Category Archives: Grand Union Canal

Nothing To Be Had In Braunston. 28th December

Braunston

We’ve been putting off the cooked breakfast this week as there has been quite a lot of food about the place, but we could hold out no longer. So Mick worked his magic this morning, adding in the last of the roast veg from Christmas dinner. He even remembered the mushrooms this time!

A walk up the hill to see if there was any more post that had arrived, sadly not. We then had a look in at the butchers. Once we enter a butchers we always feel obliged to make a purchase, but today I had one question for them, Did they have any Gluten Free sausages? I’d spotted a sign on their chiller cabinet before Christmas and was hoping that they would be a close match to a Braunston Banger. But because of Christmas, their freezers and fridges having been choker block with goodies for the festive period, they had none. The next batch wouldn’t be made until next week at the earliest. Sadly that’s no good for me we may be miles away by then. Having not got my head round what we’ll be eating for the next few days once the duck has run out I couldn’t think of anything we wanted, so today we managed to leave empty handed, must be a first at Braunston Butchers!

Tradline in the main marina warranted a visit. After 2000 miles our ropes are starting to look a little bit worn, so we were going to treat Oleanna to a new set to have on board for when the need arises. But the front door was very much closed, no sign of what their Christmas opening hours were. So ropes will have to wait. We also walked up to Wharf House at the bottom of the locks to see how much a boat pole would be from them. Here also the front door was closed a sign saying they would re-open on the 2nd January. This now leaves us with one option for a pole and that is Midland Chandlers, we know they are open. However they are just a touch too far away to carry a pole back to the boat, so we’ll take the boat up there tomorrow.

We plan on heading northwards, but stoppages are making the planning a touch hard. Cruising in the winter months is always dictated by the winter stoppages. Normally we are happy to slowly pootle our way along a stretch until locks re-open, but this year we’ve been in winter mode for a lot longer due to my work commitments and we want to get some miles and locks under Oleanna again. At the moment it looks like our best route north will be to head up the River Soar. Not the best time of year to be doing this as the river can quickly rise after rain. A bit more studying of the stoppages is needed before we commit ourselves.

After no success in Braunston today we decided to have a typical ‘In between’ day of doing not very much. Father Christmas socks had their ends woven in and a new pair started. We also managed to watch the last episodes of Luther. Bloomin’ heck there are some horrible criminals in his world.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 new outside requested, 0 ropes, 0 poles, 0 post, 2 pairs socks totally finished, 1 started, 0 GF sausages, what will Braunston become without sausages?!

A Guest Dingdinger. 27th December

Butchers Bridge

I’m not too sure about it here.

t took sometime to get the message across to them this morning that I wanted to go out, but it worked in the end. The narrow strip of outside is now really quite boring and there are far too many people on the towpath and even more Woofers. I gave up trying to get across the bridge and decided that a morning snooze would be a far better way to spend my time.

Tom kept coming and going to the bins, I got a clean pooh box and she spent time chopping and cooking again.

Anne and Alasdair were on their way back to Scotland from spending Christmas with family in Wiltshire, a long drive which we helped to break up. Mick walked up to meet them whilst I put a batch of sausage rolls in the oven. It was very good to see them and hear of their Christmas with the grandchildren as we munched our way through the rolls and a slice of birthday cake each.

Next time I make sausage rolls I’m going to try to make my own GF pastry. The ready rolled variety seems to end up being a touch chewy once baked. I’ve hunted for a recipe online and found one to try, but I also got the River Cottage Gluten Free Cookbook for Christmas which has recipes. These however would mean purchasing several different flours which you can’t just pick up in any supermarket. We may have to have another Ocado delivery for them, but then there will need to be somewhere to store them all. I joked with Anne about maybe having a small tender larder that we could tow around. We have to be careful about such comments to Anne as when we joked about buying the house next door to ours in Scarborough and knocking through to give us more space, a few months later the house came on the market. We now own said house which has been knocked through!

At ding ding time today my bell was rung by Anne, it gave a slightly different tone to normal. Maybe that’s because she plays drums lots and is an expert percussionist. My food still tasted the same.

Early evening we walked up the path to the village to The Plough for some food. We’d hoped to try out the Admiral Nelson, but they I believe have just changed hands and are not doing food until the end of January. We hadn’t fancied The Boat House with their two for one and we’d heard good things about The Plough, it being away from the canal often gets forgotten about by boaters.

It certainly wasn’t busy, the menu was fairly standard and the pie of the day had to be checked. As Mick pointed out, I tend to eat a lot more steak than I used to as most options on a pub menu involve things I don’t eat anymore, a shame, but hey. However today there were no steaks available, they’d not re-stocked since Christmas. I had a tasty Lamb Shank whilst everyone else opted for Chicken and Ham pie. The pie looked like it could have done with a touch longer in the oven to get some colour on the pastry and the chips could have done with a touch more cooking. An average meal, we didn’t bother to stay for pudding.

We waved goodbye to Anne and Alasdair who headed off to their hotel for the night, then made our way back to the boat to start to consume the chocolate mountain on board.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 visitors, 16 sausage rolls, 2 balls wool, 1 pattern, 4 bottle beer, 1 afternoon chatting, 3 undercooked pies, 1 lamb shank, 1.5 pints Hobgoblin, 1 pint Doombar, 1 very large glass for 1 bottle of Crabbies, 2 whips (what happened to the walnuts?!), 1 Santa, 1 reindeer, 1 Luther.

Turning At The Turn. 26th December

Chambers Bridge 100, Oxford Canal to Butchers Bridge 1, Grand Union Canal

No rush this morning, Tilly got an hour of freedom before we wanted to push off, she most probably just wanted to tidy up the towpath from her Christmas day spree. Boats started coming past early, the crews all wrapped up. By the time we started to move the world had warmed up a touch, so quite so many layers weren’t needed.

We pootled our way under grey skies for just over a mile towards Braunston Turn. Then took the right folk to head into Braunston.

There was plenty of space as we came past the pub and under the bridge that we’ve been driving over this last week. We hoped this would bode well for our preferred mooring further along.

Despite our water tank having been filled at Napton we’d used quite a lot of it already so we paused at the Stop House to fill the tank and empty the rubbish. From here we could see there was plenty of space so we passed the entrance to the marina and pulled in just before Butcher’s Bridge. Here there is easier access up into the village, a short reverse back to wind, around half way between the two chandlers, a little bit further away from the road and a slightly wider towpath (admittedly a touch muddy at the moment). Tilly quite likes it here as there are trees to keep her busy despite there only being a narrow strip of land between us and the marina. They think I stay near the boat, but across the bridge there are huge fields to play in for hours! I just have to find the right moment to cross over the bridge without woofers.

Living on a boat means space is limited. We’ve been putting up with presents taking over half of the dinette for the last couple of weeks, but now they are all opened homes need to be found for their contents. Father Christmas having visited means that there is now more space in cupboards in the bedroom, so clothes could all now go away. So for much of the afternoon we spent having a good tidy up, the floors even got a wash!

Now there is space for more than two of us on board. Maybe we should have some visitors.

0 locks, 1.81 miles, 1 right, 1 hour at morning dingding, 2.5 hours before evening dingding, 12 moving boats, 1 dinette capable of seating 6, 1 tidy boat, 1 clean floor, 1 muddy towpath, 4 muddy paws!

https://goo.gl/maps/dcs7VRyBDT42

Pipmas! 25th December

Middle of nowhere South Oxford Canal

Father Christmas had visited bring all three of us lots of goodies in our stockings. Tilly soon commandeered all four bouncy balls and started to work her way through her stash of Dreamies, old style and the super dooper new ones.

After a leisurely cuppa in bed accompanied by the first of the chocolate Mick got on with breakfast, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon with a bucks fizz on the side. Tilly headed out and spent most of the day ignoring us and doing her best to find all possible friends who might be living in the sideways trees.

Next came presents of the Christmas variety. We had done well this year with a big stash that has been taking over the corner of the dinette for a while. Lots of good presents, foody stuff, beanie hats with built in lights, a new frying pan and roasting tin, Inspector Morse DVDs, mugs, books, a new fleece for Mick, a knitted mouse for Tilly and a book of swearing old ladies!

Tilly obliged in returning home so we managed to step outside for a bit of a walk. Our mooring, being a touch remote meant that there was no round route unless we wanted to eat very late in the day. So we only walked up to the next winding hole before returning, it was quite a grey day anyway.

Late afternoon we enjoyed our roast duck with all the trimmings although we nearly forgot about the stuffing, it was still sat in the bottom of the oven. In the past I’ve always stuffed the duck, but this year I’d read in several places that you shouldn’t. However it’s late arrival to the table meant we’d had chance to make some space for it on our plates. No need for seconds, just a rest for a couple of hours. We’ll have the seconds tomorrow.

hen came tree presents. Mick got new hair trimmers, I got Paddinton 2 and Tilly got a fish, except she was still a bit busy leaving body parts on the towpath! As it was now dark she was encouraged to head for home by being picked up. She quickly turned her attention to killing her fish. It is just like the fish I caught a couple of years ago, must get more practice at fishing.

Birthday presents came next. Prime Suspect DVDs, new towels, books, tea towels and a very nice smock from a lady in Cornwall we’d seen at Blenheim, my hefty hint had been taken.

Birthday cake. We think that maybe we will need to invest in new candles for the next birthday as these proved hard to light, some broke and they all did a very good job of covering the top of my cake with wax. This didn’t stop us from having a slice with some buffalo ice cream. Very nice.

Not much to watch on the TV so we carried on with our binge watching of Luther, just the right sort of jolly viewing required on Christmas Day!

The canal was quite quiet with only two boats passing us all day, one of them twice. Our nearest neighbour walked his dog past, he was the only passer by. So a nice quiet mooring for a very nice Pipmas.

A Change Of Roof. 18th October

Brinklow Marina, North Oxford to Lock 7 Long Buckby, Grand Union

Today we’ve had a change of boat. This one currently has a bright blue roof and was built around 1995.

Becca and Sam bought their boat last summer along with her mooring at Three Mills in London. They lived on board hooked up until spring this year when they decided it was time to get some work done to her. Both of them are originally from the Sheffield area and ended up asking Jonathan Wilson (builder of Oleanna’s shell) who they should use to carry out the works in the south of England. His suggestion was Brinklow Boat Services who have spent much of the summer working on her on and off. Becca and Sam have spent most of this time sofa surfing around friends and family, but yesterday they picked their home up and moved back on board.

We’d last seen them in the summer at a wedding in Scarborough, got talking about our boats and discovered that they were planning on cruising her back to their London mooring, having done virtually no boating before. Naturally we offered to lend a hand and show them the ropes if we were still in the area. Reaching Banbury yesterday meant that we could catch an early train over to Rugby with a plan of meeting them at the moorings near Tesco. However they’d been held up leaving, but had managed to make it to near Brinklow Marina in the dark.

Excuse me!

A taxi ride got us to the marina gates where Becca met us, then a short walk down the towpath to their boat and Sam. They’ve had all sorts of work done, new floor as the old one was rotten, the batteries had corroded away the battery tray, the galley and bathroom have had lots done to them and they have a new Squirrel stove with a back boiler. We were slightly jealous of the boiler as we’d wanted one, but it proved problematic with the gas boiler that we’d specked on the same system. The copper pipes look lovely running through the boat to several radiators giving out heat. They’ve matched the galley and bathroom sink taps with the copper pipes and their pull out larder unit at the end of the galley is a great idea. All the cupboards have leather straps rather than knobs or handles. It’s going to be a lovely boat when all the work is finished and they’ve re-varnished and painted the interior. Next summer Becca plans on painting the cabin sides too.

Hello!!

Once we’d had a quick look round it was time to fire up the engine and set off, hoping to get through Braunston Tunnel and down the first lock of the Buckby flight before nightfall. The engine took a bit of stirring, but then kept going all day, grumbling at certain revs. I suspect after they have spent the next ten days cruising they’ll be jealous of our hospital silencer.

Sam took the helm and Mick gave guidance whilst Becca continued to unpack inside. Yesterday Sam’s Dad (Roger) had been on hand at the helm and helped them out of the marina. Today we hoped we’d be able to leave them more confident with cruising and handling locks. Progress was slow to start with, but as Sam grew accustomed to the helm the engine was pushed up a bit and our progress increased. It took over an hour to reach where we’d originally hoped to meet them near to Tescos. Passing through Newbold Tunnel gave us the chance to see what their tunnel light was like, not bad, but a bit of a pain to have to go to the front of the boat to turn it on.

Hello! Remember me!!

Their stocks of gas were low so when we saw NB Callisto we slowed to see if he’d sell them a new bottle. The gas he had was all spoken for so that would have to wait for tomorrow. The new bridge outside Rugby has come on since we came through. A concrete wall stands on one side of the cut and the reinforcement stands waiting on the other. At Clifton Cruisers Sam negotiated his way around the hire boats as we noticed NB No Problem in the shed. In the strong winds a few weeks ago a large tree fell onto NB No Problem and caused a lot of damage, luckily nobody was injured. We could see a welder busy inside the shed and it looked like a lot of work was happening to the cabin sides.

I’m still here, I’m quiet without my collar.

Approaching Hillmorton Locks a Lockie set one of the locks for us and as Sam brought the boat into the lock Becca and I hopped off. These three locks would be the only narrow locks they’d come across on their cruise, quite handy as an introduction being lighter than the broad locks they would live with for the next ten days. A work boat came up the lock next door and the lady was very keen to give us a hand, but when I explained that these were their first locks of many she held back and left us to it. This did give them the chance to get ahead of us.

Hello, my bowl got empty far quicker than normal!

In the next lengthy pound we had some food whilst cruising along. No time to stop we had miles to cover to get to do one down hill lock with them.

Straight on at Braunston Turn but no sign of another boat to share the locks with.

This was quite handy really as at this time of year they are quite likely to have to do the locks on their own and more importantly we could take our time to explain things to them and try to impart as much knowledge as we could whilst doing the flight.

By the time we were three locks up Mick left Sam on his own at the helm and walked ahead to set the next locks. A boat was coming down so the boats had to pass in the next pound, Sam managed to hold his course and hovered without feeling the need to tie up and wait. By the top lock Becca was getting the hang of doing everything in the right order and safely.

The stove went out ages ago!

Tunnel light on, chimney removed, and a handy light the boat yard had left onboard was popped onto the hatch for extra light at the stern. Sam still at the helm was about to do Braunston Tunnel, our least favourite on the network. We had the tunnel to ourselves, no one coming towards us, Sam held his line well, not one bump. By the time they reach Islington Tunnel, which is one way traffic, they will be more confident and hopefully they won’t do too much preparation for repainting the grabrails.

It’s getting past my dingding time.

Becca took over at the helm and cruised us to Norton Junction and then the top of the Buckby Flight. The sun was sinking fast now, we decided it was still worth doing the top lock, so that we’d at least taken them through one downhill. So long as you keep away from the cill and don’t get caught on the bottom gates, going down hill is easier, far less instruction was needed. Sam and I worked the lock in the dark as the light kept flicking on and off at the pub.

We’d reached our aimed mooring, one lock further than they had planned and we’d had three to four miles extra to do too. This was as far as they would be able to go today anyway as the rest of the flight of locks are still being locked overnight to help with water levels. A space quickly showed itself and spikes were hammered into the ground in the dark.

And it is days past morning dingding time!!!

A shame we’d not arrived in day light, it was 7pm and we’d still got to get the train home. Sadly no drinks with them at the end of the day in the pub. They had to go to be able to charge their phones after discovering yesterday that they don’t have an inverter and there isn’t one 12 volt socket anywhere on board! Suspect they’ll enjoy their evenings so long as they find a pub.

We walked down the flight past the locked gates of the next lock and joined the road leading to Long Buckby Station. We arrived just at the right moment as a train was pulling in that would take us as far as Coventry where we’d change to get back to Banbury. A long but enjoyable day. We wish them luck for the rest of their journey to London.

Long!! Long Day!!!! Tell me about it! One very long, cold, boring, hungry day! Tomorrow had better be better than today and yesterday.

10 locks, 18 miles, 1 leftish, 1 rightish, 1 tunnel with 2 mysterons, 4 trains, 1 taxi, 1.5 miles walked by torch light, 2 newbies, 0 inverter, 0 hosepipe, 1 new one on the way with Roger, 3 baskets, 1 slash curtain, 3 cuppas, 9 up, 1 down, hope they can remember how to go up again when they get to do it again, 1 hungry cat who should be more proactive about food.

Bobbing. 22nd September

Long Itchington to Stockton Road Bridge 110, Oxford Canal

Last night the forecast suggested that today would be a good day for cruising, the winds having died down and before the next band of rain was due to hit us on Sunday. So with this in mind we planned to climb back up to the Oxford Canal.

After breakfast was cleared away we made ready for the off. As soon as the pram cover was folded down onto the roof it started to rain! Waterproofs were sought, the rain wasn’t that heavy so we headed for the locks. All the boats we’d seen moving this morning had been heading down, nobody going up until we came to the first lock where two were sharing. We waited a short while but nobody had looked like they were making ready as we passed the moored boats, so we decided to start.

The first lock was full of crab apples all bobbing away as I emptied and then refilled the lock. The winds must have blown a lot off the trees as at times the towpath was a carpet of them, slightly treacherous under foot. The next pound was low, Mick crept along the bottom as I walked onwards to the next lock. There were two boats coming down, one a hire boat the other wanting to return to its mooring just below. Mick still crept along and managed to pass the hire boat making it into the lock. The crew of the other boat needed more water as they couldn’t get close enough to moor alongside another boat, so we helped by filling and rising in the lock. As I closed the gates I could see a windlass turning at the bottom end emptying it straight away.

As we got to the first of the Stockton flight I could see the two boats ahead, it looked like they were doing a lock, then loitering in the next pound for the next one to be emptied. This meant they were going slowly and the chap at the helm of the hire boat was having difficulty in keeping his boat pointing in the right direction. It looked like we’d catch them up. Then as I walked up to set the next lock for us I noticed a boat coming down hill, the locks were set in their favour so we waited for them to do them, meaning I wouldn’t have to reset them. A very nice family heading to the Cape Of Good Hope today. I chatted with the crew as we all stood in the constant drizzle that had set in for the day.

Sadly only two locks were set in our favour, but the lack of wind today meant that Mick was able to stop Oleanna and close up the locks behind him, me setting the one ahead, closing it and setting it to fill before heading on to the next one. Thankfully the numbers on the locks get lower as you rise up them, knowing how far off your goal is made the constant dampness easier.

Out of Lock 4 and we reached the long pound which takes you to Calcutt locks. We pulled in just after the permanent moorings for lunch and a dry off before carrying on. Even if we’d had enough of the rain the serious lack of internet meant we would move on no matter!

Just as we were about to pull out again a boat came past, Mick checked if we’d be able to share with them, but they were only heading back into one of the marinas before the locks. Oh well! We pootled onwards. At Nelson’s Wharf the arm was full to capacity, the steam boat Adamant sat outside the lift bridge with another just the other side. The towpath and in front of Willow Wren was filled with boats, several gazebos were filling up with people and a hog roast sat in it’s portable oven still cooking away. There was obviously a do of some sort going on. In the hold of an old work boat a couple sat presumably awaiting means to cross the canal to the do, but no one seemed to be coming for them.

Just before the slight bend at the bottom of Calcutt we saw the bow of a coal boat coming towards us. NB Calisto had just come down, we could do with coal and a top up of diesel but here wasn’t the right place. If we’d been a few minutes earlier we’d have been on the lock landing as he left the lock and all would have been possible. We rose in the lock on our own and swapped with another boat coming down. At the top lock there was a lot of people who didn’t have a boat, but did have windlasses, one in a high vis jacket, training was going on.

We were asked if we minded sharing, of course we didn’t and waited patiently for a hire boat to be brought round from it’s mooring to join us. The chap at the helm had driven a boat before whereas his crew were beginners. We all followed instructions and wound the paddles up half way, ten turns, then another few followed by the last five turns. Oleanna was brought out first so that we wouldn’t be held up, except there was chance for the crew to hop on board of the hire boat at the lock and the gate to be closed by someone else, so Mick had to pull in to pick me up meaning the hire boat was in front.

With the instructor happy with how things were going he hopped off shortly afterwards and left them to it. A new helmsman had a go, zigzagging began, the helm was handed back. At the junction they turned left and we paused for a Napton Hire boat to turn onto the Grand Union towards us. It’s funny seeing all the faces of people having just picked up their hire boats, excitedly checking everything out inside and out whilst the helmsperson gets the hang of steering, the over sized gestures from crew positioned at the front that nobody but themselves understands. We were once those people.

At the junction we turned right Oxford bound. This is new water for Oleanna, the three of us have been here only once before on Lillian so it’s not that familiar. We’ll be on the Oxford now until just before Christmas, as a lock on the Napton flight will be closing to be rebuilt. We are done with broad canals for some time. Passing Napton Hire base where a new boat is being fitted out, sticking well out into the cut. We decided we’d by now had enough of the rain and pulled in at the first mooring we came across, not knowing how much space there would be up ahead. Plenty of hire boats came past all heading for The Folly no doubt on their first night out.

Tilly enjoyed her shore leave as we sat and listened to the locals playing tunes on their car horns as they crossed the two bridges which book end the moorings. Maybe we should have gone that little bit further!

13 locks, 1 shared, 4.75 miles, 2 soggy boaters, 1 very low pound, 3462734 apples, 1 right, 2 honking bridges, 2 hours of soggy fun.

https://goo.gl/maps/839WxU6dBPA2

Something’s Missing. 21st September

Radford Semele to Long Itchington

We stayed up quite late last night as the wind biffed us around. Everything was either tied down or brought inside the pram cover, only a large piece of wood that we’d forgotten about on the roof made a bid to escape, which was brought into the cratch before we retired to bed. Both of us slept very well, outside the elements must have calmed down.

This morning the wind was still quite strong, but with a dry day forecast we wanted to be on our way. Whilst I finished up inside Mick prepared Oleanna to cruise, I joined to roll the cratch covers up as we’d be going through locks today. Experience has taught us better to have them rolled out of harms way than try to avoid missing them entering and exiting locks. The pram cover is also folded down, removing the sides first and folding them for storage whilst we cruise. This reduces the amount of bulk around the hatch and hopefully will mean that they last longer, not being scrunched up with creases in them day after day. The main frame and cover are the last things to be folded down before we set off

The temperature was such this morning that fleeces and gloves were needed. Having not seen our gloves for sometime they would take a bit of finding. I know where they should be, it’s just are they still there, or have they found their way to the bottom of the bike cupboard! Mick went in to have a look, but I could tell that this would be a boy look rather than a more successful girl look so I came in to look instead. Some gloves had been found, but more were delved from the depths of the cupboard. This done we were ready.

As I made my way to the bow to untie Mick started to look around, puzzled. He wasn’t unpoppering the cover. I quickly realised what he was looking for, we both hunted round. The wind had picked up the starboard side of the pram cover that had been folded and placed where it always is by the side of the hatch and deposited it out of view. Experience has now taught us that covers do not float!

It wasn’t in the hedgerow, so it must be in the canal, somewhere! With boat hook in hand Mick gradually walked down the gunnel prodding at the base of the canal. With only one hand on the boat hook due to the other clinging onto Oleanna this didn’t find the cover, what it did do was mean that Mick lost grip of the hook and that too ended up in the canal, too low for either of us to pull out whilst stood on the gunnel, resembling Excalibur. I thought about taking a window out and reaching for it, but by now Mick was already on the roof with the landing net. He eventually managed to wrap the net around the hook and pass it along towards the stern where I managed to grab hold of it. That was one thing out of the cut, still the cover to find.

Mick sat on the roof with the hook prodding. In between the galley and dinette windows there was something, the hook didn’t sink into the silt. Inside we stowed the dinette table to give us more space, then removed the window. Had an argument as to where to put it out of harms way, no point in something else happening for the sake of another minute. With the boat hook through the window you could definitely feel a difference with the canal bed. After a few minutes of poking some blue fabric surfaced. From the galley window I grabbed hold of it, Mick leap frogged me to the stern and took it from me. Hooray! One muddy cover retrieved.

The dry cover had been brought inside just in case, the wet one had a rinse down in canal water then was folded and put next to the hatch, with a lump hammer and rope fender positioned on top!

This all took about an hour and in that time nobody had gone past, just as well as they would have found our cover for us quite quickly, around their prop!

With traffic being very quiet when we reached the bottom lock, with nobody in sight I set the lock in our favour and we set forth on our own, well we had waited at our mooring. As we reached the top a couple of boats came towards us, so we could leave the gates for them and we were on our way. Kate Hire boats were all heading back towards Warwick, we passed at least three of them, one single hander glad to be paired up with them as he’d been struggling with the wind, his boat and lock gates.

Some of the pounds had been as low as when we’d come down and on narrow stretches we held back allowing boats to come through to where it would be easier to pass. They made slow progress as we battled to hold our position in the wind. As soon as they were past us we found out why, the canal was so shallow you had to coast along to get through rather than use your engine.

All the locks were in our favour until we got to Lock 18 where we could see it was partially full if not totally full. We pulled in to wait for someone to come down whilst we had lunch. Our timing was spot on as someone was opening the gates at the top of the lock as we came out to untie. We entered the lock after them just as another boat appeared behind us, even better timing. Well it would have been if they weren’t sharing with the boat behind them. So went up on our own with two boats having to reset the locks behind us. We managed to keep ahead of them up Bascote locks and staircase and pulled in on the first ring at Long Itchington, leaving the rest for the following boats.

They think they can fool me, we’ve tied up this outside before. It was okay, but today it was better. I came and went, occasionally assisted back inside as woofers came past. Then the friendly cover behind the sideways trees called. Plenty of friends to find here. I seem to have got carried away and lost the time, slipping through my paws, just like my friends. It was a touch chilly and dark when I got home for my dingding, at least it was cosy inside.

10 locks, 2 a staircase, 0 shuffle, 4.92 miles, 1 damp day that was meant to be dry, £250 saved at least, 0 boaters cursing us, 0 embarrassing phone call to Gary, 1 pair muddy jeans, 1 pair socks completed, 20 minutes extra turned into 2.5 hours! 3 friends, 1 long tail, 1 dingding of Coley, not my favourite!

Crossing Bows. 20th September

Radford Semele

The weather today was meant to be atrocious. Heavy rain in the morning followed by very strong winds in the afternoon. We woke to the rain, not too bad, Tilly still went out.

Last night Jennie from NB Tentatrice had left a comment on the blog saying that she thought they were moored just along from us. As we’d missed each other literally by a couple of boat lengths earlier in the year at the top of Tardebigge we couldn’t do the same again this time. We knew they were heading our way and as we’d pulled in last night I’d looked up the line of boats already moored up but not spotted a bright blue one.

We weren’t planning on going anywhere today due to the weather, so after I’d worked through the forth version of the Aladdin props list and sent it back to the director Tilly happened to come in and there was a lull in the rain, so we put on our waterproofs and walked along the towpath.

The reason I’d not seen them last night was that NB Tentatrice was hunkered down behind the next two boats in front of us about 100 yards away. Chris welcomed us on board as did Monty their dog. Mugs of tea and conversation flowed for a good couple of hours, which included comparing the capacity of our yellow water tanks! At last our paths had crossed and we’d got to meet each other after following each others blogs for sometime. Chris and Jennie are heading home after their summer cruise, crossing The Wash and exploring the Middle Levels. Next year they are considering heading up to Liverpool and crossing the Ribble Link. So we were able to give them some pointers and them us as we vaguely plan to cruise the Middle levels in a couple of years time, which may be prefect timing for the next Bedford Festival.

They planned on heading into Leamington today, hoping to find a mooring that might offer them some shelter from the growing winds. As they pulled off Jennie walked Monty and Kiera (a visiting dog) along the towpath, the woofers sticking their noses into MY boat! I was keeping an eye on them from the sideways trees. Hope you managed to be moored up before the big gusts came and sorry if we delayed your start Jennie, but it was great to meet you all at last.

The afternoon was spent writing my programme biog, doing a bit of research whilst Mick mended some of the poppers on our cratch cover. Tilly braved the growing gusts of wind for some time but eventually came in, we decided that she should stay in for her own safety rather than get blown away. Some more of Bake Off was caught up with and another half sock knitted as the noise around Oleanna grew by the hour. Very odd sitting in doors in t-shirts with howling gales and sideways rain outside and the stove wasn’t even lit!

We’re hoping tomorrow we’ll get chance to move on a touch, here’s hoping the wind calms down some.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 boats away, 4 boaters meeting for the first time, 2 woofers, 1 soggy moggy, 150 words, 4th version, 1 reference to do now, 0.5 of a sock, 1 heel turned, gas mark 2 for a couple of hours instead of on top of the stove, 1 very blustery night ahead.

Blown Away. 18th 19th September

Saltisford Arm to Radford Semele

I woke at around 4:40am with the first big gust of wind on Tuesday, this was the start of a few windy days.

The washing machine was worked hard again for a second day, towels, bed linen all took their turn. Maybe we should have ventured out to visit the sights, but we’ve visited quite a few of them on previous visits, leaving the Castle and Lord Leycester Hospital for another time. The Castle comes across as a bit of a theme park, £28 entrance each is a bit dear, although apparently you can save money by buying your tickets on line in advance now. As the washing went round I got on with knitting socks and refilling the damp traps around the boat amongst other chores.

In the afternoon we braved the gusting wind and walked up to Sainsburys to restock the wine cellar, not a full restock I have to say!

Emma, an old college friend of mine had invited us round for a drink to her house on West Street. She visited us three years ago when we were in Warwick and at the time was in the process of restoring a house with her then partner. Since then they have moved in and recently got married. Our visit was more of a guided tour of the house accompanied with a glass or two of wine. Sadly I didn’t take any photos as we were too busy hearing about all the work they did.

I’ve found a few photos of the house from when they bought it back in 2012. On the British Listed Buildings website the house is recorded as being listed in 1996 and was dated as early 19th Century with a brick frontage, canted bay window, 3 storey and a basement. No inspection had been done internally.

However, what lay behind the woodchip and plaster board was far far older. Link to an article. Cob walls that have now been dated to around 1433, beams, decorative paintings on panels. Really wish I’d taken photos now. They have painstakingly restored much of the house, replacing floor beams where needed and using lime based products to help the old building breath again.They have installed an eco friendly boiler, solar and have a very efficient wood burner in the back room which helps heat most of the house.

A small modern extension to the kitchen was added. During the works for this another discovery was made, a very big hole under the floor! A friend of theirs was breaking up the floor one day and his drill suddenly slipped into a gap between paving slabs. A stone was dropped through the hole, no sound of water. A 5m tape measure didn’t reach the bottom. Below their kitchen lies a hole cut into the sandstone that measures 3m diameter by 6m deep. Archaeologists are not sure what it had been used for, maybe an ice store for the castle. They then got distracted with what had been found on the house walls. Emma and Dave had to create a foundation for the rear of the house to sit on above the hole and now they have a metre glazed viewing hole in their kitchen floor. Who needed to go to a museum when you can see things like this. Their master bedroom is amazing with so many layers of beams and yet they have a modern ensuite!

It was a lovely evening catching up with them, having the tour and seeing some of their wedding photos. Hopefully we’ll get chance to meet up again this winter as we’ll be in the general area for a while.

As our boat neighbours had returned yesterday afternoon and had plans to move today we made sure we were up and dressed early, they may be wanting to be off at 8! Despite the wind having increased overnight we decided to move on ourselves. Once the water tank was topped up, rubbish disposed of and our mooring fee paid we were ready for the off, just as our neighbours were having toast.

Out of the arm we turned right back towards Cape Locks. The top lock was empty and a hire boat could be seen just about to enter the second lock, we’d not be able to catch them up to share, so I set the lock in our favour. Just as the levels equalised a boat came round the bend, we’d be able to share the locks. NB At Ease is a hotel boat and the two crew knew very well how to handle their boat. They had come down Hatton this morning and were hoping to moor up before the wind got even worse.

We followed them to Tescos where we pulled in at the 24hr mooring, another boat was already moored there. They could really do with a couple more bollards here, we managed to get the stern rope round one of the bollards but had to make use of a tree at the bow. With a big shopping list in hand we wound our way around the store. With no big shops, as far as we know, until we reach Banbury we wanted to be stocked up.

Lunch next and then we decided to stay put, the gusts of wind were very big and we didn’t fancy trying to cruise in it, Tilly would have to wait for her shore leave a while longer. 30 rows of sock and Cake week on the Great British Bake Off caught up with and we thought the wind had calmed down enough for us to move on. As soon as we were back outside the wind kicked up again. With trees surrounding us, we didn’t want to stay put so braved the gusts and set off.

The going wasn’t too bad, other than the amount of leaves. We had leaf porridge that clings to the prop for the first time this year. A quick blast of reverse gets rid of it, but the leaves soon returned again!

The artist who painted the cat, also did a couple more paintings along the stretch near the student accommodation. One is of two bunnies doing what bunnies do (I suspect a signature of hers) and the Grim Reaper in a black boat painted on an off side wall. A slightly jollier painting further along has made use of a drain pipe.

We pulled in back where we’d moored a couple of days ago as it started to rain, a bit close to the road, but up ahead looked full and we wanted to be on chains and hooks rather than spikes if the wind continues as it is. Tilly for a change wasn’t that bothered about the wind. This outside again! I bet tomorrow they tie up one where I can’t go out again, best make the most of this one.

2 locks, 4.99 miles, 1 right, 2 moorings, 4 loads washing, 2 drying, 1 fantastic house, 400 years older than originally thought, 1 big hole, 1 woofer next door, 4 full bags, 2 blowy days, 1 canal turned to porridge, 1 gluten free mac cheese tonight, 0 snakes.

Hooking Up For a Bit. 17th September

Radford Semele to Saltisford Arm

Before heading off to the Oxford we need to stock up on supplies so we needed to turn round. As we’d be heading westward we decided to see if there would be space at the Saltisford Arm for a couple of days where we could catch up on the washing and be plugged in.

Several boats came past as we were getting ready to push off, we spotted a gap and went for it. A second push to the bow was required due to the wind pushing us back against the towpath, but we got away before we became a problem to the next passing boat. We winded and headed back into Leamington Spa.

I had some work emails to do so left Mick to cruise us towards Cape Locks. The costume designer for the Panto had been asking about the size of a boat due to the size of the Dames costume and I’d asked about suitability of a rubber ring for a scene. Emails went back and forth for a while until we both had answers to all our questions.

Back on deck we passed over the railway line we’d gone along on Saturday, no trains though. When we’d been at the station yesterday Mick had requested I took a photo of a train approaching the station, I was already doing so. The line in Leamington cuts it’s way through what was the old town, crossing a major crossroads at second floor height. I was fortunate enough to capture two trains whilst we were meant to be looking at the station gardens.

Our supplies would last us a few more days, so we decided to push on past Morrisons, Lidl, Tescos, Sainsburys and Aldi and do a proper stock up on our return in a few days.

As we approached Cape Bottom Lock there was a boat just entering it to go up. We’d already passed two boats that had been heading this way this morning, so it might be on it’s own. The gates closed, oh well. Then they opened again and a lady appeared and waved us in to join them, we’d been spotted. We weighed up whether we thought we’d be able to turn Oleanna below the locks. Jaq and Les from NB Valerie spent a winter in this pound, they called it Prison as they were locked in by stoppages and they both needed the local hospital. NB Valerie could be turned here after making use of the water point below the locks, we’re not sure how long she is, but we think Oleanna could possibly just do it too.

We shared the two locks with the shareboat NB Endeavour who had plenty of crew and had come from Long Itchington this morning and were aiming to do Hatton today too. The lady seemed a bit put out that a C&RT chap who was there to grease the paddles didn’t help, but there were four of us working the locks so there was no need. It being lunchtime the moorings around the Cape of Good Hope pub were busy. Two boats were on the water point where we wanted to go, two boats were heading to the pub moorings. The ones on the water point then wanted the lock so there was some do-c- do-ing to be done as NB Endeavour had insisted that we leave the lock first. It would have been better if he’d gone and got out of the equation as we got in his way and he was then in the way of the boats from the water point who were in our way! It all got sorted in the end.

We pulled up mostly so that we could empty the yellow water tank before we might have to breast up at our mooring today. As we were by a tap we took advantage of that too. Empty and full we cruised up to the junction and turned left the easier option as right takes you to the bottom of the Hatton flight. Slowly we made our way down the arm, a lady came out from the office to say hello and tell us where to moor.

The visitor moorings are just beyond a winding hole, so winding first is advised and then you back down to find a space. There was one bank side space free, but we’d been told it was only 55ft, later once it had been taken Mick paced it and we would have fitted, however it was closer to the road. We reversed to find a suitable boat to pull alongside, NB Joanna. Unoccupied but with signs of a dog, this wasn’t going to be so good for Tilly sadly. Cat Health and Safety discussed our mooring and decided that should the owner return whilst Tilly was out she’d have difficulty getting back to her boat, there would be a conflict of territories and that wouldn’t be fair on either Tilly or the Woofer. So no shore leave.

Late lunch before the hook up was sorted and then the washing machine was put to work pausing only for the dishwasher to have a go. TV was tuned in, our last stay here was prior to me starting to do TV thumbs. It deserved a diagonal thumb in the upwards direction, not perfect reception, but not bad.

The last of our Bramleys were chopped up and put into a Dorset Apple Cake still warm today for pudding and enough to keep us going for the next few days.

2 locks, 5.6 miles, 2 winds, 1 left, 0 shopping, 1 cat who is very aware of which her boat is and wouldn’t give 2 hoots about a woofer being inbetween! 1 cat still locked in despite her complaints, 2 many good trees to be missed! 2 boaters ignoring their cat, 0 visits to the pooh box if they let me out! 1 empty wee tank, 1 fill of the water tank, 2 loads washing, 1 dishwasher, 1 refill required in the morning, 1st pair of socks started, 1 yummy gf apple cake.

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Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna