Category Archives: Baking

Just When It Was Getting Interesting. 5th September

Opposite Goole Waterways Museum to Sykehouse Junction, New Junction Canal

The VHF radio was turned on this morning so we could listen in to the docks. Plenty of stuff was going on. Ships approaching Goole were having to ease their speed on their approach.

Then Little Shuva a Goole tug could be seen across the way from us. Moored up alongside the concrete plant (Goole is not the most idyllic spot on the network, but fascinating as a working port) is a large boat, not sure if it is powered or just used as a skip, but Little Shuva pushed up alongside so a chap could step off onto it. He looked down a hatch in the bow and then pulled over a large yellow rope onto the bow of Shuva. Before leaving he tightened both bow ropes and did a full circuit of the boat before stepping back onboard and returning down to the docks. The Harbour master chirping up on the radio checking that Shuva would be needed in the docks shortly.

I wonder if these big ships count how many cars they hold up?

Just when it was getting really interesting it was time to join the Geraghty’s on the weekly zoom, so sadly the big ships would be busy whilst we caught up with family. Today’s topics the Proms, Covid tests for 14 month old children, life after working in the states and Goal Keepers loosing their legs! Everyone was fine and we wished Sean good luck with work in Italy next week.

Mick cycled down for a newspaper. Our paper wasn’t available at the Co-op so he then headed to WH Smiths. This meant crossing the docks just as a ship was leaving, reversing through one of the swing bridges. I was really quite jealous at not being there.

Tilly had been allowed shore leave for a couple of hours, coming nose to nose with the German Shepherd early on. We know who’d have one should no human have interjected! Now we were all back on board it was time to fill up the tanks across the way.

The diesel point at Goole Boathouse seems to always be windy and the bollards are not in the right position for us to tie to Add to this a cruiser moored on the corner and the wonderful 1907 Phyllis at the other end it is quite hard to position a 58ft 6″ narrowboat in the right spot so that the hose reaches. The gap was big enough for us, we just had to overhang one boat or the other to be able to fill up. We’d considered getting a new gas bottle too, but with the bow a long way out that job can wait a while.

At 65p a litre Mick made sure he made the most of it. Then we moved over to the water point, a cruiser had moved out of the way for us, so we felt we had to. With all jobs done including disposing of yellow water and rubbish we were wanting some lunch. We moved up to the end of the visitor moorings and tied up where Sobriety used to live.

Here we were faced with numerous NO MOORING signs. There were also notes from the Liquidators for the Museum stating that no one can moor here. The moorings had been part of a long lease to the Sobriety Project and therefore are part of the liquidation process. The signs were quite curt suggesting we should move on immediately. We had our lunch and then did as we were told.

Clinging onto our hats once again we made our way back up the wide waterway. At times it is so wide we suspect even Exol Pride could wind. Boats were dotted here and there each with a good stretch of social distancing before the next moored boat.

Going past the marina at Rawcliffe the smell from Croda was really quite pongy, it didn’t feel like it would be doing anyone any good. Apparently they make lanolin by refining wool grease, well it certainly is pongy!

At Southfield Reservoir plenty of people were out making the most of the breeze. Windsurfers and dinghys were zooming back and forth at great speed, all fine when you can cling on and lean into the wind, but a pain once you’ve fallen in!

At the junction we turned left and joined two other boats on the moorings. I’d been wanting to tackle the starboard side windows, but the wind and our later than planned arrival meant I put the job on hold. Instead some buckwheat pasta was made for a lasagne along with a batch of rosemary and thyme sourdough crackers. The stove was lit and after several hours of being busy on the towpath Tilly made the most of it.

PS. Nantwich Veg Boxes/Clems Greengrocers, who looked after us so well during lockdown have received an award from the Nantwich Food Festival.

Business Positivity Award – This category celebrates the businesses that have shown exceptional initiative and customer satisfaction during the virus. The winner is: Clem’s Traditional Greengrocers – Clem’s showed great care for their community by working many hours to deliver fruit & vegetable boxes during the pandemic and the staff were always cheerful and careful to ensure safe delivery.

Congratulations to them, I miss their veg boxes.

0 locks, 6.85 miles, 1 wind, 1 very windy day, 1 newspaper, 1 busy port, 8 on the zoom, 10 seconds! 1 left, 1 tray of crackers, 1 toasty stove, 2 outsides, 1 busy cat.

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https://goo.gl/maps/LrYW1jyNEHrrvg2B8

Patience Tilly Patience. 30th August

Naburn Water Point Pontoon to Naburn Visitor Moorings

Levels were certainly dropping this morning, but would they get low enough for us to head downstream tomorrow? Our main hope for the day was that the levels would come down enough, early enough for us to play do-ci-do and reverse back to the 48 hour moorings and let Tilly out. We all had our fingers crossed.

Just as we were about to tuck into breakfast we heard an engine and movements from outside. Had someone else arrived? Or was someone leaving?

It was the latter. The Abandoned boat was on the move. Kenny, the Lock Keeper had managed to track down the owner the other day, the chap hadn’t been pleased when he was told his boat had been moved. He apparently changed his mind when he heard that his boat would have sunk if no action had been taken. A couple of days ago smoke was seen coming from the abandoned boats chimney, but nobody saw him until this morning. He asked the hybrid boat to move out as he wanted to be off, so they did as requested. His manoeuvring meant that he ended up across the sterns of everyone else and required a push and then his bow pulling round so that he didn’t remain pinned to us for the rest of the day. He said nothing, headed off upstream, Kenny said he was headed to Linton Lock. Each to their own!

Tom decided to study the charts and lots of words about the Ooose. He obviously needed some assistance so I lent him some, sitting on the book to keep it warm. Very helpful I thought.

The lady from NB Gandja came to say hello, we’d been wondering where abouts of the river they’d got to. They had enjoyed their trip up to Ripon and on their way back they had moored at Boroughbridge when the river started to come up. Someone from the homemade vessel, No 9, had knocked on their roof at about midnight and suggested that they should move to the floating pontoon above Milby Lock. The following morning some C&RT staff told them not to move until the level dropped. When it did they had called Kenny at Naburn, but he told them there was no space, so they headed into York Marina as the river was due to rise again. She was hoping for a discount as they weren’t using any of the facilities, just electric and water, at £27.50 a night! Glad we’d headed to the lock! They plan on heading to Selby on Tuesday, so we may see them again down the way.

To while away some of the afternoon we tagged along at the very back of an heritage tour around the lock. These were taking place over the weekend with a volunteer talking about the history of the Ouse and Naburn Lock. We missed about a third of it, but did find out that the lock island had once been home to a corn/flint mill and workers cottages. The mill and lock were serviced by a blacksmith in one of the buildings which still stands.

The chap showed photos of the floods on Boxing Day 2012 when the lock island was under water, right up to the yale lock on the office door, quite impressive. Neither Mick or myself remember that flood, November 2000 was the highest recorded, the gate across the bottom of the lane by my dad’s house had only one bar left above the water on that occasion, I suspect in 2012 there were at least two bars visible.

Back at the boats the level was getting more and more promising. Tilly did her best to be patient, waiting for her shore leave to return. We waited for a view to come back to each side of Oleanna. Being hemmed in without a view was getting to all of us. At least you got to go outside!!

The afternoon wore on, Jo had headed out to the park with her kids and a friend, maybe we should have done the boat shuffle before she went out. Mick chatted to Kenny and Richard, both of us heading down the lock in the morning, we’d be joined by a couple of cruisers heading to Goole. We waited and waited. Was that Tiger Storm we could hear? We waited. That had to be them! I baked a loaf of bread for Mick and then got a fish crumble ready for the oven.

At half an hour past my dingding the back of Oleanna dipped. Tom went to chat with Jo She, She needed to settle the kids then could move her outside and give us some back. This all took way too long, a Tiger Tom should understand my needs and hopes, but they just slid away.

As Jo pulled back we could just see the edge of the moorings glinting in the evening sun, any earlier and we’d have been paddling. Everyone was out and ready to move round. Jo winded and headed off up the cut to wind again and return to the visitor moorings so her kids could have easy access to the bank.

Then it was our turn. Mick reversed Oleanna back to the nearest end of the moorings. A blast of reverse then an adjustment with forwards meant he flooded the moorings, luckily my end stayed dry, well drier as there was a layer of sticky silt that the ducks had been paddling about in.

Doofer moved outwards, the hybrid boat pulled back and Richard reversed NB Isabella back towards the moorings. Doofer and the hybrid moving back in, both against the pontoon. They will be following us down the lock in a few days time.

As we finished tying up, the beeper went announcing that the crumble was ready. It also meant that it was way past cat curfew. Should we risk letting Tilly out for the first time in days. Our decision was no. Should she get carried away and stay out overnight the tide would not wait for us. She would have to make do with a view tonight.

0 locks, 0.06 miles in reverse, 1 boat gone, £27.50! 5 boats shuffled round, 0 milk at the shop, 7pm land visible, 1 balloon, 1 so so bored cat, 2/3rds of a tour, 1 loaf, 1 crumble, 6 days without a view, 2 sun setting vistas revealed, 1 early night.

YoYo River. 28th August

Narburn Lock Water Point Pontoon

Overnight the river had continued to fall. Here in Naburn when we woke the mooring bollards were above water again, a good sign, but it was raining and due to continue raining for most of the day. A look at the Viking recorder level and the forecast levels showed that in York the river had just started to level out before it would rise again. We’d guessed as much, but the predicted levels were high again.

The levels recorded below Naburn Lock were starting to show the influence of the tides again, would there be enough fresh going downstream to make it possible to escape during the afternoon and not have to wait for the tide? This was a question to ask the Lockie when we saw him next.

A look at the weir was needed, it was more audible than it’s been in the last few days. The difference of levels on the tidal and none tidal river were visible again, hence the weir making a lot more noise. The downstream pontoon no longer level with the island, still a lot of water crashing around though.

The Lock Keeper was hanging around when we returned. We asked what the possibilities were of heading downstream this afternoon a bit earlier than with the tide before the next rise in water really got going. He wasn’t keen on the idea, fare enough.

He did say that if the levels remained more or less as they were now then he’d be on duty for the morning tide and be able to pen us down at 6:30am in return for a bacon butty. Well we already knew that the levels would rise again, a carrot dangled then drowned again!

A wet day followed as the levels gradually rose again.

Tilly is finding it hard here. Being cabin bound is one thing, she kind of copes when in places like Paddington or BUMingham. But here there is nothing to watch through the windows, being hemmed in on both sides isn’t helping her deal with things. Her incessant pleading at the back doors is not helping our mental health either!

Mick popped back to see the Lockie later on. He’d still pen us down if we wanted in the morning, however he wouldn’t recommend it. We already knew this. If we were to go boats would have to move round. Jo is on the outside of us all and is waiting for a friend to help her on the Tidal Ouse. It would be her first time and on a new to her widebeam, so totally understandable. No need to play do-ci-do then.

Mick lit the stove as it was getting chilly. I made a round of mustard and cheddar crackers and then we all settled down to watch The Sence of Ending, a gentle English mystery. Jim Broadbent plays Tony, who receives a letter from the estate of the mother of his 1960’s university girlfriend. He has been left some money and a diary. Who’s diary was it and why won’t his ex-girlfriend, Charlotte Rampling, hand it over to him. What happened after they split up and where have their lives taken them since. An enjoyable wet days viewing.

The weather forecast is looking up and hopefully we will have several dry days. Fingers crossed the levels start to go down and stay down long enough for us to get to Selby and maybe across the River Aire to Knottingley.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wet day, 1 missing boater found, 1 stern gland tightened, 1 greaser filled, 1 red dot boring now, 1 cat climbing the walls, 1 bacon butty passage, 2 boaters staying put, 1.22m minimum, 1.54m at midnight, 1 river on the rise, 2 boaters using shore based facilities, 2 boaters hoping to still have a cat in the days to come, wonder what feline steak tastes like, at least she’d be quiet and we’d have a varied diet.

Half Way Up The 48 Hours. 21st August

Museum Gardens

The voice of Houdini woke us this morning, Mick was to be on the 8:57 train to Scarborough to visit the dentist, so there was no lounging around in bed with a cuppa for him. A peek out of the window revealed that the level had risen again overnight, only what looked like a couple of inches, we’d still have at least another foot before we’d be getting wet feet on the moorings here. Gaugemap was checked along all the tributaries up stream before Mick committed to his journey eastwards. I’d not be too keen on moving Oleanna on my own should the level rise!

Today was to be windy, very windy. Tilly and I got on with the normal morning routine, keeping an eye on the other side of the river for the level and being buffeted about somewhat.

On the other side of Lendal Bridge is where all the trip boats get moored overnight, at the tail end all the little red hire boats are huddled up together. I was quite surprised when these had been moved mid morning, then at intervals of 10 to 15 minutes one would pass by. The strong winds which we’d not consider moving in didn’t seem to be a problem for them. Then the trip boats started to do their rounds, adding to the swell on the river.

It was a bumpy morning, a little unsettling so I needed to keep myself occupied. As I was expecting visitors I decided to give Oleanna a tidy and sweep through, not that anyone would be coming onboard, but it did the job of keeping my eyes away from checking the level constantly. A batch of biscuits were popped in the oven and had just cooled off when there were voices outside.

Jaye and Duncan had come for a cuppa and a catch up, other than briefly last night it’s just over a year since we last saw them. If the weather had been more conducive I’d have made refreshments for us to enjoy on the river bank watching the world go by. This was still a vague hope, but was soon replaced with heading into town to find a cafe.

Duncan suggested Spring Espresso on Lendal, a small cafe. They couldn’t move two tables together for us, but we could use two tables which was just fine helping us all to keep our distance.

Eggs Benedict with spinach and mushrooms, the poached eggs cooked perfectly, yummy!

There was lots to catch up on, theatre, friends, tenants, our travels etc. which meant trying to eat got in the way a touch.

As we were nearly finished another Scarborough face appeared at the door. Georgie used to work at the SJT and is now a Producer for York Mediale an International Media Arts Festival that is held every year. She spotted Jaye and Duncan and then did a second take when she saw me. It was lovely to see her even if it was very brief as she was meeting with an artist.

A lovely lunchtime meeting and catch up with good friends. Back at Oleanna the level still looked pretty much the same. More checks on Gaugemap and the Governments river and sea levels site. Looking at the Viking Recorder levels there is a forecast level, this was due to remain steady for a while but later today to rise by half a meter. Because of this when Mick had seen his dentist he cycled to the house, picked up post and cancelled an appointment with a plumber so that he could be back sooner, just in case we needed to move.

At 14:24 I got a text message. Mick was on the ‘Yay!’ train. When he worked in York, pre-boating days, he commuted from Scarborough by train, there was a ‘Yay’ train and a late train. Today trains were two hours apart, they may have more carriages but his return journey was quite busy.

We had a walk around the block so that I could see the new footbridge. Built with social distancing in mind it is wonderfully wide. Built from steel and fashionable rusted metal it does the job well. Mick reckons the bridge would have saved him at least five minutes each way on his commute, so he’d have managed the ‘Yay’ train more often.

Some post had arrived at the house for our old tenant, so this needed returning. Handily Leeman Road sorting office still has a late collection even if it’s clock is wonky. As a child it was exciting to climb in the car with Dad and come to post a letter late at night, imagining there to be someone just behind the post box who would stamp it with a postmark, sort it and send it on it’s way to arrive before 8am somewhere.

The bar walls are all one way, I pity the person who lost their coat during their circular perambulation, would they have to walk ALL the way back round to pick up their coat?

As the streets seemed that bit emptier we decided to go a touch further. A patch of unkempt riverbank behind Coney Street needed investigating. Could this be where York City Council could install some pontoons for boaters?

Coney Street used to be THE shopping street in York, now the number of empty shops is scary. A chap disappeared down a slope between WH Smith and Boots, this was where we needed to be. A steep narrow concrete ramp led down to the river, the walls on either side showing grooves from many deliveries.

At the end mesh fencing stopped us from checking out a set of steps down into the river and caged delivery bays now host bicycle racks. The chap came out with his bike, ‘There’s nothing down here!’ Well actually he was wrong. Should anyone ever decide to provide flood safe moorings for visitors in York here would be an ideal spot. Unused river frontage, steps (that would need replacing) and access up to Coney Street along with a very old WH Smith logo.

Waterstones has moved, the public toilets in Parliament Street have been demolished and replaced with portacabins, just as ugly as their predecessors. The pavement along this stretch was surprisingly uneven, up and down. I wonder if there are plans to try to level this out, maybe loose the trees that were planted in the 70’s 80’s, the fountain from then has gone.

A glance in at Betty’s tearoom is always a must. They looked busy but could have coped with two more. When we got back to Oleanna the level looked to have dropped just a touch more, ‘max’ on the mooring sign, was now just about above water. We’ll see what happens overnight.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 1 filling, 2 visitors, 3 more mentions, 2 photos, 1 rising river, 1 dropping river, 1 very blowy day, 2 poached eggs, 1 surprise meeting, 2 lovely hours, 1 wide bridge, 1 top hat with covid visor, 1 solution for York mooring if only the council gave 2 hoots!

Lepers. 17th August

Ripon Basin

Rain overnight, at 2am it was beating down on the roof so hard that we were both woken up. But luckily it dried up during the morning.

The trip boat from the end of the basin started to do runs past us, a little bit quickly or maybe our ropes just needed tightening. We could hear him saying something about 5.30 yesterday and if we’re lucky we’ll see it today. He must have been mentioning the otter, but going at his speed I think the otter would be staying well away!

We still require a plumber to replace a boiler in the house, as the quote we got through seems a touch too pricey and one lead on someone to clear the gutters for us hasn’t come off. So sometime was spent this morning on housey things. Then it was time to have a wonder around.

We walked up to the end of the basin and then past a fish and chip shop who boasted that they do gluten free every day. A touch of a shame we were eating out tonight, maybe another time though.

The Cathedral sits up a hill, currently there is an exhibition in the nave where 10,000 origami angles have been suspended from a large net. These were all made during lockdown by volunteers in the community, each angle represents a dedication made during the pandemic to keyworkers and loved ones. We thought we’d have a look on our way back out of the city, but our ambling route took us another way.

Our route somehow managed to pass a pie shop, Mick simply had to taste their produce, so a pound pork pie was purchased to be eaten over the next few days. I ventured into Holland and Barrett to stock up on brown rice flour to make crackers with, then a couple of puzzle books were required from WH Smiths. A wander around the Yorkshire Trading Company, but we couldn’t remember what we’d said they would have that we wanted, so it can’t have been that important!

The market square today had something missing, the Cabman’s Shelter a grade 2, once movable hut where the drivers of horse drawn cabs would wait for their next fare. A hunt around on the internet suggests the council maybe have managed to get permission from Historic England for it to be taken for much needed restoration work. Here’s hoping so, sadly I didn’t take a photo of it 6 years ago, so here is one from the Historic England website.

We then meandered down Allhallowgate. Here the impressive building of the Workhouse sits, not open on Mondays so we could only look at the exterior.

The Jolly Fryer further down the hill has a yellow bike above it’s door, it’s rider seems to have been waiting quite sometime for his fish and chips. Yellow bicycles are a common sight around parts of Yorkshire since the Tour de Yorkshire was started, I think we spotted a couple more today, one perched on the ridge of a roof.

A sign pointed us away from the city centre and towards the Leper Church, St Mary Magdelenes. The original building dates from the 12th century, the Norman doorway on the south side dates from this period. Many modifications have been made to the building through the centuries. A low narrow window on the north wall is where the lepers could receive the sacrament. There is a 15th Century oak screen and a mosaic set in the floor before the alter, but sadly due to extra cleaning that would be required during the pandemic the church was firmly shut to visitors.

Lepers and blind priests were looked after here and in 1544 the hospital became alms-houses and survived the religious upheavals that followed. New alms-houses were built across the road with their own chapel in 1820, these buildings have wonderful chimneys.

We retraced our steps and walked round the back of the cathedral, passing High Saint Agnesgate and finding our way to a foot bridge across the River Skell with a lovely view back to the cathedral.

Tilly had been on lookout for the otter, but there had been no sightings. A trial batch of crackers, cheese mustard and garlic were made as the trip boat came back and forth, we were now part of the commentary and recieved numerous waves.

Late afternoon we walked back into the city to Prima to meet up with Robert and Margie whom we’d met in Skipton a few weeks ago. Ripon being only an hours drive for them we’d made plans to meet up again. Prima is their favourite restaurant in Ripon and with an earlybird menu it was going to be reasonably priced, even more so with the Chancellor chipping in a third of the final bill (alcohol not included in the Eat out to help out scheme).

A lovely evening with them both, two meetings in a month. We all enjoyed our food, garlic mushrooms and a goats cheese and spinach pizza each for Mick and myself, one with gluten the other without. We were too full for pudding, but the Halls had paced themselves better and both opted for Affogato con Ameretto, I know one master carpenter who’d have been chomping at the bit for one of these.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 bags flour, 1lb pie, 2 puzzle books, 1 leper church, 1 cathedral, 2 octogenarians, 2 pizzas, 2 melting chilled medications, 4 glasses of wine, 0 otter sightings, 1 tray of crackers, 1 highlight on the tour, 1 green flagged canal.

Port Side. 8th August

Woodlesford Lock to Oil Terminal Arm

Mick was off straight after breakfast for our Saturday newspaper, heading up into Woodlesford, returning just in time for 10am and the Geraghty Zoom. Todays topics, dragons, being tongue tied and art patrons. Tilly had been refused shore leave as we intended leaving soon after seeing the family, so to stop her incessant winging at the back doors she and I had an extended game of pen at the dinette. This seemed to do the trick.

Before pushing off we emptied the yellow water tank and then pushed over to the water point to fill up. Rubbish was disposed of and Tilly got a fresh litter box whilst we waited for the tank to fill. NB Barley came past leap frogging us. At the time we thought we might catch them up, but then our plans changed.

To reach Selby for our passage up the Tidal Ouse to York we need to do a couple of hours or there abouts a day. Quite a few of the moorings will mean that Tilly will be deprived of shore leave, so we decided to only go a short way today. Our chosen mooring would have all she would want, shady trees for us and the possibility of a barbecue. But this would mean a longer day tomorrow to catch up, not really a problem.

A chap stood at the downstream panel for Woodlesford Lock pressing buttons. He was there for ages without the gates opening, so I went to see what was happening. He said that Barley had left the paddles up when they left. I assumed he’d meant the paddles at the downstream end. He stood and pressed the gate button, nothing happening, kept pressing the paddle button, nothing. I looked below the lock, there were signs that the level in the lock was higher than below, suggesting that the lock had started to fill itself after being used. A full lock is a safer lock should anyone fall into it and rivers tend to have sufficient water to cope with this.

I suggested he tried turning the panel off, removing his key and starting all over again. This worked and the lock emptied. I suggested to use my key on the top panel so that hand over would be easier, the chap agreed. Once in the lock he gave a thumbs up, just after I’d pushed the button to fill the lock the chap at the helm disappeared inside. Through the front doors I could see two of them were making a snack and drinks, they only came back up on deck when the lock was nearly full, admittedly their boat had only wandered about a bit in the lock as it was a gentle filler, but still.

Lots of people have been making comments about the state of the canals since lockdown, towpath cutting, reeds taking over, weed. But today here was the biggest thing I’ve noticed. Woodlesford Lock normally has the grass kept neat as my Grandfather would have liked to see it and the flower beds immaculate. Any dead heads removed and not a weed in sight. But today the grass is long, some flowers are in bloom but all around them is filled with weeds. One can only assume the volunteers who normally look after the area have been shielding.

Below the lock we cruised about a mile to join another boat in our chosen mooring. We winded so as to have the port side to the towpath and tried to get in. A few tries didn’t work, in the end we reversed back behind the other boat and tucked in nicely.

Here the towpath is actually a little bit away from the edge, giving us a grassy area next to us without so much footfall. Tilly got straight to work, rolled in the dust and then headed off into the friendly cover.

I mixed up some sourdough cracker dough and experimented with the flavouring. The last two batches I’d made were rosemary and thyme with parmesan. Today I went for paprika, mustard, garlic and pumpkin seeds. They were okay, but I’d forgotten to sprinkle on some seasalt before baking them. They could have done with a touch more flavour.

Then a batch of gluten free rolls were mixed up and left to rise whilst I got on with clearing the roof and preparing to wash the port side whilst Mick listened to the cricket.

Under where the plank and poles sit the red bar on the roof has developed some rust spots. So these got some attention before the roof was washed. On finishing the roof the batch of rolls had risen enough to be shaped and left to prove. This was all timed very well with washing down the cabin side which had got extreamly dusty in Calverley.

The barbecue came out and Mick chopped away at the big chunks of charcoal with an axe, they were soon glowing away and ready to cook on. Halloumi and veg kebabs and some pork and apple burgers tonight, all whilst Tilly had extended shore leave. Todays temperatures hadn’t been quite as high as we thought they’d be and by the time we’d finished eating it was decidedly chilly out, no sitting out to watch the sunset tonight.

1 lock, 1 mile, 1 wind, 10am zoom,1 newspaper, 1 empty wee tank, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish, 1 unkempt lock, 1 twonk head, 0.5 roof clean, 1 cabin side clean, 1 big puddle of oil, 6 more patches of rust, 1 coat fertan, 4 kebabs, 4 burgers, 4 rolls, 4 glasses of wine, 1 chilly evening.

https://goo.gl/maps/bt57uWPLg44rcpaK8

Crawling into Leeds. 6th August

Rodley Swing Bridge to Granary Wharf

Leaving our very close neighbour for the swing bridge

The voice of Houdini woke us up along with plenty of people already out and about on the towpath at 6. By the time we’d had breakfast and were rolling back the covers two other boats were pulling away from the moorings.

Well that meant there were three of us heading towards Leeds, one swing bridge each and we could leapfrog all the way. Moss Bridge Swing Bridge behaved, it was still a cool morning. Back in 2014 it was stuck hard, no chance of pushing it without the aid of a tractor, which all took some sorting as the bridge is owned by Yorkshire Water and not C&RT.

Our bridge was the last one, Ross Mill. I’d just got momentum going when a chap wearing blue came towards me. I quickly stopped the bridge and pushed it back closed to let him across, he was to be our lock keeper at Newlay 3 Rise. One boat was already at the top of the locks and then the three of us heading from Rodley. I had to wait a while to close the bridge, weed causing problems for most of us and numerous trips would be made down weed hatches today.

