterways covered by BCU membership. River Thames: £4.00 for 6 days, from lock keepers