Tilly would do a lot of sleeping and wondering when her next meal would arrive, whilst Mick and I climbed onto to trains to head in different directions.
Sheffield Station approach
My train took me to Sheffield where I caught a bus to Chatsworth House, a very beautiful journey through serious countryside that I’ve done once before. I opted to stay on the bus to Bakewell where I had time to inhale Bakewell Puddings and Tarts that tourists were queuing up to purchase. Another bus got me to Rowley where I diced with death crossing the road to the Level Centre.
An art installation at Level Centre that you could add to
Here I was joining a group of people, actors, a composer, director, writer and several producers all associated with Separate Doors. A lovely welcome from the staff, a pack up lunch, then we all gathered to discuss how to promote integrated theatre for general audiences. We had tasks, we had discussions, we learnt a song with sign language.
Riber Castle high up on the hill
We retired to the Premier Inn in Matlock. I took advantage of an hour’s break to go walking. Along a ridge behind the hotel, down into the valley and back along the River Derwent, managing to expand my 2 minutes brisk walking into 40. Back just in time to walk with everyone back into Matlock for food at Ostello Lounge which had the biggest gluten free menu. Lots of good company and conversation about our favourite crisp flavours.
Not Auntie Gill
Meanwhile Mick got a train heading northwards, joining two of his sisters, Kath and Christine. Alighting at North Ferriby they joined Anne and Alasdair, Marion and John. All siblings in one place to mark the passing of the last member of the generation above them, the wonderful Auntie Gill.
Auntie Gill
Mick here. My auntie, Gill Chignell, was married to my mother’s brother, Uncle Henry. All my four siblings have extremely fond memories of Auntie Gill. Many of our family summer holidays were spent with the Chignell family, their four children and us five made up a great party and many happy summers were spent with our cousins. They had a caravan and we would rent a holiday home somewhere, often on the South Coast. Good times. I am still in good contact with most of them.
My four sisters and I all made the trip to Ferriby in East Yorkshire and although it was a funeral it was great to see everyone and have a good chat. It wasn’t really a sad event: Gill has been suffering from dementia for a number of years and in a care home for 5 years. She was 94 when she died. In many ways it was a relief.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 buses, 3 trains, 1 lazy cat, 1 symposium, 5.84 miles walked, 56 minutes briskly, 1st burger of the year, 5 siblings, 1 celebration, only 1 Aunty Gill.
This outside was still rubbish this morning, especially when two she’s and their woofers stopped to chat right outside our bedroom window, and we’d all managed to sleep after 6am today too!
We pushed off at just gone 11am, another day of not moving very far. Just before the railway bridge below Long Sandall Lock there is a pontoon being put together for works on the flood banks. Here a red dinghy sat tied to the pontoon which has legs to hold it in place, another green and red boat semi submerged to one side. Had this been submerged on purpose so it wouldn’t be stolen, or has it sunk? hence all the booms round it. Not much was happening, maybe it was tea break time.
Approaching Long Sandall Lock
Long Sandall Lock was full, the big locks round here automatically fill themselves after a time. Once I’d hopped off Mick reversed Oleanna away, it can get quite busy below the lock as it empties. Key of power in the panel I pressed the open sluice button then the gates once the water was level.
Up she rose, pulling in above to top up on water. A narrowboat pulled in at the visitor moorings opposite, did this mean there might be an Oleanna sized mooring available in Doncaster? We hoped so. Onwards saying hello to a chap on a cruisier moored in a decidedly odd place where lots of fly tipping seems to happen. Each to their own!
Approaching Strawberry Island
Passing Strawberry Island Cruising Club we looked out for a bright blue boat NB That’s It, we couldn’t spot it or guess who else would be joining the Fund Britain’s Waterways Cruise on the Trent. With our fingers crossed we approached the moorings, Doncaster Minster standing out from the rest of the city. Two boats on the pontoon, plenty of space for us, Phew!
Not here! Dullcaster. No point in getting excited here!!
A good selection
Lunch then a walk around town. Mick headed to Sainsburys for a new kettle, the old one tends to pour a little too wide! I headed to find Boyes which has moved from its old store into FrenchGate. Have to say I was impressed a really good range of items. I was after a couple of long handled mini rollers for mooring purposes, so that I could reclaim my painty one. I had a choice of handle length, I chose the longest not bad for £1.60. A mattress protector was also found for our new mattress. I also had a good look round.
Such a shame the ground floor is completely empty
Today I’d not managed to walk any towpath as much of it that exists was closed so I’d have to make up for it around town. I walked up to see Danum House which I’ve walked past before, but never noticed it’s Art Deco shape above street level.
Cast
I paused at the bench outside Cast Theatre where during one production week I’d waited to hear about the written survey on NB Lillyanne and if we needed to adjust our offer on her. All had been good.
A new cinema and the libaray looked interesting with an extensive collection of railway lanterns on one wall and a sculpture of a pilgrim from the Mayflower, her dress decorated with macrame.
What did it used to be Sam?
I walked round in what I thought was circles. Turned one corner to come face to face with the rather lovely looking tower that you can see from the navigation. Sam from NB Red Wharf once told us what this had been in the past. Now it has been converted into housing a rather bog standard extension to the rear. So I was a little bit disappointed at it close to.
I like all the parking signs on top of the painting
However across the road was a rather good mural, a little American in its content, but still rather good.
Twice around the closed market before walking past the deli. I managed to stay outside and only allowed myself a quick peek in through the windows. That cheese counter looked so inviting! But it’s contents need to stay put and not make it onto Oleanna.
They went to sea in a sieve
Forty minutes achieved I headed back through the bus station to the moorings. The building next door to the CRT area is being redeveloped. Holes are being dug, large piles of aggregate sit alongside diggers. They were still quite busy at 6pm, being noisy. Hope they go home soon.
Redeveloping
1 lock, 4.2 miles, 1 full water tank, 2 roller handles, 1 protector, 1 kettle, 4.06 miles walked, 42 minutes briskly, 1 bored cat.
Our journey continued down to London Town, conversation regarding Oleanna’s boat paint as we headed southwards. We shouldn’t chose a painter just because his paint shop is in the shadows of cooling towers! This wasn’t the case but Tom was certainly in the lead.
The traffic was bad in places. Our satnav decided to take us on a short detour at one point, handy as it avoided standstill traffic and took us past Wansford Station where we’d moored a couple of years ago on the River Nene. Good Christmas lights were seen, no time to stop to see any of the trains though as we were directed back onto the A1 in time to see the field Tilly had gone AWOL in until well after dark.
Ziggy checking over the local news
It’s been sometime since we drove to my brothers in Hackney and we nearly always get the turn off wrong, but this time I’d remembered to look out for B&Q, then there’s a really tricksy junction to get on the right road. I think this is the first time we’ve done it without a single hitch and thankfully there was a parking space not far from Andrews front door.
Josh was home from University and we had a very pleasant evening catching up, eating a seriously chunky beef bourguignon and drinking maybe just a little bit too much wine. Good to see them all for an evening on our own.
Friday some of the morning was spent sending, or trying to send our email Christmas card. Why does it always have to be so hard? But we got there in the end. What to do with ourselves for the rest of the day?
Selfridges windows not as good as I remembered them being
We didn’t really want to spend any money on going to a museum or a special exhibition. For some reason the Wallace Collection came to mind. Mick checked out a route by bus and we were off heading into London. Three buses later we pulled up outside Selfridges, their Christmas windows were okay, but not quite as slick as I’d expected.
A Christmas staircase
Now it was lunch time, we ended up with an M&S sandwich each sat on a bench outside the Wallace Collection, their cafe menu a touch too expensive for us. Time for some culture. Hertford House in Manchester Square was the home of the Seymour family, it’s named after Sir Richard Wallace who built the extensive collection along with the Marquesses of Herford in the 18th and 19th Centuries.
I was expecting quite a good collection but nothing by any means as large as it turned out to be, 25 galleries housing arms and armour, furniture, porcelain and so many paintings from the 15th to 19th Century. Yes you will find The Swing by Fragonard, much smaller than I’d thought it would be, The Laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals to name just two of the very famous paintings in the collection.
There are Watteaus, Velazquezs, Rubens, Rembrandts, Gainsboroughs, Canellettos, Van Dycks all great stuff amongst lots of Francois Bouchers fluffy pink huge canvases which don’t really do anything for me. I walked round spotting paintings I’d learnt about in A Level art, but then pin pointed paintings that stood out to me.
What an elaborate ruff
My favourite was simply called A Dutch Lady, by M.J. Mierevelt. She was just at the right height to have a conversation with. Her 1628 ruff exquisitely painted. I wanted to ask her so many questions about life in the 17th Century and why she wasn’t named on the frame as many were.
Mick, Rob and Nick
Then we hopped on buses out to Camden, catching glimpses of the canal as we crossed over bridges. A quick call in to drop off a Christmas present with Christine and Paul before we met with my friend Nick and his Canadian friend Rob at a pub just round the corner. I’ve known Nick since we were babes in arms, for some years we went to school together, then did our Art Foundation course together too, we’ve never lost touch. The frequency meeting for drinks on Christmas Eve has dropped in recent years, parents no longer calling us back to York for Christmas. So it was very nice to be able to exchange presents face to face, have beer, food and conversation this close to Christmas.
Saturday was the main reason for our trip down to London. Regular readers will be excused for not remembering what we got up to 10 years ago on the 20th December. Back in 2014 we joined all the Geraghty family for a vintage bus tour around London to celebrate Marion (Mick’s sister) and John’s 40th Wedding Anniversary. Today was naturally their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary.
Interesting buildings in the complex
Andrew and Jac joined all the generations of Geraghty family and friends for the day. Meeting up at Richards flat on the Isle of Dogs we had nibbles and a glass of fizz whilst every one gathered. Then a five or so minute walk to Masthouse Terrace Pier on the banks of the Thames. There waiting for us was an Uber Clipper hired for a trip on the Thames. Marion and John had originally booked a smaller boat, but the toilets weren’t working they’d had an upgrade to a much bigger boat.
Our boat for an hour or so
With about 40 of us onboard there was plenty of room, you could stand out on deck or stay inside with a window seat, where ever you fancied really. Soon we pushed off, two other boats were waiting to come in. Off upstream we headed. Downstream of Tower Bridge boats go fast, it was quite exhilarating stood out on deck at the stern.
The first 2km of our cruise was water we’ve not cruised on Oleanna, in fact I think I’ve only been further downstream on a Clipper for Kath’s 50th birthday when we headed to Greenwich. When Canary Wharf came into view we were now on water we’d cruised on the night time flotilla in 2022. Past Limehouse Lock, now landmarks were familiar.
Sadly the weather wasn’t on our side so many of the taller buildings were only just visible . As we approached Tower Bridge we were all called towards the bow, where John and Marion put on floral garlands to mark the occasion of their anniversary.
Tower Bridge
Under the right hand span of Tower Bridge. Landmarks were pointed out to the youngest of passengers. Places of work were pointed out to new victims and sisters by Mick.
We were moving quicker than we did on Oleanna, the bridges coming one after the other. It was handy to have Waterway Routes up to confirm the names as we passed underneath.
Occasionally John would go on the tannoy, pointing out places of interest in his and other passengers lives. The National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall, the Tattershall Castle that many a Geraghty had crossed the Humber on. The exclusion zone in front of the Houses of Parliament seemed to be smaller than I remembered it.
Houses of Parliament
We made it under Vauxhall Bridge but sadly not quite as far as Battersea Power Station. It was in view though and everyone got a good view as the clipper winded to return us back to Masthouse Terrace Pier.
Power Station in the distance
The first time we’ve been under the centre span with it down
Then it was back to the flat where a chap had been laying out a fantastic buffet from The Space Bar. Drinks, conversation, speeches, photographs and plenty, I mean plenty of food was enjoyed. Then there was cake! Not just one but three types of cake! What a grand way to celebrate 50 years of marriage. Congratulations to Marion and John and thank you for sharing it with us all.
Speeches
Back at the London Leckenby’s we fell into the sofa and didn’t do much for the remainder of the evening.
Cutting the cake
Presents were exchanged on Sunday morning, then we climbed back into our little car and headed back northwards. A pause near Cambridge to refuel and have a substandard breakfast before we carried on up the A1, M18, M62 and then back across the Wolds to Scarborough.
Knitting two together so as to not run out of yarn
Tilly was very pleased to see us. David our lodger had been feeding her whilst we were away, but he’d left food for our return, Tilly apparently hadn’t been impressed with not getting her dingding earlier than normal and she’d been quite noisy about it after not being spotted for three days.
Back in Scarborough before the sunset
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car to London, 3 London Leckenbys, 2 cats, 1 huge gallery, 1 oldest friend, 1 whiffy pub, 5 buses, 1 train, 1 clipper, 40 passengers, 50th anniversary, 50 golden balloons, 2 much yummy food, 3 cakes, 1 gluten free take away box of brownies, 1 lazy evening, 1 pleased Tilly to see us, 1 poorly baddy!
Up early, Mick set off back into Huddersfield to return the car, then got a lift back out to Slaithwaite. We’d hoped to make an early start but it wasn’t until just gone 10am that we pushed off. Mick walked ahead to set the lock, but where had he gone? I could see the lock was empty. A CRT person walked up and was clearing the bywash, was there a problem? I rang Mick, he’d just met Kevin and had been chatting about Lock 1E and the locks to reach there.
Blue skies
With 18 locks to work today Mick got out the Brompton. Most of the locks were that little bit too far apart to be setting ahead, but there were a few that he could. The main reason for the bike was that he could free wheel down the towpath to start setting the next lock as I followed behind with Oleanna.
Autumnal sunlight
Below Lock 21E is the patch of blackberries that Mick and Frank once stopped the boat to fill bowls full. Today what was left of them were all wizened, no point in holding up the proceedings. Some locks had both sets of paddle gear on the same side, some hydraulic, some not. We soon got into rhythm with me closing offside paddles, then giving the thumbs up once back on board and making sure I was clear of the cill.
Titanic Mill
Another beautiful blue skied day. Dropping down to pass Titanic Mill. Just by the lock there is a lot of work going on clearing trees and digging behind a wall, is this for the canal or some building work?
Alongside for much of the way the River Colne follows the canal down the valley. Golden trees now dropping their leaves made for an orange carpet along much of the towpath. The trees gradually hiding more and more light industry, more mills would soon appear alongside the canal.
More Titanic
One very slow pound. Was there something around the prop? Was it leaves? No just the bottom too close to the top. A sign on a lock beam, slow down and keep to the centre. Did this mean above or below the lock? I wasn’t going fast anyway and was tending to keep to the centre.
No way round this rotten bridge
Golcar Aqueduct. A bend to the right then a narrowing over the aqueduct before bending back to the left. Just before the narrowing there was a traffic cone at the side and a big mound of bags of aggregate all muddy and wet. Earlier in the year there had been a leak here, this had held up our friend Graeme. He’d ended up having to retrace himself and find a different route. Thankfully today we were good to go through.
He always pushes his bike under bridges
I expertly crossed the aqueduct not touching the side. Then when turning on the far side ended up a foot out but stuck on the bottom! This took me quite a bit of time to wiggle Oleanna’s way off, reversing and pushing with the pole, but I got there without the need of calling Mick for assistance. He’d only just got the next lock ready anyway.
9E
Down 11,10, and 9E Isis Lock, the one that is easy to click on on Canalplan when wanting to head via Oxford and finding your route plan taking a rather large detour!
Time for a lunch break. We pulled in on the bollards, apologised to Tilly yet again for no shore leave. One day Tilly you’ll be allowed back out, but not yet. Mick decided that he needed to check the quality of the cup cakes again. Verdict they were actually nicer than the main cake. Result, none left!
No cupcakes left!
Time to carry on. Mick’s face lit up with the sight of a walkway over the top end of the next lock. Well there was a reason for that, no access to the bottom gates from the road bridge. I knew this, but he didn’t.
Lock beams open over the road bridge
As you empty the lock it’s wise to end up waiting on the off side. When empty you can then push open the bottom gate and lower the paddle, cross over the walkway on the top gate and do the same at the other bottom gate. From the road bridge at the tail of the lock you can reach both bottom gates to close them, saving having to walk round the lock another time.
He’s always been a bit of a Trout!
David Essex was going round and round in my head, I needed to reset my brain to forget it. We don’t normally listen to music as we cruise, preferring to listen to the bird song, but maybe some would help! But what?
Got to love a good fire escape
How’s about a song about Penguins? I searched Google. The Penguin marching song which came with movements. I listened to it once, it wasn’t going to do the trick as I didn’t already know the words. Hold me Tight needed knocking out of my head. I found a suitable song, turned the volume up. Peter Gabriel did the job and only one witness on the towpath to hear my dodgy cold filled singing.
Loitering man
At Paddock Foot Lock 5E there was a chap loitering around the lock. Was he talking to himself? On the phone? Too busy rolling a spliff? He walked back and forth. Mick checked his phone, only one more lock after this, time to put the Brompton back onboard for safe keeping.
Bright work boat
The chap followed us down to the next lock. Above which was an orange work boat with a funny scaffolding contraption mounted on it. I think there is some work planned on a retaining wall nearby soon, maybe it was for that.
Another odd bod arrived. Whipping out a tape measure from his pocket, he chatted to Mick a bit, crossed the lock, paced to the end, measured something then crossed back. He had no idea how locks worked so I suspect he has a compulsion to measure things and maybe walks to the end of the lock several times a day. Or maybe he had something to do with the scaffolding on the workboat. The other chap paced out the length of the lock as Oleanna descended.
Mick was picked up and we now made our way along the narrow section to above Lock 3E. Here we joined a couple of other boats, neither of which we were expecting. There is limited space above the lock, really only the lock landing. Here it’s not a problem to be moored on the bollards as the first boats to go through the lock would be boats heading towards Lock 1E in the morning, any coming up wouldn’t reach 3E until we’d already left.
Maybe room for one more breasted up behind
The only thing was the lock landing was full. We pulled over to the off side where railings could be tied to. A chap popped out from NB Wildflower to chat and check if we were booked for tomorrow. It sounded like the two boats we’d been expecting in front of us were already down near Lock 1E, one wasn’t booked but was hoping he’d be allowed through.
We settled down for the evening. Tilly now in resigned mode of being an indoor cat, only a few complaints before she went back to sleep. Gradually the outdoor world turned purple around us. The exterior walls of Kirklees College washed in purple flood light, sadly not our own Northern Lights!
Purplihole
18 locks, 4.1 miles, 1 annoying song, 1 Sledgehammer, 1 Brompton lock wheeler, 0 problems with water, 1 lunch break, 2 odd bods, 1 boat jam, 1 purple world, 1 cat giving up hope of any shore leave ever again.
Being still today wasn’t going to matter to us. I would be heading off on a train to York for a hospital appointment around midday. Mick was heading to Scarborough to do a turn around at the house plus a roofer, via our insurance company, was coming to look at the leak that had happened a week ago. Originally this was meant to have been Friday, then it got moved to Monday, now it was supposed to happen Tuesday.
How long has this latch been letting people onto the towpath?
We were getting ourselves sorted for some time away from the boat, when my phone rang. York Hospital having to cancel my appointment due to staff illness. I knew I shouldn’t have booked my train ticket yesterday! Oh blimey, I’d been referred back in February, how long would it be before I could be seen? Thankfully a new appointment could be made for two weeks time, I snapped it up. No need for me to head to York now.
Six pairs, only five heading off today
Mick headed off to catch a train to Scarborough, he’d booked himself a flu and covid jab this afternoon at a chemists he’d be walking past, so at least that part of the plan would work. Whilst on the train to York he had a phone call about the roofer. Could they come Wednesday? This was becoming a joke now and really awkward. Mick was already on his way to meet someone tomorrow and staying an extra night might hold up our descent from Marsden. By the end of several phone calls the insurance company have now agreed that we can get the roof fixed as long as it costs no more than £200, but we’ll need a vat receipt, so not just a cash in hand job.
New neighbours
I spent the morning packing up five pairs of socks. A boat came and joined us from the tunnel, they must have come through first thing.
Same as yesterday
Then I walked down the locks to have a look to see what was happening at lock 37E. The answer to that was nothing. The orange fencing hadn’t been touched from what I could tell and the handrail uprights still looked the same. Hopefully something will happen with it tomorrow.
I didn’t have a pint
I walked down into the village. Large disused mills sit in the valley. Further info can be found here. In the early 19th Century, the mills in Marsden included cotton mills, silk mills and woollen mills. Bank Bottom Mill in 1936 covered 14 acres and employed 1900 people, it closed in 2003. It still sits empty over looking the village.
I walked past New Mill, known locally at Crowthers Mill, it was part of the J.E. Crowther and Sons firm and in 1936 had 260 looms and 32 carding machines. It sits in the village centre, just behind the main shopping street, the River Colne running along its northern side.
New Mill
Earlier this year a council report said that a redevelopment scheme for New Mill had become unviable. The scheme was to include light industry and offices. It had received £5.6 million on levelling up cash and £11.7 million from the private sector. Increased costs mean more funds are required. Some of the buildings were due to be demolished to be replaced with light industrial units the majority of the site does not have listed status. It’s such a good location in the village and such a shame with all it’s broken windows.
Socks went in the post and I climbed back up the hill to Oleanna. Tilly was allowed some more accompanied shore leave. Calculations that she’d been working on were tried, and failed. A long stretch at one point, stood on hind leg tippy toes had her only a third of the way up the face of the wall, the stone hard to grip onto with her claws. Thankfully some walkers came along, she decided to sit in a window and contemplate the wall some more. I won’t be beaten!
(Paw x block size) -72.4 /532.86 % 53+4538/tail whip x {987-bum wiggle factor} 45.7
Yarn for pair 41 was wound into a cake and the toe cast on whilst watching the finale of Traitors NZ. I’m pleased with the outcome. But dressing for your fellow contestants funerals, well!
0 locks, 0 mended, 0 miles, 5 pairs on their way, 1 contemplating cat.
Quarter of an hour earlier than of late we managed to push off, a small achievement but at least it was in the right direction.
Trees trees trees
Once down the Marple flight the Peak Forest Canal is just flat, there are two tunnels and a lift bridge for a bit of interest, but no locks. We pootled along, tunnel mode engaged for Hyde Bank Tunnel all 308 yards of it. I then bobbed below to give Tilly’s pooh box a refresh as I could tell she was desperate to go, wanted to use shore based facilities, wouldn’t be allowed onto the outside, her pooh box smelt! I can tell these things easier now I spend half an hour every day at her level on the floor!
A touch of autumnal knitting at the stern as we made our way along the tree lined canal. At Woodley Tunnel a Dad was cycling with his two kids along the towpath which goes through the tunnel. His daughter wasn’t peddling, just pushing herself along with both feet, making her Dad’s progress behind quite difficult. As soon as we passed there was no light in the tunnel and the daughter really wasn’t happy! I’m not sure how Dad coped with it all, I suspect the easiest way would have been to reverse out of the tunnel, but his son was way ahead. I hope next time they’ll equip their bikes with lights!
A rounder O would have helped
Past Joseph Adamson and Co, Est 1885. I wonder if originally they had planned for a rounder O than was used Or was the company actually Jo Seph Adamson and Co?
Under a couple of roving bridges. One with metal sides. Going under this it looked like the bridge has been expanded several times, I think we counted five different archways
Under the M67
The next bridge was under the M67, I think this is just about as close as we can get to Fallowfield where my nephew Josh is currently living at Manchester University. 5.3 miles as the crow flies.
Lifted just enough to get under
Who would wind up the lift bridge? I remember doing so on a hire boat, this I’m pretty sure would have been the first lift bridge I ever worked, unless I got the job on the Llangollen way back when! First thing was to remember what would be needed to unlock it, a handcuff key, not a Key of Power! I remember making the same mistake last time. 31 turns up and 21 down, it was hard work, maybe I’m loosing all my windlass lasspower.
I suppose it’ll do!
We pulled in a short distance on, enough outside before the drop down to the River Tame for Tilly to have some shore leave and not too close to the railway bridge. Before sitting down for lunch I gave the nettles along the bank a trim, intentions to do more to the grabrail.
Over lunch it decided to rain, this along with the bank not being right alongside Oleanna put me off getting the attachment of doom out to grind back the rusty bits. I just hope that I get a suitable mooring and suitable weather to get more done to them and the mushroom vent before too long.
Ashton Old Baths
A walk up to Lidl then Asda to do a ‘just in case’ Sunday roast shop and to buy a newspaper in the wet kept us busy. Three buildings caught our attention. The first not very architecturally significant, Ashton Primary Care Centre. This is where nine years ago a lovely nurse practitioner redressed my missing finger despite them not being allowed to do such things.
What lies inside the old baths
Next was Ashton Old Baths. Opened in the 1870s, Ashton Old Baths is one of the finest example of a former public swimming baths in the North of England. The building has housed concerts, held tennis matches and closed in 1975, the building remained derelict for 40 years until Tameside Council and Oxford Innovation decided to reinvent the space for the digital age. It’s a grand Victorian building from the outside, inside it holds a wooden pod. More info can be found here.
Cavendish Mill
The other building is Cavendish Mill a former cotton spinning mill. It was built between 1884 and 1885 to a fireproof design and was the first mill in Ashton to be built with concrete floors and a flat roof. What stands out though is it’s octagonal staircase around the base of the chimney. The mill ceased spinning cotton in 1934, then was used for various purposes until it was converted into housing in 1994.
0 locks, 6.4 miles,1 lift bridge, 2 tunnels, 1 great looking outside, 1 mediocre outside, 2 many woofers, 1 plan postponed, 1 Sunday roast purchased just in case, 1 dormant pizza boat neighbour.
A late morning waking up, it must have been all that sea air. No time for a cuppa in bed, we’d places to go, a new outside to tie up for Tilly. But it was raining! It had been dry virtually all the time Mick was away, now it just rains! Radar checked, it might be dry by 11:30. Time to edit more socks.
Old Hovis Mill
By 11:45 we were bored of waiting and made ready to push off, full winter waterproofs today, have to say I prefer my padded waterproof trousers , my summer ones need replacing. Through a couple of bridges to the water point by the C&RT yard. Here we could also empty the yellow water into our big container ready for an elsan. It rained.
Now how far would we get along the summit pound. Our aim was not far from Marple, but would we last that long? Thankfully the rain started to ease and with a locker lid mopped down I had somewhere to sit down.
Lovely bridge
One boat on the Macclesfield pontoon with a git gap in front of it! The pontoon isn’t straight so maybe they didn’t feel the need to nudge up as maybe there wouldn’t be enough room for one behind. Onwards towards Bollington. Under Bridge 29, a roving bridge which is always picturesque even if you can’t fit it all in the frame. Up on the hillside I could see a tower, I zoomed in. WC in it’s brickwork at the top a little white door next to it. Just what could it be. Mick checked the OS map and nothing was obvious. Was it a folly, a water tower, a ventilation shaft, a toilet?
What is it?
On an old 1923 map the hillside shows several quarries and Turret Cottages, the tower had turrets. The cottages, now three, used to be two cottages, a smithy and an explosives store. More info can be found on the Happy Valley website Sadly I can’t find anything about the tower.
Click photo for details
Under Bridge 28. The house right by the bridge for sale. This is where the Bollington zoo commences. Giant turtles, Crocodiles, Gorilla, a Panda and her baby, Giraffes everywhere if you look hard enough through the town.
Opposite the Adelphi Mill is Bollington Wharf the home to NB Alton the coal boat. Paul must have just stoked the back cabin stove as it wasn’t being a very good advert for the smokeless fuel! We waved and said hello to Brian and Ann-Marie busy filling the back of a van with 20 litres containers of red diesel, these most probably headed to boats in the area but not reachable on Alton.
Clarence Mill
The embankment would have had room for just one more boat, but we weren’t anywhere near ready to stop for the day. Earlier in the year the embankment sprung a leak. Clay was puddled a couple of times to stop the water escaping. New stop planks sit close to bridges either end of the embankment, just in case.
Curves on an angle
Past Clarence Mill where we slightly spooked a hire boat coming towards us. Then on under the wonderful Sugar Lane Bridge 26, built on a skew but retaining all the curvy attributes of the Macclesfield Bridges.
Past Lime View Marina. Would the same boats still be there? Was there still a phone in a pramhood, yes! The hedge alongside the towpath a touch too leafy to be able to see across towards Stockport. At last the Blue Boat, NB Jubilee Bridge whom we’d met on the Huddersfield Narrow back in our yellow days on NB Lillyanne.
That’s my Boat!
Hang on! That boat, it’s mine! Well it’s got my name on it. Handy size for a theatre designers studio and it has a stove too. I wonder how many feet long it is? Wouldn’t need the outboard if we towed it. Hmmm.
Click photo
A modern house is for sale overlooking the canal on the way into Poynton. A boat had just pulled up on the water point, taking their time in tying up. We wanted to drop off our rubbish, hoping that the bins were still there on the way to the car park. They were. So was the little conveyor belt in Bailey’s Trading Post that we’d seen back in 2020. Three boats nestled together behind the arched bridge at Braidbar Boats, two new boats being fitted out for excited boaters, the other we’ve seen about.
Exciting times for someone
The wind was building up, rain couldn’t be far behind. Should we pull in opposite the moorings where the Del Boy boat now resides. The fencing now just about Tilly proof would stop her from getting lost for hours, but might not leave her with enough interest. Onwards that bit further and a space showed itself before Bullocks Bridge. We slotted in playing dog shit hopscotch as we tied up.
One job left to do, light the stove, we’d gradually got colder and colder outside, time to get Oleanna all cosy again.
Obligatory
I mastered some popcorn bobbles on pair 39 of my socks, these look a touch like autumnal berries. Unfortunately when I’d got so far with this pair I’d checked my gauge and it all seemed a touch too big, so I’d reduced my stitch count to four less. Now it was finished it seemed to have shrunk! I should have stuck to my instinct and kept the extra 4 stiches. Well at least it will allow me to add in a red line or two to help tie in the berries better when I re-knit the first sock tomorrow!
0 locks, 8.3 miles, 1 hour short of planned mooring, 1 full water tank, 1 Pip boat, 1 better than expected day, 2 hours, only 1 taken, 1 Tilly proof fence, 20 x 20 litres, 1 smoking boat.
Devil’s Garden to Runcorn and Western Canal Junction to Marsh Lock
Tilly awarded the Devil’s Garden a stamp of approval this morning despite it peeing it down for most of her shore leave. A boat we’d passed yesterday came past and pulled in next to the other boat on the field. This is such a lovely mooring, hope we have time to stop here again on our way back.
There’s a devil out there!
A lull in rain gave us the impetus to push off at 11:30am. The chap who’d pulled in asked if we’d got a brolly, well on Sunday we discovered our brolly was destined for the bin! It wouldn’t have helped today as it was very windy plus we were heading into the wind!
There they go
Soon we came across a rowing eight and rescue boat, everyone as soggy as we were. They had soon turned and could be seen gaining on us. Their cox wasn’t altering their course any and they were destined to meet with our stern fender. What to do? Hold our course, they were still gaining on us! Mick decided to pull over to our port and slowed down with the aim of them continuing straight on. This didn’t work as they also slowed right down and looked at one point as if they were about to turn again and head up stream. We carried on returning to the correct side of the river, after a while they came past us to port.
Here they come again
There was a space at the end of the moorings at Sutton Swing Bridge, but we wanted to continue further today despite the rain, maybe we’d stop here on the way back.
Daniel Adamson
On the other side of the bridge sat the Daniel Adamson, were they on the water point? We spotted a pontoon just after them and pulled in to dispose of our rubbish. This is the boats home mooring, hooked up and filling with water. A chap came and asked if we’d like a look round. Silly question! Of course we would. A cruise on the Danny was on the list of possible things to do for Mick’s 60th birthday a few years ago.
The Danny (originally named the Ralph Brocklebank) is a steam tug which was built in 1903 in Birkenhead. She was built to pull long strings of barges laden with goods from Cheshire and the Potteries to Liverpool. She also carried passengers between Ellesmere Port and Liverpool this continued until 1915. During WW1 she had a short stint for the Royal Navy patrolling around the Liverpool coast.
Ropes
She was purchased by the Manchester Ship Canal in 1922 for over £3000, she still towed barges and carried passengers along the Ship Canal including VIPs around the inland docks. In 1936 she was given a radical refit was renamed after the Ship Canals chairman Daniel Adamson. The wheelhouse and bridge were raised, she got an upper deck and two saloons. The interior decor was done by Heaton Tabb and Co who were owned by Harland Wolff Ltd and had worked on the grandest of Atlantic liners. The interior was renovated in the modern Art Deco style.
Curves
Trade on the ship canal and the docks changed through the following decades. With the rise in container ships Manchester docks could not compete and were closed in 1982. The Danny was retired and in 1986 she was towed to Ellesmere Port Boat Museum where she’d started out her life 83 years earlier.
Her upkeep dropped, she fell into disrepair due to funding cuts, she was vandalised and set fire to. By 2004 she was earmarked for the scrap, but word got round, and Mersey Tug Skipper Dan Cross set up the Daniel Adamson Preservation Trust and soon he’d bought her for £1 from the Ship Canal. By 2015 the Heritage Lottery Fund had awarded the trust £3.8 million to restore her to full working order, by which time volunteers had already given over 1000 hours of their time.
Beautiful woodwork
Gordon showed us round, what a treat. The saloons were restored to how they would have been in 1936 with beautiful wood, glowing with warmth, graceful curves and deco steps.
Fancy
The steps up to the bridge have brass fretwork on them. The wheel is the original still with steam powered steering. The love for this boat shone through as Gordon told us the history.
The boiler has three fires
We’d noticed the standard hose pipe to the water point. It takes them three days to fill their tank and tonnes of water is needed as ballast! She has a coal fired boiler and the volunteers are now grateful that the coal arrives in bags as they have ten tonnes to shift at a time and get into the holds.
Steam powered steering
Mick asked how she was to steer. Gordon’s reply was ‘Pig comes to mind!’ From the bridge you can’t see the bow due to the canopy over the deck below, so they use the Jack mast to steer by. Four turns of the wheel, then you wait to see what she’s doing before you have to compensate.
Not only does the water tank take three days to fill, but it also takes that time for her to get up to steam for a trip. If she’s moving two days in a row firemen have to stay on board overnight to keep the fires going.
Thank you Gordon
Thank you so much Gordon for showing us round, what an unexpected treat when only wanting to dispose of our rubbish.
Chemicals
Under the M56 and onwards towards the Ship Canal. Blimey it was getting windier and windier. Now we cruised past the start of Koura Global a massive chemical works, followed by INEOS more chemical works. This continued on right up to Weston Lock where the Weaver navigation meets the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Weaver. We then turned to follow the navigation to the north for about another mile still accompanied all the time by chemical works.
Last lock on the Runcorn and Western Canal
Along here a narrow strip of land keeps the navigation from the ship canal, we couldn’t see it from onboard Oleanna sadly. At the far end the current navigation stops at Weston Point. Here there used to be three sets of locks.
Six inch 1888-1915 map
One towards the Ship Canal to the west. A lock to the north which led to another two locks and then out onto the Ship Canal. Then to the east a lock up onto the Runcorn and Western Canal which finally led to the flight of locks up to Runcorn. The bottom lock gates of the later lock are still visible, today with a heron guarding them.
A rare moment of sunshine after we’d winded
We’d heard that it might be possible to bang spikes in here, but we couldn’t work out where. So instead winded and headed back to Marsh Lock where there is a pontoon. We’d been warned the other day that the pontoon has lost it’s access to the bank. Mick later in the afternoon managed to haul himself up onto the bank and go to have a look at the lock and across to the Ship Canal, the Mersey not far away either.
Marsh Lock looking out onto the Ship Canal
White horses and rain continued for the majority of the day. Tilly resided herself to sitting in front of the stove. I joined her to do some knitting. News came through later today that Hunts Lock on the Weaver has been successfully repaired and is now open for navigation. An adjustment of cruising hours now required to reach the other end too in the time we have.
Our mooring for tonight
0 locks, 6.4 miles, 1 swing bridge, 2 pairs of gloves, 1 guided tour, 1930s deco, 3 days for water, 3 days to get enough steam, 10 tonne coal, 1 stove lit, 1 cosy cat, 1 very wet and blustery day.
Mick walked up towards Haywood Lock to see if there were any spaces available for us to move up. The internet coverage where we were moored was poor, therefore annoying! He’d checked on a map and we seemed to be sat in a little hole, further along the signal should improve.
A space behind one boat and another in front, but this was under a leaning oak tree. With gusts of wind this mooring wouldn’t be so good. We needed to act quickly before the first mooring was snatched up, so as I finished my exercises Mick pushed us off. Have to say doing lunges whilst Oleanna was moving was very wobbly! However I was ready to help moor up, as close as we could to the boat in front which just so happened to be NB Winding Down, our old shareboat.
Breakfasted, we got ourselves ready for a day out, just as a breasted up pair of Jules Fuels boats was pulling out, we decided to move up and not be that annoying boat a touch too close to a bridge hole. As we moved I spied people onboard Winding Down, we had to at least say hello. Just as well we did as it was Paul and Aileen Jordon one of the last few original syndicate members. We last bumped into them in Braunston a couple of years ago before WD moved base to Aston Marina.
Hello Winding Down
It was great to have a chat and reminisce, only one other original owner left, Roger. They had two of their grandchildren with them and more were expected shortly for a picnic before the youngsters were heading home.
On Essex Bridge
Time for us to have a day out!
The plaster of this ceiling was carved by the artist laying on his back and took 2 years. Hope he got paid well
Back inJune 2015 we spent several days at Shugborough, then ran by Staffordshire County Council and the National Trust. We’d had a tour of the house at break neck speed back then, little could be remembered so we decided to visit again, dust off the cobwebs on our National Trust cards. In 2016 the management of the Hall was handed back to the National Trust, so today we could get in for free.
The Red Drawing Room
There were plenty of people about, lots for kids to do in the park. At the front door of the house we showed our cards and were let in to walk around the house at our own pace. As with most NT properties the house has been laid out with the story of it’s occupants, here it is the Anson brothers who travelled the world. Also as with many NT properties we didn’t get to find out much about the actual house. Plenty of information boards about the brothers, a huge map with interesting facts about their voyages and how they started off with 1900 crew, arriving back in England with just 188! But I’m interested in the house too, I’ll have to look it up.
Map of travels
Once we’d looked round the ground floor, walked through the red drawing room and the library with disguised door and taken note of how quickly Elizabeth and Betty had grown we then could climb the back staircase to look round the rooms upstairs where Lord Patrick Lichfield had lived and taken many a photograph. This is the part of the house we remembered most, the kitchen, the deep deep baths, the photographs. Here you’re not allowed to take any yourself.
One room which had been Patricks bedroom had photographs he’d taken. Another couple walked round ahead of us. She said ‘That looks like him. That looks like Sophia Loren’ He said, ‘No it won’t be’. I wondered who he’d think were in the royal family photographs when they came to them, and yes that was actually Mick Jagger!
The Library
Time for lunch, we hunted out the cafe. Chock-a-block, but we’d timed our arrival very well as just about everyone was finishing. Jacket potatoes were finished for the day but we could have potato wedges instead with a filling on top of our choice, a little bit of a strange combination. Sat next to us was a family, the teenage daughter had just gone to get them pudding. Three scones and a huge slab of carrot cake with a good layer of cream cheese frosting. She said how she’d not been able to decide on a scone or the cake, Mum offered to go halves with her, half a scone for half the cake. ‘How much of that half would you like?’ came back the answer from the daughter!
Not the same as a jacket potato
Back in 2015 there were carriages to look at. The house kitchens were in working order with a cook baking scones and ginger biscuits. Sadly today these areas are closed, I think the collections have been moved elsewhere as they belonged the Staffordshire County Museum. Such a shame, but at least we’d seen them last time.
Time for some chilled medication, we joined the queue and selected our flavours, Devilishly Chocolate and Rolo, basically the same ice cream but one with mini rolos and a swirl of caramel added. As the medication level had been topped up we walked round to the formal gardens at the back of the house. Past the Chinese House built in 1747, crossing the red bridge and onto the island to look at the Cat Monument. Why does that cat have a moustache?
Chocolate flavoured medication
The monument (c.1750) possibly commemorates a cat which travelled around the world with Admiral Anson on the ‘Centurion’. Or that it was built as a memorial to Kouli-Khan, a Persian cat kept by Thomas Anson. He also kept a heard of Corsican Goats which feature around the base of the monument.
Moustache!
We then returned to Oleanna, enough walking for today and time to let Tilly out. She wasn’t that enamoured with it this afternoon, even if we had a chatty parrot for a neighbour. Well you’d told me I wasn’t allowed to talk to it!
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 bridges crossed, 1 Georgian Mansion walked round, 1 formal garden, 2 years, 1 ceiling back to front, 35 Weetabix, 1,313,843 pieces of 8, 2 brothers, 0 carriages, 0 puppets, 2 far to go to the farm, 1 odd cat, that’s not me!
Shore leave was granted, I didn’t want to smell their cooked breakfast anyway, I’d far rather find my own thanks. I did however make it back in time, 1 hour 15 to be exact, to show myself on the screen. Everyone was there, they talked about slimy slugs, squerls eating strawberries again, the big steps in Nottingpants where Toms play with hard balls not bedoingee balls and cheesy flavoured hoola hoops, they sounded like round Dreamies, interesting.
Not the full works
Yellow water was dealt with, Tilly’s pooh box refreshed, and rubbish taken to the bins. As I rolled up the covers the boat in front of us NB Tamarisk, Over the yarnarm, was also making ready to move off. We had a locking partner.
Fishing match to our stern
A group of fishermen had set themselves a match, no-one was having any luck though, no fish biting. The thatched cottage still looks very snug and hunkered down by the bridge, very appealing.
The Marsworth cottage
The Marsworth bottom locks were empty, Mick hopped off to set the top one as Helen and Carlene joined to work the locks, we were mob handed. NB Tamarisk used to be moored on the Bridgewater, Mike and Helen having owned her now for 18 months moved her down onto the Kennet and Avon where they spend much of the year. They are on a summer exploration cruise, possibly up to Birmingham if they have enough time before they want to return to their home waters.
Sharing
Round past all the boats on the boat club moorings. We waved to the Margees house, even though Alison and Laura haven’t lived there since we’ve known them, but we still wave. Under the big railway embankment and on to Seabrook Swing Bridge. It’s very odd being on the boat at such times as it’s usually me who operates it or I’m ready with a windlass to set the next lock, but Carlene did the honours.
It turns out that Carlene used to live at Cooks Wharf on NB Mozart. Mike her brother remembers the Margees house being built. If you are reading this Alison and Laura, Carlene said to say Hello! The large grassy area alongside Seabrook Lock 35 was where Carlene and her friends used to come and socialise at weekends, her trip bringing back memories, I think Mike is doing his best to persuade her to move back onto a boat.
Carlene and Mike reminiscing
At our last lock I felt a touch useless. I’d normally be the one opening and closing gates, lifting paddles, setting ahead. Helen had set the lock and opened both gates, I managed to step off and hold Oleanna’s centre line whilst Mike brought their boat into the lock. But there was no-one to close our gate, paddles were about to be lifted and I had to stop everyone. I most probably could have closed the gate, but my instinct at the moment is to do no pushing and pulling of heavy things.
Time for us to find a mooring, we said our farewells and pulled in a little past some boats. This morning our side hatch had looked out at milepost 54, this afternoon it was 52. Tilly was given another four hours, coming and going. Mick sat outside to listen to the end of the test match and I watched The Courier (2020) whilst knitting away at my scrappy sock.
Benedict Cumberbatch plays Greville Wynne a British Businessman who was recruited to carry information from Russian Oleg Penkovsky in the 1960s. Both men are arrested, after months of interrogation Wynne is allowed a visit from his wife who reveals that the information they had passed to the British and Americans helped to de-escalate the Cuban Missile Crisis. A good film but a few too many subtitles for ease of knitting.
Tilly checking out our mooring
We finally got round to swapping over our duvet today. Summer one unpacked and the winter one stuffed back into a vaccum bag with some thick jumpers and popped back under the bed. It may be back out in a few weeks time, who knows!
4 locks, 2 miles exactly, 1 sharing boat, 1 summer weight duvet, 2 fat jumpers, 0.5 of a sock, 1 film, 2nd test match won, 1 day we’ll be moored at County Hall in Nottingham for a test match, 2 Walsall Turkey Schnitzels, 46th President not to stand again, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval for this morning’s mooring.
