Category Archives: Grand Union Canal

Orphans. 6th September

Radford Smelly

Mick and I compared views as we had our cuppas in bed this morning, his from the back bedroom in Scarborough, mine across the canal as boats started to move off.

As you all know Mick does very yummy cooked breakfasts, but this morning I made myself a pre-Mick breakfast, mushrooms on toast. Yes Mick cooks mushrooms, but not in a white sauce, he shys away from making bechamel sauce. Well he’d enjoyed his pizza last night, so I enjoyed my mushrooms, my excitement also meant my photo was out of focus!

My list of jobs to get done whilst there is that bit more space on board is really quite long, just where to start? I decided to see how my scissors coped with scalloping the edges of the panto leaves. Mum’s dress making sheers are good, but too big for cutting curves. Most other scissors I could find were nowhere near up for the job. The smallest pair, embroidery scissors were wonderfully sharp but too short and get stuck on my thumb. If I was doing maybe 100 leaves this would be fine, but for over 3000! The woman who has numerous pairs of scissors needs another pair.

At midday I checked in for a zoom meeting about #unit21 with the director. The current cost of materials has been a shock, nips and tucks a necessity. If only we had £5000 more we could build a false floor and have flexible neon in it, instead we are looking at some vinyl flooring with the neon lines painted. Some experimentation is needed but I’ll need some UV light to see what works. Looks like I’ll be experimenting whilst at Chippy.

It was far too hot outside after my meeting to head into town, I closed all the curtains and decided to get the remainder of the felt cut into triangles, a job I need all the dinette table for, so best to get it done now.

Checking the gutters and roof out in problem corner

In Scarborough Mick managed to meet a builder, not the one intended, this chap reckons we need to replace guttering and tiles at the back of the house, not a surprise really. After ringing round numerous plumbers has also managed to get one booked, in November!

Over the last couple of days Tilly and I have been pestered by a couple of swans. They are beautiful creatures but lurk outside boat hatches expecting slices of white sliced to be thrown out for them. Their smoking habit of 40 woodbines a day very evident as they try to attract your attention! For those who knew Josie in Bempton, they sound just like her. We do our best not to encourage their demands.

I’ve also noticed three ducklings, a little bit older than toddlers. They swim back and forth with no sign of their mum. Orphans. I’ve chatted with them several times wondering if they are old enough to survive once the cold weather hits, have they learnt enough life skills to survive. Looking around the boat for something to give them porridge oats was the only item on the menu other than very frozen peas. I scattered a handful out of the hatch and they were very much appreciated. A few more sprinklings and I felt I was helping them to survive.

After cutting out another 1000 or so green triangles I spotted that the ducklings had returned, quietly sitting hoping for a few more Scottish Rolled oats. I put some in a bowl so that they were easier at hand and sprinkled a few more onto the surface of the water. They tend to sink after a few seconds so the ducklings had to be quick.

Is it Woodbines or do you prefer cigars?

Looking up I suddenly realised that I now had two extra beaks demanding oats from me! The slight orange from nicotine staining on their white feathers and their long necks that I’d always been warned about as a child ‘They’ll break your arm!’ made me recoil inside the hatch.

Then the penny dropped. I’d been taken for a mug. The ducklings and swans were all in it together! Pulling at my heart strings, dishing out the porridge oats. Had I been conned? Or were the ducklings child labour!

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 step off the boat, 5 curtains drawn, 2 blinds, 12 midday meeting, 1 hot long Tilly, 9 hours very few taken, 2031 triangles, 5 blisters, 3 orphans, 2 Mafioso chain smoking swans, 27 C, 0 BBC1!

Girls In Charge. 5th September

Radford Smelly

Boats pulled away this morning, but we would be staying put. With a change of lodgers at the house one of us needed to head back to Scarborough to get a few jobs done. We’d looked at hiring a car, but Enterprise prices are no longer cheap, not even for a van. The thought is that last year they sold off lots of their cars and now there are not enough to go around. Train fares for the two of us would waste a weeks worth of money from the house, so with his Old Gits rail card Mick was heading up to Yorkshire on his own leaving the girls on board.

I was given a briefing on how to read the remote console for the batteries and in return Mick was briefed on jobs that need doing at the house. We’re hoping he can meet a builder and a plumber to get a few jobs done and whilst he’s away I’m going to take over the dinette table and do some work. The only job that won’t get done at the house is patching up the damp wall in the kitchen as that is most definitely a Pip job.

Leamington Spa Station is a 1.75 mile walk from Radford Smelly, we both walked into town, me deserting Mick to go to the Co-op. He had a five hour train journey ahead of him and I had a leaf factory to kick start.

The wonderful Mudrock cat is still pristine by the student accommodation. It is my favourite graffiti of all time. Leamington Spa encourages and commissions artists to decorate their walls in parts of the town. Unfortunately earlier in the year a group of tag artists used a lot of silver spray paint over the top of quite a few pieces. But new works keep on being created, some very skilled and beautiful, others that just brighten up a dull wall.

As the temperature gradually rose outside I closed curtains to try to keep Oleanna in some shade as there is no tree cover here, good for the solar though. As Tilly went of to explore I cleared the table and got the felt out.

My panto set has portals which are decorated with leaves. We could get them made by a company who specialise in all sorts of leaves stamped out of fabrics with veins and stalks, but I wasn’t after that sort of detail for my panto world. Hence four shades of green felt. Would my scissors be sufficiently sharp to cut through four layers of felt at a time to speed the job up?

I measured out double thickness strips, cut them from the bolt of fabric. Then marked each one up with points of triangles. These were then cut and put in a big bag. By the end of the afternoon I had used half of the felt and had an Ikea bag with over 1500 triangles in it. These now look like the leaves on my model, they just need refining with scalloped edge which I aim to do in front of the tv.

Tilly came and went all afternoon, taking the opportunity to enjoy some shade every now and again. Mick arrived in Scarborough to a very clean and tidy house, we knew it would be as Bill and Alex had left the house spotless last time they stayed. They have now headed over to Stoke to The New Vic for two weeks with The Girl Next Door, the new Alan Ayckbourn play. If you are passing it’s most certainly worth going to see.

During the afternoon Oleanna and one other boat were joined by at least five more boats, some summoning up the energy for Hatton others wanting a nice mooring after their exertions.

Mick was too excited to get the photo in focus!

Whilst I ate the left over moussaka from a couple of days ago, Mick tucked into a fully glutenised pizza from Pizza Tempo with accompanying garlic bread. This used to be his favourite, but with me in tow he doesn’t get to enjoy it very often. It will last him two nights.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 3 miles walked, 6 hours shore leave, 2 shades green, 1557 triangles, 1 full bag, 1 blister, 1 spotless house, 2 girls left in charge, 1 stunning cat, 1 beautiful Tilly.

Felt Rendez Vous. 4th September

Wood Lock to Radford Smelly Christmas 2019 mooring

Waterway Routes suggested it would take us under a couple of hours to reach our rendez vous, we also wanted to fill with water on the way and try to drop in to the Geraghty zoom. The water point didn’t stand out in our minds as being a slow tap, but we still added an hour to our cruise just in case.

We pushed off a little later than planned meeting our first boat a short distance on. After dropping down Fosse Top Lock we pulled over at the elsan and water point. For a while this elsan was out of use but today it boasts a blue C&RT sign and we used it to empty our yellow water. Tucked behind the elsan wall someone, most probably a boater, has left several bags of rubbish. There are no bins here, in both directions there are ample bins all within a couple of hours cruise. But if you tuck it away out of view it becomes someone else’s problem and not yours! Grrrr!

The tap had very good pressure so we were topped up in no time and back heading to Fosse Middle Lock. Mick signed into the Geraghty Zoom whilst we went through the lock, the internet signal only just able to keep us connected. Subjects today were Sheila Hancock and Giles Brandreth and us going through the lock. Numbers of attendees were down today, children’s Saturday morning activities and adult orchestras are all starting back up now, so it may be that the time of the family zoom gets changed to fit better with life no longer on hold.

Fosse Bottom Lock provided us with enough blackberries for breakfast tomorrow as Oleanna dropped down to the next pound.

We passed our locking partner from a couple of days ago, moored up by woods where normally a collection of boats sit. I like his little table.

Then the big arch of the former railway bridge 33A dominates the scenery as you pull in for Radford Bottom Lock. We took our time, no need to rush, we were an hour ahead of our schedule. The back pumps pumped water up from the bottom pound as we added water into it. Then we pulled up on the end bollard to wait for Lizzie, leaving plenty of room by the lock.

The bin store had recently been emptied, a shame the padlock was broken as it’s in one of those locations where people are likely to arrive with a car load of rubbish to dispose of rather than taking it to a tip.

The black boat and figures are no longer by the bridge

Lizzie arrived a little after her estimate, only to be expected as she’d just driven to collect her Dad from a weeks holiday with her brother in Lancashire, there and back in the morning! On the back seat of her car were the two packages I’d been waiting for, what a shame we’d not been able to hand them over last weekend which had been the original plan. Thank you so much Lizzie for delivering them to me, I now have to do some work!

Not far for us now, just a pootle back out of the trees to find a mooring space below Radford Semele. Quite a few boats were moored up, we found a length of armco which wasn’t quite long enough, but as soon as a hire boat moved off we backed down the line so that we could be on chains rather than pins.

The pound felt very sludgy and going was slow backwards, it all felt quite silted up. We’ve been hearing such comments about parts of the system after the lockdowns, but today is our first experience of a silty bottom.

Tilly had been given shore leave at our first mooring, luckily she came back when called so we could move the outside without her in it. I think we are almost in the space we occupied for Christmas 2019, the weather is somewhat warmer than it was then.

