Category Archives: Aire and Calder Navigation

Is This As Low As We Can Go? 18th May

Dog in a Doublet to Burnthouse Bridge Rural Mooring, Whittlesey Dyke, Middle Level

Yesterday Mick had phoned Stanground Lock to book our passage through for today. Kev, not Tina had called us back and booked us for midday. He also rang us this morning, yesterday he’d responded to a missed call on the mobile, today he was responding to Mick’s message.

We gave ourselves a couple of hours to return back up the Nene to Peterborough Junction where we’d turn onto the Back River, the aroma of partially cooked chips hanging in the air today. Does anyone know what the metal framed tower is on the north shore of the river?

The Back River brings you under a railway bridge, then past the back of the houses at Stanground. Soon we arrived at the lock and Kev popped up from nowhere, we were an hour early just as the timings on our maps had suggested, but better early than late.

Kev set the lock, the nearest paddle/slacker lifted to fill it, I could see straight through the opening, you don’t often get a view like that. With the gates open we were soon in the lock. Time to chat Anglian Passes.

About a month ago Mick had applied for an Anglian pass on line. This gives you access to the Middle Level and the River Cam and lasts a year. The pass is a fairly new thing and has caused quite a to do in certain circles. The website had said someone would ring to take payment. No-one did. So with our arrival getting closer Mick rang and was told that our application hadn’t arrived, could he fill out the form again and email it to them, then someone would call to take payment. This he did. We are still waiting for the phone call.

This tale was nothing new to Kev, he wasn’t surprised. He wrote us down on his sheet and took our details. Next we needed to purchase ourselves a key and a key. A different navigation authority means a new key to access facilities. We also required a different windlass, which in these parts is called a key. Kev had both for sale and quickly provided them in return for £17. We also enquired about Salters Lode on the other side of the Middle Level, we’d tried calling the Lock Keeper there but had had no response. Kev said we’d just need to arrive at a suitable time for the tide, he then provided us with the tide time. No need to book just turn up and we’d be locked through. What a helpful chap, very reminiscent of the Lock Keeper at Thames Lock onto the River Wey.

The paddles on the lock were lifted, the lock emptied, gates open. We’d descended onto the Level. Well maybe we’d descended a touch too far as Oleanna seemed to want to stay put in the lock. There was a little bit of movement so a push out at the stern and bow a bit of a jiggle and she was free! We are on the cusp of draft for the navigation. Mick later on read notes written by Simon Judge regarding deep drafted boats going through the lock backwards, well we know now!

Narrow and shallow, our speed would be a lot slower than it had been out on the river.

Here sky rules, when would we get to see our next hill? Flat as flat, well until we came across a new railway bridge being built.

A view of the brick works and McCains from the other side this time. Two churches in Whittlesey. Three work boats sat at the edges of the navigation, having their lunch break, weed cutters, one called Covid 20.

Ahead lay the bend we’ve heard of between bridges 111 and 110, the navigation is narrow the bend 90 degrees. Mick slowed Oleanna right down as we passed possibly the nearest vets to the waterways, then took us round in one go with plenty of room to spare.

A public park in Whittlesey has a 48hr mooring, space for two narrowboats, we pulled in for lunch then consulted our schedule. Should we stay here the night? We were already ahead of schedule, Tilly would be able to go out, other moorings further on looked like they would be alongside roads, so not deemed to be cat friendly.

‘Two hours Tilly, we might want to go out and explore ourselves.’

Another look at our schedule, planned mooring places for the next few days. Waterway Routes open as well as Google Maps satellite view. A meeting with family is planned next week, a mooring to have a birthday barbeque would be good too, so we’re only using the link route through the Middle Level at the moment. Our planned passage through Salters Lode to Denver Sluice had been on Saturday, but all of a sudden the moorings on the Great Ouse looked a touch more appealing. Did we have enough time to reach Salters Lode for Friday morning? If we cracked on today yes.

Fortunately Tilly had decided that the grass outside wasn’t up to much and had retired to the bedroom, but as soon as the back door closed we got complaints. ‘You know I said 2 hours, well I actually meant 2 minutes!’

Ashline Lock drops the navigation down by 6ft, it lay a short distance in front of us. The width of the locks isn’t enough to be able to share with another narrowboat, bottom gates should be left open, paddles closed to help conserve water levels. Time to use our new windlass/key, so new it’s grey paint not fully cured!

The paddles at the top of the lock are similar to those you find on the Leeds Liverpool canal, you just can’t see whether they are open or not, then how many turns until they are fully open? The lock gradually filled. The bottom paddles are similar but positioned on the gates themselves. I chose to count how many turns they took to open, twenty, thirty, thirty five, I gave up, the lock slowly emptied.

Is this the lowest you can be on non-tidal water in England? At Lodes End Lock to our south the level is variable and can be nothing, but it suggests on our map that to head west through the lock you may rise to be on the level we are on now. Around us the contour on the OS map was around 0 or even -1 in some fields.

In the pamphlet we’d been given it showed us the location of Rural moorings, but Mick had spied on the website that there were another four such moorings, two of which we’d be going past today. Might they be more cat friendly than the public moorings?

The first was at Angle Corner. 32m of bank had been cut and large posts added to tie to. Here you might be able to get off your boat without too much trouble, but the bank is steep, nothing that would worry Tilly. We made a note of its position to report back to Paul at Waterway Routes.

Just past Burnthouse Bridge there was a second mooring. We consulted our maps, if we didn’t stop here we had at least another two hours to cruise to the next mooring in March which may not have space. We pulled in flung our ropes over the posts, Oleanna sat a good meter out from solid land, a plank or major leap of faith would be needed here to get off, but that didn’t bother us. A quick cat health and safety discussion, she’d get off okay, but would almost certainly arrive back on board wet. No shore leave today for any of us!

2 locks, 13.89 miles, 1 wind, 1 left, 1 straight on, 1 hour early, 2 minutes shore leave, 2 hire boats, 1 private boat, 3 work boats, 1 new key, 1 new key, 2 levels, 10 new posts, 1 contract to sign, 1 storm approaching, 0 Anglian Pass.

https://goo.gl/maps/yqpCcmpAE7s4gvee9

Do Bricks Smell Like Chips? 17th May

The Boat House to Dog In A Doublet Visitor Moorings

Tilly wasn’t too pleased at the doors staying shut this morning. We’d had enough of sitting in one place or a while, Peterborough has served us well but it’s time to move on.

We said goodbye to NB Mushy P and just as we were rolling up our covers to set off a narrowboat arrived into the basin obviously looking for a mooring. With not enough room for them to pull in behind us they did a big loop whilst we finished off preparing to leave and then slotted straight in after us, the landing not having had time to cool off.

First the services for water, rubbish and to empty the yellow water tank. Whilst Mick did the chores I walked up to Asda for some fresh shopping, there’s a cake that needs baking this week and options for a barbeque needed purchasing should we find a suitable mooring on a day with suitable weather.

Since we were here last week someone has painted onto the service block. It turns out that the Embankment area is set for redevelopment. I’ve not had chance to read through the whole of the Masterplan which will set out to enhance the south facing river side with new park land, a cultural quarter, a university campus and possibly a stadium. It’s a 70 acre site so lots of prime land.

Did we share locks with NB Eleanor a couple of years ago?

Once lunch was out of the way we pushed off making note of the less kept moorings after Frank Perkins Parkway Bridge, plenty of boats that have been here for quite some time, but space should the depth be sufficient for our return trip.

Right towards the Great Ouse, left/straight on to The Wash

At Peterborough Junction the navigation splits. To the right is the Back River leading to Stanground Lock and the Middle Level. From there 100 miles of navigation head off mostly in straight lines, flood protection along with a navigable connection between the River Nene and the Great Ouse. A separate licence is required for the Middle Level, I strongly suspect I’ll have things to say about that in future posts.

Straight on the River Nene takes on a different character heading onwards in a wide straight channel towards tidal waters, The Wash. As we’d come all the way down the river it wouldn’t be right to miss out this section and reach the end of the non tidal river. It reminded us somewhat of the Aire and Calder Navigation, lots of sky, the occasional slight bend but the possibility to see for a mile or so straight ahead.

Ducks, cows, a horse, a few moored boats, the smell of chips in the air! Hang on chips?! Where was that coming from, we were still quite some distance from the Dog in a Doublet Pub, like a couple of miles away. On the sky line three tall brick chimneys soared up into the sky, smoke or steam streamed out from a couple of them.

These are the chimneys from the brickworks. Peterborough was famous for it’s bricks, most villages had their own small clay pits. Fletton Bricks are possibly the greenest bricks to be made as the clay has a high inbuilt fuel content which means the clay ignites itself and burns to a high temperature meaning there is no need for the use of coal.

But could bricks really smell like chips?

No is the answer, on the map McCains can be seen, a much more likely candidate for the aroma!

We were looking for a possible place to moor on the north bank. However the bank was a forest of nettles for most of the way, but then a boat length seemed to be clearer shortly before a curvy bridge. We’d like to visit Flag Fen without having to walk several miles to get there, so this may be a possible place to stop. The archaeological site is only open Wednesday to Sunday, we’d considered visiting it tomorrow but that would set back our schedule by a day, so it’s another place to visit on our way back.

With the last bend of the channel we could see Dog in a Doublet lock straight ahead, some 1.8 miles away.

We eventually pulled up on the pontoon shortly before the lock a road running right alongside. This road to us had seemed like it would have the occasional car or tractor on it, but oh no, it is busy with lots of fast cars and the occasional slow tractor!

We walked up to have a look at the lock, taking our lives in our hands walking along the very narrow edge of the road. But the lock was locked of to the public. The windows of the buildings boarded up, but the gardens quite well tended. By the lock green islands sat just above the top gates.

We had a look at the tidal side of the lock, nothing much to report other than a river really, not quite high tide. Along the road there is the pub Dog in a Doublet, they are renowned for their good food, but we’d be having some of that back on board instead.

The pub and only a few cars at the junction

0 locks, 6.22 miles, 1 left, 1 straight on, 1 full water tank, 1 empty yellow water tank, 1 clean pooh box, 1 locked off lock, 1 nontidal river ticked off, 1 lock booked, 1 lock not answering the phone, 1 possible mooring, 1 mardy cat, 0 shore leave, 3 chats, 5:30 traffic jam.

https://goo.gl/maps/XPwwEgmSWy6qadPd7

Sideways Snow. 31st March

Thorne Lock to Thorne Services Visitor Moorings

A phone call to Sean to see if he’d be visiting Thorne today or tomorrow came up with the answer we’d been expecting. The weather was not suitable for him to fit boat covers so he wouldn’t be making a trip to Thorne this week. Only one thing for it, the Senior Citizen Railcard would be put to use and Mick would go and collect it from Cottingham, which is north of Hull. We checked the times and prices of tickets, then checked a split ticket website and managed to get £5 off if Mick got one return to Brough and another to Cottingham.

In a lull between snow storms we headed out, Mick to the station and myself to Sainsburys for some milk as we’d run out. I thought today might not be so interesting, other than the sideways snow, so took a photo of The Little Shop. It’s one of those shops I really want to go in, but sweeties from a big jar are not something we need. Maybe next time I’ll have to arrange to have a young person with me, the need then will be greater.

Back at Oleanna I had some lunch and set about weaving ends in on my socks. Then the world got busy!

Across the way a narrowboat was being brought down the slipway back into the water. No bung in the exhaust just the engine running to keep any water from going into the engine. Once floating the boat was winded alongside us, then it vanished! Where had it gone? I’d sat down to do some more weaving for just a couple of minutes and it had vanished. It must have gone into the dock opposite.

Then another narrowboat arrived. The tractor came down the slipway to meet it, but the prevailing wind really wasn’t helping things, the bow missed the opening and as they went into reverse the boat was blown down past us, necessitating a more powerful return.

Two boats in the mean time had just come up Thorne Lock, they stemmed the wind waiting to get past. Once they were clear the rumble of a big boat came close, in front of it a big skip boat filled with generators and big hoses. C&RT getting ready for the work at the lock. Earlier on I’d seen a chap setting out mesh on the grass on the offside, maybe this is where the generators will be positioned next week.

Cabin top dropped to get under low bridges.

Then another skip boat came past, Robin Hood pushing the new lock gates. These will have been made at Stanley Ferry and most probably have come all the way by water. The top of Robin Hood’s cab had been dropped to get under the railway bridge in Thorne.

The two boats and their skips breasted up on the lock landing, hopefully there will be a volunteer on duty for the weekend to help single handers through.

Mick soon arrived back with a very natty package including handle, we had our cratch cover back.!

Goodbye Staniland, we did try waving to Jonathan.

In what we thought was a lull in the weather, we untied. Mick kept Oleanna on the mooring until I’d got the bridge open, stopping a reversing bin wagon in the process (not sure how many you get for one of those!), then he zoomed her into the lock avoiding being pushed this way and that by the wind.

A chap came over to chat and watch. Next week he’s picking up his first narrowboat from Lymm, cruising up the Bridewater, up the Rochdale 9, Ashton canal, over the Pennines via the Huddersfield Narrow and along the Aire and Calder to Thorne to moor. Thankfully he’s getting help with his first ever locks on the Rochdale 9, but then single handing from there. He hadn’t been aware of Thorne Lock closing on Monday for over a month. I wished him luck and told him to take his time and enjoy himself.

We pootled to the services, but would there be space for us? One side of a pontoon was available so we could get water, phew! Here is a 24 hour visitor mooring behind gates with the services, until tomorrow unless other wise signed all visitor moorings have been 14 days. We slotted in and started to fill the water tank. This would take a couple of hours as the pressure could compete with all the slow taps on the network. We also did a load of washing and got the dishwasher earning it’s keep.

The cratch cover went back on, the zips all sewn back in by machine, much better than my hand sewing. SPL had also darned a couple of little tares, one that had been there since it was made, the other possibly from a tussle with NB Billy a couple of years ago or when we’d got too close to a lock gate. Not bad for £25 plus a train fare to Cottingham.

By now we were both very cold. What was the likelihood of someone passing wanting water? It was getting dark after all. We decided that we’d stay put for the night and if no-one else had moved off in the morning we’d pull out and leave a space available.

My aim of knitting ten pairs of socks during March was achieved, admittedly the tenth pair being a diddy pair. All adult socks were packed up and addressed ready to be sent off. I’m going to let my fingers and needles have a bit of a rest for a few days, hopefully I won’t get twitchy fingers and start on something else.

1 lock, 0.37 miles, 4 trains, 1 cratch cover, 1 boat through the impending stoppage, 1 swing bridge, 1 reversing bin wagon held up, 2 tugs, 4 gates, 2 boats swapped, 1 hour of sideways snow, 20 frozen digits, 1 full water tank, 10 pairs, 1 March Challenge completed.

https://goo.gl/maps/ftHgPmUyNKKSNnUd8

Who Stole The Outside!?! 23rd March

Pollington Visitor Moorings to Goole, opposite the concrete works, again!

I know I need to wash the windows, but…!

Who stole the outside!?! It had been an alright outside in the end, but now someone had stolen it! Thankfully by the time we wanted to be on the move the sun had started to burn it’s way through the fog, however a layer of merk lingered all day.

There were rendezvous to be met back in Goole, we just hoped that there would be space for us where cars can pull up close.

Through the haze we could only just make out Drax Power Station.

A Kingfisher sat singing as we passed.

A deer sprang it’s way across the fields stopping to check on us before heading into the woods.

Someone was moving house on the M18.

Back in Goole there was actually a choice of spaces where we wanted to be. We pulled up in the first one. A van was pulled alongside one of the boats. Mick chatted to the chap who was from a covers company from Hull. Did they do repairs? Yes, they could resew the zips into the cratch cover for us, £25, but they’d have to take it away for a few days. Fortunately they will be working on a couple of boats in Thorne next week, so we will coincide with them there.

Frank arrived an hour or so later, just as a batch of chocolate chip cookies came out of the oven! Then he set to on the freezer drawer.

With three layers of ply beneath the drawer Frank used his router to cut out a large rectangle, this would allow more air to circulate around the bottom of the drawer, there were already three holes to help air come up from the bilges.

A couple of ply runners were added to the floor to lift the drawer up slightly. These had a layer of candle grease liberally applied to them. Then the front edge of the drawer had some gliss domes screwed on. This is so that when you pull the drawer out there is a frictionless surface that will slide across the floor rather than a hard edge of wood. Small recesses for the gliss domes were chiselled out of the bottom of the dinette so that everything slid back into place. All we needed now were longer screws to reattach the drawer handle.

Outside knitting, until it got too cold.

Inside a narrowboat isn’t such a good place for gongoozling someone at work. Mick followed Frank around with the vacuum cleaner, Tilly busied herself in the trees and friendly cover and I got a chair out and sat in the sunshine knitting.

An Indian Takeaway from Leaf Tandoori was picked up and enjoyed with a glass of wine and plenty of conversation. I held of on my second glass until after I’d had a telephone conversation with a Director about a possible show, it went well, hopefully tomorrow I’ll find out for sure if it went well enough.

0 locks, 7.98 miles, 1 straight on, 1 deer, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Frank, 1 sliding drawer, 1 hugely massive battery, 4 hours, 2 fingers crossed, 4 poppadums, 1 shish kebab, 3 currys, 3 rice, 1 phone call.

https://goo.gl/maps/M4NnxrqSxpTE1Au9A

Suds. 22nd March

Pollington Visitor Moorings

Mick decided to turn Oleanna around first thing, so as to make the most of todays sunshine on the solar. This would mean no shadow cast across the panels from our chimney. The big wide Aire and Calder is handy for such manoeuvres, no need to cruise to the next winding hole here, just untie and turn round.

Once we were moored back up Tilly sniffed the air. A new outside! It smelt similar to the last one they’d tied up. When the back doors were opened up she skipped up the stern steps and then realised, Tom only span it round!!!!

Two phone calls this morning. The first one from the Keadby Lock Keeper Mark. At one time there were three Marks who worked there. He apologised that nobody had called back sooner, but he’d been off with Covid and today was his first day back. Mick checked tide times with him for the days we were considering. Spring tides early in the day, so if we wanted to we could do Keadby to Cromwell in one go. We’ll make our minds up about that nearer the time, possibly on the day. I popped a notice on the Trent-link group offering to be a ‘Buddy’ boat as we’ve done the trip several times before.

Next came a phone call from the opticians. My glasses had arrived! Hooray!! An appointment was made to have them fitted in a couple of days time, I’ll go to Doncaster on the train.

Time to make use of our location and the sun. The washing machine was put to work, three loads in total. The whirligig was popped up and filled, then the airer was popped out on the towpath for our socks.

The pram cover was unpoppered and laid out on the picnic bench by the water point. Mick attached the spray to the end of the hose and I filled a bucket with soapy water. The covers were going to get a good scrub.

In the first lockdown we gave the covers a spray of Wet and Forget which with the assistance of sunshine and rain gradually cleans your covers, or helps to keep them clean. We found it to be quite good and still have at least another two sprays worth left. Our covers though after two winters being stationary had gone very green especially where they are horizontal and meet the the cabin roof, so I’d decided that we’d give them a scrub first before a spray was applied.

The picnic bench here is handy to be able to work at a good height and before lunchtime the pram hood and sides had all been scrubbed both inside and out and given a good rinsing. I got to the scrubbing, Mick the rinsing and Tilly the supervision, when not looking for friends.

The cratch cover followed in the afternoon. As soon as they were just about dry they went back on the boat. Much better than they were and now we just need to find a suitable spray bottle, to avoid RSI, a couple of days of sunshine and they will get a spray of Wet and Forget to improve them more.

Mick then set about swapping Oleanna’s ropes for new ones. The ones being replaced we bought when Oleanna was new, the ropes she came with were too thin for the reduced grip on my right hand, so thicker 16mm ones were needed. They have served us well being used for over 5000 miles, but they were looking a touch tatty.

Old centre lines, worn soft shackle and a nice new one

We’ve had the new ropes for maybe a couple of years, just never felt the need to swap them over until now. A new soft shackle replaced the old one on the roof for the centre lines too. The old ropes will be kept and possibly used should we end up mooring up for winter again.

A spin round in the tumble dryer for our socks and pants meant that Tilly ended up with a nice cosy bag to snooze away the evening in. She’d had a very busy day despite there being few trees to climb within paws reach.

By the end of the evening the next sock had had it’s heel turned, what a productive day.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wind, 0 shadow, 3 hours scrubbing, 1 hour rinsing, 3 loads washing, 8 hours! 2 friends counted, 2 hours reading, 1 lock booked, 1 pair glasses waiting.

Boat Conference. 21st March

Bramwith Junction to Pollington Lock, Aire and Calder

Time to put a plan together. Sitting around waiting for my glasses to arrive doesn’t get the water tank filled or other boat jobs done. So after breakfast and updating the blog we had a boat conference. These are actually quite rare, most discussions of our plans are held as we stand on the back of Oleanna, but today we needed to concentrate.

Our original plan had been to make use of the weeks whilst Thorne Lock was shut. The London Leckenby’s have a few days in York so we’d planned to join them, maybe even a boat trip into our home city as Jac and Josh have never done this and the tour guides on Oleanna know exactly where to stop to see our family home from the river. Various boat jobs to get done and do. Friends to catch up with around the area etc. Also being in the area for a change over of lodgers at the house would be handy. It all had fitted together quite nicely. Then after Easter we would head southwards on the Trent, the quick way south.

But since the dates for the stoppage at Thorne Lock have changed we’ve been in a quandary. Spending time in York is very appealing especially since Andrew and I haven’t been in the city together for at least 6 years and that was for a funeral. Catching up with friends is something we’d wanted to do summer before last, but floods and the pandemic put paid to that as we were rafted up with other boats at Naburn for several days.

Should we stay and do all those things?

Should we leave before the lock closes in a couple of weeks?

We’ve spent a lot of time mulling this over and every day for the last week we’ve discussed it further, but still not come up with a plan. Today we needed a plan.

Our discussion actually was relatively short.

If the London Leckenby’s hadn’t been coming up to York then we doubt we’d have been considering heading that way at this time of year. We’ve upgraded to a Gold Licence this year and if we stayed on this side of Thorne Lock and then exited via the Pennines it would mean us loosing about a months worth of Goldness. Decision made, we will be heading south on the Trent as soon as the tides look suitable.

A list of things we need to do was drawn up. Approximate dates worked out and ,most importantly a phone call made to Keadby Lock to book our passage. Sadly there was only an answerphone to talk to, but we knew someone would call us back.

With water needed we pushed off along the New Junction Canal again. If my glasses arrive in the next few days we’ll aim to be near a station to get back to Doncaster to collect them.

We made our way back swinging and lifting bridges. Before Sykehouse Lock three narrowboats that passed us yesterday were moored up, they looked like they were settled for a few days of company, jobs and possibly even a barbeque.

As we came through the last narrowing where a swing bridge used to be the light at the lock changed to red, shortly followed by green. There were plenty of people around. The volunteer who must live there in the tower, another C&RT chap by the bridge and a couple of boaters, so there was plenty of help to move the bridge out of our way and then back once we were below it.

At the end of the New Junction we turned left and headed towards Pollington Lock.

A couple of bank slippages are marked with yellow buoys. These were there when we walked the stretch shortly after the breach happened Christmas 2020. Short red posts and some spray paint mark the worst bits.

The visitor moorings below Pollington Lock were empty so we pulled up to the space closest to the water point and got the tap going. We very quickly remembered that the pressure is appalling at this tap, no sitting and waiting for the tank to fill, best to get on with other things and forget about it. Thankfully we can check our water gauge every now and then to know when the tank was full, the pressure so low that there’d be no boom from our tank and no major gushing of water coming out of the over flow, just a gentle trickle. It took longer than two hours to fill us up!

Tilly checked out the picnic table, but wasn’t overly impressed with the mooring. She’s managed to get on the other side of the ditch here before which makes for an interesting rescue. Mick however looked at the picnic table and realised what we’d be doing tomorrow!

1 lock, 7.32 miles, 3 swing bridges, 3 held up, 3 lift bridges, 6 held up, 2 outsides, 6%, 6th pair knitted, 2 plus hours to fill, 2 pairs of odd socks, 1 conference, 1 plan at last, 1 call booked, 1 useful picnic table and tap.

https://goo.gl/maps/CSMReDdA7iSvRyML8

Too Windy For Much. 19th March

Bramwith Junction

Exactly as the title suggests today was far too windy to go anywhere, even Tilly wasn’t too enamoured with the constant blowiness. Yet other people were on the move. Adams Ark a local widebeam was busy taking groups of cubs from Barnby Dun up to Bramwith Lock and then along the New Junction for a short distance. There was usually a very short person stood at the helm guessing which way to point the bow, they were accompanied by two adults who could see over the roof. Other boats came past struggling in the wind, one getting stuck on the bank opposite us as they hadn’t had enough umph to keep going.

After the Saturday morning Geraghty Zoom (amongst the topics, missing glasses, avoiding Labour and Swedes) we headed out to walk back to Barnby Dun to post off my socks and find a newspaper.

The ladies at the Post Office/Spar shop were very busy chatting away. The lady at the Post Office counter did interact with me briefly, but the lady I bought our newspaper from didn’t even look in my direction. Everything was purchased using contactless and nobody even mentioned how much things were. I checked my receipt a few hundred yards away, well it seems that I got some postage for free because they were all too busy gassing!

We walked through the village, which has been subject to new house building through the ages. Originally the village was an agricultural one, when the canal was built in 1732 produce was moved from Hull to Doncaster and Sheffield. In 1860 George Frederick Milnthorpe brought prosperity to the area by opening a malt kiln, this meant those who worked in the fields could now work through the winter. History Link. Land was sold off to Pilkingtons. Stainforth and Bentley pits were sunk at the beginning of the 20thC pulling people into the area. In 1959 Thorpe Marsh Power Station was built bringing more jobs to the area. The power station still appears on quite a few satellite images of the area even though the last two cooling towers were demolished in 2014 using no explosives, just a wire! They also appear in our Nicholsons guide in the Aire and Calder Section. A Gas fired power station was planned for the site, but has never been built.

We headed for the Farm Shop that I visited a few years ago. Set back from the road there is plenty of parking and a couple of picnic tables to enjoy a slice of cake and a coffee outside.

When last I visited there didn’t seem to be much fresh produce, although I think I’d only come for a carrot and a cooking apple which I managed to get. Today the place has changed.

A full rack of fruit and veg, fresh eggs, a butchers counter, plenty of the posh preserves and some frozen items. Little was priced! This always puts us off.

We picked up some spring cabbage and a leek for next week. Ogled at the 31 day dry aged beef in it’s climate controlled fridge, blimey those ribs looked good! At £31 a kg they weren’t the most expensive item, fillet steak was at least another £10. With no price on the boxes of eggs we refrained from buying any.

The people in front spent over £75, the chap behind had a shoulder of lamb and some pork fillet along with a box of eggs, his bill would be big too. In between them we stood with our cabbage and leek, £1.96! Well we are on an economy drive.

On our walk back be passed the Co-op, Mick popped in and bought the last dozen free range eggs. I wonder how long it will be before you can buy free range eggs again, or are hens destined to be barn dwellers forever due to avian flu?

Lunch today consisted of sad git’s Hot Cross Buns (M&S gluten free, very tasty) followed by our treat cheese. Ribblesdale Blue Goats and some Wookey Hole Cheddar, plenty left for another day.

Mick considered doing an engine service, the one he’s been meaning to do since November! But with the wind blowing straight across the canal he was worried he’d loose things like funnels, so this was put off again.

I got on with a new tension square with Lisa’s yarn on slightly bigger needles. This had meant pulling out the pouffe and revealing the secret passageway to Tilly, she’d so easily amused! I discussed sock knitting with lots of ladies on the March Knitting Challenge Group. I’d always been put off of knitting socks, never being able to get my head round four or five needles. But when I came across circular needles designed for socks and I gave it a go. I now love sock knitting and have my own pattern.

Cauliflower Cheese with extras, click on the photo for recipe

This evening I cut up the cauliflower we’d bought at Doncaster market. Blimey it was huge! I got half way through and decided I’d keep the other half for Monday evening, possibly a roast cauliflower korma that we’ve not tried before. Have to say size isn’t everything, we’ve been spoilt with our organic veg in Scarborough, Tree Top Press‘s caulis have so much more flavour.

0 locks, 0 miles, 6500 steps, 5 pairs posted, 1 newspaper, 2 chatty, 1 PO balance that won’t balance, £1.96, 12 eggs, 1/3rd of a sock, 0 service, 1 very blowy mooring.

Five Floating

Sykehouse Junction to Bramwith Junction

Five years ago today, really quite early, in fact a touch too early, Oleanna was craned into the canal at Finesse and Jonathan Wilson’s boatyard. I say too early as she was the first boat to be moved that day and sadly we missed her being craned in by about twenty minutes! Here are a few photos from the day and a Link to the blog post. At the time I had a broken ankle and couldn’t get on board Oleanna, so a fork lift and a pallet were brought to assist.

Today in 2022 would not be quite so exciting. Today we would head southwards along the New Junction Canal, how far dependant on a new pair of glasses for me.

First though was breakfast whilst Tilly had a couple of hours exploring, Exol Pride had moved off, most probably at first light so the way ahead was clear for us. Pushing off at almost midday we pootled past a couple of chaps in high vis who had been looking at a generator that is chained to the Went Aqueduct.

The lift and swing bridges today gave me a few vehicles to hold up including a bin wagon, a car on a trailer. Not the most we’ve stopped along this stretch before but better than a couple of weeks ago.

The light at Sykehouse Lock was amber, but as we came through the first bridge it changed to green, someone on duty. Approaching the bottom gates were open, the swing bridge still across the chamber, but this was moved before we got there. Once in the lock we were ushered above the swing bridge so that it could be brought back into position. The Lock Keeper shouted down to us to keep towards the bridge, the currents created by the paddles towards the top gates can have you going all over the shop.

Two C&RT chaps were sorting things on a small digger boat, maybe this would be heading towards Thorne Lock to assist with the works there next month?

On one of the longer stretches between bridges I gave the Opticians a call. My new glasses had been ordered in Scarborough and last Tuesday they rang me to check where I’d like them sending to, they suggested that they should arrive in a day or two, but I’d not heard a thing.

The line just rang and rang as it had done yesterday. No automated lady giving me options, it just rang. Mick suggested we both try calling at the same time, a possible faulty circuit meaning my call would never be heard at the other end. My phone rang, but a lady answered Micks call, an old 1970’s Post Office trick had worked.

Unfortunately my new glasses had not arrived with them, so I tried the Scarborough store, the lady there said she would look into it and to leave it with her.

At the last swing bridge I thought I was about to hold up a couple of C&RT vans, but they pulled in as the barriers lowered. Good job they arrived when they did. One chap was saying that the barrier on their side hadn’t been working earlier on. They removed the cover and peeked inside, Mick brought Oleanna through, then I pressed the close button. The bridge swung shut, returned to be level with the road, the sirens sounded, the chaps stood back from the barrier.

On my side the barrier rose upwards, on their side the barrier tried, rising only a couple of feet before dropping back down. The chaps encouraged it to lift and also had to give it an encouraging final umph back into it’s upright position. If they hadn’t been there to see to it, I’d have had to call them out.

Under the Don Doors and over the River Don we arrived at Bramwith Junction. This would do us for the day. The wind making it hard to moor again. Mick had to cling onto the centre line whilst I wrapped chains round the steel and tied our ropes. My right hand grip really does not like clinging on to ropes in the cold, hopefully as the temperatures rise this will ease.

Those dry mole hills are great for digging in!

The afternoon was spent knitting, towpath exploring and a touch of planning. On the Trent-link group suitable tides have been worked out for those considering heading round Trent Falls. Mick had identified one of them as a possible for us, so at least his calculations are correct.

The fourth pair of socks was completed, then the next two had yarns auditioned and the fifth pair was cast on and knitted up to the gusset before bedtime. Ooo errr!

1 lock, 5.4 miles, 3 swing bridges, 3 lift bridges, 13 held up, 1 dodgy barrier, 3 C&RT chaps, 0 glasses, 1 boat not in a hurry, 1 possible tide, 4 grey paws, 2 glasses of wine to toast Oleanna.

https://goo.gl/maps/6zL4rfHQAP2YAKaq7

Knocking The Drawer

Opposite the Concrete works to Sykehouse Junction, New Junction Canal

You could hear Franks brain already at work when Mick got up to make our morning cuppa. To give the freezer more ventilation should the drawer be raised? This would involve raising the whole dinette, trimming the cushions to fit, then they wouldn’t fit to make up the bed. A solution with far too many knock ons.

First thing though was to be able to get the freezer drawer out of the dinette. For a while it’s been sticking part way out, only just enough space to get the lid off and access the contents. Was this down to something underneath the drawer on the floor? We knew there was a problem with condensation in the drawer as the freezer isn’t particularly well insulated, so that might be causing the problem.

In the past we’ve tried pulling the drawer out to access little catches on the sides which would release the drawer from the sliders, but we could never find the catches. They were possibly on the part that was no longer sliding far enough out to be visible. Frank brought his hammer out and started hitting one section of the sliders back in to the dinette. One slider was obviously having issues and the drawer had quite a bit of play on it.

Eventually the slider gave in releasing the drawer. It moved out just that bit more, then nearly all the way there, then out to it’s full extent! We haven’t had this happen for at least a couple of years!

Mick disconnected the freezer then it was lifted out of the drawer. Time for breakfast! A bowl of blueberry porridge all round to celebrate.

The sliders were unscrewed from the base of the dinette. There had been no little catch on them, just a lot of screws and you needed the drawer to be fully out to access them all. The troublesome slider was examined. It was bent out of shape. The problem was that the drawer once pulled out of the dinette had nothing to rest on, it was hanging in mid air held only by the sliders. The combined weight of the drawer, freezer and it’s contents had bent the slider, stopping it from working correctly.

New sliders 650mm long and heavy duty sliders were needed. Nothing was available locally, just online. If replaced something to support the overhanging drawer would be needed to stop the situation from recurring.

For now we could slide the drawer in and out without the sliders. Frank took the drawer outside and cut redundant sections out of the sides whilst retaining it’s structure, hopefully this will enable more air to circulate. Holes were also drilled in the base of the drawer, these won’t help at the moment as the drawer will sit on the floor for a while, but once it is lifted up a touch then air should be able to flow underneath it better. Everything was given a rub of candle grease to help it run more freely.

The floor under the freezer is made up of quite a few sheets of wood, possibly three. This isn’t necessary and a section of at least one (dinette structure) could have sections removed giving more air circulation. Then Frank decided that we’d be better off if the drawer ran on wooden runners, the front edge of it would need some support when it gets pulled out. We may add gliss domes to the leading edge, these are frictionless. Frank hadn’t brought his router with him, the easiest way to cut out the floor, so the remainder of the job will be finished another time.

Thank you so much Frank for your help and leaving us with some of the Bakewell Tart!

Just as Frank was setting off to head back to Scarborough, Lisa and Al arrived for a quick catch up. Their boat was a close neighbour when we moored at Viking last year, Al keeping an eye on Oleanna when the breach happened.

Lisa and I have quite a few other things in common, Scarborough and knitting. Lisa is an Indie Dyer and had seen I was busy with my sockathon, she’d come to make a donation. What a generous donation it was too! A bag of interesting bits and bobs, three 50 gram skeins and some baby yarn for my baby socks, far better than anything I could find in Boyes. Thank you so much Lisa for your wonderful donation! Link to Lisa’s Etsy yarn shop there’s some lovely yarn. Best keep my needles knitting!

1978 Austin Allegro for sale at Spicers soon

Two weeks into the challenge and the total amount that has been raised by knitters across the UK so far is £102,000. Brilliant!

Tilly had been making the most of the morning, dipping under the new fencing to head off and explore. It is thought that with the new Siemens factory close by, the rail track that runs along the side of the canal will be used to test the new Piccadilly Line tube trains, it may also be reinstated up into the docks. Today people were working on the track, sounded like they were cutting back vegetation. Tilly had been keeping an eye on them!

By the time we wanted to move Tilly had claimed most of the area including the VERY dusty road as her own.

With water supplies very low we pushed over to the water point to fill the tank. The bins here haven’t been emptied in the last couple of weeks, so we kept our recycling for another bin on another day. We then winded and headed out from Goole.

Was this to be the last time in Goole for a while, well as there are few places to fill with diesel around the patch we aim to cover in the next few weeks, I suspect we will be back to top up.

As we pootled back along the same stretch of water we discussed our escape plan. At the moment the Huddersfield Narrow is looking like the most obvious route. The Trent still our preferred route. If everything were to fall into place, good weather, tides, amount of fresh, lack of wind, Keadby Lock opening hours it would be silly of us not to have a plan in place to go round Trent Falls again. So we shall work out two routes to cover all eventualities.

At Sykehouse Junction we turned left towards Doncaster and pulled in where we’d been a few days ago. We used outies just in case Exol Pride turned up. Sure enough just as the sun was setting it did, slowing to turn towards the New Junction and the Went Aqueduct.

Once they had just about crossed the aqueduct the engine was switched off, a generator kick started, this was where they would moor for the night. Suspect we’d get complaints if we blocked the navigation in such a comprehensive way.

0 locks, 6.01 miles, 1 left, 1 wind, 1 holey drawer that moves! 1 road claimed, 1 grey cat, 3 bags of yummy yarn, 1 full water tank, 1 very full bin, 1 clean pooh box, 2 outsides, 1 big blue boat, 2 plans to plan.

Sheer Magnetism. 13th March

Goole

A delayed breakfast today, yet we still needed to be up as we were expecting a visitor, Frank, our bubble carpenter. A phone call asking how to find us was followed by a second one, then he arrived. Time for a cuppa and a bacon butty.

There were two things on Franks list. Sort out the galley drawers so that they don’t open when ever anyone breaths at them. Somehow open the freezer drawer under the dinette fully and increase the ventilation into it.

Last year Mick purchased some 15mm by 10mm magnets which we planned on embedding into the worst effected drawers. I love my galley drawers, the idea for them came from NB Lillyanne. There are two larder drawers, a cutlery drawer, t-towels rolling pin bags and batteries drawer and finally the rapeseed oil and tins drawer. When built all these drawers opened and closed wonderfully, yet as soon as there was a slight list to port the cutlery drawer was the ring leader, encouraging the others to open.

Magnet stuck to the plate on the back of the drawer front

On a snagging visit, Kris from Finesse added some standard magnetic catches, but this was only possible on a couple of the drawers as there was nowhere to attach them to on the others. So for the last four years we’ve had to push the cutlery drawer (still the ring leader!) in every time we descend the stern steps. I really dislike my galley drawers because of this.

There are more tea breaks now than there used to be

Frank had brought his Forstner drill bits, these drill flat bottomed holes. However the depth of the magnets meant that the pointy bit of the drill was likely to come through onto the drawer front, not good. We could however still use the magnets in the carcass. We hunted round for a bit of metal that could be used as a plate on the back of the drawers and found an angle bracket that was chopped in half. This was then sunk into the back face of the front to correspond with the magnet. Hope you are following this!

The first drawer to be tackled was the ring leader. It was closed on it’s new magnet and then we all stood on the port side, it stayed closed! At F*ing last! I love my galley drawers.

A trip to B&Q for some metal washers meant the other drawer would take less time to sort, just £11 something for the washers! We know we’ll still have five drawer moments should we go on a big list, but things are far far improved.

Bakewell Tart, recipe will come another day

By now I was trying to cook our Sunday roast. First the Bakewell Tart needed the filling mixing and then baking. The case for it had been made last night and during the day today had to sit on the bathroom sink so as not to end up on the galley floor. Frank and I worked on a time share basis for the later part of the afternoon, windows of twenty minutes for magnets to be attached, then the potatoes could be peeled.

An email was sent to the Trent-link group saying how our original plan was going to be affected by the Thorne Lock stoppage being moved. I’m not sure how many people have been in touch to add weight to an appeal to get the stoppage moved.

In the evening the three of us enjoyed maybe just a touch too much wine, roast pork with everything, followed by Bakewell Tart accompanied by some chilled medication.

Two bits of news came through today. Another couple of donations to my sockathon means that with my Justgiving and Facebook donation page added together I have reached £290! £40 over target. Brilliant, thank you everyone.

Then I spotted on Instagram a post from one of the Chippy Panto actors. The nominations for this years UK Pantomime Association Awards had been announced. Rapunzel has been nominated for Best Panto in the under 500 seats category. Brilliant news! Oh yes it is!!!

0 locks, 0 miles, 2wice lost Frank, 3 bacon butties, 2 drawers sorted, 1 freezer drawer left for tomorrow, 8 hours exploring, 1 fence no boundary, 1 bakewell tart, 1 joint pork, 0 fully crackled crackling! 26 roast potatoes, 2 vagabonds, 2 crabbies, 2 plus bottles of wine, £40 over 3rd target, 1 nomination.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna