Monthly Archives: August 2019

A Double Stamp. 27th August

Eaton Hastings to Chimney

The water needed topping up and our black yellow water container was full so we needed to use various services. The first water point was at Grafton Lock, we pulled in and started to fill the tank whilst the Lockie filled the lock for us, he then pushed open the gates ready and waiting for us. From a quarter of a tank to full in about five minutes, I love these Thames hoses.

A mile further on and the number of tents had decreased dramatically at Radcot Bridge and all the tepees were closed up. Not even a faint hint of bacon in the air this morning.

Another mile on and two boats came towards us from Radcot Lock, would that mean it was in our favour. As we approached the top gates were being closed and I could see the Lockie winding up the paddles. I walked up to help with the gates. A large chunk of reeds was in the lock with the boat, the Lockie was determined to get ride of it. She hoped it would exit the lock but it stayed put. So up it came again where she could hoik it out.

As the top gates opened and Oleanna went into the lock another clump came with us. With Mick and the Lockie working in unison it was pushed to the side and she managed to lift it all out. No chance of it getting round anyone’s prop now.

Yesterday the Lockie had seen 62 boats through Bascot Lock, so she was pleased that today it was far quieter on the river and spotting Tilly sat in the window made her day.

Two miles of wiggles to Rushey Lock where we pulled in with another narrowboat who’d been using the services and giving their boat a wash. Rubbish and the elsan for our yellow water. We’d both forgotten that there had been signs saying that there was no rubbish at Rushey. There was a large skip, but it was locked. A few people had left bags of rubbish on the top of it, but we decided to take ours with us to the next bin.

A photo of a swan with her cygnet instead of the walker

By the time we were finished we pulled in alongside the other boat and the Lockies dropped us down to the next reach of the river. There weren’t as many people about as yesterday, maybe that was just as well as around the next bend a chap came striding along with only boots and glasses on. I do hope he’d applied some sun screen! We waved and he waved back.

On my phone I’d marked several places that were possible moorings for us today, so when the first came into view on the off side we gave it a go. Just long enough for us, a grassy garden all to ourselves for the afternoon, with plenty of friendly cover to keep Tilly occupied.

I was given until 7.15. Loads of time. Great. I came back a couple of times. Tom spent the afternoon with string hanging out of his ears, apparently he’d been listening to England winning again. It wasn’t any different but apparently knowing the outcome he could hear different things.

She got the big board out. I could have stayed in to help keep an eye on the back of it for her, but there was far too much to do in this outside. So whilst she drew up bigger things I made full use of my surroundings.

Here there are holes, very handy holes to put friends in for safe keeping. I managed to find several of them quite quickly. No trees, but so much friendly cover. I came back at Ding Ding time and had a few biscuits, but because Tom and She were eating outside I would have to wait for my Ding Ding so I headed back off into the cover.

Being on the off side meant we had no passing footfall, no woofers to disturb our little thug. It’s nice to find such places and let Tilly come and go, but when dusk hits I’d rather she was indoors. We finished our barbecue, pork and veg kebabs with some almond rice, and tidied up. I could see a large white bird, an owl maybe, swooping low over the field behind us, but I couldn’t see a cat! I called and meowed with no response. The light was now fading, I tried again. Nothing.

Patience was what was needed and trust that she would return. The torch was used to scan the fields once it was dark, still nothing. Another look outside at 10pm. Still nothing. Patience and trust. I popped her litter tray out on the stern in case she’d gone deaf and couldn’t hear me.

By 11pm Mick had put long trousers on and was wading through the friendly cover with the torch. I stood and called. I stood and listened. Nothing but the faint rumbles of farmers in their fields. Mick waded his way to the nearest best looking tree, then back again along a small ridge sweeping the torch too and fro across the field. Nothing what so ever.

Back inside we both sat in silence the TV making it’s noises, both of us not taking any notice, listening elsewhere. What if this had happened? What if that? Our patience and trust slowly disappearing.

Both of us flinched at a single small noise outside. Nothing followed it.

Then I heard another two similar quiet noises, followed by three more. I opened the back doors and went outside. This outside was very dark and my eyes were not accustomed to it so I couldn’t see if there was a white tipped tale. Four paws landed on the stern and fur brushed past my legs. Thank f****ing ……..

I really don’t know what all the fuss was about. I came home when they wanted me to and then they didn’t want me! So I’d just been amusing myself. Tom put down some Ding Ding, the gravy was nice, but I’d filled myself up already. Time for a good nap I think.

3 locks, 8.21 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 load washing washed, 1 load washing dried, 2 cheeky pink cheeks, 1 perfect mooring, 6 hours extended to 11! 4 friends that we know of, 2 pork loins, 4 veg kebabs, 1 AWOL cat, 2 very concerned boaters, 1 torch needing recharging, 4000 zzzs needed now, 2 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval, 1 confiscated by She!

https://goo.gl/maps/ppMhz9AssTvRqXrWA

MOOOO!!!! 26th August

Cow Mooring, Lechlade to Eaton Hastings

MOOOOO!!!

Awake at 6am with a hooligan Mooing at us 2ft away from the window at the foot of our bed. Luckily for us and Oleanna the big post there was more attractive to the cows than anything on the roof or our covers, our herbs and Christmas tree had been moved to the far side of the boat, so they were safe too. We managed to get another hours sleep before the alarm went off.

A quick shop for fresh supplies at Londis. The Cafe across the way had some very nice loaves of sour dough in the window, but as there was no price by them we guessed it would be expensive. We dropped off our shopping and then walked along the meadow down to St John’s Lock.

Thames Path that way, that way and that way

A chap on a cruiser the other day had suggested that we might be able to get diesel at the marina and that they had a chandlery. Before trying to get Oleanna there we’d decided to check which turned out to be just as well. The chap said that diesel would be easier tomorrow and that the bolt Mick was after they wouldn’t have as it had an unusual thread. At least we’d had a walk.

Time to get moving, Lechlade was starting to get busy. The boat behind us was getting ready too. When they’d moored up yesterday the chap at the helm came across as a ~~arse~~ dictator. His two teenagers were ordered what to do, then told off for not doing it correctly, despite not having been given adequate instructions. His poor wife tried to show her son what was needed but then got barked at as she was meant to still be on board in case the boat drifted off. This morning the orders were being barked again, we decided to let them get ahead so we’d not have to share locks with them. A phone call handily delayed us.

We pushed off and headed for Ha’Penny Bridge, from here on the water was filled with canoes, swans and flamingos all with crews who had little awareness of our existence. We managed to avoid them all as we made our way to the footbridge by the Roundhouse.

Two kids were on a paddleboard, then one stepped off and walked across the surface of the water, it would be very shallow there! Here the river was once joined by the Thames and Severn Canal, the furthest we’d be able to get Oleanna up the Thames, we were at the End. Here we hoped would be deep and wide enough for us to turn which fortunately it was as we had a group of on lookers.

Back downstream weaving our way back towards St John’s. We waited for a boat to come up which meant that the dictator had pulled away from the services and was still ahead of us. The Lockie let us down before he’d run away to find some shade for his lunch.

Paddleboarders we’d keep seeing.
PS that is a gongoozler behind Oleanna bearing his belly not Mick

Back along the wiggles and winds to Bascot Lock which was on self service. The paddles were up at the far end and a gate open. I walked down to set the lock for us, some selfish person having left the lock without closing up properly. As I walked over the top gates I noticed that this was not the case. Some 6ft down a couple were holding onto the chains from their canoe, looking up forlornly. The Lockie had waved them in some ten minutes ago, then vanished and they were waiting patiently. Mick and I carefully wound the paddles up for them.

Two cruisers joined us going down and crews from each boat helped to lift paddles and open gates. More wiggles and winds. On one of the hairpin bends a large audience had collected, there being a handy parking space with lots of shade for picnics and a section of low bank to get inflatables into the water. Another steep bend we disturbed a paddleboarder picking blackberries, she was just where the stern of a 58ft boat needed to go, but Mick got us past without spilling any berries.

The sun was hot, we’d have liked some shade, but finding a suitable mooring was unlikely. There was space at Kelmscott, but we carried on to a space I’d marked on my map as a possible wild mooring. We got in and moored up. The back doors opened for Tilly, who very quickly decided it was far too hot and returned inside to the shade. I opened up the shady side curtains to see a wasps nest on the bank, Tilly must have known. Window closed we unpinned ourselves and moved on, not far to the next bit of bank.

Rules were read and I was allowed out. This outside was just as hot as the last one which I had rejected, but they insisted on this one. I had a smooch around, okay friendly cover, the trees were a bit too far away, it would do.

I told her, I told her that if she was to pounce off the gunnel then there wouldn’t be anything to land on. Did she listen? It fell on deaf soon to be wet ears!

Pounce, Splash, Scurry. Into the bathroom after she’d managed to soak every seat on the boat. A towel rub down, always a risk, and then an hour of drying herself off sat on the hearth rug. Cat Health and Safety rules should be listened too and adhered by! I’ve seen lots of woofers doing it and it was really quite cooling, just a bit of a shock.

2 locks, 1 a tight squeeze, 4.41 miles, 225grams sad gits mince, 2 pork chops, 1 loaf bread, 2 pints milk, 0 bolt, 0 diesel, 1 boat unhooliganised, 1 nest, 2nd mooring lucky, 2 many small craft on the river, 1 soaked cat for the second time this month! 1 lucky friend, 2 hot.

https://goo.gl/maps/nGfyd7us8t6vwmbe8

Tranquil River! 25th August

Kelmscott Manor to the Cow Mooring, Lechlade.

Shortly after pushing off this morning we came across an Anglo Welsh hire boat. A chap stood on the bow as look out and possible navigator. He signalled to us that they would be passing on the wrong side, well we hoped that would be what was going to happen! Luckily for our gunnel it was, we checked that they were aware of which side to pass on. They were, but on this occasion it simply wasn’t going to happen.

As they went past the chap at the helm was having a major work out, pumping the tiller. You quite often see work boats doing this to help bring the stern around when turning, more modern boats tend not to need such a technique. Perhaps some of this had been needed to get round the hair pin bends that they’d just come through, or maybe they had something around their prop! But this poor chap was certainly getting a good cardiovascular workout.

Two hairpin bends ahead, the full 180 degrees. Meeting a boat here would make things difficult, but we turned them without difficulty. Sue and Vic on No Problem XL had been hoping to get up to Lechlade this year, we now totally understood why they had turned round.

Bucsot Lock had Lockies on duty, they got us ready to ascend but then we had to wait whilst they sorted out a day boat that seemed to have no idea what was about to happen. The Lockie wanted them tied up to the landing before they started to fill the lock with us in it, she apologised for our delay. I think she’d given the day boat such strict instructions they didn’t dare move when it was their turn.

Another 180 degree bend where we managed to avoid running over a nine year old in a canoe, the whole family out for a jaunt.

Soon we reached St John’s Lock, the Lockie from yesterday was on duty and who should we come across waiting to go up, the mute canoeist! Except today he actually talked to Mick before clinging onto our gunnel.

The last few twists of the Thames and we could see the meadow mooring at Lechlade stretching out ahead of us, along with the bovine hooligans that everyone hears so much about. These cows are well known for eating your ropes, plants, boat covers, anything they can get hold of. Sue had suggested mooring at The New Inn just before the bridge, but sadly these spaces were full, so we pulled in on the meadow, the cows were way down the other end of the field.

Another pill box and Lechlade church spire

No shade again, we closed the curtains and waited for the boat to become an oven. Tilly was too hot to want to explore and just became a long cat on the bed for much of the day. With the radio on we listened to the cricket, the possibility of an England win gradually went from zero to quite high. Mick was staying in, so I went for a nosy around Lechlade on my own.

I’d imagined the moorings to be a lot busier than they were, a few narrowboats and two or three cruisers, leaving plenty of space on a Bank Holiday weekend. The river itself was quite busy, lots of canoes, paddle boards and swans who were having a major feast of weed from the river bed.

At Ha’penny Bridge the world got even busier. The tables at the bottom of The New Inn were filled with drinkers, glad we didn’t moor there in the end, and the Riverside Inn was heaving on the otherside. Is it as busy as this the rest of the week. Crossing over the bridge to reach the town it felt like I was in some sort of resort, traffic backed up, people enjoying the sunshine and booze and lads jumping off the bridge inbetween the swan peddle boats and paddle boarders. The tranquil Thames no more!

Lechlade has a lot of pretty buildings, but a lot of traffic too. A strange collection of shops, Tarot reading, bric-a-brac, bath bombs and of course what every town needs a Christmas Shop. As it’s four months to the big day I decided to go and have a look. Lots of sparkly glittery things, lights and nutcrackers filled the shelves. I wondered if there might be anything to add to my homemade wreath that gets added to the cratch each year, but no, nothing that took my fancy.

Across the way from the church is a Londis which seemed fairly well stocked, but only plastic bread, so I carried on and walked up to the Co-op a good half mile further on. The butcher as I thought was closed and still will be tomorrow, a shame as it looked like a good one. The Co-op had bread but no newspapers, so I took a different route back to Londis picking up the last Sunday paper to make up for not being able to get one yesterday.

More people were in the river now, alcohol and sun burn made them noisier. Back on board England only had 44 runs to get, Tilly sat on the back deck in the shade attracting passers by. The tension mounted in Leeds until Ben Stokes hit the ball for another boundary four, winning the test.

A pub meal was called for this evening, stocks low and an urge for chips. Only one pub still serving food on a Sunday evening the New Inn. Their menu had Gluten Free alternatives for various options, but when Mick checked what the GF option was for one of their burgers, it was a disappointment. Yes it is an option to have a burger without a bun, but a burger should have a bun, other places manage it. So I opted for my second choice a Blade of beef which came without chips, Mick kindly offered me one of his. Have to say I’d have been disappointed with the chips as they were the ones that taste like they are made from mashed potato. Where have all the handcut triple cooked chips gone in this world?

Having said that we had a nice meal and headed back to the boat for a second glass of wine. As the light dimmed the cows moved closer. A post by the bow was very useful for a scratch and the grass was certainly going to be kept short, just hope our paintwork lasts the night.

2 locks, 3.21 miles, 1 exhausted hire boater, 180 degrees twice, 1 talkative canoeist, 98 hooligans, 3 giant swans, 1 Stourport on Thames, 0 candyfloss, 0 chilled medication, 30ish degrees, 1 shy Tilly, 359 to win, 0 bun, 1 blade beef, 1 gammon, 1 pint of T, 1 glass of wine, 1 very hot day.

https://goo.gl/maps/7fG7ARTZHN2ZhVPh7

Door To The Imagination. 24th August

Radcot Meadow to Kelmscott Manor

The spiders overnight work was being shown off by the morning dew, a very pretty sight to open the curtains to.

Not far today, but we were still up and away early to hopefully find a mooring. Passing all the glamping teepees and tents by Radcote Bridge (the oldest on the Thames) we wondered how many slices of pig were being fried up for breakfast.

A rowing boat was heading towards us, nothing surprising there. This turned out to be a novice team rowing from Lechlade to Teddington raising funds for the NSPCC. Their back up team running the towpath warned that they weren’t so good at steering, well they’ll have a problem when they come to the next twists and turns!

After a mile and a half we reached Grafton Lock, although on self service there was a Lockie doing his checks, he opened up the bottom gates and worked us up. Another boat appeared from above which he worked down too, how long would it be before he could head off to the next lock?

The cratch will remain rolled up tonight

That rope will help us to get up the bank

Today the Twists and turns have been replaced by pill boxes, they felt as though they were every few hundred yards as we made our way to where we wanted to moor, The easy moorings were full, round the bend was full also. Signs on posts stood high above the friendly cover so it looked like there might be more places to moor round the next bend. We pulled into the cover, no chance of me getting off at the bow, but Mick managed with a scramble.

Pinned in at the front and tied round the post at the stern we had a handy rope to help clamber up the bank. Why here? Why not go on further? Well just through the trees we could see the reason Kelmscott Manor, William Morris’s holiday home.

In 1871 William Morris and fellow artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti took out a years lease on the house, it was to provide them with a country retreat away from London and the pressures of work. Originally built around 1570 the Elizabethan house had captured Morris’s imagination. The lease was continued, Rossetti moving out in 1874 being replaced by Frederick Startridge Ellis, Morris’s publisher.

The house and surrounding area gave inspiration to Morris for 25 years, influencing his poetry, textiles, wallpaper designs. The traditional architecture of the area reinforced his convictions about the integrity of craft-based work and design and the importance of conserving ancient buildings for future generations.

Morris managed to secure a 20 year lease of the house and later after his death in 1896, Jane his wife continued to be a tenant moving from London to live in the house full time. In 1913 she managed to buy the freehold of the manor along with 9 1/2 acres of land. In 1914 May, their daughter, inherited the house and in 1938 when she died she left the house to Oxford University. By the 1960’s The Society of Antiquaries of London was looking after the house and serious works were needed to save it from major problems with the stone slating and wall masonry, damp and timber decay. Much work was carried out and by 1967 the house was ready for it’s new lease of life and to have visitors.

The Green room which currently isn’t green

Entrance to the house is by timed entry ticket, this gave us enough time to look at some of the grounds and the posh William Morris tat in the shop. A one way route round the house was in operation and volunteers guided you through the house and were on hand to answer questions.

Many items have remained with the house from Morris’s time and before. These items living up to Morris’s maxim, Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. That reminds me we need to reapply this to Oleanna.

Morris fabric hangs from many walls, and wonderful embroideries by his wife and daughter accompany drawings by Burne-Jones, Rossetti, and furniture from other Arts and Crafts designers. Albercht Durer and Breughel works hang on walls all important influences on Morris.

Various styles of Sussex chairs with their dark wood, rattan or rush seats sit comfortably all around the house.

Tapestries. light fittings with reflectors.

A circular mirror hangs on the staircase wall echoing the Portrait of John Arnolfini and his Wife by Jan Van Eyck.

Windows framing views of the garden literally held in place by the window catches.

A recent acquisition is the wonderful ‘The Homestead and the Forest’ cot quilt. A circular Thames encircles Kelmscott Manor and outside are animals from across the world.

Lions, cats, flamingos, crocodiles.

A loft staircase, takes you up to the attic rooms. Here is what captured Morris’s heart and ours.

The rooms below are very nice with great views, but you really can’t beat the slopping roof and exposed beams of an attic room.

This house doesn’t just have one room up here, it has several. I’d quite happily live up on the top floor of the house. What wonderful rooms.

A steep spiral staircase brings you down the house, pausing at first floor level there was a display of paintings by Edward and Stephani Scott-Snell who leased the house for a few years after May died. Then back down to the ground floor.

The gardens are worth a view too, a brewhouse, three seated privy, a mulberry tree and Medlar tree sit around the house.

We could have headed back to the boat for lunch but decided on sampling the cafe. My usual safe jacket potato was followed by a very nice slice of gluten free carrot cake, Micks coffee and walnut cake also got the thumbs up, all at reasonable prices.

A look around the village was next. More lovely houses with their tile stone roofs. Past the pub to St George’s Church. A simple small village church where William Morris, his wife and two daughters are buried. Interesting that William gets a loop on his M’s on the stone, but the others don’t.

Inside the church is simple, but hidden behind the small organ in the north transept are medieval wall paintings dating from before 1280 depicting Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel.

Normally when we visit churches of this size we are the only visitors, possibly for days, but today we had plenty of company. Shame we were the only ones to pop some coins through the whole in the wall to help with the upkeep.

The manor was well worth a visit. This year it has been open from April to the end of August on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Only two more days to visit this year. Then the whole operation will close down for major works to take place enabling them to accommodate more visitors and do much needed remedial works on the house. If all is going well they will open for limited time next year, but the house will reopen to visitors in 2021 the 150th anniversary of when William Morris first moved to the house.

After avoiding the hot outside all day, then avoiding the woofers and people, then avoiding the wobbly lads on day boats I headed out to see what I could see. I’d been warned that the friendly cover shouldn’t be pounced in as this outside might be missing some floor in places. So I headed across the field to a large wood pile. This was very interesting to climb and poke my arms in. A few friends kept me amused for a while but it was all over too quickly when She came calling for me.

1 lock, 3.04 miles, 0 bacon for us, 1 clambering mooring, 12:10 entry, 1 Elizabethan house, 3 floors, 2 peacocks, 1 wonderful attic, 2 slices cake, 2 cups of tea, 3 seated loo, 200 lbs of Mulberries, 1 little church, 4 in one, 3 hours, 1 big log pile, 1 cooling breeze, 1 cardigan back to where it should be.

https://goo.gl/maps/UtysdExrdPDKMf5A6

Twisting And Turning. 23rd August

Moreton Bend to Radcot Meadow

First boat past was an Anglo Welsh hire boat almost up on the plane, a twelve year old at the helm, Dad on his phone. The engine changed tone once they’d passed us, maybe Dad had slowed the youngster, but it was short lived and the tone of the engine shot back up soon afterwards.

We were on our way before 9 and soon passing through New Bridge, the name suggests steel, concrete, suspension over the river, but instead you get pointed arches made from creamy Cotswold stone. New Bridge is in fact the second oldest bridge on the Thames dating back to the 13th Century, parts of it have Grade 1 listing, others Grade 2*.

Sue had mentioned that we’d be seeing NB Festina Lente and NB Mary H soon on their return from Lechlade. Festina Lente had passed us before we pushed off, but Mary H was moored on the meadows by the bridge. We waved and said hello as we passed.

The river now starts to get that bit more twisty turny a little reminiscent of Savick Brook leading to the Lancaster Canal. There it is narrower, only one boats width but at least you know nobody will be coming the other way, here you have no idea when you will have to slam on the breaks. At one slightly wider bend there was a narrowboat moored on the outside, all of a sudden a canoe with Mum and two kids shot out from behind the vegetation. Reverse quickly engaged as she did her best to speed past our bow and out of harms way.

Two out of the three locks today were on self service and by the time I’d set the lock in our favour we’d been joined by a cruiser. The locks are now that bit shorter than further down stream, the chap didn’t think we’d both fit so waved another shorter cruiser past to join us, he then came up to help.

Positioning of the cruiser was carefully done, they fitted but needed to be that bit further into the lock so that they didn’t rise underneath the walkway on the lock gates. Then we turned the wheels, plumes of water sprouting out from the gates. We took our time so as not to fill Oleannas’ well deck with water.

We paused above to fill our half empty water tank. This took all of five minutes with great pressure and the big hose and we could be on our way again.

Four more twisty turny miles to Rushey Lock where the following cruiser caught us up again and waved a shorter boat in with us.

Here garden gnomes stood watching from a safe distance.

Two more miles to Radcot Lock a canoe joining us in the lock here. A volunteer huffed and pufffed in a grump at the heat of the day. He did his best not to do too much, good job I’d got off to lend a hand.

Now we wanted a mooring. With opportunities along a field we tried the first suitable looking space, too shallow, then the next I got off, but no chance of getting Oleanna to sit near the bank without a list. Ahead there looked to be no room, plus a lot of dogs, so we tried reversing, me walking along the field with rope in hand, taking the boat for a walk. A narrowboat pulled out ahead so we decided to try where they’d come out from. Bingo, it was deep enough and all the dogs had been with that boat.

By now the sun was high above us, we had no shade so we hid inside for the afternoon. Tilly soon decided that inside was a better place to be, lying on the floor as close to the base plate as possible. Then she moved to the rear deck where there was a cooling breeze.

I wonder if there are any friends over there?

Early evening it started to cool down. Our chairs came out and so did the barbecue. Tilly started to find things of interest in clumps of grass , on boat roofs (That is not your boat Mrs!) and along the banks of the river. The temperature now dropping meant she could have a looney run around in the field without getting heat exhaustion.

By the time we’d finished our food the sun was well on it’s way behind the horizon and the temperature dropping, we retired back inside, the test match highlights more like lowlights today.

3 locks, 2 self service, 9.88 miles, 3rd time lucky again thanks to the Hippie Boat, 2 hot for cats, 2 hours of welsh mud, 4 cobs corn, 4 veg kebabs, 4 marinated turkey steaks, 1 friend, 2 glasses crabbies, 2 glasses of wine,1 setting sun.

https://goo.gl/maps/Wm5w3bzGHebVNkHN9

At Long Last. 22nd August

Swinford Meadow to Moreton bend

Tilly opening up the curtains in the morning occasionally has it’s advantages. The light streaming in through the gap today needed more than a tug together with my toes. When I peeked through to check the outside the sky was shades of pink and purple, so much so it required me to get up and find my camera. Thank you Tilly.

Not far to the first lock, Pinkhill. The Lockie was jolly, happy that the weather was looking up for the Bank Holiday weekend and he was going to be off work too.

A couple of miles further on and we rounded a bend filled with static caravans then just passed The Ferryman’s Inn was a moored boat, a fat boat. We came in alongside slowly, this fat boat had fatter fenders than ours, I had a touch of fender envy.

Sat out the back was Sue, who shouted inside to Vic to take the bow rope. At long last we were going to meet the No Problem crew. We passed them in Parbold about three years ago when they were still narrowboaters, back then we were both in the process of having new boats built, us Oleanna and them No Problem XL. We’d been on a mission so couldn’t stop for the day, today we’d planned to meet up.

Tilly really wanted to come outside and say hello too, but that really wasn’t going to be such a good idea as Meg and Penny, two border collies would have also wanted to greet her. After some persuasion I was allowed out the back on my own. A warm welcome all round and we were invited on board for a cuppa.

Blimey, widebeams are weird, they are just so wide! So much space!

Sue, Vic and the girls lived on No Problem from 2002 before up sizing to No Problem XL and retiring from narrowboating. Sue may well have been the first narrowboat blogger, her site is full of useful information, from good places to have deliveries, to a guide to the Nene, to where to buy diesel. It’s all there along with a long list of boaters blogs.

It was great to finally meet up with them and enjoy a natter, having a few nice wild moorings that Tilly might like suggested to us for our trip upstream. All too soon their Asda delivery arrived, so we left them to take it on board before they carried on back down stream.

The river is getting narrower and narrower

Northmoor Lock was to be our next lock, this was on self service, boats having just come down and a hire boat was already refilling it when I got up to the top. What would they do? Oleanna was on the lock landing, how would all their crew get back on board? I said I’d open the gates for them so they could all get back on board before it got too low, Mick came up to help.

We brought Oleanna into the lock as a cruiser arrived above, the chap came down to help with the gates.I closed my gate, walked round to secure the bow rope as the chap closed the other gate and then started to lift the top paddles. There was about two foot of water in the lock when a chap appeared from below, steam coming out of his ears.

‘Why didn’t you wait?!’ he said in a raised voice to Mick. ‘You saw me coming, you looked straight at me and closed that gate!’ It took a while for the chap to understand that that hadn’t been Mick but the other chap who had nothing to do with us, he just happened to be filling the lock for us. Neither Mick or I had seen them coming. He did apologise in the end, but talk about a short fuse. Life’s too short, why shorten it even more!

A space we’d hoped for was taken so onwards to find a suitable spot. Round one slight bend, there was a hard edge, quite high up but it looked like it should be deep enough. It was and we were soon tied up. Not the best views in the world, but at least one of us was happy.

Wow! Trees, friends, friendly cover, birdies. I had a busy afternoon ahead, a whole seven hours. When I remembered I came back to say hello, one time my accompanying friend wasn’t welcome, Tom closed the doors and then put my friend somewhere safe for me. At 7:15pm I came back, bang on seven hours.

The afternoon was spent doing a bit more work and then whist things dried I decided to tackle my knitting. Still 3 too many stitches, how many rows should I go back. I tracked back each decrease and eventually came to the conclusion that another ten rows would have to be pulled out! I ran a length of wool through the row I was going back to, one stitch short! Grrr. By the end of the evening I’d found the one missing stitch and managed two rows without messing it up again.

No new properties for sale, sorry.

2 locks, 6.08 miles, 2 very fat fenders, 1 rendez vous with XL, 1 hour constant chat, 2 lovely woofers, 140 over 90, 2 steaming ears, 1 apology, 1 shaded mooring, 1 very happy cat, 1 birdie, 1 English mud bank a touch more Welsh, 14 rows pulled out, 2 rows completed, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/HtstmfJGcGeULqp77

£849,950. It looked like some remodelling was going on when we passed, maybe those chairs will get some cushions.

https://www.waterview.co.uk/property-for-sale/house-for-sale-in-hythe-end-road-staines-upon-thames-tw19/5143

Sorry Joa, you’ve lost your touch!

Alternatives. 21st August

East Street to Swinford Meadow

Breakfasted and ready to go we waited for our Tesco delivery, he arrived a little after 9am and found us really easily. I’ve grown accustomed to waking in the morning of a delivery and receiving a message from Sainsburys or Ocado as to what in our order was unavailable and if any substitutions had been made. But Tescos hasn’t got there yet, so we waited to see if everything had been available.

I could hear the conversation by the van, one thing not available and three things we’d been sent alternatives, Mick headed over to check if these were okay. So the three boxes of white wine we’d ordered (I tend to drink white rather than red) ((Mick had ordered three boxes of red also!)) weren’t available. But alternatives had been sent, 9 bottles of the same wine for the same price. This was fine by me! Only thing was storage, but I’d find somewhere.

With everything stowed apart from the two bags of cat biscuits (they’d been on special offer and were going to be in the wine cellar which was now full of bottles) we could push off.

Sheepwash through that bridge on the right

The end of Sheepwash Channel looked very different from when we’d last seen it in November, purple flowers everywhere.

Considering we were so close to Oxford Station the river feels so rural here with calves in the fields. Then the river opens up, the wide expanse of Port Meadow with the sunny sky above, wonderful.

Godstow Lock was opened up for us and we were waved in, but Mick held back. There was a canoeist loitering, was he coming up in the lock with us? All nineteen tonnes of us? Mick waved him in, but got no response so brought Oleanna in, the canoeist followed. Up at the front I couldn’t see the chap in the small inflatable, he’d decided to hold onto our gunnel, still not a word to Mick, not even eye contact. He was first out and away in front of us.

A little before 11am we reached King’s Lock the first of what I call the match stick locks. These are no longer operated by pushing buttons, the gates have to be pushed and pulled open by hand and then the paddles raised by turning a wheel. The indicators on the paddle gear rise and fall as the wheel is turned. White high and the paddle is closed, red high the paddle open.

The lady lockie got us and another boat into the lock, we were followed by the canoeist again, who ignored us but still cling onto our gunnel, he was first out again. Boats were wanting to come down the lock having come off the Oxford Canal they also needed licences so the Lockie here is kept busy.

A working pair heading for the Oxford Canal

Once out the lock, following in the canoeists wake and the other boat, we kept to the left at Dukes Cut Junction to carry on up the Thames onto new water. Following the other boat was a bit of a mistake, they like to take their time cruising at tick over, taking in all the sights, sounds and smells. Our cruising speed is a touch faster and it became a touch frustrating sitting behind them. A cruiser caught up with us, we let them past and then followed them overtaking a short distance before Eynsham Lock.

Overhead a large plane circled, where was it going too? Mick checked his plane app, at first glance the plane wasn’t there. Then it appeared RAF from Calgary. It must have been heading for Brize Norton. Subsequent planes today have passed over with no identification, all RAF.

Eynsham Lock the chaps were jolly. They wanted us in first followed by the cruiser. I managed to get my rope around a bollard to help pull us into the side, but it wouldn’t be ideal as it was a huge innie. With the canoeist still clinging to us this wouldn’t have been safe, the Lockie agreed and moved my rope up. We felt better about it, even if the canoeist had no idea. As the lock gates opened the canoeist thanked the lockie, he wasn’t mute after all! and he sped away first out again.

A mooring was next thing to do. If we carried on a short distance we’d get to the free moorings on the meadow. A straightish length showed itself and we both managed to get off, but as pins were being hammered in Mick didn’t like that we were on a bend, a little hard along here not to be. So he pointed ahead to another stretch that looked good, round a few more bends.

Here the bank was higher and full of holes. I certainly wasn’t going to try jumping up as I was more likely to end up in the river. Mick managed and wrapped my rope round a handy post, but then couldn’t get back on for pins and hammer at the stern. Tilly would be alright here, but I wouldn’t, I’d be stuck on the boat for the rest of the afternoon. Mick was doing his best to make it work, but I suggested reversing to a spot in between here and where we’d first tried. A clippy ‘Okay’ came back.

We reversed, the bank was more solid and lower. Oleanna settled into a space and we moored up, everyone was happy. Tilly soon found some friends, well they were having lunch, I didn’t see why I shouldn’t have some too!

I got on with some work making model mud banks whilst Mick took the engine board up and gave Oleanna her 250 hr service. The electrics had to be turned off for a while as there was a loose connection on a battery that needed sorting, this put paid to me singing along with Kate Bush whilst whittling away my mud banks

Tilly took to checking out the river bank for friends, the cat Health and Safety committee didn’t approve, thank goodness she didn’t feel the need to pounce!

Ben Hyde Memorial Trust walk, 184 miles to lay a poppy wreath in London

Later on we watched the next episode of Keeping Faith, I think I may have to remake my mud banks, they don’t look Welsh enough!

This was quite a while ago and has since sold. Still within the M25, 5/6 bedrooms, a lot more than two dinning chairs. How much?

3 locks, 1 button operated, 2 match stick operated, 6.67 miles, 1 left, 3 boxes of red, 9 bottles of white, 1 annoying canoeist, 3rd mooring attempt lucky, 2 tasty friends, 4 hours mud making, 4 walkers, 1 casualty on a stretcher, 9 litres oil, 1 new bolt required, still 3 stitches too many, 1 bye bye Blackbird.

https://goo.gl/maps/pJxzM1HQXngqyMnB6

£2,250,000

https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbwdrswds060273

Joa £1.45 million is better than Jennie’s £999,000. That balcony and private mooring in Maidenhead bumps up the price.

Inventing Velcro. 20th August

Abingdon to East Street, Oxford

A quick shop at Waitrose so that we could eat tonight, £5 to the Lockie for our extra night and then Mick was in the car heading to Oxford to drop it back at Enterprise. Tilly and I prepared Oleanna for cruising, rolling the covers up, trip computer poised ready to click the go button.

Valhalla, used to be moored above the Stockton flight on the GU

We pushed off just gone 11am, winded and headed to the services to top up with water, empty the yellow water and dispose of our rubbish, then we winded again and were heading towards Oxford.

Sandford Lock has a big overhang on the lock landing, so we kept away from it. It is also a side filler, but was very gently done by the volunteer. Apparently Environment Agency volunteers always have a full time Lock Keeper with them for insurance purposes, also there is quite a lot that can go wrong with the locks so someone has to be on hand to deal with that.

Iffley Lock came into view, no sign of a Lockie here, the top gates wide open, I walked up to press the buttons.

Such a pretty lock with so much lavender everywhere, the bees were having a field day. They got on with their business and I closed the gates and emptied the lock.

A small cruiser was also heading up stream, so I paused closing the gates and opened them again so that they could join us all the time accompanied by the gentle humming from the bees on the lavender.

The many boat houses all quiet during the University holidays

Now we were looking for a mooring, hoping to find a space before Folly Bridge. Having spent quite a bit of time at this end of the Oxford Canal last winter we wanted a different view and Tilly would prefer it despite the busy towpath. But not one space big enough for us showed itself. So we had to carry on, hoping that above Osney Lock we’d be lucky.

The first stretch of moorings was full, but then on the straight before Osney Bridge there was a long expanse of empty bollards. Phew! A late lunch and no shore leave for the four legged one.

Whilst tucking into my hummus, Tilly sat on the cupboard next to me having a bath. All of a sudden there was a panic. Tilly seemed to have her paw stuck in her mouth. Despite the thought of those incredibly sharp teeth something had to be done to help. La la nnh meola hf la ga so lala phla! No idea what she was saying I intervened getting spiked by claws as I did so.

It seemed that she’d been trying to reenact a manoeuvre she used to do when she was young to remove her collar. Slotting it onto her teeth and then pulling with one foot against it until it came loose. I thought she’d long grown out of that.

Five minutes later the same again! Just what are you doing?! La m lyilyn srh loi meliw gow! On closer inspection I could see what had happened. Somehow the end of her collar (an elasticated one with a fluffy back to it) had got in the way of her bathing. The fluffy side met with her tongue and as she licked she had invented velcro. Her tongue was stuck to her collar! Blimey!! Once tongue was free her collar was removed so everyone could calm down. Antiseptic wipes for my even more spiked fingers, luckily I’d only been clawed and not bitten. Poor Tilly.

The offending length of collar was trimmed back, it is now impossible for this to recur.

Looking at the map for the next few days, it seems like we’ll be away from shops. So even though we’d picked up some bits this morning we would need more supplies before leaving Oxford. We could visit a second Waitrose or maybe get a delivery as we are right alongside a road here.

No delivery slots for the morning with Sainsburys or Ocado, so we tried Tesco, bingo! So the rest of the day was spent online shopping.

This one is back in Maidenhead, own private mooring, office space and pretty windows. How much?

3 locks, 1 self service, 8.5 miles, 2 boxes wine, 1 celeriac, 500grms mince, 0 car, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 2 new plants, 0 space, 1 free of charge Osney mooring, 1 feline inventor, 1 inch removed, 3 sore fingers, 1 recovered cat, 1 bowl pizza dough, 16 Ottiwhatsit meatballs, 6 more boxes wine, still 3 too many stitches! Grrr!!

https://goo.gl/maps/kaHc6tzNQ8e9QyL76

£295,000

https://www.watersideresidential.co.uk/property-for-sale/?id=10220&type=2

Currently moored in Staines. Two cabins and a roll top bath.

Joa was closest at £245,000 with Jennie a little lower at £225,000.

Feed My Sheep And Filling The Bottom Drawer. 18th 19th August

Abingdon to Elvington to York to Thixendale to Abingdon

With a busy weekend ahead of us we were up early. The sound of Didcot Power Station demolition stopped us all in our tracks, the four explosions very audible at our mooring, like thunder almost overhead. As I finished off my breakfast I found footage of the towers collapsing on the internet. No sign of the wayward explosive case that flew into power cables causing an explosion, fire and some minor injuries.

The magic food bowl was stocked up with two meals for Tilly and she was left in charge of Oleanna. Our hire car a Fiat 500 which did the job to get us up to Yorkshire and back, just a shame it wasn’t that bit bigger which might have enabled us to purchase a long plank.

Travelling early on a Sunday morning meant there were few hold ups on the motorways and we made Elvington, just outside York, in good time.

A little spruce up and a snack before we joined the Harford family at the church to celebrate the christening of Austin and George, two grandsons of Mick’s best friend. Polly (mum of the two boys) lived with us after her mother passed away fifteen years ago whilst she finished her A levels in Scarborough.

It was lovely to see the family again and meet George who has just recently started to walk. After they had their hair wetted by the vicar we all walked down the hill to the village hall for drinks sandwiches and cake.

Elvington played quite a part in my youth this is where my bestestest friend Emma lived, her Mum being my God Mum. I sometimes would stay with them whilst Mum and Dad were away, going to the village school and certainly partaking in parties in the village hall. This has grown since I was a child and today there was no Jim Hammond playing his guitar and singing songs in the main room.

With all the celebrations over we walked up to the River Derwent to have a look at Sutton Lock. The back of Elvington Hall looked how I remembered it, but with a new addition in the garden.

Then we stopped and had to look up. The sound of an old plane. A Spitfire, had this been arranged for Austin and George, their Dad is a fighter pilot in the RAF! We suspect it was more likely to do with something at Elvington airfield, the pilot came round a few times before heading off into the clouds.

Sutton Lock has been disused for many years, the last boat to go through it was actually NB Waterway Routes. The top gate is a guillotine the bottom gates conventional wood. These sit open, the top gate well and truly shut.

On the off side the custodian of the lock came to keep an eye on us, a very vocal sheep, he was doing a good job of keeping the grass down on that side of the lock, the towpath side very over grown.

Proms on the Green, in front of Granny Snowden’s cottage

We paused on our way back to the car to listen to a brass band performing on the village green, right outside Emma’s Granny’s cottage.

Staying at the Travel Lodge on Layerthorpe had been a good plan, not too far to walk into York for some food at Wagamamas and say hello to the Minster. Then we walked a similar distance back out of town to see an old York friend of mine Nick and his parents. Over the last few years Nick has spent much of his time in China, teaching at a University along with creating ceramic artworks. For about three years we’ve not managed to coincide with his visits home so it was very good to have a catch up and hear of his plans, moving back to Europe. He still rents a flat in Amsterdam where most of his work is exhibited, how Brexit will affect his plans he has no idea. Hopefully we’ll get to see more of him now.

Monday morning and the hunt for breakfast started, Travel Lodge didn’t have any toast that I could eat and a cooked breakfast simply has to have some form of bread to catch your egg yolk. So we checked out and headed to Morrisons to see if they could do any better and pay half the price.

‘Sorry’, no gluten free bread available in the cafe. As I’m not going to suffer if the same toaster is used to toast some bread for me we asked if we could provide our own bread for them to toast. Bring your own bread. This was fine as long as I realised that the kitchen wasn’t a GF zone. Marvellous, I swapped my sausages for extra bacon as they were guaranteed to be pink sausages.

Looking back over the Vale of York from the Wolds

After breakfast it was time to wave goodbye to York. Hopefully we’ll manage to come by boat next summer. Instead of heading southwards we headed towards the east and the Wolds, to Thixendale. Here is where Jennie and Adam live high up on the hills on their farm. I used to work with Jennie at the SJT but she left about ten years ago to work for the family business, Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil. Now there is also the Charlie and Ivys brand.

It’s been about three years since we’ve managed to get up to the farm to see them, my how things have changed up there. A wonderful new kitchen which is a barn conversion linking the oil business offices to the farm house. Outside the new windows works were on going with a toilet block and picnic area that will cater for when they do educational visits from schools to the farm, also useful when they have parties. A new patio would extend outside the kitchen windows.

Almost as soon as Jennie mentioned the patio Adam appeared with the chaps who work on the farm, laying sheets of wood over the grass. Next came a tractor with a big bucket on the front, they had come to lay the concrete for the patio! They might as well keep busy whilst waiting for the crops to be dry enough to harvest.

It was great to see them all and catch up on our respective news. If you should want a lovely outfit making for you Jennie is your woman, she’s starting to sew again amongst all the other things she does around the farm, oil business and holding the family together.

We topped up on oil and a few other bits, including a Raspberry and Beetroot dressing I fancied trying. Time to head south and leave Yorkshire behind. As we pulled out from the farm Gin the sheep dog rounded us up until we headed down the drive.

The trip back was far longer, several slowing to stand still moments, but we got back in the end. Much later than originally planned, Mick had a chat to the Lockie who said as it was nearly 6pm he’d let us stay for another night, £5 due on the morning.

A 5 litre bottle containing oil again, no longer just air

Tilly was happy to see us, her magic food bowl spotless. An hour of shore leave was extended by her into two. Our bottom drawer ( designed to hold 5L bottles of oil) is now restocked and tomorrow we’ll head onwards upstream.

2 Bedroom Dutch Barge which could come with a mooring.

0 locks, 1 out of action, 0 miles, 4 explosions, 400 milesish by road, 2 boys with wet hair, 1 village, 1 spitfire, 1 sheep, 6 (?) boats stuck forever, 1 rhino, 1 giraffe, 1 manager only soy sauce bottle, 1 old friend, 1 bottle of wine, 1 Minster view, 2 BYO slices of bread to toast, 2 breakfasts, 1 farm, 2 sheep dogs, 5l oil, 1 lovely new kitchen, 1 bottle of dipper, 1 jar mayonnaise, 1 bottle dressing, 1 bottom drawer full again, 60th birthday party missed, Happy not quite yet Birthday Christine, hope you had a lovely day x

£1,250,000

Sorry Joa, I did say there was more to it, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 3 reception rooms in Reading

https://www.walmsley.co.uk/property-details/?id=9447

A Good Drying Day. 17th August

Abingdon Lock

Feet starting stomping past Oleanna as we were sitting down for breakfast, the local park run. People just kept coming and coming delaying Tillys shore leave, she wasn’t happy!

Mick popped back to the lock to chat to the Lock Keeper. With the recent rain fall we’d been wondering how the river would react, further north rivers have been in flood and we were wanting to leave the boat for a couple of days. He was fairly certain that nothing much would happen to the levels, but allowed us to stay moored above the lock where Oleanna was on posts rather than spikes. For £10 he gave us a mooring permit to cover us.

Being close to a water point and the sun having come back out the washing machine was put to use. The first load hung out on the whirligig and with the breeze it was dry by the end of the day. Another load filled the airer which was put in the cratch.

By mid morning the river was very busy. Boats were queuing to use the water point, others for the lock. At one point boats were backing into the offside vegetation and moving away with extra greenery. We were quite glad we’d turned up on a damp Friday lunchtime.

Mick headed off to be picked up by Enterprise to collect a hire car, so with him and Tilly out of the way I got on with some model making for Houdini. Yesterday I’d sent off my sketches to the director, but thought I’d be alright getting on with some pieces that were certainties before I heard back. About an hour after my scalpel had started to cut up bits of card I got an email through from Josh giving me the thumbs up, I can now crack on with the white card model.

By mid afternoon I’d reached a point where either I carried on for another five hours or stopped for the day. We needed a bit of shopping so we headed to Waitrose. The Lockie had said that we could leave the car near the lock for the night, but we decided to park it on the other side of the weir eliminating any possibility of it being locked in, we were needing to make an early start in the morning to head north.

This evening I’ve pulled out four rows of knitting, hoping I’ve all the stitches I need to re-knit what I’d got wrong. A quick count up of stitches before I start will be needed to see if I’ve picked every stitch back up. Fingers crossed.

There’s a bit more to this one than first meets the eye. How much?

0 locks, 0 miles, 137 pairs of running legs, £10 mooring, 2 loads washing, 4 boats treading water and collecting greenery, Fiat 500, 4 hours work, 1 cabinet, 7 hours shore leave, 4 rows gone, 307 stitches remaining, I hope!

£1,595,000

https://www.struttandparker.com/properties/shillingford-court

Joa I think you need to leave Open Reach and start valuing properties. £5 k off today.

This one is wonderful. The Drawing/Dining Room are great with the huge wide fireplace which has windows either side. Then there is the reception hall, the staircase and galleried landing, well … … wow! Personally I’d also want the boat house too.

All the original features come with history. Built in 1898 for Frederick William Mortimer who was tailor to the Prince of Wales. It is said that the Prince visited the house on several times with his mistress Lillie Langtry. The house was split into it’s current form quite early on, this portion being the largest. The Prince of Wales must have had a lot of suits.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna