Garstang

Whilst Bridget and Storm headed off to have a look at Fleetwood we stayed behind to catch up with some chores on board. The cooker needed a good clean as did the shower. It always amazes me how much of my hair ends up down the plug hole. On Lillian there was no way of cleaning it without contorting yourself through a bathroom cupboard to underneath the shower. We only did this once and the slow emptying of the shower tray turned out to be down to a small bit of plastic from a shampoo bottle lid, not my hair. On Oleanna you can just lift out the cover over the hole, this is where stuff collects, undo a screw and clean it out a thirty second job that you just need to get round to doing.

Finesse got back in touch regarding the removal of bulbs in the control panel. It is just a case of pulling and they slide out.  They also suggested opening up the grills on the bowthruster tube and having a clear out, which might save having to have Oleanna lifted out of the water to solve the problem. We had wrongly assumed that the grills were welded onto the hull, but they are held on with two bolts. Hopefully it will be possible to reach over the bow to do this, if not I think Mick will need to go in! He’s after finding some waders, I think some trunks would do. Anyhow both options would be cheaper than taking her out of the water.

They asked if we could send them some photos of the chimney, which I did including one of our next door neighbours chimney capped off. We are still concerned that the height we have will be a problem at low bridges. We’ve not come across any yet, but as we head southwards we make take a trip up the Caldon where there is a very low bridge, NB Winding Down certainly had to have it’s chimney removed to get under it.

My knitting was completed and popped in the post to Hebden Bridge and then we stocked up the cupboards including the wine cellar.

This evening we visited The Tithebarn and met up with Roger, one of the original syndicate members from NB Winding Down, and had some food. Their menu said that they had a gluten free burger option, so I jumped at the chance. However they didn’t have any gluten free buns to put my burger in. So when my food arrived it looked a third the size of everyone elses. I should have changed my order to something else, but didn’t.

We had a lovely evening catching up with Roger and hearing about the boats he helps skipper on the Lancaster Canal including Tavy Cleave that we saw him on the other day. Weather permitting Roger will join us to do the Ribble on Saturday, he’s an old hand at the crossing.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 cardie finished, £3.40 postage, 3 boxes wine, 2 emergency meals, 1 clean shower, 1 pair of trunks required, 4 burgers, 3 buns, 1 stir fry, 8 pints Guzzler, 2 J2O.

Ratcliffe Bridge to Wyre Aqueduct

Last night we checked out the buses to Garstang, two an hour and the ride would only take 13 minutes, yet it would cost over £6 return! As we needed to be heading towards Garstang anyway we decided to cruise there this morning instead of catching the bus.

We woke to rain and it carried on for much of the morning. The sensible thing would have been to stay put until it stopped, but my parcels were waiting at the sorting office which closes as 1.15pm. Mick heroically pushed off and cruised us into Garstang with me dry inside, Blackbird would follow us later. As soon as we’d moored up I headed into the town to pick my parcels up and do a bit of food shopping.

The contents of said parcels were several circular knitting needles and a set of double pointed needles. I could now continue with the top I’ve been making. This morning, whilst avoiding getting wet, surfing the internet I came across a technique of knitting with circular needles called the Magic Loop. This enables you use a much longer length of needle than required to knit small circular things like socks and gloves, even fingers and thumbs. This dispenses with the need of double pointed needles all together! I’m going to give it a try on my next project, if it works it means I’ve wasted money on the set of double pointed needles, but you live and learn.

This afternoon I’ve completed the sleeves of the top, with one set of circular needles and then blocked it ready to do round the neck and the button bands. This wool is really nice, I just have to be near it. It smells nice, feels nice and I really want to lie on it. There is Tilly’s endorsement for you, Hopefully someone will like the look of the top as much as Tilly does and buy it.

Mick in the meantime has been checking on places to buy diesel. Moons Bridge Marina does, not as cheap as at St Mary’s on the Rufford Branch, but it will save us an anxious crossing at the weekend. He has also tried to replace a bulb in the engine control panel that has gone. He was successful in getting to the back of it, but didn’t know whether to just pull the bulb out or twist it. So we’ve sent an email to Finesse for advice and also enquiring about the lithium batteries. As the evenings are drawing in now our current battery set up (still temporary) is struggling to meet our demands, so we are hoping that the third battery on order will arrive soon.

As the evenings are getting cooler Mick decided it was time to light the stove. It is autumn after all! I suspect we’ll be very toasty this evening.

0 locks, 4.55 miles, 1 wet cruise for some, 2 parcels, 0 wine boxes, 1 bulb twist or pull, 2 sleeves, 4 hours! 1 blocked top, 1 lovely place to snooze, 1 banished cat, 1 chilly afternoon, 1 stove going.

Glasson Basin to Ratcliffe Bridge 75

This morning the wind had died down and the rain stopped, so it was time to start moving back southwards ready for our booked passage back over the Ribble to what I’ve started calling the ‘Main Land’. Up on the Lancaster it has felt a bit like being on an island, which of course we are, but as the canal is cut off from the main network it has felt more so.

Blackbird winded to fill with water and by the time we’d got ourselves together and pushed off we followed them back up the cut from the basin. The local swans escorted us for some of the way, yesterday they’d been giving flying lessons to their offspring across the basin, but today they just bobbed along.

Most locks were full, only the top one was empty. The boats took it slowly between locks so they didn’t have to tread water much waiting for the chambers to be emptied and the gates to open, I suspect the going for them was slow anyway. Bridget, Max and I worked the locks and walked up the hill. Not as sunny as it had been on our way down, but the scenery was still lovely. Lots of butterflies around today, a Red Admiral flashed it’s wings at me from some brambles and hung around for a photo.

We reached the top of the locks just gone 12.30pm. Both boats waited for their crew under the bridge before turning out onto the main line. Oleanna just had enough room to turn out to the left. The plan was to top up our diesel tanks just enough to feel comfortable to do the crossing. Galgate Marina sells diesel and Mick thought that there was a self service pump here as there often is at BWML marinas. So Blackbird pulled up onto the services whilst we headed another half mile or so further north to wind. As we returned though Bridget gave us the news that diesel was only sold on certain days and the pump was not self serve. Wednesday would be too late for us. We stopped and topped up with water and emptied our yellow water before pushing back over to the towpath for some lunch.

Once we got going again we headed southwards. Waterproofs were needed on and off as showers passed by. Up on a hill surrounded by trees we got a glimpse of Ellel Grange. Sadly it was only a glimpse as the building with it’s Italianate Towers looked quite impressive. Built for William Preston, a merchant, in 1860 it is a copy of Queen Victoria’s Osbourne House. It has a few quirks, some of the internal columns are not marble but are hollow and used to drain water which is collected centrally, there are no drainpipes on the outside of the building. The twenty bedrooms are accessed from a hidden corridor. It is now a nondenominational Christian retreat  run by the Ellel Ministries.

A couple of possible moorings showed themselves with armco and picnic benches, but the canal wouldn’t let us get into the side again, so on we continued to Ratcliffe Bridge where we had our covers fitted. Tomorrow the forecast isn’t good and I have a couple of parcels to collect in Garstang. So from here I can walk up to the A6 and get a bus to the collection office before it closes.

At last some trees to climb and sideways trees and best of all some rain. Marvellous.

6 locks, 7.69 miles, 0 lead, 1 left, 1 wind, 0 diesel, 1 tank full, 1 tank empty, 2 moorings aborted, 1 cat towel deployed, 1 more required before too long.

Glasson Basin

Last night as we laid in bed I wished for a power cut as the untuneful howlings of a karaoke wafted across the basin from some sort of do on the far side. Luckily it quietened down just gone midnight allowing us to get to sleep. This morning we woke to wind and rain buffeting us against the side. Once we were up Mick deployed our tyre fenders which helped a great deal.

As it was such a miserable morning we decided to see if Lantern O’re Lune lived up to its reputation of being in the top 5 Lancashire breakfasts. We managed to dodge the rain but arrived at the swing bridge when it was swung. A visiting yacht was coming up in the lock, the second boat this morning. Two lock keepers wound windlasses and chatted to the crew, pointing out where to head in the basin to moor. Plenty of people were watching and being Sunday several cars waited, empty, to cross the bridge. A route was open to cross the bottom gates so we carried on and found plenty of seats free in the cafe.

A full breakfast was described as not for the faint hearted. We decided to opt for a veggie breakfast but with pork sausages, Mick had fried eggs whilst I had scrambled. A generous plateful and they had gluten free bread too, so we were both happy. As we ate the tables filled up, cyclists, walkers and quite a few regulars, the proprietor placing their orders before they’d even entered the door. We enjoyed our meal only one slight criticism was that even thought the sausages were nice, they could have been even nicer. But that was only a very small thing.

Very serious twitchers were watching the mud banks and salt marsh when we went to look at the high tide. This was the first time we’ve seen the river full since we’ve been here.

For most of the rest of the day we stayed indoors avoiding the weather. Tilly sat watching the rain under the pramhood, It was far too windy out there! I continued to make a giant crochet bag. Much of the day I’ve worked on this, but sadly the fabric I bought is very fluffy and the boat now has a layer of dust everywhere despite ripping it up outdoors. I’ve persevered with it to try to get a pattern, but the fabric will have to be a different type, cotton sheeting most probably.

Later in the afternoon the rain eventually stopped so we went out to see if we could find where the music was coming from last night. We walked up the canal to the first bridge and then round to the marina. Nowhere suitable showed it’s face and we’d seen lights further along. The next entrance from the road was into a field. A traffic cone sat by the gate along with a water tap, but other than that there was nothing. This looked like it was the right place for the lights, but unless they had power from the school or generators we didn’t see how there would have been power for the karaoke. Maybe it hadn’t been powered, maybe it was a spectral karaoke that just disappeared into thin air at midnight!

By the dock is an imposing building, The Caribou. This is the oldest building in Glasson. In 1787 it was known as Pier Hall a hotel for the dock. In the 1820’s it became known as The Caribou Hotel. In 2002 it was divided into seven houses and apartments. £160,000 will get you a three bedroomed house right now. The railway ran up the road in front, the station being nothing more than a small hut which has since been demolished. By the dock there is a metal plate which marks the boundary of the railway.

Garlic chicken this evening made with some of the smoked garlic I bought yesterday was very tasty and the mackerel Mick put in the kedgeree last night was very nice too. I may have to pop back to the smoke house before we leave for some more.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 miserable day,  2 boats, 1 bridge, 4 held up, 2 veggie breakfasts with meat, 1 Americano, 1 tea, 1 refill of tea, 0 need for lunch, 3 twitchers, 2.5m ripped, 1 dusty semi trad, 2 much fluff, 1 and only PB, 1 bag, 1 dusty sofa, 0 power, 0 karaoke, 1 very bored cat, can we move tomorrow please!

Glasson Basin

Lots of chatty walkers passed our mooring at 7am, waking us so we had a cuppa in bed earlier than normal. They were taking part in a 45km walk from the basin here through Lancaster, beyond and back. The car park next to the moorings which so far has managed to have around twenty cars in it was full. Mick was paper boy today, although the village shop didn’t have our usual paper, so we are coping with a substitute, it won’t last us as long as normal though.

Oleanna’s next service was due so Mick donned his overalls and climbed down into the engine bay. It was a 250 hour service which involves changing the oil and oil filters. But because we’ll be crossing the Ribble next week Mick wanted to check the fuel filters too, just in case. This isn’t due until the next service, but there would be nothing worse than to get a blockage on the high seas. First he checked the fuel filter, which was clean so everything was fine and dandy and no other action was required. He tightened the stern gland and broke for some lunch.

Whilst he was getting close and dirty with Oleanna I spent the morning ripping, twisting and winding the first lot of fabric I bought in Preston the other day. I intend on crocheting a bag with this homemade chunky yarn and if my friend Julia thinks it is sellable I suspect I’ll be making some more. The fabric I got though did create a lot of dust as I was ripping it up into 3cm strips. Next time I’ll do this outside to avoid fluff. With two full reels of yarn ready I can make a start.

Once lunch was over Mick ran the engine for a while to help warm up the oil so that it is easier to deal with. He then set to changing the oil.

Meanwhile I busied myself with a very important trip. A walk along Ten Row brought me to The Smoke House. There was a steady stream of people into the shop, never busy, but just constant. What to buy? I was here on my own, this could have been quite costly, but I was good and managed to select several things that were on offer. My bag took on weight as the credit card got a little lighter. A pair of kippers, smoked salmon, white and black pudding, Cumberland sausages, smoked garlic, Lancashire cheese and some smoked mackerel for a kedgeree tonight.

Bridget had spent the morning picking Blackberries and had a surplus so a large bag came our way. These have taken up what space was left in the freezer, a pot of compote has been made to spoon over cereal and a blackberry cobbler is ready to go in the oven for pudding tonight. I’ve had a go at making it with gluten free flour, here’s hoping it works.

Once all the oil was changed Mick turned the engine over, except it wouldn’t start! It had worked earlier after he’d looked at the fuel filter, so why not now! Oleanna’s engine is different to Lillian’s, things are in different places. Lillian had an electric pump, so the fuel system didn’t need bleeding. Oleanna doesn’t. He thought he’d bled the system, but he hadn’t undone the bleeding screw. Once this was done she started up first time. Phew, we won’t be stuck in Glasson, nice as it is.

I went for a visit to Christ Church a short distance back up the towpath. There had been a Teddy Bears picnic today and large chalky paw prints covered the footpath. But now the church grounds were quiet. I pushed the door and entered the friendly church. Quite simple with oak pews, a few stained glass windows and a very simple organ sitting on a balcony. There were lots of flowers everywhere. A couple of plaques commemorate members of the Nicholson family who built boats in the basin from the 1830’s.

Today the towpath has been busy, plenty of curious gongoozlers. As soon as you show your head outside comments and questions would start, Tilly gets them too. A couple of chaps were even pacing out the length of Blackbird this afternoon. Sat inside you can hear everything that is being said, we can’t hep but comment back. A group of very enthusiastic children have just come past, they were astounded ‘Look how Tiny the doors are!’ That’s because I don’t need big doors.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1.5m x 2.2m ripped twisted and wound, 2 reels of yarn, 1 clean fuel filter, 9 litres oil, 1 oil filter, 1 engine 2 quiet, 1 bleeding screw, 1 engine purr, 2 kippers, 6 sausages, 1 bulb garlic, 2 puddings, 1 small church, 18 paw prints, 50p a book, 3 potential puddings, 1 pot of red, 6 tiny doors.

Glasson Basin

Whilst eating breakfast this morning I could hear the familiar sound of a lock being operated. Leaning out of the side hatch I could see the mast of a boat in the lock, it was high tide. It took quite sometime for the boat to be brought up to the level of the basin before the gates could be wound open. All the time the swing bridge had been closed to traffic as it sits right over the lock, so after the two boats exited I waited to count how many cars had been held up. A grand total of two bikes! It was closed for at least ten minutes, but then there is another way round.

As we had free power, still don’t know how much, we decided to get on with emptying the dirty linen drawer. Washing machine on and the doors open so that Tilly could come and go at will, which wasn’t much. It’s boring here! Can’t believe that you think it’s a good place. Mick got on with chores whilst I got on with some work, knitting, earning a bit for the beer fund.

After lunch we met up with Bridget, Storm and Max and headed off for a walk to find some views. At the end of Tithebarn Hill was a viewing point, with views in every direction. From here we could see back to Lancaster and the memorial, Helvellyn in the Lake District and just make out Blackpool Tower to the south of us.

We then took a circular route which first took us closer to the River Lune. The tide had gone out and the now familiar sight of marsh land and mud flats lay below us down to what water there was. In the distance we could see out to sea. A ship waited for a ferry to come past before making it’s way towards Heysham behind the next headland. Numerous wind turbines filled the horizon whilst in the foreground a small light house and buoys marked the channel of the Lune.

Plover Scar Lighthouse, or Abbey Lighthouse, is a 19th Century lighthouse which marks the entrance to the Lune Estuary. It was built as the lower light of a pair of leading lights. The rear or High light once stood next to the Abbey Lighthouse cottage on Slack Lane it was originally a wooden tower, later replaced by a metal framework beacon. The leading lights helped ships navigate into the Lune estuary. Last year the lighthouse was hit by a commercial vessel and has recently undergone a brick by brick restoration. Prior to automation lighthouse keepers lived in the lighthouse cottage, they maintained both lighthouses, walking across to Plover Scar at low tide. The Raby family kept the lights for nearly a century until 1945.

Following the path along the shoreline we reached Cockersand Abbey where only the chapter house still survives in one piece. Originally a hermitage for Hugh Garth in 1180 it developed into a hospital and after ten years it gained the rank of Abbey. The chapter house remains intact due to it becoming a mausoleum for the Dalton family from Thurnham Hall in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is Grade 1 listed and a scheduled ancient monument. The building is open on occasions, sadly we are leaving the Lancaster canal on it’s next open day.

We now followed tracks and footpaths directed by Mick with his downloaded OS map on his phone. A very handy thing until the data on your phone runs out! But luckily there was still enough map to get us back. This route took us through farmers fields and across a couple of farm yards. One farmer obviously wasn’t so keen on a footpath crossing his land as he stores his manure mountain right by the stile. Along some of the tracks we spotted huge ripe blackberries that are likely to be picked tomorrow.

Tilly has made new friends on the boat behind us today. They sadly lost their cat a month ago and came bearing gifts for Tilly. DREAMIES!!!!! Not too sure about the OAP food or the flea stuff, but DREAMIES!!!!!! Thank you!!

Today has been the first day at senior school for my nephew Josh. My brother and I had to have our photos taken in our brand new uniform to mark the day. Have to say Josh’s uniform is far more colourful than ours were back in the 70’s. He looks really smart. Just as well I can’t find the photo of me!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 misty start, 2 boats, 1 new bucket, 2 loads washing, 1 vest top just needing rib, 3420 narrowboat questions, 5.3 mile walk, 1 light house, 1 abbey, 2 ships, 4lb of jam ingredients at least, 4 chilled medications, 2 packs DREAMIES, 2 new friends I won’t eat, 1 uniformed Josh the next Leckenby growing up.

Galgate to Glasson Basin

The rain hammering on the roof as we woke this morning suggested that we wouldn’t be going very far, it was horrible. So we took our time getting up and having breakfast. But by 11am things were looking up. NB Blackbird pushed over to the services to fill with water and we collapsed the pram cover. All ready we pootled up to the junction and turned into the Glasson Branch.

Immediately there was the top lock. We had to remind ourselves what a lock was as we’ve been without them for three weeks now. All you need is a key of power as windlasses have been welded onto paddle gear. The ground paddles were easy to operate to fill the locks. But the bottom gates were hard work.

The mechanism for all but one lock is the same as on the Bingley Five and Three. You wind a handle that moves a ratchet bar along pulling the paddle sideways on the gate to open it. Having a fixed handle makes this hard as you can’t always use the advantage of your body weight to click to the next groove. But Bridget and I managed to get them moving with a bit of extra umph! Max helped out as Tilly snoozed inside.

This stretch got prettier and prettier as the sun came out. The sky a vivid blue reflected in the clear canal and the lush green of the grass surrounding us. A perfect summers day.

The canal was clear and you could make out the saucer shape of the canal bed leaving just a narrow channel to navigate through. On the last pound it reminded us of the Chesterfield canal last year and it’s weed!

The Glasson Branch opened in 1826 providing the Lancaster canal with its first link to the sea at the River Lune. Dropping down 52ft through six locks it travels 2.5 miles. The locks are wider than normal at 16ft, which meant that smaller boats coming off the river could carry on up to the canal and not have to transfer their cargo onto canal boats.

If there had been anywhere to moor on our way down we’d have certainly pulled in for a day or two. But there being nowhere we continued on to the basin. An area of long term mooring is no longer used so we pulled up and tied off to huge rings intended for much larger vessels. Across the way on pontoons are numerous sailing boats along with two life boats. With electric posts along the moorings we plugged in, but unsure of how much credit was on the post we refrained from putting the washing machine straight on.

A walk around the village in the afternoon sunshine meant that we got to see most of the sights. A swing bridge sits over a lock into Glasson Dock where a few boats were moored. The dock gates out onto the River Lune are only opened for 45 minutes before high water, then the channel out to the sea is only safe to navigate for an hour after high tide. We walked around a small section of the port which seemed to be busy with lorries using the weigh bridge today. In amongst the buildings was The Port of Lancaster Smoke House, plenty of interesting things to buy, but we refrained with a plan to return later in our stay to spend money.

If the weather stays as it is our mooring will be great for a few days, sunlight on the solar panel and electric, our washing drawer will be empty again. Just a shame there are loads of woofers and NO trees!

6 locks, 2.9 miles, 1 wet start, 1 blue day, 1 black wet nosed helper, 1 lost lead, 2 chilled medication dispensaries, 1 smokehouse, 1 way traffic on bridge, 37 lapwings, 1 walk that was a railway, 1 load of washing, 1 survey boat, ? contacts lost from my phone!

Lancaster to Galgate Basin

After Mick had cycled to Halfords for some engine oil and then we’d walked to Sainsburys to restock the food cupboards we pushed off and headed backwards to the services. A quarter of a mile Oleanna did exactly as was required of her and only one adjustment was needed to bring us into the mooring. Who needs bow thrusters anyway! Once tanks were filled, emptied, rubbish disposed of and a chicken had been jointed we continued to make our way southwards.

The sun was out and made our departure from Lancaster a very green one. If ever I had to move here I’d like to live in one of the houses on Aldecliffe Road. With a view out over the canal and a field of sheep and cows opposite, what a lovely location, the houses don’t look bad either.

After several days of only a wall to look at they had promised me fields and trees today. Several times they tried to stop in great places, but just carried on. I really don’t understand, having to jump on and off the boat is great fun, but they don’t seem to think so.

Instead of persuading Oleanna to moor in a lovely quiet spot, in the end we decided to carry on and catch Blackbird up at Galgate. As the Basin appeared into view so did the back of Blackbird with Bridget waving. There was space behind them and once we’d tied up the doors were all opened up for the second mate to make the most of the afternoon and evening.

A short shower threatened to put us off having a barbecue, but luckily it passed over quickly and didn’t extinguish the coals. All six of us had a lovely evening. Max on his lead and Tilly strutting her stuff. The two of them were interested, but Tilly kept her distance and didn’t do her Mohican impression once. Three cows wanted to join in, poking their noses through the hedge to see what was cooking, but backed away at the thought of us wanting a steak each. Much food and wine was enjoyed until the coals cooled off in the dark.

0 locks, 4.67miles, 0.24 reversed, 1 full water tank, 1 empty yellow tank, 3 aborted attempts to moor, 1 shower, 3 bovine barbecue friends, 2 second mates, 2 barbecues light, 2 guiding lights, 1 happy cat.

Lancaster

A friend of mine has been looking for a knitter to make some things for her Etsy shop, so I have offered to have a go. She wanted to send me some wool, so last week I rang round just about every post office on the Lancaster Canal to find one that offered the Post Restante service. None of them in Lancaster or the main office in Preston did this service. Post Restante means that you can have post (as long as it is sent by Royal Mail or Parcel Force) sent to a Post Office addressed to you there for collection. We’ve used it a couple of times before and it is very handy.

After beating my head against the cabin sides when I couldn’t find a Post Office to send the wool to I then gave the marina in Garstang a call and cheekily asked them if they would accept a parcel for me. The chap there uummed for a bit and then said that I could. Brilliant! I did however pursue the Post Restante service and rang Royal Mail, the chap there was flummoxed too, as most branches now offer Local Collect for internet purchases which is very similar. He suggested contacting the Post Office via their website. This has proved interesting.

Originally I thought that the service was offered at the branches discretion, this is not so as is explained in the following response to my email “This service is available at all Post Office branches, the service is offered at the discretion of Royal Mail and Post Office Ltd not the individual branches. Any office that refuses to offer this service should be advised to contact their helpline. I believe the trouble you have experienced, possibly stems from the offices not knowing what the Poste Restante service is. If you can provide the names of these branches we can contact them and explain about the service. Hopefully this would resolve the problems you have experienced.”

If you are wanting anything sending to you around the Lancaster area all of the Post Offices should now know about the service.

So today we jumped on a bus to go and collect my parcel from the marina. The bus driver suggested that we bought a family dayrider rather than a rider each. This would save us 40p and if we bought a couple of children whilst we were out they would travel for free. Looks like family tickets are the way forward for lots of things. After about half an hour, most of which was spent driving around the University we arrived in Garstang and walked our way to the canal and marina. Here was my parcel waiting for me at the chandlers, some rather lovely muted brown wool.

Back to the bus stop and on to Preston. My mobile phone has been mended and was sent back last week to the shop. It turned out that as my phone screen was slightly cracked this meant that the repair couldn’t be done under warranty. I still had another year on contract so my hands were tied into paying for it to be mended. Grrr! At least I now have a phone that works (I hope) and it isn’t huge like the one I had on loan from EE.

Next I wanted to visit the Abakhan shop. Bridget had mentioned the Chester store to me a while ago, so I wanted to look round. Wow! How much fabric?! The shop has the usual buy fabric by the meter, which is all around the outside of the shop. But then on racks there are off cuts of fabric, averaging about 2m in length. They are collected together in type of fabric and colours, just about every fabric is there. These off cuts you buy by weight, not length. Plain cotton £9.95 a kilo etc. Not good if you need fabric for long curtains, but fine for most other things as you can get more than one piece if you can match the colours. Upstairs was a wool and haberdashery heaven. I had a good look round, refrained from buying any wool but did pick up enough fabric to make a couple of chunky bags and some red that I’ve been wanting for a rug on Oleanna. Looks like I’m going to be busy with needles and hooks.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 buses, 4 bridges, 1 open parcel, 250gram wool, 2 jacket potatoes, 2 teas, 1 mended phone, 1 Aladdin’s fabric cave, 2.5kg of fabric, 1 tension square needing to be knitted.

Hest Bank to BW Depot, Lancaster

After a cooked breakfast (photo for Frank and Ade) we headed off towards Lancaster. There were a few things we still wanted to see so we waved goodbye to Blackbird for a couple of days.

The grey morning had brought quite strong winds with it and the occasional bit of drizzle. As we retraced our route a boat came around a bend up ahead, as it got closer we realised that we knew the chap at the helm. It was Roger who is one of the original syndicate members from NB Winding Down. We hope to meet up with him before we head back across the Ribble.

Soon the Lune Aqueduct came into view. We really wanted to have a look at it from below, so Mick had a go at pulling in to moor up. With most of the galley drawers open due to the list we decided to tie up and go for a walk. Down the steep steps to the river bank. Here we could see the five 21m arches spanning the river, the short lengths of balustrade matching each arch. Designed by John Rennie and opened in 1797 it is the largest all-masonry aqueduct in Britain.

The arches support a stone trough, special volcanic pozzolana powder was imported and mixed with cement, which allowed the concrete to set under water. Looking up under the arches you can see that the structure has leaked for a very long time. The folds of stalagmites run down the arches and drip on you as you walk by. Back in June 2015 a section of the embankment south of the aqueduct had a significant leak, which necessitated a lengthy closure. Access to site was hard, the canal needed dewatering, fish had to be rescued, suitable clay was brought in from Leicestershire to mend the holes. This all took time and many boats were stranded north of the aqueduct. Today our passage was easy and it was well worth stopping to have a look upwards.

A swan and her seven offspring decided to escort us into the city. After a distance they gave up and let us pass, but this was only for them to then have a flying lesson heading straight for us. They all succeeded in taking off and all narrowly missed us when landing!

Once we’d found a space in the moorings we walked up the hill behind the canal. Our destination kept bobbing up above the tree line and reminding us which way we should be heading. Williamson Park occupies the highest hill in Lancaster. At it’s highest point stands the Ashton Memorial. Commissioned by Lord Ashton as a tribute to his late wife it was designed by John Belcher and completed in 1909. It dominates the skyline of Lancaster and when close to it it draws you in and up the steps on the west side.

The interior has been restored and now hosts parties and weddings. Climbing up more steps to the viewing balcony gives you fantastic views for miles. We could see Blackpool Tower, The Midland Hotel in Morecambe and right over to Grange-over-sands. Quite a sight.

However my sight of trees on top of a smooth wall was not so good. No matter how much I shouted at it there was no way to climb to the top. The gap was too big to even jump from the roof of the boat. So instead I’ve had to amuse myself by running through the boat.

0 locks, 4.47 miles, 1 aqueduct, 1 Roger, 8 winged near misses, 12 ladies in black, 1 in white, 184 steps to the top, 180 degrees of views, 2 late for butterflies, 1 dinosaur man, 1 looney cat.