Our mooring had been chosen so as to be as close to Kings Lynn as possible and on Saturday morning Mick was picked up by Enterprise, at last we had been quoted a reasonable price for a hire car by them. He returned in time for us to join in with the end of the Saturday morning Geraghty zoom.
The car was packed. Biscuit bowl filled and the magic food bowl primed. Tilly was left in charge with instructions not to wind Freddie up too much whilst we were away.
Then we were off heading across country, avoiding motorways, crossing bridges over rivers we’ve been under years ago and others we’ve yet to navigate under. The biggest bridge of course being the Humber Bridge. We paused at Willerby Waitrose for a wee break and something for lunch, we also bought ourselves something for the evening.
We then took the scenic route over the Wolds via Wetwang so that we could have a look at the Scarecrow Festival. Our favourites Freddie Mercury outside the chip shop and the Queen with her corgies where we joined the road taking us to Sledmere.
A trip back to the house was for several purposes, one to add to the compost bins, two to check the house over before the next lodger moves in and to go to a party.
Our friends Dawn and Lee (Animated Objects) were having a joint fancy dress 50th Birthday party. The theme for the evening was the Oscars. You were asked to dress as a famous movie star or be dressed for a night at the Oscars.
Well we don’t exactly have a huge wardrobe to rummage through to make up a costume. We just about manage to dress up smart, but we certainly don’t have ballgowns and tuxedos on board, or at the house! Expanding our wardrobe for one evening would be extravagant. Mick had thought of going as a Billy, the telephone engineer from Little Voice, we still have his old work t-shirts. But I came up with a better idea.
My model making skills were put to use. A rigid Alice band bought for me. With Mick having a bigger head he needed a stretchy head band. Then over the last couple of weeks I’ve been cutting out foamcor and card. Wires attached. Carving into it. A layer or two of tissue paper and pva. A couple of layers of filler which was then sanded. Paint, a touch more filler, then more paint. Wires threaded through head bands. Fittings, a layer of thin foam. Hey presto we had our own Academy Award Winners to wear.
Wallace, Gromit and Feathers McGraw from The Wrong Trousers.
All ready for the party
It was a lovely evening meeting up with old friends we’d not see in years and our Scarborough theatre family. There were a few people who couldn’t make it including Duncan and Jaye who sadly had got the lurgy. Hope you are both feeling better very soon.
The costumes were stunning. Dawn as Slimer and Lee as a Ghost Buster. Fleur and Ruth as Dick Tracey and Breathless Mahoney. Dawn did a quick change for the awards ceremony. There were several categories and blow me down we won the Cobbled Together Award!
A statuette, some wine gums and an assortment of LX tape, always handy to have either on a boat or on stage.
Our award
Sunday morning and it was time to make up the last bed in the house, cut the grass, do a bit of weeding and give the big shower a good scrub down. In the process we were spotted by our neighbours who came over to give us the latest news on the street, someone having just moved in a few doors down.
Sadly we didn’t get chance, yet again to give the back garden a good sort out, but green shoots were spotted on the boat Christmas tree. There is hope for it yet, if the weeds don’t choke it before we’re back next! I also found a small pile of post that had been put high on a shelf by someone, not with the rest that had been left on the dining room table. What was in that pile? Our postal votes! Grrr!!! Those lodgers have now lost another half point!
Thankfully the traffic leaving Scarborough wasn’t too bad, it can be horrendous most Bank Holidays, which was just as well as when we stopped to pick up something for our dinner Mick remembered that he hadn’t locked the front door! Back into town again.
We had a pit stop over looking the Humber Bridge in Hessle where Mick’s Mum’s ashes were scattered, it’s nice to say hello to her every now and again.
Hello Ruth
The drive back wasn’t too pleasant with rain for most of the way.
Tilly had held the fort well although she could have turned the heating on before we got back! The stove was soon lit and a pizza each popped in the oven. Freddie came to say hello too, much to Tilly’s disgust!
Go away smelly sniffy woofer!!!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 2 buckets of compost, 2 head bands, 2 boaters ironed smartly, 50th birthdays, 1 Oscar, 1 Scarborough family, 2 many faces from way back when, 2 many chums missing, 1 lovely evening, 1 cut cable, 2 postal votes, 1 house all ready, 1 locked door, 2 sets of keys, 1 wave to Ruth, 1 wet journey, 1 happy cat, 1 sniffing imbecile!
A bit of a tradition for us (when in Scarborough with a car) is to visit Thornton-le-Dale to see the Christmas lights. In days gone by we used to drive back from my Dad’s in York via one of the scenic routes so that we could see them.
Thornton-le-Dale
They are not a huge spectacle like Regents Street and pretty much remain the same year in year out but they are still very pretty to us. Multi-coloured festoons swag up the street and along Thornton Beck, which runs along side Maltongate. I especially like the group of swans, one all puffed up and head down.
Whilst in the village we also popped along to have a look at the old cars at Mathewsons Auctions, made famous in Bangers and Cash. The showroom is now full of merchandise and the cars out of the forecourt weren’t anything special. We did however bump into Derek Mathewson, as well as running the vintage garage and museum Derek owns The Moorcock Inn, Langdale End where Mick used to drink. The next vintage car auction is in February and there are several very pretty cars going under the hammer LINK
We then headed back to the coast to see more lights. Scarborough Harbour for the last year or so has put on a display of it’s own. The boats bobbing on the low turning tide are festooned with lights up their masts and rigging.
The wonderful Lighthouse
There were plenty of people out taking photos despite the chilly breeze. Centre stage is the lighthouse, one of my favourite buildings. Big pea bulbs decorate the building which glows in the dark. Wonderful.
Christmas Cheese selection, Smoked Brie, Harrogate Blue, Kit Calvert Wensleydale and Keens Traditional Cheddar
Last week we’d been considering moving Oleanna to Huddersfield, making use of the break in the winter maintenance over Christmas and the New Year, so that I could have her to stay on whilst working for Dark Horse. We are now quite glad that we didn’t set out on the trip as with all the recent rainfall the flood locks on the Aire and Calder have been shut, Doncaster lock (not that we’d have been going that way) is closed due to high water and the Don Doors are closed protecting the New Junction Canal from rising waters on the River Don. Oleanna can stay put and I’ll stay in a hotel instead.
Janet, what a fab costume. Photo Tony Bartholomew
The last couple of evenings we’ve been to the theatre whilst sitting on our sofa. We had booked tickets to see Jack and the Beanstalk at the SJT, but sadly the night we were going coincided with some of the company having positive covid tests. Instead we decided to watch the show from home. Adapted by Nick Lane we knew we’d be in for a silly time and it was designed by Helen Coyston (costume designer for panto at Chippy). We really enjoyed it especially Janet and The Paella of love, from heaven above.
The Railway Children, Hull Truck
Last night we sat down to watch Hull Truck’s production of The Railway Children. This was originally filmed for a live stream so it included 15 minutes of nothing before it actually started, a full interval break and no credits which we thought was a big shame. The show has been getting great reviews, although we really enjoyed it I think quite a lot was lost in the filming. Well live theatre is magical and not being in the room with an audience let it down somewhat. The camera angles at times, although capturing the full set meant that the actors were smaller than they would have been even if we’d sat on the back row of the theatre. Have to say I felt a little bit short changed even if Sian Thomas’s costumes were lovely.
Tilly preferred Paddington 2
Back to the title of the blog. Going for Gold!
This isn’t that I’ve beaten Tim Larmour to the top of a mountain (Fulford School joke) therefore depriving him of Gold! No we actually got round to making a decision, we’ve bought Oleanna a Gold license for the coming year. Mick had looked on line, found where to buy a Gold License on the C&RT site but not where you could apply for a refund on a standard license.
They’re not as fancy as they used to be. Just a black G not a gold one!
Our license ran till the end of May, but a Gold License runs from January to the end of December, so to make the most of it we needed to trade in our old license this month to get a maximum refund. Mick rang C&RT and was assisted by a very helpful lady. Within minutes we had an email confirming our purchase, then a little while later another saying that they had refunded us £300 plus from our old license. Really easy.
For those readers who don’t know what the difference is. The Environment Agency is the navigation authority for the River Thames, Anglian Waterways plus a few more. With a standard C&RT license you need to pay for a visitors license to cruise EA waters. We’ve done this several times on the Thames. A Gold license however means you are covered for both C&RT and Environment Agency waters, it costs around about £300 more than our previous license but now we can come and go as we like onto the Thames or on the River Nene.
Will it be the Thames again?
Our cruising plans for next year are still dependant on a few things, but we thought it best to invest in a Gold license now as they only run from January to December and we could get a refund for what remained of our existing one.
Who knows we may spend a couple of months exploring the Thames in greater detail than we did a few years ago along with other rivers in the south. Or we may head eastwards to the Nene, Great Ouse etc. Time and commitments will tell.
Red napkins in a hot wash, Paddington!
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 Christmas shows, 2 Christmas lights, 3 red napkins, 4 pink t-towels,1 painting, 1 of several rivers closed due to flooding, £338.04 refund, 1 Gold license, access all areas, 1 cat licensed to kill!
Father Christmas brought us lots of goodies, of course there was chocolate but there were also socks. Years ago I used to think, Oh Thanks! when receiving socks, but I think when you get past a certain age it’s quite exciting as you can now justify throwing out the pairs that have gone beyond the darning stage. Amongst other things I got a Mikron bag and Mick a can of Marmite Beer, he’s not sampled it yet so we don’t know if he loves or hates it!
After smoked salmon and scrambled eggs we joined the Geraghty Zoom. Everyone was present even Ruth, James and Penelope who had headed to Lanzarote for a week. Then a long chat with the London Leckenbys.
With the fire lit we opened our presents. Tilly got a mouse and fish rammed full of catnip from her friends Mungo and Dog (they are both cats and can be friends as she’s never met them!), so she spent much of the morning occupied with them high as a cat can be!
Not cheap, but my last pair have lasted nine years.
Mick and I both got a new pair of sheepskin slippers from my Dad, great for wearing on the boat. Yes I know he passed away some years ago, but last summer a small chunk of money came to light so thank you Daddy Fatso for warm cosy toes again.
Many of my presents were things for the kitchen and arrived just in time. A carving board, electric hand whisk. I have both on the boat so now we don’t need to move them back and forth. Kath knitted me a snood to wear whilst winter boating. My neck certainly won’t get chilly and there’ll be no loose ends of a scarf to get caught in lock mechanisms. Mick got a new rope knife, very handy for stubborn things around Oleanna’s prop and it has a hole to attach a string so you can’t drop it in (mental note do this before taking it to boat!).
I always get scissors, this year however they were a touch different. These are herb scissors which have five blades so five times as much cut. Suspect they may be annoying to wash, but Mick does the washing up so that doesn’t matter! We also got wine and books. Thank you very much to friends and family.
Christmas sunshine
A Christmas walk down to the beach helped clear our heads after a glass of bucks fizz.
Blimey it was cold out there with a keen breeze off the sea, but the sun was out so we battled on a touch further.
Into the underpass
Under Spa Bridge and the now roundabout is an underpass and a car park, somewhere I’d never really fancied exploring, but a group of local artists have covered the walls of the underpass with wonderful images of fish, jelly fish all sorts. The area was once a large aquarium and still has the name Aquarium Top. Here’s a link to how it used to be, some great photos including a tram that once took a nose dive!
Just before the jelly
Frank arrived mid afternoon, watched us cook and then helped us eat just about everything. Duck with all the trimmings, followed by clementine and prosecco jelly, then upside down banana chocolate chip birthday cake, served slightly warm with ice cream.
A very nice cake and worth keeping the bananas until they were very ripe!
Maybe not!
Birthday presents next. I got a pair of sandals, yes I know it’s winter but I’ve been hunting for sandals to wear on the boat for years and these look really good. I of course had to model them with some Christmas socks, the only time the two items will be on my feet together! There was also some chocolates, pasta, an oven glove and a new pie tin.
We rounded off the evening with another glass of wine in front of Morecombe and Wise.
There she is!
Having hired a car for a few days over Christmas, original plans now cancelled, we put together a pack up lunch and headed off to see Oleanna, she had presents too, new filters! The drive was quite foggy over the Wolds, but when we reached the River Ouse it cleared somewhat, the tide was neither in or out and on the Aire and Calder there were no boats on the move.
Coats were kept on
This time last year we also headed to Oleanna as the Aire and Calder breach had just happened. Today we were pleased to see she was safe and sound and not a couple of feet below the pontoon. Mick flicked switches on in the electrics cupboard and then fired up her engine. She started up first time, we let the engine run for about an hour.
Cheddar and braised red cabbage butties with a cuppa
Blimey it was cold! Such a different place to be when the stove isn’t lit, she’ll need a good 24hrs to get back up to temperature, glad I’d worn extra layers. We had our pack up in front of the hatch with a cuppa each. We’ve known more picturesque views, but just being back on board was good.
Mick’s present passed on to Oleanna
Once the engine was off again, Mick rigged up his Christmas present a solar power battery maintainer. This will help to keep our starter battery topped up during the stationary winter months. Normally charged when the engine is running the battery can now get a bit of trickle charge when stationary for any amount of time. The solar panel has been left in the pram cover so as not to get blown away, this will mean it is less efficient, but more so than if it was at the bottom of the marina.
Tucking her back up
After a couple of hours everything was switched off again, taps left open to save coming back to burst pipes. We said our goodbyes to Oleanna and the marina and headed back to Scarborough in time to watch Paddington with Tilly, she especially liked the pigeons!
Pigeons help save the day
0 locks, 0 miles, 3 days hire paid for, 7 days with a car, 4 more positives, 1 Christmas, 1 birthday, 3 stockings full, 12 pairs socks, 2 pairs slippers, 1 pair sandals, 1 pan, 1 carving board, 5 blades, 1 knife, 1 whisk, 1 fish, 1 mouse, 1 pack Dreamies, 1 birthday cake, 30 roast potatoes, 0 left, 40 plus sprouts, 5 left, 12 pigs in blankets, 0 left, just what am I going to make the bubble and squeak out of tonight?!
Life in Scarborough has been busy. Reclaiming our big house is taking time, on the first day I managed to walk over a mile without leaving the front door, I suspect on Oleanna I’d have only managed a couple of hundred yards! Just moving from the cooker to the sink or fridge is several paces rather than just a turn. All the stairs are hard work for knees!
Why are we here?!
Our first week has been spent bringing down from the top floor only those things we need, which isn’t much. This is so that as I decorate the house there isn’t clutter that needs to be constantly moved from room to room. Hopefully as I work my way round we will have more than just a sofa to sit on.
Geraghty zoom from the living room
Having so much space means we can inhabit one side whilst I work on the other side, the only down side is that the boiler on the side we’re inhabiting doesn’t work and needs replacing. We’re waiting for quotes, but it looks like it won’t be until November until the work could be done, good job we’ve a 15 tog duvet on the bed!
Much of our furniture that we’d left in the house has gone through the years. Somethings needed replacing quickly, ie the washing machine and tumble drier so that we don’t have to go to Oleanna to do our washing! We’d leant our TV to some friends whilst we were away, so that was collected early on saving us from having to buy another. We also stocked up on toilet roll, 48 recycled rolls.
Good window shelves
Tilly is just starting to get used to there being SO much space,At least four Oleanna’s worth and then there is the upstairs upstairs inside that I’ve only had a sneaky peek at so far.There is still more for her to explore inside, at least it’s keeping her busy until we allow her to explore the new normal outside.
Over lockdown I loved getting a veg box in Nantwich, so I’d already sussed out where I’d be able to get one from in Scarborough. Tree Top Farm delivers organic veg to your door, so Wednesdays is veg box day. Red Kale and Marrow made a few very nice meals and the last of the swede and squash will go into a soup. So far we are managing to get Sainsburys deliveries and three times a week we wake to a fresh bottle of milk on the doorstep.
We are hoping to live without a car, hiring when one is needed, pretty much as we’ve done for six years. Time will tell if this works, the only downside being that we can’t be spontaneous and head to Oleanna without a bit of planning. I suspect the walk to B&Q will become a regular thing, although I have placed a large order with Dulux which gets delivered.
So far we’ve only seen one friend, Frank who came round for a cuppa and catch up almost as soon as we got back. Sitting out in the garden it felt like we’d never been away. Thank you Frank for the beans, tomatoes and apples. We’ve just about finished the beans, some apples went into a sticky toffee apple pudding, but there’s still plenty left for other things.
Just to keep the breakfast club happy
We’d like to see other friends, but so far we’ve been a touch busy and keeping ourselves to ourselves feels right as the local cases of Covid 19 increase. We were so busy that I got my days mixed up and we missed a trip to the Stephen Joseph Theatre to see The Lighthouse which had been booked for a few weeks!
A good sea breeze
Last Sunday the sun came back out after a few miserable days, so we made the most of it and walked over onto South Cliff, along the Esplanade, down to the sea where Holbeck Hall Hotel slipped into the North Sea back in 1993. Then we walked back to the valley along the sea front about an hour before high tide, the wind blowing, surfers surfing and the sea crashing against the sea wall by The Spa. We paused and waved to Duncan and Jaye as we passed their house, but nobody looked out the windows. We hope to get out at least once a week to be able to blow away the dust and cobwebs from the house.
Hello!
This week decorating has started. On days when the weather is favourable I aim to get as much of the outside repainted as I can, someone else will need to be employed to do the stuff up high. Two chaps turned up the other day to do some pointing, they’d actually got the wrong house and street, but they cleared our gutters for us there and then. They think they might be able to paint the gable end without scaffolding, so that would save us some money.
On cold and wet days there is plenty to keep me busy inside. Kitchen first, followed by the living room. If only it was as simple as getting the brushes out, so far there are five rotten window sills that need replacing and numerous sticking doors which have handles that fall off in your hand. This is all going to take time.
Holding on I hope!
The 1st of October was Tilly’s birthday. Her fifth birthday. She was hoping that this might mean she’d be able to go off and explore the trees in the park above our road but they will have to wait a few more days until her two weeks ‘House Arrest’ is finished.
There she is
So instead of spending the day with birthday girl we hired a car and headed to Goole. The sun was out, a good day to get some undercoat on the outside of the house, but an even better day to visit Oleanna to do some jobs.
Midland Chandlers had delivered a new 24volt automatic bilge pump along with fresh filters. Mick was wanting to change the oil so that Oleanna can sit over winter all fresh. Scarborough Halfords didn’t have enough, but Boyes in Goole did at a much better price. We also made use of the car by picking up several heavy things for mending a rather large hole that was put in the wrong chimney breast at the house, which currently is stopping us from lighting a fire!
Liberty our new view
Lisa my Instagram acquaintance had sent photos earlier this week showing that all was well at the marina. Oleanna’s ropes had slackened a touch and she has a couple of new neighbours, a small cruiser and Liberty a Dutch Barge we’d seen about the Aire and Calder recently.
It was good to be back on board. The hull rocking as we stepped on board. People ask us if we’ve got our land legs back, well that rocking feeling left us years ago, we kind of became ambidextrous with such things. Wonder if that will still be the case after being on land for a while?
Tools at the ready
Once we’d got everything powered up again Mick put on his overalls and lifted the engine board. I did a bit of chopping and frying, a chicken and swede soup to bubble away on the stove for our lunch, getting veg boxes means you have to keep on top of the supply so that nothing goes to waste.
Nearly gone. Frank!
Then I started on my job for the day. Curtain removal. The rods that hold our curtains up have plenty of screws that needed to come out. Some of the screws will need replacing as they have almost turned into Frank screws. So little head left that next time only Frank would be able to remove them for us. Last time we took them down we had a bit of difficulty putting them back up as the brackets although they look identical are not quite. This time as they came down, the brackets were taped onto the ends and each one was labelled.
What a state
The curtains need a good wash, but also some TLC. Tilly has a tendency to head behind the curtains head first and then do a tipple tail to turn round, her claws grabbing the lining as she goes. The lining has been suffering for some time. Do I replace the lining now or leave them a while longer, maybe just patching them up? I can’t decided. The bedroom curtains need a bit more than the lining replacing. I’ll use the old curtains as a pattern as I already have new fabric for them. Just a shame I forgot to take down the blinds on the bow doors that match. That will have to be a next time job.
Legs in the engine bay
It took a while for Mick to get the bilge pump operational, pipe attaching had been a touch problematic. Then there was the wiring in, the old 12 volt one had run off the starter battery, the new 24 volt one he wanted to run from the leisure batteries. The original pump hadn’t had a fuse, so a visit to the chandlers was needed. This all took longer than expected. It was decided to leave the oil change for another time.
New coat of Danish Oil
With all the curtains down I gave each window surround a good sanding back. A metal scraper would have been better to remove the old finish, but as I didn’t have one I could only sand back as best I could. Once everywhere was cleaned down I then applied a coat of Danish Oil.
Tilly Too heading off for a wash with the curtains
Most frames came up well, but the occasional water stain despite looking identical to the others decided to darken with the oil. These patches will require a bit more attention. Oxalic acid can be used to bleach out the oxidisation of the wood, but also you can try Bar Keepers Friend, here’s a handy link. Sadly my stains didn’t show themselves before I started so they now have a coat of Danish Oil on top of them. So they will have to wait for another time. Another time when Tilly is not around.
With most of the wood looking better it was time to head back to Scarborough. Mick will return by train to do the oil change and to fit some temperature sensors in the engine bay (when they arrive). We picked up a few bits we’d noticed we could do with at the house, Micks waterproof coat and a couple of cereal bowls, as living with three was getting annoying.
Plenty of tractors about
Then back over the Wolds, such a pretty drive with no motorways. The farmers were busy in the fields, the earth being turned over ready for the next crop to go in. Pheasants and deer showing themselves in the grass verges.
I can’t sit still for my photo!
Back in Scarborough Tilly was waiting for us and we spent the evening celebrating her birthday. She has a new mouse on a stick which kept her amused for ages and 40 meters of sisal string to restring her scratch post, what a lucky girl.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 7 windows sanded, 7 windows oiled, 5 pairs of curtains down for tlc, 24 volt bilge pump, 2 big bowls of soup, 0.5 mission complete, 1 sunny day not to be cruising, 40 meters 6mm 3 ply sisal string, 5 years old today (ish)or 36 in cat years, 1 boating blogger trying to wean herself off taking photos of Everything!
Where were we
2019 On the Kennet and Avon Canal, I was near Plymouth painting Panto LINK
2018 On the South Oxford Canal, Allen’s Lock to Dashwood Lock LINK
2017 On the Trent and Mersey Canal, Red Bull. LINK
2016 On the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, Victoria Quay to Mexborough LINK
2015 On the Erewash Canal, Sandiacre to Langley Mill. LINK
2014 Trent and Mersey to Staffs and Worcester Canals, Stone to Tixall Wide. LINK
Wanting to get a touch closer to Skipton today we had breakfast whilst it rained and then hoped for it to be drier for our descent of Bank Newton Locks. With our cuppas in insulated mugs we were rolling back the covers at 10am, Geraghty Zoom time. Mick used his phone to attend the zoom and put it in the clamp on top of the hatch so everyone could see us as we went along.
Tilly and Duncan as we head off
They had to put up with us sorting ourselves out, but then after push off we could join in on the conversation. Cheese, a friend of Tilly’s (human Tilly) had fallen into the water and Amadeus were the topics of conversation that I got glimpses of.
Third bush from the right
We waved goodbye to our mooring, two more boats on different loops visible and then we wound round the hills towards Bank Newton.
First lock of the day in view and Anne and Alasdair
Just after we’d arrived at the locks and I was setting the top one the heavens opened, which meant Mick had to leave the zoom as his phone needed to go inside. Hello and bye to everyone from me.
Top Lock cottage and a clough ground paddle open, partially
Just as we’d come into the lock and were closing gates behind us a boat came into view, time to open the gates again and let them come down the locks with us. NB Amelie had been moored round the bend from us last night and they’d spotted us pushing off so had hoped to catch up.
The lady on board hadn’t worked a lock before but that was fine she soon got the hang of things. We wound the paddles up to empty the lock and down the boats went.
A mountain of weed
Just off the towpath I spotted what looked like a mountain of weed, almost 6ft high, blimey the Lockies must have been pulling this out for weeks!
Always close your clough before the gate is fully open
Now in the land of clough ground paddles I remembered that the best way to move them was by pretending to be the karate kid, well that’s if you could get them moving to start with. The wooden cloughs operate a paddle that sits over the opening below water and you lift the handle up in he air to open up the flow of water. Sometimes the water pressure is such that they won’t shift, but then as the lock fills, the pressure gets less and you can move them easier.
Chatting away at the helm
By lock 39 we came across the two Lock Keepers raking weed out from the bywashes, they only had short handled little rakes, I suggested that C&RT should buy them a proper Keb, ‘chance would be a fine thing’ was the response. The mountain of weed at the top of the locks is what they have collected since the beginning of June and every day they collect more and more.
Two hire boats were coming up the lock below so we were asked to wait to empty our chamber until they had lifted the gate paddles so our water wouldn’t flood over the top gates.
Blue sky when we’d expected rain
I chatted away to the Lockie, Nigel about favourite canals, moorings and where we’d all been for lockdown. However I ran out of time to chat to him about family, back in 2016 we somehow managed to sus that he might just be a distant cousin of mine as his surname is the same as my Mum’s maiden name and his Dad came from Thornton as did my Mum. I still need to check this out with my cousins who we may just get to see on our way into Leeds soon.
The two hire boats swapped locks with us, a lady stood chatting away with me before she realised she might be needed at the next lock, but her boat had just decided to wind before the lock so getting it back on course would take a bit of time.
The bottom lock
Nigel informed us that the bottom lock would need all the paddles lifting to fill it as it leaks so much but by the time we got down to it the other Lockie had already filled it for us and opened the gates.
The bridge over the bottom of the last lock has seen better days a huge crack in it and the handrail wrapped in hazard tape. A new box structure has been added on top giving a more solid walkway.
This is when things started to go wrong!
Below there was a wide beam moored on the lock landing. I let the chaps know, they’d be very aware of it as soon as the bottom gates opened anyway. NB Amelie planned on stopping for a cuppa before continuing where as we wanted to carry on to Gargrave. So we were to pull out first, pass the widebeam so that Mick could pick me up at the water point, the other boat loitering until we left.
Widebeam in the way
My gate didn’t open quite fully but I didn’t think anything of it until I came to close it again. Would it move! Would it b**er! With the help of the other lady we tried and tried to push, pull, tug, bump, push again but the gate was just not moving. We’d have to find one of the Lock Keepers.
I stood up and shouted to Mick that I was going to walk up the flight for a Lockie. Then I happened to glance down towards NB Amelie. Blimey, the chap was in the water! His boat was drifting backwards diagonally towards the lock, luckily out of gear as he tried to follow it, swimming with his barge pole in one hand.
Meanwhile the widebeam, realising they were in the way started to untie. The last thing we wanted right now was a turning prop with a man in the water. I shouted to Mick who was looking my way to stop them from pushing off.
‘MAN IN THE WATER!!!’
The chap from the widebeam managed to stop NB Amelie from moving and the chap in the water decided to head towards the off side bank, the water being deep. Fences and mesh were in the way and I knew I’d not be able to help him out even if I could get to him. I think having his pole with him gave him an extra means of pushing himself out, he then just had to climb through hedges fences and wire! But thank goodness he was out.
The lady from the widebeam explained that she has broken ribs and that is why they’d stopped on the lock landing to give her a rest, she’d suggested to her other half to stop a little bit further on. Maybe if they had nobody would have got wet!
A calm photo of a viaduct and hills
The gate still needed closing, still no joy. Three people giving it a heave ho and eventually it moved.
The chap from Amelie was understandably wanting a shower and a cuppa before doing anything else, so we left him to it and pulled out before the widebeam had chance to over take us.
Lock 35 is a bit of a distance on, as we approached a couple of boats were just coming out towards us, marvellous one less set of gates to deal with. We swapped over, I closed one gate and Mick the other. I then wound the bottom paddles up.
Here comes the widebeam
Behind us I could hear a boat horn as the widebeam got to the next bridge, there wasn’t enough space for the narrowboat and it, so the narrowboat had to pull over. Mick asked if the gate paddles were closed properly. Mine was, but I couldn’t see the one on Mick’s gate. I walked round to find it a third up, with that wound down we could finish emptying the lock and be on our way.
The gates were open at Lock 34 ready for us, maybe they’d drifted open after the uphill boats had left. Down we went, only for me to not be able to close the bottom gate again. Mick sailed away, looking over his shoulder, but carried on.
I pushed, pulled, bounced the gate. Back and forth the little amount it would move, still no luck. Two ladies walked up and I asked if they were willing to help. With two and a half people pulling it still didn’t move. One lady looked down behind the gate, ‘Look there’s something down there’. Well all I could see was what was meant to be there. We’d have to call C&RT. Luckily by now Mick had realised I needed help so he reversed up and came to help. With the two of us pulling and pushing and bumping the gate in unison it finally moved!
One last lock for today. The gates were open on this one too, but this time it was the bottom gates. Maybe they’d blown open too, or maybe a widebeam had forgotten it was north of Watford and had just left them.
What a clean boat
A family stood by the lock. Mum and daughter a bit interested, but Dad had that five year old glint in his eye. Would you like to help? He stopped just short of saying ‘Hell Yes!’ He helped with the gate and then wound up a box paddle to help fill the lock. He and his family were going abroad for their holidays in a couple of weeks, but are now hiring a boat from Silsden instead. He was so excited and very helpful.
A boat was approaching from below, but then they seemed to turn in to face the offside. Where they were wasn’t a winding hole and was far too short for them to turn, so they had got themselves stuck. Me and Mr Over Excited closed the gates, I thanked him and walked down to see if I could help at all.
They’d missed the winding hole and did not want to go up the next nine locks to turn. Only one thing for it, reverse. They managed to get over to the side and let us past, we then promised not to watch as they came backwards. We found a mooring and slotted in. The chap once lined up was managing to reverse really quite well, we congratulated him, as it was his first time.
Before we sat down for lunch Mick headed off on the bike for a newspaper, luckily there were loads of our chosen Saturday read at the Co-op and everyone, including Mick wore a mask.
After a few hours we’ve had to push the stern out and put a tyre fender to work as the pound keeps dropping and we keep listing. Mick’s been to check the paddles at the next lock and all is as it should be. Just too many boats coming into this pound to moor for the day and not bringing a lock of water down to replenish the level. At least we can’t roll off our bed if we list any more.
9 locks, 2.41 miles, 1 damp zoom, 1 cousin, 1 mountain of weed, 1 widebeam, 1 man overboard, 2 sets of gates, 1 dropping pound, 1 cat who’d like to go back to where we were last nightplease, 3 billboards.
It appears that something has happened to boat engines during lockdown, tick over is hard to achieve anymore! Boats come rushing past, some keeping to a constant speed, others then increasing their revs after they have passed. This of course is what should happen, but not cranking it up to warp speed! Maybe this is the new normal on the cut.
Last nights mooring
Tilly was allowed plenty of shore leave this morning, she chose to return a touch earlier than suggested, for a good bath and midday snooze, which meant her leave was curtailed a touch. She and I watched the remaining hour and a half of Metropolis.
Pure evil black eyes
It’s amazing what eye liner and mascara do to ones physical and mental self. Blimey the Machine Maria with all her hip gyrating totally hypnotised the wealthy surface dwelling men. She also convinced the subterranean workers to stop their work on the machine that held the world together, flooding their world necessitating the none black eyed Maria to rescue their children from the rising waters. All very dramatic.
How Deco can you get
After lunch we decided to push off and return to Henhull Bridge. We pootled up to the winding hole below Hack Green Locks, said our Goodbyes to this end of the pound, winded and headed back towards Nantwich.
Bye bye Locks
Here we waved to NB Islonian, wonder where our bows will cross next? Across the aqueduct the Hippie Boat was in full trading mode today. As we reached the water point another boat was just finishing off so we loitered mid cut for them to push off engaging warp drive again.
No chance of beating a warp speed boat to the bridge
Water tank filled, the plants watered, rubbish including a very soggy jumper that had been floating past ‘Home’ the other day headed for the skips and Tilly’s pooh box had a good wash and refresh.
Bye bye
We pushed off, saying farewell to Nantwich embankment and services for the last time. Here’s hoping that the next time we visit circumstances will be better, after all this is where we were for the Beast from the East, maybe Nantwich should be avoided from now on!
To the services for one last time
Back at Henhull Bridge we pulled in, tyres and mooring spikes at the ready. The last few days of rain hadn’t swollen the ground, hidding the holes for our spikes, they slid back in with ease, just a little tap required.
The last fill up
We’ll be here until our veg and fruit arrives in the morning. Then we’ll bid farewell to this stretch of the Shropie and continue our way northwards.
Bye bye Sooty, Sweep and Sue
0 locks, 4.12 miles, 1 wind, 3 hours shore leave, 5mph, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish, 1 clean and fresh pooh box, 1 very sodden jumper, 1 final farewell to Nantwich, 2 holes ready and waiting, 2 Marias, 1984 final scene only.
Tilly was given an hour this morning before we wanted to move. A few calls after we’d finished breakfast to encourage her home along with starting to wash the fertan off the gunnel worked a treat. I’d only just started and she pounced out of the friendly cover back onto the towpath where she was promptly picked up and passed inside.
They are growing fast
We made our way to the shady spot again where the washing continued. The gunnels were already quite hot from the morning sun so dried off very quickly as I put my dungarees on to do the priming. I started at the bow working towards the stern which had absorbed more heat before we’d moved, it had cooled down by the time I reached it. Job done for the day.
Mick had walked up to the mill Shop for some bread, only plastic white frozen variety available, whilst I worked. The water point was busy, two boats filling and more waiting their turn. Today C&RT were aiming to have the network open again, so Continuous Cruisers can start to move around again. This has meant a lot more boats on the move and few of them coming past twice.
NB Islonian once topped up with water came past winded and found themselves a space on the 48 hr mooring, another boat had pulled in behind where we’d been moored, but there was still space for us. After lunch we reversed back to where we’d started the day, tyre fenders out to keep the newly applied primer away from the edge.
The bathroom floor is a nice cool place on a hot day
By mid afternoon more boats had arrived the visitor moorings now full and the straight stretch behind us only showing a few gaps. The boating world is on the move again.
I had intended to do some jobs inside this afternoon, but instead I decided to do a bit of research for a possible project with Dark Horse early next year. #unit21 is set in a world where as you reach the age of 21 you are assessed on your adulting skills. A world of uniformity.
Amy, writer and director had said she’d been influenced by German expressionism and films such as The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari, Metropolis and George Orwells 1984. I’ve seen the first two a very long time ago when at college and surprisingly never 1984.
Ten hour clock
A free version of Metropolis was on YouTube, so some of the afternoon was spent watching this iconic 1927 silent film. Not a short film by any means, this version had every scene reinstated. Directed by Fritz Lang it portrays a beautiful cultured utopian world above a bleak underworld where the populace are mistreated. A privileged youth, Freder discovers the underworld and falls in love, instantly clutching at his heart, with Maria a rebellious teacher. His father is none too impressed and orders that a machine man (robot) is made in the image of Maria.
Maria
The world is so deco, planes turn corners without having to bank and the work force battle hourly to stop the machines below ground from exploding all arriving at work in a trans like state, leaving exhausted after a ten hour shift. Makeup and the acting are as dramatic as you will ever see. The remainder of the film awaits for in between coats of paint or the possible rain forecast from Wednesday.
Deco lift doors
0 locks, 500 yards, 1 side washed, 1 side primed, 2 many boats, 1 full stretch of moorings, 1 water world on the move again, 445 deaths missed, 10 hours, 1 popped cat.
Time to dig out the model making and paint box from under the dinette. With cushions off the corner of the dinette, top of the seat lifted and the freezer pulled out I could access the boxes below. As soon as there was any gap Tilly made sure she filled it and had a good explore.
I just need to check down here some more
Asking her to vacate such interesting places doesn’t work, but closing the door or putting the lid on for a few seconds usually works. The wood covering the storage has two large holes cut in it to aid air circulation, they are also used as hand holds. They are just about the right size for our mini cat to come through too!
Hello!
I think I’ve grown a touch
With my boxes out I was able to start on the next part of my design for The Garden. The auditorium layout. The Lawrence Batley Cellar Theatre has no fixed seating, they have different ways of laying the room out for performances, none of which quite meet our criteria. 60 seats with good sight lines to the floor, a playing area of 4.5 to 5m, wheelchair access for both performer and audience.
I then could start to draw up the basic set using pre-made fencing panels and a gate. I’m hoping this will keep the build costs to a minimum. Everything was looking like it fitted perfectly, but then I checked fencing posts dimensions, each an inch smaller. I decided to see what happens when it’s built.
Auditorium and fence details
By now it was time to high tail it to the cinema. The prices around here vary quite a bit. The Odeon Luxe £12.50 another £15 each, we opted for the dated Odeon at New Street £5 each if you don’t book in advance. With a late afternoon showing we hoped we wouldn’t be fighting for a seat.
How few people work in cinemas these days? You buy or collect your ticket from a screen and printer. Two people were on the concessions stand, 1 checking tickets, a cleaner and someone to keep an eye on the projectors. 5! It also seems almost impossible to see what films are on. If you know what film you want to see it’s easy, but if you just fancy going to the pictures, does anything take our fancy? Well that’s a hard one.
Today however we knew what we wanted to see, 1917.
Set, obviously in 1917 during WW1, two young British soldiers are tasked with delivering a message calling off an attack doomed to fail soon after the Germans had retreated to the Hindenburg Line. The retreating forces had cut the phone lines so the only way to get the message was by foot.
Co-written and directed by Sam Mendes, the film is based on an account his grandfather told him. Filming took place last year over three months, the film to be shot in what appears to be one continuous long shot. I was aware of the long shots before seeing the film and was amazed when the first shot just kept coming and coming and coming, in and out of dug outs along trenches, up over the top. To start with I was watching out for where a shot might end and the next one start, but the story of these two young soldiers took over.
The camera work is amazing, how did they get the camera up over obstacles, across mud that the actors were slipping and sliding in along trenches amongst hundreds of soldiers and it all to be seemless. If you are interested here’s a link to how it was done.
Two credits at the end surprised us, a Midwife and Weather Consultant. There is a baby hence the midwife. The weather also played an important part. With filming as if one continuous shot there had to be constant weather for continuity. With the camera able to swing to an angle no lights could be used, so natural light became even more important.
The cast is made up of well known British actors, the bigger names having higher ranks in the army, but far smaller roles in the film than Dean Charles Chapman and George MacKay who play the two messengers. What a performance by MacKay. No wonder it’s getting lots of awards, highly recommended.
New fountains in front of The Rep
On our way back to the boat we popped into Tesco for some broccoli to accompany our meal, but then realised it was already quite late and mackerel bake takes getting on for an hour in the oven. So instead we took our head of broccoli for a Nandos, we know how to show greens a good time!
0 locks, 0 miles, 60 seats, 1 small off cut, 1 smiling man, 2 x 3ft, 1 x 6ft, 1 x 3ft x 6ft gate, £5 each, 4 annoying teens, 1917, 1 landline cut, 1 extraordinary length to deliver a letter, 61 plasterers, 60 carpenters, ????? computer animators (we lost count), 1 midwife, 1 Dr weather, 1 familiar face in the background, 1 broccoli head wined and dinned, 0 cats harmed in the taking of photos.
With rain forecast for the afternoon we wanted to be on our way whilst it was still dry. Ten locks lay ahead of us, would we beat the weather?
Santa
We pootled past moored boats, many with decorations up. One boat in the summer has a mass of bears sat in it’s hatch, but understandably now it’s winter the hatch was firmly closed. However sat in the wheelhouse was the largest bear, which might actually have been an orangutan, wearing a Santa outfit including a beard. A shame the glass wasn’t clear for the photo.
We’d considered stopping at Kate Boats for a new bottle of gas, but there was no sign of life and the thought of carrying a full gas bottle over another boats bow was not appealing, it’ll have to wait.
No boat here anymore
The boat that used to be moored by Calias Lane is no more. Here the towpath used to be full of interesting stuff, the boat almost melding into it all. Late last year there was a fire on board and the owner, Malcolm, was quite badly injured, the boat almost certainly a right off. Now there is no sign of where the boat used to be and winter mooring signs sit along the stretch, all lonely as nobody has taken C&RT up on this location.
Hovering reindeer
Hiya!
Father Christmas peered out through portholes and at The Boat Inn two reindeer levitated by the outside tables.
Approaching the top of the flight
Looking over our shoulders we’d both thought we were being followed, someone to share the locks with, we’d wait at the top lock to see if they arrived. The top lock was in our favour and I soon spotted a boat coming up the lock below, so we entered the lock and dropped down.
One coming up
The lady working the boat up came for a chat. They’d been planning to moor in Leamington Spa for Christmas but had changed their minds as there was no diesel to be had, so they were hoping they’d make it to Banbury in time. There was time to suggest good places to moor in Banbury as they’d not been before and we were warned that a pound lower down the locks had almost been empty when they got to it.
Going down
As their boat passed I recognised it. We had crossed the Ribble link with the boat a couple of years ago, friends of NB Quaintrelle. However I hadn’t remembered the lady having a Scottish accent and the couple on board had been younger. It appears the boat changed owners a year or so ago.
Locks
Much of the flight was in our favour and the levels were only a touch low, but as we were bringing a lock full of water down with us this didn’t concern us. One lock had a bottom paddle left open a touch so the chamber had drained. The boat that had been following never showed itself so we descended solo.
Tree and reindeer
With last nights rain, and most probably the last two months worth, the towpath was filled with puddles and was a quagmire in places. The grassy banks more like brown ski slopes, my waterproof trousers now need a good wash. The temperature today had risen so as we worked our way down layers were removed.
Edging removed
New mortar
Was this the bridge where a widebeam got stuck in June this year? They got jammed in a bridge as they headed up the locks. The Grand Union was originally built for narrowboats but in the 1930’s the locks were widened so they could take two narrowboats. Most widebeams fit, but the one earlier in the year didn’t, coping stones had to be removed.
Tinsel
We spotted familiar boats, overtaking Kate Saffin who was moored up on the off side, NB Jameson moored before the last lock of the day where new houses are going up. The builders returning from a break came and watched as the water emptied out from the lock.
New houses
I walked on to where we’ve moored before away from the road and where there are rings. On our own we tied up and let Tilly out. I wonder if she recognises places, she’s certainly been here a few times before.
At around 2pm the heavens opened, thank goodness we weren’t battling our way down the locks in it. Tilly wasn’t too pleased with it either!
During the afternoon and evening I got very close to finishing my last sock before Christmas whilst we watched The Importance of Being Earnest. Hopefully I’ll be able to get it in the last 1st class post tomorrow.
Even though my sour dough starter seems to have faultered again I had a big jar of discard ready to be used, so this morning I had a go at some sour dough pancakes. These can either be started the night before or a little while before you want to cook them. Leaving them over night develops the flavour, but as my discard is a touch dubious I just mixed the mixture this morning.
It would only go to waste otherwise!
With a plate on top of the stove I cooked a half portion of the the recipe and kept them warm under a t towel until I’d finished the batter up. Verdict, very nice. Just wonder what they’d be like with proper discarded starter.
Tilly had been allowed out this morning, she was being kept busy. I was just about to go out and do my mad cat woman shouting when she appeared, Mick opened the hatch and we were three again. Time to move on.
Last narrow lock for a while
Down the last narrow lock we pulled in and disposed of all the rubbish we’d been accumulating. With no recycling bins until the new year everything ended up in the big skip at the service block. People say where there are no recycling bins the rubbish still gets sorted rather than going to landfill, I hope so.
We then pushed across to the water point and topped the tank up, the washing machine had been run this morning, so it took a little bit of time to fill. With the boat moored on the port side we emptied the yellow water into our container for disposal, the towpath won’t be on the right side for a while so best to make use of it now.
Napton Windmill
Last year we did these chores on Christmas Eve along with quite a few other boats, but today we had everything to ourselves. The sun was out and we pushed on to Napton Junction. The original plan had us continuing straight on here, but today we turned right for the first time, into Wigrams Turn Marina.
Wigrams Turn
There were plenty of people about, maybe live aboards or just folks preparing for a Christmas cruise. The service mooring was empty so we filled it. We’d guessed that it being run by the same company as at Cropredy the diesel price would be the same, but sadly no, 97p a litre, 11p more! Good job we only wanted a top up and four more bags of coal went on the roof. We are now stocked up for Christmas and hopefully into the New Year, the roof is a touch full and hard to see over!
Straight on to Christmas
We winded and then back at the junction we went straight on, onto the Grand Union. First thought was to stop above Calcutt Locks, but then we decided to go down them, the top one almost full.
Calcutt Top Lock
Back onto wide locks with their candlestick/bomb shaped paddle gears. Winding winding winding. Then that hard to describe fluttering noise, as the water lowers around the large openings of the paddle gear on the chamber sides, almost like Hannibal Lecter’s noise when he meets Clarice,
Just a
few apples
Down the three locks, then we sought out a length of Armco where Tilly could go out. On the off side a group of old boats are clustered, many with memorable names, Adamant the last one not in steam today. We pulled in and gave Tilly half an hour, she returned in good time, then was a touch miffed at the doors staying closed.
A good name
As the evening progressed the wind built up along with torrential rain, this of course coincided with the gas bottle running out. We knew it would as it always does just after you’ve been somewhere you could get a new one. We’re hoping for a lull in the rain tomorrow to get down the Stockton flight without getting too wet.
Payment to my brother for our postal service for the year. Lots of smoked fish from the Port of Lancaster Smokehouse.
