This article was written by BCC member Cleve Evans. Clive recently made a trip with some friends on the Canal from Brentford to Paddington.

You can get from Ealing to Paddington in seven minutes on the train – but where is the fun in that? With a licence, a BW key, and some detailed planning you can do it in just over a day.

My trip last weekend took me out of the marina into the Thames on Friday at 11.30 and then immediately back into the Thames lock, where Sam the lockkeeper was waiting. (You can only achieve this when the tide is up, of course, hence the need for some planning).

Next you have to get under Brentford High Street, which can only be done if the tide is not too ‘up’ (more planning).

The Thames Lock is the last lock where you get any help from the authorities – next come the Gauging Locks (used originally to assess the toll payable by commercial barges). The Gauging Locks are unmanned – the good news is that they are electrically operated, so you can save your strength for later.

The last of my crew of three joined me here, following a disagreement with his alarm clock, and we set off gently towards Hanwell. Two locks and an hour later, we were in the Fox for lunch, fortifying ourselves for the Hanwell flight of 8 locks behind Ealing Hospital. My crew fell into a rhythm as we worked our way uphill, two on the lock ahead, one on the next and one tidying up behind – with yours truly wrestling with the boat, and offering advice.

It only took about an hour and a quarter to get up to Norwood Top lock, where we stopped for a cup of tea outside the Sanitary Station (a romantic spot): we had crossed the famous ‘Three Bridges’, where Railway, Canal and Road all meet at the same point; no-one had fallen in, or dropped his windlass; and we were all pretty impressed with our performance. So it was with some sadness that I bade my crew farewell as they set off for home, leaving me to carry on with the project singlehanded. There are no more locks until Camden.

A mile or two later – through a depressing amount of discarded plasic bags and bottles, and even a refrigerator - came Bulls Bridge Junction. Its a smart right turn for the Paddington Arm, or straight ahead for Uxbridge, Slough and the Midlands. I turned right (sorry, starboard) and pressed on for another mile until I reached the Uxbridge Road. It was 5.45, beginning to get dark and it seemed a good place to stop.

I wasn’t entirely sure where I was until I walked up onto the Uxbridge Road and recognised the western end of Southall. One curry and three beers later I was ready for bed, and struggled into my sleeping bag, supplemented later by a couple of rugs – it was chilly.

Up with the lark, and into Southall again for breakfast at McDonalds – say what you like about the food, the loos are clean. I left my mooring at 9am and headed East. My trip had been given a new purpose by the discovery of Brunel’s first bridge just outside Paddington station, so I determined to go under it.

Through Willow Tree Park, under the A40, through Perivale Wood, round Horsenden Hill, OVER the North Circular Road (that was bizarre!), past Kensal Green Cemetery, and then into Little Venice – a very pleasant and varied cruise.

From little Venice its ‘right hand down a bit’ into Paddington Basin and under the famous bridge – not much to see, sadly, since its still clad in brick and wrapped in polythene in the middle of a building site. But I was there! It was noon, and I had been on the water for just over a day.

Time to come home – a quick phone call to the second crew to arrange to meet at The Fisheries on Old Oak Lane, then a handbrake turn and back through Little Venice. Met up with the crew as arranged: in fact they were mere passengers on this leg, but we passed a pleasant afternoon on the way back to Southall, where they disembarked for the 207 bus and home. I took myself into Willowtree marina, which is part of a modern housing development, and offers not just a mooring, but hot showers (bliss!), a bar and a restaurant (more bliss!).

Up betimes – don’t birds make a lot of racket in the morning? – and a bacon sandwich swiftly despatched, farewell to the manager, and out into the Canal again for the homeward run. Back to Bulls Bridge, left turn, back to Norwood Top Lock ready for the return down the Hanwell flight. My third crew was to meet me at Norwood, but I was early and decided to try operating the lock on my own: it took 45 minutes of running round, opening and closing sluices, mooring and unmooring the boat. At the next lock, I waited for my crew.

Ninety minutes later we were back in the Fox for lunch, then I set off alone to do the last few locks. I called ahead to Thames Lock and to Derek to assure them that I was on my way, and pulled into the Marina at 16.30. It was time to get out of my thermal underwear.

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