The Roundabout and the Lock

We wandered down Pouchen End Lane from the mooring at Winkwell Top Lock and caught the number 500 bus into Hemel Hempstead.  Only a short journey of some nine minutes before alighting outside Debenhams.   Poundland, 99p, B&M, Poundworld, etc all got a visit before we retired to “the Spoons” for the big breakfast.  A check of Sports Direct resulted in me acquiring some replacement socks whilst we both purchased lightweight fleeces.

Riverside Walk

The town centre has the usual range of retail outlets and we thought the most noteworthy feature in Hemel Hempstead was the “magic roundabout”.

Six mini roundabouts forming one large roundabout.  I was terrified by the thought!

The above aerial photo came from Mobile Pistonheads website (because I could not afford to hire a helicopter)

I believe it is one of four in the UK.  The traffic goes in both directions around the central roundabout.  In 2005 it was voted the second worst roundabout in England.

On our return to Waiouru I wandered down to Winkwell Bottom Lock to see what progress CRT had made with the remedial work.  There was no one on site (lunch time?) so I took a few photos through the temporary mesh fence surrounding the lock.

The new top gates appear to be fitted, but not closed.  Stop boards have been fitted above the gates to form a temporary dam.  However you can see there is quite a leak between the top and second boards.  This is having an adverse affect on Waiouru.  We have developed a list and woke this morning to find out feet higher than our heads.  Talk about the blood rushing to your head!

CRT have discovered problems at the lower end of the lock which has delayed the re-opening.  There is a second temporary dam below the lower gates and CRT have two pumps working to keep the lock chamber dry.

Hopefully all this work will be finished tomorrow and we can get on our way.