In amongst our Christmas presents this year we got a lot of books. Most were canal orientated along with Nigella Lawson’s latest cookery book (thank you Emma), a book on bike rides (thank you Anne) and one on teaching your dog the classics somehow sneaked in there. My friend Nick has a weird sense of humour, his friend wrote it. Well that was the excuse he gave and he is very much a dog man.
I’m looking forward to reading Murder on the Oxford Canal and Mick has already started on Water Ways. So far the writer has been learning the ropes with Kate Saffin on her boat and they have just arrived at The Folly, Napton where Alarum Theatre Company will be performing their show Idle Women. I wonder if Heather from NB Bleasdale will get a mention along with NB Tench? Thank you Christine.
The Yorkshire calendar came from Kath and has several canal related photographs, mostly around the Skipton area. How apt that May (Mick’s birthday month) happens to be of bridge 186 in Kildwick, the bridge where we have photos of Lillian leaving and Oleanna approaching. Thank you Kath.
There’s not much to report regarding the breach this week. I suspect Oleanna has risen and fallen with the level, pretty much as she has done the last few weeks. Aerial photos are few and far between as people are staying home and until work starts there isn’t much new to see.
But yesterday there was the following C&RT notice.
Notice Alert
Aire & Calder Navigation Main Line Location: Culvert 14, Don Drain – Aire & Calder Navigation – Towpath closure at Breach Site Starts At: Culvert 14, Don Drain Ends At: Culvert 14, Don Drain
Monday 18 January 2021 08:00 until Sunday 27 June 2021 18:00
Type: Towpath Closure Reason: Structure failure
Original message:
Following a breach over the Christmas period adjacent to culvert 14 on the Aire & Calder, an area of the canal is to be dewatered to enable investigation works and a permanent solution to be constructed. To enable safe working the towpath is to be closed.
Towpaths tend to stay closed for longer than the navigation, but this gives us some idea of how long they are thinking the breach may take to fix. 23 weeks for the towpath. It looks like we will end up leaving via Goole Docks out onto the Tidal Ouse.
Enough of that painting malarkey, time to do some boating. But first there were some mushrooms that needed eating up which came accompanied by some baked beans.
Once Tilly had had a couple of hours competing with a kestrel for friends, she returned home and the back door was firmly closed. Still a chill in the air but the sun made an appearance which made for a pleasant early autumn cruise.
Our mooring had felt like we were the only boat about, with little footfall, apart from a slightly startled horse we’d felt quite on our own a perfect place for Tilly. At the junction though we could see where everyone had been hanging out.
We headed straight on, passing a gull sat on one of the rocks that stops you from going on a jolly into the reservoir.
Under Beavers Bridge before the bend to the north to face Drax Power Station.
Before the M18 Bridge there was a field of gulls, bobbing on the surface. I set my camera to Burst Mode as we approached waiting for them to make their move. As we ploughed through them they rose into the air, then circled round us to come back in and land filling the surface again.
No 10 is now accompanied by an old tug, showing off it’s fine funnels.
The wind turbines stretch off to the horizon behind Rawcliffe Marina, half of them turning, competing with Drax to produce clean electricity.
A Red Kite (I think) circled over the trees and canal, looking for an early lunch.
Under Goole Railway Bridge and through the stop gates we could see that our chosen Tilly friendly mooring was full. Several boats took the space and what was left was filled with fishermen, we hoped there’d be space for us near the services.
Fortunately there was, just enough room for us on the moorings before the water point, which was half taken up with a little sailing yacht. We tied up and had lunch, followed by topping up on water and disposing of all the rubbish we’d created during the last few days. Sorry the bins are now quite full.
Then a top up of diesel. We winded and came into the gap, the bow breasted up to a boat on the corner who has a large fender positioned for just such moments. Once filled we winded again and returned to the moorings, our space still avavilable.
Across the way alongside Exol Pride a new lick of yellow paint glinted off the side of Fusedale H. Then a huge cloud of smoke came from it’s exhaust, three chaps busy on board.
They pulled away towards the docks and our VHF radio crackled into life. The Harbour Master sounded surprised that it was Fusedale, their radio not working as it should. They were asking for permission to enter the harbour waters to wind and then return, their aerial in need of some attention. The Harbour Master commented on ship movements at the docks and that Farndale would soon be making it’s way up off the river.
Fusedale and Farndale are two of the gravel barges that will, next week apparently, be starting to do regular journeys from Hull to Leeds. The chap at Goole Boat House reckons there may be as many as 6 barges in the fleet. Today these two were out doing trial runs.
Later on we heard Farndale come off the river, his radio working better, but their radar a touch dondgy, they needed to fill their tanks to get under a bridge and then would be out of the docks and the incoming ships way. We waited to see if they pulled up alongside Fusedale, but by the time we headed to bed there was still no sign.
Under the dinette got a good sort this afternoon. All the painty stuff needed to be stowed away again. The cupboards got hoovered out and a sort, a pair of flipflops and an odd shoe of Micks are now destined for the bins.
0 locks, 7.22 miles, 1 straight on, 2 winds, 1 full water tank, 52 litres diesel, 1 gravel barge, 1 tug, 0 mid aft line, 1 dodgy aerial, 3, 1 shoe, 1 duck island, 0 shore leave for Tilly, 1 last lamb curry.
Pushing off around 10:30 we had some miles to cover by boat and foot to arrived in time for my appointment at EE in Goole.
The waterways around here do very big skies. This does however mean little shelter from the wind, we wore our waterproof coats to cheat the wind.
At Great Heck service yard we were surprised at the number of fridges and freezers piled up on the side. None of them really looked like they had been pulled out from the depths of the canal as they were still all very white, little if any signs of silty water. Just where have they all come from? Plenty of work boats were in too, several looking like they were having services.
We’re in the land of big boats now. Like a gold fish grows to fit the size of its bowl, boats grow in size to meet the size of the waterway. Lets face it there’s plenty of room round here, if you want to wind you don’t have to travel miles to do so, unless you’re a big boat that is!
Coming in towards Pollington Lock we could see someone had beaten us to the lock, a Dutch Barge. Would there be space for us too? We picked up speed to catch them up, plenty of room as we came in alongside them. There was chance for chat to the fella in the wheelhouse before the gates opened, we led the way below as they were stopping for water.
Today we were to see the most boats moving since possibly Skipton. One narrowboat came out ahead of us from the moorings below the lock, their speed a touch slower than ours, so Mick sped up a touch to overtake.
Up by the New Junction Canal Junction there was another slowish boat, he pulled over to let us pass which we managed before a cruiser came towards us and well before the junction. Straight on to Goole!
Drax was now in our sights working away burning biomass, wood pellets much like cat litter. Then we turned back towards the east only one slight bend between us and Goole Docks now.
We passed the chap who’d wanted to go to York but had problems with his recently installed bowthruster and then at Rawcliffe WB Yorkshire Pud was tied up, whom we’d moored alongside at Goole Boathouse last year.
Then with a zoom on the camera I could spy the big blue stern of Exol Pride moored up. She was pointing in the direction of Hull so we most probably won’t have to worry about her for a few days.
Under the railway bridge we had a choice of where to moor. On our left where we spent a week early last year, popular with dog walkers who arrive in their cars. Lots of room in front of the closed Goole Waterways Museum now all their boats have moved off for sale. Down at the Visitor Moorings there only looked to be one boat. We chose the first option, better for Tilly once we’d returned from town.
Over a kilometer to walk to the main road and then nearly another to reach town we left plenty of time for the walk.
First port of call, Argos. Mask donned, reference number read out, I had a phone again.
Second port of call, Boyes. I wanted a couple of new paint brushes and Boyes do a range that are pretty good quality at a reasonable price. I also got some wet dry sandpaper for between coats of paint. Mick had come out without his mask, so a box of emergency masks was added to my shopping.
We were about three quarters of an hour early for my appointment, but as one of the assistants was busy writing a card for a family member, they weren’t rushed off their feet. For the first time ever on walking into a mobile phone shop we were seen straight away and were their only customers. With two assistants we had one each.
I got sorted with a replacement Sim and my plan was reduced by £2 a month, admittedly my data was reduced too, but I never use it all anyway. Mick enquired about a new Sim for Oleanna’s router. We currently have a plan that started off being £20 for 100GB which has since morphed into unlimited for another £7, we never used the 100GB so would rather not be spending the extra money. EE could do us 100GB for £20 and because it could be tagged onto Mick’s account we got another 10% off so saving £9 a month. It was a deal. So to celebrate we headed to Tesco and bought ourselves an Indian for this evening, spending this months saving straight away.
Back at the far side of the docks, we’d been joined by another narrowboat with a big German Shepherd. Mick chatted with the owners before we let Tilly out for a couple of hours. They thought they’d seen Tilly come home, so let their dog run free. Tilly had been home for her ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies, but then gone straight back out again. For the remainder of the afternoon we had a very nosy dog peering into Oleanna, making me jump on one occasion.
Google backup is a wonderful thing and my new phone was very soon resembling my old one. But a few things had changed or not been remembered. Tilly has been my wallpaper for quite some time, now she was super sized and scans across the different pages as you swipe sideways, her big yellow eyes now following my every move. A few aps were missing and a few passwords had gone awol. Just a shame the phone numbers that went missing a couple of handsets ago are still missing! Oh well, sorry if your name begins with N!
So I’m back up and running. My new phone will not be going on a towel or in a pocket again, after all girls pockets are much too small for modern mobiles, unlike boys pockets!
1 lock shared, 11.72 miles, 1 straight on, 2 very long mooring ropes, 2 springs added incase of big boats, 1 VHF at the ready to listen, 2 spaces to choose from, 2 paint brushes, 25 masks, 20 sheets wet and dry, 1 phone, 2 sim cards, £108 saving, 1 annoying woofer, 1 giant Tilly, 2 currys, 4 onion bhajis, 1 jar mango chutney, 1 bag poppadoms, I wonder how you make poppadoms from scratch?
Scotsman’s Flash to Haigh Golf Club, Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Main Line
The view yesterday hadn’t really been worth lining up with our galley window. The bank being really quite high meant that even when stood up on tip toes the view of the flash sat behind the towpath.
We tip toed around the goose pooh and pushed off reaching Poolstock Bottom Lock a little before 8am. These locks are locked overnight to help conserve water levels in the Wigan area. We’ve come across one of the pounds being very very low before in Wigan, the wait for C&RT to fill it sufficiently for us to scrape along the bottom took into the afternoon and Mick even managed to polish some of Lillian’s mushroom vents whilst we waited. This morning the locks were unlocked and waiting for us, plenty of water about.
By 8:20 we’d ascended the two locks, clicking the anti vandal locks back on at each paddle. At Wigan Junction we turned right, a quick look to the left and we could see crew working the lock, this was likely to be NB Billy who we had a rendez vous with just around the bend.
Last night on the Wigan Flight Crew page there was mention of another boat moored below the locks and four facing the top of the flight, possibly waiting to comedown this morning. We pulled in behind NB Merganser and I walked up to chat with the Lock Keepers. We had arranged to share the locks with NB Billy, but Billy is a historic 62ft long boat and the Wigan flight is a maximum of 62ft, would it be wise for us to share with them? In some locks they might need to go a touch on the diagonal meaning one boat at a time. The Lockies suggested we shared with NB Merganser and they’d let NB Billy know what was happening.
Four young lads stood by the bottom gate, were they here to help or hinder? One Lockie said he knew a couple of them and they were alright. The lady from Merganser (Lindsay) said that they had helped a single hander yesterday and he couldn’t stop singing their praises. So all of a sudden we had six crew and other volunteers about too.
I stayed around as the lads closed gates and lifted paddles, the oldest suggested he was a volunteer, he certainly knew about each lock and which ones to take extra care on, he’d trained up his two brothers to help and it was the forth chaps first day with them. He had a meeting to go to so wouldn’t be around all morning. Once the boats were rising the lads walked up to the second lock to empty it ready for us. With the gates closed behind us I lifted a paddle for NB Billy who was just appearing behind us with quite a few blue topped volunteers in tow.
At the second lock the lads closed gates and lifted paddles, with the boats past the cill I was happy to walk on to the next lock to set it. The older chap headed off back down the flight leaving his crew with us. As Mick came into the third chamber we conferred regarding the help on hand and just so long as either Lindsay or myself stayed with the boats the extra assistance was very welcome. The lads were great at setting locks, opening gates etc, but if something went wrong would they know what to do?
Well that was the last we saw of them, we could see they were setting ahead for NB Billy, but we seemed to have lost our extra pair of hands. Never mind, we soon picked up an official volunteer on a bike with a life jacket who just headed on up the flight ahead of us setting the next locks.
Lindsay and I worked the locks whilst Mick and John moved the boats. Lock after lock after lock, all the time Dixie (?) their dog sniffing around and taking note.
Gates with winding gear were new to Lindsay as were the box ground paddles (do these have a name), I warned her about the clough ground paddles they’d come across the further they got towards Leeds.
The men chatted away at the stern whilst us ladies caught little glimpses of conversation as and when we could hear each other due to the water. They have been moored at Aqueduct on the Middlewich Branch this winter. Out for three weeks they are hoping to reach York and then head south on the Trent and move to Dunchurch Pools Marina near Rugby. They had left Aqueduct last Friday and come down the Trent and Mersey working their way through 9 locks compared to our 91! No wonder it’s taken us a touch longer!!
On reaching Lock 77 we were told by John, on his bike, that we’d we swapping with boats coming down hill in the next pound. You could tell by the amount of water coming down the bywash here that they wouldn’t be the only boats we’d encounter.
Between 76 and 75 we did this again, two single handers with several volunteers assisting. This was handy as it meant more people to hold the towpath side bottom gate slightly open. If this gate goes back into it’s recess it is a right bugger to get out to close the lock again. Add into the equation social distancing! Lending a hand to close a gate right now is almost pointless, because if you stand 2m away and pull the gate all your effort is minuscule compared to being able at the end of a beam.
John warned us of the next few locks which would need to be filled quickly as the bottom gates leak and the pounds above are short, so taking your time means you run out of water. With Mick and John warned to stay well back we wound the ground paddles up and then cautiously the gate paddles.
Not being able to see what the water is doing from your gate paddle is a touch concerning, but Lindsey and I watched out for each others, a nod for more water, a hand up to stop. This worked pretty well.
One top gate was more than just a waterfall. As both boats came in the bows got a good wash down. Glad we’d elected to have the cratch cover closed (normally open on narrow lock to save them getting torn). Once up both boats had to retrieve bow lines that had been washed off gas lockers into the chamber.
Now we appeared to have picked up another crew member an octogenarian with a walking stick who insisted on the chain being wound a certain way on one of the gates and then walked up to open the next gate for us. I did my best to keep my distance whilst he insisted on helping to pull a gate closed.
The count down to the top was now in full swing, arms, legs and backs starting to complain a touch, was now a good time for a muffin? Yes but we’d forgotten to bring them outside with us and with all doors locked it was a touch too much effort to get them.
Two left to go and we had helping hands again from the volunteers. The penultimate lock has top gates that really don’t want to stay shut, so as we closed them a paddle was quickly opened to set it for NB Billy now only a couple of locks behind.
The top lock 65 takes time to fill, the amount of weed sitting above the top gates is not wanted in the flight or adding to problems with gate paddles so only ground paddles are allowed. This does mean you get the chance to chat with the chaps. As John and Lindsay were going to head straight off and we were after water they pulled out first.
We may see them again as the Barrowford Flight is currently out of action up to the summit, but they are likely to zoom on ahead with places to go and miles to cover, whilst we take our time. It was lovely sharing with them.
We pulled in at the services, set the water going, collected rubbish for the bins and emptied the yellow water making use of the elsan.
As we finished topping up NB Billy rose in the final lock, the young crew having a ride in the large well deck as the volunteers wound the paddles. Thanks all round for the crew, although I think the lads were hoping for more than just a handshake!
We pushed off again aiming for a mooring we’d stopped at in 2014 on Lillian the night before we decended the flight. A quick check of Waterway Routes and Paul confirmed it’s location with a big M suggesting there would be armco to aid our mooring.
A restful afternoon with Tilly avoiding walkers and cyclists and the occasional golf ball being teed off across the way.
During the morning I’d been sent a link for The Garden. When I’d first chatted to Lynda regarding the show over a year ago, her producers brief was that they wanted the show to be ‘Lovely’. Since then lots has happened and the play has been re-imagined into the Lockdown Edition. I know I’m biased but it certainly has turned out to be ‘Lovely’. The thought of all the actors recording their lines on their phones at home, Firielle under her duvet to soften the sound and then sending them in to Amy (director) and Penny (digital production) who have put images to text to sound to animation to music (a lovely song by Rhiannon Scutt) to my illustrations. Lovely.
23 locks, 4.5 miles, 1 right, 1 left, 1 swap of partners, 4 going down, 3 up, 4 lads, at least 5 volunteers, 1 bike, 1 woofer, 1 dry day, 1 broken down cruiser, 2 locking pals, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 0 rubbish, 6 covid handshakes, 4 tasty muffins, 1 friendly cover mooring, 1 lovely production, 2 pooped boaters, 215 foot 6 inches higher.
Bollington Embankment to Tilly Trees (Braddocks Bridge 19)
Geraghty Zoom this morning. Topics covered were tadpoles, caterpillars, Thomas’s PHD and hot composting was touched upon, but strangely enough nobody was interested in what we could add to their bins! It was good to see everyone as ever.
Conversation also turned to the five step road map for theatre and live music to be able to return which the Government announced on Thursday evening. This has to have been written on the back of a beer mat and would have served much better purpose if it had been left in a pub! There has been no mention of extra money for the sector to help it wait in the dark and no dates of when the stages might be able to be implemented, so the entertainment sector still balances on the edge of a knife with zero support.
The first two stages of the road map are already allowed. Whoopee! Oh hang on, ‘physically distanced rehearsal and training with no audiences; and physically distanced performances for broadcast and recording purposes,’ well that has been happening for the last three months anyway!!
I could go on, but instead I’d like to share a few things that are or will be happening in the arts.
Next Monday rehearsals for Hamlet at the Theatre Royal Windsor will start, this was a production postponed from the summer season. It will star Sir Ian McKellan in the lead role. Production dates are still to be confirmed once Government guidance on how and when the theatre can reopen safely are announced. Who knows how long they will be rehearsing for, good job Bill Kenwright, the producer, has a bit of money behind him.
A unique performance has been created by Chippy Theatre and Oxford University, taking an irreverent long view on plagues and pandemics. This is streaming for free on line at Contagion Cabaret.
This autumn Derby Theatre will be creating a series of journeys around the theatre, Ghost Light. It will be available for one household or small bubble at a time. Production dates still to be confirmed once Government guidance gives the go ahead.
ENO are launching Drive and Live. In September the company will be performing in the grounds of Alexandra Palace to an audience in their own cars. La Boheme and The Magic Flute have been adapted into shorter versions and will have suitably spaced singers and musicians.
Then there are our friends at Animated Objects Theatre Company in Scarborough. This weekend should have been Armed Forces Weekend. They had been working on various projects with the community. But for obvious reasons the weekend has been cancelled. Despite this their Young Peoples Red Arrows, inspired by the RAF aerobatic team, gathered on Scarborough beach on Friday in formation with rainbow vapour trails. Scroll down this page to see how they made the Red Arrows.
Mick headed off to the Co-op with his mask at the ready to top up on a few fresh supplies and our Saturday newspaper. He would have visited the butchers too but storm clouds were rumbling overhead. Sadly he’d left a loaf of bread and had to return later in between rain showers to collect it.
Mid afternoon we decided to move on a touch, to give the birds a break from Tilly. So we pushed off, passing Clarence Mill. Yesterday the old work boat NB Prince had been moored opposite on bollards but in the evening the Bollington Wharf crew brought Butty Beetlejuice, towed by one of their dayboats and Prince was returned to the wharf. We wonder if the bollards were put in when this end of the embankment was worked on earlier this year.
Last October the canal was closed here and dewatered due to leakage. An 80 meter section of the canal bed was relined and 66 meters of wash wall rebuilt. The stretch was reopened ten days before lockdown was implemented. Then the towpath reopened only three weeks ago and very smart it looks too.
The offside vegetation in the bridge holes is doing nothing for our cabin sides. I’m considering getting our shears out and standing in the well deck at each bridge and trimming what I can as we go through, the brambles have taken over somewhat.
Sugar Lane Bridge adds a whole new angle to the Macc bridges. It is built on a skew which adds extra curves to it’s structure, quite an optical illusion as you pass through.
Then looking back behind us I waited for the glimpse of White Nancy standing high above Bollington. I’d wanted to have a walk up there, but being a fare weather walker today it hadn’t seemed that appealing. But plenty of people were up there enjoying the views. Instead from down on the cut we caught the occasional glimpse through the high hedge towards Manchester.
Between Barton’s Bridge 22 and Hibberts Brow Bridge 21 we were taken aback by a pink haze. On the offside behind the trees, the hill was a mass of tall pink flowering plants. Was it Rosebay Willowherb? No the hill was covered with foxgloves. We’re used to seeing them singly or on clumps but on mass, blimey! Just like a carpet of bluebells, only pink and a lot taller. More and more kept coming into view. Sadly my photos don’t do them justice.
When we reached the stone fence posts we knew it was time to pull over. Further on and we’d be close to a road, here would do for Tilly as it did in 2016. But before the doors could be opened there was something I had to do.
She gave me all the usual rules, ‘Blah blah blady blah, 2 hours blah blah!’ Then was about to open the door, when She stopped. I was picked up and put on the sofa, just what was going on and using up my precious shore leave?
Oh NO!!! She was undoing my collar, this could only mean one thing! But three months hasn’t passed yet!! How DARE She, especially when She’d just given me the Blah blah rules! My legs shrank and I managed to escape, She wasn’t being quite as forceful as usual though.
The cat proof cupboard was opened, had she moved the horrid neck cooling, evaporating, squeezy, up your nose, bleurgh stuff? No!!
Out came a new cat tag collar. My old one was just that, old! Recently it has taken to stretching just a little bit too much and getting caught around my arm when squeezing through small gaps. This has necessitated returning early so She could sort it for me. The new one is a touch in your face (not mine as I can’t see it when it’s round my neck) as it’s bright red with fishes on it. She tried it on me for size, expecting to have to loosen it, but I am a slender feline and it fitted just right at it’s tightest. But She had to take it off again as it required my cat tag adding to it so that shore leave would be permitted.
The new bell was checked to make sure I would sound like me, and it did. With the fish blowing bubbles upwards my new cat tag collar was popped back around my neck and the back doors opened up.
My apologies that there are only a few decent photos of my new collar, I posed for a couple, but my time was limited as there were trees to climb!
0 locks, 1.99 miles, 9 zooming, 1 newspaper, 1 chicken, 1 wobbly head, 2 outsides, 1 white nancy, 45835432526 foxgloves, 1 good sounding bell, 1 red collar, 1 photo shoot abandoned due to trees, 4742 trees, 1 vat of chilli.
Crow Holt’s Bridge to Clarence Mill Footbridge 26A
So much for a day of rest and staying put! Instead the alarm had been set as we needed to be on our way, come rain or shine. It was most certainly a rainy start. Coats were soon put on over our shorts and light rain accompanied us.
One trip on NB Winding Down had us seeking out a good vantage point overlooking Macclesfield on a Bonfire Night, sadly we ended up giving up and moored in front of a house, setting off our one rocket and swizzling sparklers around in the dark. That house is for sale right now, shyly hiding behind it’s huge hedge. Luckily the estate agent took a drone with them to get a good photo for the house details! Details here.
At Royal Oak Swing Bridge I hopped off, crossed the bridge, popped a birthday card in the post, had a little look at the lovely old cars in the pub car park and returned ready with the key of power. Only one car held up today, I suspect a couple more had seen the barriers and changed their route accordingly.
The brolly came out for us to have some shelter. In the past the next swing bridge has been a bit of a pain to move. Today it moved fine once I’d jiggled my key around in the lock to find that it required a full turn anti-clockwise rather than the 3/4 suggested by the instructions!
I hopped off again at Lyme Green. A visit to Pets at Home required for our second mate. Despite the rain we had to carry on, luckily it gradually dried up.
The hills came into view as we rounded the next bend, these will be with us for the next week or so as we follow the 518 ft contour line northwards to Marple and Bugsworth Basin.
Passing over the Gurnett Aqueduct we approached Macclesfield. A snake bridge backed by a road bridge guided us towards the big wall that holds the higher side of Macclesfield back and stopping it from falling into the canal.
Maybe it should have been extended as someone’s garden has fallen onto the towpath closing quite a long stretch.
Passing the big mill we could see the back of a well photographed boat through the next bridge hole. We met NB Alfie in Market Harborough quite a few years ago in our yellow days, but we tend not to get recognised now that we blend into the masses.
The pontoon moorings were just about full, NB Winton’s Folly sat at the far end. The view has improved since we were last here. We remembered a site meeting with several chaps wading through weeds, but now instead of scrub land The Bridges stands tall alongside the canal. Manicured gardens surround the winding hole. Quite nice retirement apartments if you have enough cash to spend on one!
Back out into the countryside. There’s a length of new (to us) stonework, was this where the towpath was falling into the cut or was this where the cut had been trying to escape through the towpath?
Clarke Lane Bridge 29 another snake bridge, still not as curvy as it could be. A bit further, past Kerridge Dry Dock and on to Adelphi Mill, Bollington. The canal was filled with boats, only space for one at a time through here. We were now most definitely back in Alton Land.
Back in 2016/17 Brian and Ann Marie who ran NB Alton, the coal boat up here, had just purchased Bollington Wharf. At one point we’d considered launching Oleanna here, but sadly she was delayed. But today we were paying a visit for a touch of work.
A couple of summers ago our gas locker hinges had broken, Johnathan at Tyler Wilson replaced them for us when we were in Sheffield last. But sadly somehow one of them had given up on us again a few months ago. So the locker lid has been hanging on by one hinge all winter and needed seeing to.
We knew that Bollington Wharf would be capable of doing the job for us, so Mick had called them yesterday. Photos had been sent through and last night Ann Marie had emailed back asking if we could be at the wharf between 1 and 2pm today, a three to four hour cruise from last nights mooring. Then Steve would have a closer look and see what he could do for us.
The sun was out and we were greeted with cheery smiles all round as we tied up. We’d messaged ahead a week ago for a new V fender as ours is starting to look tatty, shackles and fixings were also needed. A top of diesel too.
Yesterday Mick had mentioned that an overhanging branch at one of the locks had left a mark. I’d taken it that he had meant the gunnels, well that’s easy enough to touch up. But when I stepped off the boat I could see what he meant. A wavering scrape all down the starboard side, a second one in places too. Blimey, it looked like someone had attacked us with a key! Hopefully some coloured polish will help.
Steve came and managed with quite a lot of difficulty to get the locker lid off, he took it away to see if he could push the pin out. But sadly this wasn’t going to be that easy and the other side of the hinge would be even harder, the pillar drill would need to be used to drill out the pin, so the offending bits were angle ground off and taken away.
A new stainless steel pin was added then the hinge welded back on. A couple of hours later the locker lid was working again. We said we’d try and time our next trip onto the Macc with the other hinge giving up.
Because the locks have been closed for a while the wharf hasn’t been as busy as it should have been, so we’d timed our phone call very well. Thank you to all for the speedy repair.
We pootled on a short distance further and found ourselves a space at the embankment, underneath the big red brick chimney of Clarence Mill and settled in for the rest of the day. Thunderstorms had been forecast so I refrained from getting some primer on the new hinges, sadly the rain didn’t arrive.
This is when I noticed another mark on the cabin side. A bridge had bitten us on the port side this morning. Looks like Oleanna will be getting a wash and polish soon.
Tilly headed off across the lane alongside of the embankment and spent quite a bit of time there until she was called back for dingding. Once dingding is served the back doors are kept closed and shore leave is at an end for the day.
Sometime later I could hear the alarm call of some birds in the trees nearby. It sounded like they were telling Tilly off! Then the penny dropped. After Mick had had a shower he’d left the bedroom door open. When it’s hot we leave the front doors open but close the bathroom door, the bedroom keeps cool, but Tilly can’t get out. She must have just sauntered out for a bit more friend finding.
Fortunately for all concerned, apart from Tilly, I’d heard the commotion. She’d found a friend and was being busy. I provided a distraction just long enough for a quick escape, once Tilly realised her friend had gone she gave up and came home with me, leaving the towpath nice and calm again.
0 locks, 8.01 miles, 1 more alarm clock, 4 queue boats passed, 1 birthday card, 1 new collar, 64 litres, 1 huge bag charcoal, 1 V, 3 shackles, 1 bag sticks, 1 mended hinge, 2 hours sorted, 2 scratches, 1 escapee, 1 friend rescued, 1 little thug.
She would like me to thank you all for suggestions on the mystery birdie. Jennie came in first, followed by Anne, then Sue. The sausage roll really goes to Jennie’s son, but apparently if we keep quiet about it we’ll be able to eat it ourselves, so Shhh!
The birdie in question was apparently a Lap Wing. A strange name. A Lap is where I lie on an evening in front of the warm stove, then a Wing is what I leave, far too feathery for my liking! Although they are quite good for flossing between your teeth.
Life has suddenly become very busy for me and not so busy for others. There is so much exploring to do, trees to climb, digging, woofer avoidance, I’ve even sorted out my own shore based facilities.
My day starts off with extra snoozing, as I need to conserve my energy for the rest of the day. She and Tom sit in bed that bit longer than normal so I do my best to keep toes warm. But should a boat come by they both crane their necks round to see who it might be. This morning it was a boat that has come all the way from furthest Wales in the last few days, our friend Geoff Tom saw him and now we have, he’s not tied up the outside like everyone else has!
Then there is the game of pen. It is such a good way to wake up, the sound of a pen lid being clicked back into position ready for me to pounce. Some days this goes on for a while, but others She cries out in pain so the game is stopped. She seems to think I don’t clean my nails enough anymore. But it’s their fault for not moving the outside as much as they used to.
Lockdown Mooring 1 was great. A couple of trees, friends, side ways trees, a bank to watch from and a field to run around in. It was sunny and warm, lovely.
Then last Friday they let it go, untied it and let it drift away. She said I needed a break so to put my paws up and let them be busy instead. I kept an eye on them though, they weren’t that busy. I’d have been busier!!
The outside was then moved to Lockdown Mooring 2. Lockdown Mooring 2 had potential, blue skies, trees but not enough time to check it out fully before it was Dingding time.
Newspaper day came. They let Lockdown Mooring 2 outside go and headed to Nantwich outside. It’s not so good there so I wasn’t too disappointed not to be let out. She said I wouldn’t be going out there anymore, too many people who might have the lurgy durgy. So I sat in my window on the other side of the glass from the lurgy durgy people, they could admire me, but not touch, I was safe.
She and Tom went off to do the shopping. I normally get closed into the bedroom for a few minutes when they come back, but that day I was in there for ages and ages and then another age. When She let me out again everything smelt funny, a bit like when she cleans out my pooh box. Luckily it didn’t smell for too long.
This outside was cast aside wizzed round, briefly tied up again so they could top up on water. I got a clean pooh box too. Back we went out of Nantwich outside, wizzed round again, only to tie up Lockdown Mooring 2 outside again. Well what was that all about? They wasted a hole day just because it was newspaper day. I could have kept myself busy all day and when they tied this outside up again I’d have still been in it! They are so selfish at times.
Lockdown Mooring 2 outside is okay. It’s not as sunny as Lockdown Mooring 1 outside was, it’s colder too. There are fewer woofers and walkers, most probably due to the lower temperature. But the farmer has been preparing a great big pooh field for me, lots of fresh earth to dig up and use as cover, so I’ve only once had to step foot in my pooh box.
Some days, like today She does some work. I couldn’t help today as it was all tiny writing and then lots of numbers, I’m not so good at writing freepaw. But then she came for a walk with me along the towpath. We’d nearly got back when a man appeared with a woofer. The woofer didn’t see me but the man did. He made his woofer wait whilst I went down the bank into some friendly cover, no way was I going back onto the boat yet, there was still another two hours of shore leave left!
I’ve been told that I shouldn’t use the outside up too quickly as we might be here sometime. Tom wouldn’t let me out after dingding time, even though I can see in the dark! I’m pacing myself though and reckon I’ve about another twenty hours before it will all be used up, that’ll be fine won’t it?!
Over the last couple of days we’ve been discussing whether we should wear gloves whilst working locks now. Apart from when we venture to the shops this is when we might be in contact with the virus. So far I haven’t bothered, making a mental note of what I touch when back on the boat and giving those places and my windlass a wipe down.
Mick however today decided that he’d wear gloves to protect others as well as himself. Doing so makes you a touch more aware of what you touch. He wore his rubber coated gloves and I pulled out a disposable pair for working our way down Hack Green Locks.
I’ve also changed how I tie my hair up. A ponytail doesn’t quite keep it all away from my face when working locks and this gets quite annoying when you are trying to avoid touching your face! So today I decided to revert to pigtails. All good so far, except my hat doesn’t quite sit on top of them.
A few boats had come past this morning and the lady from the boat behind us had been out for a walk with her dog and cat. We pushed off at nearly midday, well Tilly had been out finishing off her friends!
The communications mast from the Secret Bunker hid behind the trees for much of the mile to the locks. We wondered how much toilet roll was stashed away down there in the cold war and if it still might be there.
Our new modus operandi for working the locks seemed to work well. That was until I spotted bedoingee lambs in the field alongside the locks and had to take a photo!
My camera would now need a wipe down. One little lamb obliged when a bedoing was requested and both Mick and I bounced up and down to keep it company.
The locks were easy work, followed by wiping things down and disposing of gloves. I think the top of the cabin sides of Oleanna will end up being very clean at this rate.
A zoom in to the hill tops just in view confirmed that we could see Mow Cop on the horizon a familiar sight from the Trent and Mersey and Macclesfield Canals.
Then a dart of blue, quickly followed by another! Two Kingfishers sprinted ahead of us. We kept our eyes glued to where we thought they might have landed. The camera worked overtime pointing in their general direction and I was lucky to get one reasonable shot with the two of them. I wonder if they were by their nest as it’s now breeding season.
We pootled along soon reaching the outskirts of Nantwich. A long line of boats greeted us, did this mean the embankment was full? No it meant the usual boats that stay in one place for a fortnight were doing just that, close to a bridge and away from visitor moorings.
Along the first stretch of 2 day moorings we spotted Jellicoe the butty for NB Mountbatten. Here is a possible mooring for a supermarket delivery, but as none are available we decided to continue on towards the aqueduct. Last time we passed here NB Valerie was moored along the embankment. Today another green boat sat on the same mooring.
As we rounded the bend of the embankment we could see that there was plenty of space up ahead near the service block and the ramp down to the roads below. We crossed the aqueduct and found ourselves a place, furthest away from the road as possible.
Our shopping trip was put on hold until tomorrow when we’ll face others in the queues at the tills. So Tilly got to reacquaint herself with the hill we’re sat on. Too much footfall for her liking, but better than BUMingham.
During the afternoon I received an email that I really hadn’t expected. Dark Horse have decided to continue with The Garden. They don’t know when or if it will get to be seen by an audience, but want to continue as if it will be. So this afternoon I have scanned my drawings and emailed them off to my friend Graham for a quote. I will colour up the model and in April we’ll have a virtual production meeting via Zoom. Depending on when the show goes ahead will depend on how much I can achieve of my design as I’m not sure charity shops will be open for me to start collecting costumes.
Late afternoon the laptop was handed over to the IT department. It’s all very well arranging for meetings to take place over the internet, but you really need to have a working microphone and camera for such things. After an hour or so, both were working. Mick is now going to see if he can connect my camera up to the laptop at the same time so that I can walk people through the model more easily than with the laptop.
2 locks, 3.93 miles, 2 outsides, 0 friends, 4 muddy paws, again! 1 job to continue, 2 Kingfishers, 2 pairs gloves, 2 antibac wipes, 2 pigtails, 1 last of everything fresh stew, 1 sister-in-law in Australia, 6 weeks lock down in China starting to lift, 0 new measures here.
Lane Head Bridge to Urban Moorings, Lycetts Basin Bridge
A day full of sunshine. We soon passed where Vernon (Production Manager in Vienna) used to play as a child on the Short Heath Branch. His grandmothers cottage apparently was demolished and replaced by the current houses in the 1930’s and she moved to a council house. His Grandfather was night watchman on the arm and his uncles were day boat men delivering coal to Wolverhampton till the early 1960s.
Today NB Senior Moment was occupied both by humans and several Pekineses. Maybe they’d just come back from a cruise or were preparing for one.
We pootled onwards, the canal seeming far cleaner than it had done a month ago. In the bottom of someones garden I spied a curled up mass of fur, could it be alive? It opened it’s eyes to check us out as we passed. A couple of hundred yards later another battered and torn fox walked along the canal edge. They both looked like they’d been in a fight and had seen better days.
Approaching Rockery Bridge I got ready to hop off and see if this Sainsburys might have some arrowroot. I wizzed round the store and found some with baking powder and baking soda, I just hope my starter perks itself up in the next day or two!
Mick carried on and moored up on the first set of bollards, lunchtime. As we ate a boat came past, the first boat we’ve seen moving since we left Brindley Place! yes we did see some heads on Tividale Aqueduct, but not the actual boat.
Onwards, picking up a big branch which necessitated reversing and changing course before we continued much further. Our original plan had been to head for the offside moorings in Wolverhampton, hopefully stopping at Urban Moorings for some coal on the way.
As we came under Swan Garden Bridge we could see the end of the arm where Urban Moorings sits. A bench looks down the canal with Fender Fred watching for boats.
Could we see anyone? We slowed and crept our way along. Towards the end was a mooring, by some new looking sheds. A lady was stood by a door and said hello. We asked if they had any coal and if so, what variety. ‘Excell 20kg bags, £10 a bag’. Yes please. We pulled in as more and more people appeared from the sheds all wearing high-vis.
What a welcome, help to moor up too. Conversations about where we were heading turned to them saying that they had a visitors mooring £8 including electric a night. Mick and I were having a similar conversation at different ends of the boat, him saying we’d have a chat about it, me saying ‘We’ll be staying the night then’ images of the washing machine going round round in both our heads.
Once tied up we were given guided tours of the moorings. Neither of us had realised just how big the site was. Originally Commercial Wharf the arm and land around it, there were Lime Kilns a wharf and slipway where boats were maintained. The boats, Ampton boats, were used for transporting coal along the flat Wolverhampton level and Wyrely and Essington Canal, no need to descend any locks so they were built longer and a touch wider, their holds could carry 45 to 50 tons of coal.
The site was used as a boat yard until 1992 when the last boat left the dock. Several boats had been restored here including NB Tench.
Urban Moorings CIC are a group of boaters who are wanting to create mooring sites that boaters actually want, integrating history, ecology, art and volunteering. They redevelop moorings very slowly ‘Slow Regeneration’ without having to spend millions of pounds doing so. The moorers live on site, their aim is to turn derelict and unprofitable sites owned by C&RT into self managed boater run moorings.
These very friendly ladies have been here for three years, built moorings, brought electric and water onto site, made gardens for nature to inhabit where lime kilns used to be. They must have spent years clearing away buddleia and now sheds seem to be taking over. An office, a workshop, a bits and bobs exchange, more moorings planned. Recently they advertised on facebook that they were now selling coal and gas. Today they received 100 bags of Excell and moved their gas cage into position. There had also been a volunteer day to kick start the creation of a community garden. What an Oasis.
Four/five dogs inhabit the area, but they offered to put them all away if Tilly wanted some shore leave. We both looked around. She would absolutely love it here if the scent of woofers wasn’t too much for her. But we decided that the look of underneath the decking on our mooring would be far too interesting and it would be a very soggy and painful extrication for both her and us. Another day kept inside, Saturday isn’t that far off!
After all the chatting, oh Kate Saffin was also here having volunteered for the day, we eventually managed to get hooked up, washing machine on, yellow water disposed of. If our solids container had been more advanced it could have been emptied here too. That is something we’ll think about, if we can store our solids during the first stage of composting and deposit it when next we pass then we’ll be using our toilet as fully intended.
They do seem to have thought of everything one could want and have plans for even more here. All profits go back into the project, so any support either through volunteering or purchases will be used to improve what they have to offer. Good luck to them, we’ll certainly be putting them on our map as a good stopping place. More information here Urban Moorings CIC
Checking our vital statistics for a years worth of cruising takes a while. We have a trip computer which records almost all our journeys, sometimes it counts locks twice, sometimes it doesn’t quite catch where we reached before we wind. Before we used this method of recording our journeys I would use canal plan to work out our distances. This method can also miss out parts of our journey but it does give me more statistics. You know how I like numbers! How many bridges, how many narrow locks and what distances we travelled on different types of waterways. So inputting a years worth of cruising takes some time.
Anyhow, here is our round up of the year.
The New Year was seen in at Crick. From here we decided to head to Sheffield to have the last snagging jobs done on Oleanna, we were fortunate that the route north was open with no winter stoppages in our way until we reached Yorkshire. Once in the top chamber at Foxton it was going to be downhill all the way to Keadby.
Sadly our blog started to loose it’s photos, which is a great shame. It was a problem shared by many bloggers who were all doing their best to get things working again. Have to say we ended up jumping ship from blogger to wordpress, but posts still lacked their photos when moved. We hope gradually to rectify this by replacing the missing photos, I miss them when looking back. But this will be a long job.
During January we cruised down stream on the River Trent, the weather was getting colder the further north we got. Our route was clear but at Keadby the lock off the river was being dredged, so our journey was held up a touch. Then with February came cold nights and the canal at Keadby froze over. So we waited at Cromwell for things to improve.
Daylight hours and tides meant we split our tidal journey at Torksey. The early morning start from Torksey was very cold, so I was very glad I’d knitted us both balaclavas, we remained cosy cheeked for our journey.
Our journey up towards Sheffield meant we coincided with the bicentenary of the opening of the canal and a very unseasonably warm weekend. The chaps at Finesse replaced a leaking window, gave us a new one (our choice), sorted out our gas locker lid amongst other bits and bobs. It had been a good decision going to Sheffield, it saved them time coming out to us and it saved us money on the extras we’d asked for.
Next we headed for Goole, the lure of cheap diesel and a night away to see our friends Bridget and Storm on the otherside of the Humber was a bonus. We then hunkered down to sit out storms and rising river levels. Our original plan had been to go to York, but flooding put paid to that, so instead we went by train.
Towards the end of March we decided to give a trip up the Ouse another go, the rivers were at better levels and we still haven’t taken Oleanna there. But first Bank Dole lock wouldn’t fill due to silt, then when we reached Selby the Lock onto the Ouse had a fault which would take too much time to mend for us to wait. This was a relief for Tilly as this was where she’d discovered the difference between grass and duck weed and ended up learning to swim a couple of years ago.
At the beginning of April we headed to Leeds. From here we had a day trip to Derby Crown Court for the sentencing of our original boat builder (Stillwater) who had finally pleaded guilty for fraud. I also spent a more pleasurable day in London, having a meeting for Puss in Boots.
With panto in mind we planned our cruising for the remainder of the year. The remainder of April we made our way up the Calder and Hebble and onto the Rochdale Canal.
Our friend Frank joined us to do the stretch from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge, which included the deepest lock n the network, Tuel Lane. He’d not done this stretch back in 2014 when he and I walked from Manchester locking Lillian over the Pennines to get to the Tour de France.
Once over the top we picked up a boat to share the locks down into Manchester. Clare and Graeme were over from New Zealand for a few months and proved to be very good company.
On the 1st of May, with the help of a Canal and River Trust volunteer our passage down into Manchester went well. The following day both boats headed down the Rochdale nine with an extra pair of hands from an old college friend of mine, Doug.
During May we cruised down the Bridgewater and onto the Trent and Mersey Canal gradually heading southwards. A short detour up the Middlewich Branch to look at where the breach had been before we carried on southwards.
A pause in the Cheshire Locks meant we got to meet up with Tom and Jan who were over for a visit. For Micks birthday we moored at Barlaston and had a nosy at the wonderful hall on the hill, our plan still stands if any of our family are interested! https://oleanna.co.uk/2019/05/23/the-plan-20th-may/
We saw the end of May out mooring at Tixall Wide before rejoining the Trent and Mersey and heading onto Fradley Junction where we joined the Coventry Canal. With Atherstone Locks out of the way I spent time below working whilst we cruised familiar waters on the flat, it might have rained too!
A day trip to London from Rugby for us both, me to a seminar for Separate Doors 3 and Mick to catch up with his friend Siobhan who was over from Australia. Continuing down the North Oxford Canal to Braunston where we joined the Grand Union Canal to head to London.
A visit to the Royal Ordnance Depot at Weedon meant I bought some lovely yarn to make a cardie for myself (it’s nearly finished!) and caught up with our friend Heather Bleasdale, who just so happened to be moored there as well.
Our route then up and down the Grand Union meant we managed to get to see both Mikron shows this year as well as teaming up with the cast and NB Tyseley to climb the locks up to the summit.
Tilly was left in charge for a couple of days whilst we headed to Scarborough to check on our house as we had a change of tenants. This meant we got to stay with Jaye and Duncan and catch up on the news from home.
We now pressed on down to London where we booked a mooring in Paddington Basin for a week in early July. This gave us the opportunity to catch with with friends and family before we headed back out west and down the Hanwell flight. I made the front cover of Canal Boat for July.
Mid July we locked out onto the Thames cruising the Tidal section to Teddington. From here we transited to the River Wey, brand new waters for us.
With my final design for panto delivered to Chipping Norton from Guildford we could enjoy our cruising a bit more, despite the soaring temperatures which had us hiding under trees for a couple of days.
On the 26th July we ticked off our third point on the compass, reaching Godalming the furthest south you can get on the connected network. On our way back to the Thames we met up with Adam from NB Briar Rose, both he and Tilly got wet that day.
The original plan had been to cruise the Basingstoke Canal whilst we were there, but sadly the levels were too low and the canal closed before we got there, so we spent a while longer on the Wey.
Onto the Thames where we managed to get a space outside Hampton Court for a couple of days and I discovered the joys of standing in line for some fresh veg. Gradually we made our way up the Thames. Waking early and getting going worked for us as mostly we managed to get moored where we wanted around lunchtime. Three years ago we did from Teddington to Oxford in a week but with a months licence we took our time.
The further upstream we got the quieter the river got, less hustle and bustle. We met up with Paul and Christine (NB Waterway Routes), missed Carol and George (WB Still Rockin), finally got to have a proper conversation with Sue and Vic (WB No Problem XL) as we headed upstream.
As the rivers bends got tighter, the banks were harder to get up. A mooring by Kelmscott Manor required a rope from the post to help us get on and off the boat, but it was worth it to visit the house.
On the 26th August we winded at the furthest point we could reach on the Thames on Oleanna and started to head back eastwards. Tilly gave one of our moorings a double stamp of approval and stayed out well after dark!
An incident with engine coolant nearly stopped us from reaching Oxford to see War Horse. But a nice man from RCR got us going again so we had a narrow lock fix and headed to the show catching up with Matt and Bill for a drink afterwards.
Then at the beginning of September we turned off the Thames onto the Kennet and Avon. For the last five years we’ve been meaning to head this way, but for one reason or another it hadn’t happened.
With tales of lack of mooring we kept to rising early hoping we’d get moorings. This mostly worked and wild moorings were very rarely needed, we did still have to use the gang plank every now and again. We only encountered one pound on our westward journey where even the longest plank wouldn’t have helped which meant we had to carry on up a flight with the clock ticking before locks were locked around us.
At Devizes we met an Instagram friend Frankie who’d been working on the flight over the summer. Despite following another boat down the flight we made good time with the help of the volunteers.
Onwards to Bath and Bristol. Here we moored with HMS GB in the background and met up with two of my old school friends for lunch. A big shame we couldn’t stay longer as there was more we wanted to do and see whilst there, we’ll just have to save up for next time as the mooring fees are quite pricey!
The section between Bath and Bradford upon Avon was our favourite, with the aqueducts and views along with the second deepest lock on the network.
Mick and Tilly got to enjoy it for a week longer than me whilst I headed off to Cornwall to eat gluten free pasties and start painting my panto set for a week.
Once I was back we had two weeks to reach Oxford, but the weather had different ideas. What felt like the monsoon season started. There was rain on most days, luckily not the day we did Devizes. We managed to team up with two couples from Bristol on a hire boat, by the time they reached the top of the flight they could work uphill locks with their eyes closed, we left them to master downhill on their return journey.
Our second low pound struck as we tried to leave Cobblers Lock, Oleanna was sat firmly on the ground and unable to leave the lock until a good flushing of water set her free. The rain actually did me a favour as whilst we sat in Newbury hoping for the Thames to drop I managed to get my model for A Regular Little Houdini finished.
At the end of October I headed off to panto land leaving Mick and Tilly a short distance outside Reading, hoping they would be able to get up the Thames in the following week. Our friend Paul came and helped Mick out onto the Thames reaching Goring on their first day. Here Mick and Tilly got to met Carol and George (WB Still Rockin’) who’d been clinging onto the moorings there before heading downstream.
Paul returned later in the week and despite the engine overheating and having to deploy the anchor they succeeded in getting to Abingdon where Oleanna had her second visit from RCR. Mick battled on against quite a downstream flow and reached Sandford Lock before tying up. Here the levels rose and fell, the engineer came for a second visit and found lots of crud in our cooling system.
With the engine in better fettle, Mick nudged his way up towards Oxford and finally made a dash up Osney Lock and onto the canal despite that section still being on red boards. It turns out he’d chosen his moment well as the river has stayed on red boards since then.
Once I left all the singing dancing and glitter behind and returned to narrowboat life we had to sit out high levels on the Oxford canal and on the River Cherwell. We loitered in Oxford, but as soon as it looked like things were improving we were on our way.
We paused in Banbury for Christmas haircuts and shopping before pulling in for a few days at Cropredy Marina, from where we headed to London for a Sibling get together at my brothers.
Onwards to the top of the Oxford Canal the day the locks reopened and down the other side continuing onwards to Radford Smelly for Christmas.
In Warwick we met up with my family and then picked up crew Mike and Chris to help us up the Hatton and Lapworth flights.
The last few locks were done on New Years Eve bring us up to the Birmingham level for the new year.
Quite a busy year. So our vital statistics for 2019
According to Canalplan
Total distance is 1199 miles, ½ furlong and 886 locks . There are 119 moveable bridges of which 22 are usually left open; 139 small aqueducts or underbridges and 20 tunnels – a total of 8 miles 2 ¼ furlongs underground and 8 major aqueducts.
This is made up of 207 miles, 4 furlongs of narrow canals; 399 miles, 5¾ furlongs of broad canals; 102 miles, 5 ¼ furlongs of commercial waterways; 226 miles, 6 ¼ furlongs of small rivers; 212 miles, 5 furlongs of large rivers; 49 miles, 6 ¼ furlongs of tidal rivers; 150 narrow locks; 626 broad locks; 109 large locks; 1 lock on major waterways.
838.2 engine hours
That is 255 miles and 272 locks more than last year! But 246.4 hours less engine running, just goes to show it’s worth having solar panels.
1336.93 litres diesel, 9 (although we’ve got 2 empty now) gas bottles (used for central heating as well as cooking), 6 overnight guests, 6 packs Dreamies, 1 cover cat, 32 friends, 17 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval, 1 double stamp, 5 pairs socks, 3 pairs gloves, 1 baby blanket, 2 shows designed, 1 cover illustration, 5 lots gluten free puff pastry, 9 supermarket deliveries, 39 boxes of wine delivered, 12 bottles of wine delivered.