Category Archives: Canal and River Trust

Spaghetti Fork. 22nd October

Castleford to Sykehouse Junction, New Junction Canal

Yesterday was the start of Chippy panto rehearsals for Jack and The Beanstalk. I’d be wrong if I said I wasn’t missing working on it this year. I’d also have rather been at the meet and greet followed by read through and fit up followed by fish and chips at the Blue Boar then having stinging eye drops in my eyes yesterday. I’m hoping we get chance to go down to see the show but we need to combine it with other things in the south, otherwise it would be a very expensive theatre trip. I’m still in touch with many people and am getting the occasional sneak peek at what’s happening.

Rather than drawing things out or base coating bits of scenery, today we were going to find out what the health and safety problem was at Ferrybridge Flood Lock and hope for a mooring suitable for some jobs and some cat shore leave.

We got up and pushed straight over to the water point close to Bulholme Lock. With the tank filling we sat down for breakfast. Then the yellow water was pumped into a container for disposal later. Just as we were sorting this a boat came past heading for the lock. We’d have been able to share if they waited five minutes, but by the time we were sorted they had dropped down the lock and were on their way.

I was on key duty and filled the lock. Just above the top gates was a huge island of pennywort, it spanned the the width of the lock. Mick decided to take a run up, either to split it in two or to take it into the lock with Oleanna. As soon as the bow hit the island he cut the engine and she drifted into the lock with the weed surrounding her. As the lock emptied the weed drifted in front only to be picked up again on exiting the lock. Mick then managed to loose it by stopping to pick me up at the lock landing.

Going downstream there’s about an hours cruise before reaching Ferrybridge. Lots of trees and today lots of sunshine. One of those lovely autumn days to enjoy being on the back of a boat.

Just about the only thing that gives away the old Ferrybridge power station is the old wharf where the Tom Puddings were brought to be raised up to empty their cargo of coal. The building is now gone, but the wharf still exists. Pylons stretch off in all directions and stepped back from the river power is still generated. It’s a boring landscape now the cooling towers are gone, so there’s no point in taking photos anymore.

The last couple of bends and we could see we’d caught the boat ahead of us up. A boat came from the lock too. Then through Ferry Bridge we could see the amber light, self operation! The flood lock is operable.

We caught the boat ahead up just as he was about to negotiate climbing a ladder. I managed to stop him, suggesting that as there were two of us we’d work the lock. I climbed the ladder, then over the footbridge.

Maybe the health and safety issue is with the walkway on the top gates, as you’d need a very big stride to get onto them, the step being a good three foot. But that has been the case for goodness how long. The river level board showed green! Not long till the gates could just be left open. I knew there wasn’t a gate through the handrail to reach the panel, so climbed over it. Maybe I’d have been better walking to the far end of the lock and crossing the gates there, but that was a very long way round, these locks are big round here!

On our own now, the other boat not in a rush, we carried on heading eastwards. Fishermen lined the banks and nodded at us as we passed. Lots of boats around Bank Dole Junction, quite a few big ones too. We headed right, turning left will be left for next year, or maybe we’ll head to York direct from Goole, or via Pocklington?

Kellingley Colliery is getting more overgrown around the edges, only the occasional gap to see if anything is happening, nothing since March that we could make out.

Now we were back on the waterways with big skies, reaching from way over there to way over there! We’ve enjoyed trees, hills, rivers this year, but we alos like being back here with so much sky.

The M62 comes close then drifts away. Then it returns to be passed underneath just before Whitley Lock. Here a weed boat was busy collecting Pennywort. The fork lift prongs on the bow jab into islands of leafy green, then rise up. The down side of this is it’s a bit like eating spaghetti with a fork and not being allowed to twist the pasta onto the prongs, the tomato sauce making the pasta slip off. The chap scouped up the pennywort time and time again to deposit it on the bank. Whitley Lock seems to be a place where the weed congregates. Last year there was a closure for quite sometime whilst it was cleared, at least they seem to be trying to keep on top of it this year.

As we approached the lock he asked if he could come down the lock with us. Apparently yesterday above the lock had been choaked with the weed. So we lowered down to the next pound the weed boat shooting out of the lock in front of us, hunting down the next mass of weed to collect and deposit on the bank.

This is all such familiar water to us now. Past the CRT boat yard at Heck. Plenty of work boats in, one out on the bank getting a new lick of CRT Blue.

Then Pollington Lock, our last lock of the year! In Oleanna went, the lolly pop indicators raised and down she descended to the Goole level of the Aire and Calder. The Key of Power could be put back on the main key ring and have a rest.

The VHF radio blurted something out. We always have it on around here to listen in in case there are any freight boats about. It was hard to understand what was being said, Mick checked on boat movements into Goole, Exol Pride had come up Ocean Lock an hour and a half ago. Exol was heading for the New Junction and all the lift and swing bridges, then on to Rotherham. We’d almost certainly have missed her by the time we got there ourselves.

Now at every overhead power line there were notices on the bank on posts, at every culvert notices too. Back towards Christmas 2020 there was a breach on the Aire and Calder, a huge amount of water was lost, the level from this huge pound dropped and several sections of piling and bank slumped into the canal. There is currently a stoppage notice for piling works.

Four hi-vis CRT staff walked towards us on the bank. Then a fence that really meant the towpath was closed, not one that you can manoeuvre to get round. Up ahead several work boats. New piling had gone in and a digger was back filling with earth and packing it down. One worker walked backwards with a remote controlled spikey roller. Skip boats of fresh earth were being brought from past Sykehouse Junction, no dredging silt from the canal, this back filling needed to be sturdy.

Our favourite spot at the junction was taken, so we turned onto the New Junction Canal to see what was available. One narrowboat at the far end, we pulled in just where the edging starts to flatten out and tied up. This would do us nicely.

Tilly you have four hours! Four!! Brilliant!!!!!! No eating your own body weight in rodents! Spoil sport!

After lunch I got the attachment of doom out. The rusty patches on the port side that I’d treated before Standedge needed cleaning off again. Then a coat of primer was applied. The boat ahead was being repainted by the looks of it. Tilly would now have to stay off boats and cat walks!

Mick put the mushroom vent top back on, only tightening it with his fingers, not wanting to put strain on the glued threaded bar. This will be fine. Then the interior cover went back on.

Then it was time to enjoy our evening as the sun set. Tilly zonked from so much friendly cover, now lounging on the sofa in front of the stove. Yarn was selected for the next pair of socks, they were cast on. What a lovely day and cruise.

4 locks, 16.5 miles of big skies, 0 red light, 1 lock on self operation! 2 locks shared, 1 full water tank, 1 clean pooh box, 1 empty yellow water tank, 1 right, 2 colds still clinging on, 1 grab rail with some paint on it, 4 hours of freedom, 3 little friends, 43 pounces, 2 trees, 1 slight patch of white, don’t know how that got there! 1 exhausted cat, 1 cosy Oleanna on our last night out on the cut.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZxiYHj3QcSKLyPwH7

Key Of Power Locks. 19th October

Above Fall Ing Lock to Castleford Moorings, Aire and Calder Navigation

Yesterday Mick had checked the stoppage notices again for our route eastwards. The flood locks were in use on the Aire and Calder, all were user operable apart from Ferrybridge. Ferrybridge is the last lock off of a river section that we need to pass through. We wondered why it wasn’t user operable, he made a call to CRT. The answer came back that due to Health and Safety it wouldn’t be possible for us to use the lock, we’d only be able to go through once the river level was back in the green and the flood lock opened to boats.

Mick walked round to the garage for a newspaper, but none was to be bought, no newspapers at all. So nothing for it but to head onwards. We decided to make a move up to Stanley Ferry sooner rather than later, just in case the river responded to last nights rain, we’d rather be stuck somewhere where we could let Tilly out. Someone else had had a similar idea, NB Perseverance had whizzed past heading up stream in the rain whilst we were still getting up.

We were on our way before breakfast, topping up the huge Fall Ing Lock. This being our last manual lock for 2024 I was determined to operate it. The bottom gates are heavy, but not too bad if you are patient. I lifted the paddles and watched as the water washed up over the river level board pushing it into the red from amber.

The river seemed pretty normal to us as we made our way towards Stanley Ferry. Here the flood lock was in use, I climbed off with the key of power to operate it. At first it didn’t respond to any buttons being pressed, Mick had a go too, the top sluices needed reminding they existed, now I could open the gates. Unlike at the beginning of the year there was a difference in height, maybe 9 inches.

A boat was coming towards us, I waited to close the gates behind them and retrieve my key. This was NB Ampere an early electric boat that we’d seen at our first Crick boat show. There was time to chat to the crew as the boats swapped positions and the gates closed behind them, they’d been stuck above Lemonroyd when the rivers came up.

The only space we could find with rings was at one end of the water point, we tucked in, leaving space for another boat. Time for breakfast a bacon butty each. Then as the port side was to the bank we emptied the yellow water tank. The connector that screws into the outlet seems to be loosing it’s thread. Some PTFE tape was wrapped round the connector hoping this would stop any leakage. It was an improvement, but will require a replacement over winter. We moved up to the services to use the elsan, then I swung the bridge open a CRT fundraiser being very jolly saying hello to everyone who came past, but not managing to engage further.

Across the aqueduct and past the Stanley Ferry CRT workshop. Earlier in the year there had only been a couple of new gates awaiting fitting. Today the whole of the area was filled with lock gates. Tried to count how many pairs there were, I think around twenty, that’s a LOT of oak!

The sun was coming out now, anglers lined the banks as we dropped down Birkwood, Kings Road Locks. Under the M62 and on to Woodnook Lock where we’d drop down onto the river again. Big and wide we headed to Castleford Junction and the sad houses.

Mick opted to wind to face upstream to drop me off, just in case the flow from the River Aire wanted to assist us towards the weir. I took my time up the steps, wanting to avoid slipping as I’d done back in March. Here the river level was still just in the amber. I opened the gates and waved to Mick to come round from the lock landing. As he approached I could see how much current there was as the stern of Oleanna was being encouraged towards the weir. The level of the huge lock had to drop by about a foot, so took some time to level out to the cut.

Now we had to decide what to do. Should we continue onwards and see if Ferrybridge Flood Lock was actually not useable? If that was the case then we’d have to return to Castleford to be able to moor. Sunday’s weather had looked bad on the forecast and might bring the river back into the red. Being close to a station on Monday was a necessity, both Castleford and Knottingley would work. We opted to not risk having to return and pulled in towards Bulholme Lock. Here we hoped we’d not be plagued by the permanent moorers running their generators well into the night.

Tilly was awarded three hours shore leave. Not her favourite mooring, but far better than being cooped up in Wakefield.

As the afternoon went on several boats came past, one from the lock ahead of us. Had they come from Ferrybridge? Were the other boats headed that way carrying on or mooring up. Surely the light at the lock should be red if Ferrybridge Lock was inoperable! It was amber, and unless you looked at the stoppage notice you’d not know anything about the health and safety issue. Hmmm!

6 locks, 1 of them a flood lock, 7.9 miles, 2 bacon butties, 1 empty wee tank, 0 manual locks left, 1 key of power, 3 hours shore leave, 2 many boats moving for it not to be open.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/GTNwv1MrmtTzx3zr6

It Isn’t Like Baunston! 15th October

Above Lock 3E to opposite Sainsburys, Huddersfield Broad Canal

Ready for the off at 9am. The chap on NB Wildflower was doing a few engine checks also ready to push off. As we were blocking the entrance to the lock, we’d go first and he’d follow a distance behind hoping to save himself some water for Lock 1E.

A group of students chatted to Mick as the lock emptied, they were left to close the gate behind us along with Mr NB Wildflower. Under the bridge to pick Mick up and then on to Lock 2E, this lock isn’t accessible from land so you need to be on your boat.

From the bridge behind us we could see Mr Wildflower waiting for us to have filled the lock and gone into it, then descend. After Oleanna exited Mick walked back to the top end of the lock and lifted a paddle, so it could already be filling when NB Wildflower arrived.

Now through the tunnel under buildings. It goes from wide to quite narrow and plants disguise just how narrow it is, there was a big bump, closing both bathroom doors inside. By the next college building was the orange boat we’d been expecting, they were moored at a distance from the lock, apparently the chap on board hadn’t known about booking the Marsden flight or Lock 1E, he was hoping he’d be allowed to tag along behind us today. Then up by the lock was the blue boat from Strawberry Island. We pulled in behind them the level of the pound really quite high.

**Hoping to be able to go through today**

This pound is known to loose it’s water. They have tried various things over the years to sort it , but nothing has been too successful. So now the lock has stop planks above it, holding back the water. With boats having moored above 3E we brought water down with us so hopefully there’d be enough to pen us all through.

A little before 11am, several CRT chaps turned up. One dropped off a mound of ash, to ash up the stop planks once the boats had passed through. Then the paddle that had been keeping the gap between the stop planks and lock empty was closed and the level in the gap soon rose up. Then top stop plank was given a biff with a keb and up it rose. The wood of the planks naturally wanting to float. These were hauled out in turn and laid on the bank in order. One of them took a bit of persuading, but all in all it was an easy procedure.

As the lock filled we were told to move our boats away from the bank and hover in the middle of the channel, otherwise we’d end up getting stuck as the level dropped. The chap from the orange boat arrived and was given the go ahead to tag on the back, he rushed back to untie and wait inline.

Paddles were wound, gates opened. First the blue boat, then NB Wildflower who had waited breasted up to us, Oleanna then the orange boat. Now CRT had the harder job of putting the stop planks back in and ashing them up so the level could recover before Thursday. Kevin had arrived by now, time to thank him for adding us to the list today.

One last look back over our shoulders to the Huddersfield Narrow. It’s been an eventful trip! One we’ll think of when ever there’s a low pound, but it is still a stunning canal, if only there were more moorings.

Through to Aspley Basin. The service point was free, we pulled in and started to fill with water. NB Wildflower was back on it’s mooring in the basin, slotted in for the winter. The orange boat soon arrived wanting to top up with diesel and another short narrowboat pulled up behind us to empty cassettes.

As we filled with water and dealt with yellow water we chatted to the chaps on the short boat. They asked if we’d been through the tunnel and what it was like up the HNC. They had no idea that you had to book the tunnel. ‘I looked on the CRT website and all it said was come for a nice picnic etc, nothing about booking’. You can’t just turn up and go through Standedge as you would Braunston Tunnel. We warned them that you could only go through on certain days and the tunnel would be closing at the end of the month for winter. We directed the chap to the boat licencing section of the CRT website here he would find bookings. We also suggested they should book lock 1E and the Marsden flight.

These two chaps say they normally take their time, might take a month to get to the summit pound. I suspect they are not normally on a canal like the HNC which was built to get goods from A to B so there was no need for moorings to enjoy the scenery. They also said their outboard engine was coming off today, presumably for maintenance.

The penny suddenly dropped. Is your engine petrol? ‘Yes‘. Ah you won’t be allowed through the tunnel then, no petrol engines allowed! Worth checking, but it would save you working up the 42 locks not to be allowed through, then the 42 locks back down. I’m sure when you try to book there would be something that would flag up a petrol engine and stop the process. We left them thinking about what to do.

A short distance on we pulled in. Oleanna preferring to be on a list no matter what we did! The fire was stocked up, lunch had and a shopping list written. We walked over the Locomotive Bridge and headed to stock up at Sainsburys. The shelves in the medicine isle were studied. We both still have our colds and very gurglie chests. I tried my best to avoid the Honey and Lemon cough syrup, I hate honey with a gut wrenching passion, but it looked like it was the only one that would help us.

A quiet afternoon snoozing in front of the fire and a roast chicken in the oven. Today I finished off this weeks pair of sockathon socks. I’m hoping to be able to keep up a good pace for the rest of the year as I now have a waiting list of an extra ten pairs from the Boat Women group on Facebook! Thank you everyone, I may have to extend my fundraising page.

3 locks, 0.8 miles, 4 boats down, 1 final wave to the HNC, 1 big shop, 4 boxes wine, 3rd bottle of cough medicine, 2 coughing boaters, 1 pulled muscle, 1 roast chicken, pair 42 finished, 20 more to go! Hello! what about me?!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/pXrMuK96pjrdyARP8

Broken Smile. 9th October

Above Lock 42 E to Handmade Bakery, Slaithwaite

Lemsips all round this morning. Maybe I should have tried to catch it sooner! Oh well. A message was sent to our volunteer lock wheeler to warn him of the germs floating around Oleanna, he decided to continue with his journey to meet up with us anyway.

At 10am we pushed off, filling the top lock of the flight. With Oleanna in the lock we emptied the yellow water into our container for disposal later, it’s far easier to have the bank on the port side to do this job. Just as we were about to start our descent a white car pulled up, the window wound down. ‘Hey! Oleanna!!!’ It was Pete Toon from Mikron. A shame not to have managed a longer chat but there was traffic. If we’d been stuck longer I was going to contact him to meet up somewhere. Only a week or so left of the Mikron shows for this year, touring by van now as Tyseley is on the Weaver at Northwich for the winter.

Next a train pulled in at the station. Paul our volunteer had arrived. Hello’s all round then straight to emptying the lock and starting our descent. Last night the local weather forecast had suggested that we might have a shower or two today, they didn’t mention the constant drizzle that would accompany us down the locks today.

Caution under the low pipe bridge below the top lock is required, the next pound needed lowering and then some extra weight from Mick assisted. Then we were on our way, Mick and Paul leap frogging each other down the flight. Sometimes they were lifting a paddle at the next but one lock down, taking our water with us. Most by washes were flowing anyway so we’d not run out of water.

**Hills visible, they’d been shrouded in cloud before we started**

Three years ago to the day we’d set off down the flight. One pound had been low and required topping up. I think it was in that pound that a fan belt went on or domestic alternator and wrapped itself around a pulley. We ended up mooring up in the next pound and calling RCR out to help. When the engineer had inspected everything he didn’t have the right tool for the job, but we were safe to carry on, although our leisure batteries could only be topped up by the solar. It was drier three years ago!

**Stone arched bridges as well as wooden**

The trees are just turning, some sunshine would have made our descent very pretty. Hillsides off in the distance, the short pounds between locks.

At Lock 37E a temporary repair had been made. The problem had been the rotten upright as I’d thought. Strips of metal have been bolted onto the timber to keep it going a while longer. I’m sure our friend Frank would have fashioned a suitable repair out of wood in the same amount of time it had taken to bolt this together.

33E sits by a reservoir, there were diggers and several CRT chaps over looking things. Mick went to ask what they were doing, but instead was asked how many locks ahead we’d been setting. One of the chaps was really quite miffed that there was so much water coming down the flight and said that we should only have been setting one lock ahead, rather than two. This puzzled us as lifting a paddle on a lower lock to start filling it would surely lower the pound above, then that would be topped up when the lock above was emptied, any water coming round the bywash would be doing that anyway. He suggested we shouldn’t set ahead on the rest of the locks and on a few of them we should empty them slowly as they would end up flooding the next pound down.

32E had orange fencing around it. I’d been warned about it by the Lockie yesterday, it was open as you could work round it. This work round would involve walking up to the lock before to cross the canal, then round the reservoir where the path to the lock had been blocked off. Not the best work around, the orange fencing won’t stop people from using the bridge!

***I’m quite happy here , so long as you tie up a good outside today***

After 32E there is a longer gap between locks. Mick hopped back on board so I could sit down, only problem was that everything was quite damp. Puddles on the towpath kept Paul light on his toes.

**A lovely place to stop on the end of the lock landing**

At Booth Lock 31E it took a while to fill the lock. This is where we’d stopped three years ago and had planned on stopping last Saturday. An ideal mooring for Tilly to have shore leave but not a good place to stop today. We carried onwards, all down hill for the rest of the year!

Which lock was it where there was a boater who would complain about you using the lock? Above 26E, sadly the boat hasn’t faired well over the last three years.

Now the canal heads down a tree lined route, the River Colne sitting just below the towpath. We were hoping for a space before lock 24E the guillotine lock. Here there were bollards and a good stretch of woodland before the river, perfect for Tilly who was in need of some fresh air and play time.

Mick and Paul walked ahead as I brought Oleanna in to moor. However the bottom was way too far close to the top. When we came through on NB Lillyanne there had been boats moored here, not sure if that had been the case three years ago. Today it was empty because no-one can get to the side to tie to the bollards. Paul took the boat hook and dipped for depth, no more than 18 inches!

Sorry Tilly, really sorry. She won’t be smiling about our mooring today!

24E was worked by both Mick and Paul. On one side of the guillotine is the paddle mechanism, the other side you wind the gate up with your windlass. Now to find a mooring. The blue Strawberry Island boat was moored on the relatively new moorings below the lock, we pulled in in front of them and retired inside.

Coats were hung up to dry and a late lunch consumed with a slice each of carrot cake.

Thank you Paul for helping us again, making our descent much easier and with good company. It does also mean that Paul gets chance to check the information on his maps and the mooring above 24E will now be removed.

What was left of the afternoon was a quiet one, well apart from Tilly grumbling at the back door! I sussed out that the Slawit Chippy did gluten free fish of you ordered in advance. A phone call was made and an order placed.

All cooked in beef dripping, so not a chippy for vegetarians. My fish was a touch smaller than Micks, but that happens! Not the best we’ve had but very nice after a damp day at the locks.

19 locks, 2.4 miles, 1 drive by Pete, 1 volunteer Paul, 1 pound too high, 1 annoying pipe bridge, 0 beeps, 0 raspberries, 1 drizzly day, 3 soggy boaters, 2ft 4″ required, 1ft 6″ available, 1 grumpy cat, 3 slices of cake, 1 very handy bakery, 2 haddocks, 1 chips, 4 lemsips.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/j9HNh98x8c2CGxoF7

The Forgotten Bridge. 8th October

Above Lock 42E

I’d just finished doing my exercises this morning when I could hear voices at the blue boat ahead of us. I peeked out of the bow blinds there was a CRT chap chatting to the crew, he had a life jacket on and I thought I spied another person down at the lock, possibly unlocking it. I flung on some clothes and shoes, disguising my pyjamas so I could go out and see what was happening.

Navigational advice was being passed on to the crew, low pipe bridge, put the paddle down before filling etc. I then asked about the tail bridge at 37E, Kevin (the chap from CRT) ‘Ahh, yes I’d forgotten about that. Hang on.’ He made a phone call, apparently it was being mended this morning. He set off down the locks to check how things were progressing. Time to chat to the neighbours, a boat from Strawberry Island in Doncaster, this has been their first proper summer out and about.

Of course I asked how they’d faired on the Diggle flight. They’d been warned about one pound possibly being low, but it was all fine, no problems! There had been at least one if not two boats go down the flight since we’d come up and we’d most probably sorted the levels out for all of them.

Kevin came back, the bridge would be sorted in an hour so the blue boat could head on, so could we if we wanted to. Well I really didn’t want to tackle a flight single handing, especially the Marsden flight. I checked it would be fine for tomorrow. It was.

Currently you have to book the Marsden flight and Lock 1E in Huddersfield. This is to help preserve water levels. Leaving tomorrow morning we simply wouldn’t manage to reach 1E for Thursday morning when we were booked to go through, 41 locks and about 7 miles away. The next possible day to go through was already fully booked, I asked if there was any way to get round this, Kevin said he’d sort it and give me a call later on to confirm.

Back on board for breakfast, now more like an early lunch! There was half an egg left from making Nan bread so I made myself some eggy bread for the first time in decades. I discovered that gluten free bread isn’t so good for it, it has an inability to hold itself together when dry, never mind when it’s got an eggy coating! All the same it was nice with a sprinkling of sugar.

I had a quick tidy up, sweep through and spent some time dissuading Tilly from wanting to go out. Mick in Scarborough was suffereing a little from having had both flu and covid jabs yesterday along with a cold. He’d contemplated staying in Scarborough another night, but with news that the locks were open he’d head back as originally planned. If only the roofer people had come on Monday or cancelled earlier we’d have been able to do the Marsden flight today! Oh well.

Kevin called back. The top lock had been left open for us to use in the morning and he’d bypassed the system booking us in at Lock 1E. The system allows two boats in each direction through the lock, twice a week. With no-one booked to go up he’d been allowed to add us onto the list, not that the people who lift the stop planks know who’s booked anyway, they just let the boats waiting through. Lifting the stop planks is easy, it’s putting them back in again and ashing it up which takes the time, so the more boats through the better. That’s as long as there’s sufficient water!

Sadly no volunteers would be available to help us down from Marsden. But we’d had an offer from Paul Balmer of Waterway Routes to come and assist, so contact was made and plans put together.

Mick got in touch saying he’d be on an earlier train, Brian from NB Alton the coal boat was willing to deliver coal and diesel to us as he was delivering to parts of Manchester today, it would be late on.

Some baking for our volunteer tomorrow was needed. It also meant I could check the temperature in the top oven. Recently things in the main oven seem to be cooking a little bit too quickly, but the top oven has been behaving. Todays cake baking has confirmed the top oven is fine. Next time I use the main oven it will also get checked now I’ve dug out the oven thermometer.

When Mick returned we nudged up closer to the top lock so Brian didn’t have so far to bring us coal and 40 litres of diesel. Eta was 7pm, and bang on the dot he arrived. Refuelling was done in the dark. Big thank you’s to Brian for venturing over the top and into Yorkshire to get to us, then we moved back to where we’d come from on a more level mooring!

0 locks, 120ft forwards, 120ft back, 1 sparking chimney, 1 carrot cake, Gas mark 5, 350 F, 0 shore leave for Tilly, 2 boaters now on lemsip!

Apple Bobbing. 6th October

Above Lock 41E

Mick has developed a cold over the last couple of days. I’m doing my best to avoid it, so I’m trying to avoid touching things he’s touched, sharing the same air won’t be helping, but I’m hoping to fend off getting it for a week if possible as I have a hospital appointment amongst other things.

So this morning I was on tea and Lemsip duty. This is normally Micks job as he’s on that side of the bed and he hands me my tea. This morning I was scrabbling my way back to my side of the bed ( we have a cross bed) trying my best not to spill any tea when the alarm above our heads sounded. A red flashing light and three beeps. This meant there was a fire. Not that we were aware of. I pressed the button to silence the alarm. We took it off it’s base and Mick tried to reset it. It did nothing! Was this a dud detector? Only a month old! Mick spent some of the day checking things on line and it turns out the detector was fine, it just turns itself off when not on it’s base on the ceiling. Why had it sounded? Steam from my tea!

Subjects included Radio Caroline, sausage casserole, cousins in Gravesend and tying Aunts in armchairs! Everyone was present this morning for zoom, even if our internet kept dropping out in a somewhat annoying manor, so we only got part of the story from John about the PS Waverley passing Radio Caroline a few days ago.

This morning seemed to be dry enough to add another coat onto the mushroom vent. Mixing, brushing followed, the starboard side grabrail bits got another coat too. If my knees hadn’t been playing up so much I’d have done the port side as well, but balancing on a gunnel with nowhere to step back to at the moment is not on the cards, my knees are burning whilst doing nothing, so that side of the boat will have to wait.

Just about as soon as I’d finished it started to spit! Oh well, I’m trying my best considering my phone currently thinks I’m just to the west of Moscow! Mick seems to have this happen to his phone too at the moment. Are the Russians checking up on us? Anyone else get the weather in Russia rather then West Yorkshire? They are expecting thunder storms tomorrow.

**Marsden Mechanics standing out from the crowd**

This afternoon I headed off down the Marsden flight of locks to see what I could see at lock 37E, the lock which has closed the flight has a dangerous bridge. Despite it being a grey day the flight is still pretty with the occasional glimpse across the valley.

Below lock 39E there were numerous apples bobbing about waiting for Halloween, none of them had toffee coatings though!

**The Blue Peter Lock or Smudgees Lock 37E**

Lock 37E is the Blue Peter lock with a shield on both bottom gates. Orange fencing was draped around the tail bridge. On the far side I could see what looked like rotten wood on one of the uprights to the handrail. With a suitably sized baulk of timber and carpentry tools and skills it didn’t look like it would be a long job to mend. Hopefully it will be sorted tomorrow.

I didn’t want to do anymore down hill so headed back up. There are a new cabins that have been built alongside the canal, A Place in the Pennines. The office looks like it is in a blue narrowboat next to the care takers cabin. They look nice and I suspect they have good views from their terraces across the valley.

I walked up the hill, hoping I’d stay on the level more to return to the boat. Past houses all with great views over the top of one another and along to the station. Steep stairs lead down to the platforms, I’ll enjoy those tomorrow!

Back on Oleanna, Mick was snoozing by the stove. I got out my box of socks to weave ends in. Three pairs in total. I had a sponsorship for four pairs so have been waiting for them all to be finished along with the next pair and then take more photos. My box is now full. By the end of the evening and the ninth episode of Traitors NZ I’d finished off pair 40, ends weaved in too. 40 weeks 40 pairs! Yarn has already been selected for the next pair, they’ll get started on the train tomorrow.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 broken handrail, 2nd coat, 1 very bored cat, 5 siblings, 1 dodgy alarm mended? 6 pairs of socks waiting to be posted.

5677 Yards. 4th October

Diggle to Tunnel End, Marsden

Up early, we moved to the tunnel portal a little after 8am. With the water tank filling we had breakfast, there was hardly likely to be anyone turning up for a few hours and we knew roughly when they’d be arriving.

At 8.30 someone arrived from CRT to unlock the tunnel gates. They asked us once we’d filled the tank to move back so there would be space for the boat coming through from Marsden, they’d be setting off shortly and would arrive around 10.30. We did as instructed and then got on with preparing Oleanna for the tunnel.

***I might stay in amongst the washing today thanks***

Mick forgets the things we did last time. A similar conversation as the one we had before trying Froghall Tunnel. The pram cover and frame were removed. Cratch cover taken off and stowed inside. Poo buckets removed from on top of the gas locker and popped in the well deck, space was made for me to be able to sit there. Next the nav lights were removed just leaving the wires wrapped in lx tape sticking out of the cabin sides. Bags of coal flattened on the roof, all planks, poles etc put into the gutters. Top of the chimney removed, the stove had been left to go out overnight.

I got a message on my phone, could I please call someone back from CRT. I first thought it might be to do with our near miss yesterday, however it was about a closure ahead of us. There was a bridge at one of the Marsden Locks which engineers had deemed not safe. The bridge is the only means of getting to the offside to open and close the gates. It would be looked at again on Monday and hopefully they’d have us on the move again soon. The flight is kept locked to help conserve water and you have to book a passage down. Our journey down the east side of the HNC had been planned around various things. So hopefully they will be able to get us down on suitable days. The chap on the phone told me all the good things we’d be able to do in Marsden over the weekend. There are worse places we could get stuck.

**Their return journey through the tunnel**

At 10.15 I could see a light in the tunnel. At 10.30 the bow of a hire boat appeared from the dark. A lady stood at the front, three chaps in high-vis at the stern, a dog started to bark it’s head off inside the cabin.

David and Stuart came over to see us. David checked to see if we knew about the Marsden flight being closed, did we still want to go through the tunnel? Yes please, even if we have to wait a few days it would still be better than going the long way round to Yorkshire. Oleanna was measured, the top of the pan covering the removed mushroom vent deemed to be the highest point. Depth under the water. 1ft 4″! No chance!! They tried again, 2ft 4″, more like it. Across the top of the cabin at the bow, 4ft 11″, just under the 5ft we’d been told about for Froghall Tunnel. We’d fit.

Gas turned off, cuppas made for those who wanted one with the electric kettle. Safety briefing given. Tilly was noted, yes we would be able to climb a ladder if needs be and walk 1.5km. We passed, now we just had to wait the required 3/4 of an hour after the last boat had left before we could go in, this helps fumes to clear.

With all cabin lights on, we hoped Tilly would have a better journey through the tunnel than she did last time. I actually don’t know how she fared as I didn’t hear her or see her once in the 90 minutes it took us to get through.

On our first trip through on NB Lillyanne Mick had been at the helm, I sat at the stern along with the chaperone from CRT who gave us a good running commentary along with guiding Mick around the S bend in the middle of the tunnel. Three years ago there was still social distancing, Oleanna’s stern was just big enough for the chaperone to be with Mick at the stern, or the chaperone could be at the helm. Mick opted to sit at the bow with me so he could enjoy the trip through rather than spend all his time concentrating. This was quite a noisy affair, every bump or scrape could be heard, we winced quite a few times but were then relived when there was no noticeable damage.

Today Mick opted to be at the helm. David and Stuart would be with him at the stern and I would be alone at the front. There were two of them today as Stuart is in training for Tunnel Control, but needs to know the tunnel too.

A large lamp was positioned on our gas locker, fire extinguisher and various gas monitors were positioned at the stern. A large crate of stuff and a spare light were popped in the bow with me.

At the bow I had a cushion to sit on, camera and phone. I’d wanted to set up a time lapse, but because of yesterdays drama had totally forgotten about it. I’d also forgotten to give the cratch window a good clean! Oh well, at least we were here and about to go through!

At 11.15 Oleanna was pushed out. A chap who’d been walking up the Diggle flight yesterday had brought his family to watch us. I said we’d race them to the other end. Then we were in the tunnel, brick lined arched roof. Then the roof line flattens out where the rail tunnel crosses over head to travel for the majority of the way on our left hand side.

The tunnel was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1794. Construction began a few months later. Within two years cost saving measures and water levels pushed back the tunnels completion date. Thomas Telford took over and drew up a new plan for the tunnels completion and in 1811 it opened. By 1943 it was closed but with the restoration of the canal it reopened in 2001.

Three other tunnels head through the hillside. The first rail tunnel was built in 1848, a second in 1871 these were both to the east of the canal tunnel. The canal was used to remove spoil as the other tunnels were dug and adits were created between them. Then a third rail tunnel was made, this one crossed over the canal tunnel from the east, runs along side it then back over to the east side before resurfacing at Marsden. This was built in 1894 and is the one used today.

The interior of the tunnel varies so much. Arched brickwork, Brickwork with ribs giving it more support, several different types of rock. On some stretches you can see where holes were drilled to insert explosives, here there and everywhere.

There are ties holding up the roof, sections where concrete has been sprayed over the surface to keep it more stable. Stone block sections.

Small tunnels head off to the east, adits leading to the old rail tunnels where a CRT van follows your progress. Some of these are well lit, and a high-vis chap stood waiting for us, he could also be seen on one of the walk ways that cross overhead to the current rail tunnel. The accompanying van may soon be a thing of the past as new communications have been installed. On our roof we’d had a radio repeater added for our journey. Every now and then there would be something similar attached to the roof of the tunnel, glowing like a UFO as our lights caught it. At each adit the person in the van acknowledged us, but then David would radio Tunnel Control with our location. The system is still being tested, but once it is okayed the driver will no longer be needed in the other tunnel.

Our progress was steady. Quite a bit of bumping about. We discussed this later no, Mick wasn’t aware of as much bumping as I was at the bow, maybe on Lillyanne we’d done a similar amount but not been aware of it.

As with just about all tunnels there are wet bits. I’d put full waterproofs on knowing how wet I’d got last time. One spout of water pulsated towards the cabin side as we passed. Other water features were just a wall of water to pass through. At each one I would stand up and try to position myself under the cratch board, I still got quite wet! Mick at the stern had David and Stuart stand up at one time blocking his view.

**This way out! or should we just go straight on?**

Small pieces of wood could occasionally be seen on the roof. These were Leggers boards, they had numbers written on them so that the leggers would know where they were. I also spotted quite a few red plastic cotton reels attached to the walls, no idea what these were and forgot to ask about them.

David gave Mick instructions when we reached the S bend, slow, to the right a bit, don’t be tempted to turn just yet, go over a touch. All very helpful instructions and making sure we avoided any overhanging sections of wall that might get our cabin sides. Now Mick was asked to pick up pace, the trip boat was due to come into the tunnel at 1pm and it would be good if we were clear before then.

We popped out into the sunshine of West Yorkshire at 12.45 an hour and a half after entering.

All the kit was removed from Oleanna quicky and we pushed over to the off side for lunch. Over lunch we discussed what to do. We wondered if we could stay here on the offside, there’d be no boats heading for the tunnel over the weekend due to the Marsden flight being closed. Mick went over and chatted to the volunteers (they have 100 on this side of the HNC), he was told it would be fine to stay.

As we put Oleanna back together we waited for trains to come past. An educated guess on a train from Manchester was waved at, Josh was most probably on it heading to York for a weekend with Andrew and Jac. I’d sent him instructions on where to look as soon as he was through the tunnel, but it being his first time on the train route he almost certainly missed us.

The Cat H&S committee looked round. Perfect for Tilly apart from one thing, the railway line. Yes there is a good fence that she’d not be able to get through. But the fence was certainly climbable, it also has several trees very closeby which she’d be up like a shot. So very sadly cat shore leave wasn’t going to be on the cards.

**Reminds me of a panto I once designed**

Mick swept the chimney and cleaned the stove out before relighting the fire. I prepared a beef and beetroot curry, starting it off in the oven. We think the thermostat has got problems in the main oven, after an hour the curry had dried out and starting to burn around the edges. More water was added and it was then moved to on top of the stove to carry on cooking slowly. A very nice meal in the end with enough left over for a meal in a day or two.

0 locks, 3.3 miles, 5677 yards underground, 2nd boat moving on the HNC (excluding trip boats), 2 volunteers 1 cat in amongst the washing, 1 sodden cushion, 1 soggy pair of pants, 1 wave to a nephew, 3rd time, 1 flight ahead closed, 90 minutes in the dark, 0 3rd edition wanted, 1 much better day than yesterday.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/2Y56XUQP3wkNpnjS7

Seconds Away. 3rd October

Uppermill to Diggle moorings

Just the last eleven locks up to the summit today, that’s all. They shouldn’t take us long to do. We already knew we might have trouble with one pound being low, it’s been low the last two times we’ve come this way. Our map suggested it would be about 2.5 hours, we added a bit more for good measure but we should still be moored up in time for lunch and to give Tilly some shore leave.

Before we pushed off I got Tilly’s Escape Pod out of the cupboard and zipped it together, she was straight in it before I’d even got the top on. Should anything go wrong in the tunnel tomorrow we’d need the pod at the ready, so best to get it ready today and let Tilly move back into one of her favourite places, only when the doors not closed!

The first two locks were the same as the one’s we’d come up. Although Lime Kiln Lock can’t quite be classed as just a HNC lock. It has Saddleworth Railway Viaduct right across the bottom of it. Then there is Mytholm Bridge just below the lock too. The approach is slightly skewed and I half expected to mess it up, with a bywash coming towards me at the same time, but no it was pretty easy. Up Oleanna rose in possibly the most picturesque lock on the west side of the canal.

**Another fender to add to our collection!**

We pulled in at the services, topped up on water, the washing machine running, emptied yellow water and refreshed Tilly’s toilet. The weed hatch was also checked. No weed but a fairly new looking rope fender! Mick walked up to set the next lock.

The Diggle flight have single big bottom gates, similar to those south of Banbury on the South Oxford. All the paddles are on the lock beam side of each lock. The bottom paddles are geared and have a pawl to keep them in place. The top paddles wind up as normal but the pawl on these is a flat bar that you need to angle in to slot into place to hold everything up.

We worked our way up the first two locks without too much bother. Then there was the expected low pound. It was VERY low. Mick lifted the paddles to fill the lock, no chance of getting over the cill without more water. He walked up to the next lock and ran water down through the lock. He also called C&RT to check it would be okay for us to do this, they were fine about it. The next pound looking pretty healthy, it wouldn’t stay that way as the one we were trying to raise was really quite big. Mick phoned me, would I prefer him to be at the helm through a low pound, so for us to revert to the A team. I did, so he returned and helped me climb off the boat with the aid of the stern lockers. We needed so much water to fill the pound enough to get over the cill. I walked up ahead and once Oleanna was over the cill and in the pound I closed the top paddles on the lock, let it finish emptying and opened the bottom gate, hoping the pound was deep enough to get across. Thankfully it was. Once Oleanna was in 27W I returned to close the gate at 26W.

The same process was now required to rise up the next lock 27W, the pound above very depleted of water. I walked up to 28W and ran water down, Once over the cill Mick managed to encourage the gate to close behind him, the flow of water into the pound helping and saving me the walk back down to do the job myself.

Same process at 28W, each pound above was lowered just enough to get Oleanna from one lock to the next. Each time, each pound above looked that bit higher than the one below.

Getting across from 28W to 29W was a little bit more tricksy, getting over the bottom cill took more effort. All the way up the flight we’d had walkers stopping for a chat, saying how they’d never seen the pounds look so low, it must happen especially for us! A chap possibly with a dog had walked up, not chatted then sat down on the bench to admire the view.

I stayed to see how we’d do. Opened the top gate when it was level. A guestimate on how deep the water was over the cill had been met. I closed the top paddles and waited to close the gate. We now should be fine.

Mick gently brought Oleanna forward to the cill. Her bow crossed it, but then she came to a sudden stop. Possibly the cill or was there something under the water stopping her. We’d need more water to get her over whatever was stopping her. I started to walk up to the next lock, Mick put Oleanna in reverse to get away from the cill.

Mick shouted. ‘QUICK, really QUICKLY!‘ He’d not been able to get Oleanna to reverse. She was sitting on the top cill. The bottom of the lock was doing it’s best to empty itself!!

I ran. I ran. The towpath curved around the pound, a small bridge to cross over the bywash, up the side of the lock was steep. Which paddles to lift first? I have no idea if there was any water in the lock or not. One bottom paddle was raised, followed by both top paddles, then the second bottom paddle. Now all I could do was gasp for air and watch through the camera 100 meters away.

Mick had climbed off Oleanna, he wound the top paddles up as Oleanna was stopping water from getting past and into the lock chamber. The first paddle dropped and needed lifting again. He was wondering should he get Tilly off, would she be nice and comfortable in her escape pod, easy to pick up. But adding weight to Oleanna would be a really bad thing.

All we could do now was watch, hope there was enough water getting into the lock. Mick walked to the bottom gates, checked the paddles were down, they were, but there was still a big leak. From 100 meters away the angle Oleanna had reached was alarming, I suspect it was more alarming close to. Had we done everything in time? Would she rise back up? Or had she reached the point of no return.

What felt like a good ten minutes actually it was only one. Oleanna’s stern seemed to be coming back up. Taking a photo to check whilst out of breath and with shaky hands was hard to get in focus. Thankfully down at lock 29W Oleanna was floating again and Mick had to get back onboard to stop her from hitting the bottom gates.

**Floated back into the lock behind the cill mark**

Mick rang, ‘She’s floating!’ ‘I’m going to lift the engine board to check if any water got into the engine bay’. He disappeared from view, then reappeared, waited a while then gently brought her out of the lock. THANK F**K for that!! The gate closed behind and Oleanna made her way across the pound to 30W.

The only witness to her very near sinking was a dog who’s owner had sat admiring the view all the time a major drama had been happening behind him. As the lock gate closed, the man stood up and walked away with his dog, totally oblivious.

Up 30W, we had a moment as the lock levelled out. It had possibly only been a matter of a few seconds between saving the situation or sinking. If Oleanna’s stern had got any lower and water got in through the engine vent that would have been it!

The next pound was a touch low. We made sure the top paddles were left open until Oleanna was well clear of the cill.

I walked on to 31W. My phone rang. It was a jolly chap from Standedge Tunnel control checking to see if we’d made it up to Diggle yet and were we still on for our booked passage tomorrow morning. Two more locks to go. I asked if I should report our incident to him or was it the west side of the HNC we should contact. West side, he was the East.

Grandpa Greens looked attractive as we came up the next lock, but we refrained from indulging. I have to say I was extremly relieved when I opened the top gate on lock 32W and Oleanna easily passed over the cill and onto the top pound of the HNC.

We moored up. The only thing out of place inside was a galley drawer. Tilly was checked on. What’s all this with the big hug! Yuck!! It looks great here, just get on and let me out!

The flight had taken us 4.5 hours, it was time for a late lunch. The sun was out. Time to carry on with prep work for the grabrails. The attachment of doom was attached to the drill and I ground back the fertaned rust patches to bright steel. Then another coat of fertan which could work it’s magic overnight.

11 locks, 1.6 miles, 1 extremely close call, 2 boaters who will never close top paddles on a low pound again! 100 meters personal best, 1 canine witness, 1 horrible day, 29W reported, 1 grab rail prepped, 4 hours, 2 many pesky woofers!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/mGQ9fhhbRB2zsthi9

Chocolate Fingers. 27th September

Bullocks Bridge to almost Hyde Bank Tunnel, Peak Forest Canal

We really need to get better at getting a move on in the mornings, we didn’t get going until 10:45, we’d a bit of catching up to do from yesterday, plus a flight of locks along with other things.

Three miles to Marple, it was windy! We were glad to see the chap still has his collection of things at Bullocks Bridge, spotted a boat that had come up Bosley ahead of us a few years ago, it doesn’t look like it ventures far now. A cat got a chin rub from a passerby, then had a serious grump on at a woofer on the towpath. Passing Goyt’s Mill a gust of wind caught my cap and very nearly had it in the drink!

A message came through from our house. A leak had manifested itself overnight following feral weather on the North Yorkshire coast. Some time was spent trying to talk to someone who’d be able to at least go and have a look to see what the problem was, all we got were answer phones to talk to, hopefully someone will call back.

**Sylvester and Peter keeping an eye open for fly tippers at the services**

There was one space left in Marple, we tried pulling in, the wind making it hard so an Andy manoeuvre was required. All very well except the local ducks were convinced I’d have several slices of white sliced and were positioning themselves right in the crush zone. I waggled my hands to try to get them to move, but they just thought it was pre-dinner entertainment and Mick thought I was suggesting he brought Oleanna in further. No ducks were harmed in the end and all they got from us was the weed on Oleanna’s hull.

Mick had a prescription to pick up and a pint of milk to buy. Then it was lunchtime. Then we could push off again. The new services in Marple have opened, big fanfare! They have been closed for years whilst some new housing was being built. But now there is a stone built building with elsan, water, toilet and if you go around the corner behind a locked door is a room filled with red Biffa Bins of all varieties! I should have hung onto our recycling. There are also many bird boxes, bird feeders and a rather nice bench all provided by Marple Men in Sheds. There are also five EV charging points, each space was full, no car was charging up though.

Under THE Macclesfield roving bridge and the end of the Macclesfield Canal. Left please! The top of the Marple flight of 16 locks, a drop of 207ft 10″ that’s very nearly 13ft each. Mick hopped off and topped up the top lock. Then we were on our way down.

A chap stopped to chat, as the water dropped I had to excuse myself as I’d no longer be able to hear him as Oleanna descended into the depths. He went to chat to Mick who had now come back having set the lock below filling. In Lock 15 I had quite a wait, Mick came back saying there was a boat coming up. With the pounds here being quite short and the wind blowing a hoolie we swapped over, he could do the do-ci-do.

**Mick waiting to move across the pound**

The lock below us had it’s bottom gates open, I could see the interested chap chatting away to the man from the uphill boat, the lock ready, but just chatting. They moved over into the next lock, once the bottom gates were closed I lifted a paddle so our locks worth of water would help fill their lock rather than just run round over the bywash. I opened our gates, the lady from the boat below opened her gate, the chap ignored the fact that the lock was ready and carried on chatting on the stern. Come ON!!!! Wake up smell the coffee!! The lady shouted repeatedly to him, I was about to join in and Mick had the back door of Oleanna open ready to give a blast on the horn. He looked up, ‘oh it’s ready, are the next gates open?’ Yes and there’s a boat that’s been patiently waiting for you to get a move on. The lady and I smiled a knowing smile at each other, we were on our way again.

**Gate beams overhang the lock bridges**

There’s always gongoozlers down Marple. There’s always pissers coming out of the lock walls going down Marple. In the next lock we paused so I could go below to close all the windows to save having puddles inside. The wind blew, the bywashes flowed making some hovering a little difficult. Mostly Mick walked on ahead to set the next lock filling whilst I closed the top gate and dropped paddles before waiting for him to return. One gongoozler said Mick was walking three times as far as the boat was moving. True.

The sun was out. In a couple of weeks the flight will be filled with golden trees, today it was still pretty.

One of the locks had very new looking paddle gear on the top gate, a recent stoppage this last week. Then as the water level dropped in one lock we could see where it had been rebuilt recently. New stone work with dints in it to try to mimic the older stonework. The Marple locks have had a tendency to narrow and several have had to be rebuilt in the last few years as they have narrowed too much. Quite a lot of the stone work overhangs in some of the chambers, stepping out by a few inches!

**Fancy stone work either side below the** lock

The bottom gates overhang the lock bridges, meaning you can operate the gates from the bridge, you just need to climb up to the top to operate the paddles. I’m a little bit short for some of the gates, but Mick didn’t seem to have a problem with them.

A boat was heading up, a lady appeared with a windlass. ‘They don’t half take time to fill these locks’ she said. As I passed NB Somerton the chap at the stern made mention of Tilly, I think his dog sat on the roof was Hannah. Nice to meet you even though very briefly.

**Rows of Chocolate Fingers to help you get your grip** (just humour me)

We descended the next lock, Mick said we’ll see how well the next few retain their water and I said to myself how nice it was that all the pounds were full, no struggling to get over cills today.

Then at the next lock we discovered why the uphill boat had been taking their time to ascend, a bottom paddle a good few inches up, there was also a top paddle partly open too. Some of the paddles won’t close fully if the gate is open, Mick had had to return to a few himself as we came down the flight.

Under the railway and across the aqueduct, views out towards the north east. Through Rose Hill Tunnel, no longer with a roof. We were now at our preferred mooring, but so were quite a few other boats. It took us a little while to be able to find a place to pull in close enough to the bank, only slightly on a list!

16 locks, 4.6 miles, 1 left, 1 new service block, 2 look outs, 1 months pills, 1 pint, 1 hat saved, 1 aqueduct, 1 very slow man, 1 hire boat catching us up, 0 time for shore leave.

A Boating Fix. 19th September

Rode Heath to above Limekiln Lock 42

The aim was to set off at 10am this morning. Bridget and Storm were going to see if they could park their van up near Red Bull, if they could then they’d walk back down the locks to meet us, we got a message to say they’d succeeded. We pushed off in the slightly chilly morning.

**ZZ Top just about to push out and Bridget waiting for us**

As we approached the bottom of the Lawton Locks we could see we’d caught up with the ZZ Top boat, they were American, husband, wife and brother. One of them had walked up to set the locks ahead and our crew sat on the lock beams awaiting our arrival, both bottom locks open and awaiting a boat.

With three crew we were up the first lock quicker, Mick, Storm and Bridget lifted paddles for the other boat on the paired lock. Next a single lock, we moved on first leading the way and lifting a paddle to empty the lock behind us.

With locks already empty ahead and three experienced crew we were sailing up the locks. It’s lovely to have extra hands to help, but even better when you just know they know what they are doing and should anything go wrong they will react in a necessary way. One person could happily walk on ahead to open gates.

By Halls Lock the sun had burnt through any morning mist that had lingered, it was going to be another wonderful day on the cut.

At Church Bottom and Top Lock a chap appeared with a windlass wanting to come down, we left the bottom lock with it’s gate open for him. But then there was no sign of him and his boat. ZZ Top could be seen approaching, Bridget walked down to let them know what was happening, just as the chap rounded the bend towards the top lock.

Everyone hopped on board to cruise up to the next line of locks. I could move Oleanna straight from one lock to the next with such efficient crew. Only one downhill boat was passed and that was just below Red Bull Lock.

The building here used to be C&RT offices, but there are new owners now. Despite the big blue sign boasting all the services here, there is now a padlock on the toilet and shower door, these services now lost to boaters. A long time ago there used to be washing machines and driers here too. At least there is still water, rubbish, elsan and a pump out.

Here a gang of C&RT volunteers were packing up for the day, they tend to trim the towpath and keep things looking neat and tidy along this stretch, they do a very good job. As Oleanna rose in Red Bull Lock one of the volunteers came to chat. It was obvious we wouldn’t be needing an extra pair of hands. He asked Bridget which way we were going, he wanted to make sure we knew about the current stoppage at Bosley Locks, the summit pound of the Macclesfield currently closed after a sluice malfunctioned dropping the level.

As Oleanna rose I got chance to chat to Ken, the volunteer. He normally works the Bosley flight but as it’s closed he’d come to join the work party here, then see if he could be of assistance to anyone. Our chosen route to Yorkshire is via the Macc, we’re hoping that the levels improve before we get there. Ken thought they might reopen the locks later today, it shouldn’t be too long anyway. We still have a back up plan should anything ahead of us go wrong, well that was until we later in the day heard that the lock beam at Colwick Lock on the Trent and Mersey had failed and the navigation was now closed!

One more lock to rise up before we stopped for the day. Once moored up, I checked Google Earth, the trees looked safe for Tilly, out she went SHOUTING her head off with excitement. Lunch was had onboard Oleanna with cruising flapjack for pudding. The it was time for Bridget and Storm to head off to their baby sitting duties.

What a lovely couple of days it’s been with them. Have they got the boating bug again? I don’t think they ever lost it, at least we’ve given them a fix to keep them going for a while longer.

A load of washing was hung out to dry, then once Tilly returned Mick and I headed off to Tescos for a stock up. Yes Lidl is closer, but they don’t have much in the way of gluten free things for me which needed replenishing. Back on board the stove was lit, I made a giant cauliflower cheese with extras, enough left over for one which was popped in the freezer for later.

11 locks, speedily ascended, 2.6 miles, 4 smiling crew, 0 mellow, 1 splattery poo, 1 lovely day to be boating, 4 hours shore leave curtailed to 2, 2 more awarded later, 2 boxes wine, 1 fully laden bike, 1 boat back where it left 2 weeks ago.