Author Archives: pipandmick

Cow Mop. 15th May

Lock 61 to Rode Heath

Oleanna pushing her way through the water to the next lock

Yesterday we’d moored under trees so the solar panels didn’t do quite so well. However we’d been grateful for their protection from the driving range! Mick decided to experiment with the dishwasher this morning. The heating cycle uses a lot more juice than the washing machine, so he knew he’d be getting the engine going before it had finished. These experiments are not that scientific, there are other things drawing power, but it’s interesting. The first heating cycle drew 17% of our battery capacity.

Just after breakfast I had confirmation of my next panto meeting, so quickly purchased an Advance ticket. Cross Country now charge for you to pick up your tickets at a machine! So I opted for an e ticket which was free.

Several boats had already come past this morning, the last two going down hill, so we hoped that at least the first lock would be in our favour. We’d actually timed our departure with a lot of boats coming down hill, so we didn’t have to turn too many locks.

Lock 60 is a pair, the towpath side chamber has had a width warning on it for some time. Today however it was locked up. Padlocks preventing you from operating paddles and no leakage through the gates. Looking down I could see where the lock was now bulging, a damp area of bricks highlighting it.

The first two locks brought us closer to the M6. Mow Cop visible for the first time on the horizon.

The blue sky today was filled with vapour trails from planes. We wondered if there were any clouds up there or was it all being produced by planes?

Boats came towards us, at Lock 57 we had to wait for one coming down before ascending. Two short boats waited their turn to share the single lock down. On we pootled catching up with a boat we were following at the last lock of the day, Thurlwood Lock 53. Here I helped them up, another boat down before we came up into the pound we planned to moor on.

We pulled in just before the winding hole and Tilly was let out to explore. Rode Heath must have at least one dog per human! There is a constant stream of them being walked in the field just below the moorings. Tilly found a suitable gap in the woofers and headed for the large trees below, these kept her busy for quite sometime.

Time to get back to work, my model won’t finish itself. With a new list of jobs to be done, I set about sorting out the flying in the model box. This isn’t anything fancy, just thin bits of wood with model scenery attached so that they can be lifted in and out of the box. I added marked rests on either side of the box, so that positions would be accurate. This took all afternoon. I’ll need a few none cruising days before my meeting in Chippy to get everything finished and there are still plenty of locks to come.

8 locks, 2.75 miles, 2 in a lock, 1st sight, 2 initials swapped over, 6 hours, 2 red boats moored in the winding hole, 6 flying bars, 1 parcel left till morning, 2 fingers crossed that it’s there.

https://goo.gl/maps/9wwJ7jCsiRpPKN2o8

How Different Our Day Would Have Been. 13th May

Bridge 22 to Rookery Railway Bridge 158, Trent and Mersey

No shore leave for Tilly this morning, we weren’t going to risk her getting carried away and not returning for hours! With a mooring in mind we pushed off in the glorious sunshine to find the next winding hole to turn in.

Just over a mile and a half away there it was, for a change nobody was using it. Mick swung Oleannas bow in towards the V and started to turn her just as a boat came round the bend, they’d have to be patient for us to finish, which they were. Then we were on our way northwards again to be able to head southwards.

More fields were being ploughed, hay turned, cattle grazed with a few very young calves having a rest by Mums feet. The branch is so rural, just the West Coast Main Line to break things up. We passed the cottage with it’s painted shutters, a new coat of paint has been added avoiding the roses. The converted stable block is another must for a photo.

By the time we had descended Stanthorne Lock it was lunchtime, so we decided to try out some of the new mooring rings at the breach site. I walked along to have a better look down at the side of the aqueduct where the breach happened. You can’t get down to see from below, but from above there is a definite scar where the water pushed everything out of its way.

The bank has a fresh layer of grass taking hold, but at the bottom there is still earth showing. The bank of the river has been made good and twigs mark where a hedge will grow in the future. The stone up on the aqueduct almost certainly marks the spot, a local dog has also left it’s mark here!

After lunch we swapped with a boat coming up Wardle Lock. A horn sounded below, then the bow of a boat appeared round the bend just after I’d lifted the bottom paddles. The bow hit the far side of the bridge as the chap at the helm tried to get their boat to turn, then the cabin top took a bump as the angle aligned perfectly. A chap walked up towards the lock and saw that I was opening the gates, ‘Thank you!’ He hadn’t realised there as a boat in the lock.

I walked on to set King’s Lock leaving Mick to navigate around the hire boat and turn. As he waited for the lock to empty he spotted that the annoying water point at the junction has gone. Here there used to be boats moored up outside the chandlers, boats turning into and out of Wardle Lock, boats waiting to go up King’s Lock with another sat on the water point. Such a busy busy junction, all empty now.

Up above NB Elk was pulling in. We saw New Year in with Brian a few years ago at Bugsworth in the hold of NB Tench (I doubt he recognised us, we were yellow then). We wonder where Tench is now as her owner sadly died in a boat fire a year ago.

When on NB Winding Down we’d always count the swans in this pound. A popular spot for them, a fence was even put up to keep them from wandering onto the road. But we now seem to arrive when the numbers are low. At first count there was only one who’d made the effort, but another four were hiding at Rumps Lock.

We once bow hauled a boat here along the treacherous towpath

Some work has been done by C&RT on the lock landings along this stretch. For years the concrete edge has been collapsed and you had to choose where to step off your boat carefully.

British Salt is always an interesting sight. The mounds of white stuff outside looking like part of the Alps and indoors the more pristine mounds were being rounded up by a very diddy digger. A short distance further on is a footbridge that goes to nowhere now. When we first bought into Nb Winding Down here stood the remains of the 1920’s factory for Bisto.

As we reached Booth Lane Bottom Lock, we’d caught up with a boat ahead. I asked if the locks had been full when they arrived, ‘Yes’, ‘The same here!’ I helped with the gate and reset the lock for us.
All the locks on the Trent and Mersey today have had chains and padlocks at their bases. I’ve not noticed this before.

Crow’s Nest Lock 67 is a nice lock. It used to occasionally be a really nasty lock too, but now it’s just nice. This was quite often the first lock we’d go through on NB Winding Down, it was also quite often the last before tidying, cleaning and packing away after our time on board. I helped a hire boat down, then it was our turn.

Artie’s backyard is still a mishmash, the cottage looks like there are new owners and a boat is pulled up on a permanent mooring where the Carefree Cruising turn arounds used to happen. New build houses over look from behind and Artie’s new backyard is settling down well, it really is a huge house.

We’d originally planned on mooring at Wheelock, but the afternoon was ticking on. A fill of water also required, so once through the railway bridges we pulled in where there are rings, deployed our tyre fenders and settled down for the remainder of the day.

Today would have been the first day of the fraud case in Derby. The last few weeks we’d have spent cruising to get to a mooring. Mick would have been in court today, I’d not have been allowed to watch until I’d given my evidence. Our life would have been taken over by it for the next four weeks. How different today was, we made the most of the lovely weather and cruised.

I wasn’t too enamoured with this outside to start with. The friendly cover too thick for my liking and the towpath had just been cut, removing all the tastiest morsels. But after a while I found a good patch of trees. These provided me with very good climbing and a group of crows and magpies flocked to join me, serenading my achievement at climbing so high.

She came out to see what all the fuss was about, I think my new friends were being a touch too noisy. As we walked back to our boat a Tom stuck his head up out of another boat. ‘Excuse me is that Jingle Cat?’ This is the name I go under on social media. This was my Tom friend Ben. I met him in the Bugsworth outside ages ago, his memory is better than mine. She and Ben Tom chatted away whilst I found more grass and then disposed of it as only cats can. Then I spotted Ben Tom’s cats inside his boat. Olga and Betty. They shouted at me then hit each other, I’m not that surprised as I would never ever dream of living with a cat!

7 locks, 8.16 miles, 1 wind, 1 right, 5 swans, 1 bumping boat, 2 boats with boats in front, 0 water, 2 familiar boats, 1 with a repaint, 2000m, 0 court, 67 nice lock, 1 Ben Tom, 1 hour chatting, 2 bickering cats, 0 yarn news.

Location

Just Like Tixall. 11th May

Lion Salt Works to Whatcroft Flash

Boats were moving early, by the time we’d got going quite a few spaces were available. Several of them familiar, local boats we’ve seen in this area, they headed down the way winded and came back, possibly heading for the services at Anderton.

We pushed off, the sun out and made our way just a mile, pulling in at the 48hr visitor moorings opposite Narrowboats Ltd just off Manchester Road. Mick headed to get our Saturday newspaper whilst I successfully rang Rode Heath Post Office. The chap on the other end of the phone when asked if they did Post Restante answered ‘Yes’. I had to double check explaining what Post Restante was and he just replied ‘Yes’. At last someone who knew what I was talking about! My yarn can now be sent and should (famous last words) be waiting for us when we get there in a few days time.

Narrow widebeams on the water, bigger ones on hard standing above

Narrowboats Ltd seem to have a lot of widebeam boats for sale. Several on the water and plenty more high up on the bank above the small basin. The beam on some of them may just fit through the tunnels we came through yesterday, but if not then they only have around ten miles that they could cruise as the Trent and Mersey is a narrow canal.

Our friends Nichola and Andy weren’t at home as we passed their boat, we waved anyway.

Next all the pipes and steam from the chemical works. We used to feel like holding our breath coming under all the pipes, but there seems to be less each time we pass.

Up ahead we could see a widebeam coming through a bridge, some moored boats in between us. Mick slowed us down to a halt and we waited for them to come past. He beeped his horn twice, was this to make us aware that he was coming through? We had seen him. Or was he wanting to pass us on the wrong side, altering his course to Port? Mick should have altered our course, but we knew he wasn’t aware of what he’d just communicated, so just stayed put.

A short distance on another widebeam. We wonder what happens when two widebeams meet each other on narrow canals? On wide canals all well and good, they were designed for bigger boats, but on canals like the Oxford?

Three marinas follow, the last Oakwood Marina was still being built two years ago and opened last summer. It has taken over one of the flashes which were created when the land subsided due to salt extraction in the area. A lovely spot to have a mooring. Currently it is serviced by Coal Boat Halsall, but in time they will have their own diesel pump. Their visitor moorings easy to just pull alongside so that you can visit the cafe.

Our aim for the day was the next flash, Whatcroft Flash. This I believe is also owned by the marina, but so far has not been developed. The current plan is for HS2 to carve it’s way across here. But today for now, there were no other boats moored. A newish length of armco caught our eye, we winded and pulled in.

After checking on freight trains on the nearby line, two both cancelled today, next train Monday morning, the doors were opened for Tilly. If ever there was a Mrs Tilly stamp of approval mooring.

I’d considered working on the gunnels here, the towpath almost low enough and no fairies floating by from the trees. But then the heavens opened, I was due a day off anyway.

The sun came back out, two grebe swam and fished. With the exception of the gate house and numerous boats moored we could have been at Tixall Wide. We decided that as we were on our own, here was actually better than Tixall Wide. Wonder what it’ll be like next time we pass?

0 locks, 3,66 miles, 1 wind, 1 newspaper, 2 fat boats, 1 man in the know, 0 at home, 0 boats joining us, 1 mooring all to ourselves, 0 trains, 2 grebes, 1 swan, 2 geese, 1 wonderful peaceful day off, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

Our Location

Bins! 10th May

Dutton Breach to Lion Salt Works, Bridge 193

Tilly was allowed another check of the Cheshire countryside before we were to push off this morning. After breakfast I rang the Post Office back in Sale to see if my yarn order had arrived yet. It had apparently been sent by Royal Mail 24 hour, so should have been there for me to collect last Saturday. I’d been told that if it hadn’t arrived today then it would be deemed lost in the post and either they would try again or I could get a refund.

The Post Office claimed they had nothing for me. I asked where it could have gone to and they suggested the local Sorting Office, they gave me the number. On calling there a nice lady checked her system and there were no parcels for me. She then noted the Track and Trace number I’d been given and said she’d call back. Which she did, checked the number again and said there was no record of the number, no tracking history which there should have been, so the only conclusion she could give was it had never been posted! I still need the yarn, so where to try for a delivery the third time? Did we know anyone ahead? This would take some thought.

We pushed off shortly after 11, fleeces needed but no waterproofs, the sun shone. I decided to stay up top for a while before starting work as we would be passing a familiar boat soon. Just after the Black Prince base the bow of a boat rounded a bend, was it them? It certainly was. Chris at the helm and Jennie came dashing out from below to say a very quick ‘Hello!’ We’ve known our bows would cross with NB Tentatrice and today was the day. Hopefully next time we’ll be able to say more than Hello. They are heading to the Lancaster Canal, I’m sure they’ll enjoy it as we did two years ago.

My model making bits and bobs came out, but there wasn’t much time before we were at the two tunnels. Life jackets on, we had five minutes to loiter before we could go through Saltersford Tunnel. This tunnel was one of the reasons why we didn’t come up the west side of the country earlier in the year. It looks like some new sprayed concrete has been added to the interior in parts.

As we entered the tunnel it was starting to rain, rumbles of thunder overhead. We discussed stopping in between the two tunnels for a slightly early lunch, but decided to carry on through if it was clear and hopefully by the time we got through the storm cloud would have passed over us.

Saltersford Tunnel has a double dog leg in it, no chance of seeing through, hence the timed entrance. It was lashing it down as we came out the other side. We carried on. I headed through the boat knowing that to be able to see through Barnton Tunnel, to check it was empty, you need to be on the bow as the cut approaches it at an angle. All was clear we headed into the dry.

Tilly in recent times has become nervous passing through tunnels as the outside disappears. Yesterday she’d not been shouting at the back doors in Preston Brook and today she’d been napping through the first tunnel. Someone had stolen the outside again! She was inside too and couldn’t tell me where it had gone. We both looked out the window. Nope no sign. I wondered if Tom was alright in the outside that wasn’t there. Then she went out into it too! Would I be the only one left?!

As the southern portal came closer I could see that the weather hadn’t dried up any. It had got worse, hail! I stayed up the front under cover as there is a bridge with dodgy sight lines. As I raised a thumbs up to Mick he gave a blast of the horn and started to make his way through, only for me to see a hire boat coming the other way, they quickly engaged reverse avoiding collision. Luckily the first stretch of moorings was free, so we quickly tied up and took cover just as the sun came out again!

After lunch and a dry out we pushed on. The thought of a rubbish bin being so close spurred us on. The Bridgewater Canal is renowned for it’s lack of bins, we’d not disposed of any rubbish since Littleborough on the Rochdale some 12 days ago.

As we approached Anderton Boat Lift there was a boat reversing, what were they doing? We were waved on as a C&RT chap asked them not to moor where they were. This was not their plan, they were reversing as the lady on board had missed a photo opportunity of the lift. We left them to it.

It being Friday afternoon the hire bases were busy sending out this weeks boats. ABC hire boats coming from one marina and Drift Away from the other. We kept clear as they all did their turns out onto the cut, our goal in sight, the bins!

Moored up, tap filling our tank, we rummaged around Oleanna to find all the rubbish. Here there are recycling bins so we could get rid of everything apart from glass. We were at last free, space reclaimed at the front, back and in the galley. Wonderful.

Mick pootled us along trying to find a good spot to moor. We’d hoped for somewhere before the Lion Salt Works, but everywhere was full or half full with git gaps galore. he pulled in to the first available spot. Tilly got free entrance into the museum at the Salt works and had a good look around before returning home for her Ding ding.

A Post Office in Rode Heath is showing potential for my parcel, but with this being the third attempt at getting my yarn I want to talk to someone there to confirm they actually do Post Restante before passing their address on. A shame that nobody was answering the phone. I’ll try again in the morning. Fingers crossed!

0 locks, 6.75 miles, 2 tunnels, 1 thunder storm, 1 hail storm, 2 soggy boaters, 1 blogging boat, 0 parcel, 0 stock elsewhere, 6 trips to the bins, 1 full water tank, 1 shower gel bottle missed, 1 white card model just needing to be put together now.

Our Location

Tick Tock, Tick Tock, oops! 9th May

Moorefield Bridge 6 to Dutton Breach Moorings, Trent and Mersey Canal

Who ordered this rain?! We certainly didn’t, oh well not far to go today, but we did have to move.

We snook past Daresbury, nobody taking advantage of the inclement weather on the balcony to eat their secret scones. My drawing board came out, but I only managed to draw a couple of cart wheels before we reached Waters Meeting. Here the Runcorn Branch of the Bridgewater heads off to the west and the main canal continues to Preston Brook tunnel where it ends. The busy M56 crosses overhead at the junction and heralded our arrival at Midland Chandlers.

We pulled in on the mooring and squelched our way into the shop. Our mooring pins have served us well through the last five years, but many of the rings on them have cracked or even snapped off and several are now quite bent. Time for a couple of new ones. A new bottle of Fertan and a spare key to open the water cap as we have had a spate of them jumping overboard recently.

As we paid I looked up at the clock 12:15. The next window to get through Preston Brook Tunnel was in 15 minutes, could we make it in time? Or would we have to wait another hour? We quickly pushed off and made our way towards the tunnel portal, we reckoned we’d just make it for the ten minute window to head south.

Claymoore Boats went out of business earlier this year and the gap where their fleet once moored is very obvious. It’s as if the boats just evaporated, very sad.

A boat came towards us slowing our progress, would we be in time? Yes, we arrived at the north portal well within the ten minute window, our bow entered the tunnel at 12:32, Phew! We believe it’s a short distance into the tunnel where the boundary is between the Bridgewater Canal and the Trent and Mersey Canal. At last we had left Peel Holdings water.

Oleanna in Tunnel mode, life jackets on and the big torch shining up at the roof of the tunnel we made our way through, popping back out into daylight fifteen minutes later where several boats were moored waiting for the north bound ten minute window. As nothing was following us we let the chap at the front of the queue know so that he could get ready.

Familiar numbers on a Trent and Mersey Lock

A lock! Well sort of a lock, we’d even forgotten to get a windlass out for it. As we approached Dutton Stop Lock a boat was coming towards us. The level in the lock was in between, so I went to set the lock for them, lifting a paddle to top it up by an inch (it’s only about 2 inches deep). A Diamond Resorts boat, a lady came to help leaving the rest of the crew with the boat. She waved them on, they waited, we opened the gate, she waved them through again. ‘Oh is it for us?’ Err yes! At first it looked like they were about to bow haul their boat which made me wish I’d set the lock for us instead.

Eventually the boat was in the lock. The lady lifted the bottom paddle slowly, not wanting to cill their boat! You could tell that they were all having a Great time! Bickering at every opportunity, the lady had suggested as much. As they picked up the last crew member, I said ‘Enjoy!’I wonder how long they will all be on board for. A small space with four grumpy people doesn’t make for a happy holiday.

We pootled onwards in the constant rain to the Dutton Breach site. Here more rings have been added to the original few where the view is the best. Only two boats moored up today so we managed to get in pole position, on the line of the breach.

From here the view should be great across the valley to Dutton Railway Viaduct, it is, just a shame that a hawthorn hedge has been planted so there’s no view from inside your cabin anymore.

After lunch we dried off, I put a pot of bolognese on the stove top to cook away and fill the boat with tasty smells. Then I did more drawings and made model bits and pieces, the box is getting quite full now. It’ll soon be time to put it all in the model box and see if it all works together and what things I want to change.

Tilly did her Cheshire Cat bit, having a good nosy up and down the towpath. I even have my own boat here this time. I promise I didn’t go on board.

I demand more Dreamies for not standing on your plans today with my wet paws

1 lock, 4.84 miles, 1163m of tunnel, 3 mysterons, 2 foot prints, 2 new spikes, 1 key, 1 bottle fertan, 1 Happy boat! 2 waiting, 50 minutes more like 1 day, 2 barrows, 1 nick, 3 candelabra, 1 Cheshire Cat, 1 assistant wanting a raise in Dreamies, 3 very noisy peacocks.

Our location

Shhhh…. Secret Scones! 8th May

Grantham’s Bridge 25 to Moorefield Bridge 6

Despite the weather being of a very wet nature today there were plenty of boats on the move. Maybe because it’s the Bridgewater Canal and C&RT licence holders have 7 consecutive days on the canal before the enforcement officer jumps out from behind the hedges at you, so the majority want to keep moving. So did we, we wanted to tick off a few hours of cruising. Well that was Mick’s choice as I’d be down below working on my Panto model.

Before we set off though there was an important job to do, print out forms so that we can vote by proxy in the forthcoming European Elections. We’d missed the boat on the local elections so Mick had made the journey to Scarborough so that at least one of us voted. Dawn our usual proxy voter will be away so yesterday we’d approached our friend Duncan to see if he’d be willing to visit the Polling Station for us. Duncan was, so we needed to inform the officials in Scarborough. We just needed to find a post box now.

Mick donned his waterproofs and took the umbrella out the back. Many people with pram covers cruise with them up on wide canals, some people think that rainy day cruising is why you have them. Our opinion differs. Yes they keep the stern dry when it rains, but the visibility is really bad. Even with the front rolled up you end up with tunnel vision. So we tend to drop the pram cover, wear waterproofs and when needed use an umbrella. The cover gives us more space when moored up and really helps with draughts through the back doors. It also means Tilly has a place to nosy at the world when she isn’t too sure about it whether from inside or on the top of it!

Every now and again I’d look up to see familiar sights. No Sooty in the window at Lymm in Matthew Corbetts house, which is always immaculate.

Near Thorne Marine the engine tone changed slowing right down. Under the bridge coming towards us was Waterwomble. A wide beam that collects rubbish along the Bridgewater, we just managed to squeeze past each other.

A couple more miles and I could tell Mick was pulling in, it was lunchtime and he’d found a cheery yellow field to moor opposite. Having crossed the Pennines we’ve missed much of Spring springing, we’ve been too high. Now we are surrounded with plenty of greenery, rapeseed fields and the hedgerows are full of Hawthorne blossom.

We decided to let Tilly decide if we’d be continuing today. After a couple of short explores she gave up, not enough friends to justify the time getting wet! From here it was a short walk to a post box, so I stretched my legs and walked along to post our proxy form whilst Mick brought Oleanna to meet me at the next bridge.

In Moore there is a big house on the off side with a high walled garden with little windows through into out houses. One day I’d like to have a nosy around, the house on Google earth looks like it’s had extension after extension.

A short distance on we both spotted the tower. ‘Shhhhhhhhh!!! Secret!!’ we said in unison with fingers on lips. Daresbury National Science and Innovation Campus. Here they have a Vandegraff Accelerator in the tower and do nuclear research. Since first coming past 11 years ago we’ve kept our voices down, its’ a secret place where secret things happen, they drink secret milkshakes and eat secret scones whilst giving each other secret handshakes. So Shhhhh!!!

Tilly was reluctant to go out but once the rain stopped she was happy hunting for friends. The wall covered in brambles however proved a little problematic when it was time to come in, I found a suitable gap which she managed to jump in one.

Six hours worth of work have been ticked off, still a few days more of flat cruising before the Cheshire Locks start so I should get most of the model made before I’m needed again. I’m quite looking forward to giving my fingers a rest and working nice narrow locks again.

0 locks, 8.81 miles, 1 constantly wet day, 1 vault, 1 morris minor, 1st yellow field, 2 outsides, 4 soggy paws, 1 troublesome wall, 1 brolly, 3 new yummy treats, 2 Duncan mentions (3 now!), 1 tower, 1 power station, 3 secret falafels, 1 strawberry milkshake, 2 chocolate, 1st bag of excell in an age, it’s nice to have a fire that behaves again.

Maybe it’s something to do with Shhhhh but I can’t put a link to where we are! See it’s a secret. Shhhh!

Around And Around. 6th 7th May

Dunham Massey to Sale to Granthams Bridge

Spending time in the Boozer on a bank holiday Monday

Bank Holiday Monday was spent working for me, numerous bar stools, optics and giant mixers, it’s what every bank holiday should be filled with. Tilly roamed the fields below and Mick got round to swapping the fuel filter back to the new one. However, this new filter, bought from RCR, has a different profile to its gasket and he’s not too sure if it is sealing properly. Time with the engine running will tell.

A little bit too long to turn anywhere, he realised his mistake and carried on to the winding hole half mile further on

Many of the boats we’d seen over the last couple of days have passed us again today, all heading back to their moorings after a couple of days out over the long weekend. By the end on the day we were the only boat left on the embankment.

During the day I’ve woken my Sour Dough starter up. I can keep it in the fridge for a fortnight without it needing any attention, but to keep it alive it then needs a feed. Now that I’ve got some sweet rice flour, I wanted to have a go at making a different sour dough loaf. This time without any added yeast, this would prove to me whether it was working or not. So, during the day I woke it up by putting the container in some warm water bringing it up to room temperature. Then I fed it with more brown rice flour and water. This then had to sit for an hour or so before I could decant off an amount to make the sponge for my loaf. Various flours and more water were mixed together and then left covered overnight for the sour dough to ferment.

Tilly’s playground shortly before sunset

As I seem to have ended up with a lot of starter, I also decided to take advantage of it having just had a feed and made some pizza dough for tomorrow night. The dough was kneaded and then put in an oiled bowl and sealed tightly with clingfilm and left for 24 hours to do its thing.

Tuesday.

Before we set off I checked the pizza dough, it was sweating away in it’s own little world, hopefully a good sign. The bread sponge I added the remaining ingredients to, sprinkled my new bigger 2lb loaf tin with sunflower seeds and poured the batter in. Scattered a few more seeds on top and then placed it on the proving shelf for it to prove itself.

Now we could cruise. We pootled up to the next winding hole, turned around and headed back to Sale whilst I got on drawing up the next few settings for panto. I now know which piece of scenery will be the big heavy b**tard, last year it was a revolving door.

Just past where we wanted to moor up Mick winded and turned us around again. We gave my parcel a little bit more time to arrive and had lunch before heading into the Post Office. Here I was told that they didn’t accept personal mail and that I would be charged for it! I don’t think the chap I was talking to knew about Post Restante. Most of the time receiving mail this way is easy, in smaller villages by canals it’s a pleasure, but every now and again it is so frustrating, especially as the chap who’d checked on Saturday had been so helpful.

I managed to get the phone number so that I can call in a couple of days time to see if it might have arrived. The chap said he would check it when it arrived and make charges accordingly. We’ll see, I just want my parcel!

We’d taken a bike with us to act as a mule, which was just as well as leaving Sainsburys we had four very heavy bags.

Tomorrow the weather forecast is for rain all day and the Bridgewater clock is starting to run out of ticks, so Mick wanted to get as far as we could today. I stayed up top for a while so that I could see what was happening at the Linotype Works. This is one of my favorite buildings along here. The site around it is being redeveloped into housing. Last time we passed a couple of years ago the site was cleared and ready to go, today lots of terraced houses have risen up.

Nothing special, but they could be worse

They are okay, nothing special and could have been so much worse. It does make me smile though that they want to boast about the date they were built, not quite in the same style as the main building.

Back below my loaf had now risen by a third, it had only taken 5 hours. The sour dough starter doing its thing. The oven ready to go and a kettle of boiling water to add to a tray to create some steam, I carefully, without knocking the tin popped it in the oven.

The Dames car kept me busy for some time. I could create a wonderful vehicle, but there’s only 3 ft to get it on stage, and it needs to seat four! I may have to come up with two versions of this, but we’ll see.

The water point at Ye Old Number 3 pulled us over, here we emptied the yellow water for disposal later and topped up the water tank. Then we pushed off just as it started to rain. Mick would continue until he’d had enough, which wasn’t that far in the end. He pulled us in about half an hour away from Lymm, a suitable place for Tilly to pounce for an hour. But sadly, the internet is appalling here. I now need to think of a suitable symbol for the internet, to go with the thumbs up/down/sideways for TV signal.

The bread looked good and had to be sampled, tasty with a very crunchy crust. The pizza dough had certainly been happy. It was a touch scary the way the clingfilm had expanded as the dough had fermented. An extra five minutes in the oven before putting the toppings on worked well. It was a very tasty chicken pizza.

0 locks, 14 13.73 miles ~~(a bit of a guess today)~~, 2 winds, 1 filter swap, 4 tables, 8 bar stools, 1 mixer, 3 pumps, 1 loaf bread, 1 explosive bowl of dough, 0 parcel, 48 hours left, 1 car, 23 bars, 1 very big hinge, 3 boxes wine, 1 big pizza, 7 pounces, 0 friends except Ben.

https://goo.gl/maps/GHFraj3YbX1Ei19U8

Ten Hours, Is Exhausting! 5th May

Dunham Massey

Blimey, no chance of sleeping in this morning! The sun rose opposite our bedroom window and was dazzling even with our eye lids closed. This of course isn’t helped by the four legged member of our crew not closing the curtains after she’s had a good nosy. We keep asking her to close them, but she just keeps ignoring us!

Close the curtains when you’ve finished please!

Sadly the bright blue sky and sun didn’t hang around all day, but then again it didn’t rain that much. It didn’t really matter to us as today was to be a work day for me and a full shore leave day for Tilly. Because of work, I may not be posting every day for a while, especially if we haven’t moved. We’ll still be here, just a little bit busy.

10 hours! Pawtastic!! I even got two outsides today. Both had big banks, one had trees near the top and all the way down, the other had trees right down at the bottom with a little stream and good pouncing friendly cover all the way down there. I did have to share some of this with the Moos. I don’t understand these huge things, they eat the friendly cover and never seem to find friends, they certainly don’t pounce! What is life without friends and pouncing I ask you?!

Mick pottered away the day, drying the washing on the whirligig between short rain showers. I worked my way through references, printing off the most important ones for ease of looking and then set to making a London Boozer, 25 times smaller than it will be.

When the boat ahead of us moved off we decided that we’d move up, they had a better view over both sides of the embankment. Tilly was encouraged home before we pulled Oleanna along. We’ve learnt that she’d only get confused if we moved the outside with her in it, so better that she’s tucked up inside. The TV signal seems to have improved too, just as well with the last day of the Tour de Yorkshire keeping Mick busy and the final episode of Line Of Duty tonight.

Today we have been astounded at the number of boats passing us. Around about 1pm there seemed to be a constant stream passing us. As we are quite near a narrow section there was even a queue at one point to get through. Since the New Year we’ve been in areas that are not highly populated with boats and now we are back amongst the throng. We’ve possibly seen more moving boats today than all year put together.

The London Leckenbys have been training hard for the Moonwalk next weekend. Last Sunday they conquered a 21 mile walk and tomorrow they will have a leisurely stroll of 12 miles, just to keep the legs limbered up. Next Saturday at 9pm Jac and Andrew will be setting off from Clapham Common to walk the 26.2 miles around the capital, taking in the sights as they walk through the night. A big thank you to those who have sponsored them, they are almost up to £1800, just brilliant. I hope Jac has sorted a good disco bra to wear as this years theme is Disco Inferno, I suspect there will be quite a few influenced by Madonna.

https://moonwalklondon2019.everydayhero.com/uk/jac-and-andrew

0 locks, 200ft, 10 hours, 2 snoozing for more energy, 16 pointless Moos, 4 friends, 3 trees, 7 annoyed crows, 7 sheets reference, 4 sliders, 4 doors, 1 final episode or will there be a sixth series?

Parcel Delay. 4th May

Staffordshire Arm to Little Bollington

Just over a week ago I succeeded in finding some yarn for a lady who is wanting me to knit her some socks to replace a pair she had lost. The hunt for the yarn has taken some time, trying to find the nearest thing to the original German brand. I’d visited all the online warehouses a month ago having no luck. So now I started the hunt for some options she might like instead, only to come across what possibly was the original yarn. We were both very excited. I placed my order.

The company I placed my order with deliver by MyHermes, so I selected the nearest pick up point to Telford Basin, Spar Tower, Piccadilly Gardens where it should have been sat waiting for me on our arrival. They tried to deliver it twice, but for some reason the driver couldn’t deliver to the address I’d taken from their website! Maybe they missed the great big tower in the middle of Manchester! The email telling me this suggested I might want to send a parcel myself from the nearest parcel shop some 0.05 miles away! Grrrr!!!

I contacted MyHermes twice. The first time they agreed that the address was correct and would have it delivered, except the driver couldn’t! The second time I contacted them I was informed that the parcel had been returned to the retailer. A bigger GRRR!!!!!

Luckily the returning parcel showed up in the system of the retailer and they could send out a special order for me to pick up. MyHermes was not an option this time, but good old Royal Mail was. A check for Poste Restante places on our route out of Manchester gave me Sale Post Office, handy as we could do some shopping whilst there.

So today we left Manchester, reversing back from our mooring slowly, both of us fending off as we went past boats on both sides. Mick then winded Oleanna and brought her in to the water point. Here we filled up the tank whilst the washing machine was on, emptied the yellow water as it was on the right side and Tilly had a freshen up of her pooh box. With chores done we pushed off under all the viaducts and past all the arms, taking the third right.

We’d considered going down Pomona Lock to Salford Quays, but hadn’t got round to ringing to see how much it would cost us, so that expedition will have to wait until we’re here the next time.

So much building work is going on in Manchester, just about anywhere you could squeeze a new building one is going up, even the tram is being extended to the Trafford Centre.

Now it was time for me to go to work. We’ve been along this stretch many times and my assistance isn’t required, so as we cruised along I sorted out the basic setting for Panto. With the drawing board out I worked out sight lines and a design to go on the portals.

Mick turned left at Waters Meeting and soon pulled in at Stretford Marina for some coal and a refill of diesel. Then we were on our way again, passing The Watch House Cruising Club Moorings, under the M60 and pulling us in outside Waterside Arts Centre in Sale. Having Waterway Routes on my phone tracking where we are I can pause work at a suitable moment to pop up from below to help moor up.

First the Post Office for my parcel. The nice man had a look everywhere, but sadly my yarn hadn’t arrived. Next delivery to them would be on Tuesday, we’d have to come back. Here’s hoping Royal Mail know how to find their Post Office! A shop at Sainsburys followed, enough to last us until Tuesday when we’ll bring a bike with us and get heavy things like wine and cat litter.

Then we carried on out into the countryside whilst I made a start on cutting circles out of white card. I wanted to lend a paw or four so that when the outside got tied up She could come out and play. But She wasn’t too impressed. She didn’t want paw prints all over the box and She won’t let me sit in it! So not fare!!

Stormy skies and swallows zooming around

The moorings by Dunham Woodhouses were busy, but that didn’t bother us as we prefer to be further along on the embankment with a view towards Dunham Massey. Once tied up Tilly had her cat tags and collar put on, neck nearly dry dry now, and was given a couple of hours of shore leave.

As I carried on working Mick settled down to watch the Tour De Yorkshire, ending in Scarborough today. Sadly the TV signal isn’t too good here. They passed the end of my old street as they headed into town and The Big Picture, produced by my friends Dawn and Lee at Animated Objects Theatre Company, laid out in the grounds of the castle got a shot from the helicopter. A blustery day on the Yorkshire coast with waves coming over the sea wall narrowly missing the riders towards the finishing line.

0 locks, 10.38 miles, 1 wind, 3rd right, 1 left, 67 litres diesel, 40kg excell, 1 composite drawing, 3 round portals, 5 paw prints, 1 floor, 0 parcel, 0 boxes wine, 1 missing best man, 2 Albert Street just out of shot, 1 very very big picture, 1 favourite mooring.

https://goo.gl/maps/tj4ofbdxyiSkNgkZA

Bomb Scare! 3rd May

Staffordshire Arm

I have a very wet neck! The sort of wet neck that means I’m not going out for a while. She says it’s for my own good, I say it’s horrible having a wet neck trying to crawl all over your body. It just won’t dry!

I know it’s going to happen when she reaches up high in the bathroom, then she takes my cat tags off. No matter how much I try to avoid her She still succeeds, at last this time Tom didn’t grapple me to the floor.

Poached egg on crumpets with mushrooms and a few veg

Back to normality and tea in bed this morning, with last weekends newspaper. Followed by the breakfast we’d planned to have on Wednesday before coming into Manchester, but decided against as we’d have had to be up earlier. Poached eggs on crumpets, yummy.

We took our time doing things today, well we have been rather busy this last week. Our mooring is reasonably quiet for a city centre. The fans from the gym swimming pool sound like the next boat have got their webasto heating going all the time and this morning there must have been a class going on as I could hear instructions being shouted. We’re also just around the corner from the Youth Hostel, so during the day large groups of youths pass by taking their suitcases for walks. Today we had one group leaving as another arrived, hope they all ended up going in the right direction.

I had various things I wanted to buy for work. We are unlikely to be near to an art shop for a while, so I wanted to get another sheet of mount board ‘in case’ for my model and some red paper to be able to make some scale red velour tabs (curtains). So I set off on foot to Fred Aldous on the other side of the city centre.

Mick opted to visit the Science and Industry Museum which is almost next door. We had a great day looking round a few years ago and it is well worth a visit. So we parted ways, girl shopping and boy engines and planes. Just a shame that yesterdays downpour meant that half of the exhibits weren’t available as the building had leaked so much. After ten minutes he returned home to keep grumpy Tilly company.

I took a slight detour into China town to visit an oriental supermarket. I was wanting some gluten free soy sauce, not easy to come by, and some more white rice flour. In amongst the huge selection of rice flours there were bags of Glutenous Rice Flour. You may wonder why I’d be wanting flour with glutenous in it’s title as I follow a gluten free diet, well the glutenousness (I know that’s not a word) is because it is made from sticky rice the sort you get in sushi. This is also called sweet rice flour or Mochi flour and is apparently good in moderation in cakes. Happy with my purchases I carried on across the city centre.

Manchester Town Hall is currently closed for refurbishment. I remember one Christmas when my brother was at the University here they had a giant inflatable Father Christmas climbing up the clock tower. A lovely looking building, which one day I’d love to have a look around, it’s meant to be splendid inside.

Onwards to Piccadilly Gardens. Except my path was blocked. Police tape flapped in the breeze from every lamp post to bollard. A bus had been positioned across the road and numerous Police stood around giving directions to the masses of people who had been stopped in their tracks. I’d wanted to go to Primark and Debenhams on my way to the art shop, but it looked like they were in the cordoned off area. Someone said there was a suspicious package in the gardens.

Time to get to know some of the back streets then. I wiggled my way round and headed to M&S instead, all the staff from Debenhams were congregated on the footpath here, some had sought warmth inside.

A walk through the Arndale Centre brought me out to another cordoned off side of the gardens. here trams sat empty at the tram stop. People wearing Metrolink high vis were giving people directions around the locked down area and where they could get the next trams from. I wiggled my way round more streets until I got the the right one.

Fred Aldous had the things I wanted and I could have my large piece of card cut in half to make it easier to walk through the streets with. This was handy as my route back to Oleanna would take me along the other two sides of Piccadilly where people were now gathering as they wanted to get home.

Checking on line later, there had been three suspicious packages, two at Piccadilly and one in the toilets of Oldham Library. The police reported the packages to be ‘non-viable’ whatever that means. A 26 year old man had been arrested and some reports were that he had an arsenal of weapons, but the bombs had been a hoax. The city centre was still locked down this evening.

Ernie had been good to us this month so we decided to blow our winnings on a meal out. A good burger was in order (I miss them), so we headed to the Handmade Burger Company where they do gluten free buns. We stuffed ourselves with burgers, breadbuns and chips, with a side of coleslaw and a glass of wine each. Mine came so that I could assemble it myself. Very tasty they were.

For a Friday night everywhere was that bit quiet. We suspect the bomb scare had both put people off coming into town but also with half the trams and buses not running it was hard to get there. We resisted an invitation for cheap shots at a bar along the canal and headed home to sit with the grumpy one and drink some of our cheaper still wine.

Back to the Staffordshire Arm under the viaducts

0 locks, 0 miles, 6 miles walked, 1 cooked breakfast, 1 slow morning, 2 Green, 1 Labour, 1 boy museum, 0 planes, A1 into 2 A2, 6 sheets red paper, 2 bags flour, 1 bottle soy sauce, 1 city on lockdown, 3 non-viable devises, 2 burgers, 2 glasses of wine, 1 mardy cat.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna