150. Narrowboat cruise up the Grand Union canal and along the Wendover Arm

#narrowboat #narrowboats #canal #canals #liveaboard #cruisingthecut
Having turned around at Cowroast, my narrowboat journey on the Grand Union canal now continued north but with a diversion down the short length of the restored Wendover Arm. The navigable canal is only about 1.5 miles long so far and I found it quite narrow and shallow but quite scenic. I moored right at the far end where there's a large winding hole.
Then I went back up the Arm and down the Marsworth locks before pausing one lock before the end of the flight.
Start point: goo.gl/maps/LYsYeiXPBxL2
End point: goo.gl/maps/zFb8HpLAAxA2
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Theme music: "Vespers" by Topher Mohr and Alex Alena, from the KZbin music library

[@jordandurham8951]

Heygates flour mill > the place with the silos

[@arniestuboud]

Visible on GoogleEarth Street View. Lovely peaceful arm.

[@horstszibulski19]

I would bet that`s a flour mill, too...looks like the mill visible from my window here... And it makes the same noises... :-)

[@MrJimbaloid]

yep loaded out of heygates many times in my 38 tonner as was then.

[@CM-kl9qh]

Ps: the toe path goes on WAY past where you turned around.

[@MaltAndPepper]

The canal does go on as a path with the name Wendover

[@jack-theoptimisticbaromete4278]

I'm slowly working my way through all your videos, having started at number one. I'm not boater but your videos are very peaceful and relaxing viewing. Almost an alternative for a good canal side walk during these troubled "lock-down" times.

[@PeterSmith-by2cy]

This is so very moving for me. Sixty years and more ago I used to go courting along the banks of the wendover arm. More significantly for others, my grandfather was wharfinger at Bulbourne wharf between the wars and lived at the wharf from the 1890s; two of his children died of waterborne diseases and a third drowned his father and grandfather were engineers on the canal from around 1830 living at Marsworth, and New Mill before moving to what were then new terraced cottages at Bulbourne. They were first tenants there. Peter Smith (Hitchman)

[@7LeagueShoes]

"Short, shallow, and ... shplendid". David, you continue to amuse us with your command of the English language.

[@paulwooster3590]

I was wondering if it was a poor Sean Connery impression.

[@russcrawford3310]

Is that English he's speaking? ... I'm from the USA and that doesn't sound anything like English ... y'all ... [adorable grin] ...

[@namespacetoosmall]

Your boat probably has the most soothing engine sound of all KZbin canal boaters' channels. :)

[@frederiquezug5938]

Congrats David. I can't believe we have been with you for 150 episodes. Thank You...........

[@johncraig2684]

happy 150th episode...everyone a joy...thank you.

[@kickboxer76]

13:40 just after the mill, before the bridge, on the right hand side there once was the Bushell brothers boatyard, they made all wooden narrowboats (and some early widebeams) they ceased trading in 1952, but one wooden narrowboat still survives, Roger, the boat was restored and is operated by the Rickmansworth waterways trust. My Dad used to be the production miller at the flour mill, and I grew up in a small cottage (long demolished) just near the bridge at 13:40, on Dads promotion to production manager we moved to the Big mill house further along the road, I spent my childhood playing along the Wendover arm, Beautiful place, and where my love for narrowboats started, More towards Marsworth there was a tragic story in 1920 where a lockkeepers wife and daughter drowned in one of the locks, I guess long before ladders were put in, Rebecca and Ada Seabrook, They were my late grandmothers, aunt and cousin, and every time we were on family walks along the canal I would be told the story, and told to keep away from the locks, such history along those canals.

[@phill2383]

The end of the Wendover Arm looks like absolute bliss.

[@sheilaknight5370]

Congratulations on your 150 vid. Everyone a pure delight. Love your humour !

[@bryancoventry9453]

The secret of strimming CRT ! is to cut in the direction so the grass is thrown onto the bank not the water. Its simplicity itself.

[@GarryI449]

We were in the cotswalds walking a canal and the trust had a barge with a treadmill type thing down into the water. A barge up front was trimming the grass and the treadmill was ping up into a pile.

[@qmmo]

Wonderful way to start the weekend - shall enjoy it again over din dins - Thank you CC😊

[@wallacegrommet9343]

I can’t take it anymore.....no more scenes of pastoral splendor and serenity!

[@simplefoodsimplelife9632]

Your vlogs are always a pleasant interlude. Thank you.

[@eekee6034]

Very cool spiderweb shot, especially from a moving boat! Lovely video altogether.

[@davidpowers4478]

Thanks to Cruising The Cut I'm now obsessed with canals, longboats and locks! Literally watch 5 videos a day! Great vlog, keep it up 🚢

[@BruceBoschek]

Always a joy to have my breakfast with an adventure on the canals. Thank you.

[@cucumberman1234567]

As is always your vlogs are a pleasure to watch. The last time i was up that neck of the canal was when British Rail was in charge. As we know, the canals were under maintained in those days and i grounded on the on silt right next to those factories you travelled by. I was stuck for one night until the rain rose the water level enough to back off. During that night all i could hear was the noises, clangs and raised voices coming out of those factories. For a few hours i lay there in my bed thinking about the days when the canals were a going business, and how they too moored up outside waiting for a load. When i finally reversed off the silt bank i felt a kinship with those guys because, like me they were completely off their trolley, and like me they carried on doing it for decades afterwards.

[@janeabbotts]

Really nice to see the fish in the canal.

[@raew5263]

Lovely ~ just lovely. So very peaceful. 💕🙏🏻 Thank you so very much for sharing. My mini-vacation continues... 👍

[@steelem422]

You have a nice boat especially when you see some of the older boats in your travels. The way you take care of your things not only sends a good message which has been in shortage past few years but gives a window into you character......We have no boats or places like yours just blue water boats offshore stuff

[@smartazz61]

Well Dave, in the good old days they didn't have string trimmers. On their lawn mowers they had these things called bags and they would catch all the grass clippings. When it came to trimming Hedges and so on they used tools that were made for such and they, get this, swept up or raked up the clippings. Can you believe it? At the very least they could use a pool net to get all the stuff off the top of the water. However, you would have to really take pride in your work to do something like that. Now I know typically you have very good things to say about the Canal Trust and I'm sure they normally do a very nice job. They're just lacking a little bit on this one huh?

[@for.tax.reasons]

7:11 I love that some little spider bro liked your camera enough to build a web looks like you've got yourself a crewmate

[@for.tax.reasons]

12:18 this stretch is one of my favorite places you've ever been look the rushes or reeds or whatever swaying in the wind! I hope whenever the arm is fully restored you have a chance to go back on it

[@Sootee50]

That was a lovely scenic trip down the Wendover arm. Thanks for taking us along 👍🏼

[@mattevans-koch9353]

So pleasant. The sunset at Wendover was beautiful and would make a very nice poster. Thank you David. Have a good week.

[@-UrbanSurvivor]

I would have literally stayed on that mooring until i was told to move on, that was too perfect for just an overnighter, that building you passed are part of a big factory and those big silos are part of a flour mill, those would have been full of grain, great vid as per usual

[@readmedottext]

I half expected Rat, Mole, and Mr Toad to be having a discussion on the bank. This is one of the favorite stretches of canal I've seen so far in your series I am catching up with.

[@pootle2768]

Another beautifully filmed vlog with gorgeous scenery. Such a treat for the eyes after a long week staring at 2 computer screens. Thank you David

[@rameshkandadai]

one of the more scenic vlog! simply gorgeous scenery!

[@WestyH]

Very relaxing and I was impressed with the Sean Connery voice ‘splendid’ lol

[@wallacegrommet9343]

A reference to a stop lock, perhaps the one you noted? In 1897, which was drier than usual, the Grand Union company decided that the arm was leaking more water than it was supplying, and stop planks were used to block off the arm at Little Tring. The stop planks were replaced by a stop lock, which was operational by 1901.[22]

[@davieimrie2407]

Thank u David, for yet another great, in fact shplendid, watch! Your narrowboat channel was one of the first i got interested in, ... and i love being part of ur travels, Davie x

[@davidbagley1783]

Glad you stopped at the winding hole

[@thecrazysoaplady2497]

Always a pleasure to watch! Beautiful scenery and good company.

[@marvinnappermarvo]

Heygates Flour Mill, New Mill, Tring. I lived in one of the the Gamnel tied cottages in infancy in the 1970's alongside the flour mill where my father worked as a packer in the mill itself. The mill originally belonged to William Mead which was constructed in 1875. There was a windmill on the site but was demolished in 1910 for the construction of the grain silo. Heygates took over the site in 1945.

[@deepakgogoi5975]

Loved the cruise through Wendover Arm. "Short, shallow and splendid", as you so aptly put it. And very little traffic too, luckily for you. The scenery at the end of the canal was particularly beautiful. Your executive decision was the right one!

[@wallacegrommet9343]

I believe his exact words were “short, shallow, and shplendid”

[@davestafford8560]

Just started watching your channels in the last couple of weeks and I have to say they are very addictive. I,m not exactly sure why because I,m not a particular fan of longboats although they do hold a sense of charm, but I find your narrative very appealing and I suspect your dry sense of humor (sorry I,m in Canada and everything gets corrected to US vocabulary!!) is also another aspect I enjoy. Gives me a sense of good old England and if any country has better scenery and history I,d like to know which one that is. I watched the whole van build series in 12 hours!! Suffice to say I just bought a 2016 Ford Transit and a bunch of insulation!! What can possibly go wrong!!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Hahaha that is fantastic! What, as you say, could possibly go wrong? Have fun :-)

[@CawffeeTyme]

happy 150th episode......

[@warrentingle5879]

Great relaxing channel with professional commentary, thanks!

[@davidoickle1778]

I noticed that someone else called it a "toe path" which I thought was one of those cute U.K. expressions for "Footpath" but now realize it is "Tow Path" as in where the horses once "towed" the boats along before engines were invented. Sometimes speaking "British" is difficult for us Canadians. Live and learn.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Yup, towpath it is!

[@inaoifeble]

We have towpaths in North America. There are a ton of old canals where the boats were hauled by oxen

[@dlou3264]

The reflection of sky on water was so lovely at 8:40 to 8:50. Again around 9:16. Wonderfully captured. So nice. I really appreciate photographic/audio technology. It opens sights and new worlds to us all. Thank you so much.

[@owenlindley8014]

Really enjoy your content. Thank you from the States for sharing. I have to admit if I lived in England I would spend my retirement years as you say,"Crusin the Cut".

[@SecretSquirrelFun]

Endover the Wendover was (and is) indeed ..... Schplendid With some incredibly beautiful, fancy-schmancy rural vistas. 🙂🐿🌈❤️

[@normanboyes4983]

Thank you for taking us along with you.👍

[@davefool6815]

Just found your channel. Lovely choice to make of your life. I'll be watching all your vids

[@CruisingTheCut]

Welcome :-)

[@joeclarke9782]

Another winner. Thanks so much.

[@alexr4151]

Such a beautiful sunset on the Wendover Arm. It looks so peaceful - I'd love to stay there for a few days!

[@annie2950]

Excellent as ever David. Hope this Winter will bring a few of your fireside chats. Thks

[@CruisingTheCut]

Bound to!! :-)

[@jaystermac9870]

Have you ever done or considered doing any audio books ? You definitely have the voice for it.

[@CruisingTheCut]

I'd be happy to but have received no offers to do so.

[@jaystermac9870]

@@CruisingTheCut I'm sure if you reached out you'd be a shoe in good luck from New York!

[@chrisjohns7137]

@@CruisingTheCut Totally agree. You'd be an amazing audio book reader. You'd make even bad books great.

[@torenicolaifjelldal]

“Well, then there is something very wrong with the world!” 😆😆😆 (And yes, I agree!)

[@stevenhj3124]

What I am always impressed with is the incredible calmness of your canal journeys. As we said in the Navy, well done .

[@CruisingTheCut]

Thank you

[@Alobger]

The final shot looks absolutely wonderful - perhaps a perfect scene for a jigsaw puzzle!

[@user-si6qj5ug2x]

it has taken me three weeks to go from start to now,catch-up,from when I stumbled upon your vlog,Thank you for the clear and concise format,the 20 min + - really works,now there's a van! I guess I'll have to log in on that as well,cheers .R.

[@maryanngriffin6428]

WOW beautiful

[@stilcrazychris]

That trip made me feel like I was in the Amazon river... lol.. It made me really relaxed. I could go take a nap now. Happy cruising, Chris from Missouri

[@pauls466]

Lovely ! I nearly fell asleep . so relaxing . Keep them comming

[@suedolly7081]

Lovely!

[@anthonywstanton]

Well done sir!

[@dwjattila]

It is s pleasure living the canal life, vicariously through your adventures.

[@DonaldSimsProduction]

Thank you for sharing. This is very calming for me.

[@rochmel1409]

It's a flour mill (as I'm sure others have said but) now you can tell me what a 'stop lock' is. You casually mentioned it and as I don't expect to have to do any 'work' at all whilst watching your vlogs I'm not going to use my initiative and look it up. :-) . In truth I think you may have mentioned them before but I don't recall the explaination. Thank you for your vlogs, watching them whilst eating my breakfast is an integral part of my daily lockdown routine.

[@ericfeatherstone]

Stop locks were typically put in at the junction of two canals built by different companies so that one canal couldn’t “steal” water from the other. Each canal would have its own steam pumps or access to a natural water source to supply water to the summit of the system. (Now-a-days most of the network is owned and run by the Canal & River Trust so that’s no longer a reason for stop locks.) But that’s not what’s going on with the Wendover Arm stop lock. The Wendover Arm was built as a feeder canal to carry water from springs at Wendover to the summit of of the Grand Union Canal system at Bulbourne Junction. It turned out that despite some reworking the feeder canal was leaking more water than it was supplying, so the GUC built a stop lock to block it off and gave up with it. Feed water now comes from the reservoirs mentioned in the video and the Tringford pumping station. More history here: canalrivertrustwaterfront.org.uk/history/guide-pos3-tringford-pumping-station-wendover-arm/ and here: www.grandunioncanal.co.uk/Wendover-Arm.html

[@PoppysMum2]

Word of the week? “Shplendid” 😊

[@relyiain]

Thanks for another brilliant vlog, ace camera work as usual.

[@suecox2308]

Canal pioneer!

[@jayoneill1533]

Always a pleasure, thanks David.

[@tinniswood2577]

Thoroughly peaceful, Autumn colours and blue sky, ahh lovely.

[@padmepadme]

Very much enjoy cruising with you on your videos. :)

[@chrishowell1948]

Thanks method man 1 of my treats for tonight

[@battlewaterloo]

Really enjoyed this video. Seems to capture the scenic beauty of the canal and the joys of travelling on it.

[@FredStam]

excellent video again. Have a nice weekend...

[@ashropshirelad]

Enjoyed that, like a scene from ‘The African Queen’ at one point! You’re a brave man, I would be petrified of it being inaccessible and having to reverse out!!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Haha reversing out would be a nightmare!

[@mischef18]

Lovely video bro, the trees are looking quite splendid along the canal. Seeing the fish in the canal was interesting being it normally so murky and muddy. ATB.

[@paddyboy1959]

Thanks for the video David. That looks like quite a nice life.

[@mallow173]

72 footer! and did you notice how he jumped off and let it cruise in on its own! he's done that before! Now..is that some kind of work boat? not much for windows...another great vlog! Thanks much!

[@kevgermany]

I'm stocking up on ideas of where to go. Loving your videos.

[@david_keating]

Great vlog David. Nice to see you Cruising The Cut again.

[@wsatnutter9674]

as good as always

[@danhoppy5517]

This quickly became an advert for unkempt canals. Rustic and rural definitely works here..!

[@user-si6qj5ug2x]

perfect sunset pic,the cattle silhouette awsome.R.

[@lesleycouch6557]

Lovely journey - I'm now intrigued to see who your visitors will be...

[@normplatt7549]

ALE! Good show old Bean!

[@ncplantdoctor]

So you went wending and winding. Lovely.

[@DawnDevine]

I found this particular blog to be absolutely stunning... Thank you! Dawn from San Jose-ish

[@pamelatitterton5643]

Just found your videos and we r loving it. We r currently saving for our first narrow boat. So we r finding your videos very insightful and you give some great tips.

[@ToddStimpson]

I like that you include the sped-up bits, as I enjoy following along with you via Google Maps. Congratulations on 150 videos--I look forward to many more.

[@PhilPage227]

Lovely video David.

[@contrafax]

The arm was lovely.

[@urbanrider7981]

The Wendover arm is a great little bolt hole,another excellent vlog David.

[@xjAlbert]

Congratulations on #150! Your videos are MUCH appreciated by me here on the island of Manhattan, New York City.

[@maxboonkittypoison]

Ooohh so calming to watch your cruising video's :)) Greetings,, Kitty.

[@sallyu1]

Congratulations on your 150th! We've seen them all.

[@maryanngriffin6428]

Good Idea!

[@rud]

I just rewatched this video again for I don't know how many times and I had to say that I wouldn't mind staying for a little while at the end of the Wendover Arm with the water tank full, food in the fridge, coal, the toilet empty and just hanging out for a while. Seems like a great place. :)

[@chrishewitt4220]

Huzzah........ didn’t have to wait long for next vlog. Used to live near Wendover as a child when dad was at RAF Halton. Lovely part of the country.

[@MyNarrowboatVenture]

Another great vlog, thanks David. You were lucky not to pass another boat!

[@CruisingTheCut]

I was indeed; took a gamble that it would be quiet!

[@marianillingworth4403]

Thanks for showing us the Wendover Arm, we are looking forward to this in the future. We passed by this year as we had “lock buddy’s “ and a timetable to meet. You did well with the strong winds, they are the bane of boaters.

[@relyiain]

A wee bit o heaven.

[@170166]

Ah caught up with you at last. I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed your journey so far, although it was condensed into a few weeks for me rather then three years, your ability to make entertaining vlogs makes binge watching very easy.