Category Archives: Cats

The C Word. 27th September

Hall Green Lock to Bosley Bottom Lock 12

No rush this morning, mainly because it was raining! We laid in bed with our Saturday newspaper as the temperature outside dropped, it was cold. Other boaters were out and about. We heard the click click click of the lock paddle gear being wound a few times. On one occasion this was soon followed by shouting, the sound of an engine that got closer far too quickly to be passing moored boats and the approach to a lock! We peeked out of the window to see a boat very close to us. Then the name came past as the chap at the helm carried on shouting to the boat that was leaving the lock to leave the gates open. It was the ramming boat from the Staffs and Worcester the other day. Inside Oleanna we both used the same expletive.

We pulled back and filled the water tank as the rain eased off and eventually the sun came out. Hooray! We have a schedule to keep to and need to do around 4 hours a day, come rain or shine, so it was better that it was shining.

Today we pootled onwards, the long pound all nine miles of it heading towards Bosley Locks. Currently there are time restrictions on the locks to help conserve water on the summit pound so we’d not be able to pass up the locks today. Our aim however was to moor on the River Dane Aqueduct so as to be ready for the flight in the morning.

With a zoom meeting arranged with the Production Manager of panto we needed to keep going and not stop for lunch, which suited Tilly better.

Soon we were going under the first of the lovely bridges. Oh those curves!

A first glimpse of Mow Cop, maybe next time we’ll actually walk up there if we can find enough puff.

Bridge 87 not only has the lovely curves, it also is built on a skew and for some reason the stonework seems to be more eroded than on other bridges. Maybe the stone came from a softer layer.

Ramsdell Hall and Tilly’s railings. We’d thought of carrying on to moor here yesterday, but chances were that it would have been full when we got here. Of course today it was far too early to stop at such a nice mooring.

The curvy bridges come thick and fast, all lined up, framing the view up the canal and themselves.

Billy Tights Bridge still makes us wonder how it got it’s name. He sounds like he should have been part of Mr Kites performing troop on Sergeant Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band. PS this used to be a swing bridge.

Lamberts Lane Bridge 77 is the first snake/roving bridge. Not quite as pleasing as those in Macclesfield and Marple but a good preview of what’s to come. The great white wall of Congleton then shows it’s face opposite the visitor moorings.

Today a large bough of tree lay across the towpath and into the canal. Last nights wind must have brought this down. Already parts of it had been sawn up and stowed on the bows of surrounding boats. Thankfully it doesn’t look like anyone had been moored beneath it.

Over the aqueduct to bridge 76 another snake bridge, followed by a busy stretch of moorings below the pub. Bridges after bridges follow, criss crossing road and rail high above us.

A long straight stretches out in front. In the distance we could see a boat heading away from us, then one coming towards. The water point had a couple of work boats tied at the end, a large pile of dark aggregate looked like it was going to be loaded for towpath works.

We passed a boat with a snoozing cat in the cratch, could that have been Betty or Olga? Shame not to have seen Ben to say hello.

At Crossley Hall Farm, where the painted cow used to sit, I was glad to see NB Blanche on it’s mooring. Boatwif’s blog of a few days ago had suggested the boat no longer moored there, but they must have been out and about. A great shame the cow has gone though.

Coming towards us had been several boats over the last hour or so and we half expected there to be a few moored below the Bosley Flight. One boat faced away from the locks at the end of the moorings, the rest was empty. Just where to pull up? I suggested we should sit at the end nearest the locks, claiming pole position for the morning. The views still pretty good.

A while after we arrived the hire boat we’d followed through the tunnel yesterday arrived, shouting to make themselves heard over their engine. They were getting ready to climb the flight. Mick popped out to give them the bad news that the locks were closed. ‘WHAT!’ was the reply. He then mentioned it was to do with saving water and the lady calmed down a touch. They’d been wanting to reach Macclesfield before winding to return to Stone, if they waited till the morning for the locks they wouldn’t have enough time to get back to base. After a while they ascended the first lock winded and headed back towards Congleton a pint at the pub to console themselves.

Time to get ready for my zoom meeting, which got postponed by an hour. Mick made himself scarce as had Tilly so that there were no distractions. Finally I had a meeting that could/should have happened at least a month ago. Details of the set finally being discussed. Currently there is nowhere for me to do a weeks painting booked. One possible in a village nearer Banbury than Chipping Norton, ideal if the boat was on the South Oxford this year, but not so good when she’ll be much much further north.

If anyone knows of a dry, reasonably warm space with lights and water near Chipping Norton that I could use for a weeks painting from the 18th October, please shout out. I’m clean and tidy and would make you some sausage rolls as a thank you!

PS The C word today was Curve

0 locks, 8.78 miles, 44 bridges, 1 wet start, 1 dry day, 1 full water tank, 220 curves, 3.5 hours! 2 pounds low, 5 sets of gates closed, 4m or 4.15m? 4 or 5 D rings? 1 problematic sight line, 1st in line for the morning, 1st top bought, 0 other boats.

https://goo.gl/maps/nhhizBxX962sT8Py6

Old Friends. 26th September

Brook House Winding Hole to Hall Green Footbridge 93, Macclesfield Canal

With Harecastle Tunnel booked for this afternoon we didn’t want to be sat in queues at the locks into Stoke today, the alarm was set and we pushed off with our first cuppas in hand at 7:30am. Slowly and quietly past the other moored boats, a little glimpse of Barlaston Hall, we can still dream, and on past Wedgewood.

Trentham Lock was almost in our favour, we helped set it for the first boat soon to come towards us. Then we were on the long pound heading in towards Stoke.

I headed below to prepare breakfast, it being Sunday and an early start we deserved bacon butties, with a few mushrooms and ketchup.

The hot dog on legs and Shooting Range are still there. The wood clad boat now has weeds, maybe intentional, growing in it’s gutters (wonder if we’ve had a quote for the gutters in Scarborough yet?) and Shufflebottoms has had the bank side seriously cut back. Owls and Halloween graffiti have been added to the walls along with a lot of scrawl.

Stoke Bottom Lock soon came into view. This huge concrete structure kind of fits it’s surroundings of the A500 Queensway and the house alongside it, today only five vehicles parked in the drive and on the road. This lock and the next four are currently being locked up overnight as vandals have been emptying pounds. We arrived at 9:30 so this wasn’t a problem for us.

No train for us whilst in the lock today

A train sped past over Cockshute’s Lock just before we arrived. Boaters hope to get a photo of their boat in the lock as a train passes, I wonder if train drivers keep a tally of how many narrowboats they get to see here?

A couple of fishermen were set up on the towpath in the next pound, I got my first ‘Ay up Duck’ as I walked ahead to the next lock. Here the lock was half full, or half empty and the first downhill boat was approaching. I was there first so lifted the paddles to empty it. If I’d known that it was a single hander I’d most probably have filled it and helped lock them down. The lady was very chatty and said she was being followed by several boats, the first one being a hire boat that she’d had to go back and help as they were doing their best to adjust water levels with all four paddles open on the top lock.

Johnson’s Lock is just round a bend, so the line of sight from it isn’t good, the gates were just opening as I came into view, chance to holler up to leave the gates for us. Above the next boat sat waiting in the short pound, another single hander who’d come to help the hirers whilst he waited. All downhill boats today were heading back to moorings, their summer cruises coming to an end.

We rose as another boat descended Stoke Top Lock, then some do-ci-doing happened to move the three boats round each other and we were on our way up to the summit of the Trent and Mersey. As another boat was waiting to come down we didn’t get a chance to drop off rubbish at Etruria Junction bins and we didn’t fancy turning or backing down to them, so it could wait for the next ones.

The huge wasteland that has laid dormant for as long as we can remember is starting to show signs of redevelopment a new bridge crosses the canal to link it to east.

A group huddled around a large sign where the canal used to have an arm. Burslem Branch Canal used to head off here to the north, a trust was set up in 2011 with an aim of restoring and regenerating the branch.

A new footpath has been opened this year connecting the old port to Middleport and an artwork showing what the area was most probably like just before the branch breached in 1961 which saw it’s closure. So many bottle kilns.

Along the towpath is a long mural, the painters fuelled with oatcakes. It makes for a far jollier scene than the fence used to be.

Middleport Pottery stands bold and proud, showing buildings in the area just what they could become. We still haven’t visited, so it has been added to the ‘next time’ list. Stoke Boats had plenty of boats out on the hard, one looking like it needs quite a bit of tlc, another being jet washed to within an inch of it’s life.

Under Bridge 127A. Up ahead we could see a small flag fluttering on the stern of a boat, far smaller than we’d expected from a member of the Flag Bubble! There sat Barry by NB AreandAre and Sandra reading an information board. We’d known they’d be here and shouted out ‘Veg Box delivery!’ Last year in Lockdown 1 they were moored close to us at the bottom of Hurleston Locks, we became a little community on our ‘home’ moorings.

We pulled up in the next space, thankfully plenty available at this time of day. Chance for a catch up with them and get to meet one of their grandsons. Barry had his greeting cards on display for sale, so we bought a few and had a go at the raffle, winning another card. It was very good to see them again after their elongated trip to New Zealand last year.

We’d arrived in plenty of time for our next rendez vous. The well deck contents were stowed in the shower, strawberry plants popped on the roof. Gosh there’s a lot of space in there! Just before 2pm we walked back to say our farewells to NB AreandAre and to await our visitors, Bill and Lisa.

Lisa used to be a Stage Manager in Scarborough and Bill is an actor who has lived in our house much of this summer. They have recently moved to Stoke so it was an opportunity to meet up not to be missed.

We pushed off and headed onwards towards Harecastle Tunnel. At the moment you can just turn up in the morning and join the queue to go through, or you can book passage in the afternoon. We were joined by a hire boat and another behind, neither had booked but were added to our passage. We were given the safety briefing, nothing new from our last trip through, horn and light tested.

Life jackets were handed out and because Mick would be at the stern by himself we equipped ourselves with walkie talkies. A few years ago a tragic accident happened in the tunnel when the chap at the helm bumped his head on one of the tunnel profile changes and fell in. His wife was below and didn’t notice anything until the boat started to bump the sides. So it’s best to keep talking to each other to make sure you are there. We acknowledge each other, even when stood close at the stern, every 100m (this is also a bit of a joke between us pointing out the direction of the closest exit).

Bill, Lisa and I sat in the well deck and chatted our way through the tunnel, catching up on all sorts. After the third boat entered the tunnel the doors at the southern end were closed, the fans cranked up and the flow of cold air could be felt coming past us. Harecastle has no ventilation shafts so the air is moved using the fans.

Sitting the bow is a whole different experience from being at the stern. Having your head around about 4ft lower in the tunnel and not looking over the cabin top makes it seem cavernous. I was waiting for it to get really tight, it got a touch smaller, but never tight at the pointy end of Oleanna. Water Explorer has our passage through the tunnel at 45 minutes, not bad as we were following the hire boat, the chap at the helm not having done so for thirty years.

Popping out the northern portal we slowed whilst the hire boat worked out which way they were going. They wanted to go right, the lady kept pointing that way, but to do that you have to go left first. They turned and we followed only to come face to face with a boat wanting to exit the junction. Mick made sure he informed NB Bethany May who were following us from the tunnel as we apologised to the on coming boat.

The canal turned over the top of the Trent and Mersey and we managed to find space on the aqueduct for a cuppa. It had been lovely having Bill and Lisa with us for the trip, hopefully we’ll get to see them next time we come through the area.

They were given directions back to Kidsgrove Station via the Trent and Mersey canal. Our trip from Westport Lake had taken an hour and three quarters, journey back would take 15 minutes by rail replacement bus, plus the walk.

We decided to move on a touch further and get onto the Macclesfield Canal properly. On the next stretch of moorings there were a couple of familiar boats from Lockdown 1 and ‘Home’. The Pooh Boat with it’s toys in the windows and ducks on the roof, wonder if their dog still barks as they come in to moor each time? Then a touch further on was NB Plum, Solar Afloat who was one of the Flag Bubble with Barry and Sandra. Next door was The Toastie Boat who turned up to Hurleston at the end of our time there.

Onwards to Hall Green Lock, the stop lock between the Trent and Mersey and Macclesfield canals, all 1ft 3″ of it. We pulled in just past the water point and quickly got our Sunday dinner in the oven, roast chicken, Yum!

7 locks, 12.67 miles, 2 canals, 1.5 miles of tunnel, 1 straight, 1 left, 2 go right, 3 lockdown boats, 12 years, 4 cards, 2 SJT friends, 0 shore leave! 1 roast chicken, 1 long day, 1 lovely day.

https://goo.gl/maps/akC4JrQPvgcwJKBL8

Two For Every One, or No Rounding Up The Foxes! 25th September

Stone Bottom Lock Winding Hole to Brook House Winding Hole

A restock for the next few days was in order and M&S Foodhall called. Yes we could have walked to Morrisons and saved ourselves a few pennies, but the time factor was more important. We were still quarter of an hour late to join the Geraghty zoom after which it was time to head off and climb up through Stone.

Star Lock was mostly set against us, so I topped it up for a single hander who was coming down. Mick brought Oleanna into the lock and as I closed the bottom gates a lady from the next down hill boat arrived, she stood by the gate paddle and said something. Engines and leaking gates meant I couldn’t hear her so I asked her to wait and then asked her to wind the ground paddle up rather than the gate which she seemed keen to do. I’d rather do the gate paddle myself, yes the locks are long and Oleanna can sit towards the back of the lock, but I’d still rather know that the water wasn’t coming into our bow.

As often on bottom gate paddles these were painted white, so that you can see if the paddle is down fully from the other end of the lock. I’d already spotted one hadn’t looked quite right and checked it when the single hander had gone down, so I knew it was closed. But Mick didn’t. As Oleanna got to a height where he could step off he did so with a windlass, lifted the pawl and tried winding the paddle down. The lady from the boat ahead was totally aghast at how STUPID someone could be to be emptying the lock they were coming up in! I explained that he was just checking it was down, I knew it was down, but he didn’t.

With a boat waiting to come up behind us Mick informed them that there was one waiting to come down, even if it was waiting by the lock above and not obvious about it’s intentions!

Yard Lock was already full again a second boat starting to come down. As I walked up I realised it was Helen from NB Avalon 2. We shared some of the locks on the Regents Canal a few years ago and moored behind them at The Globe Inn at Linslade four years back. We had a chat and I realised I’d not seen her blog for a while, she has moved it to blogger and our blog roll needed updating. If you ever want to know where to go for a decent pint on the network Helen’s blog is the one to follow. Nice to see you Helen and have a good trip southwards.

Above the lock a boat was about to turn into the boatyard for some welding as another arrived behind it. Today the flow on the Four Counties was most definitely clockwise, for each lock we did there were two boats coming down. This did however mean not having to close gates behind us.

Newcastle Road Lock with its horse tunnel

The new Joules Brewery pub, Crown Wharf, looks very enticing. A new build with plenty of space both inside and out, shame we’ve a schedule to keep to.

I like Lime Kiln Lock as you can stand below on the bridge to open and close the gates. Here we met another two downhill boats. Busy!

A cat watched us from a window sill as we crossed the longish pound to the Meaford Locks. The bottom two just about empty, but so was the pound between them. This necessitated running some water down for Oleanna to get over the cill, thankfully the level in the next pound was good.

Only one boat coming down the four locks and we swapped right in the middle pound. A lunch break was required so we made use of some armco a short distance on. Our aim for the day had been to get up Trentham Lock, leaving the final ascent up into Stoke for tomorrow, but being as close as we could. But the rather nice moorings just after the Plume of Feathers pulled us in, a popular place.

Tilly had an extra rule before she disembarked for the afternoon, ‘No Rounding up Foxes!’ She once refused to come home for hours after dark here. I could hear her bell and noises that suggested that she and a fox were having a stand off and I think she had it cornered!

However, She was far too interesting to leave this afternoon. She emptied the well deck and gave it all a jolly good wash and dry all over. Some things were hidden away, others put on the roof where I had to keep guard. She was very busy! We’re expecting visitors who may be better off sitting up at the front, so the layers of mud needed removing. This was followed by a quick sweep through. All spick and span again, well as spick and span as we get!

9 locks, 4 miles, 10 downhill boats, 1 blogger, 4 zoomers, 1 newspaper, 1 chicken, 3.5 hours, 1 clean welldeck, 2 many patches of rust, 1 supervisor, 0 foxes.

https://goo.gl/maps/ApTLdRSQ6WVTJgwW9

Geeses Goosing. 24th September

Swivel Bridge 108 to Stone Bottom Lock winding hole, Trent and Mersey

I left Mick to push off by himself this morning as I walked up to the junction of the Staffordshire and Worcester with the Trent and Mersey Canal. Just round the bend was a little green boat, bunting up, signs out, Kay was setting up to trade over the weekend.

Kay on NB Pea Green has had a busy summer teaming up with another boat from Napton, NB Corridor, and has cruised from Welford on the Leicester Section, up to the Shropie and then has carried on up to Ellesmere Port on her own, doing pop up shops at weekends. I met Kay via Instagram a few years back, today was the second time we’d met face to face, but there was still plenty to talk about.

Kay paints and sells canal ware and other things with traditional roses and castles. Being a painter I can appreciate the skill and technique that goes into her work, a Bucky Can can take ten days to paint. But Kay also has two Master Degrees in History, her love of the past sings out in her Instagram posts and blogs during the winter.

We had a great catch up as she set up her shop for the days trading. When someone came to talk Buckby Cans I slid away leaving her to it, by which time Mick had turned left at the junction and managed to slot straight onto the water point as another boat pulled away.

Mick headed to the Elsan with the yellow water as the other water tank filled. I disposed of the rubbish in the bins. Last time I’d been around the bins I’d just returned from Stafford Hospital with a boot and crutches for my broken ankle, the Margees helped out that day by moving Lillian to and from the services and then demonstrating their skills on crutches. Today the aroma from the pump out machine was still toe curling!

Boats came past, came out from the junction, some wanting water others a mooring, plenty of space in front of Kay. We pushed off again leaving the water point queue to sort itself out behind us.

As we passed Great Haywood Marina we spied NB Percy who’s here for a short stint for blacking and a survey. Soon we reached Hoo Mill Lock. One boat was waiting to go up another to come down, I helped them both then it was our turn. Some serious pruning has been going on around the lock.

On the Ingestre Visitor Moorings there was a boat with crochet stars around its bow doors and filled with woolly sunflowers. Maybe this is where the hearts on lock beams come from, fresh ones at the locks today.

Someone has created several tree houses further up which look in better nick than the showman’s caravan.

We joined the back of a queue at Weston Lock and I went up to help. With no boats waiting above we left a ten second gap for one to appear around the bend before closing the top gate to drop the lock ready for the next boat. By the time it was our turn another boat was waiting behind us. The Four Counties Ring seems to be more popular in the anti clockwise direction at the moment.

Bees were being busy both in the hedgerows and at their hives. Ivy flowers seem to be very popular with them at the moment, all the hedges are are buzzing!

Dark clouds, green fields and sunshine make for dramatic views at this time of year, we were quite glad that no rain followed.

Salt Bridge and a check on Dante as we passed on our way to Sandon Lock. At the lock a green fence now sits on top of the little wall by the bottom gates, this was cordoned off for ages but now looks neat and tidy.

Being back on the Trent and Mersey Canal means Canadian Geese, they always seem to swarm round this canal. Fields were full of them bickering, we suggested that maybe they should just ‘Go home and stop stealing our geese’s goosing!’

Approaching Aston Marina, soon to be the new home of NB Winding Down, the bow of another Carefree Shareboat came out from the exit. They disturbed a gaggle of geese as they turned towards Stone and the entrance to the marina. They must have been to fill with diesel and have a pump out and were now returning to their mooring, Aston Marina is one way with the services in the middle.

Aston Lock with the half way mile marker between Preston Brook and Shardlow. The little hut just over the wall is still one of my favourite things on the T&M. I’d quite like to live in there with the fire going.

Approaching Stone I hopped off to walk ahead to spy for moorings. Nothing available on the first stretch, I called back to Mick suggesting pulling in at the end of the moored boats whilst I walked on towards Star Lock in case. Nothing was free up that end so we’d be the end boat for the night. Tilly was quite happy about this as there was a good selection of trees. She was a bit miffed at only being allowed an hour and a half though!

4 locks, 9.62 miles, 1 left, 1 long chat, 1 Monty inside, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 1 stinking service point, 1 constant queue, 1 duck with 4 legs, 2 many geese, 1 Dante, 1 cow, 0 spaces.

https://goo.gl/maps/kPfv5gqPrcTg1SUi9

Just Like A Car Park. 23rd September

Roseford Bridge 94 to Swivel Bridge 108

We had to wait to pull out this morning, boats coming in both directions, there had already been about eight boats go past heading northwards, most now familiar as we keep leapfrogging them. Eventually we pushed off and arrived behind NB First Dawn a BCBM share boat at Deptmore Lock. We helped lock them down then bring another up before it was our turn.

The morning was lovely, sun with a touch of cloud, the boat ahead had similar ideas to us, if there was space at Tixall Wide we’d stop for the day, if not we’d continue to the Trent and Mersey.

Passing Stafford Boat Club, NB Festina Lente was moored online, we’ve never met them but said hello as we passed, nobody heard us. Then the odd pram cover on NB Malakarti came into view, this was one of the last Steve Hudson boats to be built and the original owners discovered that their Huskies got seasick, so it was sold on fairly quickly. It is one of the boats that we got to see a lot of during Lockdown 1 as it was moored on Nantwich Aqueduct all the time.

Once past Radford Bridge I was onto slightly unfamiliar water. Our first cruise along here on NB Winding Down I’d had to jump ship for a day to head to Hull Truck for a read through, leaving Mick and his sister Kath to carry on to Stone. Another occasion I’d just broken my ankle, so was confined to quarters with Tilly, Mick single handing above. This is also a stretch where I seem to get busy below as it’s a good break between locks. On one occasion Mick remembers wafts of stew coming from below at 9:30am as I popped things in a slow cooker. Another time he thinks I was doing some work below. So maybe today is the first time I’ve actually been up top.

The sign to RCR was familiar but not the Stafford Riverway Link, the lock down to it currently being worked on.

I’d never seen the homemade train by NB Abba.

Milford Bridge is a roving bridge, with almost full curving lines, but still not as pretty as the Macc bridges. Across the River Sow Aqueduct I did a Gyles (Gyles Brandreth on Great Canal Journeys), ducking my head to avoid the view.

Soon we arrived at Tixall Lock, the cream paint of the lock cottage glowing in the sunshine. We helped NB First Dawn down, as the weather was so nice they had decided to carry on to the T&M, we’d also leap frogged several other boats that had passed us this morning, maybe there might be space for us at Tixall Wide?!

Our approach to the wide summed up what the stretch of popular moorings would be like. Some boats moored nose to tail, others having gaps both in front and behind. On such a popular mooring if we pulled into a big gap we’d certainly have pulled up to the next boat and not plonked ourselves in the middle. We’d also nudge up if we found ourselves left with git gaps after other boats had moved on.

There were two possible gaps we might have squeezed into, but it all felt like a giant car park for boats, did we really want to squeeze in, we know that the view is lovely, but! It didn’t take us long to decide to continue onwards leaving the masses.

There was space just after Swivel Bridge so we pulled in mooring at the end of a piece of armco leaving space between us and the bridge. Tilly was given 4.5 hours shore leave. We think she liked it as she didn’t return for two hours, then missed dingding time!

The whirligig was put to good use with two loads of washing drying and I sat down to get my head around what paint I needed to order for panto. Quite a long list and one I need to try to prune a touch before emailing it onwards. One thing that I discovered is that you can at last get Bio Glitter from a well known theatrical chandlers. I’ve avoided using glitter as it is so bad for the environment, but this year I’ll be adding a little bit of sparkle to the walk down set.

2 locks, 6.15 miles, 1 train, 1 Gyles, 1 car park, 7 git gaps, 2 tight squeezes, 1 mooring on our own, until late afternoon, 2 loads washing, 4.5 hours which turned into 6! 1 grounded Tilly, 2 many colours, £8.83 glitter, 5 chums, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 failed rugby tackle.

https://goo.gl/maps/bQQGSuUCbDp8gVv16

Glad We Didn’t Come By Car. 22nd September

Otherton Marina to Roseford Bridge 94

We’re getting slower at getting up in the mornings. Today fishermen were coming past with their kit as we had our cuppa in bed. A match was being set up around us, comments from a passing boater to one of them suggested that they’d be starting at 10:15am. With this in mind we made ready, pushed away and had passed the last chap shortly before the call went along the line to start.

The canal had been busyish and at Filance Lock we met our first uphill boat, a single hander who’d managed to gain assistance from a dog walker. Filance isn’t friendly to single handers, there’s nowhere to tie up to below so this chap was grateful for the assistance. Oleanna however quite fancied being in the lock before he left, no matter what Mick did she wasn’t having any of it. Oleanna gave NB Arden Tilly a little kiss as she went by.

Penkridge Lock had a boat coming up, they’d been hoping to be able to wind and use the lock for their return. However we were there waiting to make use of the water. The locks are far deeper than the Wolverhampton 21, between 8 to 10ft deep compared to around 6ft 4″. The water certainly rushes out of them at speed.

Below the lock we pulled in and moored up. A few bits of shopping needed and we’d heard that Wednesday was market day in Penkridge. We’ve not stopped here for ages, the walk into town felt a touch like that of Market Drayton, only shorter. Some lovely houses.

Market Square was just a car park, the market must be elsewhere. We carried on walking through town, all the cars heading in one direction. Just off Stafford Road near the River Penk the traffic was backed up, they were all going to the market.

The market has it’s own site and car park, we were glad we’d walked and wouldn’t have to sit in a jam in a car to find a space. The market is big with a one way system, a little like Ikea, we were trapped until we’d walked all the way round. There was the usual fare of tat, but also good stalls that caught our eye.

Hardware, pies, crafts, plants, fish (smelly), socks (not so smelly), veg, dog trests (none for cats!), towels, cat statues one of which had the same expression Tilly has when she visits her pooh box! A pretty good market, but very busy. Have to say we did walk past the Covid test and jab centre quite quickly, I really hope no-one with symptoms comes for a test in such a crowded place.

With a black pudding pork pie and a spare hose attachment we left the market behind and headed to the Co-op for other bits of shopping.

After lunch we set off again, still some distance to cover to keep up with the schedule. At Longford Lock we pulled in behind a boat that had sped past us a while earlier.

With only one top paddle working the lock took forever to fill. Extra weight was needed on the gate beam to get it open whilst comments were made about the state of the locks. I walked round to go and lower the working paddle whilst the chap brought their boat into the lock and the lady waited to close the gate behind. He then hopped off and proceeded to drop the one working paddle, which hit the bottom with a metal thud! Then he ran to get back on his near full length boat that was still very much in gear. He didn’t make it in time as the bare bow hit the bottom gates not once, but twice!

After all his complaints about the locks, he most certainly wasn’t doing anything to help. The general rush the two of them seemed to be in wouldn’t help them any, in fact they were likely to end up braking something that may slow them down quite considerably!

The bottom gates opened as the chap at the tiller opened another can of Carlsberg.

Under the M6 bridge another fishing match sat. I wonder how much fishing they actually get done with so many boats about. But they all seemed quite happy and most returned a hello.

At Park Gate Lock we’d caught the speeding boat up, doubt they slowed for the fishermen, well they’ve the Four Counties ring to do in a week, they were hoping to reach Stone by the end of the day!

The basin here is now full of boats, Bourne Boats now builds their boats here. The old Midland Chandlers closed last year, but in the last three months a new chandlers has opened, Park Gate Leisure. The chap said they were gradually getting on their feet. A peer inside the door and I could see all the basics, plus life jackets. They also sell 13kg gas bottles. Sadly we didn’t want anything today.

Running around the locks and biffing gates certainly wasn’t making the boat ahead go any faster as we caught them up again. Comments here as to there only being two working paddles, one at each end, were made as their boat entered the lock in their usual style. I have to say I did take note of their number.

Now it was time to find a mooring hopefully away from the motorway noise. At lunchtime I’d received a message from the panto production manager saying that the company who were going to print up the cloths hadn’t received the artwork, had I sent it? Well yes and it had been signed for on delivery a month ago. My heart sank, yes I have scanned copies but nowhere near the quality needed to enlarge them to 25 times the model! Just before we moored I got confirmation from my agent, who happens to also work for the printing company, saying that my art work was safe and sound. Thank goodness!! Finally now it looks like the cloths will be ordered!

Tilly had a fun few hours outside whilst I made some apple crumble flapjack and then got on with hunting down neon tops for #unit21 again. After an hour and a half I’d had enough of looking at young ladies in scanty tops on vinted, here’s hoping some of them offer to drop their prices and nothing else!

5 locks (thankfully still in one piece), 4.46 miles, 1 vast market, 1 hose connector, 1 small pork pie, 2 boaters in a quandary, 1 shop, 1 contract copied (house or boat?), 1 trip on Winding Down, but which 1? 0 help from blog! 35 fishermen, 1 big rush, 1 number taken, 1 tray too big, 2 much flapjack, 0 well what a shame!

https://goo.gl/maps/bqQStjqcf4bch51m8

Obligatory! 21st September

Laches Bridge 73 to Otherton Marina

By the time we’d had a leisurely breakfast we’d been passed by many boats, in fact by the end of the day we’d seen more moving boats than we’ve seen in all the time since turning onto the Grand Union at Napton Junction three weeks ago. We’d taken so much time in getting ready to push off that the next lot of kids had come past in canoes powered by screams.

On closer inspection that might be NB Jubilee behind Bessie Surtees too!

Last night there had been several boats moored along the stretch in front of us, now there was only one. It turned out to be NB Bessie Surtees, fellow Scarborians! We’d last past them at Tyreley in March last year when we had a brief chat and imagined the world would be back to near normal in a matter of a few months. A good gap in passing boats meant we were able to have quite a chat as we trod water. One day I will find out your names! Lovely to have a catch up, hope the weather stays kind for roof painting and see you somewhere next year.

At Hatherton Junction we followed the canal to the left.

A right turn one day (hopefully) will take you onto the Hatherton Canal which is proposed for restoration. This will link up with the Wyrley and Essington Canal at Fishley Junction near Pelsall. The canal used to connect with the Cannock Extension via the Churchbridge Branch climbing 16 locks.

Moored boats, fishermen, a bridge and an on coming boat all happen at the same time when the canal is busy as it is. I wonder how much time the fishermen spend moving their lines out of the way at the moment. The two chaps said they’d caught a few, so it must be worth their time.

The ‘No Mooring or Stopping’ signs look to have had a make over alongside the chemical works. Plenty of boats kept on moving, mostly a mixture of hire and share boats. There was space at Gailey for a top up of the water tank, we also pumped out the yellow water for disposal at the elsan here whilst the lock was pretty much in constant use. Our tank finished filling at the same time as a share boat that had pulled up after us, with two more boats coming towards us we both quickly moved up towards the lock.

The obligatory photo was taken with the tower, no longer a shop. Two C&RT chaps lifted a manhole and started to turn off what we assumed was the bywash round the lock, it was still flowing at force as we passed below. We pulled in for some lunch before we carried on.

Taking our time was maybe a good idea as we didn’t end up joining the post lunch queue at Brick Kiln Lock, we arrived just in time to help the boat ahead open and close the bottom gates.

At Boggs Lock a training boat was coming up, a time to stand back and not help. Their progress was quite slow, but very safe, as the crew worked the lock everything was explained to them.

With boats coming towards us and one following there always seemed to be crew to help with gates and paddles. A hire boat at Rodbaston Lock were hoping to reach The Anchor pub today but had been told it was too far to reach. I checked my map, suggesting it would be just short of 3 hours, but with this amount of traffic about maybe longer.

Along the side of the M6 I walked on to Otherton Lock. This lock is always so frothy! Why this one in particular?

We decided that we’d stop before Penkridge, giving Tilly a while longer to explore, but the number of woofers was a touch off putting so she spent quite a bit of time on the roof instead of in the friendly cover.

During the afternoon we regrouped. Our current cruising plan is possibly being thwarted by vandals emptying pounds on the northern waterways which we suspect C&RT are having difficulty refilling due to low water reserves in reservoirs. We consulted canal plan for alternative routes. Some quicker but hard work. Some very familiar. After quite a bit of debate we have decided that for now we will continue with the original plan hoping that things improve ahead of us. Final decision to be made in ten days. We have Plan B, C and D. We also have our fingers and paws crossed.

*But if I cross my paws too much I won’t be able to climb trees!*

5 locks, 5.72 miles, 2 fellow Scarborians, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 2 many boats, M6, 1 frothy lock, 4 possible routes, 1 preferred, 20 fingers and 4 paws crossed.

https://goo.gl/maps/n5vNW4pxmcmqj2ze8

Hand Cuffs. 20th September

Wolverhampton Tunnel to Laches Bridge 73, Staffordshire and Worcester Canal

Tea with breakfast this morning and then we pushed off. Yesterday afternoon a boat had come past heading to the top of the locks, so we more than expected them all to be empty. It was however good to see that they had moored above the flight and that the top lock was sat full ready for us.

The morning was a chilly one, it might be time to pack the summer duvet away and get the heavier tog one out from under the bed. I was glad of my Boaters PPE gloves and a jumper to start with. The sun soon came out and things started to warm up a bit.

I left Mick to close the gate behind Oleanna and lift a paddle as I walked down to set the next lock. Sadly this was not full, so I lifted a paddle and returned to the top lock to lift the second paddle, open and close gates. Then I walked down to open the now filled lock below, drop the paddle and then walk down to the next lock to start filling that whilst Mick did his bit above. This now set our routine down the flight, every lock bar the top one was empty.

By lock 4 my jumper came off, the sun along with walking and paddle winding warming me up quite nicely. As few of the locks on the flight have handrails on the bottom gates I end up walking round the lock to get to the other side to open the other gate. Once Oleanna is out of the lock Mick closes the off side gate using a boat hook, saving me another walk round the lock.

Every lock on the flight has locks on the paddles, this is to prevent vandals lifting paddles and emptying pounds. Many of the BCN locks have these, you require a hand cuff key (water conservation key amongst other names), a t shaped key that fits into a tube, you twist it and it releases a metal bar that has been inhibiting the paddle gear from winding. The majority of these actually work on the flight which is rare.

Squirrels were busy in amongst the yellowing leaves, one stopping to have its photo taken, another complaining close by that it wasn’t classed as being photogenic enough.

The recycling waste depot had an almost constant stream of bin wagons arriving, each waiting their turn on the inward ramp. In the sunlight the high chimney and building didn’t look too bad, obviously not a romantic scene, but the good lighting helped.

At lock 8 a group of volunteers were busy painting railings black. One chap opened and closed the towpath gate for us, then carried on with his paint brush. In the last few days I’ve been spotting blue C&RT rubbish bins about the place, I don’t remember these, are they new?

Lock 13, I think, had railings on the bottom gate saving me from walking round, so I kicked the bottom gates open. At 14 there were more but a couple stopped, looked at the anti vandal locks and opened and closed that gate for me, by now I really wished I put a t-shirt on. We chatted for a while, they were on a walk up the flight whilst their boat was being serviced at Oxley Marine down on the Staff and Worcester. I did wonder if we’d have more assistance from them, but they carried on with their walk down the flight.

Under the impressive viaduct, always a photo opportunity.

From Lock 16 the gaps between locks become that bit too far to walk three times, so no more setting ahead. The bywashes had been flowing all the way down the flight so there wasn’t a lack of water anywhere.

The end was just about in sight now. Lock 20 is the odd one out on the flight as it only has one bottom gate, the others having two. The original Wolverhampton flight had 20 locks not 21. Lock 20 was the final lock to be added. The present Lock 21 was previously very deep and it required a long time to fill it. So the now Lock 20 was added to alleviate this problem reducing the amount of water needed on the flight. By the time the lock was added the BCN locks were being built with one gate at each end, so this one was built in the same style. The ground levels also had to be adjusted between 20 and 21 and you can see where the previous land levels were. There is a walking trail with a guide here.

We’d had the flight to ourselves until now

As we rounded the bend to Lock 21, the final lock, I could see that the bottom gates were open and just make out the bow of a boat below. A chap stood on the towpath and indicated that a boat was coming into the lock, he then walked away, I presumed to his boat. I indicated to Mick that one was coming up, the only boat we’d come across on the flight. Then I walked down to help close gates.

Oh blimey! Just what was happening below? The boat seemed to be reversing and going askew at the same time. Their angle of approach to the lock had been good, but now they were well off course. I could hear a bow thruster, were they trying to rectify the situation?

Then it became obvious what was happening. They were winding! It was the couple I’d seen on the flight earlier who had picked up their recently serviced boat and come down to the junction to wind, the gates just happened to be open and the chap on the bank had put two and two together making 61! I closed the gates and we filled our twentieth lock of the morning, unlocking and locking handcuff locks as we went.

It had been a very pleasant trip down the flight at our own pace, no-one behind or in front and no-one to pass, with the sun out it had been a pleasure.

We turned right onto the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal and pulled in for lunch opposite Oxley Marine. This was where our route plan had us mooring for the night, but with a road just behind the sideways trees it’s not somewhere we’d let Tilly out, so after disposing of rubbish in the bins at the end of the Shroppie we continued our way northwards. One choice had been to join the Shroppie, but visiting our lockdown ‘Home’ mooring will have to wait for another time.

From no boats we were now surrounded by moving boats! The narrows by Pendeford have three passing places (we counted them this time). With a boat coming towards us when we reached the second one we pulled over and waved them on. Then there was stale mate, the chap facing us was also waving us on, or was he?! Mick wasn’t convinced of the meaning of the hand signals, but we crept along the narrows to where the chap had stopped at a passing place. By now there were another two boats behind him. We pulled over and as he passed the chap said ‘It would be great of you could stay there and let the boats behind come through’. Well we would as there was nowhere else for us to go!

Once past the M54 and A449 we started looking for somewhere suitable for Tilly. We pulled in with a few other boats and claimed our length of armco.

Up ahead a group of school kids were in canoes screeching and paddling the wrong way. A constant stream of narrowboats was coming past those already moored and each time the kids needed to get out of the way which took quite a lot of screaming to do. After a while things calmed down and peace returned, although none of the consternation had disturbed Tilly in the slightest.

21 locks, 6.34 miles, 5.5 walked, 68 handcuff locks opened, 68 handcuff locks locked, 0 boats passed, 1 winding, 1 right, 1 straight, 1 goodbye to the BCN,3 passing places, 3 passed, 1 quiet world to 1 ever so busy noisy world, 1 SHOUTING cat, 3 hours shore leave, grade 3 hair cut, 2 plates of very nice lamb pilaf, 1 year since we moved back into our house.

https://goo.gl/maps/qgywqbMC7k2Wg8H59

Staring Down The Barrel Of A Gun. 19th September

Dudley Port Basin to Wolverhampton Tunnel

It was just starting to stop raining when the Sainsburys van arrived, the young chap brought our order over to the boat where it was loaded in through the side hatch. Once everything was stowed we finished off breakfast then made ready to push off, timing it perfectly with the sun coming out.

We’d just turned to face the entrance when a new shiny red Bickerstaff boat cruised past, there were waves all round. No-one was coming so we were straight out of the basin and heading north west.

With the sun out and the water being so clear the bottom of the canal looked like the back drop for a Disney film, all aqua blue lily pads waving at us from the depths. Just how long would it stay like this for? We’ve been hearing of masses of weed towards Wolverhampton and boats having to stop every hundred yards to clear their prop, but for now we enjoyed being able to see the bottom.

Coneygree Rail Bridge has been removed, it looks like the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension of the Metro will be using the crossing with a purpose built structure.

On the off side a duck sits on top of a cannon defending it’s landing and swing seat. Tipton Junction and we turned right, not able to see how many boats were nestled by the Black Country Museum. No boats at John The Locks Moorings, maybe we’d already seen the only boat we’d see today.

Nobody coming up Factory Locks, another route up from the Birmingham level. There’s a large area of building rubble on the off side. Was this here early last year? Or is it new? We couldn’t remember.

Coseley Tunnel next, not long at 329m, a towpath on each side, three cyclists to our starboard and a waterfall to our port side. Straight on at Deepfields Junction, the Bradley Arm still to be ticked off the BCN list.

Now we started to meet the weed, a distinct channel has been cut through by boats, stick to it and you may be okay, venture off it and you’ll be down the weedhatch guaranteed!

Round a few more bends, another boat come into view. Straight away we knew who it was and what they were likely to be doing. Mike and Christine on NB Alchemy have been enjoying the Curley Wurley over the last few days, we’d not been sure where our paths would cross, but now we knew. We bipped our horn. No sign of movement. Another two bipps, still nothing. The front door was open, gang plank deployed, hopefully they’d not been kidnapped!

Hopefully our paths will cross again next year, somewhere, sometime

Then Mike’s head appeared from the stern, he’d of course been down the weedhatch, not only weed but a long length of plastic had wrapped itself around the drive shaft. We loitered to have a chat. No wind blowing us off course today and no passing boats so we managed quite a lengthy conversation, which was disturbed by a hire boat coming round the bend. We moved over to let the boat come past meaning we ended up towards the off side, Mick indicated which side to pass us on and hand signals came back.

As they passed us one chap asked when they’d get back out into the open, we think he meant the countryside, Mick said well you’re headed for Birmingham. The chap seemed to be puzzled by that, just about any countryside from here would be a days cruise away, we wondered if they had a map?

We waved goodbye to Mike and Christine, then discovered we’d got stuck in the shallow off side. Boat pole was retrieved from the roof and Mick tried to push Oleanna off, but the silt below was so deep the pole just kept going into it. A bit of rocking, reversing and eventually we managed to get moving again, only to be stopped by something around our propeller just around the bend. Where we drifted to seemed to be a popular place to dump thick weed from propellers.

Back on the move we soon arrived at Horsely Fields Junction, here we turned right onto the Wyrley and Essington Canal and into the narrow channel with buddleia and other bushes growing across it. Up ahead two chaps came into view staring straight towards us. They were nestled amongst cars piled high in a scrap yard. One chap sat on the wall, in front of him a white plastic container, resting on this was a rifle!

Who’d have guessed there’d be a rifle pointing at us

Hang on! Hang on!! That rifle was pointing towards us! I was stood at the bow so would be first in the line of fire! I smiled and said hello, keeping calm. As we got closer the chaps kept staring, thankfully past me and just to the right of Mick. Phew! ‘What have you got in your sights?’ I asked. ‘Rats!’

Just past the gunmen is Urban Moorings. We pulled up alongside the first moored boat. Early last year we had a night here on their visitor mooring, currently occupied, and had a full guided tour of the moorings. Lots has changed since then, there are more wooden buildings and more planned, lots and lots of plants growing everywhere. As last year we had a very warm welcome.

A few days ago we’d called ahead to see if we could off load the solids from our separating toilet, adding them to their now established compost bins. They can accommodate those who pass by, but not every boater in the West Midlands turning up in cars! They now have four bins built out of railway sleepers which seem to have enough insulation that the contents are always warm, therefore the composting process is speeded up somewhat. The first bin from a year ago is being used in flower beds, the compost is so rich that they are having to mix it with top soil, their flower beds look very happy on it.

We left them with a cash donation towards their future plans and twelve babies from our wild strawberry plants that I’d just pruned from the second trough this morning. With permission and guidance we were allowed to wind at the end of the island. This isn’t marked as a winding hole as the end of the island used to be pointed, jutting out quite a way, it now hides below the surface for the unsuspecting. Directions were to turn as if we were heading down past the boats in the arm and not to drift towards the submerged point. Mick took his time, churning up black from the depths and slowly got us round. Thank you ladies, maybe see you next year.

There’s a pointy bit lurking beneath the water

Back to the junction we turned right towards Wolverhampton. Here the towpath has been closed for the last week due to an unstable wall. Well I say closed, but you’d never know it was, cyclists and walkers quite happily getting past the fencing at both ends. The fence nearer Wolverhampton sticks out across the cut and looked really quite unstable.

We pulled in on the offside mooring, not needing to go anywhere tonight here would be fine for us. The ivy clad wall did however mean that Tilly would spend the next few hours complaining at not being allowed shore leave. We ignored her, preferring her complaints to worrying as she climbed up towards the ring road!

Tonight we enjoyed a leg of lamb with all the accompaniments. We’ll still be enjoying it for a few more days as there is plenty left.

0 locks, 6.9 miles, 3 lefts, 2 rights, 1 straight on, 1 wind, 1 tunnel, 1 blogging boat, 1 clogged prop, 6ft of silt, 2 buckets, 4 hot bins, 107 babies, 12 given to a good home, 0.5 leg of lamb, 1 off side mooring, 1 mardy cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/rGUUVc4jPgPukAAh6

Tilly Tunnel Practice. 18th September

Coombeswood Canal Trust to Dudley Port Basin

Last night we joined the first event of the Waterways Alive! Festival which is taking place this weekend at Batchworth Lock. Since the formation of the Waterway Arts Collective this has been the first opportunity to put together an event. Events are happening live and some available on line and last night we joined a large zoom gathering to hear about how a Mikron show gets put together. Hosted by Kate Saffin, there was Marianne McNamara (Artistic Director of Mikron) and Poppy Hollman the writer of A Dog’s Tale one of their shows this summer. A very interesting hour hearing how the company works and what their plans are for next year. Sadly this year we didn’t manage to get to see either of their shows, here’s hoping we manage to be in a suitable place next year.

Tilly was given an hour and a half whilst we had breakfast and then just as we joined the Geraghty zoom she came in, cabin crew went straight to the doors and closed them, just to make sure we’d be ready for departure when we’d finished chatting to the family. Topics covered today Chorley Cakes (made with shortcrust pastry, an Eccles cake is made with flaky puff pastry) and whether to have butter on them or not, The Medway and it was nice to see Sean home between tennis tournaments in the States.

A rather pleasant mooring for the night, thank you

Last few chores were done before leaving the close proximity of a water tap and recycling bins. The shop was closed today so we couldn’t leave a donation, instead we did one on line later in the day. Thank you to the trust for a very pleasant stay.

One chore that hadn’t been done, checking the weedhatch. There was almost guaranteed to be something around the prop, we’d pull in where we’d had lunch, except there were fishermen there. We’d pull in at the tunnel waiting mooring, perfect. Mick pulled quite a bit of plastic off the prop and by the time he’d finished we thought we could hear a boat in the tunnel.

This gave us time to pose for a selfie in front of Oleanna to send to Mick’s Aunty Gill. Thankfully the sun was out, the birds were cheeping, hard to imagine the amount of heavy industry, noise and soot that would have hung in the air below Stewart and Lloyds.

The Trust workboat soon appeared from the tunnel a large chunk of charred tree trunk on the bow. A few years ago a boat got stuck in the tunnel due to a log getting wedged alongside it. We wonder if the work boat goes through the tunnel once maybe twice a day to check it’s clear. Just a shame the tunnel was now full of a cloud of diesel fumes.

With diesel and water tanks both full, we now sit lower in the water, progress was slower through the tunnel. Back out the other side we had a few more moments were there was no telling Oleanna which way to go as we headed to the offside bank! Two boats headed towards us, no such problems for them.

Netherton Tunnel was empty except for a fisherman and a couple of pedestrians who were around a third of the way through. I slid open the hatch a touch to check on Tilly below. A couple of years ago she started to shout at the stern doors, not happy with the imposed darkness that a tunnel brought. Yesterday there had been two tunnels, today the same two again. How was she faring? Very well it seemed, sitting at the dinette, keeping a beady eye on me peeking down through the hatch. Yes yes I’m fine! Tunnels are nothing to worry about. I shouted because I was in need of shore based facilities that just so happened to coincide with the outside turning the lights out! I’m an experienced boat cat you know! I can cope with tunnels!!! Just as well as there’s a big one planned soon.

We popped back out into the sunlight 34 minutes later and headed back to the New Main Line. Here it was right, then another right onto the Gower Branch towards Brades Locks. About ten days ago NB Briar Rose had done the same trip, only when they reached the staircase lock there was a problem, the top chamber being completely empty.

One of the paddles between the two chambers was leaking so much that the top chamber would never fill. They ended up having to reverse all the way back to the new main line to find an alternate route. News had come through to us that the problem had been sorted and our ascent was fine.

A quick check for oncoming boats on the Wolverhampton Level before Oleanna pulled out turning right, would we ever turn left again! After about a mile we did, turning into Dudley Port Basin. So far the water on the Wolverhampton level had been quite clear, some duck weed and quite a lot of lily pads floating about. Here in the basin it seemed that the lilies had taken over, would we have problems. We chose where to moor, there are rings all the way round the basin, the stern would have quite a clear line towards the side.

It still took a bit of doing, churning up quite a lot of stinky blackness from the bottom. Hopefully the smell will dissipate quickly! With a mooring in sight of the road we could finish off our Sainsburys order for delivery in the morning.

This evening I succeeded in finishing cutting the scalloped edges of the 3588 leaves for panto whilst watching Great Canal Journeys. I now have an Ikea blue bag full of them, hope there is enough! But one disappointment for the evening was not getting to see any of the Marple flight and only one lock of the Ashton flight into Manchester on GCJ. But with a very mature novice crew on board we suspect Sheila and Giles are being saved all the hard work and the recounting of John Thaw’s early life in Manchester was far more interesting.

3 locks, 2 a staircase, 7.57 miles, 2 tunnels, 8 mysterons, 1 cool cat, 3 moving boats, 4 rights, 1 left, 1 screaming baby, 1 barking woofer, 1 big order made, 3588 leaves, 1 bag of panto ready, 1 goldfish, 1 coconut, 1 mardy cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/ZspZLYprf4aMLuaMA

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna