A cuppa in bed with yesterdays paper with a pretty good view out of the window, bliss.
Once up, breakfasted and enough layers on I popped down to have a look at the Tithe Barn. Both it’s doors were wide open inviting the light and myself inside.
What wonderful shapes
The amount of timber in there and the number of joints! Very impressive. The roof beams have been analysed and the timber dates from 1334 to 1379. In the 1950’s major work was carried out to preserve the building by the Ministry of Works, now English Heritage.
More Tithe Barn
Time to get moving, I’ve a panto to get to.
Green for GO!
As I’d just pushed the bow out a chap walked by with a windlass, a hire boat heading back to Foxhangers, we could team up with them to do the lock. A day boat was just coming down so our two boats came into the prepared lock. A gongoozler was concerned that someone’s shoes were getting wet in the bow of the hire boat, I indicated to Mick that they should nudge back as they were right up against the cil. The paddles were raised and we were on our way up.
Bradford Lock
More boats waited to come down and one chap asked, ‘Is there a reason this paddle hasn’t been lifted all the way?’ This was said in either an I don’t understand manor or that I was a woman so therefore didn’t know what I was doing! I pointed out that there was no more paddle to lift to which he just said ‘Oh!’
Reserving your space on the visitor moorings, we were tempted to pull in
Mick had stocked up yesterday, but one or two things were still needed. This was luckily remembered before we left the lock, so I hopped off and walked up to Sainsburys picked up what was wanted and returned to the canal at the next bridge where Mick had pulled in just behind NB Sanity at Last, who we’d shared locks with on the other side of the summit over a month ago.
Fill her up please
Onwards to Hilperton where we pulled in to top up the diesel tank, we only needed about 30 litres but at 72p it wasn’t to be missed. A couple more bags of coal and we were on our way again.
Traditional pasties, mine smaller at the back!
I’d brought home some pasties so 30 minutes on gas mark 4 and they were nicely heated through for a lunch break at the bottom of Semington Locks. As you can see Mick’s pasty was far bigger than mine!
Semington Bottom Lock
As I walked between the bottom and top lock there was a chap trying with all his might to prise his boat off the bottom. Blimey it was on a list, the only thing to do was add more water to the pound, a boat was about to come down so hopefully that would help. With the lock emptying the chap used his gang plank to try to shift his boat. In the end he managed to back it off with large clouds of black smoke coming from his engine. As he moved off you could see that his boat had quite a list to it anyway, he pulled in on the offside before the lock, breasting up to another boat, presumably fully afloat.
Swing
From here I walked on ahead to open the next three swing bridges, the weather was lovely, a great day to be back boating again, even if my legs were starting to complain.
Good name, they even have a red cows face on their licence
The visitor moorings below Seend Locks were empty so we pulled in, hoping someone might come down before the morning to empty the bottom lock. Tilly headed off into the undergrowth and we put a roast chicken in the oven. What a lovely Sunday.
Such a colourful boat with red eye lashes
3 locks, 7.15 miles, 4 swing bridges, 2 traditional pasties, 500grams prunes, 1 box oat cakes, 27 litres, 40kg excel, 1 roast chicken with all the works, 1 pooped Pip.
On Sunday Mick helped me with all my things to Avoncliff Station.
This used to be a request stop
I had quite a lot and a quick change at Westbury Station so he decided to come with me that far to help get me onto the next train. After another change I got a taxi to Admirals Hard where I caught the Cremyll Ferry across to the Rame Peninsula. Only an eight minute crossing but just long enough for those of us sat outside to get sprayed by the waves.
A woofer passenger on the Cremyll Ferry
Lou was there to pick me up, we dropped my work things off at the workshop where Ade was busy and then she gave me a lift down to the village of Kingsand. With keys to my flat I made myself comfortable, stocked up on some things to eat and drink from the shop, possibly getting ripped off and then went for an explore. This was likely to be the only time I’d get in daylight to look round.
The old border
Kingsand and Cawsand are twin villages in Cornwall, however until 1844 Kingsand was in Devon and Cawsand Cornwall. A house still marks the boundary, about 100 ft away from my flat.
Cawsand
Several small beaches link the houses together, all very characterful, smugglers hiding in the corner of your eye. Narrow roads with no parking make for a tranquil place, well until the tide comes in! It did however feel as though nobody actually lives there, it’s just for the tourists now.
My groundfloor bedroom window and the sea!
My flat was about as long as Oleanna but wider. Have to say that our bathroom layout is better designed despite being half the size. Everything was very comfortable, but the kitchen lacked a few basics that would have made cooking a touch more flavoursome.
Last bit left to prime
Monday morning I was picked up from outside one of the pubs and was at work for 8.30. First thing was to lay out the back drop. Normally this would have been stretched on a frame, but as my design needed me to be able to draw lots of circles we laid it out on the floor. By 10am I’d primed the cloth and gained a couple of blisters in the process. Ade and Lou’s workshop has been having a new roof fitted, the central ridge still needed replacing and in parts it was open to the sky. So as the day progressed and the weather outside became damp, buckets were deployed around the place.
Drawn up ready to paint
By the end of the day just about every bit of set that was ready had been primed and my backdrop was marked out. A pencil and string being my compass, I could have done with Frank’s trammel heads (ends of a compass that you can attach to a length of wood), but I managed in the end.
Wednesday the sun came out, only one thing for the canine assistants to do, sunbath
Tuesday and I started to lay blocks of colour onto the backdrop. Three shades of blue paint, a straight edge and a steady hand were needed. Occasionally a helping paw would appear, Bo and Shine two collies spend their days over seeing what happens in the workshop and hoping to be able to gain access to the bins from next door.
Pasty powered painting
The workshop is next door to CornishPod, winner of the World Pasty Championship in 2016. The smells wafting through from them were too much for me, on Monday I’d put in an order for a couple of gluten free pasties. Fresh and warm I enjoyed one for my lunch, keeping the second one for Wednesday. The day was wet again, water flooded in through a hole that had been made for new electrics, a blocked drain was found and sorted by the landlord.
Wednesday thankfully a dry day but water had seeped under the wooden floor where my cloth was pinned out , it had crept up between the sheets and was creating quite a stain. In parts the cloth was wetter than when I’d first painted it. Action was taken and we relaid it on sheets of plastic, a fan heater deployed to drive off the worst of the moisture and I concentrated on painting the portals. The roofers were back in for the day, covering up sections of the ridge.
Tellytubbies
Each morning I woke to wonderful sunrises, some from Tellytubbies,
A new day
others more moody and grown up. Not a bad view to have from your bedroom window. The local sea swimmers would all walk down for their morning dip shortly after dawn. They’d bob away in the swell as the tide came in, Kingsand only seems to have high tide!
Oops I might have bought some cheese!
Thursday was the start of the next storm. We hoped the worst would miss us. The team grew by two, Ade’s nephew Frank and a scenic artist Debs. Debs had come to paint another set they have been building for The Drum in Plymouth. Nothing quite so time consuming as my backdrop and portals, just lots of washes and rust. Lu and Frank lent a hand where needed, basing things in for me and painting black for Debs. As the day progressed the winds got stronger and stronger, necessitating brushing more bits of decaying roof off my backdrop.
The view whilst waiting for my lift
By the time I got back to my flat the tide was being aided by the wind. On other evenings towards high tide the waves had been making it onto the road outside my front door, but the direction of the wind having changed and the tides not being so high the waves just crashed against my bedroom wall instead. Their bumping giving the sofa a slight nudge. I hoped I’d be able to get some sleep, but thankfully things calmed down and I managed to get some shut eye.
Tides
Friday, Debs and I were left to it in the workshop, the others on apple duty back at the house. Ade and Lou have around 250 apple trees from which they press apple juice. This years crop has been plentiful, so whilst painting brushes were working hard at the workshop, Lou and Frank picked up the latest windfalls and Ade worked his way through the first of 40 crates of apples.
Finished!
By the end of the day the other set was finished and Panto had a completed backdrop and two portals. Plenty more for me to do, but at least the main aim of the week was completed. I celebrated by having a halloumi and roasted pepper pasty for lunch, very tasty it was too.
Saturday my last day. A quick tidy up of the flat before I got a lift up to the workshop to see what I could achieve before heading home. I made a good start on two large flats, but I’d hoped to get them almost completed but the paint just wasn’t drying quickly enough. There was also the matter of packing paint and mixing colours so Lou can carry on basing things in,hopefully saving me hours of work.
Mixing grey
The last job was to mix a huge vat of grey. I hate mixing grey, you think you’ve nearly reached the right shade, just a bit more black, a bit more, a bit more, maybe just a touch more. Damn! Now a bit more white!!
Frank and Lou, my cloth was raised and stretched out shortly after this
The other set was loaded onto a wagon. The pieces I’d finished were stacked away and the backdrop was hung to help it continue drying. The water stain is fading but I doubt it will go completely.
Plymouth
Back in my civvies it was time to head for the train. A lift down to the ferry which was just coming in, then an awaiting cab to the station. I had 4 minutes to get to the right platform, my luggage a touch lighter as my brushes will go to Chipping Norton with the set. Two trains and I arrived back in Bradford on Avon where Mick was there to meet me.
A hard weeks work in the company of the lovely Lou and Ade in such a wonderful setting. It’s just a shame I never really got to see the village at low tide in day light.
Meanwhile back on Oleanna.
Mick and Tilly have not been idle. On Sunday afternoon Mick moved the boat a little towards Bradford joining the local boats. On Monday he took the toilet to bits. We have a Separett Villa, the urine gets separated into a tank under the floor from which we can pump it out into another container for disposal. Gradually when rinsing through the system I have noticed it taking longer and longer for the water to drain to the tank, so I’d raised a chitty with the maintenance department.
It was quite sometime ago that Finesse showed us how everything had gone together but Mick managed quite easily to remove the toilet and then the floor above the tank. From the separator one pipe leads to another which then does two 90 degree turns to enter the underfloor tank. Here was where the blockage was gradually getting worse and when Mick poured vinegar into the top it stayed put, the pipe finally having blocked.
Our yellow water tank, the blocked bend on the left
With some drain unblocking cabley thing and more vinegar he eventually managed to shift the blockage. No need to cross our legs, we can go to the loo again. But maybe we need to add more vinegar to the bottle we spray the separator with, or even add it neat every now and again, or maybe we should just drink it so that the pipe doesn’t block again.
On Tuesday morning I made a request that Tom should move the outside. This outside was okay, but another would be better, so he moved it to a Mrs Tilly stamp award winning mooring, Dundas. Here I busied myself outside, returning to check on Tom only to find he’d lost his legs! I found them for him down in the big box at the back of Oleanna. It was quite soggy down there so Tom was trying to get rid of all the Aunty freeze that had leaked there a month or so ago. He was very careful to keep me away from this Aunty, apparently it can be deadly to cats.
Purring paws
Thursday they filled with water winded and headed back towards Avoncliff. All the sink U bends and shower traps were given a good clean and then on Friday they moved up to Bradford and managed to get a spot on the 48hr moorings below the lock. Here was good, plenty to keep me occupied, but then Tom decided to nudge the outside a touch. This touch to the outside meant there were far more woofers, in fact a constant stream of them. It really wasn’t worth stepping off the boat!
0 locks, 7.24 miles by boat, 5 different moorings, 1 calcified lump added to the yellow water tank, 10 litres anti-freeze, 2 winds, 5 trains, 2 taxis, 2 ferries, 13 lifts, 2 pretty villages, 0 beach to be seen, 6m plus high tide, £51!!! 2nd shop at the co-op, 1 flat almost on the beach, 1 thumping sea, 4 bottles wine, 1 bottle oil and some garlic required, 58 hours, 1 fat knee, 1 pastie powered painter, 1 back cloth, 2 portals complete, 1 well used straight edge, 2 woofer assistants, 1 slightly blue ball, all three crew back on board, 1 purring cat.
With no plans of going anywhere today we treated ourselves to a cooked breakfast. Whilst the sausages sizzled in the oven I sanded back to primer on the grabrail, getting it one more step towards a top coat. Above is should be the usual photo. Edited.
The day was set to be wet and it didn’t disappoint, but there was time before the heavens opened to give Mick a much needed hair cut. He always looks younger with less hair.
Other boats moved off so we decided to see if we could get closer to the side if we moved a touch back. But the ledge meant we’d be sticking out more at one end than the other no matter what we did, so we returned to our previous position. Here the ledge could be used to assist with touching up the few patches above the water line.
The start of my new proscenium
Whilst I got on with some painting of my Houdini model, Mick was given the job of washing down the water line and the gunnel. I still hoped that there might be a long enough window of dryness for me to get a coat of paint on. But the heavens opened splashing mud back onto the gunnels and keeping everything far too damp outside.
Tilly came and went, occasionally stopping for some Dreamies and a check on what I was up to. She was right I’d made the false proscenium a touch too elaborate, maybe I’ll have to make it again!
A full roast dinner ended the day. We refrained from lighting the stove as the oven had been on for so long, the boat being nice and cosy.
Saturday
Tilly was kept in whilst we had breakfast, when the boats behind us had moved off and the long procession of hire boats had come down from Bradford we pushed off ourselves backwards to the water point. The tank was filled, the gunnel rinsed off we then pulled forward just past the houses and got a slightly less gritty bit of towpath to moor alongside.
Mick headed into Bradford on a bike for a newspaper whilst I managed to get some undercoat on the grabrail. This however didn’t get chance to dry off enough before the next spattering of rain. At least I know it’ll need another coat anyway along with a good sand.
That looks better
Oleanna was on a good list on the ledge. I masked off the ends of the gunnel and the press studs for the cratch cover so everything was ready. Wiped everywhere down again. By now it seemed dry enough to touch up below the gunnel with some blacking. I worked quickly and ended up giving the whole area a thin covering so as not to look patchy, extra time and thickness of paint afforded to where it was needed most.
After lunch the big tin of Epifanes Multiforte Black was dug out from a bow locker. Even though our bow lockers are dry, this tin of paint has gradually been rusting where the lid meets the tin. The curled edge of the lid uncurling itself as you try to prise it open. I’d known that sooner or later we’d need a new air tight container to keep the paint in. Today was that day as the only way the lid was coming off was by denting the airtight seal.
That’s one side done
Mick headed back into Bradford to see if he could find a cheap container whilst I got back on my kneeling mat and worked my way along the gunnel. The occasional light bit of rain soon dried off and luckily didn’t land on the vertical surface.
I’d taken a risk with the weather and with Tilly being out, but the black was soon dry enough to withstand both of them. Just a shame that as soon as I stood back to admire the finish I could spot a few places where I’d missed a bit of bubbling paint. No time to sort that now sadly, they may come back to haunt me next year. A second coat would be better, but for now this will see us through to spring on this side.
I’m not allowed on the cat walk!?
Mick returned with a couple of containers from Sainsburys, the paint was decanted and sealed away. Hopefully the small container will all get used on the starboard side sometime soon.
The remainder of the day was spent packing for next week. Tomorrow I head off for a weeks painting near Plymouth, trying to get ahead on panto. Last year we spent quite a bit of money on a scenic artist who interpreted my model somewhat instead of following it. So this year I’m earning some extra money by doing a weeks painting before the set goes into the theatre where I’ll finish it. There’s a lot to do so I may not get chance to enjoy my flat right on the beach at Kingsand!
Gluten free cider batter
This evening we treated ourselves to a meal out at the Cross Guns. Their menu was limited but they did do gluten free fish and chips in a cider batter. This was very tasty and Mick enjoyed his cheese and bacon burger. As there was a pudding I could eat as well it would have been silly not to. A slice of warm polenta cake, very nice.
Pudding too
So, unless Mick or Tilly feel the urge to write something on the blog next week, all will be silent. I may get chance to post a postcard, but I suspect I’ll be too busy slapping on the paint to think about it. See you when I get back.
0 locks, 1 full water tank, 2 days shore leave, 1 side ready for winter, 4 bubbles, 1 prosc, 1 cabinet, 3 containers, 2.5 litres black, 1 ledge, 2 big bags, 1 fish and chips , 1 burger, 2 puddings, 1 blogger heading to work, 1 cat left in charge, 2 photos.
Ferris Railway Bridge to Green Park Visitor Moorings, Bath
Not wanting to get stuck on a rising river for days we needed to move. As we had breakfast the rain hammered it down outside, even more reason to get moving! We don’t know how the Avon reacts to rainfall, is it a quick rise in level or a slow one that can sneak up on you, or does it just about stay constant unless there is a lot of rain.
Off we go
Mick checked Gauge map, the levels had gone up a bit but it looked okay for us to leave the pontoon. With full waterproofs on we rolled back the covers and got going, the rain starting to ease.
Swineford Lock the weir on the left behind the lock landing
At Swineford Lock the weir was gushing, it had been a bit like this on Saturday, just a bit more so today. I looked around below the lock for a levels board to see if we were in the green/amber/red. But there was no board to be seen. The river level above the lock looked like it was up by a couple of inches as I could see where the usual line was below the surface. On most rivers a rise of this much would bring it into amber, but hopefully not red.
Blue skies!
The rain started to come and go, bright sunshine lulled us into removing our coats and waterproof trousers.
Hardly a trickle on Saturday over this weir
The weir at Kelston Lock on Saturday had hardly been flowing, today it was matching the others lower down stream.
One of two spotted today
Weston Lock took forever to fill due to there being only one paddle working, the other wrapped in a plastic bag. The weir was running fast and it looked like the flood gate was slightly lifted too.
Slowly
Once we’d got to within a couple of feet from the top of the lock we both got distracted by our phones. Two boats headed towards us but winded through the next bridge, then the bow of a hire boat appeared, I’d be able to leave the gates for them.
Dark clouds gathering behind
It was lunchtime. Should we take advantage of the sunnier weather and work up the locks. Should we pull in near to Sainsburys and have lunch, Mick needing some bread. The decision was made for us as the rain clouds burst again over head. Coats quickly back on and we made our way to the 48hr mooring nearest to Sainsburys.
No need to water the plants today
No rings or bollards to tie to here, just a fence which is just at the right height to give you a soggy crutch. Mick headed off for a few supplies and returned with vouchers we would have to use. 3 x nectar points and if we spent £100 we’d get an extra 2000 points, we decided to stay put for the day and go and do a big shop that we needed to do anyway.
My new sour dough loaf was mixed and left to rise for an hour and a half then baked. The smell from the oven so yummy. Once it was out of the oven cooling and the news had finished we headed to stock up with shopping. Four boxes of wine brought the bill to over £100, but the check out didn’t want to accept the voucher, assistance was needed. The chap tried several times but failed, he just gave us the points manually in the end.
Oat and Chestnut bread and chocolate chip cookies. Who says gluten free is dull
As we ate our evening meal a batch of chocolate chip cookies went in the oven. I’d made the mixture a few days ago in case we had any visitors, now it was needing to be cooked. The smell through the boat meant we just had to have one each for pudding. Yummy!
This morning I noticed a natty little thing on the ferry that crosses from our mooring to the SS Great Britain. On the bow of the boat is a metal hoop which pivots, controlled by a cable from the helm. As the ferry is brought in and lined up to the jetty the metal hoop is lowered over a post. The driver then walks to the bow flips down the ramp which covers the watery gap, passengers get off or on, she then flips the ramp back up returns to the helm and lifts the hoop off the post and away they go. This means that the ferry can be a one person operation as nobody is needed to tie ropes. Here’s a link to a video I took of it this morning (warning it’s 35MB!).
A close up of the bridge
Two more loads of washing were put through the machine, hoping to use up some more electric before we left. This helped pass the time whilst I composed a long email to the theatre in Vienna with photos of the model for A Regular Little Houdini. With the final rinses happening we headed to the nearby Tesco for a few supplies and then we were ready for the off.
About to cast off
Once the ropes were carefully untied from the wobbliest wobblesome pontoon, the wind helping to push Oleanna away from it, we winded and set off for a little tour of the harbour before we left.
Still westward bound
Down towards the Underfall Yard where we turned, mow eastward bound.
Rigging on the SS Great Britain
We headed back past the SS Great Britain, we then cruised down past the electric cranes and turned into Bordeaux Quay and The Waterfront winding at the far end before then passing under Prince Street Bridge, leaving the harbour.
A concrete boat having a house built on top
We would have liked to stay for longer but sadly time is limited before I start work and the cost of mooring here is a little off putting. A week would cost us around £160, cheaper than a hotel and we’d get all our washing done, but still a touch costly.
Straight through Netham Lock
As we cruised our way out of town storm clouds gathered behind us. Waterproofs were gathered from inside. Straight through Netham Lock and we were back onto the river. Gradually more trees surrounded us, gradually the sky became darker. The forecast originally had been for rain at 4, then 2, but it got started at midday. We hoped for a mooring as soon as we got back onto C&RT waters.
Starting to rain
Hanham Lock was in our favour so we rose the 15 inches or so. There was a space on the pontoon at The Chequers Pub, but we’d have had to shrink a touch to fit. Onwards in the rain, waterproof trousers were now required. Mick valiantly stood at the helm whilst I made tea and lunch to have on the go, but his sandwich stayed inside for fear it would get too soggy.
Keynsham Lock and some kind sole had left the top paddles open, so this very slow lock took even longer in the rain than it needed to. Mick hung back away from the lock whilst I emptied it, the flow from the lock would have necessitated mooring up fully on the lock landing. Then we rose slowly, very slowly. The last 2 foot taking a life time !
?
It still rained. Not even an inch spare on the pontoon here. Onwards to Ferris Railway Bridge where thank goodness there was space for two next to the one that had taken up residency. We settled down and started to dry off.
There was just enough phone signal for me to have a chat through the props list for Panto with Jo the prop maker. Good job I don’t really use my phone much as it took us a good hour and a half to work our way through the show. Jo will start work on collecting materials in the next week then she’ll start by making the prop car and mod scooters.
This morning I received photos from Australia of the knitting project I was busy with earlier in the year.
Billie at 1 week old
This is Billie at a week old with the blanket I knitted for her. Billie is the great niece of my bestest friend Emma. Nellie, Billies Mum, was very pleased with it, so was Chief their woofer.
Dad and Chief look on
3 locks, 1 straight through, 11.41 miles, 2 more loads washing, £3 left on the post, 1 tour of the harbour, 2 misleading forecasts, 2 soggy boaters, 3rd mooring lucky, 1.5 hours talking smash, pub stools and mod scooters, 0 shore leave for Tillyagain!1 sour dough woken, 1wk old Billie all wrapped up.
Before we set off I rinsed down the gunnel, today looked like the weather would be good, so if there happened to be a suitable mooring in Bath then I’d be one step ahead. Tilly got fresh litter and we emptied the yellow water, then we were ready to cruise. Straight across the aqueduct.
Dundas Aqueduct
Out from the shade of the trees and into the bight sunshine. It’s a shame that the walls on the aqueduct are so high as it restricts your view down the valley. A few photographers were milling about, was there a steam train due?
Fresh Produce for sale
We turned right and continued on our way towards Bath. The views across the valley stunning with bright blue sky, that cyclist yesterday had been right, it is the best bit. At Millbrook Swingbridge there is a little hut where you can buy jams, eggs, apples and tomatoes. We don’t eat that much jam so I refrained from any purchase, but I’ll see what’s available on the way back.
A hire boat had just come through Bathampton Swing Bridge and closed it behind them, we could see there was another following it. Their crew got off and cross to open the bridge so we waited to see if we’d be waved through, we were and continued on our way.
An interesting 1hr mooring not long enough for a very long boat
The canal starts now to become more urban, but in a very stony way. More and more Bath stone. We paused at Bathampton Bridge to dispose of rubbish, discovering there was glass recycling here meant another trip to the boat. Then we were on our way again.
Cat Health and Safety
says NO
By 11:45 we approached the first stretch of 48hr moorings. There were a couple of gaps so we chose the one nearest the city. We pulled in then checked our surroundings. A wall bordered the towpath, over it a 25ft drop to the railway. Tilly would have no difficulty getting onto the wall, but we felt that the buddleia bushes would tempt her to climb them. If she fell, there would be noway she’d be able to climb back up. Health and Safety verdict, NO shore leave today, we’d see what places were like further on.
Cleveland House Tunnel
Tilly being locked in meant we’d be able to go out exploring instead. A walk down the canal had us walk through two short tunnels each reminiscent in shape of the Macclesfield Canal bridges. Beckford Road and Cleveland House Tunnels, each has a head carved on them. A lady and man trying to look at each other round a slight bend and through a couple of footbridges. The next stretch of towpath is under major work. The bank is being reinforced with armco, back filled , then the raised towpath will be improved with a 6ft wide path.
Relaxing by the locks
We walked down the locks, several hire boats negotiating their way with the help of some volunteers and one lock was having a fresh coat of paint. A group had made themselves comfy on the grass by a lock, with chairs and an ice cream each.
That’s much better
Where was the chilled medication? It was in a hut a little further on, so we treated our selves to a salted caramel each which we enjoyed on our walk to the river.
Bath
Bath Weir is only as Bath could make it, curved steps with the water flowing over in ordered lines. Above the lock a trip boat takes you up to Bathampton, we watched as one of them winded in what space there was between the wall and weir, good job there wasn’t much fresh on the river today.
I’ve not been inside, maybe one day
Bricks!!!
Meandering around the streets we came across the New Theatre Royal, I’ve not been but my shows have. Street signs painted or carved into the walls worn with time. A chap sat in a doorway asked if we were from Canada, Ontario in particular. Mick stopped to chat, I walked on, both of us seeing an opportunist wanting a hefty tip. He soon realised he wouldn’t be getting anything from two Brits who live on a boat.
The Royal Crescent
We walked up through the Georgian Garden and onto Georgian Avenue, then on up to The Royal Crescent. I was last here in 1975 at the age of 8.
My Dad’s photo of somewhere in Bath
My photo
I remembered the crescent, the uniformity and going into a house that was laid out how it would have been in Georgian times. The only thing is I’d remembered it being at the other end of the crescent from where it is today.
Yellow door
Green beard
What a gorgeous day to take the view in. Neither of us felt the need to pay to go round No 1, we just walked from one end to the other. Each terraced house almost identical. One had a cream door, one a pale yellow door, another scaffolding (which spoilt the curve somewhat) and another had a very bushy beard. If this is the only sight seeing we get to do in Bath that is fine.
Chicken in a basket, now those were the days!
I don’t need to relive the chicken in a basket and my Dad getting covered in pigeon poo.
Over the railway
Sydney Gardens gave us a break from the traffic at standstill around the city. Ornate bridges stretching across the railway brought us back to the boat. We were back in time for me to do a bit more prepping on the gunnels, but after yesterdays exertions with the starboard side my body rebelled, preferring to sit down instead.
Same holiday, in Wells. A rare photo of the Leckenby’s all together. Andrew, Me with Fincks on my knee, Mum and Dad.
0 locks, 2 swing bridges, 4.44 miles, 25ft to sure death, 0 shore leave, 2nd space available, 5 miles walked, 1 tub, 1 cone, 30 terraced houses, 1kg porridge, 1 brick house, 1 git gap pulled back into and removed, 4 turkey schnitzels , 1 too many, 4 aching limbs, 1 blue ikea bag packed, 7 years.
Chilly start. My gloves had to be found from the depths of the back cupboard before we pushed off. The hire boat that had moored on the water point last night was still there, a lady looked nervously at everyone who came past, they’d already been breasted up to once.
Busy above the lock this morning
A C&RT work boat winded above the lock and picked up loads of volunteers, they were having a day litter picking. Have to say the last few days the canal has been decidedly clean, very few floating plastic bottles. Maybe their pick up plastic campaign is working, or maybe it’s the volunteers going out on days like today.
Sculpture hanging from a tree
At the lock two American gents stood and watched as I filled the 11 ft deep lock then offered to open a gate for me. They were on a boat and had walked down to to see what was what. They were helpful and even offered to lower one of the low geared paddles for me, ‘It doesn’t seem to be doing anything’ ‘It is, just slowly.’
As I left a C&RT volunteer was arriving, windlass in hand, they could get more instruction from him. This was our 100th lock of the month and the only one for today. All we had to do now was pootle and look at the scenery around us. Plenty of moored boats again. Most boats on the visitor moorings were hire boats, everyone else was clinging to the banks where they could.
Rotting away in the cut
A wooden boat was wrapped in plastic, trying to keep the water out from it’s rotting hull. Two large solar panels powered a bilge pump that looked like it worked hard. Alongside on the towpath orange net fencing had been put up either side of the path and possessions filled the grass. On one side it looked like the chap had a workshop set up, possibly working on the boat, bet he’s been there longer than 14 days.
Look there’s Pete
On we pootled behind a couple of hire boats, a Sally boat in front of an ABC. The ABC kept slowing down and just before the right hand bend onto Avoncliff aqueduct they both pulled over. The reason for this was a bright green wide beam coming round the bend full of C&RT volunteers. Standing in the bow was Pete who’d helped us down Caen Hill, there was time to say hello as they passed.
The railway and Avoncliff Station
A nice looking pub, they do Gluten free fish and chips in cider batter.
Once the hire boats had gone round the bend we followed finding a water point not on our Waterway Routes map, something to report to Paul. We pulled in and checked it worked, which it did so we filled up the tank. This gave us the opportunity to have a look at Avoncliff Aqueduct on foot. Here there is a small gathering of buildings, one a nice looking pub the Cross Guns. The aqueduct spans over the River Avon then another arch over the railway line with access down to each platform at Avoncliff Station. When trains stop here only one door opens as it’s such a small station.
Crossing Avoncliff Aqueduct
Once the tank was topped up we rounded the bend onto the aqueduct, the sun warming now we were out of the trees. A cyclist asked if we’d been this way before, then said it was the best bit of the canal.
Going into reverse to achieve their speed
We soon caught up with the Sally hire boat, a young couple who last night had looked petrified above Bradford Lock. The chap was at the helm and concentrating very hard, looking down each side of the boat in turn, checking his rudder, throttle, concentrating. Hang on, where was the ABC boat? It had vanished, nowhere to be seen and it had been between us and the Sally boat.
They were going so slowly, we wondered if he’d be able to slow down anymore to pass moored boats. Yes he could, blimey! No wash from them, hardly a ripple from the prop. We did our best not to sit on his tail and reverse became our friend. It took us an hour and a half to cover the next two and a half miles, nice as the scenery was we’d rather have been going a touch faster.
Could this be our chance?
A long wide bend required a couple of beeps from his horn to warm oncoming boats of his arrival, in half an hour! Moored boats, narrow sections meant we couldn’t get past. Then a bridge hole and an inflatable coming the other way meant the Sally boat slowed even more. After it there was a gap, our chance. Mick moved in closer, the chap was almost standing in our well deck, but this gave us the opportunity to ask if we could come past. If only the inflatable would get out the b***dy way!
A funny little boat with a great view
As soon as they were clear we pounced! Well just engaged the engine and we cruised past with ease. Of course now we didn’t have much further to go anyway, but at least we’d get there this week.
Bye bye Sally Boat
Round the final bend to Dundas Aqueduct and the first mooring was free, this side being away from the railway we pulled in, it would be far more suitable for Tilly here. Sometime later the Sally boat beeped it’s horn and we knew they’d go past in another ten minutes
Suitable! It is great!! Big trees to climb, some friendly cover, a grassy bank down to the river to run around in and some big wall thing to climb. All of it just a couple of paces away. I was given six hours, but then when I came back to check on them the doors were closed behind me.
It’s all very well Tilly being allowed out to explore once we’ve finished moving the outside, but we wanted an explore too. So we nabbed our chance after we’d had lunch. She was allowed back out later.
Dundas Aqueduct
Dundas Aqueduct was built in 1810 and designed by John Rennie. It was the first canal structure to be made a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 1951. Named after Charles Dundas the first chairman of the Kennet and Avon Canal Company, it stands where the canal crosses the River Avon and meets the Somerset Coal Canal.
The narrow entrance to the Somerset Coal Canal
There is now only a short length of the Coal Canal in water. The narrow entrance behind a lift bridge cuts through someones garden now. We had a pleasant walk down to Brassknocker Basin where the canal now terminates. Plenty of moored boats, a cafe and an information centre. The crew from the Sally boat were enjoying a well earned burger in the sunshine.
4 inches long, an Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar (we think)
There is a footpath that takes you below the aqueduct, giving you a good view of it.
The north side, not quite so pretty
At one time GWR made repairs to the structure with blue bricks, some of these are still visible on the Western most arch. But when the canal was reopened much of the brickwork was replaced with Bath stone, back to how it should be. The south face shone in the sunshine, the northern face darker and more patchworked. You can see numerous stone mason marks in the blocks and even some 1815 carved graffiti.
Quite fancy up there
Back at Oleanna the lowish hard edge made me think of gunnels. I set too with a scrapper, some sandpaper on the port side, followed by a rinse down and then fertan where it was needed. There was quite a lot needed, I don’t think this side has been painted since we were on the Llangollen! At least it will all be ready for some primer, then paint when the next suitable mooring shows itself. I had had the intention to sand everything back and do a very nice job, but time is running out. There’s only so much time before I head off to work on Panto and the days that are suitable for painting are getting fewer. So a touch up will have to do, it doesn’t have to look pretty.
W Warren 1815 Bridge graffiti
1 lock, 100 this month, 4.12 miles, 1 aqueduct crossed by boat, 1 aqueduct crossed by foot,1.5 mph, 1 exceedingly slow boat, 6 4.5 hours, 1 coal canal, 1 big pizza, 2 sore knees, 1 gunnel prepped, 0 towpath on the right side again for ages, 1 rust converted Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 cat man handled, 1 white paw washed by human hand.
Mick was up and off early this morning to catch numerous trains north. Tilly and I stayed in bed for a while longer, until the local ducks decided to clean the water line of Oleanna for us!
A work day for me. After breakfast I walked up the towpath to Sainsburys for a top up shop to keep us going to get to Bath. Mick wouldn’t be back until late so the biggest decision was what to eat tonight. I returned with some sad gits salmon which I’d have with some pasta, but I managed to forget to get some milk.
Tilly checking things through and giving me notes on my model
As I worked through a few alterations on my Houdini model several hire boats were returned to the hire base opposite. A very smelly black smoking narrowboat was reversed back to the pump out then all went quiet. The day was grey and occasionally drizzly, Tilly wound herself up into a circle on her day bed and slept away all the morning and quite a chunk of the afternoon leaving me in peace.
My phone built into a large scale model
I woke my sour dough starter up, giving it a feed so that I could make some pizza dough for tomorrow. Finished off some sausages in a butty and made a 1:8.5 version of the water torture cabinet for Houdini. This is so that I can put my mobile phone inside it to represent a TV screen, so that we can try out an effect before the real one gets built.
They’d soon be doing the splits
All the hire bases had sent out the next batch of boats and they all seemed to be arriving at the lock here at the same time. The Americans we’d encountered at Foxhangers slowly approached taking ten minutes to pass us and then breasted up with the boat infront of us. At one time it looked like two of their crew, who were trying to hold their boat against the other, were about to do the splits and end up in the cut. Someone came to their aid and ropes were used instead of humans.
Stumpy was coping fairly well after it’s knock the other day. It’s amazing how much you rest your hand on your little finger as you draw and paint things. Once I’d completed building the cabinet I decided to give my fingers a rest and go out for an explore.
Busy at the lock, another two were waiting further back
I walked down the canal past the lock where at 5pm three volunteers were trying to sort out the masses of hire boats still arriving. Two breasted up on the services mooring and two on the lock landing with two just leaving the lock below. I think the volunteers were hoping to make their exit, but were checking if everyone was alright before doing so.
Tithe Barn
A wiggle around various buildings to get back onto the towpath. Shh! don’t tell Tilly, but down here would have been very good for her. No road, a park not of the car variety, trees, walls, and a 14th Century Tithe Barn to explore. Because I’d left it so late the Tithe Barn which was part of Barton Grange Farm was all locked up, but from out side it is quite a building, possibly the largest and finest example of a medieval barn in England.
Trains
Bradford on Avon Station
I walked across the park, checked both ways on the railway line and headed up an alleyway, Barton Orchard an old packhorse way which ran from the farm to Bath. Here there are weavers dwellings with workrooms at the top, No 3 was the clothiers house and below the road you can hear Ladywell spring. In the 17th Century Bradford on Avon had it’s most successful period in the textile industry, many of the properties date from this time.
Teasel House
All made from Bath stone, Jurassic Limestone there is not a single brick in view. Houses were built up the steep hill with narrow alleyways connecting each level. Each big house doing it’s best to better the last.
Work rooms at the top
During the Industrial Revolution the textile workers moved to purpose built mills by the river where they harnessed the power from water and steam to power the looms. Thirty mills prospered along the river until the 19th Century when the centre of the English woolen industry moved to Yorkshire. The last mill here closed in 1905.
Whats up there?
or down there?
I had a wander around, alleyways appealing would lead me to another road and more stone buildings. Very dark clouds had been hanging over the town since I left Oleanna and finally they decided to dump their rain. A dash into a Co-op for the milk I’d forgotten got me out of the worst of it.
Very posh
There was plenty more to explore, but my model was calling me in from the rain. Back at the lock two boats had just gone down and another two hire boats were arriving above, crew looking a touch like rabbits in headlights, their first lock.
Catholic Church
I toyed with helping, but didn’t want to get any wetter and I still had more work to do. The last two boats came by at around 7pm, the last one pulling up on the services mooring, leaving the lock till morning.
The Shambles
Mick came home after I’d enjoyed my salmon and pasta, I finally finished painting my giant model cabinet just before 10pm. A good days work and exploring whilst Mick spent hours on trains.
Is he on the phone?
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 loaf of bread, 1 forgotten 2 pints milk, 5 cables not 6, 1 new proscenium, 1:8.5 cabinet, 1 feline assistant checking things over, 14 hire boats, 2 splits, 1 bruised stumpy, 6 trains, 1 sad gits salmon steak, 1 very bored cat, 1 box of paints, 3 head but bites, 1 tithe barn, 1 wealthy town, 0 bricks.
The music stopped at a reasonable hour last night, no need to walk up the towpath and ask politely so we got a good nights sleep. We were ready to push off a little after 9am hoping that we’d manage to get a mooring at either Bradford upon Avon or Avoncliff today.
Boats
The water was busy, predominantly hire boats, we’ve now started to see boats from hire bases further west and quite a few day boats about the place too. The going was slow, so many moored boats, would it be like this now all the way to Bath and beyond?
Colourful
Invisible
Hamster puffed out cheeks
One swing bridge kept me occupied for a short while, than it was back to looking at all the boats. Big fat ones, little tiny ones, some with the world piled on their roof, other their world piled on the towpath.
Cheap
At Hilperton we noted the diesel price as it is the lowest we’ve seen for some time, we’ll be stopping to top up there on the way back.
Not an appealing mooring
A stretch of 2 day moorings had new signs but nobody was moored there, maybe because it’s not deep enough! Gravel visibly shallowing the water in places.
Something’s wrong, where are all the moored boats?
Coming into Bradford we were following a widebeam. They were obviously looking for a mooring and had tried one place with no luck, so were reversing back towards us to try another spot. With someone on the bank to try to pull them in they flung ropes ashore. We passed as they were seeing if their gang plank would reach up the steep bank. Looking back after a few minutes they obviously hadn’t got far enough into the side and were now following us.
Does anyone know what these posts are for? Not a visitors mooring.
Fingers crossed for a 48hr mooring we rounded the bend towards Bradford Lock. A space, quick! We pulled in, not getting quite to the edge. It looked like there might be another gap a few boats ahead so I walked up to pace it out to see if we’d fit. Yes! We moved along and slotted in, the space we’d just left very soon filled by a hire boat.
Bradford Lock
A quick cat health and safety check of the area discovered a car park just behind the trees next to our mooring. That was instantly a no, sorry Tilly. The area was so busy with numerous people out enjoying the warm sunny weather there was no chance Tilly would like it anyway. A wide beam at the pumpout were wondering where to moor, they’d seen our space and had been hoping for it, instead they would have to most probably clamber through undergrowth and up a bank further out of town. It appeared that if we’d been five minutes later we’d not have got a space.
This is what nightmares are made of
A tidy up and a sweep through followed by showers, we were expecting visitors. Anne (one of my sister-out-laws) and Alasdair arrived for a cuppa and a chat. They were down from Scotland on a spot of baby sitting and we just so happen to have coincided with them being in the area. We then hopped in their car and were whisked away to Corsham where Sam and Duncan (Mick’s nephew) live with their children Tilly and Thomas. They used to live nearer Devizes and we’d hoped to have some child slave labour to help at the locks, but we’d managed okay without.
Mick, Anne, Sam, Alasdaire, Duncan
We arrived before bedtime so had chance to spend a little time with Tilly and Thomas, doing magic painting and being slightly disturbed by a baby doll that moves it’s lips, limbs and eyes, freaky! Then we had a very pleasant evening chatting away and enjoyed a very yummy fish and squash curry pie that Duncan had made. They may come and visit us on our way back if the timing is suitable.
Yum
0 locks, 4.97 miles, 1 swing bridge, 1 bruised stumpy, 1 clean boat, 1 bored Tilly, 1 sister-out-law, 2 little people, 2 not so little people, 100, 1,000,000, 1 freaky doll, 1 rainbow, 1 yummy fish pie.
The locks were being unlocked as we had breakfast. We’d no intention of being the first down the flight, but got ourselves ready should another narrowboat arrive that we could share with. According to Frankie volunteers would be about today, so we waited for signs of them. I soon realised I’d made a mistake whilst getting dressed this morning and changed from a C&RT blue to Environment Agency Blue t shirt.
Beautiful morning for it
A chap from the cruiser walked down to set the top lock for them, they were wide so no sharing with them. Where are our friends on days like this, Bridget and Storm, Clare and Graeme, Alison and Laura, Aileen and Mike! It looked like we’d be making the big descent on our own. Oh well.
Pete lending a hand
Mick walked down as there were signs of Volunteers, three on duty this morning. There were two wide beams who’d already been offered assistance, but they’d do what they could for us too. If one of them set the lock ahead after the cruiser had gone through that would be just fine. The cruiser headed down and by the time we’d rolled back the covers they were a couple of locks ahead of us.
NB Wishbone heading upwards
Oleanna was sat in the sun, but the top few locks were very much in the shade as I filled the top chamber for us. The off side gates on the top lock are very close to the fence, the bottom one so tight I couldn’t squeeze past, so I did an undignified scramble along the floor only to be shown up by a volunteer using a secret gate in the fence!
Nearly out of the shade
The volunteers had split up, Lez went down with the cruiser. Mike/Mick went down to help with a narrowboat coming up the flight and Pete came to help us down. The lock below would fill as we entered the lock above and we made steady progress down the flight.
What a view
There are 29 locks in all at Caen Hill, yesterday we did the first 6, today we’d complete them. The next 16 locks are designated as a scheduled monument. If you’ve ever seen photos of a flight of locks it’s likely to have been Caen Hill one of the seven wonders of the waterways.
Taken from C&RT website
The pounds in between each lock aren’t very long but stretch out to the side. None of them have bywashes, so if the pound fills enough water flows over the top of the upper gates and fills the lock. Once that is full the water backs up and the top couple of pounds can flood the surrounding area, the C&RT workshop being one of them.
Out in the sun
The flight was John Rennie’s solution to climb the steep hill and it was the last section of the 87 mile canal to be opened in 1810. The last commercial cargo was transported up the flight in 1948 and the flight was the last stretch to be restored in 1990. The lock gates are all metal and the paddle gear varies from being low geared to clunking stiffness.
Tilly watching as we dropped down the flight
After three locks we waited for the narrowboat coming up so that we could swap chambers. This was NB Wishbone that we’d last seen in Abingdon a few weeks ago. There was time to chat to Alistair and his wife as their lock finished filling. Hope the rest of your cruise back up the Oxford is a good one.
Next!
Pete and I carried on downhill, a hired wide beam gradually coming uphill to meet us with plenty of crew. The pound between us was a touch low so we held back and let them ascend.
Mick with Mike/Mick
The rest of the flight was ours, straight down gradually catching up with Les and the cruiser who had inexperienced crew on board. Mick/Mike came and joined us locking down hill making a very efficient team.
Les joining the team
With a couple of locks left in the flight we offered ginger buns around but there were no takers, oh well more for us.
Here’s one with the chaps. Thank you!
The chaps suggested I walk ahead to the next lock after the flight so that I could get THE photo of Oleanna at the bottom. Apparently nobody takes the photo with the volunteers in, so I took two one with and one without. Thank you all, you made the flight easy.
THE photo
The cruiser had pulled over for a well earned break, managing to plonk themselves slap bang in the middle of the available space, they did offer to nudge up should we want to stop too!
Refueling for the next seven on our own
With encouragement from the Lockies we decided to continue on down the next 7 locks to Foxhangers. The general consensus was that the cruiser would hold us up and there was still plenty of energy left in our tanks. A ginger bun and a swig or two of water at the next lock would keep us going.
Further down the flight
The next seven locks are further apart so I resisted setting the one ahead, most were in our favour anyway, just needing a touch of topping up. We passed one widebeam coming uphill on their fortnightly move.
Yet another lock
Yet more gates to push
The 48hr mooring at the bottom of the locks had enough space for us so we pulled in opposite the Foxhangers Hire fleet, all their engines running, charging the batteries for the days hirers. Tilly was allowed out and the oven lit ready to bake well deserved sausage rolls.
A picture just for Steve
They were tasty but my pastry is far better than shop bought.
Waiting for the last lock to fill
Down the final lock
We’d entered Lock 44 at 9:39am and exited Lock 22 at 1pm.
What! The chicken and cheese treats have run out!
The afternoon was spent with the cricket on. Several boats came down the locks and a few headed up. I prepared a paint order for Puss in Boots and Tilly explored the old railway bridge just by our mooring. Just about all the hire boats headed out, one stayed put for the night and two returned back to base a night early. I think we will sleep well tonight.