4 locks, 2.23 miles, 1 hour ahead of ourselves, 15 minute zoom, 27 blackberries, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 0 figures, 1 felt handover, 4 greens, 1 sludgy bottom, 2 outsides, 3 annoying swans, 1 long list, 1 boat on an intermittent list.

Puzzle. 3rd September

Bickley’s Bridge to below Wood Lock 19

Another morning of pleas at the back door, Tilly was given an hour of shore leave whilst we had breakfast, today she didn’t get distracted but did require mad cat woman to call for her. With all three of us onboard we pushed of around 10:30.

First stop the water point and bins by Bascote Bridge. A dish washer load had been going, once that was so far through it’s cycle the washing machine was put on, Tilly’s pooh box had a good clean and rubbish was disposed of. Shortly before the water tank made it’s ‘I’m full!’ boom we could hear NB Hadar approaching, they and their families hire boat pulled in to wait for the services.

Bascote Staircase requires the top chamber to be full and the bottom to be empty, there will always be one chamber requiring to be set, this morning it looked like we were following someone as the top needed filling. As Mick brought Oleanna into the top chamber Hadar and family were approaching, hand signals suggested they’d be descending together, one of the crew came to join us to help us down.

Heading to the last of the Bascote flight

The next two locks also required filling before we could enter and they are just a touch too far to walk ahead to set and come back to open and close gates. Behind us the Hadar crew worked well with their extra pairs of hands.

The chilled medication sign is now tucked away at Welsh Road Lock, instead you can buy half a dozen eggs for £2. In the back garden there is a model railway set all laid out, just a bit too far away to have a good look.

As we worked our way down the lock we could hear Hadars engine thumping away in the distance, or was it getting closer? I think the only time we couldn’t hear it was when it was stationary.

The next pound is where HS2 will cross. Huge earth works are on going here, on the south bank of the canal a digger perched high up flattening out an embankment. To the north you can certainly see the route the line will take through a dip in the hillside, is this a man made or natural dip?

Wood Lock always seems to be the shabbiest of the locks along this stretch, the paintwork peeling off the paddle gear. We worked our way down pulling in a short distance below the lock, this would do us for the day and we’d be able to let Hadar and family go past.

Yesterday I’d asked for my panto felt order to be chased as it still hadn’t arrived, well that was how it seemed at my end, no parcel had arrived for Lizzies attention. Mid morning I was forwarded a copy of the signature the delivery driver had received, most certainly not Lizzies. But if someone had signed for it, last Thursday, where was it?!

Lizzie and the chaps at Unusual checked everywhere again, but there was nothing. Oh blimey! I was starting to write an email when I got a message from Lizzie, she’d found the parcel, at The Wharf pub across the road! Their address is very similar, but the parcel did say Unusual on it, oh well now we just needed to sus out getting it to us without being too much hassle for Lizzie. A rendez vous tomorrow lunchtime was made, a what3words location sent, we just have to get there in time.

Plenty of boats have came past us during the afternoon, including one called Puzzle. ‘Didn’t we share some of the Trent and Mersey with that boat? A lady with her daughter?’ Don’t know why I ever ask Mick such things, but I do. Looking back through photographs there was NB Puzzle back in June, but were the colours on the cabin side the other way round from the one I’d just seen? Maybe, maybe not. Cream top and bottom with black in between. Or had it been black top and bottom with cream in between? Could there have been two boats built at the same time, both called Puzzle but painted the negative of each other? Could this be why they were called Puzzle so people would be puzzled about if they’d seen the boat before or not.

Wish I’d taken a photo now!

6 locks, 2.6 miles, 1 thumping boat behind, HS2, 5.75 hours, 1 dropping pound, 4 paddles checked, 1 boater puzzled, 1 parcel at the pub, 4 shades of green, 1 week late.

https://goo.gl/maps/pau5m5r7TcHR2jMt5

Time Travellers, 2nd September

Daventry Road Bridgeish to Bickley’s Bridge 26

Tilly was given an hour to head off into the friendly cover as she was pleading at the back door and we didn’t plan on going too far today. An hour and a bit later she returned after being called (!) only to plead at the back door once again. She’d got distracted and been far too busy to deal with the matter in hand, given the choice she’d rather use shore based facilities than her pooh box.

We pushed off passing Willow Wren Training. Here they have added some camping pods on their campsite, they also have some small self catering rooms. Another possible location for a party, more research required.

Training boat in the bywash, two boats in the lock

At the top of the Stockton Flight we could see a boat just heading into the lock to go down, was our luck in? No, another boat pulled in alongside them. Oh well, hopefully having left our arrival until after 11 we hoped we’d meet quite a few boats coming up the flight saving work all round.

The lock emptied and below it we could hear the thump thump thump from NB Hadar. The lock below had just brought two boats up, Hadar and a hire boat with their family aboard were breasted up and now there were the two boats that had just gone down the top lock. Six boats in one short pound, each needing to get out of the way of the others to get to where they all needed to be.

Add into this mix one boat that had just gone down the top lock was winding to come back up. Eventually it all sorted itself out, one lock bringing two boats up, one lock taking the breasted boats down, two boats waiting for the locks to be in their favour again, both facing opposite directions.

The chap waiting to head down the locks came up to chat with us, yes we would be going all the way down the flight and not just winding after one. Hooray we both had a partner. Once we were down the top lock we teamed up with the chap a single hander who looked like he’d come up from London (Lee Navigation protest posters in his windows). He was obviously very experienced, hopping on and off his boat when needed, closing gates, lifting paddles.

Quite a few of the locks had uphill boats, but there were the inevitable locks set against us. I headed on down to set them returning to close a gate behind the two boats.

One coming up, two going down, and one waiting below

Hadar were keeping ahead having three crew at the locks. At one point there were two empty locks between us and a boat was just about to come into the bottom of them. Should I set the one ahead of us or wait for the uphill boat to come up two locks? I opened the bottom gate and waited for the uphill boat, which meant I got a little rest, we’d been working at quite an efficient pace downhill!

Grandparents daughter and grandson were heading up, keeping a steady pace working the locks. This gave us just that bit longer to rest. Then we were off again, the next couple of locks sat waiting for us.

There had been little time to chat to the chap we were sharing with, but at the last two locks (of our day) we had a bit more time. He was heading for Birmingham, maybe a bit further and would carry on down hill today. He thanked us for our help, I thanked him for his, although he didn’t think he’d done much.

Off he headed towards Bascote Staircase, we pootled along past the pubs to find the moorings beyond Bickley’s Bridge 26 empty so we tied to the first rings. Should my panto order have arrived today then we’d be able to either reverse to the pub or carry on to the next water point to collect it.

With the internet being temperamental round here the photos of my model had taken forever to upload, I even left the computer on as we cruised today hoping it would all happen if I wasn’t watching the computer. Thankfully this had worked so I could let people see the model.

A walk into the village for a couple of bits of shopping had us walking across the fields and popping out into Long Itchington close to where the blue plaque for Jacob Von Hogflume hangs on a house. Back in 2015 we came across the plaque and I wondered if I could find anything else about Jacob.

Kit Ward claims to have had a couple of drinks with the time traveller. Link

He also has a twitter account Link where recently he has been discussing the heights of historic figures such as Henry VIII and his wives.

Jacob is not the only time traveller marked with a blue plaque. Of course there are a series of Dr Who actors, Jon Pertwee, William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton. But there is also Professor Ralph Deeson in Glasgow and Niloc Semaj in Brecon.

10 locks, 9 shared, 2.58 miles, 6 in a pound, 2 outsides, 4 hours to upload, 1 Viking, 2 boxes, 1 meeting, 2169 resident.

https://goo.gl/maps/CrrUdEAPnbk6MJZT6

Bear Crew. 1st September

Nethercote Bridge 101 to Daventry Road Bridgeish 19, Grand Union Canal

A slower start today, the grey in the sky putting us off pushing off. We watched the gold silver final of Boccia in Tokyo over breakfast, catching a glimpse of Fran, Mick’s niece every now and then. Gold for David Smith! A farmer in the field opposite was trimming the hedges and as we passed we admired the sunflowers in a wide border of wild flowers, just about the only colour we got to see today.

I hopped off at Bridge 108 to walk to the junction. Crab apples are starting to fall from the trees, leaving areas of the towpath a touch treacherous in places. The blackberries around here seem to be a touch later in ripening than those on the South Oxford, there will be so many of them in a week or two.

Just before Napton Junction I spotted a new set of steps leading through the hedge. This leads to Wigrams Camp Site, I was walking so as to have a nosy. The site was empty today, but I could see the service block and the camping field, not as big as I’d imagined, I wonder how many motorcaravans and tents they would accommodate?

I walked round and checked down the Grand Union, no boat in sight so I gave Mick a thumbs up to make the turn.

Next to the camp site there is a holiday cottage for 2 and a B&B with several double rooms and a summer house. All very interesting! Further enquiries are needed.

I walked on down to Calcutt Locks, a couple of boats had just left the top one, so we pulled in. A boat had just been pulling away from a mooring so we waited to see whether they would join us, but they just came towards the lock and winded. We descended on our own as another boat was waiting to come up.

The locks were quite busy, another pair coming up the second lock, one turning in to top up on diesel the other carried on upwards. By now there was another boat waiting to come down so we waited for them to catch us up with their teddy bear captain sat on the roof.

The lady asked how long we’d been out, I said ‘since May and you?’ ‘Since Saturday’, they had been for a jaunt up to Dunchurch Pools and were now heading back to their mooring below the locks. She also asked if there was a winding hole above the Stockton Flight, they’d never been that way. Descending the two locks I almost got her full life history, I managed to keep my urge to open gates at bay despite them being ready for a good five minutes.

As they turned into Ventnor we waved towards NB Herbie and carried on. Passing all the old workboats around Tomlow Road Bridge, Gort looks like it’s had a nice new paint job.

Not much further on we pulled up before Gibraltar Bridge, this would mean that if my delivery arrived with Lizzie today we’d be able to meet her at The Boat a few bridges on, but if not Tilly would have fields to play in for the afternoon.

A load of washing was hung out on the whirligig. I made some scale model actors for my model and took photographs to send to the Director.

Mick climbed into the engine bay to tighten the stern gland and see why we seem to be getting quite a lot of water in the bilge at the moment. He discovered that the greaser (which you turn every day to help keep the stern gland water tight) hadn’t been working. The new bits he’d added and old pipe weren’t working so well. So he rejigged everything and with a different combination of bits he got it working again. This should now help stop so much water from coming in as the prop rotates.

This evening we’ve watched a second programme regarding 9/11. Yesterdays programme had been about several survivors and todays was the day of President Bush. Both programmes had us transfixed to the TV and were very moving. It feels like only yesterday that I was in the paint shop at the SJT chatting to Mick’s sister Kath when Stephen Wood came in and told us that the twin towers had collapsed.

3 locks, 4.88 miles, 1 right, 1 gold medal, 1 bear, 55.5 possible venue, 1 stern gland greased, 9 model people, 30 photos, 1 very slow internet connection, 5.25 hours shore leave, 2 moving transfixing programmes.

https://goo.gl/maps/VMjsrann1c9XnPQM8

Burger And Chips. 31st August

Norton Junction to Nethercote Bridge 101, Grand Union Oxford Section.

Mick walked up to the service block and cottage at the top of the locks with the Brompton to wait for our shopping to arrive. The driver rang in advance to ask where we were, his local being The New Inn at the top lock. He delivers to lots of boats and would have been happy to drive down to the C&RT yard for us, a very jolly chap.

It took a while to stow the shopping, so whilst I did that Mick pulled us forwards to fill the water tank. Boats were already on the move, the moorings round the bend reorganising themselves to gain the view.

Think an emissions test should be brought in!

A short boat came past us, meeting another coming through the bridge hole from Braunston, the short boat span round to the left avoiding any collision, good job they were short. They corrected themselves and carried on towards the tunnel soon to be followed by us.

In the tunnel we managed to hold back before the 400m mark and big kink to avoid two of the three boats coming towards us, we then powered on to get past the kink before the next boat came past.

With no sign of anyone following us we hoped a boat would be waiting above the locks to share. As we arrived we checked with a hire boat, they were staying put. Then the short boat we’d followed through the tunnel, they were having lunch before descending. Oh well, we’d be on our own.

Just as two uphill boats came out of the lock the short boat changed his mind, he’d come with us. The chap did his fare share, closing gates, winding paddles, whilst down below his partner was busy.

We passed a few uphill boats, me walking ahead to set those that needed it and coming back to open a gate for the boats to exit by. I could now see what the lady below on the short boat was busy with, burger and chips accompanied by a thick slice of white sliced bread and butter. Coo they looked good! She vanished with her plate leaving the chaps for an opportune moment.

They moor somewhere on the River Soar and were part way through doing the Leicester Ring with no maps other than Google maps on his phone. I suppose you can’t really go too wrong, clockwise you need to keep going right, anti clockwise left, just so long as you don’t turn down the Ashby.

The chap managed to get his burger and chips to eat as we approached the Admiral Nelson. Oooo they looked good, so did the chips at the pub! The lady stepped off and had a look round, then was picked back up below the lock, gold sandals not the ideal crew footware.

The chap kept single handing and we used one gate to exit to reduce the work load. What a shame there were no burgers and chips for us. Maybe we’ll find a suitable pub soon to make up for it.

We pulled in before Butchers Bridge for our measly lunch, then pushed on to Braunston Turn where we turned left. A couple of miles on we found a spot to ourselves with views to the south and suitable sideways trees for Tilly. Mick lit the stove for the second night in a row, it is now autumn isn’t it?!

I spent a couple of hours hanging sliding doors and adding a green neon line to my #unit21 model. This will need a touch of adjustment but is more than enough for a white card model to show the director.

Horticulturalists out there, what should I do with my wild strawberry plants? They obviously are unlikely to fruit again this year, but they have sent out numerous numerous babies. They obviously survive in the wild, so is there a way of keeping them happy over autumn, winter and into the spring please? Any tips would be gratefully received.

6 locks, 6.61 miles, 8 boxes under the back steps, 1 good deed via escapees, 1 right, 1 left, 1 tunnel, 3 passed, 2 mysterons, 2 plates of burger and chips, 2 hungry boaters, 2hrs 15 mins shore leave, 1 model just about there, 1 vat of chilli.

https://goo.gl/maps/eFZRCTKcY3tw3VsaA

Then There Was One. 30th August

Houdini’s Field to Norton Junction

Tilly was still pooped from her freedom yesterday so we had a quiet breakfast without being pestered for some shore leave. Only a couple of boats had come past us before we pushed off, but as always one appeared just as we were about to untie. We waited for them to pass, two chaps who asked where the nearest shops were. Their speech was very loud yet a touch incoherent. Lizzie said thank goodness we’d be behind them as they engaged their dilithium crystals.

Time to say our farewells and leave Lizzie to the last of her Bank Holiday boat chores before she herself would be returning to Crick Marina. It’s been a lovely weekend and so nice to have a catch up at ease on the boats. Hopefully we’ll be seeing Lizzie later this week as some things for panto were being delivered to her work for me.

We pushed off with the aim of reaching the top of Long Buckby and finding a space to moor there for our Sainsburys delivery. Fingers crossed there would be space for us and that we’d have an easy time at Watford with not too much queuing. Our maps suggested it would take us around five hours, plus a bit if we had to wait at the staircase, so we should arrive for a late lunch.

There they go managing to avoid collision with the bridge

However. The blue boat had exhausted the boost of power and now just seemed to be working on Guinness and Stellar! They zigzagged across the cut, one of them trying to do something with their chimney, it’s suspected that it got a big whack going through a bridge hole. Several times it looked like they might be pulling in to let us go past, but this was only so that they could ricochet off the towpath to back into the deeper water before passing into the shallows on the off side. Would we actually reach Watford before the locks would be locked up for the day (thankfully extended hours still in place after Crick show)?

Then thankfully after about three quarters of an hour following them they managed to pull over just after Bridge 24, just after a moored boat, shortly before a winding hole and bend where of course a boat was just coming round! Mick engaged our lithium crystals and managed to pass them before there would be an awkward moment with the other boat. Back to normal cruising speed.

We think it’s the first time we’ve been through Crick without stopping for anything carrying on straight to the tunnel. Water proof coats and life jackets on we had the tunnel all to ourselves. The first 400ms are the wettest, I hoped my lovely clean roof would survive having an extra rinse. As we reached the southern portal the air grew misty, our lights creating search light beams onto the tunnel roof.

On to the top of Watford where we joined onto the back of a queue of 2 boats just nudging up to the top lock behind one going down. I hopped off to go and sign in with the Lockie. With a queue of boats below the flight we would have to wait, the two in front of us would go down, then boats would come up. Time for an early lunch.

Once the first uphill boat had risen up the last single lock we were locked down to wait in the pound above the staircase, therefore using a lock full of water and getting the downhill queue one lock ahead.

The next boat up the staircase didn’t sit well with the engine noise we could hear. A 57ft modern boat which would normally have a beta 43 sounded like an old work boat. This was because in the next chamber downhill there was a boat with a heart pounding thump, in fact it was a National DA2 built in 1949, only one of two thought to be in the UK. This was NB Hadar all 70ft of her, Keith at the helm and Jo working the paddles.

Mick helped with gates and chatted to Keith about Hadarford, the model railway in their hold, whilst I helped with the bottom gates of the top lock, closing them and emptying the lock ready for the next uphill boat.

Six in all came up, then it was our turn to head down. Plenty of Lock Keepers were on hand to assist and we made it down the staircase and the final two locks in no time. There was a boat in each pound below and a queue of hopeful boats was forming beyond them.

We’d been glad of helping with the locks it had kept the days chill off, but now stood at the back of Oleanna it crept back in. At Norton Junction we turned left towards the top of the locks, but it was soon evident that there was no space for us.

We’d just passed a big gap by the water point before the junction so into reverse we went and backed ourselves around the corner. Tomorrow morning one of us will go and await our order with bags and a bike, so no need to cancel the order again.

*They never let me out in Watford outside, the trees always look so good too!*

7 locks, 4 a staircase, 9.88 miles, 1 tunnel, 0 mysterons, 3 to 2 to 1 boat left, 1 pissed boat, 2 fleeces, 4th in line, 6 coming up, 5 Lock Keepers, 1 left, 1 reversed left (or is that right?), 3 hours shore leave, 1 stove lit on a Bank Holiday weekend.

https://goo.gl/maps/tMT5U4dgkrK7FETdA

Lunch With The Sheep, 27th August

Norton Junction to Cracks Hill, Leicester Section

A couple of boats came past and turned left at the junction before we pushed off, this suggested we’d be in a queue for the locks. Oh well! We pushed off and turned left too, only to pull in almost straight away to top up on water. A load in the washing machine had just finished so the dishwasher went on.

The two boats ahead of us were both filling with diesel at Welton Hythe , the first one winding too, maybe our luck would be in. Soon we were passing the service station at Watford Gap then ducking under the road bridge.

Hang on! The Thai/Chinese restaurant that has been gradually been getting more and more dilapidated is having a make over. Painted grey with new windows and fencing along the canal edge. I wonder what it will be?

As we approached the bottom of Watford a boat was just coming out from the bottom lock and there was no queue, we hadn’t even moored up before a Lockie waved us in, a first for us. We ascended then swapped over with another boat in the next pound, ascended the second lock and then pulled in to wait for the last downhill boat to finish in the staircase.

The volunteer Lockie stood and chatted for a while. Today we were the third boat to go up, a very quiet day. They had started with one of the side ponds virtually empty so the downhill traffic had helped fill it, even so they’d had a boat ground on one of the cills going into a lock.

This chap had been on duty the day the sink hole appeared on the flight. A little hole had appeared just by the towpath side gate. He said they stood there and prodded it with their windlasses, wondering what it was. Then they poked a stick down it, six to eight feet deep! More of the top surface fell away and the locks were closed for a while to access them. For a while that lock had to be manned, ropes used to open and close the gate. The hole was then filled with large chunks of aggregate and then bonded together with resin. The top surface filled with concrete and bricks to match what had been there.

It is thought that the sink hole was created by water coming in from a red paddle and making its way through the brickwork on the opposite side of the lock. This then over time has scoured out a cavity behind the lock wall eventually giving way. Thank goodness no one was stood on it when it happened!

It being lunchtime we were left to do the staircase by ourselves, they checked we knew which order to do the paddles in first. ‘Red before white and you’ll be alright’, yep we were fine, I quite like doing the staircase on our own.

What a lovely flight, shame about the noise!

The levels were a bit down but we managed over the cills fine, we’d been warned of quite a leek on one of the gates and to stay back in the lock to avoid it. The chaps had just finished eating in time to close the top lock gates for us.

Rubbish was deposited as we rose up the final lock of the flight and then we were off aiming to moor for our own lunch with the sheep before Crick Tunnel. Plenty of space with a few sheep to keep us company across the way.

With coats and life jackets on we entered Crick Tunnel, prepared to get wet towards the far end. We passed three boats, one with a very smoky engine and the last one had just entered the tunnel.

ABNB, where we bought and sold NB Lillyanne, have moved to North Kilworth, the pool in front of the old office now almost empty. Signs are advertising the moorings.

The Moorings bistro alongside Bridge 12 has now sadly closed. Signs say you can only moor for water and elsan. Another sign advertises The Red Lion in the village, well worth a visit especially if it’s pie night! We’d booked ourselves a Sainsburys delivery to The Moorings, but we soon noticed a gate across the entrance. Our shopping is now cancelled and we’re looking for another handy spot to moor for a delivery.

A new building on the far side of Crick Marina

We looked for familiar boats, they all seem to have had a bit of a mix up since we were last here, no one where they used to be in Crick Marina. During the show a lot of boats get moved to make space for the show boats, usually to the far end of the main pool.

Pootling onwards we hoped for space at Cracks Hill and we were lucky. Here you get about half the amount of dog walkers you do nearer the village so it’s a touch more friendly for Tilly. We pulled to the back of the rings, hoping we’d get a neighbour this evening.

7 locks, 5.75 miles, 1 left, 1 tunnel passing 3, 0 mysterons, 1 full water tank, 1 pesky gate, 7 sheep, 1 mooring for 2, 3.5 hours, 1 rendez vous awaited, 1 test result in.

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

PS For Karen, here is a link to the Szechuan Pork recipe I made the other day. I didn’t have proper Szechuan peppercorns but used Rainbow peppercorns, which are a mix of black, pink, green and white peppercorns with All Spice and Coriander seeds. Enjoy.

Star Jumps, WD And Thespians. 26th August

The hedge Flecknoe Road Bridge to the view before Norton Junction

Last night we’d had this stretch of armoc to ourselves, but just around the corner there were seven boats nose to tail, we preferred the view we’d had. As we made our way towards Braunston Turn we kept our eyes open for any gaps in the hedge to the north of the canal so that we could drop a pin on our map to remember it, only one and not much of a gap.

As we cruised along I tried to drink several glasses of water. A few weeks ago I got an invite from the Zoe covid app to do an antibody blood test, this would show if I’ve had Covid without knowing. I’d arranged for a test kit to be sent to Scarborough and then have been waiting for a suitable time to do the test. On the instruction video it suggests drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water the day before, so yesterday I spent a lot of time filling up the yellow water tank! Today 2 to 3 glasses had to be drunk at least half an hour before doing the test, I also needed to be near to an NHS Priority Post box, Braunston.

At Braunston Turn we turned right following a hire boat who quite quickly pulled in. Would Braunston be full of boats or would we be fine finding a space? There was so much space available we easily slotted in at Butchers Bridge our preferred mooring.

Now to do the test. I laid everything out and had to discourage Tilly from watching too closely. Then I had to get my blood pumping by doing some exercise before submerging my left hand in a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes. Far more complicated than sticking a cotton bud up your nose!

Star jumps are a little bit hard to do inside a boat, but I decided to stay indoors rather than amuse those having their bacon butties at the Gongoozlers Rest. Then self inflicted pain! A lancet pushed hard into a finger tip, followed by massaging my hand and finger to fill a little bottle up to a line. One thing they should add to the instructions is that if you have long finger nails then most of your blood will collect on your nail, a trim before hand would have worked better. With my sample done, labelled and packed up we set off to the Post Office.

As we crossed Butchers Bridge we glanced up towards the bottom lock, was that boat NB Winding Down? It was green, the sign writing wasn’t visible. We walked down to have a look, yep it was, but would we know the people on board?

Mick called out to the occupants, ‘Hello, do we know you? We used to have a share in Winding Down’. Well we did know them, Paul and Aileen , some of the original syndicate members. Our paths crossed several times in Waitrose at Sandbach on hand over days. A lovely catch up with them and news of other members we knew, the last AGM on zoom and most importantly that NB Winding Down will be moving further north for next years cruising season, so we’ll have to keep our eyes open near Stone in future.

Up the hill we climbed to the Post Office first popping my sample into the post box, then across the road to the butchers.

Well, since first noticing a sign saying they do gluten free sausages a few years ago, we’ve asked every time we’ve come in and only once have we had any. Quite a disappointment! Maybe the church spire no longer means Bangers! Yes I could buy some of their normal sausages for Mick, but what would I have!?! We bought bacon, a pork pie, some pork, eggs and some strawberries. Have to say their fruit and veg looked better than it used to, maybe they have a bigger turn over after the lockdowns when I suspect the locals shopped with them more. A few more bits from the shop across the way and we were done.

After lunch we pushed off to climb the locks. A lady waved to Mick from the bridge after opening the bottom gate, she thought he was her husband! With no boat following and two boats coming down the next lock we headed up on our own.

In the pound below The Admiral Nelson people sat out side their boat, turns out they were waiting for a boat to share with. Marvellous!

Nick Wolfe stood at the stern of Aldgate, he turned to me and said ‘Hire Boat!’ One was pulling into the lock landing below the lock, doing their best to get out of our way whilst being berated for mooring up. Oh blimey! Poor holiday makers! The poor ladies at the bow had steam coming out of their ears as they tried to pull their boat out of the way. They assumed I’d have the same reaction and angrily said they weren’t staying. As we worked the two boats up the lock I could still hear ‘You can’t moor there!’ from below. No wonder some people think boaters are down right rude, I think they already knew what was being rammed down their throats!

Calmly we worked our way up the remaining locks. Three generations of one family out on a friends boat for the day. The lady said they lived on a boat for ten years in the 70’s, it must have been so different then. Then she said that her husband was an actor, so they used to go where the work was. Obviously that started a whole different conversation.

Meanwhile Mick at the stern was chatting away, acting had been mentioned and the chap said ‘Oleanna’ sounded familiar. The world got smaller over the next couple of locks. Graham Padden had been working at The New Vic in Stoke in 1998 when the Stephen Joseph Theatre visited with their 10 x 10 season. 10 new plays with a company of 10 actors. Comic Potential, Perfect Pitch and Love Songs For Shopkeepers were the main house shows with seven more in the studio, I designed eight out of the ten. He then mentioned that he’d been in Shadowlands with Janie Dee in the West End. His wife and son were also actors. They’d all toured into Chipping Norton too!

At the top of the locks we led the way to the tunnel. Life jackets and torch at the stern. We soon saw a light coming towards us, this was followed by another three in quite quick succession. Thankfully no-one else entered the tunnel so we got to the kink on our own.

3:30pm. Would we get to the Watford flight in time to go up the locks before they closed? We’d get there, but if anyone was waiting then we’d not get up the locks today. We carried on up to Norton Junction where there was space for a couple of boats with the lovely view. It would have been rude not to moor up, so we tied the outside up and let Tilly out. She was given a strict time to be home. She obliged.

A little while later the bow of a very new Cowpar appeared at the bridge ahead of us. This was the new Finesse boat that had been shown at Crick Boat Show last weekend. Excuse the looks on their faces as it is a 70ft boat turning at a junction with a bridge hole to contend with. A very nice looking boat with electric drive, there’s a boat test by Adam about it in last months Canal Boat magazine.

6 locks, 6.98 miles, 1 right, 3 glasses, 1 prick, 500 whatevers, 10 turns, 2 syndicate members, 1 share for sale, 0 bangers, 6 rashers bacon, 3 pork loin steaks, 0.5kg beef mince, 1 small pork pie, 1 punnet strawberries, 3 actors on a boat, 1 tunnel, 2 mysterons, 4 passing boats, 1 prime view mooring, 1 bruised finger.

https://goo.gl/maps/1qq4YepPW6DonSeZ6

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna