Yesterday when we pulled up we decided that we’d be staying put today, such a lovely mooring in the middle of nowhere on our own, Tilly could have a field day!
Our bedroom view this morning
So when the front blinds were rolled up we were surprised to see another narrowboat moored up, at least they were at the other end of the moorings, so neither of us would disturb each other.
Our nearest neighbour
All day we saw two walkers, the narrowboat ahead moved off and another came past us heading to Brandon and then returned a couple of hours later. Other than that we’ve had bird song to listen to.
A good spot in the sunshine
Tilly started the morning by watching the damselflies in the reeds alongside the boat. I was then given 9 and a half hours to explore! But I had to show myself at least ten times during the day which I think I managed quite well.
Despite the incredibly slow internet here we just about managed to join in with the Geraghty zoom this morning, we froze and went silent on several occasions. Topics included the Fens, bunting and even vampires.
A field of a day
There’s lots of grass to tuck yourself away in and sandy mounds, She said she hoped they weren’t ants nests because I’d spend the day being looney loopy if they were. I only managed an hour of looney loops though.
She got on with her project. It gets hidden away when She’s not doing it. Tom sat outside for sometime in his coat. He says he was listening to the birdies with his eyes closed, but I’m not so sure!
You get good views from up here
Late afternoon I realised I hadn’t even stepped of the boat, so it was time to head for a bit of a walk. With Tilly in tow I climbed onto the flood bank and walked back towards the Great Ouse. Having a cat in tow would mean I wouldn’t be walking miles, but we covered quite a distance until I saw that the next field had cows. So we turned and started to walk back, Tilly only distracted a couple of times so she managed to keep up in her springy way charging ahead to buy her more distraction time.
Cows just visible if you squint!
However on our return our pace had to become a touch quicker. Up ahead I could see quite a lot of cows, all white with black ears. They were very interested in us! Would we make it back in time not to be cut off from the boat by them? I made the decision to get back to the boat with Tilly and shore leave would be over for the day, I really didn’t want her stranded on the other side of inquisitive cows.
All ready to layer up.
With a Moussaka on the cards this evening, I spread the preparation out through the day. Potatoes were boiled and left to cool. Aubergine sliced, salted to get rid of any bitterness, then fried and left to cool. The mince was prepared and everything layered up with the final layer of cheese and egg sauce popped on top. Each bit done whilst things on my project had time to dry off.
Fixings tried out
I now need some filler for the next phase. Back at the house I have the ideal filler in powder form, but I’ve not seen that kind in shops in years. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some cheap Polyfilla that I can thin down a touch to achieve the same effect when we reach Brandon.
Despite patches of sunshine today the temperature has dropped, so Mick lit the fire this evening. Only a small one as we didn’t want to overheat, but just enough for us not to need blankets on our knees and hopefully keep the boat warm overnight.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 moving boats, 2 walkers, 2 beads, 1 project fitted and ready for the next stage, 1 box of filler required, 1 aubergine, 1 bag sprouting potatoes, 250grams mince, 0 parmesan, 1 recipe next time, 9.5 hours, 1 field day, 1 km cat walk, 1 stove, 1 heard cows who couldn’t be bothered with us in the end! 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval
Another early start for us, we’d the tide to catch!
Only time for one birthday present before we pushed off, a sponge squeegee thing to help clean the solar panels, a Barnetts in York purchase on Tilly’s behalf.
Funny clouds
What a grey morning! The clouds above us looked like someone had rolled out a load of wadding or that we had been covered by a large grey focaccia. Waterproofs were at the ready should they be needed, they were later on.
Salters Lode
We arrived at Salters Lode around 9:30, a chap in high vis asked if we’d be going through the lock today. Yes. He would be our lock keeper, we should be ready to go at 11:30, he’d just been down to let two long boats through the lock. Salters Lode Lock is 62ft long and heads out onto the Tidal River Great Ouse. If your boat is longer than 62ft then it is still possible to pass through the lock when the level of the river matches that of the creek, both gates on the lock open at the same time. He checked our length, we’d be fine, then he went to chat with NB Tank Girl they’d also be going through today.
Lock gates open
We walked up to look at the lock and river. Mick had spent sometime last night watching Youtube videos of boats coming and going through Slaters Lode and Denver Sluice (the lock to get onto the non-tidal River Great Ouse. But there’s nothing like seeing the lay of the land/river and the speed at which the water passes by first hand.
The tide was on it’s way in. Outside the lock we could see the railings that help guide you into the mouth of the lock and hopefully avoid ending up on the sand banks. We then walked along the flood bank towards Denver Sluice, over Old Bedford Lock. Just half a mile of tidal water lays between the two locks. Denver Sluice looked bigger and more substantial with it’s big guillotine gates. Time for a cuppa back on board before the tide would be right for us.
At 11:30 both boats were ready. The lady from NB Tank Girl headed off to see if she could find the lock keeper, I followed in case we’d be told anything important. The chap took some finding as he was actually on the river side checking the depth of water, I couldn’t quite see, but I think he was in waders with a stick just on the side we’d seen a couple of hours earlier just sitting out of the water. ‘Another half hour’ he said. There are all sorts of factors to take into consideration at Salters Lode, tide, fresh water, an exact time can’t be given, but a good measure is required.
By now it was raining. Would our planned barbeque still be on or would we be lighting the stove and having jacket potatoes for Mick’s birthday meal?
About half an hour later the Lockie came to say the level was good, he was ready for us. NB Tank Girl went first, one boat at a time through the lock. They detached their chimney and laid it on the roof, air draught kept to the minimum. The bow rope was passed round a chain to help keep their boat into the side, then a sluice was opened letting jets of water into the lock. It doesn’t seem right that we’d be going up onto tidal water.
As the boat rose the Lockie kept reminding the lady to duck as she was positioned directly under part of the structure that was getting closer and closer. Then the guillotine gate was raised, would their boiler flue fit under the bridge? Out on the river the tide was now going out, they could wait for the level to be suitable to get out, but they managed to sneak out.
Swapping boats
The Lockie made a phone call to Denver Sluice, there was a boat coming the other way, down stream. Both boats exited their respective locks at the same time and would pass somewhere on the half mile between, a bit like exchanging spies at Check Point Charlie. We watched NB Tank Girl exit, put the revs on and push her tiller over to head upstream and into the out going tide.
From up ahead we could see NB Annie heading downstream, the two boats would end up passing on the wrong side, but that didn’t really matter. The Lockie stood high by the lock, his high vis coat worn for a reason. He held his arm out pointing to downstream, NB Annie held her course. Then when his arm was dropped, the chap at the helm began his turn. As you would at Selby he swung around to face the out going tide and then inched his way back towards the lock. Did he have enough power to avoid hitting the downstream wall? Did he have too much power on and be going to miss the fencing and end up on the sand bank?
Annie coming down to the creeks level
In the end he glided in towards the lock, touching nothing. As he came into the lock his voice sounded familiar, hang on was it Paul the narrowboat mover. Sure was. He remembered us too, our paths having crossed at Bosley two years ago and up on the Leicester Section last year. Good to see him again. He bought a one day licence for the Middle Level, he’d be across and out the other side by 10:30am tomorrow.
As soon as Paul was clear of the lock it was our turn. Rope passed round the chain, sluice opened. By the time the guillotine raised the level of the out going tide was already about 18 inches lower than it had been for Tank Girl. We thanked the Lockie then Mick nudged the bow out of the lock towards the tide.
Revs, tiller and we were facing the tide in the rain, great birthday weather! The half mile didn’t take long and we were soon entering Denver Sluice which was sat waiting for us. A stern rope was passed round a riser, the guillotine dropped behind us. We’d be going down off the tidal water and onto the River Great Ouse.
The River Great Ouse, wide and deep
Another Lockie to thank as we came out and onto the wide expanse of river. As we made our way upstream we discussed what to have for lunch. A bowl of soup maybe, or a bacon butty. The bacon won!
Much narrower River Wissey
A mile and a quarter upstream we spotted the turn onto the River Wissey and took it. Under the railway bridge we pulled in at a GOBA mooring. The Great Ouse Boating Association are similar to Friends of the River Nene and have moorings for members to use, membership £23 a year.
This will do
The mooring was showing signs of subsidence, little of it level. With another mooring just a short distance further on we pushed off and tried there instead. We pulled in and made ourselves at home. Lots of birds for company and a herd of sheep on the other side who seemed to head off in a hurry for a hair cut.
Blowing out the candles
Lunch, bacon butties was followed by Birthday Cake, Blueberry Lemon and Almond cake. Candles and everything.
Is it present time?
Then presents. Mick got the latest edition of the Imray guide to The River Great Ouse and it’s tributaries, featuring several photos of Heather and her boat NB Bleasdale, we’ve also spotted Simon on NB Scholar Gypsy in there too. He also got a new blue tooth keyboard and mouse for his tablet computer, the current one’s had been working intermittently for a while.
As Tilly explored her surroundings we hid inside hoping the weather would improve. Sunshine came and went, but the rain didn’t return. So late afternoon Mick found what he thought would be the more sheltered part of our mooring and set up the bbq as I threaded veg and haloumi onto skewers and wrapped salmon and bananas up in foil ready to cook.
Cheers! Happy Birthday Mick
Maybe a little bit chilly, but we still enjoyed our private mooring with food and wine. Tilly was given an extension to cat curfew. She spent most of it staring into the friendly cover with the occasional break to climb a tree.
Plenty of miles to tick off today so no lounging around in bed with a cuppa. Other people were up and at work, as we sat having our breakfast two Middle Level Commissioners vans arrived on the bank above our mooring, they’d come to make the mooring official by adding a sign.
The chaps worked away and as we got ready to push off they headed off to position the next new sign.
We pushed off and headed towards March. The birdies chirped and darted about in the reeds to each side of us. The banks a suitable height to give you a bit of a view, not block it totally. Yesterday we’d passed several pill boxes today at least one more.
Fairly soon we were approaching March, passing the marina where the hire boats have been coming from. Everyone in March seems to have a detached garden. Houses sit on one side of a road, their gardens on the other, terraced down towards the water. Plenty of people have made a great effort, places to sit out, landings, windmills, crocodiles. One stretch seems to have an epidemic of sheds going on, one after the other with just a narrow path between them.
The first public mooring we came across was closed the bank subsiding into the water. The moorings opposite the services was full, we pulled up to top up with water, dispose of rubbish and as it was on the right side we emptied the yellow water too. Thankfully through the bridge there was space, plenty of it for us to pull up to go shopping. Yes I did a shop in Peterborough, that was really just in case we couldn’t stop here in March, there was plenty we wanted and with Sainsburys close by it turned into a four bag shop. A visit to Boots too for some Hay Fever tablets of the right variety, I spotted a Boyes (possibly the furthest south they come), we’ll be stopping to have a better look later.
After an early lunch we pushed on, passing more houses and gardens, one stretch trying to mimic beach huts. The sky was now blue with fluffy clouds, no need for the extra layers we’d started the day with.
Straight on past the Twenty Foot River which seemed a touch wider than it’s name suggests. At Popham’s Eau junction we veered left keeping to the link route. We passed Charlotte Rose whom we’d shared the last Nene locks with and a hire boat sat nestled in amongst the reeds enjoying the afternoon sunshine, no rope visible, the gentle breeze just holding them to the bank.
As the channel now narrowed there was an increase of weed, the sort that hampers your progress somewhat. Thankfully today it wasn’t too bad, just the occasional blast of reverse to free the prop was needed.
A Lock!
A lock! Marmont Priory Lock would rise us up from the lower level by 6ft 8inches onto Well Creek. The lock was partially filled, hydraulic paddle gear needed to be wound so many times slowly inching up the slackers.
Oleanna waiting below the lock
Inside the lock was a layer of scum, possibly dead duck weed mixed with polystyrene, there was also a big plank.
The paddle gear at the top end only required one to be lifted and that had a marker on it. Oleanna rose up to Well Creek right by the rather pretty front door of the lock cottage. Progress was now slower than before. The gates of Marmont Priory Lock need to be very well closed so that the creek stays in water, a drop here can take days to rectify.
Upwell
Progress slowed even more as we reached Upwell where the channel narrows even more. We ended up on tickover to make any headway, the water around us just about enough for us to move.
Upwell and Outwell reminded us of villages we go through on our scenic route from Scarborough to York. The linear villages cling to the road and have a stream running alongside, driveways crossing on small bridges. Here the stream is far bigger and it’s mostly footbridges that crossed over our heads requiring us to duck.
The houses mostly have plaques boasting their names and dates. A butchers was spied and the fish and chip shop has it’s own mooring! I’ll have to check to see if they do gluten free. We made note of moorings as it looks like we’d need to have a good explore around here.
Sign posts to Littleport and Wisbech. An old college friend came from Wisbech, she used to say no-one had ever heard of it, well I have now! At the most northerly point of the Middle Level is where the Wisbech Canal used to head further north, now it is just a steep bend for us to negotiate. There’s a mooring here, but maybe you’d get biffed by passing boats!
That’s pretty wide
Over Millicourt Aqueduct we crossed over the end of the Main Drain, such a romantic name. It looked very wide down there so possible to wind, we’ll have to check our maps for any low bridges that would stop us from getting there.
Now a busy road, A1122 hugs close to the creek. The banks now lower giving more of a view. Pylons stretch off into the distance both ways, only broken up by two smaller towers. I checked on the OS map, almost 21 km straight before a slight kink.
Our planned for mooring just came into sight, Glady Dacks. A rather rickety afair, one end looked better than the other. We pulled in and stepped off cautiously. A bench and table sat by Oleanna, a good means to be able to step up to see the other side of the high bank separating the road from us. On one side it looked like Tilly heaven, the other side it looked like she’d be assisted on her way. Sorry Tilly, no chance.
But please!!!!
Now there were secret things to do. A birthday cake was mixed up, popped in a loaf tin to bake. It needed a bit of attention as it baked, added toppings, foil and an extra five minutes in the oven, then once cooled off some lemon icing.
Lower banks
Dinner was Turkey Schnitzel with spaghetti, I was too busy to take photos so the recipe will follow the next time I make them. Then Tilly and I had to hide away in the bedroom to do secret things. Wrapping on a bed isn’t the easiest of places but we managed. All done and ready for tomorrow just before the 10pm news, I don’t think Mick noticed a thing!
1 lock, 16.84 miles, 2 maybe 3 straights, 1 left, 1 big bend, 2 boxes wine, 1 Boyes, 60 hayfever tablets, 1 slab of salmon, 8 asparagus tips, 1 warm dry evening hoped for, 3 evenings no shore leave, 1 long day, 3 presents wrapped, 1 blueberry lemon cake baked, 2 much icing, 1 pooped Pip.
She said I could have ten minutes. Ten minutes!!! That’s a rubbish amount of shore leave. But then I looked at the outside, it was rubbish too!
Hmmmm!
It kind of looked like I’d have to make do with this one, after a while I managed to get across the huge expanse to a tree which went right down to the bottom. It wasn’t really worth sitting there so I waited for a gap in the wizzy seats before I returned. Tom had closed the back doors because this outside just seems to be windy ALL the time!
Eventually She and Tom went out leaving me in charge. I had to keep an eye on the Tom with the little boats and see if the stupid Tom in the super fast boat came past making everything go up and down for no reason what-so-ever. Super Fast Tom didn’t come out but maybe that’s because he was sleeping off his beer cans from yesterday.
She and Tom said that this outside was quite treacherous for them too. On walking to get supplies they had wanted to walk along the river, but the walkway had gone all uneven, thankfully not whilst they were on it. I think I’d be able to get more than just my arm down the holes there.
Tom had been busy with the washing machine so we needed to tie up the tap again. The Tom with the little boats hadn’t had a busy day, but he said tomorrow would be busier. Maybe we would want to tie up a different outside for the weekend.
Comb over trees
It was very blowy at the tap so Tom did a big reverse Andy to push the outside away at the bow. Oleanna had to work very hard to do this, but she managed it in the end, the outside had been spun round and it headed off in the opposite direction.
That’s really big
We passed where the big hole was, I could see what they meant, I think even Tom could get through that hole!
Moving the outside
After a short while She and Tom had to tie up the outside in a jaunty way, another boat was just having a rest before we could tie the outside up in a straighter way. She came inside and gave me three and a half hours and recited the rules which today included not going to the pub or smoking weed. I would just like to inform my readers I do not smoke weed, I only chew the finest blades of grass.
Proper trees
This outside is so much better, the trees are trees and don’t have combovers. The friendly cover is pretty good too.
She topped up the ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamie pot. Nice fresh crunchy Salmon and Tuna. That was the main reason for going shopping today, glad She didn’t drop them down the big hole, Peterborough seems to be full of them!
Such a better outside
Ding ding time arrived and I was just a touch busy to notice the time so She had to remind me. Luckily for me She picked me up and carried me over the holes in this outside just before a big group of young Toms arrived. I think they were wanting to have a swim and beer cans, they were quite noisy but moved on when they realised we were inside.
A good vantage place
Tonight’s ding ding was lamb. She and Tom also had lamb, theirs was of the Misterton variety.
Misterton Lamb and veg. Click the photo for recipe
0 locks, 1.51 miles, 1 big reverse Andy, 1 correct sign, 1 wavy footpath, 2 boxes wine, 2 loads washing, 1 full water tank, 17 comb overs, 1 woofer wanting to stay, 1 stamped on mooring, 4 lamb chops, 3 receipts, 1 new bag of Dreamies.
We may now be on exploration mode, but there are other things more important that will dictate what we do for the next week or so. Hopefully we’ll get to spend a bit more time on the River Nene on our return. Today however Tilly and I would be staying put whilst Mick had a day away at the seaside.
Last night he spent time purchasing five day returns, finding the cheapest route via split tickets to Scarborough, totalling £54. Mick gets to do such journeys as he has an old gits rail card. To get a couple of hours in Scarborough it meant him getting on a train at 06:59 from Northampton. He changed at Rugby, Tamworth, Derby, York and arrived in Scarborough at 12:08. His tickets were even more complicated!
A Thank you
The house needed checking over for a change of lodgers, the boiler we’d had problems with needed checking too, but most importantly Mick had gone to pick up our postal votes. Getting them sent on by our lodgers wouldn’t guarantee them arriving in the right place at the right time, but going to collect them from the house a few days before the council election should.
Final mosaic near the lock
When we first moved onboard fulltime Mick had a long conversation with a lady at Scarborough Council about how we could vote from our boat. The lady was very helpful. Every year we had to declare ourselves homeless and register an interest in Scarborough. We then appointed a proxy voter, our friends Dawn and Duncan obliged for us and visited our Polling Station, European Referendum, General Elections, Council Elections. This all worked, we were on the list of special people at the back of the list and our names got crossed off each time. On one occasion Mick headed back to Scarborough from Manchester to vote in person, my vote sadly lost that time.
Today when Mick arrived back at the house however there were NO postal votes waiting for him! It worked for the Police Commissioner last year, why not now! We’d received our Postal Poll Cards weeks ago. All that way and no means of voting. He tried calling the Council, but it being a Bank Holiday Monday the phone remained unanswered.
The bluebells are out
House chores were quickly done, things checked over and he was back on a train at 15:34 to change at the same stations on his return journey arriving back in Northampton at 20:21, empty handed.
The River Nene
Meanwhile Tilly and I had done a bit of cleaning. Meowed at the back door! I’d been out to do some shopping. Eight years ago we’d visited Morrisons, today I first headed to Aldi which is nearer, but very quickly realised the things I wanted they wouldn’t have, so I aborted and headed to Morrisons instead.
There had been a possibility that Mick wouldn’t get back until 9 or 10pm, depending on how the house had been left. So I’d taken the opportunity to purchase some King Prawns, Mick doesn’t like things that eat poo, so they are a solitary treat for me once in a blue moon.
Stirring risotto and prawns
On the offside of the final Northampton Arm lock a family was enjoying a barbeque. Thank goodness there was the lock in between us as their dog seemed to not want passers-by, it came and made that very obvious.
Please move the outside!
Tilly tried persuading me to move the outside to a better one. But all She said was that we couldn’t do that while Tom was in the outside, he wouldn’t like it! I suppose She was right I get all hurumphy when they move the outside a little bit whilst I’m in it and by the looks of things the outside would have had to move a long way to make it any better!
MOVE IT! Tom won’t mind
To while away the afternoon I used up a couple of wonky lemons that I had left over and had a go at a Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil recipe for Lemon Drizzle Traybake. It needed amending to be gluten free and the fact that the suitable tray I have seems to be in Scarborough! The recipe uses rapeseed oil instead of butter so was very easy to make, but the quantity of oil seemed to be a lot and our supplies are a bit short right now. I cut down on the oil, popped it in a cake tin and hoped for the best. After 35 minutes it was cooked, drizzled over with sugar and lemon juice. I just had to wait for Mick to return to sample it.
Lemon Drizzle, click photo for recipe
Tomorrow we’ll ring the Council to see if there is any way we can get a proxy vote at such a late date. We don’t hold out much hope, but it’s worth a try.
0 locks, 0 miles, 5 return tickets, 10 trains, 1 pump still running, 1 dying dishwasher, 1 mini bottle of bubbles, 0 postal votes, 0 boxes wine, 150grams king prawns all for ME, 1 unimpressed cat, 1 slightly cleaner boat.
No rushing away for us this morning, in fact we’d not be able to move off until mid-afternoon as there was an important appointment to be attended. So there was nothing for it but to have a cooked breakfast, whilst listening to Tilly complain at the back door about the lack of shore leave, AGAIN!
Are you still there Ade?
We waited and waited , several boats came past. I began to prepare tonights meal and we all waited.
Then at 2:15pm I collected past medication together, passport, popped a puppy pad in the escape pod and bundled a begrudging Tilly into it, zipping the door up behind her. She loves it in there apart form when the door is closed! I was very aware that some of her protestations this morning had been toilet based, preferring to use shore based facilities than the box onboard, so she’d kept her legs crossed. I really hoped the stress of her visit to the vets wouldn’t end up being damp or smelly!
So far Tilly has only seen the same vet twice, that was when she had her first vaccinations in Tamworth. Each year I look at our route and try to find a practice as close to the canal as possible, we then time our cruising accordingly. Last year we’d gone to the vets in Scarborough, five minutes by car, not a popular choice for Tilly! The last two years we’ve had to chat to a vet in a car park and hand the escape pod over because of the pandemic, this year I was to be allowed in with Tilly.
Cat waiting area, shame you have to walk past the woofers to get to it
Avonvale Veterinary Centres have several branches and the Warwick one was under a five minute walk from our mooring, the closest we’ve managed. Tilly shouted most of the way there and whilst we waited in the cat waiting area.
We were soon greeted by Sidney our man in green. Everyone bar Tilly wearing masks. A quick chat checking on her history, weigh in, teeth, heart, tummy, all squeezed and checked over. Then the jab in the neck.
I’d asked for a years worth of wormer and flea treatments. That was fine, although Tilly and I wanted to try her on a different wormer as we’ve worked out that the pills she’d been given last year gave her the shakes/tremors. Sidney obliged and we’ll try a spoton wormer. Hooray something else on my neck!!!
A years worth
All very efficient, friendly, most importantly understandable as last years vet had a very thick accent which was next to impossible to understand without seeing her lips along with the ambient traffic noise in the car park. Just a shame about the price, just shy of £200, but that is everything she should need for the next year.
Tilly’s passport was signed, another year of shore leave granted, we just needed to move Oleanna now to somewhere suitable to kick start that year.
I vant to be alone!
Back on board Tilly stretched out on the bed like lady muck to relax. Mick had got Oleanna ready, so we could push off as soon as possible.
Goodbye Cape
At Cape Top Lock a pair were just about to exit the lock and pull up on the water point, Mick held back and then we descended.
There’s a new car park for the hospital with a brightly coloured surround to it. Plenty of building work around Kate Boats base. We did wonder if the hire fleet were still based here as there were no signs of it, maybe the dust from the building site opposite has made them move base for a while.
Mad Hatter
We soon passed NB Mad Hatter, whom we’d shared Hatton with last year.
A new stretch of rings has been put in between bridges 42 and 43, we’d always wondered why there was nothing here. We pulled in and I hopped off to do a shop at Morrisons, we’d get 10% off if using our credit card. Mick stayed onboard as the nearby benches were occupied.
With two heavy bags of shopping stowed we pushed onwards, time ticking away before cat curfew. We waved to our friends John and Gemma who live overlooking the canal, no visit to Wool Warehouse for me today. The cat is still here, almost unblemished, someone looks to have scrawled something on the mouse, but it’s mostly been cleaned off. This still has to be the best graffiti art on the network.
Back on the towpath
Soon we reached Radford Semele. We found a space and pulled in at the end of the arnco, a distance away from the next boat where a woofer was playing. I checked that their dog would be fine if I let Tilly out then gave her an hours leave. Thank goodness I could hardly keep my paws crossed any longer! That new litter smells a bit funny!!!
On top of the world again
The finishing touches were put to the quiche and popped in the oven. Todays missions accomplished, we now just need to crack on to meet the next deadline.
Quinoa crust chicken quiche, click for recipe
2 locks, 4.69 miles, 6 hours waiting, 5 minutes walk, 1 very nice Tom in green, 1 Tilly wanting to escape, 1 jab, 2 wormers, 12 fleas, 1 clean bill of health, 12 months shore leave granted, 2 boxes wine, 2 loaves bread, 1 quinoa quiche.
Curdworth Visitor Moorings to Star City, Grand Union: Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal
Heading up to the Birmingham plateau usually means long hard days of locks, no matter which direction you come from. However today was going to be a short one for us as we were heading for new waters!
Daffodils and chickens
The boats around us had already moved off before us, the Anglo Welsh boat starting it’s engine bang on 8am. We’d noticed a slight list to Oleanna, I pushed out the bow, but the stern was being obstinate. Mick popped her in reverse, then pushed, then reverse again. Eventually we were off the bottom just as a boat was coming through the bridge behind us. Sorry we pulled out, we’d reached the point where we just had to carry on.
Minworth Bottom Lock
Minworth Bottom Lock was very full, in fact the top gate was open. A chap was busy picking litter from quite a mound of duck weed on the off side. He asked if we could wait whilst he removed the worst of the weed and rubbish from the lock before I emptied it. Mick hung around below and I chatted with the chap. He does this off his own back, with rakes, landing nets, a bucket (now broken) and a high sided wheelbarrow.
Handy bus stop
By the time I emptied the lock and opened the bottom gate (only one as we’re on the BCN) Mick had managed to pick up something on the prop. A blast of reverse disposed of it, but now he was very very close to the arch of the bridge below. Thankfully he managed to manoeuvre away before any damage happened to the grab rail or pram hood.
Pale patches of grass suggests this lock had work done recently
You could tell the chap had started at the bottom of the locks as the next two got progressively worse, more duck weed and more and more rubbish collecting above the top gates.
Noisy motorbikes on the towpath
With todays fuel prices you would think that would put off the towpath motorbikes, but no. Two kept passing us, up and down the way almost to our planned destination. They paused at the drive through KFC then were heading back of into the distance again
.
Tiger, zebra, giraffe and a crocodile!
A hire boat came past, or was it an Ark? Only one of each animal on board though.
The canal now gets more and more urban. The M6 getting closer and closer all the time, HS2 will join in with this in years to come.
Natural light changing ugly into attractive
Over head a factory was built spanning the canal. Concrete pillars holding the weight beyond the towpath. Today we’d timed our cruise to perfection, the sun streaming in between the pillars. The colours of the (none too artistic) graffiti catching the light and creating an effect similar to that of stained glass. Wow! What a treat.
We were facing Spaghetti Junction, old bridges and new all starting to cross cross at speed above the slow moving canal below. Peeking through under the M6 we could see where we’d be stopping today, Star City.
Left left please
At Salford Junction I gave directions. Not straight on or just left but, ‘Left Left Please!’ Mick slowed Oleanna down and pushed the tiller over, several points to the turn and we were round and onto new water for all of us.
The River Tame below M6 above
Now on the Grand Union, we crossed over the River Tame which quietly trickles it’s way underneath transport old and new. Nechelles or Salford Bridge Stop Lock now has no gates but the canal narrows and a cottage sits behind big fences for it’s own protection. A cheery chap called out to us from the garden.
Ahead was our mooring for the night, Star City pontoon, a secure mooring behind a locked gate, or so we thought. On closer inspection someone has cut away the C&RT padlock. This may have been because the padlock broke. We pulled up at the near end, furthest away from the busy road bridge ahead.
What a long pontoon!
Star City has a huge cinema, bowling alley, restaurants etc. We’d not be visiting and neither would Tilly. This took a bit of explaining as to begin with the trees, cowslips and sideways trees looked appealing. But behind them was a service road then the carpark. The Cat Health and Safety Committee convened and decided it was too risky.
Chopping
After a late lunch Mick chopped up a log that had been fished out of the Aire and Calder by Al weeks ago in Goole. I started on a batch of Hot Paw Buns, mixing together the dough and leaving it to rise before adding the fruit and spices.
Only half of the rip!
Next on the jobs list was the port side cratch cover. Yes we’ve only just had the zips mended but unfortunately when Mick dropped me off at Nether Lock on the Trent the other day we were too busy protecting the cabin side to notice that the overhang attacked the pram cover! A rip along the skirt and a broken zip!
Mended a couple of times before
I’ve been looking online to see if it would be possible to mend the zip rather than replace it. With a pair of plyers in hand I had a go at following the advice I’d found, the zip head may have opened up and not be pushing the teeth together enough, so hopefully a squeeze back would do the job.
Squeeze
I gave the leading end of the zip a squeeze, a slight improvement, but I couldn’t squeeze anymore. Mick came and helped too. Maybe the back of the zip needed a squeeze too. We nudged the head down a touch opened up the teeth behind and applied pressure. Back up to the top as far as it could go and try again.
It would never be invisible so I don’t mind the brighter blue cotton
Well it looks like the job might be done as the teeth are now aligning and pushing together as they should do. We’ll see if it stays together tomorrow when I roll the covers up.
Mick checked the weed hatch, not much to report on the urban jellyfish front. We’ll see what we manage to catch in the morning!
Hot Paw Buns Click photo for recipe
Hot Paw Buns had their fruit and spices added. Normally I’d leave the the dough to rest again before shaping them, but today I experimented, shaping and adding their centres, leaving them on a tray to rise before going in the oven. It took them quite sometime to show any intention of rising, maybe they weren’t warm enough, maybe the yeast was past it’s best, or maybe I was pushing them too soon. But what really matters was how did they taste.
Going going….
Yummy as ever!
3 locks, 5.8 miles, 1 left left, 1 good soul, 1 dinted dinghy! 12 hot paw buns, 2 inches darned, 1 log kindling, 1 zip mended?
We pulled back to the water point to fill the tank. The tap here is much much faster than the one back round the corner at the services, but that means the bins are further to walk to. Mick did the honours.
Beef and Beetroot curry
A day with no locks meant I felt happy using the stove to cook our evening meal, no chance of the pot being jolted from the stove top. The dish I had in mind would normally take three hours on Gas 1, so the perfect thing to sit on the stove all day.
Mick stood in the rain at the helm with wafts of cooking coming from below as I browned off some beef, steamed beetroot, zuzzed spices together added stock and left it all to very gently cook for many hours.
Streethay Wharf
The rain did stop, round about the time I’d finished cooking strangely enough! We’d reached Streethay Wharf and started to move away from the busy noisy A38.
Three Phase Pigeons
A group of pigeons sat on the electricity wires preening themselves. Fields recently tilled . The blackthorn blossom just starting to turn pink having just passed it’s best.
Mind those wires!
Works on HS2 can be seen across the fields. Cranes and earth movers. We hoped some of them were aware of the electricity lines!
At Whittington we crossed the border from the Coventry Canal (detached section) onto the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, marked by a stone on the towpath and the bridges no longer being numbered but now being named.
Pretty uninspiring
I hoped for a good photo of Whittington Bridge to be able to use as a first night card for panto this year, Dick Whittington, but everywhere was really rather uninspiring with grey cloud hanging around.
The poly tunnels are set back from the canal now, is it asparagus that is grown here? The weather vane still looks good even without sunshine.
Freespirit
We pootled on, the West Coast Main Line coming and going. Round the next bend was that familiar boat again, NB Freespirit. We slowed and said hello as we passed the windows, glancing back I could see the front door being opened. Mick popped Oleanna into reverse and then we hovered, managing quite a chat and catch up with Ian, Irene and Toffee their son’s dog. Lovely to see them again, they must have passed us at the crack of dawn.
Hello!
Just a bit further on for us, through the woods where the armed forces practice shooting each other, then we pulled up as soon as we could.
Trees ahead!
Trees! Lots of trees! Not that Tilly went climbing, she was far too busy checking out the friendly cover.
As the afternoon went by the aroma from the pot on the stove increased, it just needed to be finished of in the oven. I cooked some rice and made some gluten free nan breads to accompany the beef and beetroot curry. It is a recipe I discovered when we were getting regular veg boxes in the house and it is very tasty. Today I didn’t have a red chilli to add into the paste so it wasn’t hot, just the occasional kick from the ginger. It is still very tasty and there’s one portion left which has been frozen for another time. Would anybody like the recipe?
Curry and Nan (gf) Click on photo for recipe
Food was all done and dusted with in time for an on line talk by Alarum about the Birmingham Canals before they all got cleaned up.
Two thirds the audience this evening
Despite some IT glitches the talk was very interesting with reminiscences from women who’d helped with the clean up of the canals and what they’d been like before hand. The biggest surprise was how enclosed they all were. A gate into Gas Street basin and one entrance out of the Farmers Bridge flight, it was a locked away world. All those metal bridges you see are new. Plus the bridge at Worcester Bar, yes the one we all take photos of, back in the 70’s it was just a plank across the cut!
0 locks, 7.69 miles, 140ft reversed, 1 full water tank, 1 curry, 7 hours, 2 many boats on the move, 1 blogger, 278 trees, 1 cat happy, 1 canal talk.
Shobnall Fields to Fradley Swing Bridge, Coventry Canal
More news came through yesterday from my cousin in Ukraine. They have managed to visit their home in Chernihiv to board up windows and doors and sift through to see what the looters might have left. Not much really other than heavy items of furniture which leaves them with the two suitcases they had packed when they fled. The house had triple glazing most of which is now shattered across what is left of their lawn, a lot of shards to pick up before their dogs can play out again. There is still no power or gas and very little in the shops, so it will be sometime before they can return to rebuild their home.
“Hopefully things don’t deteriorate again but when will it all end?”
Reversing in
Here in Burton we pushed off and made our way to Shobnall Basin, thankfully there was nobody already filling with diesel so Mick swung Oleanna round and reversed in through the narrow entrance. He managed this without touching the sides, an audience and wind! He was quite smug about it too.
At £1.20 a litre we wanted to leave with the tank full and we were surprised that the tank was full after only 81 litres considering we’d been pushing upstream for several days. A new bottle of gas too, the price of which had just gone up, but today they would charge us the old price. In the shop we looked round for some Marine 16, here there was a large bottle at about the same price we’d have got half the amount for in Nottingham. Glad we waited.
Branston Lock
Time to move on. There are more new houses in view near Branston Lock. Looking one way it is still quite green, the other way and huge distribution warehouses are going up.
Chocolate box lock
Next Tattenhill Lock, the chocolate box lock. It always looks so pretty in the sunlight the cottage a B&B. What a different place this must have been when the cottage was first built, no builders merchants along the way where huge clouds of dust blew across the canal, pile driving noises and the constant road noise from the A38.
Breath in!
We held our breath going through bridge 36. I sent a photo to David, his boat would certainly not make it through such tight bridge holes, it wouldn’t make it through the narrow locks either.
The moorings were full below Barton Turn Lock so we had to ascend it before stopping for lunch. The end of a beam is now painted red and at some time the handle has been moved so that it is over solid ground and not just air!
Hello!
Now the mile and a half where the A38 clings to the side of the canal. We always wave to lorries along here. At first today it seemed like everyone was miserable, but then we got our first wave back, then a beep beep, even a flash of lights from one driver.
Mick lending a hand when he can
Wychnor Lock we caught up with a boat that must have come out from the marina. The lady was a novice learning the ropes, the chap an old hand. Mick came up to lend a hand setting the lock once they’d gone.
Now we were on the stretch with the River Trent, the navigation more windy than before. The boats moored here have rings that can slide up and down on scaff poles for the changing height of the river. There is a weir and several bridges to help keep the towpath from getting flooded.
Alrewas was semi busy, we’d have found space for ourselves, but wanted to get further today, catching up with our schedule. A new boat is aptly named on the off side mooring where the canal narrows.
Another sitting swan
At Bagnall Lock Mick held the gates closed with the aid of the boat hook, one of them naturally wants to open itself but thankfully I only had to return to close it one extra time.
Closing up behind
Now the locks up into Fradley, passing the new marina which now has a few boats in residence. Late afternoon meant there would be no volunteers, they may not have started back yet anyway. But it did mean I got to work all the locks myself, which is why I love boating.
Hello Ian and Irene!
Between Keeper’s Lock and Junction Lock there was only one space free, each boat socially distancing themselves and not one shared mooring ring. We planned to ascend all the locks today so carried on. NB Freespirit was the second boat in line. Mick said hello as he passed as did I from the towpath, but no reply came back, Bridgerton must have been very captivating.
Entering the top lock was a shiny new hire boat, the maximum length for these locks, with six on board it would be a cosy week. We swapped and ascended our last lock of the day as a giant teddy walked down the road.
Last lock of the day
Last chance to change our mind on route. We turned left keeping to the quicker plan. I swung the bridge and we pulled in to the first space available, the water point already commandeered by an ex-hire boat. It was late so despite her protestations Tilly was not granted any shore leave, instead she had to sit and watch me make up a chicken pie.
Checking Windy, the Met office and the BBC confirmed that today would be windy. We didn’t fancy 29mph with gusts up to 45/50mph accompanied by heavy rain at times so we decided to stay put and finish off Saturdays newspaper in bed, this normally happens on a Monday morning, but for obvious reasons it was now Thursday.
Sunbathing
A Sausage day! Well almost as they did pop out at one time leaving me to shut my eyes for a while. I remember it here, red sandyness under my paw pads. Steep banks for friend finding and pouncing. The trees are interesting too, but I was mostly kept busy with the friendly cover. Tom said I had to leave the woodpeckers alone anyway, so I did.
Indecisive tail
I had a chat with David mid morning. A touch of confusion had crept in about the way forward. We’d also all got confused as to who we’d met with on Tuesday. Was it the Crisis team? After David had rung round we were a touch more confused as the Crisis team had discharged him back to his GP and the GP … well.
David’s first mate Harry
With the numbers we’d called on Monday to hand David finally got things sorted. Yes he had been discharged from Crisis to the Community Mental Health Team and his GP had had a letter regarding this. He’d also heard from C&RT, they were giving him permission to over stay which was great news.
No Joke Plantation
I spent much of the day trying to update the blog, my normal morning routine not followed for a few days meant I was quite behind with some long posts to write, so it was good to get them done.
Mixing
Then the bag of gluten free white bread flour came out. I’d seen a recipe for Hot Cross Buns a week or so ago which I’d wanted to have a go at. Tilly and I normally make Hot Paw Buns which have marzipan in them. They are very tasty but a little heavy so I wanted to see what this new recipe was like and if I could adapt it.
It’s been a while since I made bread with this flour, it always turned out a touch potatoey, suitable for toasting and adding a lot of butter to, a little like potato scones. Because of this I wasn’t too sure how it would turn out.
Left to rise
The dough was made up with what dried fruit I had on board, raisins and cranberries and left to rise whilst Mick and I went for a walk to the bins by the lock.
Woosh!
Stock Lock is the prettiest on the Trent, surrounded by woodland. We extended our walk across the lock gates to have a look at the weir, thundering it was. A few years ago a narrowboat was pushed over the weir, a lady was swept overboard, thankfully all survived, shaken up quite badly.
Our private little mooring
On return to the boat the buns had an egg wash and crosses added, then went in the oven and baked for half an hour. I made up a sugar syrup to glaze them with when they came out, they looked really quite promising.
Click photo for recipe link. Not bad, quite tasty but not as good as Hot Paw Buns
Verdict, not as good as hot paw buns, but not a bad second place. We just need to eat these before I’m allowed to make paw buns.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 day staying put, 1 near sausage, 9.5 hours for Tilly, 6 rain showers, 29mph, 1 sheltered mooring, we’d hardly have known, 10 hot cross buns, 1 more step on the right direction.
