Anyway, on that first trip, somewhere near Leighton Buzzard, I spotted a boat in Fullers Brewery colours called 'The Griffin', and took a picture. That subsequently got enlarged, framed and given to my local pub, the Griffin. I may have said enough about this particular brewery, but give me a small pub that stocks bottles of Fullers beer (at room temperature, not chilled to tastelessness) and I'm unlikely to complain. Anyway, that picture's still there (just to the right before you get to the loos, if you're passing), and a little better composed than the ones below...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYptRC3obN_8KbxG87yOV0deDdJkXCbmk-KJ1ICbAKhxIQLN3ExrO2l29uaKMN6TaWNu4OXr5wfX63VOvKo_aMHk5QfGBVn2b613BTZ7ctGQ9BF0lF-z2xplhxbsTX8_i1_CBdnT28KCU/s400/griffin1.jpg)
Tortoise is at Cowroast, moored just a little down from Griffin's home mooring, and indeed Griffin is in residence. I realise I rarely name other boats I mention (for good or bad reasons), but not much point in hiding this one:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ObO5A8zJUK0xAMTLTCMxKHMk6mjJxiH8MdV7RnsjEIZrtvUjnVhwCUo9dTUZmyXZ0LEzsm3R7JpHeEvv_ZMhAqfMJCZrxHa7TdtwZe3z8gp6qGnhetUgLOfLFKL8M_4Hijgb8xBGlDfG/s400/griffin2.jpg)
I've no idea what connection, if at all, the boat has with the brewery - some, I guess, as it's mentioned as being at the opening of the Paper Mill in Apsley in a report on the net. For me it's a reminder of my early canal trips, as much as the namesake of the pub at the end of the road...