Category Archives: History

River’s Coming Up. 29th June

Lock Stuff. 29th, 30th, 31st May

Aire and Calder Navigation

Thursday I spent working on the storyboard for Panto again. Editing out options, adding in the basic set to all the drawings and working on the one scene that’s still not quite right took most of the day.

**The Christmas present felt catnip balls have been requested recently**

I walked down one side of the river passing one bridge and crossing the next, opting to take the path inside RSPB St Aidens. The path occasionally gives you a view across the lakes that once were an open cast mine, the river lurks behind many trees on the other side.

Soon I came across what looked very much like a disused lock. A gate recess first giving it away, then curved walls at what had been the entrance to the lock. A mooring bollard and a couple of now bent lock ladders peeked out from the earth that now fills the chamber. I checked Waterway Routes, locations of old locks are marked and we quite often try to imagine what places would have been like.

In 1988 the river bank near the Lemonroyd Lock collapsed into St Aiden’s open cast mine which then of course flooded, lower seams of coal that had been mined collapsed in too, to a depth of 230 ft! An Act of Parliament was obtained in 1992 to create a new 1.9 mile waterway. Kipax and Lemonroyd Locks were replaced with one big lock, the new Lemonroyd Lock. It took ten years before mining could continue at St Aiden’s after the site had been pumped out. The coal reserves are now exhausted and the land is once again flooded and is an RSPB reserve covering 740 acres.

I tried to find where the top gates had been, but had no luck as the land levels out and covers any evidence.

Friday. I forwarded the new storyboard to John at Chippy. There had been a staff read through of the latest draft during the week, footage posted on social media, my storyboard sat in the middle of the table. Time to crack on with the model, lots of propy set pieces this year, so my bead tray is coming in handy. I spent much of the day inventing things panto style.

Late afternoon a familiar voice saying Hello could be heard, Mick had returned from Scarborough having picked up a hire car. Well it was meant to have been a van, £20 a day rather than £60 for a car, but the only van they had was a transit which would be an inch taller than the car park Mick would be heading to in the morning, so he got an upgrade to a car. An evening off work for me and a vat of Yaxni made, which will last us for a couple of meals.

Saturday. A very early start for Mick, off the boat by 6am. He was heading to park in the centre of Liverpool and to then meet up with Marion and John for a trip on the Waverley out to Angelsey and back. A van, petrol and parking were far cheaper than a hotel for the night. If you are lucky he might come along and tell you about his voyage. If I’m lucky I might be able to upload a photo from the trip, but the internet here seems to be getting worse!

There was one egg left that needed eating so the start of my working day was delayed by some blueberry pancakes, well Mick was going off for a treat so I could have one too! Then Tilly and I got on with what is now just a normal day for us. She sites on the roof hatch whilst I work. Then she gets ushered indoors for me to go out for a walk, just around the block today including a trip to the bins. Just gone 11pm, I’d just tidied upmy work when Mick stepped onboard, he’d had a good day if a bit breezy and I’d managed to finish of the model for Act 1.

0 locks, 0 miles by narrowboat, 1 Paddle Steamer to Angelsey and back, 1 car not van, 3 days model making, 1 storyboard finished and sent, 1 gafforing read through, 1 Queen of Oleanna, I wonder if we could trust Tilly to lie on her bed as we cruise? Nope, she’d be off hunting as soon as the oportunity arrived!

Thwarted 3.

Next up on the thwarted list and due to dwindling water comes the Ripon Canal.

So, okay this wouldn’t have been new water to us, we’ve cruised up to Ripon twice, once on NB Lillyanne and in 2020 on Oleanna. It’s lovely going up stream on the River Ouse. Care should be taken at the river locks as the sight lines from the paddle gear are nonexistent, so you have no idea what is happening below in the lock.

**Several cuts above your usual pub food**

Back on Lillyanne I opened a paddle just one turn at Milby Lock, which sent the boat careering over to the other side of the lock, rather than holding her in. A large dint in the wall suggesting we weren’t the first to do this, however we may have been the first to loose a porthole which jumped out of it’s frame and into the lock. Houdini our second mate at the time really didn’t know what to make of it all!

There is Benningborough Hall to visit, Newby Hall, a lovely meal to be had at the Dawney Arms. Then Boroughbridge with it’s cheap diesel. The Ouse turns into the River Ure which has made it’s way down from Wensleydale, picking up water from the hills and speeding it down to York several times a year.

You climb up Oxclose Lock onto the Ripon Canal. Built by William Jessop and opened in 1773 enabling goods to be carried to and from York and Goole. Coal was carried up to Ripon, lead and agricultural produce brought down stream. In 1846 the river and canal were sold to the Leeds and Thirsk Railway company who were meant to keep the navigation open and in good order. However it was neglected and started to silt up, lighter loads in boats kept boats moving, but by 1892 no boats could go past BoroughBridge, the canal now redundant.

Thankfully in the 1950s and 60s local opposition stopped the canal from being filled in. The Ripon Motor Boat Club and IWA fought for the waterway and The Ripon Canal Society was born, the canals restoration completed by 1996, the management of the canal handed over to British Waterways.

Making it’s way from Pateley Bridge, through Studley Royal Park, passing Fountains Abbey the River Skell is used as the feeder for the Ripon Canal. At times of drought, such as now, the Environment Agency ask C&RT to stop abstracting water from the river to help conserve the wildlife on the river. This means there is little or no water topping up the canal.

**One of the locks at the top of the Ripon Canal**

A week ago, the top two locks on the canal were closed to help conserve what water there was at the top end. But on the 27th May a notice was posted that Oxclose Lock would need to be booked 48 hours in advance and was only to be used for essential passage for returning boats to their moorings or pre-booked maintenance.

**Tilly spotted our Ripon visitor long before we did**

So the canal is closed for the forseeable future. We have another trip planned to York in the next few weeks and may still head up stream to Boroughbridge, we’ll see how things go.

Thwarted 2.

Next waterway to thwart us this year is the Pocklington Canal.

Water we’ve never cruised. To reach the canal you leave the Tidal Ouse at Barmby Lock and Barrage and head up stream on the River Derwent. The two waterways meet at Cottingwith Junction, which for land lubbers is part way between Thorganby and East Cottingwith.

**The Ferryboat not changed a jot in looks**

Just north of the junction is a place that sits in my personal history, The Ferryboat Inn. This is a pub that my school friends classed as our local in the few years we all got together after we’d left school. Run by the Rogers Family, Tony was a couple of years below us at school, it was legendary, it had a six day licence and you were welcome to turn up in your wellies straight from harvesting unlike the other pub in the village which was for non-locals. If you turned up on a Sunday you’d disturb them, sat round the bar eating their Sunday roast. Dominoes match night was a good one to arrive on as there’d be a very good spread of sandwiches and should you want to cross the River Derwent there was still a rowing boat. Tony now runs Half Moon Brewery in Ellerton, and has just come third in the CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain Mild catagory.

The river used to be navigable up to Stamford Bridge, but Sutton Lock is inoperable should you want to head up stream from Elvington, another village I have very fond memories of growing up.

From Cottingwith Junction the Pocklington Canal heads off towards the east. Nine locks used to rise the canal up towards Pocklington, where Mick’s father was stationed for some of his time during WW2 in the RAF. Now the navigation stops at Coates Lock 5, a reverse back to the Beilby Arm to wind. There’s only one mooring marked on our Waterways Routes map, on the Melbourne Arm, then one back at Barmby Lock. So not a place you’d end up staying on for long, but one we’d both love to cruise.

Completed in 1818 it was used to carry coal and agricultural produce. It was never a financial success as goods had to be moved onto horse drawn carts to reach their destination, a couple of miles away on the other side of the York to Hull road. In 1848 it was sold to the York North Midland Railway and gradually it deteriorated, the last commercial craft to use it was keel Ebenezer in 1932. In 1959 it was proposed that the canal should be filled in, but the IWA and locals campaigned to save it and in 1969 the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society was formed.

Sadly someone left a paddle up on the canal a month or so ago. The Pocklington Canal has little that feeds it. We asked about visiting the canal when we were at Naburn last month, the CRT notice says 48 hours notice is required to book Cottingwith Lock, but Kenny at Naburn said the canal was closed, levels are not thought to be able to return to normal until the autumn.

So sadly not much point in cruising the River Derwent which will possibly be low too.

Thwarted 1

This summer’s original plans were to stay in Yorkshire and cruise waterways we’ve not been on before. We were quite looking forward to this, new waters. But for a few reasons our plans have been thwarted.

The first waterway to thwart us, The River Foss in York.

When we were in York at the end of April, Mick noticed a sign at Castle Mills Lock saying that the lock would be closing that weekend and would remain closed until October as works were going to be carried out on the lock gates. This being York and very prone to flooding in the winter months is the reason the works are being carried out now.

**Blue Bridge at the confluence of the Ouse and the Foss**

Castle Mills Lock has to be booked at least 48 hours in advance and is operated by volunteers from the local IWA. So sadly we’d already run out of time to book the lock.

Castle Mills Lock is the only surviving lock out of the six that were built on the river. There is a detailed history of the river and it’s use through the centuries here. In brief it suffered and still does with siltation. It was used as part of the cities defences instead of continuing the Bar Walls, the silt built up creating islands where Foss Islands Road is now. Sections of the river were canalized to save navigating the tortuous meanders to Sherrif Hutton. It was used as a sewer, to transport goods, mainly into the countryside, far less made it’s way into York.

Now the river is only navigable, should the build of silt, lilies and weed allow, to just north of the old railway bridge across Huntington Road, the line used to go to the Rowntree Macintosh factory and on to Murton and beyond, it is now a cycle and footpath. Should one get to the end of the navigation, you’ll need to reverse your way back to Wormalds Cut to be able to wind and return to Castle Mills Lock. There is nowhere to moor on the river, more’s the pity, so it’s only a day trip, but one we’d very much like to do one day.

Side by side map

I suspect if you watch Narrow Escapes in the next week you’ll get to see NB Perseverance going as far as they could along the River Foss last autumn.

Liquid Chocolate. 28th April

Museum Gardens, York

Being in York meant that I could accompany our friend Frank on a hospital appointment here. A slow start to the day had been planned, but then I discovered that Frank had a whole itinerary for his visit. So it was a swift breakfast, I listened for his train crossing Scarborough Bridge and then had a brisk walk to meet him at the hospital.

**Buzz on top of the world at the hospital**

Appointment One (Junction 5) was short, so time for a sit down by the main entrance before the next. Here I bumped into an old school friend whom I haven’t seen for most probably 40 years! Lynn and I managed a ten minute chat before her lift arrived, quickly catching up on news of other friends we’re still in touch with.

**Jane, Pip, Lynn, Emma at my 5th birthday party**

Then it was Junction 6 to await for Franks appointment. Followed by a much needed sit down before his final appointment of the day at Junction 8. We ended up covering quite a few steps going to and fro from department to department, so when Frank was sat on an exercise bike he was actually glad of a sit down. That was before he knew he had to cycle up the Col de Tourmalet!

Unless York has changed getting a taxi has always been problematical, you really need to have booked one, well in advance, like a week! So hoping that you could just climb into one outside the front door of the hospital was not realistic. So we had a steady walk back towards the station, thankfully I knew the way, more or less a straight line through Bootham Park Hospital which was built in the 1770’s as a lunatic asylum, designed by John Carr (founder of my Dad’s architectural practice). Frank was surprised at how pleasant the walk was. At the station we met with Mick at York Tap for a beer. They had a cask of gluten free beer for me as well as a good selection of other brews for the boys.

A much needed pizza was required for the man of the day, so we walked over Lendal Bridge to Pizza Express. Enjoyed far too much food and a glass of wine each. Before we all left, there was the obligatory visit to the toilets. The building used to be the Yorkshire Club and the tile work in the loos is wonderful, in the gents the old urinals have been brought back into use too.

We had a cuppa back on board Oleanna whilst waiting for the next train back to Scarborough, then we waved Frank goodbye.

I was still short on my walking so opted to walk round the block, well three bridges down and back again. The sun was going down. The road works by York Station were getting noisier. The aroma in the air was as if Rowntrees Factory had exploded, such an evocative smell from my childhood, liquid chocolate……..mmmmmm!

I walked round the back of Cliffords Tower and noticed that this side of the huge bank was covered in blue bells. How lovely, earlier in the year it is covered in daffodils.

A quiet evening onboard was quite spoilt by noisy groups sitting on the bank by Oleanna, but they were soon drowned out by the road works across the river! These continued well past midnight, keeping Mick awake until 2am.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 junctions, 3 appointments, 2 more narrowboats, 0 taxi, 1 pleasant walk, 2.5 pints, 3 glasses wine, 3 pizzas, 1 old school friend, 1 twilight walk, 5.45 miles walked, 58 minutes briskly, 1 noisy mooring for a Monday night.

https://what3words.com/soups.scowls.caked

An Improvement. 15th April

Pollington Visitor Moorings to Whitley Lock

An improvement in IT and TV was required, but it was raining. We waited for things to improve, it wasn’t raining hard, so hopefully it would just be a shower.

A couple of boats had moved before we’d got ourselves ready, the boat infront had lost it’s name, it had been TED, now it was nameless. By 11:30 we decided to make the move. I helped push the bow out and walked on up to Pollington Lock.

The moorings just below were occupied by two big boats, Freda Carless and Lonsdale one of the gravel barges that in recent years has done trips to and fro from Leeds.

I could see a boat approaching the lock behind Oleanna and up at the lock was a chap, his key of power in the panel and the lock gates wide open. Both boats got caught out by the force of the bywash which was hammering it down, maybe on full force due to there being eight boats in Goole Docks at the moment, the water needed for Ocean Lock.

I took Oleanna’s centre rope and passed it round a bollard handing it back to Mick as the other boat came in. The chap was very familiar, he resembled an actor who quite often plays sleezy landlords or people who are down on their luck on TV, unshaven, white haired, one day I’ll remember the actors name! The chap stood by the lock was also familiar because we’ve shared locks and been stranded at Naburn with him and his wife shortly after they’d bought their narrowboat in 2021 I think. I filled Mick in, he’d most probably not have remembered the couple, he didn’t when we crossed paths with them last year near Wakefield.

They were moving their boat up to Great Heck and car shuffling at the same time. A brief chat with the lady as they swapped over at the helm and she headed off to move the car. I closed up the lock and then set off to walk to Whitley, get my minutes in along the towpath as we’d be covering about 4 miles today, an ideal distance.

Walking gave me the chance to stop and have a good look on my way. Pollington Hall stands out from the countryside. Today it’s front door just about the same shade of green as the crop in the field. The photo has gone into my paintings folder, I like painting houses, I think I have a thing about bricks as well as good front doors. Built around 1750, it was the ancestral home of the Dobson family. William Dobson was born at the hall in 1818, he and his wife emigrated in 1842 to Tasmania. They had many children and became one of the pioneering families of Tasmania.

I walked under Heck Railway bridge just as an East Coast Main line train thundered overhead. Oleanna and the other boat just still in view ahead. This is a popular stretch for mooring, especially up towards Heck Bridge, the other boat pulled in, I made a note of a good place for Tilly where not too many boats were moored and away from the railway, we may stop here on our way back to the south.

A pause to have a chat with the familiar crew, the world was about to get even smaller. I remembered their boat name and where their house is, but not their names, Richard and Heather. We chatted about their trip over the Rochdale and where else we’d been last year. Then plans for this year, conversation came about that I was a set designer and that we had a house in Scarborough. Well Richard used to teach sculpture on Lady Edith’s Drive in Scarborough and had an exhibition at the theatre which coincided with Alan Ayckbourn’s first show. Well Richard doesn’t look old enough to have had an exhibition in the 50’s and he’d mentioned that it was possibly around 1975, so I think it was more likely to be when Alan became Artistic Director or when the theatre moved from the Library to Westwood. But still a close connection.

They are plucking up courage to cruise the Trent and go up the Chesterfield Canal, if we knew when we’d be heading back that way then I’d have suggested they joined us, but dates later in the year are a little unfixed at the moment. It was good to have chance for a chat and Mick had most probably moored up by now, so it was time to carry on.

**Was this the yard we got the bollard from?**

The towpath changes sides as the northern bank is now filled with C&RT boats, lock beams, aggregate all sorts. As I walked over the bridge I wondered if this was the C&RT yard Mick and I once visited to collect a mooring bollard to be used in Way Upstream at the SJT. I’ve wondered about it a few times as we’ve passed on the boat and now from land it looked even more possible. It was near Eggborough Power Station, now no longer, we had to walk down a track alongside the yard and canal to a specific place, put our hand through the fence and inside a plastic bag there was a bollard for us. All done on a summer Sunday after a weekend in York.

Another opportunity to stop and take a better photo of the work boats, Robin Hood always stands out from the other boats here.

As I came round the last little kink in the canal towards Whitley Lock I could see that Oleanna was moored up, covers half done, all on the opposite side of the canal so I had to walk past and cross at the lock, clocking up just over 4 miles and plenty of minutes for the day.

Mick checked with neighbours, two woofers enjoying the grassy moorings, they were both okay with cats. I kept low just in case they could see me and skuttled across to the hedge. A pretty good outside and She and Tom seemed happier now they could tapperty tap without waiting all the time! Tilly and I had a game of stick once the woofers were inside, safer that way as otherwise they’d have tried to join in.

Fund Britain’s Waterway flotilla news spare parts have been required today, a morse cable, some hose. The boats are having a little rest before continuing on towards London, the Marsworth flight has reopened and Van sent us a couple of photos of us from the cruise through Gainsborough. Thank you Van!

1 lock, 3.7 miles by boat, 1 damp morning, 1 drier afternoon, 1 Isabella, 1 green front door, 3 pairs of socks to finish off, 4 hours shore leave, 5 sticks, 1 stove lit, 4.17 miles walked, 70 minutes briskly.

https://what3words.com/crossing.yacht.football

Kate and Ada. 9th April

Cooper’s Bridge 80 to Basin Bridge, Stockwith

Another misty start to the day, glad we wouldn’t be out on the river this morning. Instead we walked into the village to pick up a few bits and bobs.

Queen Elizabeth II now looks very faded covering up one of the windows of the Victoria Institute. Quite a lot seems to be happening here, a new roof and woodwork stripped back, hopefully it will have a new life sometime soon.

**We’ll be stopping here later in the year**

A look inside the butchers. I decided not to purchase two lamb steaks to make some Misterton Lamb, that can wait for when we’re back later in the year. Mick however purchased a pork pie to have for lunch over the next few days. Next a call into the Co-op. Cheap bananas perfectly ripe for us, the one’s onboard Oleanna can ripen a touch more, if we’ve too many I’ll find a banana and oat loaf recipe that hopefully won’t be too fattening.

We sauntered up the road a little more to the Methodist Chapel, it’s iron gates were in memory of the local blacksmith. The local dancing school have taken over what we thought had most probably been the original Co-op. Was the carved stonework familiar from other Co-ops? I’ve had a quick look back through photos of Macclesfield and Saxilby thinking that might be where we’ve seen them before, but no.

Back to Oleanna and it was time to make a move back towards West Stockwith. I walked ahead to set the locks, the top one empty the bottom half full, we’d had a boat come past us earlier today, but they must have been moored above the locks last night as the sides were bone dry. We dropped down them trying to avoid jamming reeds behind the gates.

Mick headed onwards to pull up on a different length of armco to keep Tilly guessing whilst I closed up the lock and had a catch up chat with our friend Frank back in Scarborough.

Yep this outside looks suitable. Lots of sideways trees, trees to climb and plenty of friendly cover to keep me busy for AGES!! Tilly was happy, and that’s all that mattered.

I’d not managed to do all my walking for the day, so plotted a route round on the River Idle. I first checked the visitor mooring in the basin. If it was free, once evening dingding had been rung we’d move up to fill with water and be closer to the lock for the morning, another earlyish start. But NB Airbourne was in the space we’d hoped for, we’d have to fill up somewhere else tomorrow instead.

The River Idle Flood Gate was open by a few feet as I passed looking for the footpath on the northern bank of the river. However it looked to be going through someone’s garden so I opted for the southern bank instead. But before that I had a look inside St Mary the Virgin Church, a Georgian church perched on the river bank built in 1722 by the trustees of William Huntington on the site of his old shipyard. It has been restored several times and has recently had a new roof courtesy of the village, this summer there will be a celebration of the completion of the latest restoration.

**A small pretty church, just don’t lick the walls there may be traces of arsenic in the green paint!**

I followed the river bank, past the two flood gates to the Pump House. Here either side of the Mother Drain stand two pump houses which were used to drain the surrounding land, they were the first steam powered pumps to be used outside the Fens. The first was built in 1828 and was known as Kate after the engine it housed. The one engine couldn’t cope with all the water it had to move so a second pump house was built, called Ada in 1839. They both became redundant in 1941 when the drainage system was reorganised to go to Gringley.

The buildings were derelict for many years until in the 1990’s they were converted into a dwelling. Now you can stay in either the Pumphouse Forge or the Pumphouse Artists Studio. My walk then returned to the canal and back to Oleanna.

Part of the Fund Britain’s Waterways flotilla ascended Foxton Locks today, the other part enjoyed cake with the volunteers at Kilby Bridge. Down to one boat in a lock at a time.

In other news , our friends Paul and Christine Balmer have reluctantly put their narrowboat Waterway Routes up for sale with ABNB this week. Paul will still be producing his very detailed maps, but no longer travelling the waterways on their own boat. I strongly suspect they will have kept a windlass each and may appear as if by magic like the shop keeper in Mr Ben and help at the occasional lock flight given half the chance, especially if there’s some apple flapjack on offer!

2 locks, 1.3 miles, 1 cat fooled into having a new outside, 1 pork pie, 6 bananas, 1 loaf bread, 5.56 miles walked, 49 minutes briskly, 0 water, 2 pumphouses, 4 chickpea chapatis, 2 dollops dhal, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 much loved boat for sale.

https://what3words.com/expecting.jaunts.amount

Mistical Morning. 7th April

Torksey Lock Bottom side to Stockwith Bridge 85, Chesterfield Canal

What is it with bubbling tidal rivers?! We’d not heard a jot of it yesterday afternoon and evening, but as soon as we’d just managed to nod off last night the river bubbled it’s way up the sides of Oleanna’s hull making for an unrestful nights sleep. Not so good when the alarm was going off at 05:30!

As we got dressed outside light was starting to clear away the nights darkness, getting ready for the sun to rise. Extra layers, thermals, padded trousers, although Mick couldn’t find his. Vest, long sleeve top, jumper, fleece and coat on top before a life jacket. This morning it was going to be cold!

The frozen covers rolled up, Nebolink turned on. The boat from further down the pontoon pushed off bang on 06:00, he said to Mick that he was headed for Gainsborough Pontoon. It took us another ten minutes before we untied our ropes and pushed off up to the junction where we turned northwards.

Cottam Power Station pastel colours in the dim light. Mist rising from the river. Where was the castle? That’s the viaduct, but which part of it to aim for? There is an island and a peir to watch out for. I described where we needed to be as best I could with the outline of trees just sitting above the fog.

Visibility was such that we could only just make out both banks, were we in the middle? Time to concentrate, rely on Memory Map and Waterway Routes to show us our location and which way we were facing. Mick had the track we’d made last Tuesday showing on his tablet, maybe if we stuck to that line we’d be fine. The tide all the time pulling us along towards the North Sea.

**Oleanna seemed to freeze more as we cruised along**

First Mick spotted the wake in the water from NB Airbourne, they couldn’t be that far ahead of us. We slowed our pace as best we could and there about 100ft ahead was the boat. We let them get further ahead, better to have space between us today seeing as how we couldn’t see very well.

The sun started to rise to our right. Vapour trails which had been pink as we set off turned yellow above our heads. The mist glowed, the best light diffuser you can get. We just needed the sun to be up and start burning it’s way through the fog. Should we have set off? With our gps and nav lights we felt confident that we shouldn’t bump into anything we shouldn’t.

What a stunning sun rise. My photographs snatched between moments of concentration. Our charts show places where you should line up between white poles so as to avoid banks of silt. The river was quite low, would we be able to stick to the red line? One recently painted post came into view, we just needed to spot the other one. We knew that trees had been cleared to make this easier, but not when there was fog, we only spotted it when the other post had long since vanished behind us. We got away with it.

Blimey it was cold despite having layers upon layers. Fingers frozen, needed to be used to turn pages and keep Memory Map alive. I soon turned off the sleep mode on my phone, the screen alive constantly.

There was the boat in front, he’d pulled away from us a bit more. A clearing of the fog, great. Then we were plunged back into the next cloud of freezingness. Today is the first time we’ve not managed to see the Landmark Trust property up on the hill, we could just about work out where it might be and wondered what the current guests would make of their view over breakfast today!

West Burton Power Station sat in the cloud ahead like the giants palace in Jack and the Beanstalk. Mick’s phone rang, it was John the Lockie from West Stockwith Lock, checking to see we were on our way, he’d got up early to come and meet us. A reassuring phone call to have, knowing there’d be someone at the lock to get us off the river.

As we came to the tight turns south of Gainsborough the mist started to clear a touch, John had said that it was clear at West Stockwith, phew we’d be able to see our way into the lock. Past the flour mill and we could see the boat ahead clearly, the morning world now revealing itself to us.

**Gainsborough Bridge with plenty of room today**

What a difference to last Tuesday. The tide we’d been pushed along by then was obviously much higher, the tide today lower and that bit slower. The arches on Gainsborough Bridge felt to be a third bigger than last week, how had anyone had a problem going through?

NB Airbourne pulled in towards the pontoon, we slowed Oleanna’s engine so as not to add to the difficulty of mooring up on a tidal river. The chap seemed to be alright, the boat staying put as he dealt with ropes.

A phone call to John at the lock. There was 4ft of water over the cill, we should be fine to get in. Mick cranked the revs up a notch.

Gainsborough was very very quiet today. No crowds on the bank. No beeping of horns. No drones above following us. However one large banner still hangs from a balcony facing downstream. The flotilla would today be arriving in Leicester making a noise getting peoples attention again.

**West Stockwith lock in front of the white house**

Now the mist had all burnt off as we headed up the last straight before the bend where the lock is. John called he was ready for us. Had we watched the videos of how to turn into the lock? We’ve been in twice here, once at slack water, the other time turning to stem the outgoing tide and then make our way back towards the lock.

**John and a trainee lockie guiding us in**

I moved to the bow before any manoeuvres happened, Tilly had already assumed the brace position on the bed tucked up amongst our pillows. Mick turned Oleanna then brought her back towards the lock, John stood signalling to keep going straight towards him. Mick the pushed the tiller over to kick the bow round, maybe just a little bit early as the starboard side touched the lock mouth before the bow had got in the lock. Ropes passed down to us, then we rose up into the daylight, quite a warm morning now!

We pulled over onto the visitors mooring in the basin. Time to warm up and have breakfast, we’d finish off the bacon from last week. Then it was chores time, Tilly’s pooh and the wee tank sorted.

Not far now to our chosen mooring, we winded and then pootled to the first length of armco along the Chesterfield Canal. Time for a rest for us and some much needed shore leave for Tilly.

**A big muddy ditch once the tides out**

Todays walk took me back upstream along the river bank, the tide still working it’s way out to sea, the mud banks looking very, well, muddy!

I then crossed fields which are used as a flood water reservoir, the roads and footpaths closed off when it’s full, today a bright green grassy crop was doing well. I got a green light to cross the railway, Walkeringham old Station House along side. The station opened in 1867 and closed to passengers in 1959.

I passed a long line of houses that were built for workers at West Burton Power Station, crossed the main road at Walkeringham Cross, not that there is much of a cross ontop of the stone steps now.

I passed South Cottage, that sits at an angle to the main road, tiles and brick work on it’s façade, surely there must be information about it somewhere. The only thing I can find is a suggestion of a Sunday School on an old Ordnance Survey map.

Across fields to where big mounds sit fenced off from the world, part of WW2 petrol tanks. A sign close to the road suggesting the work force is maybe a touch young.

Up near the canal a house for sale. Lovely gardens. Then back along the canal to Oleanna, walking past the first two locks of the Chesterfield Canal and an awful lot of reeds in the water, that’ll be interesting tomorrow!

Eight years ago today, we finished packing a van with a third of our possessions, popped Tilly in her escape pod and drove to Sheffield to move onboard Oleanna, our new home. Such an exciting day.

https://www.facebook.com/hazel.owen.775/videos/1247216573495013?idorvanity=946415890265050

The Fund Britain’s Waterways Campaign Cruise hit Leicester and threatened to return Richard III to Yorkshire. They are still making quite a noise, but we think they sounded way better with Oleanna’s horns added into the mix. If you haven’t signed it yet please sign the petition.

1 lock, 15 miles, 1 wind, 1 extremely foggy morning to be following another boat, 1 stunning sunrise, 1 kingfisher, 2 lock keepers, 1 empty wee tank, 1 clean pooh box, 1 cooked breakfast reward, 5.71 miles walked, 86 minutes briskly, 1 big Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 64th sock yarn chosen, 1 quiet afternoon and evening.

https://what3words.com/harvest.subway.anthems

Lifting. 23rd March

Site of Smallhedge Swing Bridge to before St Oswalds, Kirk Sandall, Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigations

On the day we were loading the van in Scarborough we heard the first Woodpecker giving itself a headache. Back in the house this signalled the start of Spring to us. This morning from somewhere in the hedgerow we got to hear our first ChiffChaff of the year. Here on the boat this signals the start of Spring. Just a shame the sun didn’t make an appearance!

Tilly was given shore leave whilst we had mushrooms and poached egg on toast for breakfast. A full cooked breakfast will be a very rare treat for us this year. Sausages and bacon to be kept at arms length, although I have purchased some chicken cumberland sausages which are sitting in the freezer. Not tried these yet, so we’ll see.

The Geraghty zoom is still going strong five years a week or so since we started it at the beginning of the pandemic. All five siblings were present today, nieces and nephews are too busy doing other things, but we do get updates regarding grandchildren and trips abroad that they make. Todays topics included, Grandma put downs (social services not required!), Revenue Control officers, Richard II and distant relatives, and lifts this coming week.

Tilly came home part way through the zoom with a friend expecting to be let in through the side hatch, this of course was not granted. Herfjoke newieds a secihgond stabmlihymp of apprbjbjgchoval She said something but no-one knew what she was saying as her mouth was full!

**The new Rugid tablet, waterproof and able to show both Waterway Routes and Victron VRM which shows battery, solar etc statuses.**

Another day of not going too far, we pushed off, I caught a ride to the first lift bridge, otherwise it would have been a very long way round walking back to the lock to get on the official towpath side. I hopped off at the bridge landing and waited to cross the road, cars zoomed past and over the bridge, all far to quick for my liking.

Key of power in the control panel. I listened hard, let a few cars cross the bridge before I couldn’t hear anymore. Turned the key and pressed the lift button. The lights flashed and the barriers were just starting to come down when I heard a car zipping along out of view, no obvious slowing down, just more acceleration! I took my finger off the button and stopped the barriers just above where contact would be made, What a Prat! As he sped off I was able to continue pressing the button and lift the bridge.

Two more bridges along the New Junction, I walked between them. One a lift bridge the other a swing, vehicles obliged and stopped. I then got back on board for us to go under the Don Doors crossing the River Don.

Bramwith Junction, one of our favourite moorings around here was occupied, the narrowboat taking advantage of views to both sides of the canal and a clear sky to top up on solar. We weren’t going to stop here today, instead we carried straight on to Barnby Dun, pulling in at the services. The offcuts of cardboard box were put in the bin then we were ready to continue on our way.

Waiting for a gap in traffic at Barnby Dun takes some patience as it’s such a busy road. It took a while for no vehicles to be in view, I turned the key and pressed the button. The driver of the first car to pull up on my side of the bridge sat and stared straight at me, as if that would make me stop the process and let them through!

I now elected to walk to where we planned on mooring, just short of Kirk Sandall. All the chilled medication vans have gone from the house by the bridge, now there is a Morris 1000 and a selection of other cars. I caught Mick up as he was stepping off Oleanna hoping to tie up. Not quite into the side at the bow, we wondered if we’d bash whatever it was under the water. We needn’t have been concerned as today we didn’t see one boat moving.

Tilly was given the rules and some extra guidance, beware of the bicycles and woofers. I kept my eyes peeled and there they were bicycles, TWO of them. I ran away and gave up on this outside after two minutes! No point in even asking to go out until they’ve moved it again.

Lunch followed by a need to top up my walking for the day. Our mooring was right next to a footpath that runs into the woods and up to The Glass Park. Years ago we walked some of the paths round here, but I don’t think we got up to the playing field as I did today. Up ahead of us on the canal used to be Pilkington Glass, Pilks to the locals, the pipe bridge still exists. There is a rather good blog post here, hopefully I’ll get chance to read it fully and more about Doncaster in the next few days.

I walked through the park and down past the station, turning onto Pilkington Road to head back to the canal. A new housing estate that has grown up around St Oswald’s Church, Kirk Sandall is called Silica Court. The church is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust and is rarely open, we however managed a visit years ago, so if you are interested here’s a link to the post from that day. The rather wonderful old barn has been converted into living accommodation, so the church no longer stands by itself.

With 60 minutes brisk walking under my belt I decided that not reaching 10,000 steps today didn’t matter. The last few items were stowed away on board. Coats, hats, gloves, drill sander put under the dinette seats. There was now room to breath. Time to sort out the mess I’d made on my latest pair of socks last night as I fell asleep in front of the TV mid row, my fingers continuing to knit without guidance!

0 locks, 4.7 miles, 4 bridges, 19 held up, 1 straight on, 2 outsides, 1 really really good, the other 1 pants, 3.86miles walked, 60 minutes briskly, 1 sock sorted, 1 van load of stuff fully stowed.