High Bridge to Tiverdale Quays (Dudley Port Basin)
So much for 8.30! The music started at 7.45am, just as loud as it had been all yesterday afternoon. It’s a shame we weren’t in a residential area. At least it meant we didn’t lounge around in bed for too long.
Bloomin speaker!
Over breakfast we got distracted. An email from C&RT came in regarding the Council Election. Today we had been invited to place our votes for the Election of 4 Private Boating Representatives. We clicked the link, pulled out the candidates we already knew we wanted to vote for and then re-read the other candidates spiel. Not being ‘first past the post’, you put the candidates in order of preference, you can put all the candidates in your list, or as many/few as you like (as long as you vote for four people). We put six in order of preference. The comments on social media later in the day suggested that the original email should have explained a touch about the Council and what it does, also about the voting process.
Interesting map upstairs in Sainsburys
Here is a link to C&RT website where you can find out more information about the elections. In brief
The Council is responsible for appointing Trustees and has the power to dismiss Trustees. While Trustees are responsible for determining policy and strategy, Council has an important role in helping to shape policy, raising and debating issues, providing guidance and perspective and acting as a sounding board for Trustees
Our shopping list was reorganised and we set off with our sherpa Brompton to Sainsburys. As I started Mick headed to Homebase to buy a couple of hose connectors as we were down to one and that one lacked a washer.
Neatly stacked boxes
Our first reasonable sized shopping trip since Christmas, we were down to one last box of wine under the back steps. If we’d been getting a delivery we’d have bought six boxes, but today we only got four. Several reasons for this. Our sherpa can carry a lot, but two more boxes?! Our current tenant in the house is in arrears with her rent, so our bank balance is shrinking. Also we should really start having two dry days a week again, both for finances and our health.
Sherpa Brompton
Once we were back time had slipped away. Our planned destination for the day was now too far away. So we discussed what to do, one thing was certain we’d be moving on away from the noise.
Brades Hall Locks
A quick look at our maps and a large M showed itself about an hours cruise away at Dudley Port Basin. We pushed off leaving the radio shouting to itself for the rest of the day and evening.
Cutting through thin ice
Along the Old Main line we soon encountered thin ice. It rippled as we cruised by, then dull pinging noises started to happen at stretches where the ice covered the width of the canal. Maybe we should go down Brades Locks today, we’ve seen people moor below before. But no we kept to our new plan, carving our way further North West past the locks and over the entrance to Netherton Tunnel.
Turning into the basin
Soon the opening on the left showed itself. A housing estate surrounds a large basin where lots of boats could moor. We chose the far corner away from cars and in the sunshine, the whole basin to our selves. Oleanna was pulled back to the next spot after we noticed the amount of dog shit just where we’d step off the boat. Nice!
Where shall we go?
A quick health and safety check and the area was deemed okay for cats. We had no idea what lay behind hedges and fences so would have to trust Tilly.
A very large green box. What’s inside that?! Tom came and made me jump, he closed the side so I couldn’t investigate anymore, spoil sport! Brick walls, but just the right height to get up, a few sideways trees to explore too. Better than BUMingham, but there are better outsides than this one.
What is this?
We were relieved that Tilly’s path didn’t cross with two other cats who were out for their afternoon stroll, one looked like an elderly lady with cut back fur. I suspect should Tilly have had a confrontation she would have come out on top, but we didn’t want any cat fights.
The forecast for the next week is looking a touch warmer, so hopefully ice shouldn’t become a problem. But our freezer is stocked, nearly three weeks worth of meals. Yesterdays roast chicken is now striped and frozen. It will do us another three meals and the bones have been bubbled up for stock during the afternoon and evening on top of the stove, so that’s either soup or risotto already half made.
0 locks, 1.92 miles, 1 straight, 1 over, 6 votes, 1 change of plan, 4 boxes not 6, almost 2 months owing, 2 belts to tighten, 0 pixel left, 1 coconut, 7.45! 1.5 hours shore leave, 2 dollops of pooh!
Tardebigge Top Lock to Cast Iron Roving Bridge, Birmingham, BCN
Out in Vienna it was time to pack my bags. One thing left to do, visit the cheese shop on Langegasse that I’ve been walking past and inhaling for the last ten days.
Yummy Jumi
Many cheeses in this shop are kept in cabinets for safety, our safety. Many of the cheeses in this shop look like given half a chance they would take over the world with only Dr Who capable of stopping them. With so much to choose from and a taxi booked I couldn’t sample too many, which maybe was a good thing.
Bombs, brains
I’m not too fond of Emmental or Gruyere so that immediately ruled out half of the shop. The chap helped me and gave me a couple of samples. I like goats cheese, but in Britain you don’t often get a hard goats cheese. So as I was in Austria I had to have one from the mountains, ‘High on a hill lived a lonely goatherd’. It was tasty, sold.
Cheese!!!!
Then a softer cheese. No chance to taste this one as they are individual cheeses that have a whole culture of their own. Sold! The chap vacuum wrapped them for me so that my bag wouldn’t be making it’s own way back to the UK.
Heading for home
My taxi was early, the driver arriving just as I checked out and was asking where to wait. Soon I was whisked out to the airport to await a delayed first flight to Munich.
Sadly not available in Mick’s size
I’d booked a window seat, but at the gate I was issued with a new seat in the middle! This was a shame as there were fantastic views over the Austrian Alps, not much snow though!
Alps
Meanwhile back in Birmingham.
Mick and Tilly have been avoiding storm Brendon. On Monday once Chris had left to visit more boat builders Mick filled the water tank and headed northwards again. Passing NB Sola Gratia, under the M42 he chose a suitable place without trees to spend Monday night by Bridge 68.
Tuesday they decided to head into Birmingham setting off early to beat the weather. At 9am they reached the southern portal of Wast Hill Tunnel. The interior of Oleanna already in full tunnel mode, hoping that with all the lights being on this would keep Tilly from fretting. I suspect he just timed their passage well and she was busy having her morning snooze as he could hear no shouting at the back doors.
A mile and a half later they came back out into daylight. But what lay ahead?
Out the northern portal
There was a boat up against the towpath, pinned in my a fallen tree. Had the tree fallen onto the boat? Mick was about to try to nudge his way through when the owner came out. Last night he’d tried to do the same, but got stuck. Whether he was grounded or just held by the tree Mick didn’t know, but one thing was certain Mick was now stuck too!
One stuck boat with tree attached
The other boater had rung to report it to C&RT, another phone call wouldn’t hurt after all Mick had nowhere to go. He couldn’t get into the side so was just having to sit in the middle. Apparently C&RT staff were on route to access the situation.
Fountains arrive with long chainsaws
Then the C&RT staff got held up by traffic so the contractors were called and sent anyway. They arrived with long handled chain saws and proceeded to climb onto the roof of the stuck boat. Helmets, high-vis but no life jackets! The roof of the boat was wet and had no grabrail or anything should they slip to stop them. They chopped and chopped away at the tree. Soon the trapped boat was free.
On the bow
Mick offered the bow of Oleanna as a platform to carry on working from, then they moved to the stern to clear more. At last Mick and Oleanna could continue on their journey into Birmingham. The 8.5 miles had taken around 7.5 hours and Mick had got a touch wet in the process.
and on the
Stern
Location is always important. So I insisted on some greenery in the BUMingham outside. Tom obliged and tied up the one with short sideways trees. Thank goodness it wasn’t just bricks again!
So back in Munich.
I should have had an hour and a half waiting for my next flight. There were things to do, look at the shops and restaurants, then eat the quinoa salad I’d brought with me from Vienna. The new (well to me new) passport control had to be cleared, this I am now a dab hand at after being rejected on my outbound flight. Hold your passport down on the screen with your hand so that it can be read!
Long corridors
I headed to the gate, not quite at the furthest point of the airport, but almost. Staff arrived, then announced that there was a delay. This extended and we finally were allowed through the boarding gate as our plane should have been pushed back. There was no plane, just a bus to take us out to our Star Alliance A319-100, here we crossed the tarmac and climbed the steps to find our seats.
Climbing on board
With everyone on board we taxied round to run up along the side of the runway. The pilot swung us round onto the tarmac, would this be a rolling start? We tootled along for a little while straightening, then the engines roared up and the wheels began to speed up. Time to say goodbye to Europe….
Except the engine soon powered down! There had only been a short blast of throttle, now we were trundling along the runway. An air hostess quickly came on the tannoy and said that an announcement would be made shortly by the captain as to why we hadn’t taken off. They don’t use the term abandoned as this might cause alarm!
Once we’d turned off the runway the Captain spoke to us, something about the engines not being in sink, I’m not sure what he was saying as a group of English men were too busy joking with each other about finding the nearest underware shop! One thing we did all hear though was that he was going to go round and try to take off again.
This time we headed further up the runway, turned to face the tarmac and stopped. The engines roared and we set off, so far so good, we’d made it further than last time. Bye Europe… as the wheels lifted off the ground this time. Phew!! I had wondered if we’d have to change planes, be diverted to another UK airport, but thankfully we were on our way.
The sun soon set on the horizon turning the sky orange. After an hour and something the coast of main land Europe showed, lights twinkling below. Clouds covered the English coast, just the occasional glimpse confirmed we were over land again.
With half an hour to go we started to descend, the lower we got the bumpier it got. Bumpier and bumpier. The bumpyness kept on coming. We seemed to be getting lower, but would we be sent round again by air traffic control. There were a lot of houses getting closer, surely we must be about at the end of the run way!
As the runway lights came into view the plane crabbed it’s way towards the ground, was this still Storm Brendan? One wheel down, then the other, both now on the tarmac going slightly diagonally. As soon as the engines stopped their furious noise a round of aplause filled the plane, followed by more comments about underwear shops.
Birmingham and canals
Only about half an hour late, I sailed through biometric passport control, my bag was about the tenth to appear on the conveyor. The cheese in my bag kept quiet so I exited arrivals through the green customes doors to see Mick stood holding his phone with my name flashing away in red, just in case I’d forgotten what he looked like!
Very posh first night present from the Viennese Producers
0 locks, 14.16 miles, 1 wind, 2 much wind, 1 tree, 1 wet boater, 2 chain saws, £20 on cheese, 2 vacuum bags for safety, 1 taxi, 2 planes, 2 trains, 3 shuttles, 1 walk, 271 head nudges with Tilly, 16 very posh first night chocolates.
Checking our vital statistics for a years worth of cruising takes a while. We have a trip computer which records almost all our journeys, sometimes it counts locks twice, sometimes it doesn’t quite catch where we reached before we wind. Before we used this method of recording our journeys I would use canal plan to work out our distances. This method can also miss out parts of our journey but it does give me more statistics. You know how I like numbers! How many bridges, how many narrow locks and what distances we travelled on different types of waterways. So inputting a years worth of cruising takes some time.
Anyhow, here is our round up of the year.
The New Year was seen in at Crick. From here we decided to head to Sheffield to have the last snagging jobs done on Oleanna, we were fortunate that the route north was open with no winter stoppages in our way until we reached Yorkshire. Once in the top chamber at Foxton it was going to be downhill all the way to Keadby.
Going down at Foxton
Sadly our blog started to loose it’s photos, which is a great shame. It was a problem shared by many bloggers who were all doing their best to get things working again. Have to say we ended up jumping ship from blogger to wordpress, but posts still lacked their photos when moved. We hope gradually to rectify this by replacing the missing photos, I miss them when looking back. But this will be a long job.
Waiting at Cromwell
During January we cruised down stream on the River Trent, the weather was getting colder the further north we got. Our route was clear but at Keadby the lock off the river was being dredged, so our journey was held up a touch. Then with February came cold nights and the canal at Keadby froze over. So we waited at Cromwell for things to improve.
First go at Gluten free puff pastry for cruising sausage rolls
Daylight hours and tides meant we split our tidal journey at Torksey. The early morning start from Torksey was very cold, so I was very glad I’d knitted us both balaclavas, we remained cosy cheeked for our journey.
Cosy heads
Our journey up towards Sheffield meant we coincided with the bicentenary of the opening of the canal and a very unseasonably warm weekend. The chaps at Finesse replaced a leaking window, gave us a new one (our choice), sorted out our gas locker lid amongst other bits and bobs. It had been a good decision going to Sheffield, it saved them time coming out to us and it saved us money on the extras we’d asked for.
New galley window going in
200 years old
Next we headed for Goole, the lure of cheap diesel and a night away to see our friends Bridget and Storm on the otherside of the Humber was a bonus. We then hunkered down to sit out storms and rising river levels. Our original plan had been to go to York, but flooding put paid to that, so instead we went by train.
Bridget and Storm with their lovely house
Towards the end of March we decided to give a trip up the Ouse another go, the rivers were at better levels and we still haven’t taken Oleanna there. But first Bank Dole lock wouldn’t fill due to silt, then when we reached Selby the Lock onto the Ouse had a fault which would take too much time to mend for us to wait. This was a relief for Tilly as this was where she’d discovered the difference between grass and duck weed and ended up learning to swim a couple of years ago.
Mark came to meet us from York
At the beginning of April we headed to Leeds. From here we had a day trip to Derby Crown Court for the sentencing of our original boat builder (Stillwater) who had finally pleaded guilty for fraud. I also spent a more pleasurable day in London, having a meeting for Puss in Boots.
Derby Crown Court
With panto in mind we planned our cruising for the remainder of the year. The remainder of April we made our way up the Calder and Hebble and onto the Rochdale Canal.
Being a foot shorter it wasn’t as tight as it had been on Lillian
Our friend Frank joined us to do the stretch from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge, which included the deepest lock n the network, Tuel Lane. He’d not done this stretch back in 2014 when he and I walked from Manchester locking Lillian over the Pennines to get to the Tour de France.
Tuel Lane the deepest on the network
Frank
Once over the top we picked up a boat to share the locks down into Manchester. Clare and Graeme were over from New Zealand for a few months and proved to be very good company.
Mr Blue Sky and Oleanna
On the 1st of May, with the help of a Canal and River Trust volunteer our passage down into Manchester went well. The following day both boats headed down the Rochdale nine with an extra pair of hands from an old college friend of mine, Doug.
Nearly there!
During May we cruised down the Bridgewater and onto the Trent and Mersey Canal gradually heading southwards. A short detour up the Middlewich Branch to look at where the breach had been before we carried on southwards.
Climbing the Cheshire Locks
A pause in the Cheshire Locks meant we got to meet up with Tom and Jan who were over for a visit. For Micks birthday we moored at Barlaston and had a nosy at the wonderful hall on the hill, our plan still stands if any of our family are interested! https://oleanna.co.uk/2019/05/23/the-plan-20th-may/
Tom and Jan
We saw the end of May out mooring at Tixall Wide before rejoining the Trent and Mersey and heading onto Fradley Junction where we joined the Coventry Canal. With Atherstone Locks out of the way I spent time below working whilst we cruised familiar waters on the flat, it might have rained too!
Tixall Wide
A day trip to London from Rugby for us both, me to a seminar for Separate Doors 3 and Mick to catch up with his friend Siobhan who was over from Australia. Continuing down the North Oxford Canal to Braunston where we joined the Grand Union Canal to head to London.
Busy Braunston Locks
A visit to the Royal Ordnance Depot at Weedon meant I bought some lovely yarn to make a cardie for myself (it’s nearly finished!) and caught up with our friend Heather Bleasdale, who just so happened to be moored there as well.
Yummy yarn
Our route then up and down the Grand Union meant we managed to get to see both Mikron shows this year as well as teaming up with the cast and NB Tyseley to climb the locks up to the summit.
Sharing the locks with Tyseley
Tilly was left in charge for a couple of days whilst we headed to Scarborough to check on our house as we had a change of tenants. This meant we got to stay with Jaye and Duncan and catch up on the news from home.
I’d be in trouble if this photo wasn’t on the blog again!
We now pressed on down to London where we booked a mooring in Paddington Basin for a week in early July. This gave us the opportunity to catch with with friends and family before we headed back out west and down the Hanwell flight. I made the front cover of Canal Boat for July.
Mid July we locked out onto the Thames cruising the Tidal section to Teddington. From here we transited to the River Wey, brand new waters for us.
Up onto the Wey
With my final design for panto delivered to Chipping Norton from Guildford we could enjoy our cruising a bit more, despite the soaring temperatures which had us hiding under trees for a couple of days.
Finished!
On the 26th July we ticked off our third point on the compass, reaching Godalming the furthest south you can get on the connected network. On our way back to the Thames we met up with Adam from NB Briar Rose, both he and Tilly got wet that day.
Furthest South
The original plan had been to cruise the Basingstoke Canal whilst we were there, but sadly the levels were too low and the canal closed before we got there, so we spent a while longer on the Wey.
Hampton Court Palace
Onto the Thames where we managed to get a space outside Hampton Court for a couple of days and I discovered the joys of standing in line for some fresh veg. Gradually we made our way up the Thames. Waking early and getting going worked for us as mostly we managed to get moored where we wanted around lunchtime. Three years ago we did from Teddington to Oxford in a week but with a months licence we took our time.
Waterway Routes
No Problem XL
The further upstream we got the quieter the river got, less hustle and bustle. We met up with Paul and Christine (NB Waterway Routes), missed Carol and George (WB Still Rockin), finally got to have a proper conversation with Sue and Vic (WB No Problem XL) as we headed upstream.
Kelmscott Manor
As the rivers bends got tighter, the banks were harder to get up. A mooring by Kelmscott Manor required a rope from the post to help us get on and off the boat, but it was worth it to visit the house.
At the end of the navigable Thames
On the 26th August we winded at the furthest point we could reach on the Thames on Oleanna and started to head back eastwards. Tilly gave one of our moorings a double stamp of approval and stayed out well after dark!
Isis lock, Oxford
An incident with engine coolant nearly stopped us from reaching Oxford to see War Horse. But a nice man from RCR got us going again so we had a narrow lock fix and headed to the show catching up with Matt and Bill for a drink afterwards.
Lovely chaps
Then at the beginning of September we turned off the Thames onto the Kennet and Avon. For the last five years we’ve been meaning to head this way, but for one reason or another it hadn’t happened.
Gangplank land, the K&A
With tales of lack of mooring we kept to rising early hoping we’d get moorings. This mostly worked and wild moorings were very rarely needed, we did still have to use the gang plank every now and again. We only encountered one pound on our westward journey where even the longest plank wouldn’t have helped which meant we had to carry on up a flight with the clock ticking before locks were locked around us.
Over the summit
At Devizes we met an Instagram friend Frankie who’d been working on the flight over the summer. Despite following another boat down the flight we made good time with the help of the volunteers.
The photo of the year, Devizes
Onwards to Bath and Bristol. Here we moored with HMS GB in the background and met up with two of my old school friends for lunch. A big shame we couldn’t stay longer as there was more we wanted to do and see whilst there, we’ll just have to save up for next time as the mooring fees are quite pricey!
In good company
Old school friends
The section between Bath and Bradford upon Avon was our favourite, with the aqueducts and views along with the second deepest lock on the network.
Cornwall
Mick and Tilly got to enjoy it for a week longer than me whilst I headed off to Cornwall to eat gluten free pasties and start painting my panto set for a week.
Pasty
Once I was back we had two weeks to reach Oxford, but the weather had different ideas. What felt like the monsoon season started. There was rain on most days, luckily not the day we did Devizes. We managed to team up with two couples from Bristol on a hire boat, by the time they reached the top of the flight they could work uphill locks with their eyes closed, we left them to master downhill on their return journey.
Tilly enjoying the big trees
Our second low pound struck as we tried to leave Cobblers Lock, Oleanna was sat firmly on the ground and unable to leave the lock until a good flushing of water set her free. The rain actually did me a favour as whilst we sat in Newbury hoping for the Thames to drop I managed to get my model for A Regular Little Houdini finished.
A Regular Little Houdini
At the end of October I headed off to panto land leaving Mick and Tilly a short distance outside Reading, hoping they would be able to get up the Thames in the following week. Our friend Paul came and helped Mick out onto the Thames reaching Goring on their first day. Here Mick and Tilly got to met Carol and George (WB Still Rockin’) who’d been clinging onto the moorings there before heading downstream.
Photo courtesy of Carol WB Still Rockin
Paul returned later in the week and despite the engine overheating and having to deploy the anchor they succeeded in getting to Abingdon where Oleanna had her second visit from RCR. Mick battled on against quite a downstream flow and reached Sandford Lock before tying up. Here the levels rose and fell, the engineer came for a second visit and found lots of crud in our cooling system.
A calm paws on the Thames at Sandford
With the engine in better fettle, Mick nudged his way up towards Oxford and finally made a dash up Osney Lock and onto the canal despite that section still being on red boards. It turns out he’d chosen his moment well as the river has stayed on red boards since then.
Pantotastic
Once I left all the singing dancing and glitter behind and returned to narrowboat life we had to sit out high levels on the Oxford canal and on the River Cherwell. We loitered in Oxford, but as soon as it looked like things were improving we were on our way.
Lakes not meadows
We paused in Banbury for Christmas haircuts and shopping before pulling in for a few days at Cropredy Marina, from where we headed to London for a Sibling get together at my brothers.
Family
Onwards to the top of the Oxford Canal the day the locks reopened and down the other side continuing onwards to Radford Smelly for Christmas.
Christmas
In Warwick we met up with my family and then picked up crew Mike and Chris to help us up the Hatton and Lapworth flights.
Our final visitors of 2019
The last few locks were done on New Years Eve bring us up to the Birmingham level for the new year.
Narnia Lock our last for the year
Quite a busy year. So our vital statistics for 2019
According to Canalplan
Total distance is 1199 miles, ½ furlong and 886 locks . There are 119 moveable bridges of which 22 are usually left open; 139 small aqueducts or underbridges and 20 tunnels – a total of 8 miles 2 ¼ furlongs underground and 8 major aqueducts.
This is made up of 207 miles, 4 furlongs of narrow canals; 399 miles, 5¾ furlongs of broad canals; 102 miles, 5 ¼ furlongs of commercial waterways; 226 miles, 6 ¼ furlongs of small rivers; 212 miles, 5 furlongs of large rivers; 49 miles, 6 ¼ furlongs of tidal rivers; 150 narrow locks; 626 broad locks; 109 large locks; 1 lock on major waterways.
838.2 engine hours
That is 255 miles and 272 locks more than last year! But 246.4 hours less engine running, just goes to show it’s worth having solar panels.
1336.93 litres diesel, 9 (although we’ve got 2 empty now) gas bottles (used for central heating as well as cooking), 6 overnight guests, 6 packs Dreamies, 1 cover cat, 32 friends, 17 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval, 1 double stamp, 5 pairs socks, 3 pairs gloves, 1 baby blanket, 2 shows designed, 1 cover illustration, 5 lots gluten free puff pastry, 9 supermarket deliveries, 39 boxes of wine delivered, 12 bottles of wine delivered.
Earlswood Motor Club to Birmingham City Centre, BCN
Mick checked the weedhatch using his new pair of pond gloves. His original pair (now five years old) had sprung a few too many leaks to do their job properly. Despite being able to have a good feel around the prop there was nothing there. Our slow progress must be more to do with our depth and the canals depth.
Lots of cutting back along this stretch
Not that much later than normal we pushed off to make our way into Birmingham, well we tend not to be early risers. Estimates reckoned we’d reach our chosen destination in around 4 and a half hours, a longer cruise than normal at this time of year. We wanted to make the centre of Birmingham today so had to push on.
Extensions and upgrade to the service mooring
The club house at Earlswood is having major building work, extensions on both sides. What looks like a new Pump out machine and new blue pipes stick up out of the ground along the cut.
The mooring round the corner was occupied, the view not as good as we’d had last night, so we’d stopped in the right place. Dickens Heath looked as it always does, incongruous. The water feature no longer flowing and just turning green instead. Here the number of towpath walkers increased.
Washing was on our minds, the drawer overflowing. A good long cruise into Birmingham would be useful to charge the batteries as we washed two loads and ran the dishwasher.
Key of power lifting
Shirley Drawbridge was our first obstacle. The control pedestal is hidden behind the barrier box, so took some finding, even though I’ve had this problem before. Once the bridge was clear I pressed the open button wondering how many vehicles I’d get to hold up. Only 1! Two others turned away just at the last minute. Oh well.
We avoided a fisherman just after Bridge 5 who had plonked himself on the bollards for the waterpoint. But there was still plenty of space for us so we topped up the tank as a second load of washing went through the machine.
Kings Norton Guillotine Lock
Cups of tea in our thermos mugs and snacks taken out the back we continued onwards, through Brandwood Tunnel and Kings Norton guillotine lock. Here much of the graffiti has been cleaned away. A homeless man had made himself and his dog comfortable under the bridge, a good place to keep dry.
Kings Norton Toll House all wrapped up
Kings Norton Junction Toll House is swathed in scaffolding. Back in February last year ( it’s odd saying that) the building was set alight, arson was suspected. Fire crews had limited access so had to carry much of their equipment to the scene with them. Hopefully the building will be restored.
The nearest we’ll get to Worcester for a while
Here we turned right up towards Birmingham. Shortly before Lifford Lane Bridge, Oleanna reared up, listed and eventually rode over a submerged obstacle. Looking behind us into the murky depths I thought I could see a wing mirror of a red car. Up ahead there was a wide enough opening and ramp down onto the towpath for someone to have brought a car for disposal. Were we the first to come this way this year? I sent a facebook message to Canal and River Trust, but so far have heard nothing back, well it is New Years day.
Not the most romantic of roving bridges, but it would do the job if horses were still in use today
On we pootled in the chilly grey afternoon air. At Bournville there was a space we could have pulled into, but we decided to carry on. The new Sainsburys at Selly Oak is right by the canal and looks huge. Wonder if mooring rings will be put in for passing boaters?
The new big Sainsburys
At Edgbaston Tunnel the handrail and lighting reminded me of my panto design.
Panto memories
By now it was dusk, so our lights on the roof stood out twinkling in the gloom, we got lots of smiles and comments from those on the towpath.
Worcester Bar
We turned left at The Mailbox and carried on to Worcester Bar. Should we moor on the visitor mooring there or carry on to a more familiar mooring? We carried on under the buildings into the big lights of the city.
The big lights of the city
Mick waved at a familiar boat down the Ouzels Loop, but the occupants were a touch busy to notice, hopefully we’ll catch up with them whilst we are in the area.
Once moored up there was the matter of what to do with the ash from the stove? MIck lifted the ash pan out and left it on the towpath, hoping that it would cool down enough before we headed to bed to be able to go into a bag, sadly this wasn’t the case. Tomorrow we’ll be hunting round for an ash can.
With our loyalty card in hand we made our way to The Handmade Burger Company, just around the corner. Today we’d get a free drink. Well that’s what we thought until we got to the doors to see a sign saying that they were closing at 5pm!
GF dough balls
What to eat instead? We’d both really fancied a burger. Other places seemed quite empty, many had no lights on at all. Pizza Express however was open so we opted for the usual in there. Gluten free dough balls and Pollo Ad Astra each. Mick’s pizza being nearly twice the size of mine!
Funny looking burger
Returning to the boat we sat down to watch the first episode of the new series of Dr Who. Verdict, we think it’s got potential to be better than the last series. The monsters might just be worth pulling the sofa out for!
In January boat owners will be asked to vote for candidates they want to represent them on the Canal and River Trust National Council. The council is made up of representatives from all sides of the waterways, business, fishing, volunteers, friends and private boaters, amongst others. This year there are four vacancies on the council representing Private Boaters.
A frosty morning last February at Torksey
The Council has an important role in helping to shape policy, raising and debating issues, providing guidance and perspective and acting as a sounding board for Trustees who are responsible for determining policy and strategy.
Four years ago, at the last election we glanced through the list of nominees, maybe one name familiar on the list, but we’d certainly not met them. Four years later I’ve just read through all 34 candidates, a few stand out as we now know them, others we have shared locks with, two are bloggers who we follow, others we have yet to meet.
Each candidate has a short 200 word manifesto which can be found on-line on the page about the elections link.
If you want to know more about the Council I can recommend watching Andy Tidy’s video on the subject. Andy has sat on the council for the last four years representing Business Boaters as he is a roving trader. However his seat representing Roving Traders no longer exists as their needs are seen to have more in common with Private Boaters than Businesses. In the forth coming elections he is standing as a candidate for Private Boaters.
Andy also writes a blog and over the last four years has published his CRT Jottings after Council meetings. These I have always found to be an interesting read. Link to the latest jottings. Good to hear what is discussed at these meetings. Thank you Andy.
The alarm goes off earlier each morning and each morning it is darker outside. Today we had quite a bit of cruising to do. According to Waterway Routes and Canal Plan it would take us 5.5 hours to reach the centre of Leicester, no need to arrive in plenty of time for shore leave as Tilly wouldn’t be allowed out anyway, but we still needed to get a move on.
Kilby Bridge we pulled in to top up with water and dispose of rubbish, it didn’t take long before we could push off again.
Every canal lock would be set against us today, but we did manage to have some help at some. As I was setting Double Rail Lock, three frisky horses charged across the fields to come and gongoozle. They were very lively and although not afraid of horses I was cautious due to being next to a 7ft 7” drop (the off side of the lock is the field). They seemed to have lost interest until I crossed back over the gates to lift a paddle, a head rub was all I had to give them, no spare carrots or apples, but they seemed happy with that and moved away.
Below Ervin’s Lock the level was low, down by about two foot. I decided to risk getting back on board and hoped that there would be enough depth at the next lock to get off. It was a slow pootle but we managed it, no need to call C&RT out.
People have been doing a lot of work to their gardens along this stretch. Lots of fancy garden rooms, bars, seating areas, we don’t remember them from two years ago. The next pound looked fine so we hoped the levels would be okay until we reached the river sections.
Dunn’s Lock came into view, there was a figure leaning against a beam and paddles were lifted, at both ends of the lock. Either someone was maliciously emptying the canal responsibly ( the gates were closed) or there were problems below with depth. The chap had a C&RT beanie hat on and said that they had a couple of boats stuck lower down so he was sending water to them. He thought they were almost there, another five minutes and he’d give them a call. We tied up and waited. I started to heat up some soup I’d made last night for us to have on the go when Mick said the lock was being filled for us. The chap walked down to the next lock to set it for us and we were on our way again.
On our way to Gee’s Lock I managed to get the soup up to a suitable temperature and into our insulated mugs, today we’d have to keep moving if we had a chance of reach Leicester in the light, no lunch break. The lock came into view and this was where we met the first of the boats that had been stuck. A C&RT tug and hopper boat were tied up above the lock, blocking the entrance and below a C&RT crane boat was doing it’s best to leave the lock. We helped close gates and fill the lock whilst chatting to the chap driving the tug. The lack of dredging along this section and the very low reserves in the reservoirs make it almost impossible for them to manoeuvre their work boats. The weight of the crane boat means that it is just ploughing it’s way along the bottom and any weight added to the hoppers means they drag too. They had spent all morning doing only two locks and using up a lot of water in the process.
With the tug and hopper out of the way we made our own way down the lock and followed to Blue Banks Lock. Here the tug had been left in gear just through a bridge and two chaps had just about finished filling the lock, they waved us to pass. The force from the tugs prop sent us all over the shop, it took a lot to keep Oleanna from avoiding hitting the bridge, then avoiding the offside vegetation, then to straighten up and not hit the hopper side on. By the time we were back under control the gates were being opened for us. They worked us through and warned us that we’d be meeting the crane boat soon, it was likely to get stuck at Soar Valley Way Bridges.
You could tell the bottom of the canal was being dragged, all the rotting leaves were surfacing and the water had turned almost black. We soon caught up with the crane and went into neutral. He saw us and suggested that we should pass on the off side. We looked, the vegetation team certainly hadn’t been along this stretch and we certainly were not going to drag Oleanna through the trees. So we carried on following very very s l o w e l y….. The bridge wasn’t a problem and maybe that is where we should have passed. A short distance on the crane got stuck, try and try again, reverse, try again, reverse again until he got moving.
The next wider section he managed to pull in towards the offside leaving enough room for us to pass. We offered him a tow but he declined!
Kings Lock. The Lock cottage has just recently had a new coat of paint, well all of it except the chimney stacks. A chap was replacing the fence along the front. Ade and Lou who built the set for Aladdin saved this cottage some 40 years ago when a fire had almost destroyed it. They put in an Elm fence and Ade’s youngest brother was forced up onto the roof with no scaffold or any form of safety to paint the chimney stacks (most probably the last time they were done).
We were now in front of the slow work boats and could up our speed. Once down Kings Lock we were joined by the River Soar enabling us to go a little bit quicker with more water underneath us. The next two locks were sat waiting, top gates open. The gasometer before St Mary’s Mill Lock has vanished. I used to be fixated with it’s staircases to nowhere, but now they are nowhere to be seen just hardcore where it once stood.
Freeman’s Meadow Lock needed filling which meant I got to stop the water going over the large weir for a few minutes. Then it was straight on into the centre of Leicester.
Castle Gardens moorings had a couple of boats on the pontoon, but we carried on under West Bridge to see if there would be space on the new pontoon at Friars Mill. Sadly there were three boats already moored here. If a touch more thought had been put into how they’d tied up then we’d possibly have fitted on the end, but the dolphins being on the outside doesn’t help with nudging up to each other. We winded and made our way back to Castle Gardens. Here we pulled back towards the other boats to be away from the footbridge and the amount of duck poo on the pontoon, all tied up just before sunset.
Central heating was needed this morning as it was a touch chilly outside despite it being sunny. A bowl of porridge for breakfast, thermals and padded trousers donned we hoped we’d manage to cruise for a bit longer today before seeking warmth inside. We’d like to try to get through Leicester before the weekend, doable with a few chilly days.
J
Just through the next bridge a C&RT work boat was being pushed across the cut and a couple of chaps were loading chainsaws and hedge trimmers onto it. From where the boat had been moored on the offside you could see exactly where they had finished work yesterday. As we passed them we knew there would now be overhanging branches etc, good job we didn’t expect to meet anyone coming the other way.
Not far and we came to our first wide lock, not sure when we’ll see our next narrow one, maybe not for a few months and before then we’ll certainly be seeing far bigger locks. It looked like all the locks would be against us today unless we met another boat as the first few were empty. These locks have a tendency for the gates to want to stay open so if the bottom gates were open it was worth cracking a paddle at the top end before even walking down to close them.
Stood on the back of the boat you were glad to be wearing thermals and several layers. But with the sun out and winding paddles up and down, hoiking gates open and closed I soon started to over heat. There’s plenty of debris about, some meaning gates wouldn’t open fully. Then a tree had a go at stopping our progress, but luckily moved out of the way for us.
Once the first batch of locks were done I went below to put the kettle on for a warming drink. Our insulated mugs came out the back just in time for us to pass Wistow.
We’d wanted to try to moor here last night, but another couple of hours in the cold we’d have been nithered and Tilly would have been non to impressed at not having any shore leave. It is such a wonderful view.
As we approached Newton Top Lock we could see someone in red at the next lock. Were they a dog walker or was there a boat coming? Hopping off I could get a better angle of view and saw the bow of a boat headed in our direction. One of the bottom gates was already open so the lock was ready and waiting for them. Two members of crew were making their way towards me, I suspect as surprised at seeing another boat as we were. It quickly became obvious that they were new to boating. They didn’t understand why I was waiting for them to use the lock and hadn’t reset it, the other clue was the way their boat was trying to double the amount of distance between the two locks in a very impressive zigzag.
We helped them up and chatted away. One of the crew was hoping to move back from Australia, he misses our winters and I think his family and he is considering moving onto a narrowboat. He’d not been on board a hire boat for 25 years and was impressed at all the modern electrics now. Over the summer we’d seen this crinkle cut boat NB Jennifer Ann a lot on the summit pound, we’d not realised it was a hire boat.
Now the locks ahead of us were more or less full. The section between Turnover Lock and Bumblebee Lock was also full. When we headed south after picking Oleanna up we were held up here with a Lockie filling up the pounds. Other times on Lillian I’ve walked between locks as we didn’t think we’d be able to get her into the side as the levels were so low. This section is renowned for low water. None of that today, the bywashes were flowing and excess water spilled over lock gates.
Our aimed mooring for the day came into sight as the sun started to dip behind clouds. Stopping just short of Kilby Bridge meant we’d have a more rural mooring for Tilly. We’re also being treated to quite a pretty coloured sky as the sun sets.
12 locks, 4.7 miles, 1 zigzagging boat, 2 much water where there’s always been not enough, 2 many layers, 1 lovely view.
Windy this morning, but with possible rain later on we decided to move earlier rather than later. No need to push off today, once the bow was untied I had to pull it back in to jump onboard before Oleanna was blown back out, no hoping on at the stern today!
Only an hours cruise for us today, all grey and windy. The hot tub by the teepee has been removed and sheep installed in the field. The boat in the middle of the field has been levelled out, it must have been on a list for some time (the muddy mark still evident on the hull).
The visitor moorings at Marston Doles have been turned over to Winter Moorings. Two boats were tied up with permits in their windows, space at the end possibly for us. The washing machine was put on as we approached the water point and ran as we filled up. The tank was full before the machine had finished, but nobody was coming past so we waited for the final rinse before topping up the tank again.
In the mean time I had a walk down to see if there was any space below the second lock to moor. One cruiser sat there, but the towpath was rather muddy so we decided to use up the space left on the winter moorings instead. One of the winter moorers commented that we were the first boat he’d seen in months. We knew there was a boat ahead of us somewhere so we weren’t the first boat to pass him.
After lunch we decided to walk down the flight to check on progress at Lock 9 of the Napton flight which had been closed since 5th November to more or less be rebuilt. The stoppage notice had said that it would re-open today at 4pm, we wanted to check if that was the case. With a bag of rubbish each we set off hoping that the big black clouds would find a route around us. We were fortunate and only had a light bit of drizzle for a few minutes, the bins were getting on for two miles away.
On our way down we made note of where else we could moor should we need somewhere. In the long pound a section of the towpath had disintegrated so much that it was fenced off with orange netting. But this had left no space to be able to walk, so the towpath sideways trees had had a severe cutting back. The black area on the ground is how far they used to encroach.
Lock 14 was open, no signs suggesting that the flight was still shut and as we rounded the bend before Lock 13 we could see NB Wol, the boat that was in front of us, just entering it heading down the flight.
We walked on ahead and at the last bridge before Lock 9 there were a lot of builders bags of sand and aggregate, either too much had been ordered for the works or it would be used on the towpath. There was no fencing around the lock, just orange mesh to keep you off the newly laid earth. The site was clear, the bottom gates of the lock wide open and boats were sitting in the pound below.
Lock 9 is where NB Tyseley got stuck this summer. Numerous ropes, a boat pulling and flushing through of water had to be used to get her unjammed. The lock had been gradually getting narrower and any older boats with a touch of spread had been getting caught. The stoppage notice said that they would ‘Take down and rebuild the towpath chamber wall. Take down and rebuild the offside approach walls. Carry out localised repairs throughout. Please be aware the end date of this closure is outside our published winter stoppage period due to the extent of the works involved.’
The works were certainly finished. The towpath side chamber wall is 7/8th new brickwork, the off side about 1/5th. We did wonder why some bits of old brick work had been left, but there must have been a reason. The large stone on the bottom off side of the lock looked like it had been shaved back and put back in place above new brickwork, the corners having been chamfered off. One thing we were very surprised about was the use of breeze blocks as new coping stones on the towpath side. These are normally large bricks or stone (as on the off side). Will they be able to withstand the beating from boats entering the lock to come down, especially as in the summer months many will be at the helm for the first time on hire boats. Will the gritty texture do wonderful things to gunnels as boats rise encouraging more use of fenders in locks?! The use of them does suggest one thing, that Lock 9 is not a listed structure so cheaper materials could be used.
On our way back from the bins we quickly closed the bottom gates for the chap coming down hill, the bywash in the pound above was blocked so at least the water could run over the gates and start to fill the lock for him. He was making good progress down the flight, if it hadn’t been so late we’d have offered him a hand, but with no torch and a muddy towpath ahead we carried on.
The lock must have been reopened today early on. The site had been cleared. A bit further up hill we could see where C&RT had had access to the site, a temporary road across the field had been laid, now removed leaving yellowed grass beneath.
If we’d known the flight would open early would we have moved along the summit quicker? Maybe, maybe not.
Up north on the Middlewich Branch, NB Halsall and NB Bargus look to have been the first couple of boats through this morning at just gone 9am. NB Harnser went up Wardle Lock after the fuel boats came down. The canal looks a touch sterile from the photos, but once grass has seeded and nature has weathered the concrete it will soon mellow. But what’s more important is that the branch is now open, linking two routes north again. Middlewich has boats back and C&RT and Keir have worked wonders in getting this done before Christmas.
9 locks walked down, 9 locks walked up, 2.34 miles, 1 blowy day, 2.5 hours they said, 2 hours on account, 1 boat going down, 3/5ths of lock rebuilt, 1 no longer skinny lock, 1 clogged bywash, 1 full water tank, 2 bags of rubbish, 0.5 of a sock to go.
Someone last night seemed to have moved a street light! I woke up several times with the chink in the curtains glaring light down on my head. The someone was Tilly, having a good old peer out of the window as the almost full moon came into view and took it’s time to move across the sky. No matter how many times we ask Tilly to close the curtains when she’s finished she just ignores us!
We woke to quite a frost and the first thing to do was to hunt out the padded trousers from under the bed. With extra layers on and a bowl of porridge each in our tummies we were ready to push off. The canal was so clear you could see right to the bottom, all those leaves settling down there amongst the bikes.
Another load of washing was done before we reached the first water point where we stopped and filled the tank, emptied the yellow water tank and disposed of the contents of our bin, box and bucket, all of them. With everything empty or full we were ready again. I decided to walk on ahead, as some thoughtful person hadn’t picked up after their furry friend. This meant I could set the next lock and bridges ahead.
Today it would be two locks and three lift bridges, the locks would be easy, but the bridges?
There is a chap who seems to always be hanging around the first of the bridges. He most probably loiters for some conversation with passing boaters, not many of them around at the moment. Today he watched me unlock the bridge and then haul it up to sit on the beam. On closing it he said it looked like the lock was on it’s way out again, then asked how far we were heading. Our plan was to reach Kidlington Green today, ‘Well you won’t be going much further!’ said the voice of doom. I enquired why. ‘Well Shipton Weir Lock is closed, and will be for a while yet’. We were aware of the closure for works and had been planning our cruising accordingly. However yesterday we had a notice come through from C&RT saying that they were pleased to inform us that the lock had opened two days earlier than planned. Somewhere along the line we’d missed them moving the opening date by a week to accommodate works at Dukes Lock, never mind the two days! So I could inform Mr Doom and Gloom that the way ahead was actually open for us all the way to Banbury. His reply was that they’d be putting the licence fee up now! Jolly soul.
The next bridge was the hard one Wolvercote Lift Bridge. Walking towards it there seemed to be a cyclist loitering, maybe I could enlist his help, but he moved onwards before I got within ear shot. When last I came through here there had been a long chain added to the off side beams, this should help me pull the beam down. Except the chain was no longer there! Would I be able to manage? I was certainly going to give it a go.
I hooked my hands over the furthest part of the beam that I could reach, ‘Give me a leaver and a fulcrum and I’ll move the world’ (F. Matthews), going through my head. The beam started to come down, but I knew I’d have difficulty changing my grip to get my weight above it. So I changed tactic, I walked my hands along the beam to increase my advantage over the weight, as it came lower I moved along and along until I was in a suitable position to change my grip. I quickly sat on the beam, Success!!!
Dukes Lock was full and a boat was sitting in Dukes Cut Lock facing the canal. The chap on board spotted me as I walked past to set the lock for us, he didn’t seem to be in any hurry. Dukes Lock closes on Monday for an emergency closure so we were glad to be through it. The next pound was a touch low, possibly to do with the badly leaking top cill at the lock, but we managed to make our way with one more lift bridge to open before we’d reach our destination for the day.
Up ahead a Kingfisher showed us the way through the mist that now surrounded us. As we approached Kidlington Green lock it look like we’d be joining other moored boats. As we got closer we could see that it was actually two C&RT work boats, most probably heading from Shipton Weir to Dukes Lock. We pulled in, the second attempt getting us close to the side. My fields here have green tufts in them. I’m not sure whether they needed any digging, but I did some just in case the farmer hadn’t done enough. I have to say my towels on the boat are not as white as they once were, must have a word with the crew about that!
2 locks, 3.42 miles, 3 lift bridges, 1 straight, 1 mass of net, 1 Matthews mantra, 1 chilly day, 1 field well and truly tillied, 2 brown towels once white!
Below Slat Mill Lock to Cropredy to Keen’s Bridge 155
A beautiful autumnal morning, just the right sort of day to go for a cruise to get our Saturday newspaper. The boats that had moored in Cropredy last night soon started to show themselves at the lock to come down. We readied ourselves and managed to time pushing off with a boat exiting the lock, another just pulling in above. I gave the bow a push and walked up to the lock windlass in hand showing our intention. Oleanna came into the lock and a lady from the waiting boat came to help.
The couple on the boat above have recently bought their own boat but are original owners of NB Jenny Wren a Carefree Cruising shareboat. Jenny Wren was one of the unfortunate boats to have been caught up in the Middlewich breach earlier this year and sat in the mud above Wardle Lock for sometime until dams were put in place to help float the stranded boats.
We were now in the pound below Cropredy Lock. We’ve moored here before and were aware of the canoe club. Today being a sunny day the canoeists were out in force. They speed along at such a lick leaving their wash to bob moored boats about. I can understand that it must be a touch frustrating to them all that narrowboats get in their way when all they want to do is go for it. But there is ‘going for it’ and ‘GOING for it’! We came through a bridge hole slowly as there were moored boats, another boat coming towards us, so not much space to manoeuvre our two boats. A canoe with two ladies was in the process of overtaking the on coming boat. We are big and they must have seen us before they kicked up a gear. There was about to be three boats side by side, one a canoe and two squashed ladies in the mix. We and the other narrowboat, being aware of our tonnage, went into reverse quickly as the ladies certainly weren’t stopping for anything! They most probably would say they had everything under control, they actually said nothing. We felt they’d left it a touch too late, zigzagging their way. Narrowboats don’t always do what you want of them, but luckily for the ladies both boats behaved and were in the hands of competent helms people.
Today I had some work to do, so once my lock duties were complete I descended down below where my drawing board was waiting. Tilly sat and watched me work, I was very interested in the cables going up and down.
I had templates to cut for the decoration on the pantomime portals. Scaling everything up 25 times from the model I cut three lots of templates. A repetitive pattern can take time to draw up so being able to lay my templates onto the flats in the right place they can be drawn round quickly. As I got part way through cutting out the thick card (my index finger no longer wanting to bend) I wondered if a paper pounce pattern would have been a better idea. This is where you draw out the pattern on brown paper and use a pin to prick holes in it. You then lay this onto where you want the pattern and rub a cloth bag filled with charcoal over the top. The black dust goes through the holes and your pattern awaits painting. However this can be a touch messy if you don’t know what you are doing and with my templates if I’m needed elsewhere I can leave someone else to draw round them.
Mick brought us to the water point and had to hold back for the next group of canoeists to get past so that he could wind. We’d really chosen the wrong time and day to be doing this. He winded and then brought us into the side to moor. As there was a dredger on the 48 hour visitor mooring we didn’t think it would be a problem mooring up on the C&RT work boat mooring whilst we got a newspaper. There were plenty of papers and Mick was soon back and we pushed off again. This time we’d timed it just right, to meet all the canoeists coming back! However this time they all pulled into the side and clung on.
A stretch of arnco in the sun and we were sorted for the rest of the day. Tilly was allowed to come and go, coming for Dreamies and going to find friends, two of which she brought back for introductions!
As I got on with cutting templates and finding receipts, Mick went to find the railway crossing where all the trains hoot their horns. He walked back towards the village along a path visible from the canal.
1 lock, 1.92 miles, 1 wind, 1 very close shave, 1 newspaper, 1 new toy, 1 drawing board, 3 templates, 19 receipts, 6 hours, 1 short tree conquered, 2 friends, 6 googly eyes, 3 snakes packed away out of harm from Tilly.
