Category Archives: Birds

Closing Down. 27th April

Lockdown Mooring 4

Today notices from C&RT have been coming into our inbox regarding the closure of lock flights due to low water levels in reservoirs. Levels have been kept low at reservoirs on the Leeds and Liverpool and the Macclesfield due to essential maintenance works. Now with the lack of rainfall, the levels will remain low, so not enough water at the beginning of the boating season to sustain normal boat movements.

As we’re not meant to be moving anywhere anyway it seems sensible for measures to be taken to conserve as much water as possible. So all the locks between Wigan and Bingley, and either end of the Macc are being padlocked and ashed up tomorrow lunchtime and measures are being taken so that vandalism won’t be possible.

So when the lockdown ends (which I don’t think will be anytime soon) we won’t be able to cross the Pennines by any route, the need to do so no longer exists for us, but it would still have been nice to be up on the Leeds Liverpool again. Another thought had been to spend some time on the Macc, but the poor old Macc hasn’t had any luck in the last few years.

Where we go, and when, will stay on the back burner for now, there are other things we need to do whilst the canal network closes down around us.

This morning I decided I’d be making some bread today whether my starter was ready or not. I’ve been watching it closely and it definitely runs to a timetable. Nothing happens for a couple of hours, then it gradually rises over the next hour and a half. At some point in the next half hour it gives up bubbling and sinks again. It hasn’t been as bubbly as I’d liked, maybe my expectations were greater than its own. Maybe what it has been doing is all it will ever achieve and I’ve just been wasting flour. So this morning I fed it and returned the jar to the proving shelf. A timer was set for three hours time.

I re-read the synopsis for panto and took notes. The writer for Rapunzel is the same chap who wrote Aladdin and there are similarities. Along with a tower with one window and no door, I will need to create a Town Square (obligatory), a pub, a galleon and a medieval jousting match.

My calf muscle has been rested for a few days so I decided to see how it would fare walking up the locks whilst the hours ticked by for my starter.

As I approached bridge 97 I could see there was some sort of kerfuffle going on, flapping of wings etc. I carefully walked up the bank to see what I could see. Two male Pheasants sparring with each other. No females standing on the sidelines, just a head bobbing stand off.

One chap looked pristine whilst the others feathers around it’s neck were bedraggled, he certainly wouldn’t have been my choice in such a state. Heads bobbed up and down and only occasionally did claws make contact. Stunning looking birds.

Once they’d made enough room for me to pass I carried on over the bridge and up the flight. Sandra from NB AreandAre had told us about an egg farm at the top of the flight. We already knew of the lady with her few hens, but on the other side of the Llangollen just a bit further along was a whole farm.

A red van was parked with it’s back doors open, a honesty box and prices on the eggs. Medium and Extra Large hens eggs along with some duck eggs. We currently have quite a few eggs on board so it was just as well I didn’t have any money on me. But we’ll be back when we need some. Apparently he normally has around 30 dozen to sell a day. His ladies looked quite happy out the back too.

My calf had survived the journey, so I’ll be taking more short walks for a while.

The timer was just about to go off when I returned. Time to make necessary flour for a loaf. Oats and sunflower seeds needed grinding up and adding to various other starches and flours. I hoped that Maple syrup instead of coconut palm sugar would work. My starter had reached it’s normal maximum, so I poured off enough for the loaf, mixed everything together then put it into a t-towel lined bowl, wrapped it in plastic bag and left it to rise back on the shelf.

The recipe said two hours maximum, but hardly anything had happened. I decided to leave it the three and a half hours my starter normally takes to rise and this proved to be a good idea.

Whilst it did it’s thing Mick worked his way though tax returns all of which mean he owes the tax man nothing again. I dealt with emails about my sketches and ideas for Dark Horses next production #unit21. So a day pretty much like the old days, three projects in one day.

The timer went off the oven and cast iron pot were hot, time to see what baking my loaf would turn out like. The previous recipe had been using sorghum flour and had been a lot firmer, this was with buckwheat and had been like a thick cake batter. I carefully turned it out of it’s bowl onto grease proof paper and scored the top. It started to relax, so I quickly popped it in the pot and into the oven, fingers crossed.

The end product looked not quite as risen as I’d hoped for, but it still showed much more potential than the last loaf I’d made. We’ll have to wait for the morning to see how it has turned out. The remains of my starter have been put into the fridge with the hope that it will pop back into life for the next loaf.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 flight walked up, 10 flights closed, dozens of eggs, 1 last feed, 1 sketch to redo, 5 amendments, 2 uv or not, 9 scenes, 2 boats again, 1 set breakdown, 3.5 hours, 1 loaf with potential, 1 very large friend!

Winding for Water. 14th April

Lockdown Mooring 4 to Calveley to Lockdown Mooring 4

Whilst Mick waits for the kettle to boil in the mornings he works his way through the supermarket websites to see if any delivery slots are available. There’s usually nothing, but every now and then something pops up which makes it worth the effort. Today a Click and Collect at Sainsburys popped up for tomorrow!

Mick quickly secured it with a couple of boxes of wine and some blueberries. Marvelous a top up shop to keep us going till we get a delivery next week. Would this be the highlight of our day?

At 10am I signed into Zoom for my first meeting of the morning with the Director for The Garden. The show has now been re-imagined and I will be doing illustrations to go with the recording. Last week it was thought that I’d be doing about eight illustrations, but over the weekend this has expanded to 13, by the end of our meeting it was up to 15 and then the credits. I’m going to be busy!

Rehearsals had been filmed so there are moments that I can take from the footage to work from, but the filmed angle isn’t so good. I’ve been hunting around for sites on the internet that will give me poses that I can draw from. Better to use a real form than just make them up, my life drawing wasn’t that good with a model in front of me, so take the reference away and I’d be scuppered.

Then there was enough time for a quick break before my next meeting. Blimey it felt like I was back in full time work! This meeting was with Lynda the lady with the money for Dark Horse. My contract for the show needs altering and we discussed my fee. This will stay as was and I will also be given generous expenses to cover any other costs.

With all this now settled it was now time to head off to fill with water.

There was a choice, which water point to go to? Calveley won this as it would mean we got a tank of hot water on the way there as well as on the way back, it would also give the batteries a good charge, along with the dishwasher and washing machine being put to use.

We reversed through the bridge to the bottom of the Hurleston flight where we winded to point north. The three boats moored here all came out to see what was happening, moving boats now a rarity. One chap said they walk up to the water point at the top of the locks with a container to fill their tank. Others waved us goodbye, knowing we’d return in a few hours.

Just as we were turning the first bend I could see a boat had appeared at the junction behind us, they were winding. Would our space still be there when we got back? We’d just have to wait and see.

Moving again, a slight chill in the air, but the sun was out shining way above us. Oh it felt good! Over the years we have slowed down our cruising somewhat, no longer in a rush to get places unless we really have to. Now we move once a week for essential things, water and shopping, a little bit too slow. But that is just the way it is for now.

This summers original cruise to Leeds from Autherely junction had all been worked out on Canal Plan. Starting on 6th March we had 114 days to travel there via the River Weaver and the Macclesfield Canal then over the Leeds and Liverpool. This averaged out at 1 hour 21 minutes a day. The shortest day would have be 23 minutes, the longest 2 hours 20 minutes. However these would have been nudged about to give us free days here and there and scoot through areas we didn’t want to stop in etc.

So where should we have been today. It would have been our 40th full day and our schedule suggests we should have been mooring tonight at Annes’ Bridge 157 on the Trent and Mersey. We’d possibly have stopped at the mooring before or carried on to Wheelock ready to start on the Cheshire Locks in the morning.

Instead today we winded twice, filled the water tank, disposed of rubbish and cruised the stretch of canal from Hurleston to Bunbury. The washing machine did a load, I made use of a tank of hot water by having a shower as the water tank filled and then we headed back again.

The boat we’d seen earlier had continued back towards Nantwich, leaving the space we’d left vacant for us. The same two rings were tied to and Tilly was allowed out to enjoy an hour before curfew.

A game of towpath stone was had, good job the towpath is suitable. If we run out of small stones to chase from the stern of Oleanna I’ll just stand at the bow and throw the stones back!

Tilly took some finding this evening, I think she was busy keeping an eye on the Pheasants who seem to have moved in for a feed on the newly sprouting fields. She was about half way down the field where there is some good looking friendly cover.

0 locks, 7.18 miles, 2 winds, 2 meetings, 16 drawings, 1 fee agreed, 1 full dropbox, 1 phone call, 1 verdict waited for, 40th day, 2 fishermen, 2 outsides the same, 1 load washing, 1 shower, 1 full tank water, 1 postal solution, 6 girls to 1 boy, 2nd leftover chicken dish.

Green Shoots. 13th April

Lockdown Mooring 4

Whilst lying in bed with our cuppas this morning I turned the page on my puzzle book, the next one was titled Puppy Love. Mick immediately made a comment, ‘That was by David Cassidy wasn’t it?’ WELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At the age of five/six I only knew of one pop singer, Donny, Donny Osmond. Yes there were others such as David Cassidy, but no one outshone Donny for me. I was bought the single (my first) and remember the video that came with the song, Donny wandering through fields of red poppies. At the time I wasn’t too sure of the lyrics, it could have been Poppy Love or Puppy Love, it really didn’t matter so long as Donny was singing it. It was No1 for five weeks and I’m certain that I danced to it every time it was on Top of the Pops.

Mick then suggested it might have been sung by Jimmy Osmond ………………………..

JIMMY! Long Haired Lover from Liverpool !!!! Firstly Jimmy was only 9 years and 8 months old when the song was released in 1972, hardly the age to be thinking about such things. He did not have long hair for the 1970’s and he most certainly wasn’t from Liverpool. He also was not Donny.

Life on Oleanna is getting a touch trying!

The towpath yesterday had been a touch busier with walkers, today cyclists were making the most of it. We headed out for a walk to check on Lockdown Mooring 3 and see if any green shoots had started to appear in the field opposite, none yet. We also miss the lapwings but they were nowhere to be heard today.

As people came past we’d move over into the longer grass them clinging onto the edge of the canal for everyone to get as much space as possible. One chap with his fishing gear and two kids just laughed at Mick when he suggested they shouldn’t be walking three abreast leaving only three foot between us and them.

The towpath got too narrow for our liking, so we back tracked to Oleanna. The field behind us is already sprouting less than a week since the crop was sewn. Maybe last nights rain has spurred it into action. Wonder what it will be?

Our covers are starting to look bluer, still a long way to go before they will be fully clean, but certainly after a rinse of rain they have improved.

An engine could be heard in the distance? Yesterday one boat had come past and headed up the locks. Who could this be today? NB Mountbatten.

Mick flagged them down, a gas bottle had just run out, and whilst they were at it we’d have a top up of diesel. When we’d seen them last week Mick had said that if they came past before NB Halsall then we’d use them this time. Mick got the gas bottle out of the locker and Richard lowered the new one in. It all felt a little bit awkward. Mick would normally undo the filler cap on the diesel and maybe even fill the tank up, but Richard did all this , everyone doing their best to keep their distances.

As they pulled away from us, Richard jumped off and went to empty the bottom lock. Ruth turned the tiller and got them lined up for the flight, hopefully annoying the fisherman and his kids. Fishing is currently banned on the waterways!

David Devant latest album, Cut Out And Keep Me

Instead of listening to the Osmond brothers I caught up on the latest episode of The Community Hall Roof Fund. David Devant and His Spirit Wife played their song Pimlico live on facebook from their respective houses in memory of Tim Brooke Taylor (original video with my friend Nick as a spectral roadie). Then we listened to the new audio episode of Peter Kay’s Car share, still funny without them being sat in the car.

Enjoy

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 Mick trying to be funny, twice!!! 5 year olds heart throb, 1 stove re-lit, Act 1 again, 1 busy cat, 3 of us, 1 short walk, 2 narrow for safety, £32 gas, 37.3 litres diesel, 1 cat past curfew, 1 st leftover chicken meal.

Listening. 10th April

Lockdown Mooring 4

Rules were read and Tilly was free to explore to her hearts content. 9 hours! We were expecting lots of footfall today along the towpath, but it wasn’t that bad. C&RT are trying to discourage the masses from filling the towpaths, especially those that are narrow and where 2m distance is an impossibility.

Their first poster was far too wordy and you would have had to be seriously bored and nosy to stop to read it.

Yesterday they put out another version which is a touch more to the point in a polite way.

The other message they put out yesterday was to not visit or move boats over the Easter weekend. This was to discourage people with boats in marinas coming out for a jaunt over the holiday weekend. We also felt that the instructions were for every boat owner including us. Stay put, so we listened and did. We only saw two boats moving today, they both winded and returned, one pulling in just past us, the other pausing for a while before carrying on back towards Nantwich.

Mick cooked us a very nice breakfast, well I had some bread, there were eggs and bacon that needed using too so it would have been silly not to. It was even a two course breakfast with a Hot Paw Bun for pudding. No need for lunch today.

Mick got the chairs out and tucked himself away in the garden. From Oleanna’s gunnel to the worn path it is over two meters, then my tape measure ran out of it’s 5 meters before it got close to Mick. So I reckon the bottom of our garden is about 6/7 meters away from the boat. This now means that Mick can happily listen to the cricket and I can listen to other things, well I know what’s going to happen with the cricket. There will be lots of twists and turns to the plot before the nail biting finish.

I had intended doing a little bit of work today but instead I decided to catch up on some listening. Pre-boating days I used to listen to radio plays as I made models at the top of our house in Scarborough. I miss that, so instead of reading something myself I listened.

The first two installments of The Community Hall Roof Fund, written preformed and produced by Venerable Bickers. Link available on Spotify. This is of course a pseudonym for a friend of mine in Scarborough. He was a very good sound technician, so the quality of the recording is very very good as are his sound effects. It’s a little bit Ayckbourn meets Monty Python and has several references which takes me back to my Stephen Joseph Theatre days. A very amusing listen, I wonder where it will take us next?

Vanessa Brooks is a writer/director and founder of Seperate Doors which champions learning disabled actors. I have worked with Vanessa in the past and hope to in years to come. She is producing short stories, introduced by leading playwrights such as Timberlake Wertenbaker, Our Country’s Good and Jonathan Harvey, Beautiful Thing and Gimme, Gimme, Gimme.

A Significant Change in the Weather leaves you room to fill in the gaps in your head. Not jolly but thought provoking.

The Lagoon is a much lighter piece, set partly on a cruise ship, it had me chortling out loud.

All are very much worth a listen. I may be biased as I know both the writers, but I hope you enjoy them too. I’m very much looking forward to the next episodes and stories which will come over the following weeks.

The afternoon was finished off with a walk up to the reservoir and around it’s circumference. A haze blurred the distant views but I was glad to be away from the Blackthorn blossom which seems to have given me hayfever. A cockerel had escaped and a poor lady brandished a large net on a pole in the hope of catching it.

Central on the water is a floating island which looks like it is being used for inspection purposes. The white poles we’d noticed from the canal are quite sturdy. Paul from Waterways Routes confirmed our suspicions of their purpose ‘they are probably surveying markers to see if the embankment is slipping’.

They cluster around an area where the bank is lower than elsewhere and a wall of armco has been added on the water side in the past. Perhaps after the Toddbrook Reservoir incident any slippage is being monitored more carefully.

Daffodils were out enjoying the sunshine and Peacock butterflies rose into the air dancing with each other deciding whether they fancied each other enough. A lovely walk on my own whilst Mick listened to England fighting back at the cricket.

0 locks, 0 miles, 6 rashers, 6 hash browns (our last), 2 buns, 2 lost dogs, 2 reunited dogs, 2 moving boats, 1 spot of buttercream, 1 perpetual jumble sale, 2 itchy eyes, 1 circumnavigation, 96%, 2 butterflies, 1 exhausted cat, 0 Lapwings.

Fake News! 8th April

Lockdown mooring 3 to Lockdown mooring 2

Waking this morning my phone brought news from my brother that the BBC had reported that all cats should now be kept inside as they may carry the virus on their fur. This had been banded about a couple of weeks ago, hence Tilly no longer being allowed out in Nantwich. Today this story had spread like wildfire across social media. A short while later I received another message from Andrew informing me that the BBC had got it wrong and had misquoted the BVA! Their recommendation was to keep your cat in IF you have symptoms or are in self isolation, so as to cut down on possible transmission of the virus. So much for the BBC checking out their facts! Fake Feline news!!

Tilly, who was very relieved (so where we) was allowed out whilst we had breakfast and very handily she returned as we were finishing up. The doors and hatch were firmly closed. A quick phone call to Clewlow’s in Nantwich (the butchers) to place an order for tomorrow and it was time to move.

As we lifted fenders and rolled back the covers we noticed that all the green on them has already gone. Well it’s not gone, it has a dusty quality to it instead. Maybe when it rains the next time this will wash away. I’ll keep you posted.

We pootled down to the winding hole in bright sunshine, no need for coats today it was so warm, a beautiful day to cruise. Oleanna turned and headed back towards the services.

Although it was our bridge we pulled back so they could reverse through

Just as we neared bridge 104 Mick had to stop Oleanna on the spot. One of our neighbours this morning had headed for water and was now reversing back to their mooring. Mick waved them onwards and we backed up giving them enough room to come past. Sadly the boat ahead had lost it’s straight course towards the bridge (that’s if a narrowboat ever has a straight course in reverse), so it took quite a lot of hard work at the tiller to get them through the bridge hole. The chap jumped off and pulled them into the side and waved us through.

Our turn to top up on water again, we’ll do the same again tomorrow, but in these times it’s best to have a full tank when ever possible.

Onwards to Barbridge where we passed Ruth and Richard on NB Mountbatten. With no need for coal and the diesel tank still quite full we didn’t feel the need to stop them, we’ll get to see NB Halsall next week at some point.

The bank up to the reservoir has sprouted pairs of white sticks since we left. A couple of weeks ago a chap had been digging little holes in the bank and we’d noticed he was placing markers at these sites. Wonder what they are for? By the outfall there was a van and generators, three chaps busy at something too.

Just before Hurleston Junction a narrowboat has pulled up on the offside, a grassy bank all to themselves. We’d though about it when we came past last week, but with every tree now cut down on that side we’d have had one very unhappy cat!

Shame there’s not more places on the offside to moor

The AreandAre mooring seems to have had an epidemic of flags. Four between the three boats. We bipped our horn to say hello before returning to the mooring on the other side of the bridge.

Once we were safely moored in the existing holes Tilly and I walked back to the bridge to get our Sunday photo of the mooring. Depending on how busy the towpath gets this weekend we may move to find a wider stretch as we’ve already noticed an increase of footfall with the sun.

One job on the list is to go through the food drawers on Oleanna and try to use up anything that should have been eaten sometime ago. Today I remembered that I had a couple of bags of gluten free bread mix, so I dug the oldest one out and risked using some of my yeast stash to see if it would work. This was left to rise during the news conference. It did so well that I considered trying to find more of the mix on the internet. I haven’t seen the make for a long time and it doesn’t appear on their website. I’ll keep the other bag, only out of date by six months, for a while longer.

When not cruising today the boat has been filled with the sounds of summer. Radio Five Live Sports Extra are broadcasting the whole of last summers Ashes Test Match at Headingly, Mick is a happy man.

The farmer has been busy whilst we’ve been away. Modern day ridge and furrows have appeared opposite. Wonder if it’ll be potatoes? The Lapwings were having a veritable feast and singing all about it. With the cricket, the sunshine and the farmer finishing ploughing his field across the way, it made for a lovely day. Just a shame we need to leave our bubble to restock our food supplies tomorrow.

0 locks, 4.28 miles, 1 wind, 2 straights, 2 outsides, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish, 1 butchers order, 1 long shopping list, 4 flags, 13 babies, 1 lovely day not to go far.

Lap Wing. 1st April

Lockdown Mooring 2

She would like me to thank you all for suggestions on the mystery birdie. Jennie came in first, followed by Anne, then Sue. The sausage roll really goes to Jennie’s son, but apparently if we keep quiet about it we’ll be able to eat it ourselves, so Shhh!

The birdie in question was apparently a Lap Wing. A strange name. A Lap is where I lie on an evening in front of the warm stove, then a Wing is what I leave, far too feathery for my liking! Although they are quite good for flossing between your teeth.

Life has suddenly become very busy for me and not so busy for others. There is so much exploring to do, trees to climb, digging, woofer avoidance, I’ve even sorted out my own shore based facilities.

My day starts off with extra snoozing, as I need to conserve my energy for the rest of the day. She and Tom sit in bed that bit longer than normal so I do my best to keep toes warm. But should a boat come by they both crane their necks round to see who it might be. This morning it was a boat that has come all the way from furthest Wales in the last few days, our friend Geoff Tom saw him and now we have, he’s not tied up the outside like everyone else has!

Then there is the game of pen. It is such a good way to wake up, the sound of a pen lid being clicked back into position ready for me to pounce. Some days this goes on for a while, but others She cries out in pain so the game is stopped. She seems to think I don’t clean my nails enough anymore. But it’s their fault for not moving the outside as much as they used to.

Lockdown Mooring 1 was great. A couple of trees, friends, side ways trees, a bank to watch from and a field to run around in. It was sunny and warm, lovely.

Then last Friday they let it go, untied it and let it drift away. She said I needed a break so to put my paws up and let them be busy instead. I kept an eye on them though, they weren’t that busy. I’d have been busier!!

The outside was then moved to Lockdown Mooring 2. Lockdown Mooring 2 had potential, blue skies, trees but not enough time to check it out fully before it was Dingding time.

Newspaper day came. They let Lockdown Mooring 2 outside go and headed to Nantwich outside. It’s not so good there so I wasn’t too disappointed not to be let out. She said I wouldn’t be going out there anymore, too many people who might have the lurgy durgy. So I sat in my window on the other side of the glass from the lurgy durgy people, they could admire me, but not touch, I was safe.

She and Tom went off to do the shopping. I normally get closed into the bedroom for a few minutes when they come back, but that day I was in there for ages and ages and then another age. When She let me out again everything smelt funny, a bit like when she cleans out my pooh box. Luckily it didn’t smell for too long.

This outside was cast aside wizzed round, briefly tied up again so they could top up on water. I got a clean pooh box too. Back we went out of Nantwich outside, wizzed round again, only to tie up Lockdown Mooring 2 outside again. Well what was that all about? They wasted a hole day just because it was newspaper day. I could have kept myself busy all day and when they tied this outside up again I’d have still been in it! They are so selfish at times.

You said to the bench, we’ve not got there yet!

Lockdown Mooring 2 outside is okay. It’s not as sunny as Lockdown Mooring 1 outside was, it’s colder too. There are fewer woofers and walkers, most probably due to the lower temperature. But the farmer has been preparing a great big pooh field for me, lots of fresh earth to dig up and use as cover, so I’ve only once had to step foot in my pooh box.

Some days, like today She does some work. I couldn’t help today as it was all tiny writing and then lots of numbers, I’m not so good at writing freepaw. But then she came for a walk with me along the towpath. We’d nearly got back when a man appeared with a woofer. The woofer didn’t see me but the man did. He made his woofer wait whilst I went down the bank into some friendly cover, no way was I going back onto the boat yet, there was still another two hours of shore leave left!

I’ve been told that I shouldn’t use the outside up too quickly as we might be here sometime. Tom wouldn’t let me out after dingding time, even though I can see in the dark! I’m pacing myself though and reckon I’ve about another twenty hours before it will all be used up, that’ll be fine won’t it?!

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 outside walks, 1 pooh field, 1 diddy poem, 2 outsides, 7 identifiable woofers, 2 Lap Wings, 2 tractors, 9 hours a day, 1 oak, 1 daily pen game, 2 stone games, 19 friends, 3 boats, 1 Tench, 1 busy cat, 1 very tired falling asleep sitting up cat.

Boaters Covid Support. 31st March

Lockdown Mooring 2

A couple of weeks ago Kate Saffin and a few other people started a facebook group with the aim of connecting small local boating groups on the network in relation to Covid-19, circulating information and supporting where help was needed.

We started as a group for boaters running local waterways based COVID support groups. That is still important – creating a network of small, local, responsive groups across the waterways with this group as an umbrella group to support anyone running a group. As things have developed we’ve been asked for help by more isolated boaters, so this also a network for any boater to connect to other boaters – for some practical help or just to know that there are others around your area.
Boaters Covid Support-National Network, Facebook

Existing groups contacted them and then there were people like me who wanted to connect to a local group if there was one around. This part of the Shropie didn’t have a group, yes I could have set one up with the guidance from the Boaters Covid Support, but as we’ll be moving on when we can it seemed daft to become an admin for an area we are (hopefully) only visitors in.

I’ve been checking back to see if a group had been set up and today I found a growing list of such groups. Hopefully this link Covid Suppport Groups Listing will take you to the relevant page where you can download the list. A small group had been set up for the Northwich/Middlewich/Nantwich area, so we both joined.

So far there are ten members in our group, but I hope it will grow. These groups are intended so that people can offer help locally or ask for help should they need it through these challenging times.

Today we’ve been watching the farmers ploughing the fields around us on both sides of the canal. This is exciting as I may soon have a whole field to dig and run around in. Having my own pooh field as shore based facilities will keep Them happy.

Our mystery bird returned and I tried to film it to capture it’s call. Here it is right at the beginning, before the White Tipped Tailed Tilly starts with her whingeing! Thank you for the suggestions so far. I think however it is possible that it might be a Turn of some sort and only calls when in flight.

This afternoon we set out on a walk. The Ordnance Survey map was checked to see if we could do a circular route and one was found that would keep us on this side of the canal.

We walked up towards Hurleston, stopping for a chat with Barry who’d been very industrious painting his plank and pole. Then we continued on along the towpath past the junction and on to where the fairies live at the bottom of the garden. Behind the canalside properties lies a rather nice looking house with great tall chimneys. Maybe we’ll head that way another day.

Along hedges, across fields, we were quite glad Mick had the map on his phone because other than at the occasional gate post there was no obvious footpath to follow.

What until recently must have been thick mud now has a dried out top crust all cracked and in parts deceiving as you foot squelches through into the underlying softer layers. Then tractor tracks hard baked make the going hard, we did our best not to twist any ankles.

Grassy fields, old maize fields with the remaining husks long since devoured by wildlife.

Past a very large new barn being built, alongside the farm track and across more fields.

Down into the corner where a wrong footed style gave us a conundrum along with getting spiked by the holly tree that had grown round it.

Here we could see our route across a small wooden bridge a style at both ends.

This then led us into a very well maintained garden! Hang on, we thought, we can’t go tramping up their garden. We checked the map. It suggested the path went up the left of the buildings, except these buildings didn’t look like they were L shaped.

We tried round the other side of the hedge, no. Then up the side of the garden apologising as we went. In the corner by an area where chicken were fenced in there was a style, phew we could get out of someone’s garden.

We soon joined the track away from the houses and on a telegraph pole saw a notice saying that the footpath was closed until June, due to damage sustained by the bridge during the recent floods. The footpath on this map suggested that we should have walked right up through the garden! Glad we didn’t.

There’s some lovely looking houses about with their two tone bricks. A 4 bedroomed barn conversion is for sale, a mere snip at £570,000. Link

The road led us back towards the canal and our nearest southernly neighbours. from here it was back onto the towpath and back to the boat. A good three mile walk, slightly challenging under foot.

0 locks, 0 miles, 6 boats, 1 after dark, 2 fields ploughed, 1 flock of seagulls, 1 mystery bird, 1 poem ready to add, 3 miles walk, 2 kissing gates, 2 styles, 1 tennis court in use, 2 coats left outside, 1 big pan of chicken and sweet potato hash, yum.

Fusilli. 20th March

Nantwich

A shopping list was drawn up over breakfast with what we’d like to get from the shops. A Brompton bike and bags at the ready we walked into Nantwich to see what we’d find.

The arms houses are so pretty on a sunny day

Up on the embankment people kept their distance from each other. With less traffic on the road than normal it wasn’t necessary to press buttons at crossings. It being the last day of school, teenagers stood outside Malbank High School puffing away on cigarettes, we kept a wide berth as they enjoyed their nicotine.

Town wasn’t as quiet as we thought it would be, mostly older people doing their shopping. Each bench around the war memorial had only one person sat on them.

We headed for Pepper Street. Here an older lady jokingly warned friends she had the lurgy and to keep away! Then proceeded to stand close and have a good natter, this Social Distancing is going to take some people a while to get the hang of!

H. Clewlow Butchers had their display of pies in the window as usual. Mick made his choice then went inside, returning with a pie, a chicken and some frozen gluten free sausages.

Next it was Chatwins for a loaf of bread. All these items a touch more expensive than if we’d got them at Morrisons, but at least we were supporting local shops.

Holland and Barrett next to see what gluten free flours they had. Sorghum flour is out of stock everywhere I look on the internet, I knew they wouldn’t have any but I did manage to get some brown rice flour which should keep my sourdough starter happy, that’s if it can cope with a change of food. Here I was invited by the shop assistant to scan my own items, he just had to press buttons on the till.

Then to Morrisons. Fruit and veg seemed fairly well stocked the potatoes a touch depleted, but round in the next isle was a different story. Booze, only sweet or expensive wine left. We’re fine for now.

Down every isle the shelves were being restocked, the sound of boxes and plastic wrapping being cut away. Anti-bac handwash was going out on the shelves so we picked one of them up, we use this normally. Shampoo, meat and mustard were the new isles to be empty.

I’m glad I was brought up cooking and able to look at what was left on shelves and know we’d be eating tasty things for the next few days. Most things on our list were covered now just a few exemptions, so whilst Mick sorted the bike out I headed to Aldi.

A shop assistant was astounded at the amount of frozen ham and pineapple pizzas they were getting through. Then a chap asked why the booze isle was empty. The manager explained that until there are more drivers they are restricted to one delivery to the store a day and she was ordering nappies and pasta rather than booze. Next week things would be restocked, but for now Nantwich would be a sober place to be.

Heading back towards the boat we stopped at B&M where Tilly’s cat food filled the shelves. £2.99 each of 3 for £10! I got one, she now has supplies for a month. I have to say I never thought I’d be buying free range eggs at Home Bargains.

After lunch we walked over to the bins at the services. Mick spotted in the skip a new unopened bag of Fusilli pasta with a date on it. What was this doing here? The only pasta in Nantwich. If I wasn’t gluten free we’d have had it, but left it for someone else to find.

NB Halsall had been due in Nantwich over the next few days and Mick had sent in an order. However they have had to change their schedule due to deliveries to them being altered. We tried working out where we might meet them, considered getting a bag of coal from the chandlers here. In the end we checked if they would still have enough stock for us if we met them at Calverley tomorrow, rendez vous arranged.

As Mick had a towpath haircut Tilly tried her paw at catching squirrels at the bottom of the embankment. It really isn’t fare! They jump from tree to tree without doing any calculations, its as if Isaac Newton never existed!

Then we sat down to watch todays press conference. Life is different and will stay this way for sometime. Our summer plans of catching up with people in Yorkshire will not happen, we’ll still venture north as C&RT say they have no plans on closing the navigation. Emails full of photos will be sent to those we’ll no longer be able to see. The camera and microphone are now working on the laptop and tomorrow there is a planned get together of Mick’s family on Zoom. I suspect we’ll end up seeing more of each other over the next few months than normal.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1st chiffchaffs, 4 shopping bags, 1 laden bike, 0 porridge, 0 wine, 1 coal boat rendez vous, 1 bag of pasta, 1 shaved head, 1 speedy squirrel.

Pigs Not Ponytails. 19th March

Coole Pilote to Nantwich Aqueduct

Over the last couple of days we’ve been discussing whether we should wear gloves whilst working locks now. Apart from when we venture to the shops this is when we might be in contact with the virus. So far I haven’t bothered, making a mental note of what I touch when back on the boat and giving those places and my windlass a wipe down.

Mick however today decided that he’d wear gloves to protect others as well as himself. Doing so makes you a touch more aware of what you touch. He wore his rubber coated gloves and I pulled out a disposable pair for working our way down Hack Green Locks.

I’ve also changed how I tie my hair up. A ponytail doesn’t quite keep it all away from my face when working locks and this gets quite annoying when you are trying to avoid touching your face! So today I decided to revert to pigtails. All good so far, except my hat doesn’t quite sit on top of them.

A few boats had come past this morning and the lady from the boat behind us had been out for a walk with her dog and cat. We pushed off at nearly midday, well Tilly had been out finishing off her friends!

The communications mast from the Secret Bunker hid behind the trees for much of the mile to the locks. We wondered how much toilet roll was stashed away down there in the cold war and if it still might be there.

Our new modus operandi for working the locks seemed to work well. That was until I spotted bedoingee lambs in the field alongside the locks and had to take a photo!

My camera would now need a wipe down. One little lamb obliged when a bedoing was requested and both Mick and I bounced up and down to keep it company.

Over kill maybe, or better safe than sorry

The locks were easy work, followed by wiping things down and disposing of gloves. I think the top of the cabin sides of Oleanna will end up being very clean at this rate.

A zoom in to the hill tops just in view confirmed that we could see Mow Cop on the horizon a familiar sight from the Trent and Mersey and Macclesfield Canals.

Then a dart of blue, quickly followed by another! Two Kingfishers sprinted ahead of us. We kept our eyes glued to where we thought they might have landed. The camera worked overtime pointing in their general direction and I was lucky to get one reasonable shot with the two of them. I wonder if they were by their nest as it’s now breeding season.

We pootled along soon reaching the outskirts of Nantwich. A long line of boats greeted us, did this mean the embankment was full? No it meant the usual boats that stay in one place for a fortnight were doing just that, close to a bridge and away from visitor moorings.

Along the first stretch of 2 day moorings we spotted Jellicoe the butty for NB Mountbatten. Here is a possible mooring for a supermarket delivery, but as none are available we decided to continue on towards the aqueduct. Last time we passed here NB Valerie was moored along the embankment. Today another green boat sat on the same mooring.

As we rounded the bend of the embankment we could see that there was plenty of space up ahead near the service block and the ramp down to the roads below. We crossed the aqueduct and found ourselves a place, furthest away from the road as possible.

Our shopping trip was put on hold until tomorrow when we’ll face others in the queues at the tills. So Tilly got to reacquaint herself with the hill we’re sat on. Too much footfall for her liking, but better than BUMingham.

During the afternoon I received an email that I really hadn’t expected. Dark Horse have decided to continue with The Garden. They don’t know when or if it will get to be seen by an audience, but want to continue as if it will be. So this afternoon I have scanned my drawings and emailed them off to my friend Graham for a quote. I will colour up the model and in April we’ll have a virtual production meeting via Zoom. Depending on when the show goes ahead will depend on how much I can achieve of my design as I’m not sure charity shops will be open for me to start collecting costumes.

Late afternoon the laptop was handed over to the IT department. It’s all very well arranging for meetings to take place over the internet, but you really need to have a working microphone and camera for such things. After an hour or so, both were working. Mick is now going to see if he can connect my camera up to the laptop at the same time so that I can walk people through the model more easily than with the laptop.

2 locks, 3.93 miles, 2 outsides, 0 friends, 4 muddy paws, again! 1 job to continue, 2 Kingfishers, 2 pairs gloves, 2 antibac wipes, 2 pigtails, 1 last of everything fresh stew, 1 sister-in-law in Australia, 6 weeks lock down in China starting to lift, 0 new measures here.

https://goo.gl/maps/HKSRnTDFbe4ti4gF6

Hitchhiker And 1000! 13th March

Norbury Junction to Goldstone Bridge 55

Tilly was allowed some shore leave as we had breakfast, thankfully she returned home before we’d finished so no mad cat woman required on the towpath. Mick made a call to his dentists in Scarborough, they were still seeing people. However where we are right now isn’t the easiest place to do a day trip from, so he has moved his appointment to May when we hopefully should be nearer.

Up at the junction a boat was already on the waterpoint, they nudged back and made room for us to pull in. Water topped up, yellow water emptied and rubbish disposed of we were ready for our days cruise.

Good job there is room at the junction as there isn’t by this bridge!

What has happened to the etiquette of not mooring close to bridge holes? Just through Norbury Bridge on the off side is a permanent mooring, on the towpath there is normally a short distance before the 48 hr mooring sign, leaving a space by the bridge. This seems to be happening more and more.

On we pootled in a northernlyish direction. Our next bridge was High Bridge, the bridge with the double arch and telegraph pole right in the middle of it. Just how many photos have I taken of this bridge? But my photos today would be different as the south face was covered in scaffolding.

Evidence of more trees that had come down in the storms. One huge trunk turned out to be just a limb that had peeled itself away from the main part of the tree.

On through Grub Street cutting. The boats are still here along with the beautiful blue Daimler half under wraps.

I think the roof of the shelter will need some attention very soon!

Well worth a stop if you’ve never been, of even if you have

The chap on the fender boat stuck his head out to ask if Tyrley was open again. Past The Anchor, too early in the day to stop for a pint of 6X.

Lines of moored boats slowed our progress, not quite as bad as at Goldennook up towards Chester. Sheep grazed in fields above and below the canal, some chomping away on crops laid in lines where they had grown.

We passed an immaculate NB Percy, Nev had been on board a few days ago but there was no sign of life today, we waved anyway.

Please would you come and give Oleanna a polish?

This morning we’d pin pointed two possible moorings, depending on when the rain arrived would determine how far we got. Black Flat Bridge arrived and we only had a touch of drizzle in the air, so we continued.

A couple of churps. A Kingfisher. We both looked up as a blue flash passed us at the stern. Normally a Kingfisher would carry on skimming the surface of the canal to quite a distance up ahead to find a perch. Not this one though!

Oleanna trying to keep quiet behind the bags of coal

He swooped up onto our cratch cover and caught a ride with us for a few minutes.

Thankfully there was enough time to get my camera out and take a few photos.

Being only about 50 ft away I managed to get some good photos showing off his plumage. Wow! What a treat! We felt like we’d been chosen. So beautiful.

Then he took off and headed back to where he’d come from. Thank you for spending a few minutes with us.

The rain was now trying harder, so we had a go at pulling into possible moorings on the embankment, with great views. But the Shropie shelf thwarted that idea.

Soon we reached the next visitor mooring with rings at Goldstone Bridge. No view but a suitable place for Tilly to keep amused and us to stay dry for the remainder of the afternoon.

I browned off a pack of pork mince, then split it in two. One for the freezer, the other for a bolognese sauce which will last us a couple of meals. This sat on the stove top gently bubbling away the afternoon as we watched the news regarding the virus.

It doesn’t seem like it will be long now before numerous events will be cancelled and everyone’s life will be contained to some degree. What a strange time lies ahead for us all. Stay safe and well my friends.

0 locks, 7.74 miles, 1 straight, 5 trees, 1 bridge, 2 kingfishers, 1 hitching a ride, 2 outsides, 1 damp day, 70% rent, 500 grams when cooked equals 360 grams, 1000th Oleanna blog post.

https://goo.gl/maps/TkKaK18BC9o5JocW7

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna

Category Archives: Birds

Closing Down. 27th April

Winding for Water. 14th April

Green Shoots. 13th April

Listening. 10th April

Fake News! 8th April

Lap Wing. 1st April

Boaters Covid Support. 31st March

Fusilli. 20th March

Pigs Not Ponytails. 19th March

Hitchhiker And 1000! 13th March