Category Archives: Food

Waving Goodbye, 31st July

Eco-Moorings to Ballot Box Bridge, Paddington Arm

Mick was off with a shopping list to keep us going for the next few days until we can get a click and collect somewhere. Then it was time to sit down with the Geraghtys. Todays topics, Olympics, Toddler stage school and Trampolines.

Time for us to head off. We unplugged (once the dishwasher had finished), turned on our tunnel light and followed the trip boats through Islington Tunnel. On the other side a boat was showing off it’s tyre sculptures. A curvy lady and a lizard, all very clever, have to say I preferred the lizard.

Many of the same boats were moored up in the same spots as when we first came past a month ago, tyre fenders touching the water an ideal place for a moorhen or coot to build a nest. Have to say one boat almost certainly had done a diy nest on their back deck, the predominance of organic material a sheer give away, London coots and moorhens like a bit of plastic bling added to their nests!

St Pancras Lock sat full, full of duck weed, in the last two weeks the bloom has taken over.

As we worked our way up Richard and Victoria from NB Chance stopped for a bit of a chat, they are currently staying at the Cruising Club before heading onwards, we also spotted NB Misty Blue pulled in against NB Flora Dora. Today we wouldn’t be stopping, not even for water as planned, someone else had got to the tap before us.

We waved goodbye to the gas holders as we ducked under the railway bridges and carried on our way westwards.

Below Kentish Town Lock Christine was waiting behind the railings to watch our ascent up the three locks, the last on the Regents Canal. She stayed a good distance away from the waters edge at all times, just as well as she still had her shopping to do.

The pretty NB Moondance was coming down in the middle lock, so we swapped over in the pound below and carried on upwards. The boat that had been on the water point at St Pancras appeared below the locks, but we were well on our way up and there was plenty of water coming down.

Hampstead Road Lock was full and needed the gates closing so we had a pause whilst I set the lock, no volunteers on duty today, although Mick said an off duty lockie stopped to say hello.

Now which gate was the b**ger to close? I called Mick to see if he could remember, he couldn’t, don’t know why I asked really! Foolishly I chose to open the gate on the island which opens over the steps, this was the wrong gate and did take quite a lot of effort to close. A lady appeared at the other gate and said as much, wound down a paddle then stood keeping an eye on the bottom gate. I half expected the lock to immediately be emptied as soon as I closed the top gate, but it wasn’t.

Christine had headed up onto the bridge above for one final wave goodbye. It’s been lovely to be able to catch up with family whilst we’ve been in London, spending some quality time with them. There were plenty more people we could have seen, but family were the most important for this visit.

Now back into the mayhem that is trip boats, paddle boarders and Goboats. The paddle boarders held back as we passed following NB Black Pearl who stayed in tick over for most of the way through Regents Park.

Big piling has been going in where we’d seen the sunken workboats two weeks ago. All boats now above water, a busy site.

By the time we reached Park Road Bridge we had another trip boat behind us, three Goboats at least coming through the not quite tunnel ahead. Then came another trip boat. With three boats waiting to go through, Goboats dawdling, some having pulled in right where the new trip boat had to go as there was nowhere else for it, it slammed into reverse! Quite surprised there wasn’t an incident!

Once through Maida Hill Tunnel we were away from any possible collisions. Rembrandt Garden moorings were awaiting it’s next lot of moorers and luckily for us the water point through Westbourne Terrace Bridge was empty, we pulled in, hooked up the hose and started to fill up. The tap being slow we knew we’d have chance to have something to eat before carrying on.

Blimey those fish down there blow big bubbles! I waited to see if one would surface in amongst the grass but it didn’t.

Slowly we cruised out west, we passed the widebeam we’d rescued a few weeks ago. Where scaffolding has been used to tie up to forever the hording boards have been removed, maybe the scaff will follow and people will have to drive mooring spikes in again. A wall we’d seen being cleaned of graffit tags as we came in last time already has a collection forming again.

Just where we’d rescued the widebeam a couple of weeks ago

Our progress slowed to the point where we needed to stop to clear the prop. Urban Jellyfish, as Tom used to call them, had been caught on our prop.

In Alperton we noticed a mural under a bridge. Had this been here before? A plaque at the end mentioned the artists name Gianpaolo Buccheri and that the piece was a commission from C&RT. It turns out it was created only a couple of weeks ago.

I also like the cat and sofa that must have been there longer.

Might have to start carrying a container with me soon

Soon we arrived at our destination, now our usual stop in and out of London, Ballot Box Bridge. We pulled in where there was plenty of space and despite it being very nearly Tilly’s dingding time she was given an hour of shore leave. I put a chicken in the oven to roast and Mick cleared the prop again.

4 locks, 1 tunnel, 11.63 miles, 1 right, 1 full water tank, 1 dry Christine, 1 empty wee tank, 2 trips down the weed hatch, 1 near miss, 2 many Goboats, 2 boaters and 1 cat waving goodbye to London.

https://goo.gl/maps/3JnRLqCfLrfnHpBM7

Visitors, Non-Visitors and an Invite. 30th July

Eco-Moorings. Islington

I had a visitor this morning.

Tom Adam brought me gifts so I managed to drag myself away from the big furry friends outside to say hello. She and Tom made cups of tea and they all chatted away for ages about boaty things and different outsides that they’ve tied up. It was good to see you Tom Adam, thank you for the chin rubs and the rainbow Dreamies.

It was great to see Adam from NB Briar Rose this morning. He’s working the Breakfast Show at the moment so we’d arranged for a catch up after he’d finished work today. Maybe next time we meet up it won’t be raining!

The day was full of showers, light ones and some down right heavy ones too! Each interspersed with glowing sunshine. The sunshine was tempting, I really wanted to have a wander about the streets to see what could be seen, but as soon as I got myself ready to stir my stumps the heavens would open again, the side hatch was shut, so we settled down to do some more nothing importantness.

The majority of boat traffic has been from the Hidden Depths boats. Parties going back and forth, in and out of the tunnel. The poor ladies on the back deciding that autumn has arrived early this year as they were both damp and cold.

No-one mentioned chilled medication two boats away!

Sadly our rendez vous with Nick, Kerry and Harry their dog was called off. Harry has a limping problem which moves from paw to paw and he’d seen the vet last night. So it was decided to take a rain check on our meeting this evening.

We eventually managed a short trip out to collect a fire and CO alarm. The one we have in the bedroom had started to chirp the other day, with a new battery in it it didn’t test correctly, so we’ve bought a new one from Argos. £30 is cheap compared to a life and if we can find the receipt then we should get our money back as they come with a ten year warranty.

A Jools Holland type band were busy jollying up the world by Argos, plenty of toe tapping. We then went to look at Chapel Market, only the stalls that we weren’t interested in were left as it was quite late in the day by now.

We walked back admiring the houses on Duncan Terrace. Every house looked to have it’s original window shutters. There were some bold colour choices for front doors. The fanlights above the front doors wonderfully ornate. A few of them had lamps in them, I’ve never seen this before. What a lovely feature. If you happen to have a spare £3million you could buy one of these five storey grade 2 listed, Georgian town houses, well this one is under offer.

We’d just decided that for our last night in London we’d treat ourselves to a take away curry when Mick noticed a message from Christine, his sister, inviting us to join her and Paul for some Tapas this evening in Camden. What a lovely idea.

The 214 bus took us round Kings Cross and onto Camden where we made our way to Jamon Jamon for a meal. Numerous dishes kept arriving to be put on our dinky table, some careful plate logistics was needed to make space for the next dish and then the next. All the food was very nice, thank you so much for the invite Christine.

Walking back along Duncan Terrace past the lovely houses we were pleased that one house had it’s fanlight light illuminated. If we had one of these houses the fanlight would be lit up every night!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 visitor, 2 packs of Dreamies, 1 happy cat, 3 cookies, 37 rain showers, 1 or 4 poorly paws, 1 rain check, 1 pretty street, 1 combined alarm, 214, 9 tapas, 2 crème brulee, 1 cheese cake, 1 almond cake, 1 illuminated fan light.

Stacks Of Stuff. 25th July

Sawbridgeworth Lock to Hunsdon Lock

The alarm not being set meant we both slept in, maybe a little too much, but so long as we got to where we needed to be tonight it didn’t really matter. There were a few bits and bobs that needed finishing up so Mick set too in the kitchen for breakfast.

Then we walked down to the maltings where several antique places sell their stuff. The first we went into was very organised and a touch posh really. Lots of jewellery and china.

A few bits of furniture. We considered swapping our sofa bed for a curly low sofa which would fit under the gunnels nicely, but we’d have nowhere for the two matching chairs.

‘One’ would need a leather bound library for a Victorian wooden step ladder.

Cats, pig marching bands and Clarice Cliff bowls tucked away in the display cabinets. Nothing for us here.

A units further on was Acorn Auctions, not open today for viewing, never mind there was plenty more to look at.

Riverside Antiques covered several floors and for those who have ever visited Josie’s in Bempton, it reminded me of there, just a touch tidier and you didn’t come out feeling grubby!

From Fred and Wilma, to Walter White.

Captain Scarlet and Blue to Thunderbird 2.

Railway paraphernalia, cap badges and Trains in Trouble singles.

Telephones, crockery, horse brasses. I took lots of photos of horse brasses as reference for panto.

1950’s clock with a timer, a calculator, beer steins, typewriters.

So much stuff, it went on and on for ages! The chap from the red boat had been right, these places could fill up a whole day if we let them. So much stuff nobody needs!

Oh hang on! We did find one thing each that maybe we’d have bought. Mick, an Aston Martin DB5 Corgie car. This was James Bond’s car, first seen in Goldfinger. It had rotating number plates, a retractable bullet proof rear shield, extending front over-riders, pop out machine guns, and, of course, a functioning passenger ejector seat! £15 a bargain!

Mine, a cream tea pot with chrome cosy. I used to have one of these that I think I bought at the aforementioned Josie’s. I would make my morning cuppa in it every day, but sadly quite a few years ago it broke or started to leek. Today I could have replaced it for £8, I very nearly did too!

Then near to the Ercol pebble tables and the canteen/table of cutlery there were two Victorian photographs which had dolls faces added to them. Three dimensions morphing out from two, quite disturbing really. Had someone made these up for a Halloween party?!

Yet another floor showed itself to us, but here we decided that we’d seen enough and that it was time to push off and get a few miles done.

Today there were thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon. We gathered together our waterproofs before setting off, we knew we would be needing them today!

NB Small World had already moved off when we passed the gated community. We dropped back down Sheering Mill Lock all the time the skies behind us getting darker. There was a queue at the water point at Harlow Mill Lock which stretched back towards the lock, we managed to get past but a widebeam wouldn’t.

Here as we finished dropping down the lock the heavens opened, just enough time to get waterproofs on, I’d already put shorts on to save over heating in clinging waterproof trousers. Mick stayed up top and brought us along the pound reaching Latton Lock where we’d stopped for our Tesco’s click and collect the other day. Derek and Margaret waved from their comfortable dry seats as we passed, hoping there would be space for us to pull in before the lock.

We ended up on the lock landing. Covers back up and dripping under cover. We really wanted to be further on today so we waited and waited for the rain to subside. At one point it started to look good and Mick walked to set the lock. A cruiser was just arriving, so he helped them up, leaving the top gates ready for us, of course now it was heaving it down again!

Almost an hour later the rain dried up, covers were dropped and time to move on again. Thunder continuously rumbled around above, it was hard to hear the crack associated with each lightening flash. Above Burnt Mill Lock there were now three trip boats moored on the off side and David and Ted’s boat was sat on the visitor moorings, he’d said he needed some shopping.

It stayed almost dry through Parndon Lock but then on our last stretch of water the heavens opened up again. I made an excuse of preparing our evening meal whilst Mick stood at the tiller through the driving rain. Thankfully at Hunsdon Lock there was plenty of space for us to pull in.

Drip drying we checked the river levels. Tomorrow we need to pass under Roydon Railway Bridge on the river section. The pound we were in had risen by about four inches and we were seeing footage of flooded tube stations at Stratford! We’ll see what happens.

7 locks, 6.61 miles, 2 antique shops, 6 scarlet, 6 blue, 87 brasses, 7 piece band, 2 much to look at, 2 down pours, 25 minutes constant rumbling, 16 meatballs with celeriac, 0 shore leave, 1 very steamed up boat, 1 cruising plan coming together.

https://goo.gl/maps/cYxba9TsGk1iFs4N6

Flying In. 24th July

Bishop Stortford to Sawbridgeworth Lock 5

We were up early again, a shopping list for provisions to get us back to London was made and Mick headed out after breakfast to Waitrose for a free newspaper. Rain had been forecast for today, Mick managed to avoid the worst of it, but still came back wet.

It’s been a few weeks since we have sat down and been a full part of the Geraghty zoom on a Saturday morning, so today we made sure we wouldn’t be moving. Todays topics, chicken pox, ankle biting sisters, it was lovely to see everyone again.

The winding hole that used to stretch to Sainsburys

Time to make our move, we pushed off backwards at around 11am, reversing to the winding hole and then pulled in at the services. With the water tank filling we emptied the yellow water tank, Tilly got a clean pooh box and we disposed of rubbish.

There was one other gap in the moorings this morning, NB Small World had pulled away, we’d be following them back down the locks. Back past all the warehousey apartments. I think one boat really could do with a new chimney before winter, at least his bathroom door was in place today! No gongoozlers to keep us company at the locks as we made our way out of Bishop Stortford.

Bridge 47 is exceptionally narrow, made from what should be called a ‘T’ beam, the top being a touch wider than the bottom.

Approaching Spellbrook Lock a Dad was paddle boarding with his son clinging on for dear life, we made sure we drifted past them the little lads knuckles already white!

A group were fishing from the lock landing, so we slowly came in, nowhere else to drop me off, they moved to let us pull up and chatted away. Someone has added cable ties to the pawls, quite a good solution to be able to lift them without getting very greasy fingers.

Saturday is obviously a busy day at Stanstead Airport at the moment. Those heading back with Ryan Air from a week in the sun kept the sky full of planes coming in to land. Then once we were meandering our way towards Tednambury Lock they started to take off in our direction.

All the boats were still on the meadows. The one moored quite a long way out is tied to the bank but also has a couple of mud weights out to stop them moving too much.

At Tednambury Lock we caught up with NB Small World again, apparently the river had been quite busy this morning, most probably boats coming out from Hallingbury Marina close by. My friend Mike had been on a friends boat earlier in the year and sent me a photo of NB Dorcas pulled in on the lock landing above. Today I recreated the photo, except mine had grey skies not blue.

Mick pulled electric cables and weed off the prop as the lock filled and just managed to pull away off the landing before a wide beam arrived. However the prop soon got fouled again, our progress downstream slower than upstream, but we hoped there would be space for us above Sawbridgeworth Lock.

Thankfully there was plenty of room, a hand from a chap on the bank helped to pull Oleanna into the side as by now there was almost no steering due to weed on the prop, something to clear before we move onwards tomorrow.

Wonder how many litres of white paint that takes

A very late lunch whilst Tilly explored the area and some quinoa cooked for a salad later.

I headed out for a walk crossing the lock and walking down Mill Lane, aptly named as it starts on the lock island, the weir behind it used for power at what look to be couple of old mills. The buildings are now pristine white with white flowering hanging baskets, a stopped clock and a mechanism that must have powered machinery in one of the mills. Ransomes and Rapier were known for their railway and crane equipment, but in early days they made saw-milling machinery.

I walked past thatched cottages and through 1920’s estates many of the houses displaying sunbeams on their walls. At Sheering Mill bridge I thought I’d walk through the apartments to reach the Maltings, but big signs suggested I’d not be welcome and that I’d need a key fob to exit at the far end. So I turned round and walked along the river bank instead, I could look at the gated community from the other bank where NB Small World was nestled for the remainder of the day.

I had a quick walk around the Maltings, numerous antique shops to look at tomorrow and what smelt like a very good Indian Take Away. I was tempted but we ate out yesterday and the quinoa would be cool enough to make into a salad back at the boat, it didn’t stop me looking at their menu though!

Meanwhile in Scarborough and along the North Yorkshire Coast, Animated Objects Theatre Company are touring their ‘A Thousand Ships’ exhibition. This weekend they are in the Brunswick Centre in Scarborough, tables filled with the origami boats all made by people from the Yorkshire Coast. This is part of a much bigger project The Odyssey which is running over the next few years.

4 locks, 4.53 miles, 1 wind, 1st Saturday paper in a while, 1st full zoom for a while, 1 empty wee tank, 1 full water tank, 1 clean pooh box, 2 boaters staying dry, 25 planes, 1000 ships, 2 mills, 2 moustaches, 1 tall aerial, 1 maine coon, 1 Tilly stood down and brought inside, 1 fisty paws avoided.

https://goo.gl/maps/Fe4hQR3fFz7hEBoe6

I Went To Bishop Stortford And I Bought A …… 23rd July

Footbridge 28 to Bishop Stortford, the end of navigation

A little face kept watch on us approaching his boat this morning. He then popped back inside as we passed, maybe Tilly was giving him the what for out of a window.

Sheering Mill Lock was our first and it took me by surprise as I needed a key to work both the bottom gates and the bottom paddles. I signalled back to Mick and then went to close the top gates. As we worked our way up a C&RT van arrived alongside the lock with a big bag of aggregate or sand in the back, a work boat was moored on the weir cut, they would bring it round to off load the bag once we were out of the way.

Now in Sawbridgeworth we looked for a mooring for a few hours. The chap on a red boat had told us we should visit the mills here, good antique shops, well worth a nosy. We spotted the mills and the moorings alongside modern apartments where signs say not to moor. Then ambiguous signs about Private Mooring, 2 days? We were puzzled, could we stop or not? The one visitor mooring was taken, so we carried on to Sawbridgeworth Lock, a neat and tidy lock with cottages over looking it.

At the end of a line of boats there was a space that would have suited us, but we decided to save a visit to the mills for our way back down stream. Instead today we’d get to Bishop Stortford.

Clare on NB Billy had warned us of more low bridges and sure enough they were low with lovely sticky outy bits.

Tednambury Lock is overlooked at a distance by a house on a hill, the field between filled with yellow ragwort. A gate on the bridge over the bottom of the lock deters loads of more than 3 tonnes and an old garden gate has been reused on the path up through the field.

The river meanders round, several boats were moored on the meadows here and had carved themselves seating areas in the long grass. A leap of faith required to reach dry land, some leaps were bigger than others!

By Spellbrook Lock we’d picked up a prop full of weed again. So once Oleanna had settled at the top Mick lifted the weed hatch to free it up. A long straight above the lock showed an oncoming boat, a blue one, could it be NB Misty Blue and Graeme? It was, he slowly made his way towards the lock as I wound paddles down and waited for Mick to finish. This would be the last time up here that our paths would cross, Graeme covering the water quicker than us, so it was farewells for now. We’ll meet somewhere else, sometime. Enjoy the rest of the summer Graeme.

Organised Gongoozlers sat waiting at the next lock, a flask and mugs for a morning coffee break in the sunshine watching the boats. We seemed to be hot on the heals of another boat who were also on their first trip up the river. A couple with their two kids also stood and watched, their daughter in a push chair seemed uninterested until she spotted Oleanna at the bottom of the lock when she gave out a loud happy screech!

At Southmill Lock the last on the river we caught up with the boat ahead. NB Small World, we hadn’t seen them since Broxbourne and had assumed they’d headed up the Lee, but no they must have just been setting off at a similar time to us a short distance ahead.

The route into Bishop Stortford is mostly surrounded by new warehousy type flats, maybe developers are encouraged to try to replicate the past. A zigzaggy bridge from the millennium crosses the river alongside original mills and leads it’s way towards the station.

The structure of Millennium Bridge and the Mills

A boat pulled out in front of us having just finished at the services, he then winded with hindrance from the wind and headed back towards us. One spot left right at the end of the moorings facing the end of the navigation. Rings are provided, but nestled in amongst nettles, someone could really do with strimming the moorings!

Those nettles would keep a hot compost bin happy

Sadly for Tilly the Health and Safety committee deemed the moorings to be unsuitable so they then had to put up with feline protests for an hour or two.

I think it was thirty years ago I had my first professional design job for Snap Theatre Company who were based in Bishop Stortford. My interview necessitated me removing my portfolio from the final exhibition at college whist marking was happening. When I showed my folio to the Artistic Director of Snap there were certain things I couldn’t show him. A prop design of a barbers chair for my final project at college wouldn’t have been good as it was a theoretical design for the Olivier at the National Theatre, if I was actually designing for the National, why was I at an interview for a youth theatre summer school production of The Tempest!

I spent two/ three weeks in digs here, I can’t remember where abouts now. Much of the town centre has changed, I can’t even remember where the office was where I had to leave the van each night, Sainsburys has certainly moved. The Artistic Director, Andy Graham has also moved, a Google search shows him now to be working near to Chipping Norton of all places!

We had a wonder around the town, a few places sparking memories. The old mills now house a dance school and Chinese restaurant among other things. We crossed the zigzagging bridge and across the vast car park. Huge areas are set out for season ticket holders. Many of the spaces were empty as people now work from home, or maybe they were used by airline staff, not so many flights from Stanstead.

Beyond the A1250 road bridge that cuts the navigation off is Castle Gardens. We walked alongside the river, now far too shallow for any but model boats. This however looks like a new course for the river. There had been a channel that went under the road, but on the 1892-1914 OS 25 inch map it shows the river coming into town a bit further west. Sainsburys now sits on top of the Terminus Basin and the winding hole is where you turned off to it.

Getting out of puff might have been worth it for the views

Sadly the castle had closed for the day, so no views from the top of the mound for us.

We decided to eat out tonight, a proper pizza for Mick and a gluten free one for me at Pizza Express. This used to be an old favourite, it feels like we’ve not been to one in years, possibly true. The photo is deceptive due to perspective. I had an ample amount of food, Mick had a bit too much!

Oh what did I buy?

……….. a spatula! What else!

6 locks, 5.74 miles, 2 boats coming down, 2 days or maybe not, 5C less, 0 shore leave, 2 tideway boats, 30 years ago, 1 spatula, 1 castle, 1 river rerouted, 2 pizzas, 1 bored cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/xBf4Ex7zzeL9MYGv8

Boating Without Boundaries. 22nd July

Hunsdon Mill Lock to Footbridge 28

A couple of days ago Mick had scanned Google maps for a supermarket close to the canal as our supplies were getting low. In Bishop Stortford there is a Sainsburys, but they weren’t offering Click and Collect, plus it was another days cruise away and the wine stocks were down to the dregs in the last box! Tescos came up trumps in Harlow a short distance away from a footbridge over the canal. So we’d booked a slot between 12 and 1pm. The handy mooring, if free, was only an hour and half cruise away.

The difference between January and July above Hunsdon Lock. This is as far as we got on the River Stort in 2015, so all water ahead of us would be new.

Stunning blue skies and meadows, very pretty. The train line out to Stanstead Airport runs quite close and the new trains sound their sore throat horns quite frequently, what a strange noise! Every now and then there would be a moored boat, gang plank out to the bank, Tilly would love it if she could cope with a plank.

First Lock was Parndon Mill a cream brick building with a square chimney. Several mills have stood on the site all milling flour. The current building dates back to 1900 and had a state of the art flat turbine mill wheel installed in 1904. It stopped turning in the 60’s once the miller died. The building was then fenced off by Harlow Development Corporation who searched for a new purpose for the buildings, preferably something to do with the arts.

In 1968 Sally Anderson a local potter was looking for new studio space someone pointed her in the direction of the mill. With four floors, a six bedroom house, outbuildings on three acres of land it was huge. Other artists came on board, work was traded for studio space and so the Mill was renovated and turned into a centre for creativity. Glass blowing, architecture, ceramics, a blacksmith all sorts have occupied the building. Somewhere worth visiting in better times.

At Burnt Mill Lock we could see activity above, a boats windows moving sideways across the cut. Here the bottom gates are powered requiring the key of power so Mick brought one up and helped to empty the lock. What was going on above? There seemed to be a lot of faffing about going on. Chaps in blue t shirts clustered together all wearing life jackets and hats. A group of them stood at the bow of one of the two boats, two more at the stern. We rose in the lock and opened the gates. It didn’t look like we’d be going anywhere soon!

Here is the base for CanalAbility who have two widebeam boats that do day trips and holidays for people with disabilities. They had been preparing for a trip out today, their longer boat needed turning, the other boat in the way. So someone had attempted to wind the boat at just the wrong spot, a gap maybe just a few inches too narrow for the full length of the boat. Here we had an Ever Given situation! The boat was stuck fast between banks, the sun beating down on it expanding the metalwork.

We offered to lend a hand/boat to help. Ropes were being tugged both at the bow and stern. She wasn’t moving. Which way had they been turning when she got stuck, going clockwise, had they tried pulling her back out the way she’d gone in. Yes.

We were requested to push the bow whilst their other boat did the same at the stern. This didn’t quite make sense to us, but we obliged and pushed our button up to their bow as the other boat rammed into the stern. Well it move a touch, maybe an inch by the looks of the paint mark on the wooden edge.

One chap stood at the back, bowthrusters going, tiller this way then that, engine roaring. All of this was just making matters worse, all the time our click and collect slot getting closer.

Trying to make the canal that little bit wider

A saw, chisel and hammer were brought out with the aim of cutting away the wooden edge enough for the bow to be pulled round. Ropes were attached to our bow so that we could pull. That is all that should have been happening, but another shove at the stern and more engine and tiller too.

More sawing, more chiselling, more pulling, she moved an inch! More sawing, more chiselling. We dug out our big crow bar, another pull and she was back where she’d been thirty minutes ago. The problem was there were too many chiefs and one lady who kept on apologising to us and the group that had now arrived for their trip out.

The second boat was winded, thankfully it is shorter and didn’t end up jamming us against the side! Half the visitors climbed onboard and then were taken down through the lock and on their cruise, the remainder of their party brought chairs to sit in the shade to wait.

At last someone who spoke with authority arrived. Asked which way the boat had been winded. He looked around, put on a life jacket, returned with some blue rope and a short scaff bar to make a Spanish windlass attached to a mooring bollard that wouldn’t spin. Eventually after I don’t know how many turns the bow creaked it’s way round. At last the navigation was open again!

We quickly got out of everyone’s way and got on our way, there was still time to get our shopping.

Round the bend was plenty of shade, we’d been warned about Willow branches leaning right over the navigation and sure enough the wood had been cut just above our roof height.

Above Latton Lock the moorings we’d been hoping for seemed full, a gap at the start of them might just accommodate Oleanna and still leave enough space for the lock landing. We pulled in, tied up avoiding as many nettles as possible and hoped nobody would curse us for being too close to the lock.

Out came the Brompton and Mick cycled off to pick up our shopping. One boat did come along, but they managed quite easily being a few foot shorter than us.

Onwards. One of the chaps at CanalAbility had suggested a mooring on an S bend. These were all taken and had no shade, we carried on. The two day mooring at Harlow Mill Lock was taken too. The river was proving to be more popular than we’d expected it to be.

Feakes Lock was surrounded by a group of teenagers, all keen on swimming. One chap jumped in as we approached but thankfully they all kept their distance as I emptied the lock, then refilled it. One chap helped with the gates, another picked up their windlass and lifted a paddle for me, after all the sooner we got out of their way the better. No point in dropping the paddles at the top as the swimmers would only open them up again.

Round the next bend we spotted a space under some trees next to a small weir. We pulled in just fitting opposite a footpath leading into a local park. Here Tilly had trees to climb and we would have space for a barbeque under the trees nestled into the nettles.

It being a month since our last barbeque we enjoyed our sweetcorn, veg and haloumi kebabs with a pork steak each that I’d marinated in a sweet and sour sauce. Very tasty.

5 locks, 5.02 miles, 1 honesty bridge, 1 stuck boat, 1 notch where not to wind a 62fter! 1 click and collect, 4 boxes wine, 11 swimmers, 3 hours, 2 many woofers, 2 men at work, 2 chums, 2 sweetcorn, 4 kebabs, 2 pork steaks, 2 many twitching woofer noses.

https://goo.gl/maps/7xvBfH2aDZpDYzpRA

Electric Webs. 21st July

Broxbourne Bridge to above Hunsdon Mill Lock 12, River Stort

A haze rose from the canal this morning. Luckily for us the rain hadn’t continued through the night so we managed to get some sleep. Each night seems to be getting that little bit cooler from the last thankfully.

First lock of the day Carthagena Lock. Heavy flexing gates that didn’t want to come out of their recesses. Mick ended up having to climb a ladder to come and help, one gate simply wasn’t going to shift without two of us. The RSJ has an infill where you normally push them open, but with two of us there wasn’t enough, so I got lean on a section not filled in, quite painful really. At least we got the bloomin thing moving in the end.

Still wearing my boaters PPE a year later

Above Dobbs Weir Lock webs of electricity had been spun above our heads. So many lines in different directions, below Rye House Substation was the reason.

Not far now to Feilde’s Lock where we topped up the water tank and disposed of our rubbish whilst the lock emptied. Here we had a choice, leftish on the Lea towards Ware and Hertford or right towards Bishop Stortford. Right was the decision.

The River Stort was used to transport malt to London. In 1766 an Act of Parliament was passed which enabled the River Stort to be made navigable to Bishop Stortford. 15 wooden locks were built, parts of the river rerouted and dredged. Three basins were built at Bishop Stortford, the work finally completed in 1769 at the cost of £100,000.

In 1811 and 12 attempts were made to extend the navigation to Cambridge and beyond via the River Cam, but the finances of over £0.5 million were never raised so the project was dropped.

The locks were built for barges of 70 to 86ft long and 13.25 ft wide which carried around 60 tons of cargo. The width of the locks now means that they are not wide enough for two narrowboats to share, but are wide enough to require you to open both gates, top and bottom.

Brick Lock until a few days ago required assistance from C&RT to pass through. Today one of the top paddles is out of action, covered up in a C&RT aware yellow bag. As we set the lock, emptying water out we could see that the top cill either has lots of detritus on it or will fail at some point soon, plenty of water billowing up from under the gate. This made opening the bottom gates hard, exacerbated by a large amount of weed covering the off side sluice opening.

When Mick brought Oleanna into the lock he did his best to clear the weed, hopefully the next boat through won’t have as much difficulty as we did.

On the sign post for the lock is an explanation of the Navigation Warning System. It is a standard Green amber red system, but it is used the opposite way round to most river level boards. This is positioned under the next bridge and shows you if you have enough air drought to get under the Railway Bridge a short distance on. Back in 2015 we passed under the railway bridge as it was raining, the river rising overnight and Brick lock closing the following Monday for maintenance. When we woke in the morning we decided to return and limbo back under the bridge for fear we might get stuck for weeks if not. Lillian cleared the bridge with not much to spare.

Fortunately for us last night thunderstorms hadn’t brought the river up too much, so we passed under with quite a bit of space above our black buckets.

Up Roydon Lock and on past meadows to Hunsdon Lock where lads were playing in the stream alongside, they came over and offered to lend a hand with the gates.

This is where we’d been aiming for, hoping the tree coverage would be good and that there would be space for us. Fortunately there was and we remained in the shade for all but an hour all afternoon.

There were a few boats, all who seemed to know each other, everyone knew Dave and Ted his dog. Dave is an old hand at canal life, very friendly and has been helping others to paint their boat. Ted was kept on a lead or indoors all afternoon, but we were warned that he would be allowed free reign in the evening. This was fine as Tilly would hopefully be home for her dingding at around 6, when the doors would close behind her, so Ted could run as free as he liked.

With food supplies running a touch low, I cobbled together some chicken marinated in not quite Jerk seasoning, due to the lack of chillies. As the drum sticks cooked away in a pan on the stove we had a frequent visitor. Ted could smell the cooking through the open window, the only thing stopping him from coming to sample our dinner was the blind. It was quite funny as whenever I heard Ted being called by the others on the towpath, there he was watching my every move through the blind

I’m very pleased to report to Ted that my not quite Jerk Chicken with rice and peas was very tasty, if I can remember what went into it I’ll make it again sometime.

8 locks, 4.88 miles, 1 right, 2 1 narrowboat only, 1 low bridge, 1 interesting table, 1 lodger negative, 1 shady mooring, 1 Christmas card location, 1 Ted, 1 Mrs Tilly Stamp.

https://goo.gl/maps/o6kcMGutCYQBis4p9

Thunderous Trains. 20th July

Ordnance Road Bridge 38 to Broxbourne Bridge

Another early start today, hoping to reach a shady mooring again before the sun got too hot, I hoped I remembered a mooring correctly and that it would be free.

We were soon at Rammey Marsh Lock where we ascended and swapped with a boat heading downstream.

Next we bobbed under the M25, a far less spectacular view than the one you get from the Grand Union.

Shortly before Waltham Town Lock and the road bridge below it, there is a new service block with bins, a water point and toilets alongside some moorings. We both remember a cafe with bins behind it, possibly a pump out machine that ate our C&RT cards with out it doing any sucking! Looking back at Lillian’s blog for News Years Day 2015 has confirmed that the new buildings here have replaced the the café and services. A banner boasts about a show boat that must be moored on the little arm just out of view. If you have £225,000, this would buy you a 60ft widebeam on a serviced mooring here. I wonder what the other charges are?

Now the locks are all manual. The bottom gates having cranked beams made from RSJs. These tend to flex more than move so take quite a lot of effort to get going. People offered to lend a hand, but only with the top gates, they must have known!

The locks are now fairly evenly spaced along the straight stretches of the navigation. Each pound was almost full of moored boats, all different shapes and sizes, many hogging the shade.

Cheshunt had been our destination for the day, but then our schedule has changed in recent days so we wanted to head on a touch further. Anyhow there was very little space available.

As we worked our way along we tried to remember where the Water God of The South bequeathed a big washing brush to us. It was somewhere along this stretch. The electric lines looked familiar but the towpath wasn’t quite right, it needed speed bumps to discourage speeding cyclists!

Up ahead at Aqueduct Lock we could see that the lock was empty, bottom gates open waiting for us. Then a group of people with windlasses in hand arrived. We were still some distance away so I wouldn’t have blamed them for turning it. The gates closed, then there was movement around the lock, but nothing much seemed to be happening. They then reappeared at the bottom gates and proceeded to try to open them again, the leaking top gates had obviously just let through enough water to make this impossible. They all returned to their boat which backed away from the top gates.

A widebeam was moored just off the end of the lock landing, a lady was most apologetic as they had broken down and hope they weren’t in the way. Three signs announced this which were all pretty new, so maybe not a constant problem for them. Up at the lock the boat above was now winding. Ah ha! A day boat from Lee Valley Boat Centre in Broxbourne, a sign above the lock suggests that small vessels should not pass down the lock, maybe someone had seen this hence their retreat.

Once up we knew that this stretch was where we’d received the brush. We’re not certain of how we came to be its new owners, but my theory is that a cyclist had stolen it from another boat and whilst speeding down the towpath they had launched it at Lillian’s roof practicing their javelin throwing. We still have the brush and it occasionally gets used on the gunnels.

After Kings Weir the river takes over again bringing back meanders which helped to hide the other small vessels on the river today. I’ve not seen a pedalo for years! One motorised boat had obviously been told to keep to the right, they did this religiously even if it meant going through the over hanging willow trees.

Just after the right hand bend by The Crown pub the mooring I’d remembered showed itself to be very much in shade and free. Brilliant. We pulled in just after a fisherman and tied to the end bollards. A green green wood right alongside us, Tilly heaven.

I was given seven hours! I made the most of it, but was getting a touch parched and exhausted after six, so returned for a snooze in my escape pod.

In the woods we found space where we could put a stool without being in a cyclist or scooters way. Mick had his first haircut in an age, it’s always nice to see my boyfriend reappearing from behind all that hair!

With the railway being quite close the trains rumble over bridges crossing the river. But as the afternoon progressed the rumbles were hard to differ from thunder. The two merged into one as dark clouds came past. At 2pm we expected torrential rain if the rumbles were to be believed, but it took until 4:30pm for the heavens to open at last.

We’d considered going to the pub for food, but were glad we couldn’t book a table as I think our food would have got a touch soggy in the garden. I do remember Tom and Jan eating in a pub along here somewhere and not being that impressed, so maybe the weather saved us from wasting our money.

5 locks, 5.15 miles, 1 more hot day, 1 more early start, 2 more leapfrogs with Small World, 0 brushes today, 1 day boat retreating, 5 pedalos, grade 3, 1 boyfriend again, 2 torrential down pours, 2 goats cheese ham and caramelised onion pizzas, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 2 reusable blocks!

https://goo.gl/maps/USXAqQsEZHf6cV5t7

Standing At The Edge Of Shade. 18th July

Marshgate Bridge 15

It may have started before midnight, we can’t quite remember, but it certainly continued all the way through the night and at around 7:45am the volume was turned up! The consensus between the Oleanna and Billy crew was that a rave had been going on in the Marshes behind our mooring and that they’d only got one LP! The rhythm was monotonous only broken up by cyclists with built in stereos speeding past us. So not the most restful nights sleep ever!

By the time Clare and Pete were ready to push off the music had finally stopped. Yesterday had been our anniversary, a year since we shared our first locks together through Blackburn. We wished them well and thanked them for getting us a mooring in a handy spot. Maybe our paths will cross later in the year, they will somewhere, sometime.

Scrambled eggs on toast for breakie as we have a few too many eggs on board.

Tilly was given four hours shore leave whilst we pottered about enjoying what shade we were getting from the trees behind us. But as the hours passed the sun of course moved. Both sides of the cabin started to warm up, this wasn’t too bad until we had to start closing doors.

We made ourselves presentable, packed the big holdall on wheels with dirty laundry. Spread out the cool mat for Tilly, then closed all the doors. Back in April I’d seen cool mats for pets for sale so had bought one. So far we’ve tried it a couple of times and it has totally been ignored by our feline companion. Today however shortly before we bade her goodbye for the afternoon, she did have all four legs stretched out across it. However she soon moved off it and onto a pile of cushions, a very cool place!

The sun was far too hot for us to drag our washing almost a mile to get it clean. So just before 3pm we stood at the edge of the shade where a cycle path meets Homerton Road and waited for a lift from my brother Andrew.

A late Sunday lunch with had been planned whilst we were close by. Three loads of washing would keep us going until the circuit board arrives and hopefully the washing machine on board will then be mended.

A visit to the building site to use my brothers A3 scanner for my drawings and then we had a site visit up into the roof.

Josh checking out his new window, not much of a view yet.

All the roof timbers are in place now and chip board flooring is down. You can see where the roof lights are going to be along with a dormer window. All very exciting especially for Josh who’s room it will be. Their house was lovely and cool, Ziggy and Finn having a much easier time of the heat wave than Tilly on the boat.

Back at the temporary house Andrew had prepared a joint of lamb that had been cooking for five hours marinated in a sumac and lime rub. Served with some roasted new potatoes and salads. To follow we had a Somerset Apple Cake that Jac had made. All very nice.

By the time we were ready to head back to Oleanna our washing was almost dry. The coolness of the evening thankfully made it easier to return with our washing. Thankfully Tilly had survived the afternoon and evening without cooking too much. It took a good couple of hours before we could feel the benefit of having the doors open again.

Here’s hoping there isn’t another rave tonight!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 year anniversary, 1 busy rave, 1 stern gland picker loan, 4 hours used well, 3 doors open, 1 ignored cool mat, 1 cooking cat, 1 big bag washing, 1 light in the drum, 20 minutes added when not looking, 9 scans, 1 roofless room, 1 ladder, 1 joint lamb nicely cooked, 1 cat still raw thankfully!

When Is a Bunny Park Not A Bunny Park? 11th July

Ontario Bridge 205A

With the majority of St Pancras boats moving off this morning, Mick had offered to lock wheel as we’d be staying put. He was up and off at 8am to help NB Coracle and NB Albert Victor up the Hanwell flight.

I stayed put as it was a Dreamie day for Tilly. She’d been cooped up inside for too many days and deserved to have a day of shore leave, which also means she gets to have a lot of ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies. When Tilly is out it means one of us is in, just in case a rescue is required!

Several local cats were spotted during the morning, but thankfully no spats occurred.

Whilst I busied myself with writing up yesterdays cruise Mick worked boats up the locks. At around 9am NB Misty Blue who’d moored behind us pushed off to join NB Mobius to climb the flight, they were then followed by NB Chance. Mick worked boats up the flight of 6, leaving them to ascend Hanwell Lock and Norwood Top Lock so that he could help the following boats.

Mid afternoon Tilly had returned for a snooze so we took the opportunity to head off for a walk around Hanwell. First port of call was Mick’s old flat, just up the road from The Fox. Then where?

A few days ago I’d spotted mention of Hanwell Zoo on Google maps, so we headed in that direction, ducking down under the Uxbridge Road alongside the River Brent and into Brent Meadow where a Dad was trying to amuse his kids by launching a kite, he was unsuccessful.

Under Wharncliffe Viaduct which was built in 1836 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel to carry the new Great Western Railway from Paddington. 40 years later the viaduct had to be widened to accommodate growing rail traffic, you can see the join. It is said that Queen Victoria would ask for her train to be stopped on the viaduct so that she could admire the view. Today it looks like it needs a good weed and the trees would need cutting back a touch to admire the vista.

Into Brent Lodge Park. Areas mown, others left to grow. We walked up to St Mary’s Church. Originally a Georgian Church it was deemed too small for it’s congregation and in 1842 was replaced with a design by George Gilbert Scott with flint walls and white brick quoins. A rather pretty church, although the doors look like they’ve been painted with ultramarine poster paint!

Next it was time to check out the Zoo. Now I say zoo, but Mick insists on calling it the Bunny Park. Apparently everyone calls it the Bunny Park! All of Mick’s sisters will know it as the Bunny Park, but I bet none of the kids there did as a big mosaic sign boasts it’s name as Hanwell Zoo, not one bunny in view!

Well actually nothing much was in view but a couple of red billed birds as the ZOO is only open to pre-booked visitors. The Six Banded Armadillo (not a bunny) would have to wait for another time.

Instead we got ourselves some chilled medication, triple chocolate in a stale cone for Mick and pistachio in a tub for me.

We then retraced our steps up to St Mary’s and then wiggled our way back through the streets of Hanwell, passing many pretty terraced houses with original front doors, back to the river then the canal and Oleanna.

A roast chicken was popped in the oven, coming out at 8pm. It feels like an absolute age since I’ve cooked a proper meal. Plenty of chicken to last us through the coming days. Later Mick settled down to watch the later part of the football whilst I continued writing up our cruise yesterday.

Roast Chicken, squash, carrots, new potatoes, garlic and cabbage, YUM!

0 locks, 12 helped with, 9 hours shore leave, 5 taken, 1 long post, 2 many photos to choose from, 0 bunnies, 2 scoops, still 0 bunnies, 2 blue doors, 1 large roast chicken, 22 Dreamies, 1 quiet day.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna