Category Archives: Bridges

The Pie Diet Advantage. 11th September

Black Boy Bridge 69 to Kixley Lane Bridge 72

Topics of conversation this morning on the Geraghty zoom, breakfast parties, the B&B at Wigrams Turn and living with someone who isn’t there. We have a sound engineer in the family who is currently busy at the New York Open working for Eurosport.

We decided to nudge on uphill a bit today. At bridge 70 we passed the Kings Arms a slightly more expensive pub for food than that of The Black Boy. Here bridge 70 has been half painted cream. With the effort to reach the centre line I’m surprised they didn’t finish the job.

After about a mile we could see Knowle Locks rising up the hill ahead of us. We’ve been down them before once but never gone up and it would be a first time for Oleanna on the flight.

The locks are positioned so that if there is any wind anywhere in the UK it will also be here, ready to push your boat off course. Jackie from NB Mad Hatter had suggested the other day that it was safer to open both gates making it safer to move from lock to lock. The walk round the wide pounds between locks makes it just that bit far to walk back and forth to open and close gates or set ahead if there are only two of you, so I was relieved to see blue t-shirts about the flight.

Two volunteers walked up to the bottom lock, one lady left to wind a paddle, the other walked uphill. I opened the bottom gate, Mick entered and sat by the off side wall. The lady was about to lift the opposite paddle. Mick suggested it would be better to lift the same side paddle, to which she replied ‘Oh you only need to do one paddle on these’. Did she know that Knowle Locks are counter intuitive? Or did she not know that opening the paddle on the same side as your boat normally makes for a smoother passage up a lock? It was the latter! I managed to open my paddle quicker bringing Oleanna back to the side she’d started off at.

The next lock was being set for us and a gate opened ready for Mick to transit across the pound. After closing the gate I walked up to the top paddles for the lock and started to wind the same side paddle. It was a little bit stiff, but no more than any at Hatton or Stockton. The volunteer asked if I wanted him to do it, well, thank you, but no thank you. I love doing locks, especially if they are a bit of a challenge at times, with it being Oleanna’s first time through Knowle I wanted to work the locks even more and would have felt deprived if the volunteers had just taken over. He understood and left me to it, having a chat instead.

Above the lady waited and waited before emptying the third lock. In fact she waited for the lock gate to be open on our lock. I walked round the wide pound and could see she was really struggling with the paddle. I offered to wind the paddle, my long reach windlass and diet giving me more of a pie advantage to lift the stiff paddle. It rose, the lock emptied and the volunteers moved on up to the next in the flight.

I opened the bottom gate then very quickly realised that the wind was now a factor and rushed round to the other side to open the other gate as Oleanna was being blown right across and might even miss the entrance to the lock all together. We managed to rectify the situation.

Fourth lock and both gates were waiting open for us, phew! The number of volunteers on the flight was at least six and we were only their third boat of the day. Another volunteer headed to the top lock and started to empty it as Mick crossed the pound between the third and fourth locks. Water started to pour over the by washes, so much for saving water!

At the top lock we now had three volunteers, two at the bottom gates and one at a top paddle. Mick pointed in my direction requesting that the same side paddle be wound first, the chap on the other side stopped and waited before Mick gave him a nod when the lock was about half full, Oleanna sat comfortably to one side of the lock and rose.

By the top lock was a blue gazebo, the Knowle Society had joined with C&RT to have a stand at the locks today as it is the first day of Heritage Open Days. This runs for ten days each year in September. It’s well worth checking the website for possible places to visit. Three years ago we visited numerous places in Leamington Spa and Warwick that you don’t normally get chance to see and the year before in Preston we got to walk round the Egyptian balcony in the Harris Museum.

We pootled on a short distance to near Kixley Lane Bridge, this would do us for the day. Once Tilly had had her initial explore and we’d had lunch we walked into Knowle for a touch of shopping.

The first building you come across is a very jolly house. Yellow walls, red front door, green window frames and the garage door is bright blue around the corner. It could nearly be a house painted by @lucyknit, but then again it’s a little bit tame for her.

A village cricket match was on going, the nearest thing Mick would be getting to test cricket this weekend! We called in at Tescos for a few things and then found our way to Knowle Parish Church. Here today you could climb the tower (part of Heritage Open Days), but only until 3pm and it was 3pm. We had a look around inside.

The original church was consecrated 1403 and was saved during the reformation by the villagers pleading that crossing the River Blyth to reach the church in Hampton was often impossible due to flooding. Through the centuries extensions were built, an organ loft, south aisle and the tower increased in height.

The first bells (three) were hung in 1687, these were recast for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubliee and by 1931 the church had eight bells.

In the soldiers chapel there is a fine stained glass window but the walls caught my eye more. Here stencilled artwork covers the walls in an almost William Morris style. Stained glass windows from various eras cast coloured light throughout the building. My favourite by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, a Pre Raphaelite window depicting George and the Dragon.

5 locks, 1.56 miles only, 7 vlockies, 1 paddle, 0 pies, 0 life jacket, 2 gates, 139 for 8, 3pm, 1 Saturday newspaper, 1 sound engineer in NY, 2031 leaves finished, 1557 to go.

https://goo.gl/maps/UQwCsqzexpdW2gV47

Twenty Two Turns. 9th September

Wedgenock Park Bridge 50 to Rowington Hill Bridge 62

A couple of boats came past as we had breakfast, heading towards Hatton. We didn’t rush, on days like today what would be would be. The locks could all be set against us, we may have a partnering boat or not, the forecast thunderstorms may drench us or not. One thing in our favour though was that the temperature had dropped.

As we were rolling up the covers (remembering that shade brings bird pooh!) a boat came up the lock behind, as it came past, Mick and the chap at the helm had a quick chat. If nobody was waiting below the first lock they would wait for us, we wouldn’t be long.

NB Mad Hatter sat in the bottom lock waiting for us, a C&RT work boat having come through a little while earlier. Could this mean that at least some locks would be in our favour? We’d see.

Richard and Jackie moor at Kate Hire Boats and were just setting off for a three week cruise. Their mooring is close to home, but to go anywhere they either have to do Hatton (21 locks) or Stockton (23 locks), we were with an experienced crew.

Up the first lock we started to sort out what to do and what not to do, a rhythm would soon be set after a few locks. Jackie and I lifted the top paddles, then she walked on up to the next lock to get it set and open, I stayed behind to open a gate whilst one of the chaps dropped the other paddle as the other brought their boat out, then I’d close up and walk on to the next lock, where Jackie and I swapped sides meaning I’d walk up to the next lock, a bit of leap frogging.

The first five or so locks are set at a bit of a distance to each other, as I walked to the third lock I could see someone in blue, a volunteer. He looked in my direction then turned and wound a paddle up to fill the lock. What would be would be. ‘Good Morning’, I said, he turned, ‘Ah you’ve got a windlass!’

There was no boat to be seen, a zoom in on the camera and I just spotted one boat coming down with another volunteer. I was asked to leave both top gates open when we left the next few locks as a pair were heading down a couple of locks behind. Off he went to carry on setting the locks a little bit too far ahead!

Jackie and I locked the single hander down and we were then on our way again. Following instructions we left both gates open, but where were the boats? All of us were a little bit nervous at leaving so many gates wide open, some of the locks tend to drain themselves so if left too long pounds could be drained. The volunteers would soon be heading back up so hopefully if there was a problem they’d close up and sort things.

Under Ugly Bridge I wondered why it had the name as it’s built pretty much like the others on the flight?

Then at last the down hill pair came into view. Their emptying lock had already more than half filled the lock below, water flowing over the top gates, so I assisted with the filling and lifted a paddle. A chap came down and asked if we were heading up or down, ‘Up’. He looked at me as if I was stupid. ‘Well why are you filling it?’ ‘Because it was more in your favour than ours’. ‘Ah!’ came his reply.

Their boats were breasted up, meaning both gates needed to be opened so nobody was going ahead to set the next lock ready, so it must have speeded up their descent having the next four locks sat waiting for them.

On upwards we continued. Someone once said that twenty two turns on these paddle gears is all you need to do. They only tend to turn one or two more times, but by then you are not adding anything to the flow of water, so you may as well save your arms from the extra work.

Spied up ahead was another volunteer coming downhill with a cruiser, so we could leave gates again.

Past Middle Lock Bridge comes the thick of the flight, half way up. Jackie and Richard swapped over and we soon had the assistance from two volunteers who were heading back towards base for their lunch, all giving us an extra boost uphill.

Now with four of us working the locks both gates could be opened and closed, the next lock being made ready. I teamed up with Richard one of the volunteers and had quite a chat as we walked from lock to lock. He volunteers two days a week on the flight, but that will soon change as he’ll be moving to Leamington Spa.

During the Commonwealth Games next year bowling will be held in Leamington Spa and C&RT have been given some money to champion the waterways. He’d walked the three miles yesterday and thought there was only one stretch that was not so good, by the scrap yard. C&RT are hoping to be able to gain Green Flag status for the stretch. Richard was very enthusiastic and if he couldn’t be on a boat then just being by the canal was almost as good. He was also a very handy addition to our locking team.

The view back to Warwick. I think Mick rang the bell at that church 3 years ago

We passed another single boat coming down, followed a few locks later by an Anglo Welsh boat. With only four more locks to go we lost our extra assistance as the volunteers headed off for lunch, at least the end was almost within sight.

The closer we got to the cafe near the top the more gongoozlers we picked up. A gentle breeze that had started was becoming stronger, welcome to those working the locks but not to those moving the boats.

I had to set a few gongoozler comments straight as Jackie brought Mad Hatter into one of the locks, the wind making it hard to shimmy over to make room for Mick through the one open gate, then a rope got caught round a mushroom, all just one of those things.

I got asked how long it had taken to do the flight. I in all honesty had no idea. I gave up wearing a watch seven years ago and hadn’t noted the time as we entered the bottom lock, counting how many locks are left only seems to make the matter in hand harder, so I save such things for the trip computer to do.

The last two locks needed emptying, I think they were the first that hadn’t been in or almost in our favour in the whole flight. Lifting the bottom paddle on the second to last lock I suddenly ran out of fuel. The extra toast this morning had kept me going up the flight, but now my tank was just about empty, the paddle winding slowed. A last bit of umph and we were up the top lock.

Thank you Jackie and Richard for your company up the flight. Thank you to the volunteers ( apart from the one who turned a lock on us!). Thank you to the thunderstorms that held off, it was only just starting to drizzle as we reached the top few locks. 2 hours 38 minutes, quite a reasonable time. We waved goodbye to NB Mad Hatter who were stopping for water and carried on to find a mooring for the day.

Shrewley Tunnel came as the rain was starting to increase in strength. But staying dry inside the tunnel isn’t possible as there are quite a few pissers from the sides and roof. Maybe with a bit of careful positioning we could have given Oleanna a rinse down to get rid of the dust she’d accumulated over the last few days, but more importantly the bird pooh!

There was space on the embankment above Rowington, we pulled in and let Tilly out to explore the thick friendly cover. She was kept busy for quite a while, even the heavier rain didn’t deter her for sometime. But as dingding time came closer she decided she’d had enough and came in to wait for the bell to ring.

This afternoon we’ve been planning where to go next. Timings with lodgers and panto are making things a touch complicated for us this year. But we now have a plan, let’s just hope the canals ahead of us keep open and don’t throw us a curve ball.

21 locks, 5.76 miles, 700.65 miles this year, so far, 22 turns unless distracted, 1 tunnel, 18 year boat owners, 6 passed, 1 turned, 2 full, 2hrs 38 minutes, 1 mooring with a view, 3 bookings, 0 room at the inn, 0 thunderstorms yet!

https://goo.gl/maps/wUHGrfvDKYo8BVSt7

Felt Rendez Vous. 4th September

Wood Lock to Radford Smelly Christmas 2019 mooring

Waterway Routes suggested it would take us under a couple of hours to reach our rendez vous, we also wanted to fill with water on the way and try to drop in to the Geraghty zoom. The water point didn’t stand out in our minds as being a slow tap, but we still added an hour to our cruise just in case.

We pushed off a little later than planned meeting our first boat a short distance on. After dropping down Fosse Top Lock we pulled over at the elsan and water point. For a while this elsan was out of use but today it boasts a blue C&RT sign and we used it to empty our yellow water. Tucked behind the elsan wall someone, most probably a boater, has left several bags of rubbish. There are no bins here, in both directions there are ample bins all within a couple of hours cruise. But if you tuck it away out of view it becomes someone else’s problem and not yours! Grrrr!

The tap had very good pressure so we were topped up in no time and back heading to Fosse Middle Lock. Mick signed into the Geraghty Zoom whilst we went through the lock, the internet signal only just able to keep us connected. Subjects today were Sheila Hancock and Giles Brandreth and us going through the lock. Numbers of attendees were down today, children’s Saturday morning activities and adult orchestras are all starting back up now, so it may be that the time of the family zoom gets changed to fit better with life no longer on hold.

Fosse Bottom Lock provided us with enough blackberries for breakfast tomorrow as Oleanna dropped down to the next pound.

We passed our locking partner from a couple of days ago, moored up by woods where normally a collection of boats sit. I like his little table.

Then the big arch of the former railway bridge 33A dominates the scenery as you pull in for Radford Bottom Lock. We took our time, no need to rush, we were an hour ahead of our schedule. The back pumps pumped water up from the bottom pound as we added water into it. Then we pulled up on the end bollard to wait for Lizzie, leaving plenty of room by the lock.

The bin store had recently been emptied, a shame the padlock was broken as it’s in one of those locations where people are likely to arrive with a car load of rubbish to dispose of rather than taking it to a tip.

The black boat and figures are no longer by the bridge

Lizzie arrived a little after her estimate, only to be expected as she’d just driven to collect her Dad from a weeks holiday with her brother in Lancashire, there and back in the morning! On the back seat of her car were the two packages I’d been waiting for, what a shame we’d not been able to hand them over last weekend which had been the original plan. Thank you so much Lizzie for delivering them to me, I now have to do some work!

Not far for us now, just a pootle back out of the trees to find a mooring space below Radford Semele. Quite a few boats were moored up, we found a length of armco which wasn’t quite long enough, but as soon as a hire boat moved off we backed down the line so that we could be on chains rather than pins.

The pound felt very sludgy and going was slow backwards, it all felt quite silted up. We’ve been hearing such comments about parts of the system after the lockdowns, but today is our first experience of a silty bottom.

Tilly had been given shore leave at our first mooring, luckily she came back when called so we could move the outside without her in it. I think we are almost in the space we occupied for Christmas 2019, the weather is somewhat warmer than it was then.

4 locks, 2.23 miles, 1 hour ahead of ourselves, 15 minute zoom, 27 blackberries, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 0 figures, 1 felt handover, 4 greens, 1 sludgy bottom, 2 outsides, 3 annoying swans, 1 long list, 1 boat on an intermittent list.

Changes, 23rd August

Kings Sutton to Slat Mill Lock

A little damp to start the day required coats to be worn, but by the end of the afternoon we were back down to one layer as the sun showed its face. Maybe autumn is arriving. The other day I crunched my way over some cobnuts that had fallen from a tree, most mornings we have blackberries added to our cereal bowls picked whilst Mick waits for a lock to be set. Crab apples fill the hedgerows, there must be something other than jelly you can make from them? Dark Elderberries droop from high up and sloes are plumpening up. Then today I spotted a plum tree alongside a lock, sadly the fruit still too hard to pick, maybe in a weeks time it will be just perfect. Oh the bounties of autumn. When will we be lighting the stove again?

At Grant’s Lock some first time hirers were just about to make their way down, they’d been having a taster holiday with their two kids. The first day it had rained and they’d wondered what they’d let themselves in for, then the sun had come out and the damp day became a distant memory.

Waiting for the lock to fill I had chance to have a look round the lock cottage, staying outside for safety. Over the last few years it has gradually been vandalised and at some time in the last year it has been gutted by fire. The windows frames now just frame the destruction a fire can do.

The staircase was burnt away, not much left of the ceilings, the floor beams charred into nothing. The heat of the fire easily melted the gutters, the fridge door relaxed into a new shape and the door into the lean is just charcoal. Such a sad sad sight. It will either be pulled down, fall down (as there is little holding it up anymore) or someone may come along with a large wodge of cash to try to rescue it.

As we pulled away three canoeists came towards us at speed. Little flags on their boats showed that they are raising funds for the Elysium Memorial in remembrance of service men and women who have taken their own lives. They are canoeing from Preston Brook Marina to Putney Bridge on the Thames 280 miles at about 21 miles a day.

The new estate on the outskirts of Banbury is still being built, little of any architectural merit going up.

The foundry that once used to add to the aroma of Banbury looks to have gone. No piles of clinker and moulds alongside the canal anymore. We wondered if the site will be turned into more canalside residential properties.

Boats were here there and everywhere. We paused to let others go through narrow stretches and then pulled in behind a boat on the water point below Banbury Lock to wait our turn. A quick check above the lock, the water point up there was also in use, so we stayed put. A request from Paul at Waterway Routes to do a few checks whilst we were in Banbury, the toilets here have been closed for ages, but are now reopened and he also wanted to know the position of the new footbridge, which is slightly different to the old one that was demolished a couple of years ago.

We filled up with water then ascended the lock, plenty of people around to watch us work and plenty of people wanting to cross over the top gates as always. The lift bridge with it’s hydraulic mechanism was a breeze. Then we were into the building site.

We’d arrived at the builders lunch break so there was no noise from what I think will be a cinema on the north east bank. Far more noise was being made with saws, hammers, drills just by Tooleys were volunteers were working on Fellows Morton and Clayton boat Kilsby, once the work is completed the boat will offer educational trips, story telling and theatre to the community. Historic Narrowboat Hardy sits a short distance away still waiting to be restored, at least she’s afloat.

We pulled in right underneath the new footbridge, not yet open as it currently leads into a building site. Time for a bit of top up shopping. Mick headed over the canal to get foody things whilst I headed into Castle Quays to the post office. I sent off samples of black canvas for #unit21 and the art work for the cloths in Rapunzel so that they can be printed.

Lock 29 at first looks like it is a new bar facing onto the canal, maybe where you’d eat whilst staying at the new Premier Inn next door. But inside there is lots of space, lots of tables and lots of stalls selling food and drink of all kinds. Fudge, Greek food, fresh bread, smoothies, all sorts.

After lunch on board and a quick return visit to Holland and Barrett we pushed onwards. Looking back, at what might become a wind tunnel. The new buildings are not as encroaching as we thought they’d be. I wonder how noisy the moorings will be at night once the building works are completed. The lack of afternoon sunshine for solar will put many off mooring here, but the proximity to the new Lidl is a bonus.

Malc Weblin passed away in June this year at the age of 85. As you passed his and Dink’s cottage there would always be a smile and a big wave from him. Today two people sat in the conservatory, I’m assuming one was Dink, her companion gave us a wave. As nice as it was it wasn’t quite the same.

At Hardwick Lock we were second in line, we helped with the boats ahead and then rose up ourselves.

The two cats painted into the little windows at Bourton Lock are still keeping guard, although someone has added a touch of green writing to the front wall!

Bends on the Oxford Canal tend to bring surprises. Todays surprise was going to be possibly the most surprising we’ve ever had!

Sure enough round the bend came a narrowboat, just as it came into the view so did something over head!

Very low over our heads swooped the grey undercarriage of an RAF Hercules. It was huge!! No warning, it just appeared over the top of the trees and carried on almost skimming the hillside. Thankfully both boats managed to keep on course.

Now should we catch up to where we should be? Or should we stop at the award winning mooring below Slat Mill Lock. We decided on the latter, by now the afternoon was fading, if we carried on it would be way past Tilly’s dingding so there would be no shore leave for her. Several boats were already moored up but we managed to slot in.

Tilly had a couple of hours whilst I cooked us a quinoa crust chicken, bacon and leek quiche. Mick tried to get the TV onto the SJT website so that we could watch the production of Home, I’m Darling that Vicky our ledger had been in. But sadly the internet signal wasn’t good enough or something wasn’t quite right for us to watch the play. Hopefully tomorrow things will be better.

4 locks, 6.47 miles, 1 lift bridge, 1 new bridge, 1 missing bridge, 1 burnt out cottage, 1 bath tub, 1 range, 16 yellow tiles, 240 glucosamine and chondroitin complex, 1 new Lidl, 1 low flyer, 1 award winning mooring, 0 night at the theatre.

https://goo.gl/maps/YR7NQWfswjvHhdNo9

10 Out Of 10 For Effort. 22nd August

Somerton Meadows to above Kings Sutton Lock 31

A few boats came past us this morning, in both directions, but we knew the first lock of the day would be against us. Not a problem really as a boat was waiting above Somerton Deep Lock. The boat in front of us had knocked on the roof of the waiting boat, but had been ignored by the chap inside, but as the levels equalised a head appeared from below. I think he’d been waiting for someone to come along and work the lock for him, cutting out the need to climb the ladder, he was very happy for Mick and myself to close gates and lift paddles for him.

Next it was our turn. Somerton Deep Lock is just that, deep! 12ft 1″ deep and narrow which makes it seem even deeper. Waiting for Oleanna to stop moving about in the lock below means the bottom gate closes easier. After a thumbs up from Mick at the helm I then lift the paddles. The lady from the boat ahead of us had said the paddles were really really hard to work. With a long reach windlass and adjusting where you start to turn the mechanism you can increase your advantage. Starting your turn at the bottom (pulling the windlass toward you) isn’t as good as starting at the top where your weight gives the windlass more umph! as you push down. This does mean checking to see where the paddle gear bites and then adjusting your windlass accordingly before giving yourself a hernia. One slightly stiff turn and both paddles came up.

The lock cottage here has no road access, it looks as if the current owner is doing some building work as a cement mixer sat near the front door. Two years ago there had been a small porch in front of the door, today only the flashing was left.

Also two years ago the landscape that surrounded the cottage was more lake like than meadows. Plenty of rain at the beginning of November had brought the rivers up, the Cherwell spilling over the fields and in places into the canal. There are areas where sandbags have been added to the banks of the canal, reinforcing them from water erosion.

Chisnell Lift Bridge 193 was down, we think it’s been down more than up for us. It is quite finely balanced and would most probably just require a push up then pull back down with the chain from the towpath, but I don’t trust these bridges so would rather sit on the beam to keep them open.

Lots was happening to telephone poles, we spotted at least three Openreach vans in fields. One lucky chap was stood at the top of a cherry picker, in a another field a ladder leant against another pole. It’s a long long time since Mick had to climb one of these.

Aynho Wharf provided us with a top up of diesel at 82p a litre, it was worth filling up.

Aynho Weir Lock took forever to empty and then refill. I checked the river level board before we exited, well in the green today, we’d be fine passing under Nell’s Bridge. A couple of knowledgeable gongoozlers stood and admired our ‘back garden’ in the well deck of Oleanna at the bow! They continued with their dodgy knowledge leaving me smiling.

Nell’s Bridge Lock was waiting for us with open gates, a boat waiting to come down and plenty of people around to help. No limboing under the bridge today and up we rose.

A brief stop for lunch, before passing The Pig Place. Maybe this would have been a better campsite for the London Leckenbys last weekend as they have a bar on site and bacon frying in the morning is just standard.

The canal meanders round the contour and crawls under the M40 where old and new bridges sit side by side.

Cole’s Lift Bridge was down. Where could I be dropped off? The bridge landings overgrown and vegetation along the edge making it hard to actually see the edge. We tried backing up but I wasn’t too sure my footing would be good, my knees don’t like a leap of faith. So we nudged the bow up to the off side and I managed to get off there.

The chain was too high to pull on, so it was time to hang off the beam, hoping my weight would bring it down sufficiently for me to get above it. All the time I could see beady eyes following my every move from behind a gate onto the towpath, the reason the bridge exists. My second attempt worked, thank goodness I have quite a bit of inbuilt ballast!

I couldn’t find anywhere to fix the bridge open so once Oleanna was through it just wanted to close itself. As it dropped back reconnecting the towpath with the offside the cows gave me their marks. 10 out of 10 for effort, 7 for style!

Kings Sutton Lock, after all the building work is settling in nicely. The grass is neat, flower beds established and if the sun had been a touch lower the honey coloured Cotswold stone of the cottage would have glowed at us. A very nice lock.

We pulled up for the day, our aim had been Banbury, but the Post Office and shops could wait for tomorrow. After we pulled in several others joined us, here the canal sits half way between the M40 and the railway. Also, thankfully, you only occasionally get the wiff from Kenco in Banbury. I’m not too keen on the slightly burnt treacly smell it produces.

4 locks, 6.21 miles, 2 lift bridges, 1 garden at the wrong end, 1 river in the green, 70.52 litres, 3 bovine judges, 10, 7, 456 sandbags, 1 length of new piling, 4 savoury pancakes, 3 sweet.

https://goo.gl/maps/LVc61f124sr6NMX79

Pairs. 21st August

Muddy Slipper to Somerton Meadows

Rain, that’s what was forecast and what we woke up to. In no rush to get wet and it being a Saturday we logged into the Geraghty Zoom. Subjects today, the Scottish Tooth Fairy and the Sylvanian Family. By the time we’d caught up on each others news the rain was waining, Tilly had come home and a pair had come past us, the motor boat and butty had been moored in Oxford when we’d left. This meant we didn’t rush to push off as there was likely to be a wait for us at most locks today.

Yesterday at one of the locks my feet had had difficulty gripping onto the brickwork whilst pushing a gate open. I wear slip resistant shoes but my current pair have been worn for more than a year. A check of the sole confirmed that the grippy soles had been worn down, time for a new pair. Handily we’d ordered new shoes last winter so they just needed digging out from under the dinette.

Time to move shoes up the evolutionary scale. New bright shoes, boat shoes, need to be quickly broken down so as not to upstage everything around you. Next pair up the scale, comfy stretched to fit where it matters most, toned down through use, these now move on to become painty shoes. The old painty shoes, I believe they moved up the scale maybe on the last panto I painted, or during lockdown 1. The toes have been re-stuck to the soles a couple of times, they have served me well, but now the next step up the scale is into the next C&RT bin.

Both of us had been fooled into thinking it was autumn again, the winter waterproof trousers came out, but at the first lock these were found to have been a big mistake, I replaced mine with shorts!

Dashwood’s Lock some months ago had a gate beam failure. A temporary beam has been constructed and a notice tagged to the gate says to exert minimum force in moving it. Coming down the lock was a day boat, it was their first time on a boat and one of them was suggesting that they use the boat to push the bottom gate open! Well this of course would not work as they would be pushing the gate very much closed. We chatted and I told them to wait for the water to settle below the gate before pushing the beam, then things would be easy.

I pushed the bottom gate open, blimey that beam flexes, so much so you think it will break even with the smallest amount of force! I can understand the construction of the temporary beam, but if they’d turned it through 90 degrees there would have been considerably less flex in the wood and adding a few diagonals into the mix would also help. It worked even though it felt like I might be catapulted across the adjoining field!

Coming out of the lock the top gate pushed back into its recess it’s beam overhung the water. With only half an inch between Oleanna’s cabin side and the big foot square metal end, I pulled it away from possible scraping distance. The end of the beam has obviously come very close to quite a few blue boats before.

Round a few over grown bends a boat we thought we recognised came into view. A large grey cratch cover over the welldeck, plum red cabin sides that have seen far better days and the name still on the side, NB Sola Gratia. This used to be Tim, Tracey and Guide Dog Oakley’s boat. Tim and Tracey along with Ozzie and Guide Dog Loki have now moved onto the new NB Sola Gratia and trade as The Doggie Boat.

Next Lower Heyford where a couple had just finished filling from the reeeeaaallly slow tap still at gun point from the rabbit on the off side.

Another boat was just coming through Mill Lift Bridge, the chap with the key of power tried several times to remove his key, but it doesn’t get released until the bridge is down, he kindly stayed and let us through.

Allen’s Lock, here we caught up with the pair, their motor just finishing rising, the butty pulled in to the lock landing as there were boats above waiting to come down.

With the next boat coming down the motor was reversed up to the top gates. When the lock was empty the chap then bow hauled the butty in, his wife stood at the stern helping to steer into the lock. All done very efficiently.

A lady from a boat behind wandered around her phone held high above her head to try to find signal, no chance, Allen’s Lock is a black spot for phone, internet and TV, we once made the mistake of mooring here.

Just over half a mile on and we caught the pair up again at Heyford Common Lock. The usual exchange of how far you going today, another lock for them, we might go further. Well that was until the heavens opened! We quickly decided that if there was space at Somerton Meadow then we’d pull in and call it a day, thankfully there was plenty of space. A late lunch with a disappointed cat as the rain hammered down outside.

During the afternoon not many boats came by. A group on paddle boards and canoes had dogs with them, they loitered just behind us being really rather noisy screaming in the rain with their dogs barking. I’m glad someone was having fun! Maybe we’re just turning into grumpy gits. They moved away after a while of both Tilly and Mick staring at them from under the pram cover.

Then the sound of an old working engine could be heard getting closer. A Russell Newbery, then the diamonds on the bow flash gave her away, it was Tyseley the Mikron boat.

Tyseley got stuck behind Southcote Lock on the Kennet and Avon on 29th July and had been waiting patiently for the lock to be mended. The shows have continued, set and cast moving from venue to venue by van without their accommodation on Tyseley close by.

I think it was Thursday when they managed to get going again, Marianne at the tiller and crew joining as and when needed along the network. They have quite a distance to cover to catch up with the shows, so Tyseley is a flyboat for the next few days. No time to stop and chat, just a passing hello and good luck on their mission. It’s a real shame we’ve not managed to coincide with the shows this year, we’ve either been a bit too far ahead or just a day or so behind them, even then because of reduced capacity they have been sold out.

I sent Marianne a message giving her a heads up regarding the pair in front, hopefully she would pass them today and be far enough ahead on her mission to not get delayed.

As the evening continued the sun came out briefly, Tilly headed off to explore, she knows here well and I cooked us a roast chicken. Potatoes, beetroot, onion, garlic from our veg box, the last of Frank’s beans and two miserly carrots that Sainsburys sent us. Sainsburys did however manage to give us a box of Lynda McCartney burgers and a box of Soleros that we didn’t order, not noticed until the driver was long gone. Think I’d have rather had bigger carrots though.

The mist kept rolling in leaving only shadows of trees

Mist rolled in across the fields and the evening became one of trying to plan October and November around stoppages, panto and another lodger in the house. It’s all getting a touch awkward.

3 locks, 4.82 miles, 1 bridge lufted, 1 new pair, 1 floating pair, 0 signal,1 very wet afternoon, 1 dripping Marianne on a mission, 2 blogging boats,1 roast chicken, 12 roasties, 1 mist creeping across the meadows.

https://goo.gl/maps/DWdjnXtwwshfp1ZB8

Calm Returns. 15th August

Thrupp Canal Cruising Club

A slightly damp morning meant that the campers would be packing up their tents today to then have to dry them off when they got home. Messages came through from 1km away as they prepared to head back to London. It has been a lovely weekend with them, but now the calm of the waterways can return.

Tilly was given free reign coming and going again today as she liked. She certainly keeps herself busy for hours on end before returning home to check we’re still here. This mooring in Thrupp is far better than alongside the road with only walkers to dodge and not the occasional car to run away from!

Despite it being Sunday I sat down to do some work. The budget for #unit21 needed a bit of pruning. On Friday I’d had a long chat with Graham who will be building the set for me to see if we could get down the price of materials. He had quoted for a set to withstand the rigours of touring to a couple of venues a week and I had designed it to fit plywood sizes. Making the whole set lighter (less robust in the long term, but with some care it will be fine) and adjusting some dimensions to fit other materials better we managed to trim nearly £400 off the build. A couple of pointers from him to cheaper flooring may also save £300, so the budget is just about back on track.

I miss working with people like Graham.

Next up was a paint list for panto. I worked my way through the model deciding what colours I’d be needing and in roughly what quantities. Next week I’m paying a visit to Chippy so will see if there are any paints still usable from previous years to help reduce the long list I have. My biggest dilemma is on the glitter front.

Panto sets are known for their sparkle, mine not so much. Stage glitter tends to be bigger than that kids glue onto their cards for Granny and Granddad, sharp 5mm squares of plastic that get glued onto scenery, then when dry the excess tapped off. But glitter is not good for the environment it being made from plastic. So far Eco-glitter has reached the makeup world, but not reached the scenery world and some theatres (The National) are locking away their old stocks so no-one can use it anymore.

There is one scene that really needs a sprinkle of panto glimmering glitter. I’ve found one product that may do the job but it still doesn’t tick the box environmentally. I need to look harder!

With Tilly out being a thug and Mick listening to the cricket all day I took myself off for a walk. My route heading towards the campsite in Hampton Gay. Here there is a church and the ruins of a big house that I wanted to explore.

Hampton Gay was once far busier than it is now, excluding campers of course! There was a Mansion House, a mill, church and cottages with a population of around 86. Now the ruins of the Mansion House stand behind fencing and warning signs. The church opens around once a month and the cottages have vanished unlike the occasional train that runs right past the grave yard.

Fire, bankruptcy and even a curse at the end of the nineteenth century brought about the abandonment of the settlement. In medieval times the mill ground grain. In the 17th Century the mill was converted to produce paper and the population grew. But two separate fires struck the mill, each time it was rebuilt the last time it went bankrupt. In 1887 a huge fire overwhelmed the Manor House, without this or the mill people moved away and the population shrank.

Some stories say the manor was set on fire deliberately for the insurance. Others believe it was the result of a curse. On Christmas Eve 1874, a Great Western Train from Paddington derailed just a few hundreds yards away. Despite calls for assistance, the residents of the manor house refused to offer help and shelter to the victims. Thirty-four people died that day and sixty-nine were injured and according to legend a curse was placed on the house.

Not able to get into the church or a closer look at the mansion I decided to walk across the fields towards Hampton Poyle. From the meadows you can see across to London Oxford Airport where a plane had just landed.

Looking back towards St Gile’s Church I could just see Holy Cross Church which stands on the other side of the Cherwell and canal. Both churches less than half a kilometre apart

Holy Cross just visible on the left, St Giles on the right

Over styles, through fields with grazed grass, numerous horses everywhere. My straight line brought me to St Mary’s Church just over a mile away, just how many churches does one area need? There’s even St Mary’s Field Church only another half mile away, it’s spire visible from quite a distance.

Hampton Poyle’s St Mary’s has a 13th Century chapel, it’s north and south isles were added a century later and the double bellcote was an 18th century addition.

In the16th-century, priest Richard Thomason, was allegedly condemned to hang in chains from Duns Tew steeple (near Bicester) for his opposition to the first prayer book of Edward VI. The 17th-century rector Edward Fulham was forced to resign and flee abroad on account of his strong Royalist views and his opposition to Puritanism.

Across another field with more horses to White Bridge which crosses the Cherwell, not the prettiest of bridges but it’s concrete serves the purpose. On the south bank of the river I now turned westwards across the fields following the course of the river until it reached Thrupp Community Forest.

Here paths weave themselves through the trees, some more muddy routes have been bypassed. I was glad I’d got long trousers on as the nettles were rampant and my arms had to keep being lifted aloft. The river remained shy behind the not-so-friendly cover.

Soon I popped out to where the railway crosses, just that little bit too close to Thrupp, the path now bringing me back to Annies Tea Room. We still haven’t visited here, one day hopefully on a weekend when the Ice Cream Parlour is open!

With small amounts of food left over from the weekend I made us some fried rice, one chicken thigh and a couple of inches of salmon were added along with a good scattering of frozen peas. From a very full fridge on Friday morning to an almost empty one.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 quiet day, 3 campers back to London, 2 boaters pottering, 1 test, 9 hours, 1 very pooped cat, 1 shade of glitter, 10 litres emulsion, 10 litres bona mega silk matt, 12 colours, 1 panto paint list complete, 3 miles, 3 nearly 4 churches, 1 feast of leftovers.

Could This Be The Penultimate Update? 18th August Breach 58

This evening Mark Penn has been out with a new drone to have a look and see how they are progressing at the breach site removing the cofferdam.

Well as you can see the dam has gone. There is water in the cut once again. What a lovely sight.

The pumps are still in the cut, but the pipework from where water was being pumped round the cofferdam is in the process of being removed.

The pontoon that was used to remove the cofferdam is just positioned through the bridge, the boom that was across the cut has been removed.

It looks like there might still be a bit of work to do on the towpath, earth doesn’t look to be fully flattened out up to the piling where the water wooshed round the piling back in December. The level in the drain below looks the lowest it’s been for a long time, covered in duck weed.

There are still railings around the top of the concrete structure over the drain below. There was a hole maybe an access hatch in the old concrete, maybe this is the new one. The water level looks to be back up to normal levels now. How wonderful it is to see water and no silt.

There is obviously some tidying up to do and maybe bits left to sort on the towpath, but all looks good for the 23rd when the navigation is set to reopen. Booking to pass through Sykehouse and Pollington Lock will no longer be required from the 21st.

Dredging is happening up near Lemonroyd. A sunk vessle is being removed up that way too.

I so hope that when I next post about the breach it will be to celebrate it’s reopening after 8 long months.

Thank you Mark once again for your photographs.

Prospective Oxford. 14th August

Thrupp Canal Cruising Club

The Geraghty Zoom subjects consisted of tales of family get togethers. The London Leckenbys, Anna over from Germany and the imminent arrival of the young Evans’s to Scotland where fish fingers, waffles and bananas were being stocked up on. Fran, Mick’s niece, is preparing to fly out to Tokyo for the Paralympics as she is the physio for the English Boccia team. We wish them good luck.

One of the reasons for meeting up near Oxford is that Josh soon will be choosing his A levels and thinking about where he wants to go to University. He’s a brainy lad having just achieved an A* in GCSE Religious Studies taken a year early. Oxford most probably didn’t feature on his list of possibles, but it was worth having a look round.

Mick stayed at Oleanna to replace the stern gland greaser whilst the rest of us drove into Oxford for a nosy about. Andrew is very much of the opinion that the course you do at university is important but the city you go to should also appeal. Oxford is an odd one, trying to explain about colleges and faculties, the city being very much built around the University.

We walked down Broad Street past Trinity College, not many colleges open to visitors today, in fact we only saw one and it would have been £8 each to go in. We just peeked through the gate instead.

A walk through the back lanes to The Turf, the Bridge of Sighs. Down to the Cherwell where numerous people were heading off for a punt.

We walked around the outside of the Botanical Gardens and down to the Thames where a couple of familiar boats were just mooring up.

Back into town to see some of the shopping area and we stopped for a cuppa and a slice of cake in the Covered Market. By now our parking was just about up so we headed back out of town to Thrupp.

This evening we wandered down to The Boat Inn, thankfully they had some beer today, we’d been hearing rumours of lack of supplies.

A group of Morris Dancers were congregating outside, jingling their bells and wearing cheese on their heads!

Tarragon chicken with roast new potatoes and salad

A chicken tarragon casserole had been cooking away whilst we were out. Very tasty it was, one to do on the stove top when the weather gets cooler.

Pudding was a Dorset Apple Cake made this afternoon. We’d just had a slice each when I remembered that I was going to put candles in it as it’s Josh’s birthday on Monday! The amount of wine I’d had had quite a lot to do with my memory lapse! We turned the cake round, added candles and Josh blew them out.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 stern greaser replaced, 1 day of cricket commentary, 4 wandering around Oxford, 1 Josh underwhelmed, 1 excuse for a weekend away, 1 lump of cheese, 2 pints, 1 G&T, 1 wine, 1 apple juice, 1 very full casserole, 1 birthday cake just remembered, 2 much wine, 1 lovely weekend,15! how on earth is Josh 15!?!

Just As Long To Walk As Drive. 13th August

Jericho to Thrupp Cruising Club

Up early to beat the hire boats back into College Cruisers. Late yesterday afternoon NB Hannah May had arrived and arranged for a diesel top up this morning. Movement could be heard across the way at 8:20 so we made sure we were ready to push over once they had been filled up. We did a do-ci-do and took on 40 litres, at £1 a litre we didn’t fill the tank, just enough to keep us going until further up the Oxford.

We pushed back over to the towpath just as the first of the holiday makers were arriving back. Next job was to pick up the things missing from our shopping trip yesterday. I headed off to Waitrose which was kind of on route to Aldens Fish Market.

I chose to walk along the Thames, the patched pipe under Osney Bridge not really doing it’s job as loads of water was pouring out into the Thames. Glad it’s not on our water meter! The temporary pipe over the bridge is quite colossal.

At the fish market I was good, I had a look around dreaming of filling the freezer but only bought what I’d come for, a side of salmon. The lobsters would remain safe under their board for a while longer.

Back at Oleanna it was time to push off as we had a rendez vous to make. The moorings had filled up yesterday maybe people only come into Oxford for the weekend. We met a few boats as we headed out of town, either at locks or along narrow sections which necessitated us pulling in and hoping to not end up in the offside vegetation.

The cruiser with the cats is still along the Agenda 21 moorings, only two felines on the roof today and no sign of the old chap.

Speed bumps have been added to the towpath on several stretches.

Now for the bridges. Bridge 234 still wants to be open as soon as you unlock it. I braced myself for Wolvercote Lift Bridge 233. Here the bridge quite often requires an extra pair of hands to get it lifted and out of the way and the bridge landing has an overhang which has scarred many a hire boats cabin side. Well today the problem simply wasn’t there.

The bridge lies in several parts on the offside under the A34. No bridge beams to struggle with pulling them down and then keep the bridge raised whilst your boat goes through. A couple of cyclists appeared on the offside a touch puzzled as to what they were going to do.

A boat was coming down Dukes Lock so we swapped with them and rose up to meet the next lift bridge. Drinkwaters Lift Bridge 231 was about to close for major rebuilding work when last we passed. During the works the approach walls collapsed and had to be rebuilt. It is now operated by windlass from the towpath side. No longer a fight to unlock it with your key of power, just 30 turns to lift and 14 to drop it.

Our usual stop on the way out of Oxford had a couple of boats moored up. A solitary sunflower stood high in the field alongside the lock. We swapped with a boat as we arrived and another came into view as we left, perfect timing all round.

Next Roundham Lock, where through the last few years the bottom gate beam has been shored up to last that bit longer a section of armco was the last bodge job we’d seen. But today there are new beams at both ends of the lock.

Approaching Thrupp we had to stop quickly as the bow of a boat suddenly came into view past a large bush on the off side. We pulled in, trying to avoid the worst effects of the overhanging brambles on the cabin sides.

The visitor moorings in the village were quite empty, we considered pulling in, but we carried on to the lift bridge. I did the honours, stopping a very new boat from coming through as Mick was in the bridge hole. They then did their best to negotiate the bridge themselves without loosing any paint. A touch more use of power may have assisted them, but give them a few more months and they’ll be a touch more bold with their manoeuvres.

We pulled in at the water point and went to find the lady at Thrupp Canal Cruising Club. Whilst boats are out on summer cruises temporary moorings are available for a small fee, we’d booked one a couple of weeks ago. Sue (?) showed us to our mooring, ever so welcoming and anything they could help with we just had to ask. As soon as we were tied up Tilly was off out to explore, not returning for quite sometime!

Meanwhile on the other side of the River Cherwell, just over a kilometer as the crow flies, the London Leckenbys were pulling up at Willowbrook Farm campsite and setting up their tents for the weekend. Once they’d settled in they then drove round the 9km to join us and walked up to the boat with a rusk sack full of contraband, before returning the car to the site and walking the 1.8km on well marked paths back.

When we’d first come up with the idea of trying to find a campsite close to Oxford and the canal, Thrupp came up as a possibility. A newish eco campsite on a working farm that produces halal meat. Then about a week ago Jac noticed the not so fine print ‘Strictly No Alcohol Allowed On Site!’ Not quite the right place to have a relaxing beer in front of your tent, but you have to respect other cultures. So bottles of gin and wine were brought round to ours and we wouldn’t go to the campsite for a bbq, instead both evenings would be spent on Oleanna.

We’d considered going for a little pootle to find a suitable bit of towpath not too far away for the evening, returning before it got too dark, but just off the side of the TCCC moorings was an area with a bbq and picnic bench. This would do us.

Family were set with jobs of chopping. The other week they had made a tabbouleh not realising I wouldn’t be able to eat the buckwheat, today we made one using Quinoa which was very tasty. Veg and haloumi kebabs were skewered, a potato salad made up. The side of salmon required cutting in half to fit on the barbecue, a grating of ginger, pinch of sugar, soy sauce and lemon juice added then a good wrapping of foil.

Our usual barbecue stove was lit along with two disposable ones that had come from London. The salmon cooked quickly so was nudged to the sides for the veg kebabs to cook in the middle meaning the disposable bbq’s were only really just getting going when we’d just about finished eating!

A lovely if a touch blowy evening sat outside. Cheese was enjoyed back onboard after we’d tidied up outside. Then the head torches were brought out to aid the walk back to the campsite, hopefully the London Leckenby’s weren’t too noisy on their return!

4 locks, 6.51 miles, 2 lift bridges, 1 bridge in bits, 40 litres, 1 side salmon, 1 mooring, 1 campsite, 0 alcohol, 1 happy cat, £646 saved, 1 family get together, 1 yummy meal, 2 beers, 2 G&T’s, 2 bottles wine, 5 head torches for 3, 1km, 9km, 1.8km, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/ffmyBofVnWF4qSnS9

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna