Author Archives: Pip

Reaching For The Summit 23rd September

Bridge 110 to Stoneton Bridge 126

Yesterday the forecast said it would rain today until 11am, then get sunny followed by mounting gusts of wind. This morning it had changed, raining until midday. We pottered during the morning waiting for the rain clouds to clear, which they did at 11, good job we were ready. The forecasts don’t seem to be as reliable as they used to be.

We’d been passed by quite a few Calcutt Hire boats this morning all heading back towards base, only one or two boats were Napton bound. As we got closer to the locks boats were pulling out, either to wind or head up the locks, everyone had been waiting for the rain to finish. Around the last bend there were two boats on the water point, but nobody at the services block, so we pulled over there as a familiar green boat headed straight for the first lock in the flight. The rubbish was disposed of quickly so we were next in line as a very eager man pulled up opposite us, I reached the lock and Lock Keeper before they did.

The Lockie had some handy tips on how to handle your boat in the Oxford locks as they tend to drag you forward as do the ones on the Trent and Mersey. Once up the first lock we had to wait for a boat up ahead to get into rhythm up the flight, so I got chance to chat to the chap from the green boat in front, NB Winding Down (our old shareboat). He was out for a couple of weeks, but had been let down by a crew member so his plans had changed somewhat. One friend was with him today (a lock novice) and they were planning on getting as far as they could on the Oxford before turning back to base, next week he has more crew and will venture further.

Lock 9 is the reason we’ll be on the Oxford until Christmas, it has gone a bit wobbly around the edges. It’s banana shape means that if you are in an aging boat that has developed a touch of waistline spread then you are likely to get stuck. NB Tyseley, the Mikron boat, got stuck good and proper a month ago, she sat in the lock overnight until numerous ropes with people hauling, a boat pulling , the engine going and a tidal wave from the top paddles gave her a boost to get her out. Newer boats don’t have this problem, you just need to have your fenders up, but then they should be up anyway in a lock.

There were plenty of people about to help at lock 9, Winding Down up first. One lady walked up the flight a short way and signalled that there was a boat on it’s way down, so we waited for them. The impatient fellow on the boat behind us didn’t understand why we were waiting. Maybe we’d be saving some water, on this canal it’s in short supply at the moment, but mores the point the pound in between the locks would then have to cope with three boats in it juggling themselves round each other. It looked hard enough for Winding Down to get out of the way of the boat coming down! The man behind would have to wait no matter how much he ran around his boat.

Once through the lock ourselves we were on our own in the growing sunshine. By about the forth lock up boats were coming down the flight towards us, so we didn’t have to close many gates as we left, or open them. Hirers were starting to steam nicely in their waterproofs having battled through the rain this morning. At one lock a lady joined with her dog. The dog sat by the top gate patiently waiting for first us and then her own boat to go through not moving an inch. We both commended the dog and her owner, ‘there’s enough to worry about at locks without a dog adding to it’ she said.

Water Buffalo grazed in the fields alongside the canal busy making their milk which is made into chilled medication. The sun was now out and as we gained height we also gained better and better views with each lock. By the time we reached the last lock of the flight we’d run out of downward boats so the Marston Dole Locks had to be reset, we’d caught up with Winding Down, so chance for another chat at the last lock.

There are currently time limits on these locks with the hope of saving water and letting the summit pound recover overnight. Last entry is at 3pm and as we filled with water and had a quick lunch the last few boats of the day came up and one went down before they would be locked for the day.

The vintage cars are still at the top of Marston Doles and a short distance on there is still the boat moored in the field. Obligatory photo taken, you’d have thought they’d have done their best to avoid being on a list!

The sunny summit pound. We pootled along as the wind blustered around us. Hoping for a view we thought of reaching a mooring we’d stopped at two years ago, but time was drifting. A view, lack of trees but more importantly some day light hours were required by Tilly for some shore leave. As a length or Armco came into sight by bridge 126 we decided to pull up.

Here there is a big tree, it needed to be conquered. I set to with my first leap upwards and started to scoot round the trunk only to come face to face with a wooly mass! What!!! It barrd at me, I leapt off and ran to the cat walk and ran straight down the side of the boat as Tom and her shouted at me. I was safe on the cat walk, don’t know what all the fuss was about, I do it every day. I tried a couple more times but the wooly face was joined by another so in the end I gave up.

A nice quiet, apart from the sheep, towpath, only a French family walked across the field towards us and then headed away. The sun setting to our starboard side and the moon rising to the port, what more could you want from a mooring as your Sunday roast cooks in the oven.

9 locks, 6.38 miles, 1 st and 3rd boats following each other, 1 very impatient man, 43 curly horned beasts, 1 full water tank, 1 pooh bucket changed, 0 recycling, 5 wooly faces, 1 cat charge along the wrong side of the boat, 1 sunset, 1 moon rise, 1 mooring going on our list to return to.

https://goo.gl/maps/J2b9qw8UxEJ2

Bobbing. 22nd September

Long Itchington to Stockton Road Bridge 110, Oxford Canal

Last night the forecast suggested that today would be a good day for cruising, the winds having died down and before the next band of rain was due to hit us on Sunday. So with this in mind we planned to climb back up to the Oxford Canal.

After breakfast was cleared away we made ready for the off. As soon as the pram cover was folded down onto the roof it started to rain! Waterproofs were sought, the rain wasn’t that heavy so we headed for the locks. All the boats we’d seen moving this morning had been heading down, nobody going up until we came to the first lock where two were sharing. We waited a short while but nobody had looked like they were making ready as we passed the moored boats, so we decided to start.

The first lock was full of crab apples all bobbing away as I emptied and then refilled the lock. The winds must have blown a lot off the trees as at times the towpath was a carpet of them, slightly treacherous under foot. The next pound was low, Mick crept along the bottom as I walked onwards to the next lock. There were two boats coming down, one a hire boat the other wanting to return to its mooring just below. Mick still crept along and managed to pass the hire boat making it into the lock. The crew of the other boat needed more water as they couldn’t get close enough to moor alongside another boat, so we helped by filling and rising in the lock. As I closed the gates I could see a windlass turning at the bottom end emptying it straight away.

As we got to the first of the Stockton flight I could see the two boats ahead, it looked like they were doing a lock, then loitering in the next pound for the next one to be emptied. This meant they were going slowly and the chap at the helm of the hire boat was having difficulty in keeping his boat pointing in the right direction. It looked like we’d catch them up. Then as I walked up to set the next lock for us I noticed a boat coming down hill, the locks were set in their favour so we waited for them to do them, meaning I wouldn’t have to reset them. A very nice family heading to the Cape Of Good Hope today. I chatted with the crew as we all stood in the constant drizzle that had set in for the day.

Sadly only two locks were set in our favour, but the lack of wind today meant that Mick was able to stop Oleanna and close up the locks behind him, me setting the one ahead, closing it and setting it to fill before heading on to the next one. Thankfully the numbers on the locks get lower as you rise up them, knowing how far off your goal is made the constant dampness easier.

Out of Lock 4 and we reached the long pound which takes you to Calcutt locks. We pulled in just after the permanent moorings for lunch and a dry off before carrying on. Even if we’d had enough of the rain the serious lack of internet meant we would move on no matter!

Just as we were about to pull out again a boat came past, Mick checked if we’d be able to share with them, but they were only heading back into one of the marinas before the locks. Oh well! We pootled onwards. At Nelson’s Wharf the arm was full to capacity, the steam boat Adamant sat outside the lift bridge with another just the other side. The towpath and in front of Willow Wren was filled with boats, several gazebos were filling up with people and a hog roast sat in it’s portable oven still cooking away. There was obviously a do of some sort going on. In the hold of an old work boat a couple sat presumably awaiting means to cross the canal to the do, but no one seemed to be coming for them.

Just before the slight bend at the bottom of Calcutt we saw the bow of a coal boat coming towards us. NB Calisto had just come down, we could do with coal and a top up of diesel but here wasn’t the right place. If we’d been a few minutes earlier we’d have been on the lock landing as he left the lock and all would have been possible. We rose in the lock on our own and swapped with another boat coming down. At the top lock there was a lot of people who didn’t have a boat, but did have windlasses, one in a high vis jacket, training was going on.

We were asked if we minded sharing, of course we didn’t and waited patiently for a hire boat to be brought round from it’s mooring to join us. The chap at the helm had driven a boat before whereas his crew were beginners. We all followed instructions and wound the paddles up half way, ten turns, then another few followed by the last five turns. Oleanna was brought out first so that we wouldn’t be held up, except there was chance for the crew to hop on board of the hire boat at the lock and the gate to be closed by someone else, so Mick had to pull in to pick me up meaning the hire boat was in front.

With the instructor happy with how things were going he hopped off shortly afterwards and left them to it. A new helmsman had a go, zigzagging began, the helm was handed back. At the junction they turned left and we paused for a Napton Hire boat to turn onto the Grand Union towards us. It’s funny seeing all the faces of people having just picked up their hire boats, excitedly checking everything out inside and out whilst the helmsperson gets the hang of steering, the over sized gestures from crew positioned at the front that nobody but themselves understands. We were once those people.

At the junction we turned right Oxford bound. This is new water for Oleanna, the three of us have been here only once before on Lillian so it’s not that familiar. We’ll be on the Oxford now until just before Christmas, as a lock on the Napton flight will be closing to be rebuilt. We are done with broad canals for some time. Passing Napton Hire base where a new boat is being fitted out, sticking well out into the cut. We decided we’d by now had enough of the rain and pulled in at the first mooring we came across, not knowing how much space there would be up ahead. Plenty of hire boats came past all heading for The Folly no doubt on their first night out.

Tilly enjoyed her shore leave as we sat and listened to the locals playing tunes on their car horns as they crossed the two bridges which book end the moorings. Maybe we should have gone that little bit further!

13 locks, 1 shared, 4.75 miles, 2 soggy boaters, 1 very low pound, 3462734 apples, 1 right, 2 honking bridges, 2 hours of soggy fun.

https://goo.gl/maps/839WxU6dBPA2

Something’s Missing. 21st September

Radford Semele to Long Itchington

We stayed up quite late last night as the wind biffed us around. Everything was either tied down or brought inside the pram cover, only a large piece of wood that we’d forgotten about on the roof made a bid to escape, which was brought into the cratch before we retired to bed. Both of us slept very well, outside the elements must have calmed down.

This morning the wind was still quite strong, but with a dry day forecast we wanted to be on our way. Whilst I finished up inside Mick prepared Oleanna to cruise, I joined to roll the cratch covers up as we’d be going through locks today. Experience has taught us better to have them rolled out of harms way than try to avoid missing them entering and exiting locks. The pram cover is also folded down, removing the sides first and folding them for storage whilst we cruise. This reduces the amount of bulk around the hatch and hopefully will mean that they last longer, not being scrunched up with creases in them day after day. The main frame and cover are the last things to be folded down before we set off

The temperature was such this morning that fleeces and gloves were needed. Having not seen our gloves for sometime they would take a bit of finding. I know where they should be, it’s just are they still there, or have they found their way to the bottom of the bike cupboard! Mick went in to have a look, but I could tell that this would be a boy look rather than a more successful girl look so I came in to look instead. Some gloves had been found, but more were delved from the depths of the cupboard. This done we were ready.

As I made my way to the bow to untie Mick started to look around, puzzled. He wasn’t unpoppering the cover. I quickly realised what he was looking for, we both hunted round. The wind had picked up the starboard side of the pram cover that had been folded and placed where it always is by the side of the hatch and deposited it out of view. Experience has now taught us that covers do not float!

It wasn’t in the hedgerow, so it must be in the canal, somewhere! With boat hook in hand Mick gradually walked down the gunnel prodding at the base of the canal. With only one hand on the boat hook due to the other clinging onto Oleanna this didn’t find the cover, what it did do was mean that Mick lost grip of the hook and that too ended up in the canal, too low for either of us to pull out whilst stood on the gunnel, resembling Excalibur. I thought about taking a window out and reaching for it, but by now Mick was already on the roof with the landing net. He eventually managed to wrap the net around the hook and pass it along towards the stern where I managed to grab hold of it. That was one thing out of the cut, still the cover to find.

Mick sat on the roof with the hook prodding. In between the galley and dinette windows there was something, the hook didn’t sink into the silt. Inside we stowed the dinette table to give us more space, then removed the window. Had an argument as to where to put it out of harms way, no point in something else happening for the sake of another minute. With the boat hook through the window you could definitely feel a difference with the canal bed. After a few minutes of poking some blue fabric surfaced. From the galley window I grabbed hold of it, Mick leap frogged me to the stern and took it from me. Hooray! One muddy cover retrieved.

The dry cover had been brought inside just in case, the wet one had a rinse down in canal water then was folded and put next to the hatch, with a lump hammer and rope fender positioned on top!

This all took about an hour and in that time nobody had gone past, just as well as they would have found our cover for us quite quickly, around their prop!

With traffic being very quiet when we reached the bottom lock, with nobody in sight I set the lock in our favour and we set forth on our own, well we had waited at our mooring. As we reached the top a couple of boats came towards us, so we could leave the gates for them and we were on our way. Kate Hire boats were all heading back towards Warwick, we passed at least three of them, one single hander glad to be paired up with them as he’d been struggling with the wind, his boat and lock gates.

Some of the pounds had been as low as when we’d come down and on narrow stretches we held back allowing boats to come through to where it would be easier to pass. They made slow progress as we battled to hold our position in the wind. As soon as they were past us we found out why, the canal was so shallow you had to coast along to get through rather than use your engine.

All the locks were in our favour until we got to Lock 18 where we could see it was partially full if not totally full. We pulled in to wait for someone to come down whilst we had lunch. Our timing was spot on as someone was opening the gates at the top of the lock as we came out to untie. We entered the lock after them just as another boat appeared behind us, even better timing. Well it would have been if they weren’t sharing with the boat behind them. So went up on our own with two boats having to reset the locks behind us. We managed to keep ahead of them up Bascote locks and staircase and pulled in on the first ring at Long Itchington, leaving the rest for the following boats.

They think they can fool me, we’ve tied up this outside before. It was okay, but today it was better. I came and went, occasionally assisted back inside as woofers came past. Then the friendly cover behind the sideways trees called. Plenty of friends to find here. I seem to have got carried away and lost the time, slipping through my paws, just like my friends. It was a touch chilly and dark when I got home for my dingding, at least it was cosy inside.

10 locks, 2 a staircase, 0 shuffle, 4.92 miles, 1 damp day that was meant to be dry, £250 saved at least, 0 boaters cursing us, 0 embarrassing phone call to Gary, 1 pair muddy jeans, 1 pair socks completed, 20 minutes extra turned into 2.5 hours! 3 friends, 1 long tail, 1 dingding of Coley, not my favourite!

Crossing Bows. 20th September

Radford Semele

The weather today was meant to be atrocious. Heavy rain in the morning followed by very strong winds in the afternoon. We woke to the rain, not too bad, Tilly still went out.

Last night Jennie from NB Tentatrice had left a comment on the blog saying that she thought they were moored just along from us. As we’d missed each other literally by a couple of boat lengths earlier in the year at the top of Tardebigge we couldn’t do the same again this time. We knew they were heading our way and as we’d pulled in last night I’d looked up the line of boats already moored up but not spotted a bright blue one.

We weren’t planning on going anywhere today due to the weather, so after I’d worked through the forth version of the Aladdin props list and sent it back to the director Tilly happened to come in and there was a lull in the rain, so we put on our waterproofs and walked along the towpath.

The reason I’d not seen them last night was that NB Tentatrice was hunkered down behind the next two boats in front of us about 100 yards away. Chris welcomed us on board as did Monty their dog. Mugs of tea and conversation flowed for a good couple of hours, which included comparing the capacity of our yellow water tanks! At last our paths had crossed and we’d got to meet each other after following each others blogs for sometime. Chris and Jennie are heading home after their summer cruise, crossing The Wash and exploring the Middle Levels. Next year they are considering heading up to Liverpool and crossing the Ribble Link. So we were able to give them some pointers and them us as we vaguely plan to cruise the Middle levels in a couple of years time, which may be prefect timing for the next Bedford Festival.

They planned on heading into Leamington today, hoping to find a mooring that might offer them some shelter from the growing winds. As they pulled off Jennie walked Monty and Kiera (a visiting dog) along the towpath, the woofers sticking their noses into MY boat! I was keeping an eye on them from the sideways trees. Hope you managed to be moored up before the big gusts came and sorry if we delayed your start Jennie, but it was great to meet you all at last.

The afternoon was spent writing my programme biog, doing a bit of research whilst Mick mended some of the poppers on our cratch cover. Tilly braved the growing gusts of wind for some time but eventually came in, we decided that she should stay in for her own safety rather than get blown away. Some more of Bake Off was caught up with and another half sock knitted as the noise around Oleanna grew by the hour. Very odd sitting in doors in t-shirts with howling gales and sideways rain outside and the stove wasn’t even lit!

We’re hoping tomorrow we’ll get chance to move on a touch, here’s hoping the wind calms down some.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 boats away, 4 boaters meeting for the first time, 2 woofers, 1 soggy moggy, 150 words, 4th version, 1 reference to do now, 0.5 of a sock, 1 heel turned, gas mark 2 for a couple of hours instead of on top of the stove, 1 very blustery night ahead.

Blown Away. 18th 19th September

Saltisford Arm to Radford Semele

I woke at around 4:40am with the first big gust of wind on Tuesday, this was the start of a few windy days.

The washing machine was worked hard again for a second day, towels, bed linen all took their turn. Maybe we should have ventured out to visit the sights, but we’ve visited quite a few of them on previous visits, leaving the Castle and Lord Leycester Hospital for another time. The Castle comes across as a bit of a theme park, £28 entrance each is a bit dear, although apparently you can save money by buying your tickets on line in advance now. As the washing went round I got on with knitting socks and refilling the damp traps around the boat amongst other chores.

In the afternoon we braved the gusting wind and walked up to Sainsburys to restock the wine cellar, not a full restock I have to say!

Emma, an old college friend of mine had invited us round for a drink to her house on West Street. She visited us three years ago when we were in Warwick and at the time was in the process of restoring a house with her then partner. Since then they have moved in and recently got married. Our visit was more of a guided tour of the house accompanied with a glass or two of wine. Sadly I didn’t take any photos as we were too busy hearing about all the work they did.

I’ve found a few photos of the house from when they bought it back in 2012. On the British Listed Buildings website the house is recorded as being listed in 1996 and was dated as early 19th Century with a brick frontage, canted bay window, 3 storey and a basement. No inspection had been done internally.

However, what lay behind the woodchip and plaster board was far far older. Link to an article. Cob walls that have now been dated to around 1433, beams, decorative paintings on panels. Really wish I’d taken photos now. They have painstakingly restored much of the house, replacing floor beams where needed and using lime based products to help the old building breath again.They have installed an eco friendly boiler, solar and have a very efficient wood burner in the back room which helps heat most of the house.

A small modern extension to the kitchen was added. During the works for this another discovery was made, a very big hole under the floor! A friend of theirs was breaking up the floor one day and his drill suddenly slipped into a gap between paving slabs. A stone was dropped through the hole, no sound of water. A 5m tape measure didn’t reach the bottom. Below their kitchen lies a hole cut into the sandstone that measures 3m diameter by 6m deep. Archaeologists are not sure what it had been used for, maybe an ice store for the castle. They then got distracted with what had been found on the house walls. Emma and Dave had to create a foundation for the rear of the house to sit on above the hole and now they have a metre glazed viewing hole in their kitchen floor. Who needed to go to a museum when you can see things like this. Their master bedroom is amazing with so many layers of beams and yet they have a modern ensuite!

It was a lovely evening catching up with them, having the tour and seeing some of their wedding photos. Hopefully we’ll get chance to meet up again this winter as we’ll be in the general area for a while.

As our boat neighbours had returned yesterday afternoon and had plans to move today we made sure we were up and dressed early, they may be wanting to be off at 8! Despite the wind having increased overnight we decided to move on ourselves. Once the water tank was topped up, rubbish disposed of and our mooring fee paid we were ready for the off, just as our neighbours were having toast.

Out of the arm we turned right back towards Cape Locks. The top lock was empty and a hire boat could be seen just about to enter the second lock, we’d not be able to catch them up to share, so I set the lock in our favour. Just as the levels equalised a boat came round the bend, we’d be able to share the locks. NB At Ease is a hotel boat and the two crew knew very well how to handle their boat. They had come down Hatton this morning and were hoping to moor up before the wind got even worse.

We followed them to Tescos where we pulled in at the 24hr mooring, another boat was already moored there. They could really do with a couple more bollards here, we managed to get the stern rope round one of the bollards but had to make use of a tree at the bow. With a big shopping list in hand we wound our way around the store. With no big shops, as far as we know, until we reach Banbury we wanted to be stocked up.

Lunch next and then we decided to stay put, the gusts of wind were very big and we didn’t fancy trying to cruise in it, Tilly would have to wait for her shore leave a while longer. 30 rows of sock and Cake week on the Great British Bake Off caught up with and we thought the wind had calmed down enough for us to move on. As soon as we were back outside the wind kicked up again. With trees surrounding us, we didn’t want to stay put so braved the gusts and set off.

The going wasn’t too bad, other than the amount of leaves. We had leaf porridge that clings to the prop for the first time this year. A quick blast of reverse gets rid of it, but the leaves soon returned again!

The artist who painted the cat, also did a couple more paintings along the stretch near the student accommodation. One is of two bunnies doing what bunnies do (I suspect a signature of hers) and the Grim Reaper in a black boat painted on an off side wall. A slightly jollier painting further along has made use of a drain pipe.

We pulled in back where we’d moored a couple of days ago as it started to rain, a bit close to the road, but up ahead looked full and we wanted to be on chains and hooks rather than spikes if the wind continues as it is. Tilly for a change wasn’t that bothered about the wind. This outside again! I bet tomorrow they tie up one where I can’t go out again, best make the most of this one.

2 locks, 4.99 miles, 1 right, 2 moorings, 4 loads washing, 2 drying, 1 fantastic house, 400 years older than originally thought, 1 big hole, 1 woofer next door, 4 full bags, 2 blowy days, 1 canal turned to porridge, 1 gluten free mac cheese tonight, 0 snakes.

Hooking Up For a Bit. 17th September

Radford Semele to Saltisford Arm

Before heading off to the Oxford we need to stock up on supplies so we needed to turn round. As we’d be heading westward we decided to see if there would be space at the Saltisford Arm for a couple of days where we could catch up on the washing and be plugged in.

Several boats came past as we were getting ready to push off, we spotted a gap and went for it. A second push to the bow was required due to the wind pushing us back against the towpath, but we got away before we became a problem to the next passing boat. We winded and headed back into Leamington Spa.

I had some work emails to do so left Mick to cruise us towards Cape Locks. The costume designer for the Panto had been asking about the size of a boat due to the size of the Dames costume and I’d asked about suitability of a rubber ring for a scene. Emails went back and forth for a while until we both had answers to all our questions.

Back on deck we passed over the railway line we’d gone along on Saturday, no trains though. When we’d been at the station yesterday Mick had requested I took a photo of a train approaching the station, I was already doing so. The line in Leamington cuts it’s way through what was the old town, crossing a major crossroads at second floor height. I was fortunate enough to capture two trains whilst we were meant to be looking at the station gardens.

Our supplies would last us a few more days, so we decided to push on past Morrisons, Lidl, Tescos, Sainsburys and Aldi and do a proper stock up on our return in a few days.

As we approached Cape Bottom Lock there was a boat just entering it to go up. We’d already passed two boats that had been heading this way this morning, so it might be on it’s own. The gates closed, oh well. Then they opened again and a lady appeared and waved us in to join them, we’d been spotted. We weighed up whether we thought we’d be able to turn Oleanna below the locks. Jaq and Les from NB Valerie spent a winter in this pound, they called it Prison as they were locked in by stoppages and they both needed the local hospital. NB Valerie could be turned here after making use of the water point below the locks, we’re not sure how long she is, but we think Oleanna could possibly just do it too.

We shared the two locks with the shareboat NB Endeavour who had plenty of crew and had come from Long Itchington this morning and were aiming to do Hatton today too. The lady seemed a bit put out that a C&RT chap who was there to grease the paddles didn’t help, but there were four of us working the locks so there was no need. It being lunchtime the moorings around the Cape of Good Hope pub were busy. Two boats were on the water point where we wanted to go, two boats were heading to the pub moorings. The ones on the water point then wanted the lock so there was some do-c- do-ing to be done as NB Endeavour had insisted that we leave the lock first. It would have been better if he’d gone and got out of the equation as we got in his way and he was then in the way of the boats from the water point who were in our way! It all got sorted in the end.

We pulled up mostly so that we could empty the yellow water tank before we might have to breast up at our mooring today. As we were by a tap we took advantage of that too. Empty and full we cruised up to the junction and turned left the easier option as right takes you to the bottom of the Hatton flight. Slowly we made our way down the arm, a lady came out from the office to say hello and tell us where to moor.

The visitor moorings are just beyond a winding hole, so winding first is advised and then you back down to find a space. There was one bank side space free, but we’d been told it was only 55ft, later once it had been taken Mick paced it and we would have fitted, however it was closer to the road. We reversed to find a suitable boat to pull alongside, NB Joanna. Unoccupied but with signs of a dog, this wasn’t going to be so good for Tilly sadly. Cat Health and Safety discussed our mooring and decided that should the owner return whilst Tilly was out she’d have difficulty getting back to her boat, there would be a conflict of territories and that wouldn’t be fair on either Tilly or the Woofer. So no shore leave.

Late lunch before the hook up was sorted and then the washing machine was put to work pausing only for the dishwasher to have a go. TV was tuned in, our last stay here was prior to me starting to do TV thumbs. It deserved a diagonal thumb in the upwards direction, not perfect reception, but not bad.

The last of our Bramleys were chopped up and put into a Dorset Apple Cake still warm today for pudding and enough to keep us going for the next few days.

2 locks, 5.6 miles, 2 winds, 1 left, 0 shopping, 1 cat who is very aware of which her boat is and wouldn’t give 2 hoots about a woofer being inbetween! 1 cat still locked in despite her complaints, 2 many good trees to be missed! 2 boaters ignoring their cat, 0 visits to the pooh box if they let me out! 1 empty wee tank, 1 fill of the water tank, 2 loads washing, 1 dishwasher, 1 refill required in the morning, 1st pair of socks started, 1 yummy gf apple cake.

https://goo.gl/maps/RUghJFP6bBs

Trees, Medication, Waters, Trains, Gardens And Poles. 13th to 16th September

Leamington Spa to Radford Semele

The Heritage Open Weekend has been keeping us busy. This year it has actually stretched over two weekends and a few days in between. Sadly we only remembered it after the first weekend had passed, missing out on a few things that appealed to us. But there was still plenty to choose from.

On Thursday we joined a tour of The Pump Room Gardens and Jephson Gardens. Meeting by the Royal Pump Rooms our first guide, Archie Pitt (Chairman of the Friends), has been involved for many years in raising funds to restore the Gardens back to their heyday . The gardens were used for gentle exercise by Victorians who came to the town to take the waters.

Paths are being moved back to their originally intended positions, the Linden Arches have been restored with new lighting, these date back to 1875. The band stand has been removed for renovation leaving a low wall that has seen some work. New flower beds, the river bank tidying up and works done to York Bridge which spans the River Leam in the park. The Band Stand is due back in November when there will be a small celebration, but a bigger party will be held next year when all the flowers are in full bloom and the gardens look at their best.

Next we walked across the road to Jephson Park. A very posh park originally created in 1831 as an informal garden with walks along the river. In 1846 they were redeveloped into more formal gardens for the seriously rich and given their name to honour Dr Henry Jephson who had promoted the town as a Spa. Formal flower beds and a collection of trees were planted. Tennis courts laid (Lawn tennis was invented in Leamington), it was a place to be seen.

When it was being laid out there was a slight problem of a right of way which ran straight through the park. This had to remain, but be disguised and the poor kept out from the formal garden. So a hill was built over the top of the path and planting added so that it is almost invisible from above.

The fancy flower beds were eaten by Canada Geese, so a small fence was erected around them, which did the job. However this didn’t stop them from leaving their poo everywhere. It was then realised that Geese can only take off and land on water or very soft mud, so putting a fence around the pond would do a better job. Have to say there was very little if any goose droppings. Whilst we were there something startled the geese and a group of them took off, a few aborting at the last minute. One poor bird missed the pond, clipping it’s legs on the fence and landing on the wrong side. It then spent a long time trying to return to the water, the fence being just as effective in stopping birds from entering the water as exiting!

Our guide walked us through the gardens pointing out the interesting trees and telling tales. A very informative walk, I never knew there were so many oak trees, including evergreen ones without the typical leaves. At the far end the walk ended by a gate house now used as artist studios. The majority of people headed back with the guide to enjoy tea and biscuits , but we thanked her and went to look at the art on display. Better than your usual gallery, some work very good indeed including a photographer who specialises in close ups of natural textures and colours, these were stunning.

We’d passed the rather ornate building which once housed the Aviary and went back to have a better look. Outside was a menu for chilled medication, we had to oblige in partaking of some. White chocolate and Raspberry and Chocolate Brownie and Marshmallow. My gluten free trial may have to exclude chilled medication! Very tasty it was too.

Friday we joined the tour of The Royal Pump House. A small group was guided round the building expertly by Alan a very jolly chap who knows his stuff about Leamington and its inhabitants through the years.

The Royal Pump House was the only spa north of the river, numerous other establishments had grown up on the south side where the original town was sited. Waters flowed at the southern spas, but the geology to the north was different and the salty waters were hard to come by. Plans to build other pump rooms were stopped and soon afterwards the fashion for taking the waters at such places switched to visiting seaside resorts such as Scarborough, where you could also take of the waters.

Built for the seriously rich there was a large ballroom which was used to dispense the waters, a large well on one side and table and chairs to sit and sup your water. People would come and stay in Leamington for several weeks staying at the grand Regents Hotel nearby. They would come to the Pump Rooms and drink their water in the morning, partake of gentle exercise in the gardens, have plain food at lunchtime (fruit and veg were bad for you), swim a couple of times a week in the waters and return to their hotel to indulge for the remainder of the day. The amount of food in an average meal at the time would last most of us two whole days! They would then return home, boasting of their well being having lost maybe a few pounds and having bathed the grime off their bodies. Leamington waters have been found to have no medicinal benefit whatsoever!

The pump rooms housed boilers to heat the waters, two swimming pools (male and female) and rooms of slipper baths for the upper working class to have a dip at less expense. We were shown into a marble corridor (now tiled as the marble had deteriorated before the restoration) easy to wipe clean and resistant to fire should the boilers get out of hand.

The gents swimming pool now houses the library, the ladies the art gallery and where the slipper baths once were is now office space.

Before the renovation works were done to the building it was used as a location for Mick Jaggers video for Sweet Thing. The swimming pool is shown off along with the marble corridor. Woman meld into the tiled walls and Mick struts his stuff around the Turkish themed room. It’s worth a look at the video to see what lays behind the modern interior of much of the building.

On Sunday there was an opportunity to have a tour around Leamington Spa Railway Station and gardens. About twenty people turned up including a couple we’d seen yesterday in Warwick. Two ladies showed us around the Deco station which opened in 1939. Built from granite and Portland Stone it is a very fine building. As with many buildings in the 60’s a lot of the building was covered up to make it look modern, but luckily back then this meant that the good things that laid underneath were preserved.

The first station had been opened in 1852 by the GWR, it was added to through the years and the LNWR built their own station next door. In the late 20’s unemployment was very high and the Government introduced the ‘Development Act 1929’ which provided financial assistance to public utilities for capital expenditure in the form of low interest loans. Great Western set about with a scheme of improvement works, quadrupling the Birmingham Main Line approaches and the rebuilding of Leamington Spa Station being two of them. The building was made from a prefabricated steel framed structure, sheathed in brickwork and then clad with stone and granite. There is an interesting article about the station here if you want to know more, it includes a lot of very interesting photographs taken through the buildings history.

When plans to revamp the cafes were suggested, action was very quickly taken by the friends of Leamington Spa Station, the building becoming Grade 2 listed. In 2008 the booking hall was sympathetically refurbished original tiles being revealed and in 2011 the two waiting rooms were also restored.

The deco doors into the cafes are particularly fine. Two running boards have been placed on the platforms to help announce your arrival at the station.

At the end of platform 2 is a garden, which in 2009 gained the title of Best British Garden. Volunteers work hard to keep it and the terraced gardens leading down to the front of the station in good order. Sadly the grass has suffered this year with the drought and most of the planting is now past it’s best. The star attraction though is the topiary hedge. An engine and two carriages with a plume of Pampas grass as steam. This can be seen from most of the station and is a treat.

Free tea was on offer at platform 3, but we decided to head on to our next visit, The Polish Centre.

Originally the Town Hall the Polish Centre sits on High Street south of the river where the town centre originally was before the town spread northwards across the River Leam. The building housed meeting rooms, a ballroom, magistrates court, police station and cells.

A lot of the building was built with Queen Victoria in mind. A small balcony was constructed at the front of the building where her short stature was catered for with the view of a smart building opposite, a high window frame so she wouldn’t have to see the poor people who’d come to see her. However she never visited.

When the Town Hall was moved to the Parade north of the river the building was taken over by the police. Most of the interior was gutted to make better use of the space for offices, the ballroom was split in half height wise and only the main staircase remains as an original feature. Eventually in 1968 the building was sold to the Polish Catholic Mission, Monsignor Jozef Golab loaned his own money for the purchase, funds he received after successfully suing the German Government for the years he’d spent in concentration camps during WW2.

Much of the building is now rented out as a dance school, the top part of the old ballroom now being the chapel for the Polish community of Leamington.

We had a very warm welcome with tea and coffee and some very tasty looking cakes before we were given the full history of the building and the Polish community. I think we could have spent all weekend drinking tea and eating cake at various locations around town.

Back at Oleanna we decided to move to give our second mate some quality time ashore. She really hadn’t liked it here and watching the rats on the off side had become boring. So we pushed off as soon as we could and made our way back out of town mooring up by Radford Semele for the night. Once our grid reference was noted and the trip computer turned off the back doors were opened and Tilly disappeared straight through the sideways trees. A much happier cat now.

0 locks, 1.22 miles, 4 more Heritage day venues, 3 gardens, 1 pump room, 1 station, 1 evergreen engine, 2 terraced gardens, 1 ex town hall, 4 pairs pants returned, 2 chilled medications, 1 roast chicken, 1 curry, 1 happy cat in the undergrowth.

https://goo.gl/maps/yoFRfetFzCR2

Apples, Flowers And Bells. 15th September

Leamington Spa

The Heritage Open days are keeping us busy. Today we got the train over to Warwick as there were a few things there that appealed to us. Handy hint, if you want to do this journey without your boat go by train, not by bus. My train fare was £1.80 return compared to £5.50 on the bus, only downside is that the bus takes you closer to the town centre than the train, but not by miles.

We’d selected three places to visit, Hill Close Gardens, The Court House and St Mary’s Church. Starting off at the furthest we found our way to the Gardens. Just by the race course hidden away (there are brown signs to it) we came in through the visitors centre. We expected to only be there for an hour tops, but found ourselves weaving through the gardens for two.

Robin Hill Close Gardens are rare survivors of Victorian gardens once used by townsfolk who lived above their businesses, to escape the busy town. Back yards were full of wash houses, workshops and privies, no room for flowers or grass. So these businessmen rented a plot of land on the outskirts of town. In 1845 Hill Close pasture land was divided up into plots that Warwick people could rent. In these Detached Gardens they planted apple trees, grew fruit and veg, kept pigs and chickens and built small summer houses from which to enjoy their gardens. At a later date people could buy their gardens and by the early 20th Century parts were sold off for housing, but what remains today has been saved and restored by volunteers.

By the 1990’s most of the gardens had been sold off, but 16 remained, 2 still tended, the other 14 in very bad shape. By 1993 the council had bought much of the land and planning permission had been granted for 30 new houses to be built, the locals were stirred into action researching the site, one of only four left in the country. By 1994 local activists had managed to get four of the summer houses Grade 2 listed so the development was halted. The gardens themselves became Grade 2* listed shortly afterwards. By 2000 the council had helped to set up a trust to manage and restore the gardens for all to enjoy.

Heritage Lottery Funding in the mid 2000s enabled major restoration and by 2008 the gardens were opened up to the public frequently.

Each garden has a short history about its owners and has been laid out how it once would have been.

60 varieties of apples grow here, some ruby red, some huge, some abundant on their trees, all producing many windfalls.

Grape vines, figs, pears, beans (how are yours Frank?), courgettes, all sorts.

We were also taken aback by the amount of colour still in the flower beds, oranges, reds and purples shouting out at us.

The summer houses, small with their fireplaces, look out over lawned areas all hedged in for privacy from one another. These are very smart posh allotments lovingly cared for and so worth a visit.

We left by the town entrance hidden away behind a modern development and made our way into town. Hungry we decided that we’d have lunch before looking at The Court House. The Market Place Pantry had a free table so we enjoyed toasted cheese and ham sandwiches of full gluten and non gluten varieties followed by a slice of cake each, all very tasty.

By now we’d missed the start of the tour, but went to have a look at The Court House ourselves. The tour was just finishing and they must have been given access to other areas that we couldn’t get to see. The ballroom upstairs was open but that was pretty much it, we’d seen the display downstairs last time we were in Warwick. So we walked up the road to get in line for the tour of the Bell Ringing Chamber at St Mary’s.

The church is being filled with poppies at the moment. A huge community project to mark the end of WW1 is underway. Panels everywhere are already covered in knitted, crocheted, paper, felt and tissue paper poppies. The main columns have been covered in black fabric and poppies are starting to be applied to them too. By November the whole church will be a riot of red. Intermixed with all the poppies there is the occasional white and purple ones. The white are for conscientious objectors. The purple for animals. The other day I came across a poppy I’d made for my friends in Scarborough that must have got away from the others, so if we end up coming this way I’ll drop it off to be added to the thousands.

Shortly before 4pm we were allowed up the circular stone staircase to the bell ringing chamber. St Mary’s bell chamber is built at the West end, added on, as the ground wasn’t thought to be stable enough to carry it over the main church. We were joined by about twenty others along with four of the bell ringers. There are ten bells, the oldest dating back to 1701, the current clock from 1901. The clock in recent years has been electrified saving a twice weekly job of winding it up, but this has meant that the quarter hour chimes are just slightly out at the moment due to this summers hot weather.

A model of how the bells work with their wheels was demonstrated to us and then a bell was rung. Large boards around the room celebrate the peals that have been rung for certain occasions and under a box (used to stand on) there is written a note to mark Queen Victoria’s death. Much history has been marked by the ringing of the bells.

After we’d had everything explained to us we then took our time to climb the next 40 or so steps to see the bells. I’m not too keen on heights and Mick normally does such things on his own, but I felt today the official photographer should be on hand. The floor a metal grid was a touch unnerving for me, but once the ringers started to explain about the bells and point out the hammers etc I felt a lot better. Our visit here was timed so as not to coincide with any bells ringing! Then we all made our way up another 50 or so steps to the top of the tower.

From here we could see for miles. The race course, the castle stood out very easily. Leamington Town Hall and church too. We tried to spot the Hatton flight of locks, we knew where it should be but it was being shy amongst the many trees. We’ve only done the flight in spring or autumn and wondered if you still get a good view of the church at this time of year.

I still don’t understand how people can stand leaning against the bars looking over the edge of such buildings, I can not get closer than two foot away. But I did my best and took photos at arms length.

Back down the stairs, much easier to descend backwards, there was chance for people to ring the bells. Mick held back, but I could tell he really wanted a go and in the end he succumbed, not having to jump into the air as much as the younger members of our party.

A very good day had by all. Except me!

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 16 gardens, 60 varieties of apples, 2 hours around the gardens, 2 toasties, 2 pots of tea, 2 slices of cake, 1 tour missed, 10 bells, 1701, 1901, 150 steps, 1 big boy bell ringer, 4 fantastic views, 1 rat to watch all day!

Which One Says Snake Most?. 14th September

Leamington Spa

With the cooler temperatures my Etsy shop seems to have caught peoples eyes. One pair of hand warmers went off in the post from Crick. I have a large order for a friend in Australia. Then a pair of socks.

This morning just as I was about to head up to Wool Warehouse another order popped into my inbox! Another pair of socks, good job I’d not left earlier to buy wool!

My main reason for visiting the warehouse was to audition yarns for a character in panto. Fazil is a snake, so obviously he will be a puppet, made from a very long sock. Yes I could go out and buy a sock, but I can make him more colourful if I knit him instead. So I’d made a short list of yarns I wanted to look at and Gemma had said that the lady in the shop would happily pull out yarns for me to see.

A fifteen minute walk from the boat in the middle of an industrial estate is the warehouse. The shop is small and displays of single balls of yarn are laid out to tempt you. The biggest crochet hook (it must have been 2 inches) I’ve ever seen hung amongst all the hooks and pins on the wall. I was fortunate as I was the only customer and had to press the big red button for attention.

A lady arrived and took my list, noted stock numbers and went off to hut out all the balls I was wanting to look at. I was soon joined by another lady, also wanting to peruse a few colours for some gloves. My bucket of wool was brought for me to look at whilst the lady carried on serving. Someone else arrived and we all exchanged knitting and crochet ideas and thoughts about our favourite yarns, whether we were toe up or top down sock knitters and the joys of magic loop knitting. As one of the ladies said, knitting has changed a lot since we were kids, I suspect due to the generation below giving yarn and patterns a whole new life.

My shortlisted selection of yarns was quite good. Straight away I could discount most as they simply weren’t ‘panto’ enough. I was down to two and asked the opinion of the lady next to me, she agreed with my gut instinct. Here’s hoping it knits up how I think it will!

When I returned to the boat I decided that it would be wise to put a note on my Etsy shop. With the orders I have at the moment and 3 Fazils, my needles and hands are going to be full right up to when rehearsals start in Chipping Norton. So I am not taking any more orders until after the show is open, no point in being knitted out before I have to start painting Egypt!

This weekend is Heritage Weekend, when places not normally open to the public open their doors and you can have a nosy around. Last year we got to look around the Egyptian balconies of Preston Art Gallery. This year we have made a short list of things we want to see and do in Leamington Spa and Warwick. We’ve already done a few of them, even though it’s not the weekend yet. But I’ll tell you about them in another post.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 walk south of the canal, 3 orders, 3 snakes, 1 audition, 6 to choose from, 1 successful ball, 600 grams of yarn, 1st pair complete for Australia, 1 so bored cat, 2 heritage tours done, 4 more to do, 1 obsession with that cat.

My Own Waxi. 12th September

Radford Semele to Wharf Lodge Winding Hole to Clements Street Bridge

Radford Semele to Chipping Norton to Clements Street Bridge

Another morning and the alarm was set so that there was time for breakfast before we pushed off. This morning I was due in Chipping Norton for the final design meeting for Panto. I finished packing as we pootled along the canal into Leamington Spa. Here the canal comes very close to the station, so as we approached I got myself ready and was able to hop off just at the closest point where steps lead up towards the trains. Mick headed off in the direction of Warwick to wind and do some shopping whilst I was at work.

My train was on time and 18 minutes later I arrived in Banbury where Will the producer picked me up in his car. General chit chat soon turned to the show and budget. Only yesterday we had heard back that we were still a little over, but some new maths had been done by Will and he’d given the go ahead. Phew! Now all I needed was the thumbs up from the Director.

In the attic rehearsal room of Chippy Theatre I gave my presentation to Director, Producer, Production Manager, Lighting Designer and the two Technicians who morph over panto season into Stage Managers. This is when as a designer you can’t hide behind your design being anonymous, you have to perform as you and your model are centre stage. The calmest of designers get model hand at these moments. Your once steady hand on reaching the boundaries of the model box will immediately shake, making positioning of that final 1:25 scale chair into the scene a nightmare as the whole model turns into an earthquake zone. Years of experience have taught me to glue as much down as you can in such circumstances, you don’t want to be trying to pick up all the chairs and music stands for a brass band in front of a room full! With panto this is hard however, as there are so many scenes and the model will be taken to bits by the workshop and painters soon, so today it was all held together with white tack. My audience was appreciative and living life at 3mph for four years meant that model hand didn’t affect me.

The meeting went well. My many hours work have paid off, when asked for the working drawings to be with the workshop in ten days time, I handed them over. Everyone went away with a full set of plans, and best of all Gemma the Production Manager took 90% of the model with her, meaning I can reclaim my cupboard for my winter wardrobe! Now I have several weeks of only having to do the occasional bit of work before rehearsals start.

Everyone rushed off to other meetings and auditions leaving me to find my own way back home. I had chance for a wander around Chipping Norton before I caught the 488 bus back to Banbury, making note of several shops that will come in handy whilst I’m here.

The bus weaved it’s way through small village after thatched cottage village, cars having to back up roads to let the bus pass. I’ll enjoy this bus ride to work. Stepping off the bus in Banbury I realised I was right next to the canal and a boat was coming up in the lock. Very handy as we plan to have Oleanna in the general area of Banbury whilst I’m in Chipping Norton. Only one problem, the last bus back on an evening is 7:10pm and there are no buses on Sundays! We’d rather be based in Banbury than Oxford which is served by a night bus, we’ll have to see.

The train back to Leamington was easy. Mick had done some shopping at Lidl, been to buy some oil for the next service and as I left Banbury was about to set off to the water tap by the new student block. As I came down the steps to the towpath a Grandad and Grandson were looking at the cruiser moored nearby. The bow of a far more exciting narrowboat came into view so they stopped to watch the boat, as did I. As the bow approached it was aimed towards the towpath and brought to a gentle halt. I stepped onboard, my Waxi (Water taxi) had arrived bang on queue, the little boy was very impressed, so was I especially when I found the front door to be unlocked.

We pootled our way to the new water point and topped up the tank. A chap sat on a nearby bench suggested we shouldn’t use the tap as the water was full of lime, well no more than the locals drink. We did sample it before we filled the tank and it tasted alright. We then pulled up a little bit further along. When we first came through Leamington Spa we didn’t even think of mooring in town, for a place with a grand name the canal was very uninviting unless you wanted to score some drugs.

The area has now been tidied up, flower beds sculptures and some very impressive graffiti has been added to some of the walls. One piece done by Jules Muck an American is exceptional. Later in the evening we found out that the mural of cat and mouse had only just been finished a week ago.

They may think that this outside is good with it’s flowers and grasses, but they don’t taste right. Too many bikes and woofers. They kept going on about this big stunning cat, I couldn’t see one! Anyway I’m the most stunning cat, plenty of people were stopping and taking my photo. There was one cat that I did see, black and white very much like me. It moved slowly as I did the same, just as inquisitive about me as I was about it. I haven’t seen it since, but then I’d rather sit on the back of the boat in this outside.

In the evening we met up with Gemma who used to be a Stage Manager for a drink. Her husband John joined us later on after he’d finished work at the Spa Centre. We headed for a quiet drink to catch up for the first time in several years, ending up in The Old Library. Here was not the quietest of places so we ended up having to add to the noise level to be heard. Gemma and John have lived here right by one of the canal bridges for several years, we’ve not managed to see them in the past, we didn’t stop or I had a broken ankle. So it was good to see them and hear about their recent hire boat holiday on the Oxford and Gemma’s new job at Wool Warehouse, where I order my yarn from. I’ll be paying them a visit whilst we are here as I have a pair of socks to knit for someone and three snakes to make for panto.

0 locks, 3.37 miles, 1 wind, 1 waxi right on time, 2 trains, 1 bus, 2 Chippy men saying Yes, 1 LD from college, 1 happy PM, 0 model to bring home, 1 cupboard empty for jumpers, 2 boxes of workie stuff stowed away, 1 full water tank, 1 upside down paw, 0 snakes, 1 stunning cat, 1 more stunning on our our boat, 3 glasses wine, 2 halves cider, 4 pints, 1 good day.

https://goo.gl/maps/jbY3kbL8S7A2

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna