In the middle of The Smoke.

Whoopee, not only have we made it to Paddington but have managed to sneak onto a mooring.
Usual 0900 start and on our way to Bulls Bridge.

The entrance to the Slough Arm. I blame John Betjemen and the eponymous town's negative image for the fact that we passed it by, anyway we had bigger fish to fry.

The gravel wharf and batching plant, are there any plans to resume water borne deliveries?

Round the corner and through the bridge with Lizzie in hot pursuit. We were on the Paddington Arm by 1015. The observant among you will note that my usual White Ensign has been replaced by a red duster. This is because, as we near the Thames we are more likely to come across retired Naval Officers and they are inclined to "Harumph!" at the sight of the White Ensign on a narrow boat and I really can't be bothered with it.

Last place I expected to find a lighthouse.

Good to see that they are relaying the towpath for quite a distance along the arm, personally I would rather they dredged the arm but that is my personal preference and it seems that we all want C&RT to do different things to those which it is doing, we all have different priorities. They'll never keep us happy, no matter what they do.

Everyone to their own, do you think he washed up here after a shipwreck?

I hate to say it but this really is a grubby stretch of canal, several times we picked up rubbish on the prop., fortunately a quick burst of reverse cleared it each time but we did gather rather a lot of grunge on the front end.

Splendid array of satellite dishes on these flats

and moorings tucked between the blocks. All mod. cons. round London!
We arrived at Paddington at 1415, five and a quarter hours including watering. I suppose that on arrival I should have secured a photo' of the basin but I'm afraid that will have to wait.

Watch this space............