Monthly Archives: April 2025

Goodramgate Curry. 26th April

New Walk to Museum Gardens, York

Preparations for moving the boat today with guests onboard. We undid our means of tying to the chains and just passed the ropes round them as a temporary measure, covers were rolled up and flattened, life jackets at the ready should anyone require one.

**How many boats? York will be full when we get back**

Our passengers arrived, the London Leckenbys, we found a gap between trip boats and day boats and pushed off, winding to head down stream. The boys were at the stern and Jac and I at the bow. Several landmarks were passed, numerous cruisers pulled out from York Motor Boat Club, then we slowed right down to align with the grid line on our maps.

A pesky day boat was close on our tail and didn’t understand that we wanted to try to hover in the river, so they were totally in the way! They shouldn’t have been that far downstream anyway!

The roof line of our house was spotted, photos taken. We winded and tried again without the pesky day boat, but we’d ended up too close to the bank for a better view holding against the flow of the river. At least we’d all seen our house.

Back into town. Under the bridges, Skeldergate, Ouse, Lendal. Andrew had been keen to continue on to Clifton Bridge, but we quickly spotted a narrowboat sized gap in the moorings so slipped into here quickly before anyone else got it.

On the opposite bank the world was very VERY busy. Today was the Roses Regatta. York and Lancaster Universities had gathered to battle on the river. Crowds lined both banks and announcements were being made. We’d timed our arrival very well, further up stream and we’d most probably have ended up being part of the regatta.

Cuppas and cake all round as boats headed off upstream to race back a km of the river. The red rose boats seemed to have the edge on the pale blue York team, in fact the final score was 5 to Lancaster 3 to York.

We split up in the afternoon, the London Leckenbys headed off to do work and jobs at the flat whilst I walked up stream along Clifton Ings where flood water is kept until the river recedes when there is flooding in York. Back into town through Clifton, passing the old cinema, St Peters School then back down Marygate to the moorings.

A quick freshen up and we were out again, heading into town to see what the Guy Fawkes Hotel was like. Back in the 70’s this was Youngs Hotel and on Saturday lunchtimes you would find my Mum and Dad sat on stools by the bar with a group of friends. We’ve not been in for decades so were interested to see what it was like now. Well it’s grown in size a touch and seemed to be very popular, we found seats in the yard and enjoyed some nice beer and wine.

Then a walk to near Monkgate. When children in the 70’s Dad would bring us to an Indian Restaurant called the Taj, he was well known here. He’d spent several years in India at the end of WW2 and I’m not sure Mum’s version of a curry wasn’t quite as good as that he got in the restaurant, after all back then ingredients for foreign cuisine were scarce. The other day I’d spotted The Bengal Brasserie, almost where the Taj had been, this had been a no brainer where to eat tonight.

It was busy and quite noisy. A dish each, most of which we’d not tried before, a couple of vegetable sides and some rice and nan breads. A very nice Indian meal, it would have been nice to have been able to turn down the volume from another table, but other than that it was lovely. We finished off with another drink, this time at The White Swan.

Another suitable day celebrating Daddy Fatso’s Birthday.

0 locks, 3.5 miles, 2 many boats, 2 many rowing boats, 3 boys at the stern, 2 girls at the bow, 60 ft space, 8 races, 6 miles walked, 78 minutes briskly, 6 pints, 4 glasses wine, 5 cobra, 1 bottle, 5 mains, 2 sides, 1 curry for Fatso.

https://what3words.com/bats.chose.retire

Everybody Blow. 25th April

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New Walk, York.

In between preparation for the party this evening I took to the river bank for my walk. Down stream under Millennium Bridge, then having to go a little in land to get round York Motor Boat Club. Distances walked when I was a teenager or in my early twenties seemed to be just that little bit too far, today they didn’t seem to be quite far enough!

At the bottom of St Oswald Road the old church sits, converted into a house whilst I was at primary school, across the way a track leads onto Fulford Ings and to the University Rowing Club. I wondered how boggy the Ings would be today and walked down to have a look. There’s a temporary track across the fields where the footpath sits, maybe drainage improvements, maybe a new footpath?

Just returning to Oleanna via Fulford Road wasn’t going to be far enough, so I opted to walk up towards the University. I then forgot that the Imphal Barracks would block my way so had to detour further out of town , rediscovering the cross country route from my school days. I suspect I covered it far quicker today than I did when 15! Was that Grandad’s house peeking above the University and trees? Maybe, certainly one of his neighbours. Then back to Fulford Road across Walmgate Stray an area I didn’t know existed until today.

Mid afternoon we put on our party clothes and walked up to Fishergate to the London Leckenby’s flat, balloons visible through the skylights and aromas of roasting pork wafting down the street. Yesterday I’d printed out various photos of Dad so that he could join us for his 100th birthday party.

Drinks and tales, nibbles and more drinks. Roast pork, salad, potatoes and Yorkshire puddings, with greasy bottoms. Andrew had put together a spotify play list of Dad’s records, the occasional track reminding us of more which were found and added to the playlist. Beatles, Burt Bacharach, The Seekers, Slade, Ravel’s Bolero, John Williams, Tom Rush, Cat Stevens, Scaffold, The Communards, to name just a very few, Oh Shirley Bassey sneaked in there with a track for Mum.

A Raspberry Frangipane Tart was baked and rested for pudding. Twelve candles added to the top, no room for 100. But who would blow them out? We all did together.

This was followed by a game of York Monopoly. Bars (as in Bar Walls) rather than stations and York Minster and the Shambles taking the place of Mayfair and Park Lane. Some family deals went on, half rent! Thank goodness there is now a Mr Monopoly dice which speeds the game up, Mick having two full sets with hotels, it was obvious who was going to win, Mr Big Money, he may as well have become the banker! He finally bankrupted us all by midnight.

A lovely evening remembering Daddy Fatso in true Leckenby style, other than the man himself, the only thing missing was a vase!

0 locks, 0 miles, 7am rowers again, 4.43 miles walked, 56 minutes briskly, 2 many calories, 2 many old songs, 0 Boogie Wonderland, 0.75 of a pig, 2kg potatoes, 1 huge salad, 1 frangipane tart, 1 Mr Money Bags, Happy 100th Birthday !

Arrivals. 24th April

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New Walk, York

Awake again at 7am with the University rowers. A while later a couple of sculls came down from York Rowing club, the lady asking her friend about boats moored along this stretch. There are only two of us, the other up by the Foss which we’ve seen elsewhere , it does have the look as if it might be staying for a while. Her friend said boats moor up for a couple of days and then move on. She said something about how there obviously wasn’t any enforcement. Well there are no signs to say we can’t moor here or back by the Foss, we’re not exactly in anyones way. Well maybe the trip boats are winding a little bit sooner than they were a week ago, but only by a hundred yards. So we don’t have a problem with it and she shouldn’t either.

A slow morning. I wanted to print off some things , so Mick left me to it and he went to have a look at the station works. Once I’d finished off what I was doing I took a walk along New Walk to Millenium Bridge, crossed over and walked back up the other side of the river past Rowntrees Park. There is a caravan site here and motorhomes were arriving in a steady stream.

Some preparation for tomorrows party, I’m in charge of pudding so made a batch of sweat pastry from a new recipe book I got at Christmas. I’d got so far with it when there were Hellos from outside. Andrew and Josh had arrived for the weekend, having driven up from London in a small van bringing the old family dining table with them for the flat in Fishergate. They’d been thinking of swapping the flats existing table for a while as it wasn’t really large enough for six. So a return to York for the table Dad had made and that we grew up with was perfect especially for this weekend. We had chats and a cuppa, then they headed off to await a Tesco delivery followed by Jac who’d be arriving later by train.

Pastry finished and a batch of what looked like nice rosemary crackers, however they turned out to be a little disappointing, a river bank hair cut for Mick.

Time to finish my walking for the day, up a snicket between houses that I hadn’t noticed before, checked the opening times at Alligator, a wholefood shop that’s been there since the 70’s, then walked down streets where school friends used to live back towards the river bank. Sadly a great fish and chip shop has gone, time your arrival close to closing and you’d get double helpings. The Wellington Pub is awaiting new management to run it, a lovely little pub. I was tempted but I couldn’t spot the bar billiards table that used to reside in the side room, so that was a deal breaker.

***This outside is getting boring now!***

In flotilla news, word is that Denham Deep Lock should be open again on Saturday afternoon. We’ve got our fingers crossed for all the boats heading to Cavalcade and the Campaign Cruise to the Houses of Parliament.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 mardy rower, 3.2 miles walked, 56 minutes briskly, 1 batch pastry, 24 crackers, 5 tinged, 1 brother, 1 nephew, 11 pictures, pair 65 cast on.

Sunny….. Scarbados! 23rd April

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New Walk, York

No real need for an alarm on this mooring as the rowers started to pass not long after 7am. I was up, breakfasted and out of the door heading towards the station a little after 9am.

The sun was out, I crossed Skeldergate Bridge. Should I follow the river on Skeldergate? Walk through Bishophill? Go along Nunnery Lane? In the end I opted to walk along the Bar Walls round to the station, what a lovely morning away from the traffic.

From my vantage point above Queen Street I could look down on the works that have been taking place to remove a road bridge around the outside of the walls. This used to raise traffic above the rail tracks that punched their way through the walls to the old station. The old station was a terminus, no through rail links and soon railway traffic had outgrown the site, it had become a bottleneck so a new station was needed.

Permission from Parliament was granted in 1866 for a new station on the other side of the walls, the first train pulled out of the station at 05:30 on the 25th June 1877, bound for Scarborough. The station took three years to construct and was the largest in Britain, confirming the city’s status as heart of the network.

A group of people stood on the walls, phones out looking down the bank. Was this a location from a film or TV program? What was catching their eye? Well it turned out to be a Vixen and her three cubs frolicking in the long grass on the inner side of the walls.

I hopped on the next train to Scarborough, quite warm from my walk and the sunshine, thankfully I knew things would be different in Scarborough today. As the train approached Seamer the sky had already turned misty and dark. Stepping off the train I was immediately glad of my extra layers, the sea fret was in, no view across the valley and only 10 C! I had time to take a selfie with a sea view so walked up to the Esplanade.

**Great view of the South Bay and Castle!**

An appointment with my new dentist had called me to Scarborough. A nice lady, not the same chair side manner as Colin in Birmingham had, but maybe that was reflected in his prices, also Scarborough is well known to have a serious lack of dentists, hence having to wait about five weeks for my first appointment. All good, thankfully and another appointment for a clean in a few weeks time.

I picked up something for lunch and then headed to the house, time to check the place over after our last lodgers had vacated and do a couple of jobs. They scored 9 on our lodger scale, loosing a point due to a bin not having been emptied, leaving a light and the second fridge on which was very empty. But other than that all was good.

The garden is in need of some tlc, sadly the gardener we’d lined up never reappeared! But it does mean the bluebells are having a good time undisturbed. Thank you to our lodgers for keeping the strawberry plants watered too, someone else will benefit from then in a few weeks time.

Polling papers for the new Scarborough Town Council had arrived. We should have applied for postal votes, but have now run out of time. Mick will be around for the election, but I needed to get a proxy application in quickly before time ran out at 5pm today.

***It’s quite good, apart from all the people!***

Meanwhile back in York. Mick headed to Barnitts the stove rope I’d bought was a little chunky for the lower door, so he swapped it for the next size down. A top up shop at Morrisons was done. He also walked up to Castle Mills Lock on the River Foss. Sadly there was a sign on the lock saying it would be closing on Sunday for the rest of the summer for works on the lock. We’d hoped to head up the Foss and see how far we could get before having to most probably reverse back. You have to give at least 2 days notice for the lock, it’s operated by the local IWA. Yes we might just be able to squeeze it in before Sunday, but there are other things, more important things to do before then. We’ll just have to return another year.

I took advantage of there being running water and had a shower at the house, a good collection of shampoos and bits and bobs left by lodgers. Thankfully there was a comb so I could wash my hair, all saving water on Oleanna. I rapidly picked up the fruit and veg that had been left along with the big tin of Danish Oil (ours not the lodgers) and then high tailed it back to the station, just a few minutes spare to catch the next train back to York.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 closed lock ahead, 0 enough time, 2 trains, 4 foxes, 1 sunny city, 1 fretted town, 1 stove in working order, 1 cat snatching moments on the bank, 1 near clean bill of teeth, 1 quick shower, 3 bulbs garlic, 2 lemons, 4 onions, 1 lime, 5 apples, 7.55 miles walked, 99 minutes briskly, 1 speeding boat, 2 pizzas.

Still There. 22nd April

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Naburn Lock to New Walk, River Ouse

Anyone who has ever visited York by boat will be aware of how bad the boaters facilities are in the city. So before we left Naburn we wanted to have a full water tank. After breakfast we got ready to reverse to the water point, but we’d just been beaten to it by the boat behind us. We pulled back anyway, they weren’t using the water point and our two hoses would reach our bow. They pulled off soon after we arrived so we tucked up closer to the tap.

Mick rang York Marina in Naburn this morning to see if they could accommodate us for a few days, this would make plan 6C work for us. However unless we were willing to sign up for a full year they weren’t interested, our three days not enough. Time to work out plan 7A. I walked over the lock island to check on the pontoon there, 48 hours and empty today, but would it be when we want it to be?!

Tank full and a booking to return to Selby made we were ready for the off, and thankfully the sun was shining.

The river is far more interesting lots of moored boats to look at. A pontoon we’d not seen before which is reserved for York Marina despite being quite a distance away. The River Bus has various stops along the way to pick up campers and take them into York.

Then the slightly more shanty town moorings, steep walkways to interesting boats, some of which archaeologists would have a field day on their roofs. A small cruiser with sails was slowly making it’s way upstream, we passed as did a day boat.

Archbishops Palace. The opposite bank was what at the age of six, was a long walk from our house, but a good landmark for turning around plus the dogs used to like swimming there.

The A64 bypass bridge. Fulford Hall on the bend. Is that where the bench seat was that my Dad Fatso used to walk Bramble his dog to? The undergrowth and possibly a fence blocking the view. Would that be the case a little further on?

**There she is! The pan tiles belong to next door.**

The willow trees are starting to get thick with leaves would there still be that gap in them that lines up with the grid on our map? It’s been five years since these sight lines were checked and the river then was that bit higher. We slowed as we approached the grid line. The big house just visible, then the roof of the house behind. Then the trees parted for a very good view of my family home, the house that Fatso built, the house where I was born. We know the new owner has done some building work and replaced the wood cladding to the front of the house, this used to be dark marrying in with the trees surrounding it. The new cladding thankfully isn’t as bright as it was in photos we’ve seen, it has silvered, a different wood from that it was clad with in the early 60s. But she is still there, the glimpse from the river the same.

**Might have to visit if they still go to near Millennium Bridge**

Now past the York Motor Club Moorings, would they be able to accommodate us? We suspected not. The University Rowing Club Moorings, I’ve still not quite finished off a pair of socks that need to be delivered here, the hope of being able to moor alongside obviously not possible, so a visit by land will need to be arranged. The Chilled Medication boats were followed by Millennium Bridge.

We now started to look for somewhere to moor up, a little bit further would suit our needs best, but with some solar a bonus. Chain swags line the river wall, would we be able to moor to those. We slowed and had a go as day boats came past, a trip boat winding up stream of us, at least they know their horn signals. Thin rope was used to tie through the eyes that hold the chain, an old soft shackle from our centre line was used too. There’s a ledge just catching Oleanna’s base plate, so we deployed the Shroppie Tyre fenders. Brilliant, we are moored somewhere Tilly can have some shore leave too. Maybe York will be York to her and not Yurk!!!

**This used to be Thomas C Godfrey’s a Blackwell’s Bookshop**

After lunch I set off with the intention of finding some Almond flour, finer than ground almonds and a touch harder to find. This gave me a reason to have a good walk around the city, spotting favourite old places including the old bookshop I used to sell maps in, currently selling things made by local artists.

I went here there and nearly everywhere. The obligatory visit to Barnitts. Today I wanted new rope for the stove door and some glue. Barnitts never disappoints, there is always a selection. Just how many shoe laces and flasks could anyone want!

I was also on the hunt for views of York to paint. I’d like to do a painting for my brothers holiday let in York. Not of the usual views. I love the Snickleways, maybe Lady Peckett’s Yard? We’ll see what else I find in the next few days.

Back at the boat our quiet evening was disturbed by the rowers from the University, they seem to start and end their training where we are moored. The boats are not too bad despite their wake, but their coach is very VERY LOUD!!!

In flotilla news all boats are back on the move continuing towards London. However tonight we’ve seen that there is a stoppage at Denham Deep Lock on the Grand Union Canal and the lock gates are padlocked shut! This stoppage stands between lots of boats and Cavalcade! Here’s hoping its not a lengthy fix. Petition link.

0 locks, 5.1 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 roof line, 1 new mooring to try out, 500grams almond flour, 2m stove rope, 1 bottle glue, 5.2 miles, 47 minutes briskly, 7 possible paintings, 1 man shouting 2 loudly!

https://what3words.com/valve.trap.line

Happy 100th Fatso! 25th April 2025

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Today would have been my Daddy Fatso’s 100th Birthday. Sadly he’s not still with us, but that is no excuse not to celebrate the day. We’ve headed to York with that purpose in mind, to hold a birthday party for him with my brother and his family.

So apologies for sharing this post that I wrote during Lockdown in 2020, but today it really couldn’t be about anyone or anything else. I’ll tell you about the party in a few days time.

David Anthony Leckenby was born on the 25th April 1925 in Acomb, York. His Dad was Cecil an architect, known to my generation for his bushy eyebrows and ability to watch football on a very fuzzy TV.

His Mum was Mildred, a house wife who passed away when I was about 18 months old, and there was Peter his elder brother, who grew up to be a telecoms engineer, living in Trinidad for a number of years.

David attended Archbishop Holgates School just outside the bar walls of York. The fine building now houses part of St John’s College.

During his school days he was interested in architecture and planes. His diaries from this time (the only ones we have) always mention the planes flying over. Maybe one of the Lancaster bombers that flew low over Acomb on the 1st of September 1943 was piloted by Mick’s Dad.

**His plane sketches improved through his teenage years**

Whenever an old plane flew over our house he would say what it was and then rush out to check he was correct, he inevitably was. I’m sure lots of people who grew up during WW2 could do the same.

Once he’d left school he commuted by train to Leeds where he attended Leeds School of Architecture. He used to tell tales of riding his bike carrying a drawing board as he peddled to and from stations. I was lucky enough to find his diaries from these days a few years ago when sorting through the family house. Sadly there are gaps in them and he certainly got a bit too obsessed with a young lady called Peggy!

His college days were of course interrupted when he was called up, by October 1943 he was writing from the platoon hut in number 7 company lines at Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow.

Over the next year he moved around, June 1944 he was at the 175 class, 140 OCTURE, Ure Bank Camp in Ripon and by December 1944 he was posted to France, then Brugges. Sadly there are gaps in his diaries so I don’t know where he was for VE day. Maybe my brother remembers a tale or two that I don’t.

He never shoot his gun in combat, but was around Europe for the final push.

There are mentions of German mine fields and a tale of picking items up that could have been booby trapped, but luckily for him they weren’t.

**Sat on the front row just off centre to the left**

In September 1945 he waved farewell to the shores of England and set sail for India. Here with the Sappers he mended bridges, and I believe ended up being one of the last Brits in Hyderabad. Here he did shoot his gun when a snake came out of the overflow on his bath.

We are very lucky to have many of his wonderful sketches of India. Some architectural others of men with cows and landscapes.

Sadly his diaries stop whilst in India. So with the information to hand I don’t know quite when he left and headed home. I do know that he managed to jump ships and come home via Germany where he wanted to meet up with Peggy. She however had shacked up with a Canadian soldier (if he’d looked back at his diary he’d have seen it coming), Dad’s trip a heart breaking waste of effort.

**Middle row just to the right of centre**

Back home he returned to Leeds School of Architecture. His year was now a mixture of those who had been demobbed and those a few years younger. Stood in a queue one day he spotted a tall young lady, Lillian Heseltine!

They courted, Dad had to sell his prized motorbike to buy an engagement ring.

Proposing on a trip to Rievaulx Abbey where his final project for college was based, they got married in Thornton, Bradford in 1952.

They lived in York, with Dad working in his fathers architectural practice where he became a partner.

**He won awards for the Marine Biology building in Robin Hoods Bay.**

Many buildings and shop fronts around York were designed by him, he also looked after churches around the city and built our family home in Fulford, which was just still visible from the River Ouse when we last passed.

He loved his walking. Climbing most of the Lake District peeks with Worthington.

**Those little legs up all those peeks**

Gliding was another love, but he was given an ultimatum by Mum to chose flying or his family. He wisely chose us. For his 80th birthday we bought him a trip up in a glider from Sutton Bank, the club house his design.

**A touch different from his earlier flying days**

He took up windsurfing instead and got his daughter hooked for a few years too.

**Gravity did cause him problems though**

If Mum and Dad could think of an excuse for a party, then the house would be filled with people. In fact I think the house was built with parties in mind!

Dad loved his dancing and his record collection, often seen kneeling on the floor with a head torch on so that he didn’t play the shadow of the next record.

Holidays in foreign parts, where food and the local wines were always sampled. Most holiday photos are of people sat around tables.

The beard was grown in 1976 when he became very ill and ended up in a plaster cast from the top of his head to his waist for most of the drought filled summer months. Gradually the white hair crept from his chin and took over his full head of hair.

He got to watch his Grandson Josh grow and became known as Daddy Daddy.

Lots and lots of happy memories.

David Anthony Leckenby 25th April 1925 to 18th September 2012

My Daddy Fatso. xxx

Wet, Brown And Willowy. 21st April

Selby Swing Bridge to Naburn Visitor Moorings, River Ouse

Just what we expected a rainy Bank Holiday Monday!

Waterproofs were put on as four of yesterdays cruisers left Selby Basin. There’d be more room for us now. We moved up to the swing bridge. Looking all round, vehicles come from all directions to cross this bridge, I waited for a gap in traffic then pressed the button. Only two cars held up.

We pulled up by the pump out machine, time to do our chores. Water, yellow water, Tilly’s pooh box and rubbish. Mick chatted to Nigel the Lockie, yesterday he’d suggested that we should be ready at midday, but he might hold off sending us out until the tide had built up a bit as it was quite a low tide. However this morning the tide was already on it’s way in, so we should be ready to go at midday. We pulled into the lock just before the day turned to afternoon and soon next to us was NB Ooer Josh. They were returning to Naburn after being blacked in Goole.

Nigel asked who would go first, we opted to lead. Once he’d opened the gates we were to wait for his signal, there’s a LOT of stuff goes up and down the Tidal Ouse and it’s best not to meet it when turning out of Selby Lock. Down we went to meet the tide, the gates opened, a big tree went past. After a minute or so Nigel waved us out.

The current here is pretty strong. Mick set us going and I knew what to expect. Once across the slack water by the lock, Oleanna started to turn to follow the current up stream. The force of the water pushing hard against the side of Oleanna means she ends up leaning over quite a bit. Disconcerting to say the least, but as we straightened up with the flow she settled herself back to being upright.

Pretty quickly you come to Selby Rail and Toll Swing Bridges. The right hand span should be taken. Both of us saying ‘stay in the middle’, the force of the water through the Toll bridge really wants to twist you round to hit the pier (or so we almost found out on our first trip up the Ouse on Lillyanne) a tight bend in the river closely following not helping with matters. Through without touching the sides, phew!

**Stay in the middle of the span otherwise the bridge will get you!**

With our Ouse charts at hand I kept note of where we were, only small lengths of red line to follow, don’t cut the corners. Last time we’d made this trip I think we counted five Kingfishers, today we saw none! They were all being sensible sitting in their dry burrows possibly sitting on nests.

Jon on NB Oor Josh now had an umbrella up, the rain constant, not down pouring, just constantly wet. Thank goodness for Mick’s rugged tablet, not minding the rain as we whizzed along.

Logs and detritus sit on bends. Last time I think I referred to it as a log flume, it’s not changed! At one point Mick knocked Oleanna out of gear for us to glide through a thick patch.

NB Oor Josh was kept in sight most of the time, a distance behind. Were they gaining on us? We picked up the revs a touch. Were they dropping behind? We knocked the revs back.

The Ouse on a wet day is pretty much brown and willowy. Mud banks to either side, high flood banks obscuring any views and then the main type of tree, willow.

Something different! Cawood Swing Bridge, we’d not need it to swing for us today, plenty of air draft. The bridge keeper normally waves, but we saw no-one today. Where had our buddies gone, it felt like an age before they appeared under the bridge.

Now the river narrows, I’d forgotten how much it narrows near Acaster Selby. Cows and sheep peeked up from behind the flood banks.

Moreby Hall stands on the east bank. I think last time we’d come through it had been a hotel, or was just about to open as one. Today it’s been converted into apartments with airsource heat pumps, EV charging points. Plenty of them to choose from if you’ve a few spare pounds. Have to say I think the photos on the details have been generated by AI as they just don’t quite seem right.

Round the last bend, Naburn Lock comes into view. Kenny the Lockie stood up high and waved us into the lock. We pulled in against the wall, bow rope around a riser, the stern not quite close enough so Mick used the boat hook around the ladder, not ideal. Oor Josh came in alongside. Ropes passed round our T studs, gates closed behind and then we gently rose up to Yorks river level. It was such a gentle rise there was plenty of time to chat with our buddies, very nice to meet you both, maybe our bows will cross somewhere on the Ouse in the coming weeks.

We pulled up on the visitor moorings. Not at the far end in case the trip boat was running, but near the middle. The top of the path wet with puddles from todays rain, last time we’d been here it got fully submerged and we’d ended up rafted up to three other boats by the pontoon!

Tilly was granted shore leave, she did take some despite it raining. After a late lunch I headed out myself to get 40 minutes walk in. Along the river bank towards Naburn and York, a nice path to Naburn Hall. 20 minutes out and back and chance to check if the tea rooms by the lock were still there. Yep, it’s a vegan tearoom.

**Tides and when the lock is manned for April**

Back to Oleanna to dry off and check in with my brother Andrew regarding some plans. This was followed by attempts at some serious planning. We’d aimed to be in York for a few days, then head upstream to Ripon. But we’ve a few trips to Scarborough over the coming weeks, would Ripon serve us well? Would we run out of time on the moorings? Would we need to book into a marina? Ripon Motor Yacht club don’t have room for a narrowboat of our size, the Marina does, at £22 a night or £140 a week?

But as much as we want to visit Ripon again, it was making things far too complicated. We needed a rethink. A few options and a change of route may be required, all tide dependant too. Perhaps a stay in a marina? We went to bed with a possible solution for the next couple of weeks. The next few will have to wait to be solved.

2 locks, 14.3 miles, 1 swing bridge opened, 3 swing bridges far 2 high to need to swing, 2 held up, 1 left, 1 small tide, 1 wet day, 2.66 miles walked, 40 minutes briskly, 1 stove lit, 1 new tube of stove rope glue needed, 1 plan out of the window, plan 6 to check tomorrow.

https://what3words.com/bleak.calms.renewals

Easter Oranges. 20th April

Selby Swing Bridge

A lazy start with the Saturday newspaper in bed, listening to the Abbey bells. We were up in time to join the Geraghty zoom, breakfast had to wait for later though. Subjects covered, empathy, sheep with hankies, sponsored relay cruising and a walkie talkie lunch.

**We forgot to defrost some sausages, just as well really**

Yesterday we’d found some gf black pudding so that was added to our egg, tomatoes and mushrooms. Tasty.

A walk down to the lock to see if a Keeper might be about. The door to the little hut was open and Nigel was sat relaxing, he’d had an early start checking the levels up on the Ripon Canal this morning. We checked that we were still booked in for tomorrow and heard that there were five or six cruisers headed from Naburn this afternoon. That would be worth coming back to watch, we headed into town to see if we could find the Easter Bunny.

We’d missed all the fun by the market cross. The Abbey was setting up tables for something later today. Not many people about. We had a good wander around.

Houses for sale, this nice looking little terraced house down Rupert Street, wiped clean of any interior detail. Mr C’s Chippy, now when did we have 2 of each from here? Did we have a car at the time? It turns out it was when we were waiting for the River Ouse to come down on our escape from Goole in 2021, Tuesday night is GF night.

Down a side street towards St James the Apostle Church. A row of rather fine terraced houses, one of which is prime for some TLC, filled with original features. But would you keep the avocado sink and toilet?

We made our way back past the station and my favourite door in Selby. It used to roll to the sides and has had some remedial work at some time. But the tarmac on the pavement restricts any possible movement along with brackets at the top, possibly holding it now to the building.

Back at the lock the first of the cruisers was coming up off the river. Just as Nigel was dropping the water for the following boats they arrived. One winding to face the tide, the gates just opening in time. The other winded a little further down stream and then made their way back to the lock and entered before Nigel had given the go ahead. Nigel wasn’t too happy with this.

**The Lockies Key of Powerful Powerness!**

Several gongoozlers watched on, crew from the first boat came to help, but all were very much kept in check by Nigel, looking out for everyone’s safety. Ropes round bollards and risers these two boats were penned up. The boats had all timed their arrivals with penning up in mind, good gaps between them.

The next arrived winded and had to stem the tide for a bit as the lock emptied. The next and final boat came past the lock, winding further down stream. Would they both fit in the lock together? The lead boat was nudged right up to the top gates. Tail end Charlie waved in to join them, directed by the Lockie, instructions relayed by the crew to the skipper inside the cabin. A perfect entrance to the lock, the skippers first time turning into Selby and their first time on a river!

Close to Oleanna was a newly arrived boat. We stopped to say hello thinking they might be joining us tomorrow. But the crew despite having boated for well over fifteen years and been just about everywhere, they have never gone on tidal water. They’d come and watch tomorrow and give it some more thought.

I was short on my walking for the day, so carried on past Oleanna to see if I could find Staynor Hall which looked like it was surrounded by a new Persimmon development. I walked round into the houses. Looked for what I thought would be an old building but could see nothing but a green modern school building at the back of some playing fields. It may still be there somewhere, but disguised in a plain modern building.

I tried to find a path back towards an older housing estate, but found it fenced off, so had to return through the land of little boxes. The road arched round to Denison Road which brought me back to the Swing Bridge. Time to put that joint of Pork in the oven.

The flotilla appears to have now split into three. Two crews having headed back to their houses for Easter, another two in Hemel and I’m not sure where the lead boats are now. Happy Easter to them all. Just incase you haven’t signed it yet, here’s a link to the Fund Britain’s Waterways petition

0 locks, 0 miles, 8:45 start at the tip, 4 slices black pudding between us, 1 slow walk, 5 cruisers, 0 space in the basin, 5.36 miles walked, 48 brisk minutes, 1 joint of pork, 2 beers, 4 glasses wine, 1 quiet evening, 0 Easter eggs, 2 chocolate oranges left from Christmas.

We Have No Bananas. 19th April

Burn Bridge to Selby Swing Bridge

Our plan to see if we could get in along the full length of moorings at Burn Bridge was thwarted this morning by there being an angler who’d set up camp half way along from us to the bridge. Instead Mick went along with our boat hook, dipping for depth. Shallow, shallow, until he prodded at about the point where the old moorings had extended to. We reckoned there was under 2ft of depth by the bank all the way along the moorings. An email to C&RT with photos will be sent as it’s all very good to make the moorings safe, but only if it’s worth mooring there!

Mick pushed off and I walked the towpath in to Selby, by the end of the day I’d walked the full length of the canal. Oleanna’s speed was greater than mine today as there were a few sculptures to stop and look at on the way. Little if any information can be found about them which is a shame.

In towards Selby we passed Selby Boat Centre, this is where we purchased chain for our anchor and a new set of ropes from a boater who let us moor alongside, way back in 2014 on Nb Lillyanne.

Two boats had passed us this morning, the first was moored close to the Fire Station. We tried pulling in behind them, the chap coming to lend us a hand and have a good natter. Then we tried in front, just before a bend. Then on a bit further round the bend. I remembered we’d had the same problem last time we were here, but had eventually succeeded opposite the Council Tip. We kind of managed to get in behind a widebeam, this would do us.

**One of the canal culverts leading to a drain alongside the fields**

No shore leave for Tilly as the road is close and had a queue for the tip today.

After lunch we walked over the railway to the supermarkets. Meal plans for the week hadn’t included anything extra nice for it being Easter, so at least a chicken was sought. First call was Aldi, who are reportedly trialling a Gluten Free range of products, however Selby doesn’t seem to be a store that stocks them.

Next was Tescos. Big signs where the bananas should be. What is it with Tescos and Bananas, the lack of them seems to be a regular thing in their stores, yet Aldi was full of them. No Saturday newspaper of our liking! Then there was a serious lack of suitable roasting meat of all varieties, unless you were going to have 24 for roast pork!

**We decided not to choose this option for our Easter Sunday meal**

Third supermarket was Morrisons. Newspaper, bananas, and some choice of meat. We got a pork joint that should last us a few meals but not the rest of the month. To finish off my walking for the day I briskly walked down to the lock. The tide was heading out to sea, but not at the great speed I’ve seen here before. Minutes ticked off I returned to Oleanna to make a fish crumble for our dinner.

In flotilla news , the boats continue heading southwards. 2 new cables were fitted to one boat this morning by RCR. Hopefully that will be the end of problems for them all. Petition Link here.

0 locks, 2.2 miles, 2 shallow for all, 1 angler, 2 sculptures, 1 woofers wee, 1 more enquiry, 3 supermarkets, 1 joint pork, 1st of the year I think, 0 Easter eggs bought, 5.42 miles walked, 42 minutes briskly, 0 shore leave.

https://what3words.com/gathering.twee.drip

All Nice And Spicy. 18th April

West Haddlesey to Burn Bridge

Showers. Tilly was offered some shore leave, which she took up for a while before retreating inside. I’m a fair weather cat and I like it like that in my older years. Thankfully the showers petered off, not that they’d been very soggy.

We’d toyed with staying put for the day, but our options for shopping were just about none existent and if we left it too long before heading into Selby then it would be Easter Sunday with just about all shops closed. Mick spotted a Tesco Express near to Burn Bridge so that was our aim for today.

I opted to walk, at about 3 miles it would be a good way of ticking off the brisk minutes. We both suspected that I’d beat Oleanna as the Selby Canal is really quite shallow, so slow cruising. It also gave me chance to check out the footpath along the first stretch.

A big sign showed lots of local walks and that the towpath continued to Tankards Bridge, information already passed on to Paul at Waterway Routes. The footpath was good and obviously well used. I kept my pace up and kept just in front of Oleanna with enough time to pause to take photos.

**Paperhouse Bridge with the tunnels/culverts/aqueducts either side**

Yesterday I’d crossed Paperhouse Bridge where two round areas sit alongside the canal. Our maps suggest that the canal passes over these on aqueducts, even though they look just a bit like fancy side ponds. But information from the big notice says they have a tunnel, culvert between the two of them. These were designed by William Jessop to collect water and help stop the canal from getting flooded. There were originally four such tunnels/culverts/aqueducts, one has since been filled in.

I paused by the high wall mooring. Mick rang. As it was available, should we stop here for the day? Plan changed, he reversed Oleanna back to attempt to moor. There seemed to be quite a few branches in the way. He got the stern in and then with the boat hook managed to pick a branch out. However there were more branches and these were stubborn to shift. Back onboard to try from there, it wasn’t easy. I helped by staring at the branches. But that didn’t even help. After quite a bit of revving we decided to give up and continue to our original mooring.

On we plodded to Burn Bridge. Mick pulled in at the end furthest away from the busy road, under the willow tree. We’ve been here before several times and despite the road it’s a nice mooring. Had something changed? There seemed to be more grass on the bank. The stern came in, but when trying to pull Oleanna in she stopped just that little bit too far out to be able to comfortably step across. The bottom was far too close to the top! We tried again, nope! Not wanting to go any further, or to try mooring nearer the bridge we opted to bring the stern in and have the bow sticking out, after all we’ve not seen a moving boat for a couple of days and we’d still not be blocking the navigation.

Some mixing and stirring was required by Tilly, some festive baking needed despite watching what is eaten at the moment. This was left to rise whilst we walked to Tescos for a few essentials, we’ll do a bigger shop in Selby tomorrow.

Whilst I added spices and fruit to the mix, Mick chaperoned Tilly’s shore leave. We knew she’d be far more interested in the friendly cover at our end of the mooring, but every now and again she’ll do something unexpected, if that involved the road that would be very bad indeed. I took over once the buns were proving again.

Mick checked the stoppage notices. The moorings at Burn Bridge have been closed since June last year.

Please be advised that some moorings at Burn are currently unavailable due to ongoing safety renovations. The original footboards, planks, and structure had deteriorated beyond repair and are being replaced along the original banking. Alternative moorings are available at Haddlesey, and Gateforth landing. The notice stopped on 14th April.

**The mooring is a quarter of what it used to be**

Looking back at old photos, it looks as if they have removed and not replaced the original footboards. This extra few feet may have meant having enough water to get into the side and now it is far too shallow. We’ll have a go at pulling in further along in the morning to see if it’s all too shallow for us.

**Hot paw buns with their marzipan prints**

All was baked and ready to be a pudding after our main course this evening. We can’t have Easter without Hot Paw Buns! The boat smells all nice and spicy now.

The flotilla to London has had quite a few problems today, failing hydraulics on one boat and a second morse control cable has broken. RCR are on their way to fix it tomorrow. Petition Link.

0 locks, 2.8 miles, 3 tunnels, 1 towpath, 2 attempts to moor, 2 many branches, 1 willow tree trimmed, 1 very jaunty angle, 5 bananas, 1 pot humous, 130 grams cranberries, 12 Hot Paw Buns, 1 willow climbed three times, 2 pairs of socks wrapped and ready to send.

https://what3words.com/backyards.comical.grazes

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna

Monthly Archives: April 2025

Goodramgate Curry. 26th April

Everybody Blow. 25th April

Arrivals. 24th April

Sunny….. Scarbados! 23rd April

Still There. 22nd April

Happy 100th Fatso! 25th April 2025

Wet, Brown And Willowy. 21st April

Easter Oranges. 20th April

We Have No Bananas. 19th April

All Nice And Spicy. 18th April