Category Archives: Cats on the Cut

Twenty Two Turns. 9th September

Wedgenock Park Bridge 50 to Rowington Hill Bridge 62

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://goo.gl/maps/wUHGrfvDKYo8BVSt7

Our Burger And Chips. 8th September

Radford Smelly to Wedgenock Park Bridge 50

Buckwheat pancakes for breakfast this morning, although I seem to have lost the really good recipe so these weren’t quite up to scratch, maybe it’s the lack of sour dough starter in them! Tilly came home so I had the chance to walk back to the bins to dispose of rubbish. What a pleasant walk that was in the shade of all the trees, no good for solar though!

A message came through from Mick, he was on his way back, house chores completed ready for our next lodgers. He’d been lucky enough to catch the direct train from York to Leamington Spa so his return journey would be a couple of hours quicker than the outgoing one.

Some attention was paid to my #unit21 model, new bigger boxes were made and lines on the floor moved and adjusted, they still need a touch more adjustment. The sliding doors now have a tissue paper covering so that the model can be back lit to get silhouettes. So nearly, but not quite finished.

Mick appeared earlier than I’d expected he’d got a taxi to the nearest bridge. A quick drink and a cat back on board and we were ready to push off into the early afternoon sunshine, we had shopping to do and a table booked for this evening. It took a while however to get pushed off as we seemed to have got stuck in the mud!

We pootled through Leamington Spa, pulling up by the new ramp up towards Morrisons. Whilst I did the shopping Mick pulled a polo shirt off from the prop, the reason for our seriously slow progress through the town.

If only our freezer was bigger, whole salmons for £20 or so, fillets or sides. Christmas 2019 they were selling off Turkeys at silly prices.

Onwards just after a boat had come past, the chap weaving across the canal, side to side. Was he avoiding trees or just drunk? Would we end up sharing locks with him?

No trains as we went over the aqueduct. Four proposed locks will join the Grand Union to the River Avon here taking you on towards Stratford, ten locks in all.

No room to pull up for diesel at Delta Marine, well it was late in the day anyway. Will we have enough to get us to Coombswood Canal Trust? All the hire boats were out at Kate’s.

Soon we were at Cape Locks, the first of many that will take us up towards Birmingham. Both locks were empty and waiting for us, their heavy bottom gates and stiff paddles a little unwelcome on such a hot day. Thankfully these would be the only locks we’d be doing today, Hatton can wait for a cooler day.

Does anyone know what the Round Oak 9 x 3 means inside the steel beam on these locks?

We pulled in at the end of the moorings in the shade, the batteries nicely charged by our cruise so solar not as important as shade.

What do you mean I don’t get to go out here?!?!!!!

A shower and change of clothes and we were ready to cross the top lock gates and take our table at The Cape Of Good Hope.

Have they always had the extended outdoor seating area where the narrow lock used to be? Or has this been done because of the pandemic. Plenty of space to sit and eat your food, sup your beer and gongoozle. Our table was by the pub, with a view between two moored boats across the cut.

There was a constant stream of people being served at the window, inside was almost empty. A slight disappointment was that they only had gluten free Peroni, fine but I’d hoped for something a little more interesting so I stuck to white wine. A Kiwi Burger for each of us, Mick’s with a brioche bun, mine with a GF bun and rustic skin on chips. At last we were having our burger and chips!

Thankfully we were sat under cover as a rain shower passed overhead. Will we be so lucky tomorrow? Blimey it was busy, and rightly so. Just hope they stay this busy when the weather turns.

I’d already spotted a gf pudding other than ice cream on the menu, Blackcurrant Mousse Biscuit Slice. Blackcurrants are a firm favourite, so Mick didn’t feel left out he had a chocolate fondant. All very nice and well worth waiting for. A lovely evening at a fine pub.

2 locks, 4.54 miles, 1 mile round trip to the bins, 2 trains, 2 clean beds, 1 clean and tidy house, 29C, 0 blackberries, 1 chicken ready to roast, 1 polo shirt, 2 glasses wine, 2 burgers, 2 puddings, £51, £75 premium bonds win, 1 lovely evening, 1 Mick back onboard.

https://goo.gl/maps/o522a8QN3GuphTR68

Cutting The Tea Cosy. 7th September

Radford Smelly

An hour of shore leave was permitted whilst I had breakfast this morning and wrote out a shopping list. Tilly came home bang on time, it was my time to head out before it got too hot!

A new route into town was called for. I walked along the canal until it ran alongside Radford Road when I dropped down onto it and walked in the shade for a while. At the junction of Willes Road there is a handy Sainsburys Local, it didn’t have the right sort of yoghurt though. I then followed Willes Road over the River Leam, today is the right sort of day to see Leamington shining in the sunshine with bright blue skies.

I found scissors and took a chance at a pair meant for crafting, rather than dress making, hopefully they will stay sharp enough for long enough. A hunt for black tissue paper came up trumps in the end, but a plant spray bottle with a pressure pump was nowhere to be found. I want one of these so the pram and cratch covers can have another spray of Wet and Forget before it’s too late, it’ll also mean I don’t get trigger finger! Think I need a garden centre.

As a child I wanted a dress the colour of that sky

Bobbing in and out of air conditioning had been worth the walk as it was now getting really quite hot. I chose to walk back through Jephson Gardens mostly in the shade then followed a path through Welches Meadow where there was no shade. Thankfully back at the boat it was still cool inside.

Mick gave me a whatsapp video tour of the house, before going upstairs upstairs to rummage through my scenic art bags so that I could select any good brushes for painting panto. I really wanted my foot wide roller cage to make basing in and glazing scenery so much quicker, hopefully it will fit the pole Chippy bought for me last time as Mick wasn’t too keen to bring mine back on the train with him. Once my brushes had all been auditioned it was time to re-read panto.

The final draft of the script had landed in my inbox, a few cuts and additions to the props list were needed. I suspect Jo’s Aunt has already knitted the tea cosy for the Dame to wear! This has been cut and replaced with a washing line full of underwear pulled out from beneath the Dames petticoats. Oh well, we’ll just have to take turns in wearing the tea cosy ourselves!

During the afternoon the temperature most probably rose to 29C and chilled medication was called for. As soon as I got a Solero out of the freezer it started to melt, it soon disappeared before I re-read Act 2. Tilly spent quite a bit of time inside this afternoon, but as the temperature dropped in the evening I allowed her to have an extra hour before her dingding. This could have been a mistake, but thankfully she came running before the mad cat woman had to show herself.

The new scissors were tried out and at the moment they are doing very well, a good length of blade and sharpness. Watching the news and Silent Witness got me through at least 600 leaves. Only another 2988 to go!

0 locks, 0 miles, 5 mile walk, 29C, 1 virtual tour of the house, 1 roller cage, 1 long handle, 6 brushes, 1 tray, 3 sets of linen, 1 helpful neighbour, 1 free chilled medication, 2 acts, 3 cuts, 4 additions, 1 sunset, 600 leaves, 0 new blisters, result!

Orphans. 6th September

Radford Smelly

Mick and I compared views as we had our cuppas in bed this morning, his from the back bedroom in Scarborough, mine across the canal as boats started to move off.

As you all know Mick does very yummy cooked breakfasts, but this morning I made myself a pre-Mick breakfast, mushrooms on toast. Yes Mick cooks mushrooms, but not in a white sauce, he shys away from making bechamel sauce. Well he’d enjoyed his pizza last night, so I enjoyed my mushrooms, my excitement also meant my photo was out of focus!

My list of jobs to get done whilst there is that bit more space on board is really quite long, just where to start? I decided to see how my scissors coped with scalloping the edges of the panto leaves. Mum’s dress making sheers are good, but too big for cutting curves. Most other scissors I could find were nowhere near up for the job. The smallest pair, embroidery scissors were wonderfully sharp but too short and get stuck on my thumb. If I was doing maybe 100 leaves this would be fine, but for over 3000! The woman who has numerous pairs of scissors needs another pair.

At midday I checked in for a zoom meeting about #unit21 with the director. The current cost of materials has been a shock, nips and tucks a necessity. If only we had £5000 more we could build a false floor and have flexible neon in it, instead we are looking at some vinyl flooring with the neon lines painted. Some experimentation is needed but I’ll need some UV light to see what works. Looks like I’ll be experimenting whilst at Chippy.

It was far too hot outside after my meeting to head into town, I closed all the curtains and decided to get the remainder of the felt cut into triangles, a job I need all the dinette table for, so best to get it done now.

Checking the gutters and roof out in problem corner

In Scarborough Mick managed to meet a builder, not the one intended, this chap reckons we need to replace guttering and tiles at the back of the house, not a surprise really. After ringing round numerous plumbers has also managed to get one booked, in November!

Over the last couple of days Tilly and I have been pestered by a couple of swans. They are beautiful creatures but lurk outside boat hatches expecting slices of white sliced to be thrown out for them. Their smoking habit of 40 woodbines a day very evident as they try to attract your attention! For those who knew Josie in Bempton, they sound just like her. We do our best not to encourage their demands.

I’ve also noticed three ducklings, a little bit older than toddlers. They swim back and forth with no sign of their mum. Orphans. I’ve chatted with them several times wondering if they are old enough to survive once the cold weather hits, have they learnt enough life skills to survive. Looking around the boat for something to give them porridge oats was the only item on the menu other than very frozen peas. I scattered a handful out of the hatch and they were very much appreciated. A few more sprinklings and I felt I was helping them to survive.

After cutting out another 1000 or so green triangles I spotted that the ducklings had returned, quietly sitting hoping for a few more Scottish Rolled oats. I put some in a bowl so that they were easier at hand and sprinkled a few more onto the surface of the water. They tend to sink after a few seconds so the ducklings had to be quick.

Is it Woodbines or do you prefer cigars?

Looking up I suddenly realised that I now had two extra beaks demanding oats from me! The slight orange from nicotine staining on their white feathers and their long necks that I’d always been warned about as a child ‘They’ll break your arm!’ made me recoil inside the hatch.

Then the penny dropped. I’d been taken for a mug. The ducklings and swans were all in it together! Pulling at my heart strings, dishing out the porridge oats. Had I been conned? Or were the ducklings child labour!

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 step off the boat, 5 curtains drawn, 2 blinds, 12 midday meeting, 1 hot long Tilly, 9 hours very few taken, 2031 triangles, 5 blisters, 3 orphans, 2 Mafioso chain smoking swans, 27 C, 0 BBC1!

Girls In Charge. 5th September

Radford Smelly

Boats pulled away this morning, but we would be staying put. With a change of lodgers at the house one of us needed to head back to Scarborough to get a few jobs done. We’d looked at hiring a car, but Enterprise prices are no longer cheap, not even for a van. The thought is that last year they sold off lots of their cars and now there are not enough to go around. Train fares for the two of us would waste a weeks worth of money from the house, so with his Old Gits rail card Mick was heading up to Yorkshire on his own leaving the girls on board.

I was given a briefing on how to read the remote console for the batteries and in return Mick was briefed on jobs that need doing at the house. We’re hoping he can meet a builder and a plumber to get a few jobs done and whilst he’s away I’m going to take over the dinette table and do some work. The only job that won’t get done at the house is patching up the damp wall in the kitchen as that is most definitely a Pip job.

Leamington Spa Station is a 1.75 mile walk from Radford Smelly, we both walked into town, me deserting Mick to go to the Co-op. He had a five hour train journey ahead of him and I had a leaf factory to kick start.

The wonderful Mudrock cat is still pristine by the student accommodation. It is my favourite graffiti of all time. Leamington Spa encourages and commissions artists to decorate their walls in parts of the town. Unfortunately earlier in the year a group of tag artists used a lot of silver spray paint over the top of quite a few pieces. But new works keep on being created, some very skilled and beautiful, others that just brighten up a dull wall.

As the temperature gradually rose outside I closed curtains to try to keep Oleanna in some shade as there is no tree cover here, good for the solar though. As Tilly went of to explore I cleared the table and got the felt out.

My panto set has portals which are decorated with leaves. We could get them made by a company who specialise in all sorts of leaves stamped out of fabrics with veins and stalks, but I wasn’t after that sort of detail for my panto world. Hence four shades of green felt. Would my scissors be sufficiently sharp to cut through four layers of felt at a time to speed the job up?

I measured out double thickness strips, cut them from the bolt of fabric. Then marked each one up with points of triangles. These were then cut and put in a big bag. By the end of the afternoon I had used half of the felt and had an Ikea bag with over 1500 triangles in it. These now look like the leaves on my model, they just need refining with scalloped edge which I aim to do in front of the tv.

Tilly came and went all afternoon, taking the opportunity to enjoy some shade every now and again. Mick arrived in Scarborough to a very clean and tidy house, we knew it would be as Bill and Alex had left the house spotless last time they stayed. They have now headed over to Stoke to The New Vic for two weeks with The Girl Next Door, the new Alan Ayckbourn play. If you are passing it’s most certainly worth going to see.

During the afternoon Oleanna and one other boat were joined by at least five more boats, some summoning up the energy for Hatton others wanting a nice mooring after their exertions.

Mick was too excited to get the photo in focus!

Whilst I ate the left over moussaka from a couple of days ago, Mick tucked into a fully glutenised pizza from Pizza Tempo with accompanying garlic bread. This used to be his favourite, but with me in tow he doesn’t get to enjoy it very often. It will last him two nights.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 3 miles walked, 6 hours shore leave, 2 shades green, 1557 triangles, 1 full bag, 1 blister, 1 spotless house, 2 girls left in charge, 1 stunning cat, 1 beautiful Tilly.

Felt Rendez Vous. 4th September

Wood Lock to Radford Smelly Christmas 2019 mooring

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The black boat and figures are no longer by the bridge

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

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

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

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

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

Puzzle. 3rd September

Bickley’s Bridge to below Wood Lock 19

Another morning of pleas at the back door, Tilly was given an hour of shore leave whilst we had breakfast, today she didn’t get distracted but did require mad cat woman to call for her. With all three of us onboard we pushed of around 10:30.

First stop the water point and bins by Bascote Bridge. A dish washer load had been going, once that was so far through it’s cycle the washing machine was put on, Tilly’s pooh box had a good clean and rubbish was disposed of. Shortly before the water tank made it’s ‘I’m full!’ boom we could hear NB Hadar approaching, they and their families hire boat pulled in to wait for the services.

Bascote Staircase requires the top chamber to be full and the bottom to be empty, there will always be one chamber requiring to be set, this morning it looked like we were following someone as the top needed filling. As Mick brought Oleanna into the top chamber Hadar and family were approaching, hand signals suggested they’d be descending together, one of the crew came to join us to help us down.

Heading to the last of the Bascote flight

The next two locks also required filling before we could enter and they are just a touch too far to walk ahead to set and come back to open and close gates. Behind us the Hadar crew worked well with their extra pairs of hands.

The chilled medication sign is now tucked away at Welsh Road Lock, instead you can buy half a dozen eggs for £2. In the back garden there is a model railway set all laid out, just a bit too far away to have a good look.

As we worked our way down the lock we could hear Hadars engine thumping away in the distance, or was it getting closer? I think the only time we couldn’t hear it was when it was stationary.

The next pound is where HS2 will cross. Huge earth works are on going here, on the south bank of the canal a digger perched high up flattening out an embankment. To the north you can certainly see the route the line will take through a dip in the hillside, is this a man made or natural dip?

Wood Lock always seems to be the shabbiest of the locks along this stretch, the paintwork peeling off the paddle gear. We worked our way down pulling in a short distance below the lock, this would do us for the day and we’d be able to let Hadar and family go past.

Yesterday I’d asked for my panto felt order to be chased as it still hadn’t arrived, well that was how it seemed at my end, no parcel had arrived for Lizzies attention. Mid morning I was forwarded a copy of the signature the delivery driver had received, most certainly not Lizzies. But if someone had signed for it, last Thursday, where was it?!

Lizzie and the chaps at Unusual checked everywhere again, but there was nothing. Oh blimey! I was starting to write an email when I got a message from Lizzie, she’d found the parcel, at The Wharf pub across the road! Their address is very similar, but the parcel did say Unusual on it, oh well now we just needed to sus out getting it to us without being too much hassle for Lizzie. A rendez vous tomorrow lunchtime was made, a what3words location sent, we just have to get there in time.

Plenty of boats have came past us during the afternoon, including one called Puzzle. ‘Didn’t we share some of the Trent and Mersey with that boat? A lady with her daughter?’ Don’t know why I ever ask Mick such things, but I do. Looking back through photographs there was NB Puzzle back in June, but were the colours on the cabin side the other way round from the one I’d just seen? Maybe, maybe not. Cream top and bottom with black in between. Or had it been black top and bottom with cream in between? Could there have been two boats built at the same time, both called Puzzle but painted the negative of each other? Could this be why they were called Puzzle so people would be puzzled about if they’d seen the boat before or not.

Wish I’d taken a photo now!

6 locks, 2.6 miles, 1 thumping boat behind, HS2, 5.75 hours, 1 dropping pound, 4 paddles checked, 1 boater puzzled, 1 parcel at the pub, 4 shades of green, 1 week late.

https://goo.gl/maps/pau5m5r7TcHR2jMt5

Time Travellers, 2nd September

Daventry Road Bridgeish to Bickley’s Bridge 26

Tilly was given an hour to head off into the friendly cover as she was pleading at the back door and we didn’t plan on going too far today. An hour and a bit later she returned after being called (!) only to plead at the back door once again. She’d got distracted and been far too busy to deal with the matter in hand, given the choice she’d rather use shore based facilities than her pooh box.

We pushed off passing Willow Wren Training. Here they have added some camping pods on their campsite, they also have some small self catering rooms. Another possible location for a party, more research required.

Training boat in the bywash, two boats in the lock

At the top of the Stockton Flight we could see a boat just heading into the lock to go down, was our luck in? No, another boat pulled in alongside them. Oh well, hopefully having left our arrival until after 11 we hoped we’d meet quite a few boats coming up the flight saving work all round.

The lock emptied and below it we could hear the thump thump thump from NB Hadar. The lock below had just brought two boats up, Hadar and a hire boat with their family aboard were breasted up and now there were the two boats that had just gone down the top lock. Six boats in one short pound, each needing to get out of the way of the others to get to where they all needed to be.

Add into this mix one boat that had just gone down the top lock was winding to come back up. Eventually it all sorted itself out, one lock bringing two boats up, one lock taking the breasted boats down, two boats waiting for the locks to be in their favour again, both facing opposite directions.

The chap waiting to head down the locks came up to chat with us, yes we would be going all the way down the flight and not just winding after one. Hooray we both had a partner. Once we were down the top lock we teamed up with the chap a single hander who looked like he’d come up from London (Lee Navigation protest posters in his windows). He was obviously very experienced, hopping on and off his boat when needed, closing gates, lifting paddles.

Quite a few of the locks had uphill boats, but there were the inevitable locks set against us. I headed on down to set them returning to close a gate behind the two boats.

One coming up, two going down, and one waiting below

Hadar were keeping ahead having three crew at the locks. At one point there were two empty locks between us and a boat was just about to come into the bottom of them. Should I set the one ahead of us or wait for the uphill boat to come up two locks? I opened the bottom gate and waited for the uphill boat, which meant I got a little rest, we’d been working at quite an efficient pace downhill!

Grandparents daughter and grandson were heading up, keeping a steady pace working the locks. This gave us just that bit longer to rest. Then we were off again, the next couple of locks sat waiting for us.

There had been little time to chat to the chap we were sharing with, but at the last two locks (of our day) we had a bit more time. He was heading for Birmingham, maybe a bit further and would carry on down hill today. He thanked us for our help, I thanked him for his, although he didn’t think he’d done much.

Off he headed towards Bascote Staircase, we pootled along past the pubs to find the moorings beyond Bickley’s Bridge 26 empty so we tied to the first rings. Should my panto order have arrived today then we’d be able to either reverse to the pub or carry on to the next water point to collect it.

With the internet being temperamental round here the photos of my model had taken forever to upload, I even left the computer on as we cruised today hoping it would all happen if I wasn’t watching the computer. Thankfully this had worked so I could let people see the model.

A walk into the village for a couple of bits of shopping had us walking across the fields and popping out into Long Itchington close to where the blue plaque for Jacob Von Hogflume hangs on a house. Back in 2015 we came across the plaque and I wondered if I could find anything else about Jacob.

Kit Ward claims to have had a couple of drinks with the time traveller. Link

He also has a twitter account Link where recently he has been discussing the heights of historic figures such as Henry VIII and his wives.

Jacob is not the only time traveller marked with a blue plaque. Of course there are a series of Dr Who actors, Jon Pertwee, William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton. But there is also Professor Ralph Deeson in Glasgow and Niloc Semaj in Brecon.

10 locks, 9 shared, 2.58 miles, 6 in a pound, 2 outsides, 4 hours to upload, 1 Viking, 2 boxes, 1 meeting, 2169 resident.

https://goo.gl/maps/CrrUdEAPnbk6MJZT6

Bear Crew. 1st September

Nethercote Bridge 101 to Daventry Road Bridgeish 19, Grand Union Canal

A slower start today, the grey in the sky putting us off pushing off. We watched the gold silver final of Boccia in Tokyo over breakfast, catching a glimpse of Fran, Mick’s niece every now and then. Gold for David Smith! A farmer in the field opposite was trimming the hedges and as we passed we admired the sunflowers in a wide border of wild flowers, just about the only colour we got to see today.

I hopped off at Bridge 108 to walk to the junction. Crab apples are starting to fall from the trees, leaving areas of the towpath a touch treacherous in places. The blackberries around here seem to be a touch later in ripening than those on the South Oxford, there will be so many of them in a week or two.

Just before Napton Junction I spotted a new set of steps leading through the hedge. This leads to Wigrams Camp Site, I was walking so as to have a nosy. The site was empty today, but I could see the service block and the camping field, not as big as I’d imagined, I wonder how many motorcaravans and tents they would accommodate?

I walked round and checked down the Grand Union, no boat in sight so I gave Mick a thumbs up to make the turn.

Next to the camp site there is a holiday cottage for 2 and a B&B with several double rooms and a summer house. All very interesting! Further enquiries are needed.

I walked on down to Calcutt Locks, a couple of boats had just left the top one, so we pulled in. A boat had just been pulling away from a mooring so we waited to see whether they would join us, but they just came towards the lock and winded. We descended on our own as another boat was waiting to come up.

The locks were quite busy, another pair coming up the second lock, one turning in to top up on diesel the other carried on upwards. By now there was another boat waiting to come down so we waited for them to catch us up with their teddy bear captain sat on the roof.

The lady asked how long we’d been out, I said ‘since May and you?’ ‘Since Saturday’, they had been for a jaunt up to Dunchurch Pools and were now heading back to their mooring below the locks. She also asked if there was a winding hole above the Stockton Flight, they’d never been that way. Descending the two locks I almost got her full life history, I managed to keep my urge to open gates at bay despite them being ready for a good five minutes.

As they turned into Ventnor we waved towards NB Herbie and carried on. Passing all the old workboats around Tomlow Road Bridge, Gort looks like it’s had a nice new paint job.

Not much further on we pulled up before Gibraltar Bridge, this would mean that if my delivery arrived with Lizzie today we’d be able to meet her at The Boat a few bridges on, but if not Tilly would have fields to play in for the afternoon.

A load of washing was hung out on the whirligig. I made some scale model actors for my model and took photographs to send to the Director.

Mick climbed into the engine bay to tighten the stern gland and see why we seem to be getting quite a lot of water in the bilge at the moment. He discovered that the greaser (which you turn every day to help keep the stern gland water tight) hadn’t been working. The new bits he’d added and old pipe weren’t working so well. So he rejigged everything and with a different combination of bits he got it working again. This should now help stop so much water from coming in as the prop rotates.

This evening we’ve watched a second programme regarding 9/11. Yesterdays programme had been about several survivors and todays was the day of President Bush. Both programmes had us transfixed to the TV and were very moving. It feels like only yesterday that I was in the paint shop at the SJT chatting to Mick’s sister Kath when Stephen Wood came in and told us that the twin towers had collapsed.

3 locks, 4.88 miles, 1 right, 1 gold medal, 1 bear, 55.5 possible venue, 1 stern gland greased, 9 model people, 30 photos, 1 very slow internet connection, 5.25 hours shore leave, 2 moving transfixing programmes.

https://goo.gl/maps/VMjsrann1c9XnPQM8

Burger And Chips. 31st August

Norton Junction to Nethercote Bridge 101, Grand Union Oxford Section.

Mick walked up to the service block and cottage at the top of the locks with the Brompton to wait for our shopping to arrive. The driver rang in advance to ask where we were, his local being The New Inn at the top lock. He delivers to lots of boats and would have been happy to drive down to the C&RT yard for us, a very jolly chap.

It took a while to stow the shopping, so whilst I did that Mick pulled us forwards to fill the water tank. Boats were already on the move, the moorings round the bend reorganising themselves to gain the view.

Think an emissions test should be brought in!

A short boat came past us, meeting another coming through the bridge hole from Braunston, the short boat span round to the left avoiding any collision, good job they were short. They corrected themselves and carried on towards the tunnel soon to be followed by us.

In the tunnel we managed to hold back before the 400m mark and big kink to avoid two of the three boats coming towards us, we then powered on to get past the kink before the next boat came past.

With no sign of anyone following us we hoped a boat would be waiting above the locks to share. As we arrived we checked with a hire boat, they were staying put. Then the short boat we’d followed through the tunnel, they were having lunch before descending. Oh well, we’d be on our own.

Just as two uphill boats came out of the lock the short boat changed his mind, he’d come with us. The chap did his fare share, closing gates, winding paddles, whilst down below his partner was busy.

We passed a few uphill boats, me walking ahead to set those that needed it and coming back to open a gate for the boats to exit by. I could now see what the lady below on the short boat was busy with, burger and chips accompanied by a thick slice of white sliced bread and butter. Coo they looked good! She vanished with her plate leaving the chaps for an opportune moment.

They moor somewhere on the River Soar and were part way through doing the Leicester Ring with no maps other than Google maps on his phone. I suppose you can’t really go too wrong, clockwise you need to keep going right, anti clockwise left, just so long as you don’t turn down the Ashby.

The chap managed to get his burger and chips to eat as we approached the Admiral Nelson. Oooo they looked good, so did the chips at the pub! The lady stepped off and had a look round, then was picked back up below the lock, gold sandals not the ideal crew footware.

The chap kept single handing and we used one gate to exit to reduce the work load. What a shame there were no burgers and chips for us. Maybe we’ll find a suitable pub soon to make up for it.

We pulled in before Butchers Bridge for our measly lunch, then pushed on to Braunston Turn where we turned left. A couple of miles on we found a spot to ourselves with views to the south and suitable sideways trees for Tilly. Mick lit the stove for the second night in a row, it is now autumn isn’t it?!

I spent a couple of hours hanging sliding doors and adding a green neon line to my #unit21 model. This will need a touch of adjustment but is more than enough for a white card model to show the director.

Horticulturalists out there, what should I do with my wild strawberry plants? They obviously are unlikely to fruit again this year, but they have sent out numerous numerous babies. They obviously survive in the wild, so is there a way of keeping them happy over autumn, winter and into the spring please? Any tips would be gratefully received.

6 locks, 6.61 miles, 8 boxes under the back steps, 1 good deed via escapees, 1 right, 1 left, 1 tunnel, 3 passed, 2 mysterons, 2 plates of burger and chips, 2 hungry boaters, 2hrs 15 mins shore leave, 1 model just about there, 1 vat of chilli.

https://goo.gl/maps/eFZRCTKcY3tw3VsaA

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna

Category Archives: Cats on the Cut

Twenty Two Turns. 9th September

Our Burger And Chips. 8th September

Cutting The Tea Cosy. 7th September

Orphans. 6th September

Girls In Charge. 5th September

Felt Rendez Vous. 4th September

Puzzle. 3rd September

Time Travellers, 2nd September

Bear Crew. 1st September

Burger And Chips. 31st August