The last to arrive at the locks we were waved straight in by the Lockie. The other two boats were travelling together and we could team up with NB Barley, as they had been at the locks overnight they were to go first.

With two Lockies on hand the staircase of three was descended quite quickly. One of the boys in Blue knows NB Ellis so we had chats about Stanley Ferry and fridge freezers whilst we waited for the chambers to empty from one to the other.

Jenny from NB Barley and I walked on to Forge 3 Rise where another Lockie was expecting us. He was pulling huge amounts of weed out from above the lock and the chambers. Chatting with him it seems that things along this stretch are improving. The large groups who used to come to drink and swim at the locks do so less often, the increased footfall due to new housing developments and a new station seem to be putting them off.

The level below the staircase was really quite low, but whilst boats were coming down the staircase above they wouldn’t let water down. A glance before we emptied the bottom chamber at the levels suggested we might just make it the half mile to Kirkstall Lock, bumping our way along the bottom, so we gave it a try.

The Lockie now headed down on his bike to see why the level had dropped overnight. Someone had closed the gates with debris between them, so the water had just been flowing straight through the lock overnight. He cleared things and then returned. By now the bywash was running but more water was needed so he ran water down the flight too.

In the end it took us just over an hour to cross the half mile pound to reach Kirkstall Lock, the weed still a good few feet away from the bank. Once in the lock weed hatches needed to be cleared. Andy pulled out reams of weed whilst Mick pulled out t-shirts and a pair of pants.

We led the way through the next long pound. Under the arched footbridge that straddles between refurbished mills. Past Leeds Industrial Museum, maybe one day we’ll pay it a visit, but not today.

At Spring Garden Lock we waited for Barley to catch us up, their prop attracting so much more weed than ours. Here the bridge across the bottom gates is rotting through nicely, so no access across it. With one gate open, Mick nestled Oleanna behind the closed gate to wait.

Oddley 2 Rise needed setting the last boat through having come up. I emptied the bottom chamber whilst Jenny topped up the top one. Then with the boats in the top lock we lifted paddles. On the other staircase locks along this stretch there have been spillways to channel off excess water, the chambers not having been built to the same depth as each other. But here excess water seems to drain over the top of the bottom gates as well as flooding the surrounding area.

Below the raft boat was moored up on the offside. In the last four years it has continued it’s journey towards Leeds and I’m sure it has been extended by at least a third since we first saw it up near Skipton. An interesting construction built with all sorts people don’t want anymore.

Once down St Ann Ings Lock we had only one more to descend to reach Granary Wharf, Office Lock.

I walked down, disturbing a chap who covered the spliff he was making when he saw my camera. I was far more interested in a bit of graffiti than his next smoke though.

Right up against the canal new building work is taking place. This means that the water point just above the lock is inaccessible as it’s on the wrong side of the fencing. The offside gates have been left just enough room to work them and the foundations of the new building seem to stretch right up to the lock.

Jenny walked round to check on moorings and there was plenty of space for us to swing round onto one of the pontoons. We’d thought about continuing to find some trees for tomorrow, but by now we’d had enough. So a quiet afternoon and evening instead.

Office Lock

Tilly however had other plans. Yesterday I’d taken the opportunity to give her a spot on for fleas, not that I have any! This means no collar for a couple of days, therefore no shore leave. I knew she wouldn’t like it at Granary Wharf so this wouldn’t matter. Normally in places like this and BUMingham I let her out for her to make her own mind up, which usually happens quickly. But today without a collar this was not on the cards. Instead I sat out in the closed pram cover whilst she checked out the surroundings. This outside looked alright, a patch of grass, some tiny trees and a big curved wall that I started to make calculations to climb. Tilly tried any available gap in the cover with her nose and when one looked like she might just be about to squeeze out she was pulled back inside and the back doors closed. She is SO mean!!!

Yesterday I’d made a quinoa crust for a quiche and today filled it with the left over chicken from a roast, courgettes, bacon and onion. I did a trial custard using eggs and soya cream, this set thank goodness and was quite tasty, much better than previous attempts without proper cream.

12 locks, 3 of which staircases, 3 swing bridges, 7am push off, 4 boats going down, 1 very low pound, 1 sulking cat, 2 t-shirts, 1 pair of pants, 1 hour waiting for water, 1 water point out of bounds, 1 pair molegrips, 1 full water tank, 1 load washing, 1 tasty quiche, 1 noisy mooring for the night.

https://goo.gl/maps/sHoU4jc85icpsgbi6

Vegan Rolls, Beef Burgers And A Pooped Cat

Keld Well Bend

Nudged round the corner just a touch more

As we finished off our cuppas in bed this morning we heard an engine start up. Were our neighbours about to head off or were they just using the microwave? We soon saw the lady walking along the towpath and then herd their prop start turning. We got dressed quickly and were out pulling Oleanna along by half a boats length to be just a touch further away from the bend yet still keeping the views. Perfect!

Breakfast was finished just shortly before the bow of NB Billy appeared around the bend. Last night they had stayed at East Marton so Clare’s daughter could join them for a few days.

We had chats before they carried on around the remainder of the curly wurlys reappearing round the last of the big bends, a final wave. Our bows may cross again this summer as their planned route is similar to ours, but we are slowing down now, who knows we may pass on the Ouse!

Mick had requested a loaf of bread and with a barbecue planned for later I decided to try out a recipe for some dinner rolls made with yeast, not sour dough, to have with some home made burgers. Both types of bread could share the top oven, but mine needed a couple of hours to rise rather than just half an hour for Mick’s.

I needed to make some seed flour, pumpkin, sunflower and a few sesame seeds got zuzzed with the hand zuzzer and then forced through a sieve. Lots of other flour was added along with psallium husk and yeast. No egg or butter as my beef burger buns would be vegan. Have to say after two hours I was glad to see the dough had risen nicely. Mick’s multiseed loaf did it’s thing too before both were put in the oven. Not a bad result, the boat smelt wonderful, although the proof would be in the eating.

The sun had come out so I decided to make the most of being outside and washed down the starboard side of the roof and cabin. Blimey it really needed it. The matting that our coal sits on leaves a pretty pattern and around each mushroom vent was really quite yucky. Have to say I’m not sure when I last washed Oleanna, just hope I can get the port side to match soon.

With the cabin washed I decided to have a go at the grab rail. The red paint has now faded and started to go white in parts and I’d wondered if some t-cut might just bring it back, sadly it didn’t work. Red is renowned for this as it is the first colour to fade in sunlight. I never did get round to finishing touching up the grab rail last summer so some patches need some more work anyway. The original plan was to repaint the grab rail after travelling through Standedge Tunnel but that trip has been put off to another year. So I need to get some more paint mixed as somehow the tin we got shortly after Oleanna was launched is not the correct red. When we were in Sheffield last the painter at Finesse gave me the dregs of a tin to keep us going.

Next I turned my attention to the scratches that a broken branch on the Bosely flight had inflicted all the way along the cabin side. Ages ago I’d bought some blue scratch cover. This seemed to do a reasonable job, although it depends on what angle you stand at, but it is far better than it was. The cabin sides just need a polish now. I suggested to Mick that that was a blue job, not a red one. He’s not so convinced though!

Mick gave our life ring some new rope. The original rope had given up a little while ago so needed replacing. Should you ever need to use a life ring the rope makes it easier to grab and keep hold of in the water. The ring had a good wash too before going back on the roof within reasonable reach from the stern.

This evening the barbecue came out despite increasing cloud cover. The big bag of charcoal we bought at Bollington Wharf was opened, Restaurant grade charcoal. I thought it would burn quickly, but it held it’s heat very well.

A while ago Mick had ordered by accident some vacuum packed sweetcorn. We quite often have sweetcorn for a starter, but we won’t be using this type again. Very watery with little flavour.

I added some red onion, whole grain mustard and tarragon to some beef mince for burgers and they were very tasty indeed and almost stayed together on the grill. The buns were very tasty, maybe next time I’ll leave them to rise a little bit more before baking them.

With glasses of wine to accompany our meal we enjoyed the view even more. A couple of horse riders hacked through the field below and Tilly was allowed to stay out until we finished. It just started to rain as we were finishing off. No sign of Tilly until I started to call for her, a good distance away her tail shot up into the air. After a whole day of exploration she was exhausted, stumbling as she trotted back to me. In the end I helped her out and gave her a lift back to the boat. A few mouthfuls of food a quick bath and then she was out for the count with in five minutes.

0 locks, 0 miles, 7 boats, 9 vegan buns, 1 loaf, 0.5 clean boat, 3 scratches covered, 2 substandard cobs, 4 veg kebabs, 4 burgers, 2 glasses of wine, 1 lovely day in our No 1 Mooring, 1 exhausted cat, 2 Mrs Tilly Stamps of Approval.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna