Category Archives: Boat cats

Eight Years And One Month to the Day. 5th May

Water Ski Lake, Ditchford to Woodford FOTRN

We woke on a list, one of those that’s a touch unsettling, thank goodness we have a cross bed so neither of us had fallen out of bed. It wasn’t that bad really, with me at the bow to help spread the weight, Mick reversed Oleanna off the silt with ease.

What a lovely day, the sun was out and blue sky cruising lay ahead for us. For much of our journey today we’ve been surrounded by lakes, the water ski lake stretches on for what feels like miles to a retail park. Both horizons seem to have developments going on. The north side new houses and currently the south has fencing around it suggesting more houses.

Today we’d encounter two more types of lock. The first Ditchford Lock which instead of a guillotine gate has a radial gate. Apparently there used to be several more of these along the river, but this is the only one that remains.

The bottom gate is curved and drops in at the bottom of the lock, all operated by fingers on buttons again. We should be keeping an eye out for other locks that have previously had radial gates as they have large downstream recesses that used to house the mechanism.

Then the longest reach of river we’ve had so far towards Higham Ferrers Lock, 2 miles! A boat was just coming into the lock from below so I tried to help close the gate behind it. Another boat appeared below too, but the chap said he’d shared with them and they’d said as he was in a rush to head onwards without them, he was a boat mover. Blimey that gate was heavy and took two people to get it moving. It turns out there had been a notice regarding it.

Up the boat came, but only so far. We went to check the bottom gate, the paddles had been left up! No indicator that we could find to show this. The last boat through had possibly been a hire boat (it had passed us this morning), possibly with someone wearing C&RT clothing, all speculation. With the paddles closed the boat came up and we could descend, by now the next boat was waiting below.

Yesterday Mick had had confirmation texts and messages that his phone had been registered for strong stream alerts on the Anglian Waterways. Levels can change suddenly down here as the EA manage water levels. If there is flooding the locks can be reversed, making them into sluices sending water downstream fast. The locks are filled, top gates chained open and then the guillotine gate is raised, being on pins downstream of a lock is not a good place to be! Follow the link below to register for warnings.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/anglian-waterways-river-conditions-closures-and-restrictions

Irthlingborough looks an interesting place.

Heading towards the next lock we also signed up to the Friends Of The River Nene Facebook group here there are discussions and information about the river, more than you get from the FOTRN website.

A bridge had also stuck in our memory, Old Station Road Bridge, sits downstream of the New Station Road Bridge a concrete possibly 1920’s 30’s high bridge. The old bridge comprises of double and triple chamfered arches. Through the centuries it has been widened, Mid C14th and has date stones from 1668, 1829, 1754 and 1922.

Here you take a specific arch and a boat heading upstream had come a cropper coming through, getting stuck at an angle heading them straight off into the reeds. We cut our speed and then slowed as much as we could to tread water, good job the flow wasn’t stronger. They sorted themselves out and came past, we now had to try to line up with the skew arch and from a position we’d not have chosen to be in. Mick deftly turned Oleanna and avoided adding any more groves to the well worn bridge.

A pit stop at the EA moorings was had for lunch and to empty our yellow water tank. Then we were off again to Irthlingborough Lock where we had a couple of gongoozlers watching our every move. It’s funny without a car my geography of England is now centred around canals and rivers, proximity to cities and towns only a twenty minute drive away feels like it’s on the other side of the country. The gongoozlers mentioned Stoke Bruerne, a 30 minute drive yet on a boat it would take over 16 hours. For us that would be a 4 day cruise!

The river at times now gets quite narrow with trees here there and everywhere, you have to keep your eyes peeled for on coming boats. We passed two more FOTRN moorings, at least one is likely to be stopped at on the way back.

Upper Ringstead Lock was the place we had our very first night onboard Lillyanne. We tied to the end bollard of the lock landing and hammered a spike in for the bow rope. Today the lock landing looked tidier than eight years ago, but what hadn’t changed was the guillotine mechanism! This one is the first manually operated gate heading downstream.

This is one thing I’d not forgotten about the River Nene, the big wheel!

Once unlocked you spin the big wheel round and round and round and……. you’ve got the idea. The wheel may be big making it easier to move the guillotine, but the shear number of times you have to spin it is unrelenting! Thank goodness Upper Ringstead Lock is only shallow. I put one idea into action here, get Mick to drop the guillotine then I would raise it, splitting the arm ache between the two of us.

Soon we were at Lower Ringstead Lock, alongside Willy Watt Marina. This was the very first lock we ever did in Lillyanne and our first Nene lock. We didn’t remember it at all. Was it manual back then? Or fingers on buttons? I think we were so giddy at finally owning our own boat that nothing much was stored in the memory bank.

Round a big bend and under the old railway bridge, we were soon passing Woodford Riverside Marina, a little arm off to the west. Well it’s actually two little arms with an island between them. This is where Lillyanne had spent most of her life before we bought her and where we collected her from 8 years and a month ago today. We’d had one trip that day by car to off load our belongings and pick up the keys, Merve the previous owner was a touch twitchy not having received the proceeds of the sale via the broker, he was also twitchy as her licence had expired. We then drove to Crick Marina to leave the car and our friend Lizzie gave us a lift back.

Merve seemed happier this time, hopefully the £1 the brokers send through to check it’s your account before sending the rest of the money (the following week in our experience!) had arrived. It was late in the afternoon, we untied and pushed off down the narrow channel between moored boats to the entrance onto the river. We had a crowd watching us. It was the first time Mick had been at her helm and the turn out under the bridge was very tight, yet he managed it without touching a thing.

Not far 0.25km further on we pulled in at Woodford FOTRN mooring for the day. The bank was uneven for much of its length, a section having collapsed at some point, but we made the best of it and left plenty of room for someone else should they arrive, which they did later in the afternoon.

The chairs came out and we both enjoyed the view as Tilly explored the area. Good friendly cover and the occasional small tree to climb. She however didn’t spot the Yoyo flies that kept her occupied and us amused when we were on the River Avon a few years ago.

I had a good catch up chat with David, he’s moved away from Newark now, he has good and bad days, but is doing okay.

*I must not go on others peoples boats!*

5 locks, 8.15 miles, 8 moving boats, 2 gongoozlers, 1 empty yellow water tank, 1 stop for lunch, 8 years 1month, 1 yellow boats previous home, 2 shop bought pizzas personalised, 1 neighbour, 1.25 star review! 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/gui6zcnYAzdQMeyY8

How Much Do We Remember? 3rd May

Westbridge Pipe Bridge to White Mills Marina, River Nene

With Frank on standby to be our proxy a phone call was made to Scarborough Council. Mick got to chat to the nice lady who’d helped us eight years ago and through the years had made sure we’ve had the correct forms to be able to vote despite being homeless!

Sadly this time she couldn’t help us. She could reissue our postal votes which would automatically cancel the previous ones, but unless one of us went to collect them from the office they would not return in time to be counted in the election. She did check that they hadn’t been returned, either to sender or falsely signed. No-one knows where they are, possibly they will be sat in amongst our post next time one of us goes to do a turn around, delayed in the post. Thankfully we strongly suspect the candidate we would have voted for will be elected, fingers crossed that is the case.

Time to get a move on. We dropped down the last of the Northampton Arm Locks at 10:30 and made our way under Cotton End Bridge the river banks to the west of the bridge overgrown, to the east moorings on large bollards. There would have been space for us here, but above on the arm was a better choice for Tilly, even though she wasn’t keen!

We headed in to Northampton Marina, pulling up on the pump out pontoon. When we bought NB Lillyanne we inherited an Abloy key which has been carried around for eight years. Only having one could be a mistake, one we’d rather not happen. The chap in the office was in the middle of a training course but was happy to sell us a key after we’d shown him our Gold Licence. He also sent us away with a comprehensive map and list of moorings along the river.

Back out on the river we timed it perfectly to arrive at Northampton Town Lock as a narrowboat was just exiting. We asked if we had to leave the gates open when we left, but they didn’t know. Yellow signs on the beams suggested we could leave either end of the lock open, but to lock the other set of gates. Should the river be in flood a red flag is flown and you should not proceed, this was certainly not the case today.

Manual gates at both ends of this, Rush Mills and Abington Lock. The paddle gear easy to wind up and down. Once up a white marker shows at the very top and as you wind them down a marker follows your progress until the paddle is closed.

At Rush Mills an EA boat was just approaching so I helped them lock up. Below the lock landing has been having work done to it, on other lock landings areas are being left to rewild to help encourage insects and bees.

Abington Lock, now this one we remembered from eight years ago. Lillyanne’s EA licence had just run out so we were doing our best to get her off the river and onto C&RT waters before we were spotted. We did a full days cruise, but hadn’t managed to get as far as we’d hoped in day light. It being April Weston Favell pontoon had looked appealing but shouldn’t be used (May to September it’s a mooring, October to April only to be used when the river is in flood) in the end we moored on the lock landing at Abington, setting the alarm for first light, hoping no-one would see us, they didn’t.

Once through the barrage Northampton Washlands open out, here flood water can be held to limit flooding downstream a barrage at both ends. Hopefully we’ll be able to stop on the pontoon on our way back.

Waterway Routes map showing type of lock gates, lock landing locations and more

So far the locks had been a fairly standard set up with pointing gates (as they are called round here) at both ends, shown on the above Waterway Routes Map as two arrows. But at Weston Favell Lock we had reached our first Guillotine bottom gate, shown with pointing gates at the top of the lock and just a straight line at the bottom. Most of the locks on the River Nene are these type of locks.

These locks have to be left with the top gates closed, paddles closed and the guillotine gate raised fully. Like this they act as a weir, rising river levels come over the top of the gates and can flow out of the lock. On arriving at the lock, using your EA key (Abloy) you unlock the control panel. If heading upstream you bring your boat in and then lower the guillotine behind. Then you can lift the paddles at the top of the lock, some of these can be fierce so caution is required.

Once the lock is full open the gate, either exit or enter depending which way you are going. Close the paddles and gates and then empty the lock, no matter which way you are heading. To do this you press the raise gate button until the red light illuminates, this lifts the guillotine just enough to drop the level in the lock, maybe a few inches or a foot. Oleanna gets pulled forward a touch when this happens, but nothing alarming.

Then after a couple of minutes the red light goes out and the green one illuminates, you can then press and hold the raise gate button. This doesn’t sound too bad, in fact on your first lock or two it isn’t that bad, your thumb or finger aches a touch as it takes minutes then a few more minutes to fully raise. By the time you are onto your third lock of the day RSI is starting to set in.

He may be smiling, but I may not after the manual version of the locks!

With the guillotine gate now raised the boat can exit below getting dripped on and you can try to manipulate your thumb into working so as to close the control panel and lock it again. All fun and for those who have been this way before, I most definitely remember the manual versions which are still to come!

At Billings Lock we were following another narrowboat, the lady kindly dropped the guillotine in for us after they had left. They were liveaboards out for a trip from Northampton Marina, ‘Being live aboards you have to get out once in a while!’ the lady said. I asked how far they were heading today, thinking we’d have a locking partner. ‘Just here then we’re turning round to go back’. They must have headed into Billing Aquadrome, a very tight turn by the bridge. We may venture in there on the way back.

The spacing of locks is such that we decided that maybe we should have made a pack up for lunch today. Mick kept us at a gentle speed so that I could make us some lunch and a cuppa without missing too much.

Todays schedule had us mooring near Cogenhoe Lock. Some maps show there to be a mooring near the lock, our old Imray guide suggests mooring on the fields above, but we knew better as this was where we’d considered mooring eight years ago only to find nowhere obvious to pull up. The EA guide suggests ringing to see if there is any space, this must be down the weir arm and looked quite busy, so we’d not bother.

Patiently waiting for the lock to be ready

We then had a choice. Stop at White Mills Marina for the night, or push on to a Friends of the River Nene mooring at Hardwater Mill, possibly another hours cruising. Once we’d dropped down Whiston Lock Mick tried calling the marina, time was already ticking away and if we got a mooring with electricity we’d be able to empty the dirty washing drawer. There was no answer, just a message saying they were closed on Tuesdays. Mick left a message during which someone called him back. Eventually he got through, a lady was manning the phone, the marina office closed. We could moor there for the night £14 and she would see if she could sort electric for us. Brilliant! By now we were only five minutes away.

We turned into the narrow opening, followed directions we’d been given, turn right towards the Ukrainian flag, then head towards the office, pull in on the river side of NB Albert. This we found easily and reversed in, only to find it was a touch shallow.

The very nice lady came and told us where everything was and persevered sorting the electric out for us, £2 we’d see how long that would last us in this new world of higher prices!

A quick Cat Health and Safety check. Sadly there was an intermittent busy road close by and a possible ditch that would have stopped our second mate from venturing that far was very dry indeed! So not a natural barrier. I’d rather put up with complaints than not have a complaint ever again from Tilly. So much for moving the outside!

*I may have to resort to wine if this carries on*

As Tilly was stuck inside I took the opportunity to remove her collar and give her her new wormer. Last years tablet she’d been given seemed to disagree with her, resulting in tremors, so this time the vet gave me a spot on one. Just a dab of wetness on the back of the neck, that’s how they are sold to humans. They think that is fine! It most certainly is not!!! Nobody was touching me after that!

Washing machine was put to use, two loads, a dishwasher load and some electric heating before we headed to bed.

9 locks (1 canal, 8 river), 2 barrage gates, 7.52 miles, 0 postal votes, 0 proxy, £15 key! 4 boats met, 1 grey day, 1 ever so excited cat, 1 extreamly disappointed cat, 1 nice lady, 1 washing drawer empty, 2nd pork meal.

https://goo.gl/maps/Q4kq71yYa9dxZ5jp9

Right To Vote. 2nd May

Westbridge Pipe Bridge

We may now be on exploration mode, but there are other things more important that will dictate what we do for the next week or so. Hopefully we’ll get to spend a bit more time on the River Nene on our return. Today however Tilly and I would be staying put whilst Mick had a day away at the seaside.

Last night he spent time purchasing five day returns, finding the cheapest route via split tickets to Scarborough, totalling £54. Mick gets to do such journeys as he has an old gits rail card. To get a couple of hours in Scarborough it meant him getting on a train at 06:59 from Northampton. He changed at Rugby, Tamworth, Derby, York and arrived in Scarborough at 12:08. His tickets were even more complicated!

The house needed checking over for a change of lodgers, the boiler we’d had problems with needed checking too, but most importantly Mick had gone to pick up our postal votes. Getting them sent on by our lodgers wouldn’t guarantee them arriving in the right place at the right time, but going to collect them from the house a few days before the council election should.

When we first moved onboard fulltime Mick had a long conversation with a lady at Scarborough Council about how we could vote from our boat. The lady was very helpful. Every year we had to declare ourselves homeless and register an interest in Scarborough. We then appointed a proxy voter, our friends Dawn and Duncan obliged for us and visited our Polling Station, European Referendum, General Elections, Council Elections. This all worked, we were on the list of special people at the back of the list and our names got crossed off each time. On one occasion Mick headed back to Scarborough from Manchester to vote in person, my vote sadly lost that time.

Today when Mick arrived back at the house however there were NO postal votes waiting for him! It worked for the Police Commissioner last year, why not now! We’d received our Postal Poll Cards weeks ago. All that way and no means of voting. He tried calling the Council, but it being a Bank Holiday Monday the phone remained unanswered.

House chores were quickly done, things checked over and he was back on a train at 15:34 to change at the same stations on his return journey arriving back in Northampton at 20:21, empty handed.

Meanwhile Tilly and I had done a bit of cleaning. Meowed at the back door! I’d been out to do some shopping. Eight years ago we’d visited Morrisons, today I first headed to Aldi which is nearer, but very quickly realised the things I wanted they wouldn’t have, so I aborted and headed to Morrisons instead.

There had been a possibility that Mick wouldn’t get back until 9 or 10pm, depending on how the house had been left. So I’d taken the opportunity to purchase some King Prawns, Mick doesn’t like things that eat poo, so they are a solitary treat for me once in a blue moon.

On the offside of the final Northampton Arm lock a family was enjoying a barbeque. Thank goodness there was the lock in between us as their dog seemed to not want passers-by, it came and made that very obvious.

Tilly tried persuading me to move the outside to a better one. But all She said was that we couldn’t do that while Tom was in the outside, he wouldn’t like it! I suppose She was right I get all hurumphy when they move the outside a little bit whilst I’m in it and by the looks of things the outside would have had to move a long way to make it any better!

To while away the afternoon I used up a couple of wonky lemons that I had left over and had a go at a Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil recipe for Lemon Drizzle Traybake. It needed amending to be gluten free and the fact that the suitable tray I have seems to be in Scarborough! The recipe uses rapeseed oil instead of butter so was very easy to make, but the quantity of oil seemed to be a lot and our supplies are a bit short right now. I cut down on the oil, popped it in a cake tin and hoped for the best. After 35 minutes it was cooked, drizzled over with sugar and lemon juice. I just had to wait for Mick to return to sample it.

Tomorrow we’ll ring the Council to see if there is any way we can get a proxy vote at such a late date. We don’t hold out much hope, but it’s worth a try.

0 locks, 0 miles, 5 return tickets, 10 trains, 1 pump still running, 1 dying dishwasher, 1 mini bottle of bubbles, 0 postal votes, 0 boxes wine, 150grams king prawns all for ME, 1 unimpressed cat, 1 slightly cleaner boat.

207 Years To The Day. 1st May

Evans Bridge 42 to Westbridge Pipe Bridge

In need of the services at Gayton Junction we prepared, emptying the wee tank whilst the outlet was on the towpath side. Then we pootled our way to the junction.

What a difference from yesterday! I got sunburnt yesterday, today we could just about see our breath! Layers and long sleeves were certainly needed.

At the junction there was already a boat on the services, but fortunately they had just finished. We pulled in alongside and let two other boats pass before we could swap places and tie up. There was a hive of activity around the service block, the local IWA branch were busy weeding and giving the place a general tidy up. We filled and emptied as required then were ready to push off.

We’ve pulled up at the services here before, but only once been along the Northampton Branch. That was just over eight years ago when we’d just bought NB Lillyanne, she’d been moored on the River Nene and her licence had just run out, so we spent a couple of long days getting her off the river and onto C&RT waters. Quite a rush, not enough time to take much in or write a blog.

Last year was all about seeing family and friends, this year we want to explore again. Today we’d be heading down the Northampton Arm towards the River Nene, Middle Levels, Great Ouse, River Cam etc where we plan on spending the summer. We have our Gold Licence, have joined Friends of the River Nene and The Great Ouse Boating Association. There are different licences to buy, keys and windlasses (that are also called keys), all very exciting!

But first we needed to stop for an early lunch, there’s nowhere really to stop in the flight of locks down into Northampton so we pulled up opposite Gayton Marina. This is where all the hire boats were aiming for this morning and also where we came to view the first second hand boat we looked at inn 2014, it had too much leatherette for our tastes and really bad storage for a liveaboard boat.

From eight years ago I’ve had this thing that Gayton Marina had to be on the main line of the Grand Union near the junction, every time we’ve passed since I’ve wondered where it had gone! Now I know it wasn’t just a mirage.

NB Caress of Steel came past just as we pulled in, another Finesse boat with space for a motorbike in the tug deck. Then we watched the swing bridge at the entrance swing, all automated, a barrier and flashing light. There was no-one to be seen operating it, do moorers have a fob that they can press to open it? Or is someone watching on CCTV?

Time to set off, with sixteen locks ahead of us before we could stop we needed to get on with it.

We remembered narrow locks, going under the M1. I remembered trying to ride a Brompton up the gravelly track between locks, our lock operation has changed since then going up hill. Today I’d be walking much of the flight three times to set ahead and then let Mick and Oleanna out of the lock above.

What would be different to the locks? There’s always something different on each canal. The beams were wide, easy to cross. Here the handrails on the bottom gates were on the downhill side of them. Would I still be able to push the gates apart to save a walk around the lock? Have they always been like this or is it to put people off stepping across from one gate to the other?

At the second lock I stood and worked out if I could push the gates from the centre safely holding onto the railing. This actually would be a touch easier to start off with, but to guarantee getting the gate into the recess I would need to change the angle to which I pushed. After a few locks I decided that the angle I was pushing at was not being kind to my knees, so I chose to walk round instead. Thankfully Mick closed the other gate for me with the boat hook, saving a second trip round.

The thick of the flight runs through twelve locks seemingly in countryside, the last one however sitting underneath the M1 near junction 15A. All quite pretty, I suspect the views would have been better if the sun had been out.

A family walked up the flight, crossing over the gates of each lock. They were obviously keen to lend a hand with a gate or two.

In the pound below lock 6 I could see a red arc. This turned out to be the roof of a cruiser, the chap on board appeared when we had a couple of locks still to go to reach him. Obviously a single hander, I headed down to lend a hand with gates as he bow hauled his boat into the lock. He said that he’d stopped in the pound overnight and some nair do wells had opened all the paddles and drained the pound, he’d woken up with his boat on the silt.

The bywash was flowing and had got him afloat again, the level still quite low. It took time for Oleanna and the cruiser to pass. We’d left the next two locks ready for him, I suspect he made use of the open gates and then settled back down for another night, waiting for the next down hill boat to leave gates for him.

The level below Lock 6 was low. Oleanna ground to a halt exiting. I lifted one of the top paddles to see if I could flush her out. This worked quite quickly, but then the paddle wouldn’t close fully. I managed to force it down a touch, but had to call for Mick to see if he could get it further. Thankfully this worked.

The canal was built by the Grand Junction Canal, with a height difference of 32m between the Grand Junction at Gayton down to Northampton. 17 narrow locks were built to connect the River Nene to the canal network. The first boats arrived at Far Cotton in Northampton on the 1st May 1815, 207 years ago today! However today we wouldn’t be greeted by crowds cheering, it would just be geese crapping everywhere!

Farms were cut in half by the canal, so seven lift bridges were put across so that sheep, cattle and machinery could cross. Today only one such bridge is still fully in tact, just below lock 5, two more sit beside the canal.

Under the M1 are murals painted by local school children. One side depicts the canal through the seasons, the other is a time line of Northampton which is very interesting, bright and jolly. For 100 years the canal was very busy transporting coal, grain and timber, by WW2 road competition took over and trade declined.

In 1968 a group of local enthusiasts formed the IWA Northampton Branch, in 1971 the IWA National Rally was held when 650 boats gathered. The branch fought to keep the arm open, objecting to road plans that would affect the route. Today they look after the upkeep of the flight. Mosaics sit near the top gates of each lock and as seen at the top of the arm today work parties keep the thick of the flight trimmed and tidy.

Once under the M1 the last few locks are set further apart. New housing sits alongside and the amount of reeds increases, this is also something we remembered from eight years ago. Gradually the canal becomes more urban.

Local boats sat making use of the few rings above Lock 17, but there was space for us infront. We used the last ring and the girders holding the pipe bridge up to moor and moved the geese along taking care not to stand in their pooh.

Last night we had unwrapped the pork joint, dried it off and left it in the fridge to dry out. Before starting the flight I had left it out to come up to room temperature. Once down Lock 15 I turned the oven on, gave the joint a dry off and added some more salt to the leathery rind. Down Lock 16 in it went. By the time we were moored up it had done it’s 30 minutes at gas 7 and could be turned down. The effort paid off as we enjoyed the best pork crackling I’ve ever made along with a quarter of the meat. A good celebration to mark the anniversary of the arm and the start of our exploring this year.

16 locks, 6.5 miles, 1 left, 1 full water tank, 1 grey day, 1 left of 7, 34 mosaics, 1 slow boat to Gayton, 1 Tilly not too impressed, 2 hrs 42 minutes, 1 joint of pork that will last us four meals, 18 train tickets booked (making use of the Sale before it ends), 2 tired boaters.

https://goo.gl/maps/VibFSPXWK2YtgbUu6

Last Of The Chianti. 28th April

Bascote Aqueduct to Flecknoe Fields Farm Bridge 103, North Oxford Canal

Would we find a locking partner today? By the time we were ready to push off we’d already been passed by a boat heading to the locks, they were at least half an hour ahead of us. Then looking back behind us there was no sign of anyone behind either. Oh well, we’d be on our own again.

The Former Railway Bridge behind us has been improved as part of the National Cycle Network route 41 (Bristol to Rugby), soon the towpath will be closed for improvement works. Maybe some more rings will be put in too, you never know!

First two locks are by themselves before the thick of the flight. It would be a while before any downhill boats appeared on the horizon, so each lock would need emptying. The walk between the first locks easier on the feet than in Autumn as today it wasn’t covered in crab apples.

Soon in our routine, we started working our way up the remaining eight locks. I could just make out the boat ahead four locks up, I doubted we’d catch them up to share. Once we were up to the third lock keen crew appeared behind us, how many boats? Two, no point in waiting then. If they caught up with us they could help close up saving Mick some time.

Then up ahead the first of the down hill boats appeared. A pair, Mick could now leave the gates, he moved out of the lock to vacate it. The crew behind were so eager to climb the flight that their advance party wound up a paddle at the bottom end of the open lock. Mick shouted back to her, she didn’t hear. It took a while before her mistake was acknowledged and much shouting from Mick as the level of the pound gradually dropped.

In the lock was NB Ducketts Passage, a yellow boat. Having had a yellow boat (Lillian) we tend to make note of others and this one used to moor at the top of the Buckby flight, they gave up their mooring there in January. Nice to chat them and their locking partners.

Then a single hander who seemed to have a volunteer with him. There was another single boat coming down behind so he’d wait once we’d passed us, but the keen crew behind whizzed him through whilst the boat ahead of us sat in the top lock waiting. The volunteer carried on walking down the flight.

Also coming down hill were a couple of C&RT chaps. One on a bike who stopped, tried to wiggle the lock ladders, surveying the lock and making notes. The other had a measuring wheel and marked stick, he was checking the width of the upper track by the locks. Their conversation suggested that he was checking to see if the upper track was wide enough for vans. It was as there were obvious tyre tracks from a couple of days ago. Maybe they were checking things out for next winters stoppage list.

With one lock to go we realised a training boat from Willow Wren was coming down. They would wind and we’d swap with the other boat to accompany the training boat back up. This of course all took time, the novice crews first ever lock, the crew following us stood looking on puzzled.

We listened to see if there were any new tips we could pick up on. One was if sharing an uphill lock to always open the paddle on the side of the boat furthest forward first, this then holds both boats to the same side. The instruction was very clear, but very much tailored to the Ham and Baker paddle geared locks of Hatton to Calcutt. Hopefully at some point in their instruction they would be taught that not all locks are made the same, about gate paddles and how locks can leak requiring all paddles to be opened to equalise the levels so you can get out.

A pause for lunch in front of this Harland and Wolff Woolwich which couldn’t make up it’s mind on it’s name.

A good nosy at the Willow Wren set up as we passed, another had at Wigrams Turn of the campsite there. Both still possible party venues.

Kath I’ll save the homemade biscuits for when we eventually coincide

The familiar paintwork of NB Herbie on her new mooring at Ventnor gave her away as we passed.

Pulling in below the bottom lock at Calcutt we were joined by a boat coming out from the marina, perfect timing for us and them. With two boats coming down the middle lock we swapped over, four boats managing to find space to avoid any collision course.

Our partners stopped for diesel, tucking in next to the hire boat fleet and NB Driftwood whom we’d shared locks with around London last summer. No sign of Rod or Nor today sadly.

The last of the locks on our own again. The design of the locks means that as you empty them they give a particular noise as air takes over from water in the recess to the paddle gear. It reminds me of Hannibal Lecter.

At Napton Junction I stood in the bow to give warning of a passing boat, then we turned left towards Braunston. We pootled on passing numerous returning hire boats. When bridge 103 was passed we’d start looking for a mooring, we very quickly decided to stop at the first available space in case there wasn’t another. Two hours Tilly time was cut short by Mick as we didn’t want a recurrence of yesterday.

This evening I caught up on news with some of my Scarborough Chums on zoom whilst Mick chatted to our neighbours. They used to moor at the top of the Stockton flight at Kate boats, but when all the hire fleet were moved there they were offered a mooring down in Warwick, they have since moved to nearer Calcutt. Their suggestion is that the hire boats will now stay at Stockton leaving the Warwick base for leisure mooring.

13 locks, 3 shared out of 46, 6.44 miles, 1 left, 1 new access point, 6 turns, 1 blogging boat, 4 in a pound, 1 ex-locking partner.

https://goo.gl/maps/BEALRft1Z85DZaK39

Past Curfew! 27th April

Radford Smelly to Bascote Aqueduct

Our morning routine obviously doesn’t match anyone else’s. Some boats were away before us and others were still pottering before setting off, which meant we’d be without a locking partner for the day, Oh well!

As we headed towards Radford Bottom Lock we passed a boat towing another, the lady didn’t slow down any and her boat made quite a list as we passed. Maybe this was just the water being sucked from beneath or there was an object below the water line that made her boat rear up.

A chap sat by the bottom gate of the lock, windlass on the paddle gear, the lock full, top gate open, waiting, but no boat in sight. We disposed of rubbish at the bins by which time his boat arrived, an Anglo Welsh Heritage Class. We’ve not seen one of these before, hardly surprising as there are currently only two of them on the system.

A grey day with layers required, working locks would get us warm but the cruise between them would keep us chilly.

We worked our way up the first three locks and then trod water whilst a boat ahead was just finishing at the Fosse Road water point, we then pulled in to fill our tank setting the washing machine going hoping to catch the first rinse. But the pressure there was so good the tank was filled in no time. Another boat arrived squeezing in in front of us, their relief on being able to empty their toilet cassettes obvious.

The locks are spaced out along here, some looking like a new coat of paint wouldn’t go amiss, others looking like a new beam might also be required soon!

We paused for lunch a little after Fosse Top Lock, the noise from the HS2 works just audible. Once up Wood Lock we could see where the red earth has been moved and carved through to make way for the new track and just after Longhole Bridge a new bridge spans the canal.

On the southern bank large slabs of concrete have been laid as foundations for a new bridge. Certainly plenty going on. Welsh Road Bridge has traffic lights, a set just for the lock cottage. The only traffic today was lorries going back and forth with soil and rubble.

Now Bascote came into view, two single locks followed by a staircase of two. With no one coming down we had them to ourselves. I’d start a lock filling and then walk ahead to get the next one ready as Mick closed up behind.

The staircase requires setting with the top chamber full and the bottom one empty no matter which way you are travelling. Somehow they were almost set for us, the top full and the bottom almost empty, this meant either two boats had shuffled round each other (one going up, the other down) or the gates leaked! We think it was the latter.

Once in the bottom chamber I lifted a middle paddle. Normally 20ish turns does the job, but here it took more like 40. The other difference with this lock is that so far Oleanna had been held to the side with the incoming water in all the locks (raising the paddle on the same side as your boat), but here she drifted across the chamber and then back again.

Leaky gates might be keeping the top chamber full

We were soon onto the longer pound and heading for our preferred mooring on the aqueduct away from the road and pubs. Tilly was given a couple of hours shore leave, which now that she has her freshly stamped passport she totally ignored, returning an hour and a half after cat curfew and me turning into the mad cat lady!

*I wonder what’s down here, I may be some time!*

10 locks, 4.76 miles, 0 locking buddies, 1 temporary bridge, 1 huge lot of earth works, 1 full water tank, 1 preferred mooring, 1 cat out after curfew!

https://goo.gl/maps/qhYQCzwMFYugELRs5

Hanging Around For Twelve More Months. 26th April

Wedgenock Lane Bridge to Radford Smelly

No rushing away for us this morning, in fact we’d not be able to move off until mid-afternoon as there was an important appointment to be attended. So there was nothing for it but to have a cooked breakfast, whilst listening to Tilly complain at the back door about the lack of shore leave, AGAIN!

We waited and waited , several boats came past. I began to prepare tonights meal and we all waited.

Then at 2:15pm I collected past medication together, passport, popped a puppy pad in the escape pod and bundled a begrudging Tilly into it, zipping the door up behind her. She loves it in there apart form when the door is closed! I was very aware that some of her protestations this morning had been toilet based, preferring to use shore based facilities than the box onboard, so she’d kept her legs crossed. I really hoped the stress of her visit to the vets wouldn’t end up being damp or smelly!

So far Tilly has only seen the same vet twice, that was when she had her first vaccinations in Tamworth. Each year I look at our route and try to find a practice as close to the canal as possible, we then time our cruising accordingly. Last year we’d gone to the vets in Scarborough, five minutes by car, not a popular choice for Tilly! The last two years we’ve had to chat to a vet in a car park and hand the escape pod over because of the pandemic, this year I was to be allowed in with Tilly.

Cat waiting area, shame you have to walk past the woofers to get to it

Avonvale Veterinary Centres have several branches and the Warwick one was under a five minute walk from our mooring, the closest we’ve managed. Tilly shouted most of the way there and whilst we waited in the cat waiting area.

We were soon greeted by Sidney our man in green. Everyone bar Tilly wearing masks. A quick chat checking on her history, weigh in, teeth, heart, tummy, all squeezed and checked over. Then the jab in the neck.

I’d asked for a years worth of wormer and flea treatments. That was fine, although Tilly and I wanted to try her on a different wormer as we’ve worked out that the pills she’d been given last year gave her the shakes/tremors. Sidney obliged and we’ll try a spoton wormer. Hooray something else on my neck!!!

All very efficient, friendly, most importantly understandable as last years vet had a very thick accent which was next to impossible to understand without seeing her lips along with the ambient traffic noise in the car park. Just a shame about the price, just shy of £200, but that is everything she should need for the next year.

Tilly’s passport was signed, another year of shore leave granted, we just needed to move Oleanna now to somewhere suitable to kick start that year.

Back on board Tilly stretched out on the bed like lady muck to relax. Mick had got Oleanna ready, so we could push off as soon as possible.

At Cape Top Lock a pair were just about to exit the lock and pull up on the water point, Mick held back and then we descended.

There’s a new car park for the hospital with a brightly coloured surround to it. Plenty of building work around Kate Boats base. We did wonder if the hire fleet were still based here as there were no signs of it, maybe the dust from the building site opposite has made them move base for a while.

We soon passed NB Mad Hatter, whom we’d shared Hatton with last year.

A new stretch of rings has been put in between bridges 42 and 43, we’d always wondered why there was nothing here. We pulled in and I hopped off to do a shop at Morrisons, we’d get 10% off if using our credit card. Mick stayed onboard as the nearby benches were occupied.

With two heavy bags of shopping stowed we pushed onwards, time ticking away before cat curfew. We waved to our friends John and Gemma who live overlooking the canal, no visit to Wool Warehouse for me today. The cat is still here, almost unblemished, someone looks to have scrawled something on the mouse, but it’s mostly been cleaned off. This still has to be the best graffiti art on the network.

Soon we reached Radford Semele. We found a space and pulled in at the end of the arnco, a distance away from the next boat where a woofer was playing. I checked that their dog would be fine if I let Tilly out then gave her an hours leave. Thank goodness I could hardly keep my paws crossed any longer! That new litter smells a bit funny!!!

The finishing touches were put to the quiche and popped in the oven. Todays missions accomplished, we now just need to crack on to meet the next deadline.

Quinoa crust chicken quiche, click for recipe

2 locks, 4.69 miles, 6 hours waiting, 5 minutes walk, 1 very nice Tom in green, 1 Tilly wanting to escape, 1 jab, 2 wormers, 12 fleas, 1 clean bill of health, 12 months shore leave granted, 2 boxes wine, 2 loaves bread, 1 quinoa quiche.

https://goo.gl/maps/kk5NLY8gkWuG2PWt9

Mob Handed. 25th April

Middle Lane Lock 36 to Wedgenock Lane Bridge 50A

Last night we watched the bats swooping for insects around our mooring. Apart from the occasional train we had a peaceful night. Last time we moored here I had a broken ankle, so Mick single handed the flight with Tilly and myself trying to watch films below. On that occasion we paused on this mooring for a whole day to let storm Doris go over, we wouldn’t be staying as long this time.

Before we were ready to push off this morning a pair came up the flight. We weren’t in a hurry to set off and kept an eye out behind in case a boat was making it’s way down that we could share the second half of the locks with. But there was no sign.

At 10am we were ready. A volunteer had arrived too, he went down to the next lock to set it ready for us and check nobody was coming up. We were then joined by another two volunteers. One chap carried on down the flight to set ahead with the other two helping to close gates and work paddles.

We now started to meet boats coming up, another pair and one on it’s own. This meant we lost some volunteers, but by now we’d also picked up another two! Five volunteers in all.

We knew that they wouldn’t all stay with us to the bottom lock, but the chap who’d started helping us first kept setting the lock ahead for us. With the pounds between locks getting longer and longer this was very handy indeed. Another chap with a bike carried on down, leaving us with the last couple still to do. Thank you to them all for their help.

We came out of the bottom lock at around 11.30 and pootled our way round Budbrooke Junction. The sun was out, not as warm as yesterday but we wanted to make use of the sunlight. We pulled in behind another boat a short distance before Wedgenock Lane Bridge, further along we’d be over shadowed by flats and trees.

A quick check on the lane alongside the moorings and both of us agreed that Tilly’s shore leave would have to wait for another day. The lane leads to the cemetery, it isn’t busy, but vehicles tend not to go along it slowly, the worst kind for a cat escaping danger.

Look out for raspberries on the off side later in the year

The afternoon passed with Mick trying to sort out the best route back to Scarborough to collect our postal votes, neither of us are convinced that if they were posted on to us that we would receive them in time to make our votes count. I knitted another couple of pairs of baby socks and Tilly complained about being shut in doors.

This evening we headed along the towpath and crossed the lock to have a meal at The Cape Of Good Hope. We’ve only eaten out a couple of times since we last ate here last September. We’d booked an early table so as to avoid the crowds coming in for the pub quiz.

A burger each, mine with a gluten free bun, half the size of Mick’s costing an extra £1.50! But worth it. These were followed by a chocolate fondant and banoffee cheesecake. All very nice apart from Mick’s arriving on a roofing slate from which cherry juice dropped onto his clean pair of jeans! Mental note, always ask for food to be served on standard crockery.

We’d just finished our meal as the quiz teams arrived. We’re still not keen on sharing air space with lots of people.

11 locks, 1.87 miles, 5 volunteers, 1 easy descent, 23hours 28 minutes, 1 slow afternoon, 4 baby socks, 1 annoying howling second mate, 2 burgers, 1 glass wine, 1 pint, 2 puddings, Happy (what would have been his) 97th Birthday to my Dad.

https://goo.gl/maps/SKNftDdMbDu3dwS6A

Half Way Down The …… 24th April

Rowington Hill Bridge to Middle Lock Lane Lock 36

What a sunny morning, still a little bit windy but having some blue sky over head made all the difference. We didn’t rush to get away, but that meant we were passed by a couple of boats heading for Hatton before we’d even thought about pushing off.

Just before 11 we finally got going, time to admire the views we’d hidden from yesterday. A wide beam sat near Shrewley Tunnel, a narrowboat approached from the far end, they held back and pulled in giving us the tunnel to ourselves. Unfortunately this meant the chap got stuck in the mud for a while.

Another couple of miles and we’d reached the top of Hatton. We’d been keeping an eye open behind us in case there was any sign of a boat behind to share with, but the canal was empty. Yes we could sit and wait, but we might be there all day! The top lock was in our favour so we decided to head down on our own.

The lock below was also full, so I walked down to open the top gates leaving Mick to close gates and lift a paddle. In the third lock there was a boat rising, their crew actually walked past me to see what was happening at the top, he then lifted the paddle for Mick. Great I thought one less lot of gates to open, there’d be plenty of them to do today!

Then as we started to descend the second lock the gates on the lock below had been closed, the lock emptied and another two boats were heading into it. Was it to be this busy all the way down the flight?

We swapped places with the single boat and waited for the next lock to fill. Reports from down the flight was that there was a volunteer down there somewhere with a couple of trainees, helping hands but one’s that would be travelling in a pack.

It took a little while for the last boat to realise they needed to vacate the lock for us to be able to use it, lock fatigue that close to the top! Sadly Lock 43 was to be the last one set for us, we must be following someone down, although they couldn’t be seen ahead.

From here the world got quieter on the water, plenty of walkers about. This proved quite handy. Now that the locks were all nicely lined up and all needed filling, I walked down to lift a paddle so that it could be filling as the one above emptied. We stuck to only lifting one paddle at each lock, many people say opening both paddles only saves a couple of minutes, I was more interested in the energy conservation!

A young lad walking past the now full lock below stopped and opened the gate for us, brilliant! If we could have someone do that at each lock that would save some muscle aches. A couple got chatting to Mick at the next lock, he managed to enlist them into opening the next two locks for us, meaning I could walk straight past to get the next one filling.

These paddles take a lot of winding, normally they are not too stiff, but today each and everyone took some turning, the long reach on my windlass was needed for extra umph!

With a couple of locks before half way we could see that a boat was coming up, here was the volunteer and trainees. A trainee walked up to help me, we chatted, it was her first day of training, I strongly suspect she’s not done much if any boating. Hope she enjoys working on the flight.

We’d not had lunch and with Middle Lock Bridge just there we decided to pull in, tucking ourselves as far up to the bywash as we could, making use of a ring and leaving the lock landing free behind us.

A quick look at the map, we’d need to do at least another five locks for another possible mooring. Here was much further away from the road with very good looking friendly cover and trees. We decided to stay put, halfway down the flight, giving Tilly 4 hours of shore leave.

That was it we only saw her once in those four hours and that was after I’d called her to check she was okay. She hopped out from the friendly cover surprising a woofer and owner on the towpath, cartoon arched back and bog brush tail were instantly engaged! I did wonder whether she’d allow them to pass or insist that they went back down the flight!

*Can we have this outside all week please*

We pottered away the afternoon, the sun shining down on the solar panels meaning we could top up on hot water electrically after I’d had a shower. A Sunday roast chicken was prepared and there was time for a catch up chat with David before it needed carving.

10 locks, 3.69 miles, 5 uphill boats, 0 following us, 1 ahead for sure, 3 gates opened, 1 volunteer, 2 trainees, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 canine surprise, 1 large roast chicken, 1 boater warned of diesel prices, 1st t-shirt kind of day.

https://goo.gl/maps/i7X2SUPX6Z4NHfTa9

Can You Breath?! 23rd April

Lapworth Lock 6 to Rowington Hill Bridge 62, Grand Union Canal

Signing in to the Geraghty Zoom this morning was successful, last week we’d had serious problems and had to go around the houses to be able to join and even then we were silent. Today we seemed to be silent again! We signed out and tried again! Mick went into the laptop settings and found that the microphone was off, turned it back on and hey presto we had voices again! The laptop keeps having moments and needs to be put in recovery mode, we suspect this turns the microphone off. At least we know now.

We were beaten to the locks by a boat with many many hands, soon after a boat came from the locks, maybe one lock would be in our favour.

I went ahead to Lock 7 once Oleanna was in Lock 6 above. I checked round the bend there was a boat coming up a couple of locks away, so I filled lock 7. Soon afterwards a volunteer lockie arrived on his bike. The next pound is on a bend and quite short, so it can be hard for two boats to pass there, the same with the one below. I asked should I empty the lock in favour of the ascending boat, no we’d get past each other.

We were soon joined by the crew from the up coming hire boat, Oleanna descended, their boat waiting in the lock below. Mick brought Oleanna out and pointed her nose towards the side pound and bywash, now the hire boat could cross to the lock above, biffing the sides as it entered. Mick reversed, straightened up and brought her in. We now had the flight to ourselves with the aid of three volunteers.

One chap set ahead, another accompanied us down the flight with his bike, lifting paddles and opening gates, a slick operation.

I went ahead to close a gate behind Oleanna when there was a loud bang/pop noise. The volunteer had just climbed onto his bike to ride down to join us, had he got a puncture? We both turned to see what had happened. It wasn’t a tyre at all. The chap was now sporting a large yellow inflated life jacket around his neck. The self inflate toggle had been caught as he’d set off!

When this happened to me a few years ago I actually found it quite hard to breath with the inflated jacket around my neck. I shouted to the chap, ‘Can you breath?’ He didn’t reply, he obviously couldn’t hear! Gradually he deflated his jacket and tucked it back into the outer, the gas canister would now need replacing and there were none on hand at Lapworth. Towards the bottom of the first thick of locks he mentioned about the cafe and what lovely cakes they do. We were wanting to keep going so did so as the volunteers headed off for a cuppa and a slice of cake.

The next thick of locks we were by ourselves, we dropped straight into the routine. I don’t mind volunteers, I’ll be glad of them (hopefully) at Hatton, but working locks is why I boat and at times I’m starting to feel a touch left out. I may have to become a volunteer myself. Maybe I just need a C&RT sweatshirt, my life jacket is the right sort, so I could pose as a volunteer!

We made our way down to the water point which was free and hooked up the hose. I popped to the Village Shop for a newspaper and returned with a couple of cream eggs too as the minimum spend on a card was £5! Oh dear, never mind!

As we finished a boat was heading up who wanted to use the water point, so the two boats did a do-ci-do. We then branched off to use Lock 20 pointing us in the direction of Kingswood Junction. We pulled in, made use of the elsan and had lunch before pushing off again and turning right towards Hatton.

The wind was now picking up as forecast. Should we pull in or battle on to where we’d like to moor? We carried on another mile or so taken off tomorrows cruise. The embankment above Rowington was most certainly windy. It helped us moor without much effort!

Tilly set off to explore whilst Mick and I put back the covers. Now our mend to the zip on the cratch had sadly failed the other day. Mick had tried to give the pull another squash to get it to work better, but it looked like it was now too tight to do the job properly. With the open side facing the wind we needed to do something about it before we had a sleepless night and the cover ended up getting more damage.

Tilly clinging on so she doesn’t get blown away

He tried prising the pull out a touch. That didn’t go according to plan! He tried putting back in a press stud to hold the bottom of the doorway closed, but that press stud had always been in the wrong place when entering locks so instead of being sacrificial I’d filled its hole and we’d dispensed with it. Next spare magnets from the drawers were tried. These held while Mick watched, but as soon as his back was turned the cover escaped and wafted around in the wind!

Only one thing for it, the zip would need sewing closed. Not the prettiest job, but hopefully it will serve the purpose until a more permanent mend can be done.

This evening we’ve enjoyed Sichuan Pork and greens.

15 locks, 2.94 miles, 2 canals, 1 left, 1 right, 3 volunteers, 1 inflating surprise, 1 newspaper without the good bits! 2 cream eggs, 2 outsides, 1 very blowy day.

https://goo.gl/maps/WLTbuqtiJfuch7oa6

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna