Category Archives: Cheese

Z Z Middle. 18th September

Rookery Railway Bridges to Rode Heath

The hire boat was the first to go past, we took our time, Tilly was even allowed an hours shore leave whilst we did our morning routine. Much to my surprise when I called for her she responded pretty quickly and came running back to the boat. Well it was still too early for friends to be out to play.

As we moved up to Wheelock I gave the inside a sweep through and a bit of a tidy. The sander, drill etc I’d pulled out the other day could be put somewhere else to free up the dinette as we’d be needing more sitting space today. The services were empty when we arrived, time to top up on water and dispose of rubbish. As we were finishing a boat came from the locks, they pulled right over into the offside, it felt like they were wanting to pull in at the water point and were waiting for us. Well they weren’t, the person at the tiller had helm dyslexia, they managed to get past us, but went totally skew wiff at the bridge behind us blocking the way for the little NB Titanic 2 who was following us.

Now to start our ascent of the Cheshire Locks for the second time this year, the sun was out, what a lovely day, not too hot, perfect.

At the second lock up the bottom gates wouldn’t close fully. We suspected a pipe fender on the cill. Mick waggled the gate to encourage it to close, but there was still a four inch gap. Would water pressure help? Paddles were wound up gently to start with, the level rose, the gate stayed where it had been. A touch more paddle and Oleanna shot forward no matter how much reverse I gave her! More waggling of the gate, it closed a touch more.

Up we came, the pound seemed a touch low. We made to exit, a boat already waiting to come down. Something wasn’t quite right we were having difficulty getting over the cill. With the bottom gates leaking we reversed back into the lock, Mick took a run up this time, thankfully it worked and we were on our way again.

Mick worked the locks and I followed with Oleanna. Not too many boats coming down. Locks 64 and 63 have one of the paired locks well and truly closed at the moment, to help with water management, due to leaky paddles?! The pounds between locks did seem a touch low.

Above Lock 62 I could see lots of smoke, someone was moored up. It turned out to be NB Tixall, a steam powered narrowboat. The two chaps sat on the bank waiting for her to get up enough steam to move. Sat behind them, on the other end of the lock landing was a Heritage Hire boat, the crew looked like ZZ top with big white fluffy beards. They were enjoying their sandwiches and the view from the winding hole.

Mick walked up to the next pair. He then appeared back down the steps and stood directly under the bridge in full shade. I could see he was waggling his arms. I could tell he’d never been taught how to find his light on stage. I eventually made out that there was a boat coming down the off side lock, the towpath side must have been out of action. ZZ Top were also gesticulating at me, but I was trying to decipher Micks shady signs.

I held back, one of the chaps from Tixall came to apologise for being on the lock landing, he’d had a medical emergency yesterday smashing his face on the boat. Suspect he’s got some more bruising to come out. A cuppa was making things better and once they’d got up steam they’d be on their way again.

Above Lock 61 we pulled in, a late lunch needed by now. We made sure to pull up past both lock landing and winding hole. Messages now came through from further up the locks, our crew were on their way down, walking from Rode Heath to meet us.

Bridget and Storm are old friends. I used to work with Bridget at Hull Truck where we discovered we both had an interest in narrowboating. They had a boat built, NB Blackbird and took a year off to explore the network. When we bought NB Lillyanne we cruised with them on and off, then seven years ago we spent much of the summer with them on the Lancaster Canal. In fact today it is seven years since we crossed back to Tarleton from the Lanky. We’ve been trying to meet up this year and so far have missed them by a week. But this weekend they have baby sitting duties with their grandkids in Wales, so our position was perfect to meet up, give them a boating fix helping with the locks.

We were soon on the move again. Some locks needed turning, others were in our favour. Mick and Storm walked on ahead setting and working the locks whilst Bridget and I had a very good catch up as we moved from lock to lock up the flight. The sun was out, good company to help with the locks, what a great afternoon.

Today we pulled in at Rode Heath, in the middle of the Cheshire Locks, sadly too close to cat curfew time for Tilly to have any shore leave, Well it’s woofer land round here anyway! Bridget and Storm had come in their camper van, the pub kindly allowing them to stay overnight in their car park.

A table was booked at the pub, a 30% off main courses voucher was downloaded. A very lovely evening with them both over food and drinks.

14 locks, 5.3 miles, 2 boats on lock landings and winding holes, 2 big fluffy beards, 2 boaty friends, 1 lovely day, 1 pie, 1 fish and chips, 1 scampi, 1 hunters chicken, 6 pints, 2 glasses of wine, 1 lovely catch up, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp for last nights mooring.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/VpkpkGJYCeezst1S8

A New Mancunion. 14th September

Vale Royal Visitor Mooring to Odeon Pontoon, Northwich.

The locks on the River Weaver are open at 9am, we were wanting to get a mooring back in Northwich for the day, so ideally wanted to be on our way as soon as the locks opened. As we pushed off from our mooring Mick made a phone call to the lock, we were on our way from their top side.

We had less than half a mile to cruise to Vale Royal Locks, so took our time. On arrival the lock wasn’t ready, the swing bridge was still across the lock chamber. Was there anyone in sight? It took a while to spot someone in a blue t-shirt, he didn’t seem to be coming to work the lock. Mick checked his phone. Ahh he’d called Hunts Lock not this one! Who leaves Mick to make arrangements and bookings? The chap popped out of the little hut, a volunteer arrived, we got a wave, they were on their way.

The swing bridge had it’s ropes removed that hold it in place and then one of the chaps stood on the end of it as it gradually turned from over the lock, no winding of handles. On closer inspection later we noticed an electric drill was used to rotate the bridge.

We were joined by a boat that had stayed in Winsford last night, they’d had a peaceful night and were now heading into Northwich to moor for an hour or so and visit the market that was meant to be on today. Market! Did someone say Market? I looked for information online. The second Saturday in the month there is an Artisan Market in Northwich.

We followed them down Hunts lock, then led the way in towards Northwich. Spaces on the wall where we’d moored on Sunday, we pulled up close to a boat already there, our locking partners pulled up close to us. Then Mick spotted a space on the pontoon, that would serve us better, we moved over, thanking the other boat for mentioning the market.

Straight to see what was what. The market stretched for most of Witton Street. Bakers, sausages, cheese, olives, macaroons, gin, beer, scotch eggs, lots to choose from and then stalls of things nobody actually needs in their lives.

There is no point in rushing in to the first stall that has something that looks nice, best to walk round everywhere, see what’s on offer then pounce, or as was the case today, join the queue!

A big sign behind one queue was for a gluten free bakers! Pies, pasties, numerous cakes, we’d certainly be coming back to this stall. Infact other bakery stalls didn’t get a look in. I joined the queue my eye s set on an egg custard, not had one for years. The amount of things people were buying, one chap requested 2 of these, 1 of those, a slice of that cake, a vanilla slice (my ears pricked up at that one), that scotch egg. The lady behind me made a very audible sign, she’d had her eyes on that scotch egg. She asked the baker if there were any more, ‘Sorry last one’ ‘No point queueing then’ She made sure she had words with the chap who had bagged the last scotch egg!

The pies! Which one? Chicken ham leek and dauphinoise potato .The Sausage rolls, which one of them too? Pork and Black pudding. Oh dear was that a small custard and a vanilla slice that snooked into my bag too! Mick decided he’d see what C Webb and Sons had in the way of pork pies, they had a queue out of the door too. A warm pork pie and a sausage roll. Next we headed to the HS Bourne Cheese chap. Two wedges of treat cheese, some blue Cheshire and some clothbound Cheshire. That was enough edible swag for one day.

This afternoon we walked up to the station, from here we caught the train into Manchester. The London Leckenby’s had arrived in the afternoon with a very full car load, Josh was moving into Halls in Fallowfield at the University. Andrew and Jac had booked into the Ibis Hotel, once The Portland Hotel where I stayed in the early 90’s whilst working on props for the touring version of Phantom of The Opera.

Big hugs all round, we then walked into the Northern Quarter to find a pub Andrew knew of, this took some time to find, but we got there in the end, it took a while longer to find a table. Beer and wine and lots of loud conversation were had before we then headed to Sweet Mandarin a few minutes walk away. I’d heard very good things about Sweet Mandarin as they have an extensive gf menu, a rare thing for a Chinese Restaurant. The food was very yummy, no-one noticed the lack of gluten. We drank, ate chatted away and had a very good evening.

Now Josh headed off to meet with a friend from Hackney who had also moved to Manchester today. His new life starting as he headed off on the top deck of a bus doing his best to ignore his mothers loud waves! They are seeing him again in the morning for the final goodbye. Another pint in a pub near to Piccadilly Station before we said goodbye to Andrew and Jac. A lovely evening celebrating Josh starting University.

**Josh’s first night living in Manchester**

2 locks, 3.1 miles, 1 right wrong number, 1 swing bridge, 4 rowing boats, 2 sausage rolls, 2 pies, 2 treat cheeses, 2 pudding yums, 2 trains, 13,893 steps with a pole, 1 new Mancunion, 2 Londoners, 1 old student trying to remember, 1 new student with places to discover, 1 great Chinese meal, 2 many glasses of wine, pairs 51, 52, and 53! 1 cat totally forgotten about!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/MQsHAVy7w1WGUctY6

The Staffordshire Pretzel. 28th August

Bridge 30 to Top side Cheddleton Visitor Moorings

Cows slurluping at 5am across the way woke Tilly and myself, Mick totally oblivious as he was making his own noises! It took us a while to get back to sleep, but we managed it.

A load of washing was put on then we moved up to the services. Here we joined two more boats. The far one was the boat that had followed us up the staircase a couple of days ago. When had they gone past? They were facing towards Stoke too!? Have to say we’d been surprised not to have seen them yesterday. They are very early risers, 6am, so had passed whilst we were well asleep. They’d also been to the end of both arms of the Caldon! No stopping them. I asked where they moored on the Oxford, the bottom of Claydon before Cropredy, Yes I knew where they meant, we’ll wave next time we go past. They’ve certainly been going for it, our map suggests there and back with both arms is a 21 hour cruise from Etruria, I suspect they’ll be off the canal before the end of the day.

With water topped up, the alpine strawberry plants tidied up, their babies added to the hedgerow, we moved on towards Hazlehurst Junction. Here the canal splits into two. The right turn stays on the level and sweeps round over Hazlehurst Aqueduct and on to Leek. Straight on drops down three locks goes under the aqueduct and onwards towards Froghall where the canal used to meet up with the Uttoxeter Canal. We decided to go straight on, down the locks.

We’d brought with us a reed island, Mick hauled it out of the lock and deposited it over the lock bridge out of the way before lifting paddles. Just after the third lock there is Bridge 37, this had to be rebuilt a few years ago, closing the Froghall Arm for quite sometime. It does look new, some weathering required for it to sink into the landscape.

Landscape is what we’d have today, it’s nice to be back in the hills.

We wound our way down under the aqueduct, here we’d had two kingfishers sat on branches waiting for us to pass the last time we were here, no such luck today. The moorings at the pub were full, a large Hare sat behind a garden shed. Residential moorings ask for you to slow down, we’d no choice as Oleanna’s depth slowed us to just about a stop in one bridge hole.

Through plenty of wood, Rowan a common sight with it’s red berries. The moorings before the flint mill were just about empty. We pulled up as soon as we could a view to our portside to wake up to between the trees, that would do nicely. Tilly was warned not to eat her own body weight and let out for an hour whilst we had lunch.

Debby from NB Bonjour had mentioned about there being Pre-Raphaelite windows in St Edwards Church, we could just see the tower from our mooring, anywhere to the south of the canal would mean a steep hill to climb, but it couldn’t be that far! Surely!

With walking stick in hand we set off down past the flint mill both water wheels turning, crossed the canal and started to walk uphill. The first turn on the right gave us a steeper hill to climb, a very steady pace required.

St Edwards dates back to the 13th C, some walling possibly back to the 12th C. The church has had several restorations, one in Elizabethan times but the biggest was in 1863/4 when Sir Gilbert G Scott made major changes.

The chancel roof was repainted in the 1950s, symbols depicting local connections to the church. The book, for paper. The knot, the Staffordshire knot (not a pretzel!). The boat, for the canal. The plant, Madder from which dye is produced a favourite dark red used by William Morris. Morris spent three years in Leek learning about dyes.

At first glance around the church the one window that stands out from all the others is of three angels drawn by Burne Jones. The colours which were chosen by Morris sing out. It’s a lovely window.

Then closer inspection, the majority of the other windows are of a similar time. One depicts a couple facing each other. The chap is reported to be a portrait of William Morris stood opposite his wife. She is bare footed, he has red socks, but he also must have been a messy eater as he needed a very large napkin tucked into his collar!

What a lovely church, thank you Debby for mentioning it. My knee was going to have to walk down the hill, so as along as we found a fairly level path to the shops I’d not have to do too much more downhill. A footpath was found which connected the older part of Cheddleton to the newer busier Leek Road. A pint of milk and a loaf of bread, Bargain Booze managed to have both and tucked in the fridge were a pile of freshly made oatcakes. At £1.45 for 6 they make the ones you make yourself very expensive.

Back on board I made up the Oatcake mix we’d bought at Great Haywood, leaving it to rest for half an hour, so the yeast had time to do it’s stuff. I cooked up the last of our Oxford sausages and sliced them, some mushrooms were cooked and cheese grated. Four oat cakes were cooked, kept warm, then the filling was added to each in turn, cooked in the frying pan to melt the cheese. Two each, very yummy. The remainder of the batter was then cooked up, each cake left to cool before being popped in the freezer for another time.

Where we’re headed we may not have internet for a couple of days. Where we’re going has a low tunnel, we’re going to see if Oleanna can get through it! Tune in next time to see if we succeeded. If we never post again, it’s because we’re stuck in Froghall Tunnel!

3 locks, 2.8 miles, 1 straight on, 1 speedy cruising boat, 1 pretty wooden canoe, 1 late night boat, 1 church, 1 steep hill, there and back, 3 angels, 0 pretzels, 5 oatcakes, 6 for another time, 0 oxford sausages left, 2 bricks purchased, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/bEZaQce8uu9w5Rrm8

A Flat Day. 28th July

Fenny Stratford to Linford Manor 48hr Mooring

Time for knee exercises. This morning I decided to have a go on the bed before it was put away for the day as the majority of stretches are done lying down. Most worked, although I wonder whether a firmer surface would be better as they seemed a lot easier this morning than when I’d done them in front of the sofa. One however required using the bed diagonally as other wise my foot was trapped under the gunnel. They take time, the time I usually spend writing the blog! I’m currently chasing the blogs tail and am a few days behind. Just need to sort a new routine.

As I stretched away half an hour Mick got to work in the galley with breakfast. We’d not quite finished when the Geraghty zoom started. Subjects, 2024 Olympics, The Last Supper, Strawberry eating Squirrels for the third time, swarf, and Romanians falling off things.

**Tim on Sola Gratia heading off as Mick crosses the lock gates**

As we were about to get ourselves sorted to move off NB Sola Gratia’s engine was started up, their pram hood lowered and they pushed off. Perfectly timed as a boat was just coming out of the lock. Next it was our turn, we pushed off and got ourselves ready to wave.

Back in 2014 the end house opposite the moorings had a very well kept garden and sat behind the French windows two people waved at us as we came past. Such an enthusiastic wave we obviously reciprocated. Ever since whenever we pass we wave with the hope of getting one back in return. The garden isn’t quite so immaculate as it was and who knows if the same people live there, I hope they do, a medical looking table/trolley sits by the French window obscuring our view. From a few feet into the darkness we could just see an enthusiastic wave back and maybe even a thumbs up! I so hope other people wave to them to help brighten up everyone’s day.

**Heel turned now onto the home straight**

I got my knitting out to carry on whilst we cruised along on the flat. The trip to Scarborough and visitors for a day meant despite starting this pair of socks early, I would need to do a sprint to get them finished before the end of today.

Past familiar sights, the bridge that kept us south during winter 2015, lots of familiar boats, a friendly heron taking advantage of a good perch. Before one bridge there was a breasted up pair that had come past earlier, they were breasted up to another narrowboat. Turns out they were there to mend someone’s cratch cover, plenty of space to get past them. Red Lion Cruising club where we’d watched a Mikron show a few years ago. There was space at Campbell Park if we’d wanted it, but we were hoping of a much better mooring.

Under a couple of bridges, there on the offside was a space we’d been hoping for, Linford Manor. The first space has notices saying that it is reserved for Electra the community boat, but that is only on Tuesdays. The second space is still a 48 hour mooring we pulled in there, shame not to have the view across the park, but instead we had some shade. Tilly was given a few hours shore leave and we settled in.

***Glad they’ve left a bit of it untidy***

With our shopping I got a chicken, too hot to roast it so it was jointed, the majority heading for the freezer. I diced up one breast ready for some kebabs, marinaded it for a couple of hours before threading it onto skewers. Veg and haloumi kebabs were also prepared. The kebab rest would be used to it’s full capacity today.

Another boat arrived and moored behind us. Tilly and one of their dogs had a slight altercation through the side hatch. But we all soon settled down to cook our food outside. What a lovely evening.

0 locks, 6.6 miles, 9 exercises, 1 diagonal, 1 smelly stretchy band, 1 stool, 1 Tilly getting in the way, Well she doesn’t know how to do cat yoga! 14 rows left, 48hour garden mooring, 2 chicken kebabs, 4 veg and haloumi kebabs, 2 sniffy woofers, 2 bowls of chilled medication, 2 hot for a stamp.

Empty. 10th July

Fishery Lock to Sharpes Lane Bridge

The air looked like it had potential to be wet this morning, waterproofs put on over t-shirts just in case. A boat had not long gone past us when we pushed off ourselves, we’d not catch them up before the first lock though.

Two chaps were working on an old day boat below Boxmoor Lock, new engine boards and a lot of cushions, not sure the cushions really gave the luxury look suggested in the company name. The boat ahead was just finishing going up, the crew returned to lift a paddle, that was nice of them, maybe they’d wait at the next lock for us.

Our turn, the bottom gates were clogged a touch with towpath clippings, Mick tried to clear them before I filled the lock. New signs on the lock beams ask for the lock to be left empty, so I returned to lift a paddle. I suspect we’ll see more of these new signs as we climb towards the Tring summit.

Under the railway that had kept thundering past last night, we’ll not be shot of it for some distance, but we’ll also be glad of it too. The boat ahead was just finishing again at the next lock. One of the chaps shouted back to me that they’d wait at the next one for us. As we rose he walked back and said they’d operate Winkwell Swing Bridge and that we could go through first. This bridge has it’s off days so I was quite glad not to be the one pressing the buttons, but it behaved impeccably. Nine held up between the two boats.

I opened one gate at the next lock, Mick would move Oleanna over to let our lock partner in, I waved them in. The chap at the helm was obviously used to single handing, his crew vanished below and left us to it.

I hitched a lift to Winkwell Top Lock. There must have been another boat ahead of us as it hadn’t quite finished emptying when I got there. I opened up the second paddle to help and then one gate. As this was happening a boat arrived above NB Burnt Oak, I’ve seen them before, maybe even chatted to them. The lady came and helped, dropping a paddle and opening the other gate for us. Here another sign asked us to empty the lock a rather good home made one with a 2.5D model boat.

Our locking partners were stopping for lunch, we thought we’d carry on. But then changed our minds a short distance on, this would possibly be the last Tilly suitable mooring before Berkhamsted, so we found a space with no overhanging trees and tried to pull in. The pound was quite high, I’d been warned that the towpath further on was under water. A bit of jiggling about got us closer to the bank.

Tilly 5 hours! Brilliant!!! Off she went. A few returns and then gone for what felt like hours, so long I felt the need to just see her and called, but no sign, she was too busy.

Wow! This outside was great, plenty of friendly cover, I went self catering. This took quite a while as there was a banquet waiting for me. After I’d had my fill I returned inside to tell them all about it and get some Dreamies to finish off, maybe have a little kip. That’s when everything changed.

Bleurgh!!!!

I wasn’t very well. Understatement there Tilly!

***Sheee!*** ***I don’t feel too good***

Someone’s eyes had been far too big for their belly! After a while things settled down and as cats do Tilly had some biscuits as she was now running on empty. A blade or two of grass did the trick outside. Then she returned inside and carried on being ill. Her food was removed and the doors closed. I’d planned an afternoon of painting and cooking, but spent most it washing the floor and making sure Tilly stayed on hard surfaces. Both of us were starting to wonder if this was more than over indulgence, had she eaten something really bad. We’d wait a while. Thankfully things calmed down.

Tilly sat on the drawing board slot eyes closed sat upright. I started to cook, a beef and beetroot curry popped in the oven and a batch of cheese scones, a necessity to use up the mass of yoghurt about to go off. Tilly gave head nudges, had a little snooze. After an hour or so she climbed onto the ‘Feed Me‘ shelf. Was this a good sign? No food until normal ding ding time though.

A small amount of whitefish food was put down. It was eaten. Half an hour passed, she was allowed a bit more. Phew, she seemed to be better. A long snooze before bedtime, then a short round of the fishing rod game before she snuggled up for the night.

4 locks, 2 shared, 1.5 miles, 1 bridge, 9 held up, 1 jaunty mooring, 3 push off required during the day, 5 hours curtailed to 3, 1 large friend or was it more? 1 very sickly cat, 1 clean floor, 1 last test match, 12 cheese scones, 2 meals worth of curry, 2 gf naan breads, 1 final, £1015 sockathon total, 9 pairs of socks still in need of toes.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Quk1HFHERwd8VPz37

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Increasing The Ballast. 7th June

Pyrford Marina, River Wey Navigations

Final jobs in the house. Making up beds, a nice shower required the cubical to be squeegeed down again, hovering, sandwich making, crumbs from the toaster etc. Mick was finished before I was and stood waiting to take the bin out. I then ran round the house to do an idiot check and make sure everything was ready for our next lodgers, the car was packed and we were on our way at midday. Just a shame we’d left a block of cheese and some milk in the fridge! Frank would you like some cheese?

**Our blue pompom bush has gone bonkers**

We stopped off for some more cat litter. Tilly uses a mixture of wood and odour control litter, we in our separating toilet use wood litter to cover our deposits. Recently we’ve found that we prefer using a wood cat litter from Pets at Home. This is paler than the supermarket version and when some water is added it fluffs up nicely without being sticky for sprinkling. So we paused to purchase a bag as we left Scarborough.

Our route back was slow, Mick chose to head southwards on the A1, our route north had been on the M1, lots of road works! It being a Friday afternoon plenty of people were also on the move. Not so many road works, but we did have quite a few slow sections, one where a car had pulled onto the central reservation under a bridge and then decided to get back into the line of traffic, causing the slow moving traffic to do an emergency stop! Why they couldn’t have signalled and waited to be let in, who knows! This route follows the River Trent, Nene and Great Ouse.

Only one comfort stop was taken to eat our butties we’d made and seven hours after leaving Scarborough we were at the marina gates in Pyrford, I’d almost knitted a complete sock!

**I think someone was pleased to have us home**

First things first, give Tilly a cuddle. I gave the usual meow as I walked up to the boat and could hear excited relieved paws charge through Oleanna, then shouting took over. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!!???!!! You said it would be two BIG sleeps, well it was 6! That means you owe me 4 more meals. I had to save those biscuits just in case you’d gone FOREVER!!!!

Plenty of frantic head nudges, so many that I lost my glasses. I don’t think she’d liked the neighbours NO! They have woofers! Food was required, a top up of biscuits and some whitefish tonight. Tom came in and gave me a good ear rub, he also had a LOT of bags with him. I apparently can go in my box a lot now, but not too much yet as they want my litter for extra ballast. The wine cellar was filled up and most of the cupboards. Then Mick headed back out, this time to Tescos for a click and collect of fresh things also picking up a few more bits that we thought might be good to have, including some more cheese. Four more bags of shopping to stow!

Here’s hoping we don’t eat our way through all this extra ballast too soon. Where we’re heading in the next couple of weeks we’ll be needing to be as low as possible in the water!

0 locks, 0 miles, 253 miles by car, 3 bags litter, 6 boxes wine, 1 bag cat biscuits, 2 boxes pink food, 1 chicken, 3 loaves bread, 4 pints not 2! 2 bottles vinegar, 1kg potatoes, 0.75 of a sock, 6 sleeps not 2! 2 beds made up ready, 1 block of cheddar, 1 ecstatic cat.

Archie Innie And Cary Outie. 21st May

Bridge 178 to Chisnell Lift Bridge 193

Blimey last night I had real difficulty in staying awake after we’d eaten and as soon as I got into bed my eyes closed and I was out for the count, very unusual for me. I’d had my first glass of wine since being on antibiotics, Colin my dentist had suggested I would be alright to drink again on Mick’s birthday, maybe waiting another day would have been better. This morning I woke up a good 90 minutes later than I usually do.

Kings Sutton Lock sat full waiting for us, the second of the deep single bottom gated locks. Someone has been very busy chopping logs, maybe they are the only source of heat at the lock cottage here. We pootled our way along the next pound, some familiar boats spotted, but no-one to say hello to. No aroma of bacon cooking today as we passed the Pig Place, just a chap adding nails to the landing.

**New bolts to hold the bridge together**

As we came under the M40 we could see vans and work boats by Sydenham Lift Bridge 183. A couple of weeks ago there was a stoppage here as apparently a boat had run into the bridge, we don’t know how as the bridge is normally left open. As we passed through a carpenter was busy making handrails for the bridge and we could see that most of the bolts holding the platform together had been moved.

At the C&RT work yard there was lots of new shiny armco piling, I wonder where this will be used. We’ve noticed sections where piling has been used quite low in the water and then the big sausage rolls used to keep the edge green, not too useful for mooring but certainly helping to keep the towpath in tact and wider than it has been.

Nell Bridge Lock was also full, I checked the level below. The red green yellow board long gone, but plenty of head room today to get through the low bridge under the road. As I opened the bottom gate Mick told me of an oncoming boat, great I could leave the gate for them, I just had to cross over the busy road.

Yesterday had been sunny, today it was decidedly cold, we’d also made sure our waterproofs were close to hand. Someone must have thought so too as a hot water bottle lay on the wall over the top of Aynho Weir, random object found alongside the canal.

**Aynho Weir Lock from the weir** **another possible painting**

The lock was just about ready for us, just a little top up before I could open the gate. I know from experience along here to be patient, very patient when filling and emptying the locks especially the lozenge ones, they may look level but the gate will only give when it will give.

**The lozenge shape ensures enough water heads down onto the canal to feed the next lock**

We pulled in to Aynho Wharf, time to introduce ourselves. There under a few other boxes was one large Bully Boy box filled with our replacement battery. When we’d been thinking of somewhere we could get it sent to, various friends and acquaintances had been thought of, but here came to mind as Oleanna would be close to road access, the heavy box not needing to be moved very far. Sarah was very kind and was quite happy for us to have our new battery sent to them so that we could easily collect it.

A sack barrow was found and the big box brought out to Oleanna, the two of us lifted it onto the stern, it could stay there for a little while. 61 litres of fuel £1.24 a litre the most we’ve paid this year, but we wanted a top up and Aynho had been good to us. Sarah asked if we’d given the batteries names, maybe they would like to be named and that was what had gone wrong with the faulty one.

As we pulled away I looked down at the box, there was this batteries name, Archibald. Archibald would be going inside in The Shed, so Archie Innie. But what about the other one? What would be a suitable name to go along with Archibald? The first thing that came up on Google was about Archibald Alec Leach who was more commonly known as Cary Grant, I always have had a thing for Cary Grant. That was it, the second battery named, Cary Outie.

A little late for lunch we decided to pull in where we’d met with Paul and Christine on NB Waterway Routes last year just before Chisnell Lift Bridge. Tilly would have all the fields of long grass to play in, or so we thought! Well that’s just a rubbish outside, NO trees! She stayed up on the roof for quite a lot of the 4 hours she’d been given, meowing at us whilst leaning over the side above the hatch over the canal which always makes me really nervous.

**Coo, I’ve not made one of these for ages!**

I set about preparing tonight’s meal, a smoked salmon and camembert quinoa crust quiche, the oven being on went some way to warming us up. Mick got on with installing Archie Innie. The faulty battery had been sent back with the terminal bolts, the new one had come without any! He rootled through his tool box and boxes of bits and bobs and thankfully found two suitable for the job. The Shed was emptied, stern steps removed and Archie installed into his cubby hole. Cables attached, hello Archie!

Mick talked to him from his phone. Cary started to share his power, starting to get themselves levelled out. The engine was started up to assist, this will need a few more hours for them to get themselves sorted, hopefully tomorrows cruise will help.

The stove was lit, time to warm up. It then started to rain. Hopefully the weather won’t be too bad, we really don’t want the Thames to go back onto red boards, it’s only just come off! Time to start watching the EA levels and C&RT for Shipton on Cherwell, hopefully I’ll get to hand deliver a pair of socks this week if the river stays down.

This evening we watched the first of this weeks episodes of Narrow Escapes. Good to see Tim and Tracy again, we passed NB Sola Gratia last year on our way to the Thames, but we’ve not actually seen them since the day both boats climbed up to Titford Pump House back in early 2020, this I believe was the day they were picking up Ozzie, hearing assistance dog in training.

3 locks, 4.5 miles, 0 Frankie, 0 bacon, 61 litres, 1 new bully boy, 2 names, 1 disappointed cat, 1 really rubbish outside, 1 lodger heading home, 1 wet evening, 1 big quiche.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/c8NoA1Bj3tYTpJL97

Wind Burn. 29th April

Off the Stone Visitor Moorings to Broken Ankle, Great Haywood

Wanting to package up the failed bully boy battery to send back, we’d be needing some extra packaging. We have the original box, but not the foam that surrounded the battery. Mick had found some bubble wrap in the house but something else would be needed too. B&M might just be the place so we walked back into town. Nothing that we could buy apart from brown paper, which I suspected we’d need a LOT of. I could reduce the size of the box, Mick wasn’t convinced. But then I spotted a lady who’d been stacking shelves and on her trolley she had a lot of cardboard, this would be way better than paper with the added advantage of being free.

Back at Oleanna we made ready to push off, the sky occasionally grey, waterproofs just incase. It hardly rained but they were useful to help keep the wind from really chilling us to the bone.

**Aston Lock marks the halfway mark of the mile posts on the T&M**

Not many locks today, 4 in all to reach our destination. At Aston Lock a boat was just exiting, another waiting below. I managed to get the half way on the Trent and Mersey photo but didn’t have a peek over the wall at my favourite garden shed! The bottom gate beams are rather high, too high to hurdle over. A touch too low to limbo under, well my knees wouldn’t appreciate it anymore. So having realised I was on the wrong side of the lock I walked all the way round to get back to Oleanna.

Today we realised we’d missed seeing new born lambs, they are all quite chunky, ready for some rosemary and garlic, and have lost their be’doingeeness of the really young. To make up for it however we got chased by a swan, who was dead set on attacking our stern button, protecting his youngesters possibly still being sat on, we didn’t see mum.

Then our first sighting of goslings followed by a long line of cygnets. They got themselves on the other side of the boat from Mum and Dad. No matter how many times we told them to stop swimming they carried on all calling out for help!

At Preston Brook we’d seen Dante’s doppleganger modeling a life jacket, but today we got to see his demise. Cast aside on a storage bin he laid on his side with his two friends. No white or tan fur visible anymore having lived on a boat roof for years. What a sorry state he was in, past rescue sadly.

A pause for lunch when we got a distance from the railway. Then onwards. Plenty of posh houses.

Salt Bridge is always admired, but why is it only fancy on one side not both?

As we approached Great Haywood there was a space opposite the cafe. It had been really windy all day, surprisingly so. Our original aim was to moor at Tixall Wide, but it can be busy there and if there was no room for us we’d have had to carry on in the wind. Time to stop, we were both quite red with wind burn.

Too close to the road for peace of mind so Tilly was kept indoors today, sorry! But it looked soo SOOOOO good! We headed off to look round the farm shop see if there was a treat we could buy without taking out a mortgage on the house.

At the Anglo Welsh base there was a crane and lorries. Boats were being lifted out and sent on elsewhere, someone suggested to the K&A. Lifting boats in this wind was not something I’d have enjoyed doing. When we last moored here I managed to break an ankle. The Margees had helped us move Lillian up to the services for me to get off easier and not have to hop up the bank to the road. When I returned from the hospital that day there was a crane here, not to assist me on and off the boat I haisten to add. Today we walked over to the shop, me taking care when stepping on and off curbs.

The shiney apples almost put us off. But our first sighting of asparagus couldn’t be missed. We added to our basket some gf sausages (just because they existed), a pork pie, a couple of cheeses (not an overly exciting selection!) and then maybe a tub of Snugburys Chocolate Brownie Chilled medication went in too. A guess on how much it would be was out by a bit, well £10!

The mince I’d got out of the freezer this morning would now wait for tomorrow, instead we had the asparagus followed by expensive sausage and mash.

We then sat down to watch the first episode of Narrow Escapes on Channel 4. First impressions are good and it was nice to see what things Carrie likes as I’m knitting her and her Mum some socks in my sockathon later in the year, this will be Della’s third pair in aid of Dementia Uk. There’s still some pairs in need of sponsorship! The first toe of pair 18 were cast on as we watched. How ever did she think she’d fit that chandelier onto her boat!?!

https://www.justgiving.com/page/pip-leckenby-1704636205453?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fpip-leckenby-1704636205453&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

4 locks, 9.1 miles, 1 windy day, 2 free boxes, 2 bottle tomatoe ketchup, 1 sad sight, 1 miffed off Tilly, 2 boats flying, 1 basket of polished apples, 1 pie, 6 sausages, 750ml chilled medictaion, 20 spears asparagus, 2 boaters with smelly yellow water, 1 lodger and 1 house still in one piece.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/LzJy1e9iMakyZQoRA

2,000!

This is our 2,000th post on the Oleanna blog. I remember the days when I used to get excited for the 100th or 200th post on the NB Lillyanne blog!

Back in 2014 we started our life afloat on Lillian (NB Lillyanne for new followers) a temporary boat whilst we waited for NB Oleanna to be built, we’d already waited quite a while! Lillian was bought with the previso that once we finally moved on board NB Oleanna we would have the year afloat that we’d been looking forward to for so long.

The original build didn’t go as it should have and we started to look for a new boat builder. Jonathan Wilson was the man to build us our boat, the delay had been handy as living on Lillian gave us some better ideas for the build, and some things we knew we’d not be wanting!

It took us until 7th April 2017 to move Tilly and a third of our possessions on board. That is when our year afloat started. The life suited us, so we just kept on going, an end date never entering our minds. Then covid came along. If it hadn’t been for our troublesome tenants during the first lockdown in 2020 I’m fairly sure we’d still be full time live aboards. But our house needed to be reclaimed. Would we prefer life on land to life on the water? Would we be able to afford both house and boat? We knew one thing, we wouldn’t be letting it out to long term tenants again!

So now, we spend as much of our time afloat as we can, actors lodging in the house for much of the year whilst we cruise the network. Time in the house is spent doing jobs, reclaiming and improving things for both us and those who stay there. The house just about pays for itself all year round, fingers crossed. Time on the boat has always been about travelling, more so now to make up for being static for a few months a year.

Some jobs on board have slipped in the last few years. The gunnels haven’t been touched since Oleanna was out for blacking in 2021. The grab rails have been patched but not finished. The roof is still in need of a very good wash, we’ve either been moving or it’s been raining so far this year, well that’s my excuse! The cabin sides really need a polish. But these things all take time and we’d rather be moving than doing chores. We’ve never been shiney boaters at heart.

We’ve had some questions recently regarding our new Bully Boy Batteries and how they are doing. Paul said we’d left our readers on tenterhooks after mentioning that they seemed to be charging at different rates, or something along those lines. Well I think Mick’s answer was that he’s stopped wondering why they are doing this and has just accepted it. With our new batteries we certainly don’t have the concerns over capacity as we used to, especially at the end of last year when we were down to just two of our original batteries. Because they have so much more capacity they take longer to charge, so if we are staying put for the day and want to run the dishwasher the engine goes on. This does mean we also get a full tank of hot water. But some days we’ve had enough capacity to use our immersion heater to heat the water using electricity therefore the engine is not required. We expect this to happen more and more in the summer when the solar panels provide a lot more power.

USB rechargeable lights in cupboards. These are proving to be pretty good, so far. The one that is in The Shed has had to be charged, mainly because it is used several times a day. The others in the pull out corner galley cupboard light up every time I go in there and have made me realise that at some point I’ve taken the square baking tin to the house, hence a round batch of flapjack the other day.

I’ve also had a few people ask me if I’ll be designing Chippy Panto this year. Well, no I’m not. Before I arrived in Chippy for rehearsals last year I’d already decided that this year I wanted to boat through the summer and be able to enjoy it. Last summer we’d cruise in the mornings and just about every afternoon I would work. Over the last six years I’ve designed the last five pantos in Chippy which I have really enjoyed. Designing and painting my designs is what I really love doing, being part of a building with a family feel is very special. But last year I started to miss boating, not being able to return home to Oleanna at weekends is hard too. So in January I got in touch with John before he got in touch with me about this years Panto. I shall miss it, but I’m hoping we’ll be able to go and see Jack and the Beanstalk later this year, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas with out Chippy panto.

This of course will free up my afternoons so hopefully this year Oleanna will get some much needed touching up, if it ever stops raining! I do still need to feed my creative soul and I’m hoping that doing some paintings of places on our travels will do this for me.

So along with this being our 2000th post, we’ve had 3,068 comments, 17,431 photographs, 172 subscribers, on 16th June 2021 we had the most views, Friday is the most popular day at 9am, views from 96 countries, Thwaite Mills on 31st March the most viewed post, 733 likes (I suspect this is actually higher and mostly from Ade), hang on he’s just liked another! 1,845,360 words written, not including this post!

*Some of these figures may be inaccurate as I’ve had to collect the info from various places

This last Christmas I had an old friend ask what we would do with Oleanna when can no longer boat, whether that be through our physical ability to boat or should the waterways start closing around us due to lack of funding. I said we’d still keep her, find somewhere for her to be, maybe on land if needs be, where we could still stay on board. But here’s hoping our floating days will continue for many years more. We’ll keep writing the blog and sharing it with those who want to read it and hopefully we’ll get to meet a few more of you along the way.

For those of you who have followed Oleanna from the beginning in 2015, a BIG BIG Thank You for reading all our ramblings through the years. I doubt if anyone other than ourselves has read every single post. For what started off as a diary for us to look back on in years to come, for family and friends to keep up with our travels, we now have a lot of new friends, some we’ve yet to actually meet. We find looking back on posts interesting, after all there is useful information in amongst the breakfasts, socks and stamps of approval. Thank you for coming along with us.

Click photo to go to petition

The Smell Of Rain. 1st April

Hebden Bridge to above Holmcoat Lock 14

There will be a few days whilst we adjust to the clocks having sprung forwards, waking when you wake doesn’t tend to adjust very well, so we were a touch late pushing off this morning.

Rain is now pretty much the norm and we dressed appropriately. Across the way a couple were being shown round a boat for sale, they came across as being very new to narrowboats. A bit further along there was a touch of boat moving happening. The Bronte Day boat was moved into the stubby arm, then a very familiar boat moved up and the cruiser we’ve been following pulled in behind. Did the cruiser have a problem? Was he having to return to work after the weekend and had found himself a mooring until he could move his boat again.

The familiar boat had been spotted yesterday. NB Petrichor* had been one of the boats moored below Hurlesdon during the first lockdown in 2020. The chap onboard, spent his time signwriting his boat, it took two coats until he was happy with it, it’s certainly holding up well. As we pootled past we both waved, the chap stood inside and waved back, not sure he recognised us, maybe I should have moved our yellow bicycle from the Tour de France onto that side as this was the man who’d designed it. A shame not to have chance for a chat.

Onto the water point, our tank depleted somewhat, the pressure wasn’t so good so we sat down and enjoyed a Hot Paw Bun whilst we waited, very good toasted.

**I suspect if you did this lock at 3am you’d still get gongoozlers!**

First lock of the day Blackpit Lock. Despite the rainfall we still managed to get a crowd of gongoozlers watching. I do love some of the theories people come up with. Today’s was that if we filled the lock up too much then it would force the bottom gates open! I made sure I stopped when the levels were level and pushed the top gates open to avoid the bottom gates failing.

I’d hoped to get a good photo of the mills along the next stretch, a possible painting, but they weren’t how I’d remembered them, not so picturesque, the rain wasn’t helping.

A couple more locks, was this next stretch the location used in Happy Valley when Tommy Lee Jones was on a narrowboat? A hunt round the internet later on found the Wandering Turnip who gives a guided tour of the area. We’d for some reason always thought the scene had been shot along this stretch, but it turns out we were very wrong and had passed under Bridge 5 coming out of Sowerby Bridge. It also turns out we’d bought some broccoli in one of the locations a couple of days ago.

Onwards and upwards, this will be the theme for the next few days. At just about every lock we had soggy gongoozlers. A couple ran to watch, one of them from Germany asking if they could help, I asked them to help with the top gate whilst I walked on to the next lock, they were very happy to oblige.

Pulling in at Rawden Mill Lock the canal was shallow. Five years ago this pound was even shallower. We had difficulty getting into the side and ended up enlisting passersby to give me a hand to jump onto the bank. Thankfully today that wasn’t needed.

The offside of locks were very muddy, at the bottom gate it looked to almost be ankle deep just where you needed to stand to wind the paddle back down. Extra care walking round locks was required today.

Two young ladies at another lock, one had never seen a lock in action, the other grew up near Saltaire and has helped push gates at Bingley. Then a couple who normally are on their motorbikes, but had opted for a canal side walk today, everyone helped with gates and chatted away.

Our aim for today was to reach a mooring where Tilly could have some shore leave. A small playground alongside the canal just after Lock 14 caught our eye, the railway and road a distance away too. The depth in places was shallow but we got moored up in the end.

Tilly took one look out of the backdoors and turned round to request I stopped it from raining. She tried again and suceeded in heading through the wire fence and into the play area. This is where you can go to learn woodcraft, I didn’t need any tutelage, I know all about trees!

A late treat cheese lunch as we dried off, the stove was built up ready for some jacket potatoes and settled down for the remainder of the day. Of course now we’d stopped so did the rain!

A lengthy phone call with my brother catching up on news from Hackney and then some frogging of a pair of socks. The ankle had become too tight with colour working, so I had to frog it down to before the heel turn. This will mean I fall slightly behind on my pair a week, but I’d rather every pair fits their sponsor and anyway I’m sure I’ll catch up with where I should be.

*Petrichor is the smell of rain. The word comes from the Greek words ‘petra’, meaning stone, and ‘ichor’, which in Greek mythology refers to the golden fluid that flows in the veins of the immortals.

As part of our Nebolink subscription we get a monthly report from them, listing all our journeys along with a map of where we’ve been. Thought it might be interesting if I included these. So here’s where we travelled in March.

6 locks, 2.3 miles all of them soggy, 1 full water tank, 1 cruiser moored, 1 lockdown buddy, 27 gongoozlers, 6 helpers, 1 woodland playground, 1 cat amused for a while, 1 catch up, 1 missing Tara! 1 sock frogged, 3 treat cheeses started and yes the Wensleydale is very yummy!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EneEghDzTjemD59K8

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna