Regents ramble

Worked jolly hard this morning, come three o'clock the sun was shining through the window and I thought to myself, I know, I'll go and have a little walk by the canal before I go home ... wander up the Euston Road, have a little ramble, then get the tube back from Kings Cross. And what do I find when I get home, but that Granny Buttons has been writing about this very stretch. As he has been urging his loyal fans to write on their own blogs rather than commenting on his, this seemed serendipitous in the extreme.

Yes, the cyclists are dreadful. In three quarters of an hour (from Maiden Lane Bridge to Camden Road Bridge and back again) I must have encountered at least ten, all going too fast and most pretty heedless. It was never like this in Huddersfield! Apparently the 'road' surface is going to be improved - well, the existing slab concrete seems pretty good already from a cyclist's point of view. A few potholes, some dust and loose gravel would probably do the trick. Perhaps that's what they mean?

I was talking to someone in Public Management (academic study of, not actually doing it) last week about whether anyone in her field had ever used British Waterways as a case study, as they seem a potentially interesting, possibly unique, case. She vouchsafed the information that she had come across BW, in her capacity as a keen cyclist, at which I hissed, so you're one of those evil towpath cyclists, are you ... Poor woman, She insisted she was one of the good ones. They must have had the afternoon off today.

Also, how are you supposed to moor on a solid concrete towpath? Presumably you're theoretically allowed to, as on towpaths anywhere, but in practice it would look to be impossible. Which probably isn't accidental either. (There's probably a whole history and back story to this that I am in complete ignorance of. Do tell, if you know).

Sadly, saw not a single boat moving, but some interesting ones tied up, including one perhaps to rival Lucy. No picture (what is the point, Sarah, of having a nifty little camera if you don't actually take it everywhere with you?). Anyway, this was a narrowboat, I'm 99.9% certain (looking from the other side of the canal) that it was wooden, so presumably has some kind of interesting history, probably including being shortened ... no identifying marks at all, but clearly not completely uncared for, as still afloat. I'll take a photo next time and maybe someone will identify it and tell its story as Lucy's owner did. Amazing, to see a collection of really tatty boats (including a potentially nice and pretty new looking tug) in the middle of London. Amazing and rather wonderful.

There you are. I said it was a ramble.