Category Archives: Canal and River Trust

Kettle Black. 18th August

Stoke Lock to Turnover Bridge 19, Beeston Canal

We opted to have our tea with breakfast today as we wanted to cover some ground. As we pushed off a narrowboat at the other end of the pontoon had their engine running, but their dog was still lapping up it’s breakfast, would they be heading the same way as us?

Upstream, under the Radcliffe Viaduct, when we reached the 5km mark Mick radioed ahead to Holme Lock, it would be ready for us, ‘come in on the green’. Once in the lock we were asked to wait, there was another narrowboat behind us, they’d be ten fifteen minutes. Holme Lock is vast and on previous experience it takes quite a while to fill and empty, so we were happy to wait. The following boat didn’t take too long to arrive and turned out to be the boat from Stoke Lock, NB Kettle.

As the lock filled and the noise waned there was chance to chat with our lock partners, firstly to find out if they would be carrying on up stream and into Nottingham. They were, we’d have someone to share the locks with. Now NB Kettle is not only black, but it has always stood out from the crowd because of it’s sign writing. We’ve seen her about on the network through the years and the rabbits and moon have left a lasting impression. I chatted to Claudia, they’d bought NB Kettle back in March this year, they’d done no boating before picking her up on the Trent and Mersey. The previous owners had been a writer and illustrator, so the sign writing had been designed by them, possibly even painted by them. Earlier this year Claudia and Lee repainted the boat, as she is know by many they kept the sign writing. Good on them!

We led the way upstream. There is a mass of scaffolding on the big weir and further upstream at Lady Bay Bridge you have to use the most southerly span as works are on going there too. Approaching Meadow Lane Lock we could see there were no moorings available below the lock, the steps on the other side of Trent Bridge also looked very busy, a mental note taken for future weeks.

Just finishing going up in the lock were a couple of cruisers, they pulled in just above the lock. Was another boat coming down? No-one made a move. Claudia and I set the lock for our boats. One of the chaps asked if we were both coming up, err yes! They seemed to have been wanting to use the lock again, but with no obvious boat waiting?! ‘Can you get two boats in these locks?’ Claudia asked, they were new to boating, this possibly their first uphill manual lock ever, it had taken a while for them to find their windlass.

Just as we were closing the gates the top paddle was being lifted by one of the chaps from the cruisers, half cut on drink or other substances. I walked up to the top end. ‘You get on we’ll do it for you’. He may well have been capable but… ‘My boat my lock and anyway I boat to work locks. Thank you anyway’ The chaps stood back and once the noise had faded we talked quite amicably, he was however suggesting we’d barged in as they had a couple more boats to move up the lock.

We paused to use the elsan for our yellow water, then had just about caught up with NB Kettle at the 90 degree bend. Here’s hoping we won’t be making a visit to the Urgent Care Centre here, we’ve already used it three times! Castle Lock had just been vacated by a cruiser so we could go straight in. A narrowboat arrived shortly before we left so the gates could be left open for them. Time to wave our lock partners goodbye, they were heading into Castle Marna for a few days to explore Nottingham. We found ourselves a space on the moorings by Sainsburys and headed off to stock up for the next few days. Thankfully it is still possible to get your trolley back to the boat. We had lunch and then headed on further.

Now Nottingham used to have a reputation, we tend not to take much notice of reputations and rely on our feelings for a place. We’ve stopped by Sainsburys numerous times, making sure the boat is well secured before heading off to explore Nottingham. Today it felt just that bit different. A tent on one of the grassy banks where the students used to have lunch. Dilapidated cruisers (which have always been about) are more plentiful and their possessions strewn across the towpath into the hedges, cans of beer being drunk and a heavy smell in the air. Today we’d have moved on anyway, which was the original plan, especially as I’d just booked a table for a meal tonight.

I walked ahead able to scout out moorings nearer to Beeston. Boats were pulled in at places I’d not noted before, their mooring spikes hammered into the bank whether it be grass, tarmac, concrete or stone. The first mooring was pretty well occupied, up ahead closer to our meal there was plenty of room, Tilly wouldn’t be impressed but we’d still let her out.

Oh it’s Nottingpants! Super fast Toms on their wheels had me running for the cat walk, time after time. A wall, one of those with little if any grip! Zero friendly cover. Pants!!!

A walk into Beeston to The Victoria. We hadn’t expected it to be that busy, but by the time our food had arrived every table in the pub was full. The menu here is not your average pub food. Yes there is sausage and mash, you can choose one or two Bangers, they are not your average bangers, they are long hotdog length but quality Lincolnshire sausages. I checked what I could eat and was given a list of dishes. Paella, sadly they’d just served the last one. Hot Fish platter, with salmon, hake and halibut, very nice. All accompanied by a pint of beer each from the local brewery, their session IPA is gluten free, very wise brewers. No room for pudding so we headed back to the boat.

Levels at Derwent Mouth Lock were still low, maybe tomorrow they will have improved enough.

3 locks, 9.6 miles, 1 right, 90 degrees, 1 kettle black, 2 new owners, 1 shopping trolley back to the boat, 2 lots paracetamol, 1 box aspirin (just in case), 89 minutes brisk, 1 pants mooring, 1 table for 2, 3 fish, 2 bangers, 2 beers, 1 pleasant evening.

https://what3words.com/beard.broker.sailor

Covered Cruising. 15th August

Cromwell Lock to Hazelford Lock

Up early, we were in need of filing with diesel and to cruise around three hours today. Currently we have a destination in mind for my meeting on the south coast which needs us to keep moving, not too much, but a constant direction to move in. Once I’ve visited the set builders for panto the original plan was to start heading southwards to be around Banbury or Oxford by late October for me to go to work on panto whilst being able to return to the boat at weekends. Unless there is significant rainfall in the next month we really don’t see the waterways that will be closing on the 26th August or that are already closed due to low water levels reopening in time. So we need another plan.

Current thinking is to stay in the Trent/Soar area so that we don’t miss our repaint slot at Redhill. Originally we’d planned to be out until the New Year with at least one lodger already booked in for the Christmas show. But if we can’t get onto the Oxford we may see if we can come out of the water earlier than planned and very sadly curtail our years cruising, returning to Scarborough when our current lodgers leave. Well that is our current plan and almost certainly going to change for one reason or another, but we are almost certain we’ll be back in the house before Christmas.

Back to today. It was going to be hot, really quite HOT with little cloud cover, so we set off quite early for us , the first to leave the moorings. Paul from Waterway Routes had asked us to check if something wasn’t there, a photo was forwarded to him from the location to confirm that there was only blue sky.

A couple of boats had wild moored on the banks, the second one turned out to be a miserable chap on a cruiser who’d been plonked right in the middle of the high wall at Cromwell when we arrived yesterday fishing from his boat. He’d got miffed off with boats mooring around him. As we passed him today, his fishing line was out and he shouted over to us that he was waiting to be rescued as he’d got his rope around his prop. Somehow he’d managed to tie to the bank using his hook up cable. It sounded like someone was on their way to rescue him so we passed slowly and left him to continue to be miserable.

On the off chance, Mick radioed ahead to Nether Lock, a reply surprised us both from the Cromwell Lock Keeper who was at Nether, he’d already set it for us, the light would be green so we could go straight in. We’d been spotted by the Lockie on duty at Cromwell. As ever at the Trent Locks we were asked if we’d be continuing on to the next lock or not, this is so they can let the next lock keeper know there’s a boat on the way. Apparently all the locks are manned at the moment, 9 to 4. Handy to know as there are a couple of locks with sandbanks below them which makes it hard to drop crew off to operate them.

Mick rang ahead to King’s Marina, they’d just opened for the day, their diesel was £1.10 domestic. We’d considered on topping up enough to reach Shobnall where the price will be much lower, but for peace of mind we decided to top the tank up. Mick did a perfect manoeuvre onto their service pontoon, but nobody noticed! Paula the Harbour Master came down to serve us, 103 litres, yes we were welcome to top up with water and use their bins. She’s a very friendly lady and happy to help. The marina toilets and showers were being upgraded along with the installation of a dog shower, I think most Aquavista Marinas are getting these. There is also a pergola going up as a social space for the moorers.

**Newark Castle quieter here today than in April**

Back on the river Kiln Pontoon was just about full, several boats were moored on the low wall opposite. Town Lock opened up for us and a volunteer took our ropes and saw us up. Everywhere we go at the moment people say what a wonderful day it is, good boating weather. We have to disagree, we’d far rather it was chucking it down!

Now along the meandering river heading for Hazelford Lock moorings. The Newark Crusader pulled out from Newark Marina and followed us. Mick radioed them to see if they wanted to pass, they’d see once we’d got out of town. Sure enough soon after the houses stopped they radioed back asking to pass on our starboard side. Starboard side, our starboard side? We did as requested, looked over our shoulders to see that they were adjusting course to pass to our port, which is the correct side to pass on. They had to adjust course again.

With the sun beating down on us we opted to raise the pram hood to give ourselves some shade. With the front window rolled up and sides off it wasn’t too bad, but we’d still rather not cruise with it up as it impedes visibility, plus if you catch it on a bridge, it’s a costly repair. Today we really didn’t want to get burnt and knew there’d be no low bridges.

Boats came towards us, almost a constant stream of them. We’d best get used to this as we’re on a busy river again, today it felt like we were on the Thames it was that busy. Some boats just out for the weekend, some for the day. Quite a few after the CRT notices yesterday doing their best to get back to their home moorings, some cruises having taken people three weeks to reach here and now they have 12 days to get back!

All the way the visitor moorings were just about empty, but would they be at Hazelford? We had our fingers and paws crossed for some shore leave for Tilly on the lock island. As we rounded the last bend we could see one wide beam on the moorings and our preferred space was free. We pulled in deployed the big fat fenders, opened the side hatch followed by the stern doors for Tilly. Two hours to start with, then another three would follow if she didn’t get too hot. We’d managed to moor up at lunchtime, perfect.

I did a bit more touching up of cloths for panto, then headed across the bridge below the weir to walk to Fiskerton. A nice riverbank walk. Plenty of fishermen set up for the weekend with their tents. Cows grazing the brittle yellow grass. Thankfully the sun had lost it’s heat so I had a pleasant walk, returning through the Blackthorn archway that in April had been so white, today most of the sloes have been picked.

Time to barbeque and make the most of the setting sun whilst sitting out on the big steps at the moorings. Burgers and veg kebabs with a glass or two of wine. We like this mooring, we all like it a lot.

2 locks, 13.6 miles, 103 litres, 1 slip up, 57 brisk minutes, 1 pram hood up, 4 hours shore leave, 1 pot of blackberries, 2 burgers, 4 veg kebabs, 1 sunset, 1 lovely evening.

https://what3words.com/correctly.benched.blackbird

BANG! On 11am. 14th August

Stockwith Basin Bridge to Cromwell Visitor Moorings, River Trent

With a 10am penning at West Stockwith Lock we got ourselves ready for tidal waters and as we pushed off from our mooring Mick radioed to the lock, could we enter the lock to wait for the tide. This was fine and as we made our way it was obvious which boat we’d be sharing the lock with, they were heading to Torksey, where as we’d be heading on to Cromwell today.

As soon as both boats were in the lock we were told that the tide was ready, there was three foot over the cill so we could go, despite it being before 10am. There is so little fresh coming down river that the tides can be early at the moment. As we were heading further than the other boat we got to leave the lock first, gosh that tide was running fast, out of the lock we were straight up to 8mph on the bend! Mick knocked back the revs a touch, we wanted to keep up with the tide, try to keep the other boat in sight, but we also wanted to get as far as we could before 11am.

**A new topping to the pontoon. No life jackets in view!**

Gainsborough was far quieter than it had been on 1st April when we came through blasting horns at the start of the Fund Britain’s Waterways Campaign cruise. The pontoon mooring was getting a new top fitted to it, men carrying 8 by 4 sheets down the ramp. Today a few people stopped and waved, but today there were no camera crews or drones to follow our every move. We were glad though to be on our own heading for Gainsborough Bridge and not be line astern with lots of boats.

**Gainsborough Bridge, more head room today compared to April**

We’d picked up a branch on the bow, after the railway bridge Mick slowed us right down with the hope that the tide would carry it off, it worked in the end and we could carry on. A pleasant breeze kept us from getting too hot and thankfully the sky had plenty of clouds to hopefully stop our sun cream from running out.

A **photo from later of West Burton Power Station, it’s 8 cooling towers in two groups**

I started a count down to 11am. West Burton Power Station came into view, cooling towers rising up quite close to the river. We got closer 2 minutes to go. We weren’t here however for West Burton, 1 minute. We rounded another bend in the river. There it was East Cottam Power Station cooling towers. I grabbed my camera and quickly took a photo. Almost immediately, bang on 11am the cooling towers started to lean inwards and crumple in on themselves shrinking down into the horizon. Then up came clouds of dust followed a few seconds later by the loud rumbling bang from 4.5 miles away. What perfect timing!

A few years ago we’d been on the Thames when Didcot Power Station was demolished, we only managed to hear it that time. Of course my footage is nothing compared to others, the best of course is from the demolition company themselves as they achieved a new world record today by blowing up 8 cooling towers in one go.

Mick put the revs back on, the tide was still carrying us. High up on the roof of West Burton Power Station staff stood and watched as the clouds of dust hung in the air, gradually drifting north easterly. I’ve not checked, but maybe one day their cooling towers will go the same way, then there will be no big powerful landmarks left on the Trent, just small gas powered stations.

We followed our charts religiously, yes we were near the top of the tide so shouldn’t have any problem with depth, but with so little water about you need to keep on the red line. Torksey church came into view, then the viaduct a big empty hole on the west bank where the power station had stood less than an hour ago. Was that something in my eye, a tiny bit of cooling tower perhaps!

Straight on for us, passing the cut where three narrowboats were sat on the pontoon and Torksey Lock was just emptying. Small clumps of people were still stood on the banks of the river, Torksey had been the place to watch the demolition from. A small group huddled round a drone, ‘if only we could make the towers go back up again’ one of them shouted across to us.

As we got within sight of Dunham Bridges we could see a narrowboat ahead of us, maybe they’d come from Torksey, we were going to catch them up. A cruiser was having a woofer wee break at the Dunham pontoon, they’d soon be following on behind us. Along the next few miles we slowly got closer to the narrowboat ahead of us and in turn we had two cruisers overtake us.

At Fledborough viaduct our charts are confusing as to which span you should pass under, we headed as always for the ‘England’ span whilst watching the boat ahead go further east. Now there was another narrowboat ahead of them, we were a threesome all headed for Cromwell. The dog walking cruiser passed us and on we headed, the river becoming more and more meandery.

Cruisers came towards us. Then round a bend came a boat we’d hoped we cross bows with, NB Avalon Two, Helen and Pete smiling and waving as we passed. One day we’ll be moored in the same place as each other and maybe we’ll end up in a very good pub with them.

Over the VHF radio we could hear the cruisers penning up. Mick called the Lock Keeper from the 48km mark, the lock would be ready when we arrived. We slowed our progress waiting for Cromwell Weir to come into view. Below the lock there is quite a sandbar at the moment, the cruisers ahead of us had been given some direction in towards the lock to avoid it, but our draught is much less so we just took it slowly when the green light showed.

Over the radio came a call from another narrowboat, NB Doris Katia, Andrew and Francis Phasey’s boat from St Pancras Cruising Club. They’d helped organise the Fund Britain’s Waterways Cruise in London, then across the Wash. Their route back to London had been blocked by broken locks on the River Nene so it looks like they’d opted to head back across The Wash to be able to return southwards.

The lock keeper got us and the other two narrowboats in the lock, he’d pen NB Doris Katia up after us. It took a while for the boat we were going to be alongside to sort their ropes. I’m twitchy in these locks about the risers so I wasn’t comfortable that the lady at the bow had her line round a ladder and the chap at the helm seemed to be happy with that. It’s hard to relay information in locks from one end of a boat to the other, but the Lock Keeper was also on the case and suggested they move back another riser, phew!

Up we rose. The moorings above were busy but we’d find somewhere to tie up to. We pulled in just before the lower section of the high wall close to the water point, a nice chap from the boat in front helped with our ropes. We didn’t need to get off the boat, although Tilly was adamant that she should! This took several hours for her to calm down and stop being so SHOUTY! about it all. I’d defrosted some turkey steaks to make some kebabs, planning to put them on the barbeque, instead the grill had to do the job for us, we really weren’t going to somehow get everything off the boat and then back on again up ladders!

Today was, I think, our eleventh tidal cruise of the year, most probably our last of the year too. During the afternoon an email had been sent out from CRT regarding the low water levels. Quite a large part of the network, but not all is suffering from a water shortfall, it has now been deemed as a ‘nationally significant incident’. The short to medium weather forecast does not indicate substantial rain, so they are now ‘putting contingency plans into action to prioritise boater safety and ensure access to essential facilities’ with the water they have remaining. Temporary navigation closures, stop planks to help retain water levels in some areas. We are all being encouraged to prepare for closures, empty and fill tanks, consider relocating to somewhere closer to services.

Then more news regarding the Oxford, Coventry and Grand Union came through.

From Friday 15th August we will be increasing restrictions and locks will be open between 10am and 3pm

From Tuesday 26th August we will be moving to a full closure of all locks listed below:

Grand Union Canal, Radford Bottom Lock 23, Calcutt Lock 1, Braunston Locks 1–6, Buckby Locks 7–13, Stoke Bruerne Locks 14–20, Oxford Canal, Hawkesbury Stop Lock, Hillmorton Locks 1–3, Napton Lock 8, Marston Doles Lock 15, Coventry Canal, Glascote Bottom Lock, Atherstone Lock.

2 locks, 31.4 miles, 1 right, 1 straight on, 1 world record explosion, 8 towers gone forever, 1 boat just in the nick of time, 1 busy river, 2 smiling faces, 3 in a lock, 1 high wall, 1 seriously miffed cat, 1 spot on flee treatment, 4 turkey kebabs.

https://what3words.com/optimists.unwound.hesitate

Assisted. 4th August

The Lock Keeper to mile marker 23

Alarm set early so we could move off the lock landing. A cuppa made to have whilst we made ready, this included adding some more water to the pound as we’d woken up on a list. The boat in front were also awake and kept looking at the level but not doing anything about it. However it was soon rectified, the advantage of being on a short pound. We left them to it and started to make our way down into Worksop, they had plans on getting through the assisted passage as well today, there was plenty of time.

Worksop was just waking up, not many people on the towpath as I walked ahead to fill the locks. The jigsaw is still to be started at Worksop Town Lock, you’d have to be careful picking the pieces up with the amount of broken glass around this morning. A cruiser sat bobbing about below as the lock emptied. I walked on ahead wanting to have a closer look at some fine buildings just set away from the canal.

A hunt around on old maps suggests this was stables, the fire station and electricity works. The buildings have been restored and look grand. There’s also quite a few posh cars parked outside.

Further along the towpath people fished, a chap slept on the tarmac, his belongings along side him. Posh cars and homelessness right alongside each other.

Above Kilton Top Lock there was a boat moored on the lock landing, they’d come out from Shireoaks yesterday morning and headed straight here. We pulled up just as it started to rain so were indoors sheltering before things got too wet. Time for a leisurely breakfast before the lock keepers arrived. A film crew were busy on the offside moorings, possibly for the next series of Narrow Escapes.

The skies cleared up a touch a little before 11 so we helped the boat in front to fill the lock just as Richard from CRT arrived. There would be one boat coming towards us and I informed him of another boat that had said they’d be coming down today, but there was still no sign of them. The level below was a touch low but hopefully with a couple of locks full of water it would improve. It was slow going but both boats got to Kilton Low Lock.

I think the boat coming up was NB Mr Toad and as he passed Oleanna he recognised us, he’d seen us somewhere miles away maybe last year. It was our turn to go down, the Lock Keeper not the most positive of chaps and really not wanting to hang around to wait for another boat. I wonder if they turned up soon after we left or towards the end of the assisted passage window at 1pm.

I walked on ahead, where should we moor up. All the time the wind was building and a constant drizzle hung in the air. I paused at the first 2 day mooring and called back to Mick, it would be okay there but we opted to carry on.

**The three bridges of the Chesterfield**

By the time I’d walked to Rayton Farm Bridge I’d caught up with the boat ahead, they’d paused to clear the prop. At Osberton Top Turnover Bridge I crossed the canal, but hung back, not wanting to draw attention to where we were wanting to moor. I followed on behind at an inconspicuous distance reaching the 23 mile marker, walked a little distance further on then stood and waited for Oleanna to arrive.

Moored up in time for lunch and five, yes five hours of shore leave for Tilly. We didn’t think she’d be too keen as it was raining, at times exceedingly heavy and Floris’s winds starting to really buffet the trees ahead of us.

We pottered away the afternoon. In one dry spell Mick cleared the weedhatch of weed, I caught up on the blog and Tilly … well she was busy being a thug somewhere. A few hours later the following boat came past, maybe they’d pulled in after the locks and waited for the rain to stop, the wind wasn’t giving up anytime soon!

5 locks, 3.5 miles, 7am start, 1 list, 2 in the queue, 1 damp walk, 5 hours shore leave, 1 happy cat, 1 exceedingly windy day, pair 103 re-started much better, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://what3words.com/beads.serves.smirking

Raving Fairies. 2nd August

Perk Mill Moorings to Shireoaks Visitor Moorings

It would have been really nice to have a couple of days here at the top of the Chesterfield. I’d quite fancied walking the abandoned section of the canal up to Eckington Road maybe. Then another day we could look at the 5 miles that’s in water at Tapton and the visitors centre. But because the locks in Worksop are only open on Mondays and Thursdays that limits our time, plus we need to be elsewhere in a couple of weeks, so we needed to make our way down the flight today.

Last night our mooring had been quite idyllic, apart from the two trains an hour. Numerous owls hooted away. But then we could hear music, just where was it coming from? The only conclusion was that the fairies like a bit of a rave and they seemed to like the one track over and over and over again. Thankfully before midnight it was their bedtime so the sounds stopped, just the owls to keep us company.

I walked ahead, chance to take a look into the fairy woods that run alongside the canal. So very pretty and a slight feeling of autumn about to set in.

Near the top of the locks there is a house all cordoned off, it’s more of a ruin really. Railings made from old gates, various bits and bobs strewn about the place, I remember there being more of it nine years ago. Along a length of wire fencing. strips of black fabric have been knotted. Maybe a way to remember things, to mark days gone by, just a bit odd really.

The top treble needed a touch of water adding to the middle chamber so I lifted a paddle into it as well as one into the top chamber, then walked down to lift one at the bottom to empty it out. Going down you need the bottom chamber empty, the middle one lowered to a white mark (even though the sign says it’s black) and the top one full. They were set ready and waiting by the time Oleanna came into view.

Mick stepped off and pulled Oleanna from chamber to chamber again as we’d done on the way up yesterday, then got back onboard after opening the bottom off side gate. Whilst the last chamber emptied I walked down to set the next lock and open the top gates ready. As Oleanna exited the locks Mick would push the off side gate closed with the boat hook as I’d close the towpath side. Now onto singles I could walk ahead to the next lock to get that one set, come back where Mick had already brought Oleanna into the lock and lifted a bottom paddle. I’d open the gates then we both close them on exiting and I leapfrog onto the next but one lock and so it continues.

The flight was busy with walkers and cyclists today. Plenty of comments about how I got all the heavy work. Well no actually! Yes I get to do more walking back and forth, but the rest is pretty much shared out between us and these locks really don’t feel like hard work at all.

At Limehouse Lock Mick had lifted the off side paddle and by the time I’d got back to open the gates he was only going down very slowly. As I closed up after our descent I wound the paddle back down, only to discover why it hadn’t been doing very much, the spade was detached from the mechanism. I was just trying to find where on the CRT website to report this when a blue van reversed up the track alongside the locks. Today only one Lock Keeper is on duty along the canal, he was up to clear bywashes etc so I reported the paddle to him in case they didn’t know. There’s a list of jobs to be done was his reply, ‘just be careful with the locks’. We would be. During September and October they are closing the flight to replace the lock gates at both ends of Lock 37, the one where the pound drains. Off he went with his keb in hand, he’d be seeing boats in and out of West Stockwith lock later on today.

The bywashes were all flowing well, we were bringing lots of water down with us as most locks had stayed full from yesterday, hopefully the pound lower down known for emptying itself was being filled. At the next treble the overspill from the bottom lock was actually helping to fill the lock as there was so much water coming down.

As we approached Turnerwood the Dad swan looked like he was interested in getting in the bottom chamber of the treble as it filled up, thankfully he didn’t get in and chose to walk down to the pound below. Stood watching our progress from the bridge were plenty of gongoozlers with coffees and ice creams!

We’d not forgotten about the little hut here and today our arrival at the 2 hour mooring was much better timed. Lunch then some chilled medication to follow to enable us to finish the flight.

**That leak will empty the pound pretty quickly**

Now there were plenty of people about, some willing to open and close gates. A CRT fund raiser came to show me photos of how the pound above Lock 37 had been at 9:30 this morning, ‘3 to 4 foot down’. He’d also taken a photo now of it being full to send to CRT. We’d done a good job of filling the pound as we’d come down as it can take the Lockies half a day to fill it.

The remainder of the locks are all singles down to Shireoaks and pretty simple. A lady walked past saying she’d a holiday booked in a few weeks on the GU. They’ve watched Canal Boat Diaries but thought they’d best watch an instructional video before they came to their first lock. They stayed watching us and she’d decided that as we were so proficient then maybe we should join them on their holiday.

Soon we were crossing the aqueduct and the county boundary again, out of Yorkshire into Nottinghamshire. The hardest lock to work all day was Boundary Lock, our last, the top gate ever so heavy.

We pulled in back where we’d left yesterday morning. The doors were opened up and Tilly allowed shore leave again, dashing between all the walkers legs to the sideways trees.

23 locks, 2.8 miles, 6.94 miles walked, 63 brisk minutes, 2 chilled medications, 2 hours shore leave, pair 103 yarn selected, 1 Lil centre stage.

https://what3words.com/bugs.fortunate.pull

Sheila And Mr Straw. 31st July

Mile marker 23ish to Morse Lock 49 to Shireoaks visitor mooring

Sorry Tilly, no shore leave this morning we needed to get moving. We pushed of at 9:30 an overcast with patches of sun morning, we needed to cruise a mile and a half to Worksop Manton Lock 52 arriving at 11am to meet with CRT Lock Keepers, the next two locks are assisted passage only on Mondays and Thursdays 11 to 1. The Chesterfield being shallow meant we wanted to have more than enough time to reach the lock.

Rounding the first bend I remembered the next lock, metal boxes over the paddle gear that are really awkward to open and lock, at least there’d be someone there to help with them. When we arrived a boat was moored on the lock landing above. How had that got there? Had they got locked in somehow on Monday?

We tied up and walked up to chat. It was NB Robin Hood a hire boat from West Stockwith. They’d arrived below the lock yesterday, not knowing it would be locked. One of the crew had walked along the gunnel to reach somewhere dry to step off. As she’d stepped down (quite a height) onto the landing her foot slipped off the stone edging down the back of it into a big hole. Paramedics were called, they needed to get the lady closer to a road for access to an ambulance, so CRT came out unlocked the lock so they could head up to the next lock. They’d winded and returned when the crew were back on board with a badly sprained ankle. It was their first time on a narrowboat and had been loving it, thankfully it hasn’t put them off another boating holiday.

Mike, CRT Lock Keeper from West Stockwith arrived pulling what looked like a rug doctor behind him, it turned out to be a bin full of ash to ash up the lock once we were through. Yesterday he’d been called out to open the lock for the hire boat and had dropped the padlock into the lock, so this lock wasn’t actually locked. We worked the hire boat down as the lock was in their favour, then it was our turn. It turns out that Mike lives next door to Lesley and Clive from NB Christopher B whom we travelled with from West Stockwith to Thorne a couple of years ago. Lesley had an accident at the lift bridge before Thorne which necessitated her being in hospital for quite some time and she was unable to walk for six months. It was good to hear she is now up on her feet again.

Ahead another boat was coming from Worksop. A familiar boat green on one side red the other, had we met them on the River Soar or somewhere before? Not sure. They had been to the very top of the Chesterfield and found some gates to be heavy, last night they’d moored at The Lock Keeper on the other side of the town.

At Bracebridge Lock another Lock Keeper was waiting for us, time to chat as Mick brought Oleanna along. Did Worksop still deserve it’s bad press? We were hoping to moor along the next stretch for a few hours. The Lock Keeper was careful in how he phrased things. This next pound was their worst on the Chesterfield, they’ve had homeless people camping out, but if we moored along the middle stretch near where cars are parked? We’d see what we thought of it.

A length of armco, possible, we’d rather be on chains than spikes even though there was very unlikely to be any passing traffic on the canal. We carried on. A group of young teenagers fishing below the next lock, the bollards looked inviting but we just had that feeling that we should carry on. The kids joked as kids do as I walked up to the lock that sits part way under the road bridge, a jigsaw puzzle scattered over the steps if one fancied a go whilst waiting for the lock to fill or empty, although not having the box meant I had no clue as to what the picture would be.

The gates opened fine, but when it came to close them there was an obstruction, I really hoped it wasn’t the dead hedgehog I’d seen floating in the lock. We opened and closed the gate, Mick prodded about with the boat hook and eventually found a plastic pot of some sort. Obstruction gone, we were on our way again.

**A rather fine building, wish we’d had more time to look around**

The next stretch towards Morse Lock felt better, would there be enough depth for us to moor up somewhere? Mick suggested actually pulling up on the mooring bollards, after all we’d been told by the lock keepers that we were the only boat up this way, unless someone came out from Shireoaks Marina. We pulled in and made sure we were on the very last bollards, plenty of room for another boat in front.

After lunch we made sure the boat was secure and everything out of view, even with the curtains closed you just don’t know how far Tilly pushes them to have a nosy out! We walked round Sandhill Lake then up through housing estates that have seen better days. Past the station, a very fine affair. Then up Blyth Road and onto Blyth Grove with ten minutes spare before our booking at Mr Straw’s House a National Trust property.

5 and 7 Blyth Grove, Edwardian semi detached houses, are not your average National Trust property, as the people at reception are glad to tell you. 7 was the home of William and Florence Straw, who moved in in 1923, they raised their two sons William Jnr and Walter there. The house had electric lighting to the first two floors and an inside toilet and plumbing, all mod cons of the day. After their deaths William and Walter kept the house just as it had been in their parents days the 1920’s. For over 60 years the occupants threw very little away and chose to live without many modern comforts, not even a radio! When William passed away in 1990 he left the contents of the house to the National Trust, everything catalogued, expecting it to go into a museum. The National Trust sent in an assessor to check over the collection, a normal procedure so that anything of great value can be taken away for safe keeping. The accessor reported back that there was nothing of great value in the collection, however the collection itself was priceless! The National Trust then bought the two houses so the collection could stay, 7 having been the residence of the family, 5 had been rented out.

7 is just how it had been left, things neatly ordered everywhere. 5 is now an added display area, reception and a tea room. The whole place is a time capsule from the 1920’s into the 90’s and well worth a visit, especially if you get chance to talk to Sheila who grew up knowing William and Walter, more commonly known as Tweddle Dee and Tweddle Dum by the local children. There is a lot more to tell of the green grocer who’d bought the house and his offspring and Sheila could keep on telling you stories for years to come.

From the Egyptian carpet up the stairs, the two upright pianos, the eleven chairs in the front room, the Mackintosh Quality Street tins, the newspapers wrapped up to protect their edges sorted into subjects, the green house full of cacti, the wallpaper that has been stained by the plaster, it is a wonderful place. A shame the rooms are so small so you feel you have to move on to let others get a chance, I think I could have been there all day.

They run discovery days in the house where they open drawers and cupboards to show more of the 33,000 items it holds. There are also walks around Worksop showing the shops that grocer and seed merchant William Straw ran, and the butchers shop opposite which was run by Florence’s father. I’d be very tempted to go on one of these if we happen to be in the area another time.

Back at Oleanna all was good, but we didn’t want to stay on the lock landing for the night. More locks to keep us busy. Up Morse Lock I then walked ahead leaving Mick to single hand the next lock as I popped to Sainsburys to stock up on bananas and milk, plus some sad git meatballs that were reduced in price in front of my eyes. I arrived back at the boat just as the top gate was about to be opened.

On upwards the next narrow locks, the sign says to lift your fenders, you shouldn’t have them down anyway! The last three locks are all close together so I could set ahead leaving Mick to close up behind, a good sign was all the by washes were flowing. At the middle lock a dog walker stopped to say that the pound above was too high! The bottom gate had been open for the last three days and the level above it was too high. I set him straight saying that actually it was at a perfect height, any higher and the extra would be flowing over the bywash, this was the only one of our trip so far that hadn’t.

How far were we going today? This would be our last lock for today, up the remainder tomorrow. I was then told that there were 42 locks tomorrow. Yes we were at lock 42, but the locks are numbered from Chesterfield and includes those on the detached section of the canal along with those that don’t exist anymore. The subject then turned to funding, licence fees, when he started on immigrants I knew it was time for this canal expert to keep walking! Thankfully he did.

Above the locks we pulled in, too late for Tilly shore leave. Time to put those meatballs on to cook, have a shower and get sat down to watch the final episode of The Handmaids Tale. Not as good as the previous two episodes but a good way to round off the series.

11 locks, 6.4 miles, 1 sprained ankle, 1 next door neighbour, 2 serious days boating ahead of the hire boat, 2 boaters not so sure, 5 maybe 6 missing pieces, 0 picture, 2 for Mr Straw’s house, 0 draining board, 1 bag of National Trust apples, 85 minutes brisk walking, 1 pint milk, 8 bananas, 1 big banner, 2 pooped boaters, 1 very awake Tilly!

https://what3words.com/cave.long.credit

Deja Frank. 30th July

West Retford Visitor Moorings to before Osberton Top Turnover Bridge 46

A stowaway showed itself when I was about to brush my teeth. At first I thought it was a leaf on my shoulder, I didn’t have my glasses on, but it was a very hairy leaf! I carefully removed my t-shirt to inspect it closer. Gosh what a creature, spikes and slodges and hairy bits all over. How long had it been sat on my shoulder for? Had it watched episode 8 of The Handmaids Tale which had been quite riveting last night? Would it want to stay another two nights to see the end? I decided that it would far prefer to be back on something green outside.

I walked ahead windlass in hand, key of power in my pocket, not so far to the first lock today. Across the fields I could almost see where I’d alighted the bus on Saturday to walk through the Nature Reserve back to Oleanna, it would only be a twenty minute walk from here.

Today there would be memorials, trees planted for missed ones, miles stones dedicated to family and boat trips.

We climbed up the Forest Locks, Bottom, Middle Bottom, Middle Top and finally Top Lock. We’d been following NB Scimitar who had pulled up on the 2 day moorings below Middle Top. The lady leant a hand with the bottom gates, our paths may cross over the next week as we’re both aiming for the top of the navigable canal. We paused in Middle Top to dispose of some fishy packaging, use of shore based facilities and to clear the prop before heading on.

At Forest Top Lock I climbed back onboard Oleanna, not my full brisk minutes done for the day, but a long stretch ahead to where we’d be stopping for lunch. The canal kinks round to run parallel to the A1 for a while through Randby. NB Seth Ellis a trip boat wasn’t on it’s mooring, where would we come across them?

**Plenty of apples for their passengers on NB Seth Ellis**

There is a tight bend just before the canal goes under the A1. Oleanna didn’t want to turn, the depth not sufficient for her to respond to the tiller. Reverse, still no response, Back further we seemed to be sat on something. More umph required, tooing and froing and we were on the move again just as well as we met NB Seth Ellis under the A1 bridge. The helm said how nice it was to see another boat.

A lunch break on the 2 day moorings soon afterwards. When we’d been this way nine years ago we had our friend Frank with us. We’d been trying to find somewhere suitable for a barbeque that evening. I suspect we’d thought this mooring was too close to the A1 for it to be pleasant to sit out, there must be somewhere else. However we should have pulled in, wide grassy area and enough depth, a nice mooring despite the A1. After lunch we needed to crack on. I walked ahead to top up on the minutes.

There are some canals that stay with you even if you’ve only travelled them once, others fade even though you’ve been on them several times. The Chesterfield is one of the former. Today we had the clear clear water and masses of fish swimming past, none quite as big as Frank had suggested nine years ago ‘a meter, I could swear it was a meter!’ Dragonflies of gold and blue darted back and forth, were they being amorous or seeing each other off? All far too quick to even manage to turn the camera on before they’d flitted away.

I walked past fields of cabbages or greens. Was this near where the posh horsey place was? The next lock was most certainly familiar. The bywash comes down on the side of the towpath just like a stream. The bridge below the lock and the lock cottage fenced off from view.

Once Oleanna was up the lock the two of us tried to open the top gate, a big mass of reeds in the way. What we needed now was a barge pole, or hook to try to get it the mass out. Another Deja Frank moment. Mick returned with the boat hook, we didn’t want a recurrence of what happened nine years ago when Frank used the pole to try to lift the reeds out of the water, the weight of which and ‘the pole must have been rotten’, snapped it in half. No more pole! We relived that moment.

The towpath here is closed, a falling down bridge ahead. A sign on the gate and padlocks, plus a CRT work boat on the lock landing. Someone though has sorted out access, the remains of four of the five bars of the gate lie close by, splintered ends and then sawn ends. There is quite a stretch of towpath closed, but it hasn’t stopped people, we later had some walkers and an electric bike come past us.

We passed the spot where we’d just about managed to get into the side to enjoy our barbeque on NB Lillyanne. Frank had never had bananas with chocolate cooked on the coals before ‘Bloody disgusting that! Is there any more?!’ Tilly was also chased up a tree by a dog, a rare thing. She stayed out really quite late that night, Well woofers nearly always walk that way and then this way, so I stayed up the tree for when it came back.

**Excuse me Tilly would like the use of that tree soon.**

A while later we pulled in close to the 23 mile stone. Armco and a good place for Tilly for the night, an hours cruise to Kilton Low Lock 52 which will be opened tomorrow morning for assisted passage.

***I think I preferred yesterdays outside***

Time to catch up with Frank and tell him how big the fish had been today and that our barge pole had survived the day. Sock pair 102 were cast off by the end of the evening, just the ends to weave in then they can be hand delivered in a week or so.

5 locks, 6.4 miles, 56 brisk minutes walked, 1 punk rocker caterpillar, 1 boat overtaken, 2 willows trimmed, 1 lunch stop, 1 weed hatch visit, 1.5 hours shore leave, 0 trees climbed, 102 cast off, 7 courgette fritters, 1 barge pole still in 1 piece.

https://what3words.com/beads.serves.smirking

Soggy Southbound. 21st July

Keadby Visitor Moorings to West Stockwith Basin Bridge

Not the best nights sleep sadly. I was aware of all sorts, but had finally managed to drift off by the time the put put of NB Delhi and Python came past heading for the bridge, it was still cool enough for them to go through at around 6am. In fact it was still 15C mid morning as NB Puddle Duck appeared and pulled in on the off side.

Over the last few days we’ve had a chat with the Lock Keeper at Keadby. Mark moving our booking every day to the next one and saying he’d inform West Stockwith of the change due to being held up at Vazon. Today we confirmed our booking for today and then called West Stockwith to confirm with them too.

The cruisers all moved up to the bollards so they could sit out together, we nudged up to the waterpoint to top up our tank. Items were moved into the shower to have a clear well deck, then an early lunch, just as well as the Lock Keeper called saying he thought the tide would be early. There was a boat just about to come up the lock, so could we be ready for when he opened the road bridge for them.

Final checks, life jackets, charts, etc. We were ready for when the bridge opened and swapped places with the boat. The tide was on it’s way in already, the bottom gates of the lock opened at 13:55. Originally we’d been told we’d be sharing the lock with a widebeam, but they’d not shown up, maybe stuck behind a stoppage on the Aire and Calder. So we were on our own, no buddy boat out on the river until the cruisers caught us up.

With low amounts of fresh coming down the river we had to be very cautious about following the red line. A week or so ago a boat heading for Keadby Lock hadn’t crossed over the river towards the east bank and had found themselves stuck on a sand bank until the next incoming tide lifted them off.

This is the third time we’ve done the tidal Trent this year and most sights are now very familiar.

The few bridges, the old windmills now converted into houses.

The cheeky pigeons. Owston Ferry’s two pubs.

With each turn of the river the skies gradually worked themselves from being quite blue, sun cream required when we set off, to being very grey almost black. Thankfully the river seemed to be doing a good job at turning us away from the really dark clouds. I kept quiet about it, hoping it would stay dry until we were moored up for the day. Mick however had to open his big mouth! ‘It’s going to rain!’ So it did!

We were making good progress and as we rounded the bend at Gunthorpe Mick radioed ahead to West Stockwith. I think we were going to be earlier than they’d expected, so they’d get the lock ready for us. Would we like a bow line to help us into the lock? Mick was fairly sure we’d be okay without, not really understanding what help it would be. As the radio was put down we both reached for our waterproofs as the rain started to persist. I could stand with my back to it, Mick couldn’t!

When to move through the boat to the bow? I opted to wait for us to have entered the lock. The rain was now going sideways as the white house appeared beyond the lock. When was Mick going to turn us to face the flow? We’ve not approached West Stockwith from downstream before, it makes for a tighter turn in.

He started to turn as we got close to the lock. The lock is on a bend in the river so getting turned needed to happen before the bank got too close. Would he need a nudge from the bow thruster, he’d changed the fuse this morning. Round we came. Now when to start the turn into the lock. We drifted backwards. The turn in needing revs to get the stern round enough so as not to catch the upstream side of the lock mouth, not too much to end up hitting the downstream side with the bow.

One man and his boat. He brought her round without touching any side, getting a big thumbs up from the Lockie. It was now safe to go through the boat to grab a rope before they started to bring us up.

The rain was now torrential! Water running in rivers down inside waterproof sleeves. Trousers proving just how many litres of water they could soak up. Crutch straps from life jackets doing a good job of directing water to help soak into your underwear. Oleanna rose up, we thanked the lock keepers, but didn’t hang around for a chat. Instead we headed straight through the bridge and pulled in on the first bit of armco.

But where was the nappy pin? Not been used since early April at this mooring. I managed to find a chain in amongst items in the shower and succeeded in not drenching our bed as I went past it twice. The towpath was it’s own canal, three inches deep, squelchy shoes would now fill up.

Tied up we both stripped down to our t-shirt and pants, wet items hung to drip dry under the pram hood. A warm shower each and dry clothes all welcome as the sun came back out and Tilly busied herself down the bank.

I could make us some dhal, or we could head to the White Hart for some food. The later option won. I checked the blog post from nearly two years ago when we’d last eaten here. We’d had to wait quite a while to be served, but the food had been worth the wait. Today they had a table of 25 in for a 40th, we’d have to wait. Thankfully it was worth it again. We both opted for the same as we’d had last time, Fish and chips and the steak and ale pie which is most definitely home made. Very nice indeed. We opted to return back to Oleanna for our second glass of wine, well we had to celebrate finally starting to make our way southwards.

2 locks, 13.9 miles, 1 wind, 1 full water tank, 2 hours to Stockwith, 4 cruisers 30 minutes behind, 1 lovely cruise, last 20 minutes not so, 2 sodden to their pants boaters, 1 hour shore leave made the most of, 18 minutes brisk walk to the pub and back, 1 fish and chips, 1 pie and chips, 1 boat finally headed south.

https://what3words.com/upcoming.producers.quilt

Waiting Day (1). 18th July

Vazon Swing Bridge

We both woke early, would the temperature have dipped sufficiently for Vazon Drawbridge/Sliding/Railway Bridge to move out of our way? Mick put some clothes on and walked over to the signal box, a different signaller from yesterday. Here he met up with a chap from NB Early Rise, who is waiting on the other side of the bridge. A phone call had already been made to York, the temperature not low enough even at the coolest part of the day. Chats were had, then Mick returned and joined me back in bed for some more shut eye, after all it was only 5am.

Over breakfast we considered our options. Should we wait here by the swing bridge, close to the trains kerchunk kerchunking over the sliding bridge through day and night? Or should we try to find a different mooring? One where Tilly could go out further away from the bridge. We decided to have a pootle to see if we could find anywhere. But first Mick walked up to the signal box and made sure they had our phone number for when the temperature dips enough and the bridge opens.

There had been hi-vis people at the bridge this morning along with Northern Power Grid. The domestic electrics were off in the signal box and had been mended. The hi-vis people were from Network Rail and they had been busy painting parts of the bridge white, this will help reflect some of the heat away from the structure. Now as we untied I spotted several blue t-shirts, CRT t-shirts. Hands were shook between orange and blue, might they be about to do a test opening? No chance, the temperature way above the 15C.

We winded and headed back towards Thorne, maybe, just maybe there might be enough depth for Oleanna back close to Pilfrey Bridge, not too far away, but just far enough. There was a lack of blanket weed making the canal obvious to those with four legs and feet, no rocks in view. But sadly no matter how much we tried the bow or stern didn’t get to within jumping off closeness of the bank. We opted to return from where we’d come. When the back doors opened up again, Tilly was most peeved that all we’d done was shake the outside up a bit!

Mick headed for a walk and a possible earwig at what was being said at the bridge between orange and blue people. Other than stopping to tie a shoe lace he didn’t find an excuse to loiter within ear shot for long and ended up going to say hello to NB Early Rise instead.

Once the meeting had finished the blue bods walked back towards Keadby Lock and stopped for a chat. There was quite a high up person in amongst them. CRT are putting a lot of pressure on Network Rail to get the bridge working for boaters more reliably. They are hoping that the safe working temperature might be raised, even by just one or two degrees. Sections of the bridge had now been painted white and a big light installed so should passage be needed when it’s dark there is now light.

Network Rail are working towards publishing a weekly weather report for the bridge, noting windows where the temperature will be at a suitable level for it to operate. Apparently the chap who oversees Vazon for the railway, is in charge of around 9000 bridges, and Vazon takes up half his time!

So we just have to sit and wait, ready to snatch the first opportunity to go through.

My migraine improved enough to go for a steady walk. I’d spotted a couple of paths when we were here last, checked them out on Google maps and set off to cross the railway, then the first ditch and to walk round and back through a wood.

To cross Vazon, as a pedestrian, requires you to press a plunger and wait for a red light and siren to stop, meaning that the gate is now unlocked. If the siren and light stay on, there is a train coming, which there was on my way out. Once it’s clear you zigzag your way across the tracks which go diagonally across the sliding bridge. It’s well worth looking at by foot even if you have to cross at speed rather than loiter on your way across.

The first track I aimed for had a very protective Cob and his swan family, so I looped back round and walked through the wood to a track and up to the main road. The tide was on it’s way out but still pretty high, would any boats be making their way down stream right now?

**Pouring water on the road bridge to cool it down**

At Keadby Swing Bridge, the road bridge just by the lock, two Council employees climbed out of the van and walked to the bridge. Here they started up a generator and started to pump water onto the bridge, most probably where it pivots. There was evidence of them having done this earlier in the day. It turns out that at least one boat had been headed for Keadby today, they’d been told to moor up in Gainsborough overnight as there was a problem with this bridge too! Here’s hoping it’s sorted by the morning for them.

After all the excitement at the bridges, even if we didn’t manage to get going, it was time for an easier afternoon. Blimey it was hot and sticky inside, more so outside.

Mick pottered on with a few jobs, adding new hooks to fenders, wrapping wire round the yellow water connector whilst Tilly and I watched Denmark (2019) and knitted. Denmark is a bittersweet comedy about a down-on-his-luck Welshman who travels to Europe with a crazy goal, to get himself arrested and sent to a Danish prison where the beds are warm and the water is hot. It’s a gentle British film, with cool outdoor scenes which were welcome today.

Our only neighbour here had been absent during the day. He’d left his woofer shut up inside his make shift boat. We’d been getting quite concerned as the howls were becoming progressively more pathetic. Mick had wondered over to see what he might be able to see, which wasn’t much from a safe distance, we’ve been aware of this chap for a while. Then thankfully the owner returned, beer in hand and quite merry. The door to his boat was flung open and his large dog surged for the bank, all four legs crossed. After dancing a jig or two he packed up all he wanted, bundled his dog back onboard and frantically untied and set off into the sunset. So apart from the trains we should have a quiet evening now.

0 locks, 1.3 miles, 2 winds, 4 blue, 3 hi-vis, 1 sticky day, 0.5 sock, 1 film, 1 mended dishwasher, 2 fenders, 2 broken bridges, 2 more hi-vis, 1 jig, 1 woofer on our radar, 1 boat setting off into the sunset, 1 good place to smoke!

Chinese Whispers. 10th July

Doncaster Visitor Moorings to Huddles Ground Winding Hole, well a bit further on.

Today we’d be looking to find some shade. But first I wanted to see if I could find some clothes to fit me. Would Doncaster cater for my new size? I’m getting a little bit bored of hoiking up jeans and shorts and soon I’ll be getting my next bit of design fee for panto.

M&S. Doncaster ladies must be shorter than those in Leeds, which was a good thing. I tried on several pairs of trousers without having the legs trailing on the floor. Depending on their style, I’d dropped one or two sizes. However either the cut wasn’t me (wide when you’ve lost weight isn’t an option), the fabric was odd or the colour choice was dark or a snotty green. Strangely enough I left without a new pair of trousers, but a new t-shirt did make it into my shopping.

Primark. No jeans I’d consider buying, no shorts either as they seemed to be last years jeans with the legs cut off. I trawled through t-shirts a couple would mean I can get rid of one’s with holes. I also picked up a new belt which might actually do something to keep my existing clothes around my waist.

Then, ohhhhh dear! I had to walk past the deli!! A serious treat purchase was required after yesterdays successful meeting. I limited myself to two cheeses and quickly left the shop.

Just as we were about to empty the yellow water tank, three boats came past, two headed for Strawberry Island the other in desperate need of water. Yesterday the moorings had filled up, but as Mick was outside he offered for them to breast up to us, then they could have our space. We’ve come across NB Watershed a few times, but not met the owners before, Linda and Graham. We had chance for a little chat before the two hot dark blue boats were parted. It sounds like we are both hoping to head the same way, so our paths are likely to cross again whilst waiting for the planets to align.

Down stream, the sun shining brightly overhead, sun cream non-negotiable today. We’d timed our arrival at Long Sandall Lock with the workers on their lunchbreak again, they worked the lock for us from the tower.

Next the EA workers were also heading for lunch. Today the big work pontoon had moved to the river side of the cut, presumably delivering more giant piling sheets.

There was space to pull in just before Barnby Dun Lift bridge so we took shelter inside with the curtains closed for lunch, trying to keep the temperature inside as low as possible.

Twenty one held up at the bridge, a pause to use the elsan, then onwards to Bramwith Junction where we turned right.

At the lock a small boat was heading up, it was the people we’d met at Viking Marina who had had engine trouble. Sadly things still aren’t fully right for them, so they were abandoning their six month trip, the River Trent not a safe place to be with a temperamental engine. They were disappointed to say the least.

Next our turn. As Oleanna came into the lock I sent a message to our friend David who moors along this stretch, was he about? I lifted paddles and emptied the lock. In fact might that be David along the way? I closed up behind us and as I walked down the towpath I could see that Mick was hovering. It was David and his new, now 18 weeks old dog Flynn, a fox red labrador retriever. Sadly it was really hard to hear him across the way and the walk around the lock too far for either of us on a hot day when we’d all rather be in the shade. Mick asked how he was, ‘really well’ came the answer. If we end up coming back this way whilst waiting for things to align we’ll be in touch and hopefully have a proper catch up, not across the canal and get to meet his woofer.

**It’s amazing the photos you get when you can’t see the screen!**

Through the swing bridge we were now on the hunt for some shade. Our thought was maybe we’d strike lucky in Thorne, but possibly sooner. Shortly after the big winding hole Mick spotted a patch of shade. Maybe this might stay shady for much of the day, which would be good for tomorrows higher temperatures. We pulled in, enough depth and plenty of trees for Tilly. Two hours!

**Touch and go on some colours so there may end up being 15 colours**

I did a little bit of work, a long email had arrived from John which needs attention. The Lighting Designer had already made comments which made it obvious that not being in the room for our meeting meant he was suffering from the internet version of Chinese whispers. I opted to sort that tomorrow, I deserved a day off, well nearly. Instead I pulled out the yarn for my 101st pair of Dementia socks. Lots and lots of colours and possibly a new stitch to learn. It’ll be nice having something to do whilst watching tv again.

***How long is this outside staying tied up for?***

Tilly reappeared at bang on 18:11, bang on two hours of shore leave. Opening the rear doors for her was nice as it brought in a draft. She was allowed another twenty minutes before the doors were finally closed and dingding served. Our dingding this evening was mackerel salad, Tilly fancied giving it a try, but when she was told it would inhibit her tree climbing skills she opted out. It did smell nice though!

2 locks, 8.9 miles, 1 wind, 3 tshirts, 1 belt, 0 trousers, 2 types cheese, 1 right, 1 distant hello, 1 new woofer, 1 shady spot, 1 hour direct sunshine, 1 happy cat, 29C possibly higher, 1 long email of questions, 1 LD needing photos, 13 soon to be 14 colours,101st pair cast on.