Rickmansworth Canal Festival 2014
2014 was the 21st birthday of the Rickmansworth Canal Festival and we had been waiting for it since – well, since 2013 really. The weather forecast in the run-up to it had been good, but the festival weekend is notorious for being cloudy, overcast, showery, dull with only occasional glimpses of sunshine (not every year, but often enough that you have to think about what you’re going to wear and whether to take any waterproofs with you). However, this year was a scorcher! All that was required by way of attire was skimpy tops, flowing skirts, shorts, T-shirts, sandals, flip-flops, a hat (there were lots of hats) and, if you were sensible, sun screen.
Martin (my brother) and I were lucky enough to get a lift down Tolpits/Moor Lane, so only had to walk a short distance to Cafe@Lock81 where a late breakfast was ordered. Waiting for our free range beefburger and chips, we noticed that the gates to Chess Lock were open, something I’m not sure I’d seen before, so photos taken, brunch arrived and we tucked in heartily. Daryl, Emma with Erin and Keilyn were making their way from home down the Ebury Way and towpath and they soon turned up while we were watching a boat go through the main Batchworth Lock. Below us, the Pride of Batchworth was being boarded by those taking the trip up to Stockers Lock (a nice little trip), Pride being aided and abetted in the ferrying by another boat over the weekend – Hidden Depths. Down on the canalside by the Little Union Canal model, the Phoenix Morris Dancers were performing and Erin was quite fascinated with all the stick slapping and jingling bells.
From the Canal centre we made our way under the bridge and along the towpath where all the boats were moored. I love the boats. All the boats; narrow boats, working boats, tugs, even the more modern ones. I love the names and the paintwork – the castles and roses – and all the other artwork and colours. By this time my camera was already working overtime, though I had decided I would try and take some photos from a slightly different perspective this year; try and capture something different, if I could.
Martin, Daryl, Emma and the kids were ahead of me when I stopped by Raymond. Admiring the Castles and Roses around the cabin door I was asked by one of the Friends of Raymond if I would care to step aboard. I didn’t need to be asked twice and sat inside the cabin while I listened to a history of the butty. She was originally towed by the motor Roger (which is kept at Rickmansworth and which was moored down near the bridge) and then by Nutfield, which happened to lay alongside this fine sunny morning. The cabin, where the whole family lived, ate, slept was extremely small and the life such families had, extremely hard. One of Raymond’s more famous jobs was carrying coal from Atherstone in Warwickshire to the Kearley & Tonge jam factory at Southall, London, which became known as the “Jam Ole Run”. Launched in 1958, trade kept going right up to 1970. The Brays, who had worked Raymond all those years, lived aboard until 1980 when Raymond was sold to Jim and Doris Collins, who kept her until 1993. She was then taken to Runcorn where it was hoped she would be fully restored, but instead she fell into further disrepair and was eventually sunk! However, in 1996, she was acquired by the “Friends of Raymond”, refloated in 1997 and towed to the Black Country Living Museum at Dudley and decisions finally made about restoration. The butty has a fascinating history and further information can be found on the Raymond website (http://friendsofraymond.org.uk/).
Back on the towpath I continued on towards Stockers Lock taking more photos as I went, recognising boats from previous years that had made the trip to Rickmansworth and some that were moored there semi-permanently. Martin, Daryl and Emma had long since turned off towards the Aquadrome and the arenas but I walked on to Stockers before ambling my way down past the kayak club and the environment village before making a quick call to check where the family was. They were in front of the Cafe in the Park, the kids tucking into a packed lunch. We all sat for a while on the grass before heading back towards the environment village, Martin and I deciding we needed a cold drink. The ‘slushes’ we purchased were rather more than cold and you know when you sometimes eat an ice cream or a lolly and get “brain freeze” ? (think Hot Fuzz). Well, I certainly got brain freeze, throat freeze, rib freeze and don’t think I’ve ever tried to drink anything so freezing in my life! However, in the heat of the day the ice melted enough to be finally downed and Martin and I wandered through the marquees and the around the stalls, picking up any freebies or informative leaflets before heading to the main arena. It was time for a proper drink and I opted for a strawberry cider from the beer tent. Music was coming from the stage and eventually we found a spot on the crowded grass where Daryl and Emma soon joined us. Then a work colleague of Daryl’s joined us, along with his mum and his son. Erin had been eyeing up the helium balloons and finally Daryl took her across to choose one. – Peppa Pig. We stayed for a while longer, the kids all around filling the air with bubbles, before we all headed off towards the funfair.
Erin chooses a balloon
Erin captivates Uncle Martin
There was a wide assortment of stalls selling everything from fudge to wood carvings, canal-ware to clothing, jewellery to caramel vodka with everything in between. The path between them was heaving with festival-goers and clogged with buggies and people with dogs and kids with scooters and bikes. We stopped often to look at what was on offer before we finally got round to the rides. While Daryl took Erin and went off with Jason and Charlie, Martin, me and Erin with Keilyn wandered further around the lakeside, stopping to take one or two photos and then it was time for a coffee. After a while we wandered back and met up with Daryl again and decided it was time to head home. Keilyn was a bit under the weather and the heat had got to her, so we made our way onto the towpath again and began the trek back to Watford.
As we approached the bridge opposite Tesco, the path was barely passable with people gathered to watch the boat tug-o-wars, an annual fun event which sees two boats out on the canal, tied together with a rope, seeing who can outdo the other. Martin and I stopped again to take some more photos before catching up with the others.
Tug-o-war opposition
Eventually we got to Batchworth Lock and made our way along the towpath to the bridge near Lot Mead where we went up onto the Ebury Way and finally got back to West Watford. Martin and I headed off across the field next to King George’s and so onto the estate and home, where on went the TV as we were just in time to watch the cup final. And who won? Arsenal!!!! A great end to a lovely day.
Taken again from my WordPress site.
