Down to the river ... well nearly!

7am leaving last night’s mooring ...

 I walked the short distance to Northwood Top Lock which was well and truly locked and I’d not got a BW key with me.  Fortunately a lady from one of the moored boats came by and used hers to open the padlock which enabled the locking bar to be removed so that the gate paddles could be operated.  The picture on the right above shows how little water is coming through the nearest paddle. 

Unfortunately the side paddles were also locked so I waited for George to arrive

 The BW key inserted into the back of the post releases the bar so that the paddle mechanism rises through the hole. It took 30 minutes to do the first lock of the day!

 I found this most interesting - railway under the canal and the road above the canal (click on the picture to enlarge)

 I did my share of steering too today ...

 The very smart lock cottage at Hanwell Lock 92 ...

 ... where CRT operatives were replacing the lock signage

Passing MV Dane and Butty Clara

 Lock 97, the last of the Hanwell flight

Gallows bridge built in 1820 by Horseley Iron Works and may have taken its name from a man found hanged in Boston Manor wood in the 17th century (read more here)

Approaching Brentford ...

... basin

Taken from the water point after which we moored up in front of the breasted narrow boats mid-picture

Through the galley window is MB Ash ? a sister boat to Willow?

Once settled we went for a recce along the Thames Path where there are boats both narrow, wide and huge moored in every space available ...

... including GUCC Dover

Down on the point where the Grand Union Canal meets the River Thames we met the Egyption family - ugly aren’t they?

 Right turn out of the GU canal to Teddington ...

 ... and left into the city.

Tomorrow morning we’ll get through Brentford Gauging Lock and into Thames Lock (above) and turn right for Teddington on the River Thames.