Category Archives: Houses For Sale

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

The Last Art Shop. 4th April

Penning Them Up. 3rd April

Mine, It’s Mine! 26th September

Holland’s Bridge to Bullocks Bridge

A late morning waking up, it must have been all that sea air. No time for a cuppa in bed, we’d places to go, a new outside to tie up for Tilly. But it was raining! It had been dry virtually all the time Mick was away, now it just rains! Radar checked, it might be dry by 11:30. Time to edit more socks.

By 11:45 we were bored of waiting and made ready to push off, full winter waterproofs today, have to say I prefer my padded waterproof trousers , my summer ones need replacing. Through a couple of bridges to the water point by the C&RT yard. Here we could also empty the yellow water into our big container ready for an elsan. It rained.

Now how far would we get along the summit pound. Our aim was not far from Marple, but would we last that long? Thankfully the rain started to ease and with a locker lid mopped down I had somewhere to sit down.

One boat on the Macclesfield pontoon with a git gap in front of it! The pontoon isn’t straight so maybe they didn’t feel the need to nudge up as maybe there wouldn’t be enough room for one behind. Onwards towards Bollington. Under Bridge 29, a roving bridge which is always picturesque even if you can’t fit it all in the frame. Up on the hillside I could see a tower, I zoomed in. WC in it’s brickwork at the top a little white door next to it. Just what could it be. Mick checked the OS map and nothing was obvious. Was it a folly, a water tower, a ventilation shaft, a toilet?

On an old 1923 map the hillside shows several quarries and Turret Cottages, the tower had turrets. The cottages, now three, used to be two cottages, a smithy and an explosives store. More info can be found on the Happy Valley website Sadly I can’t find anything about the tower.

Under Bridge 28. The house right by the bridge for sale. This is where the Bollington zoo commences. Giant turtles, Crocodiles, Gorilla, a Panda and her baby, Giraffes everywhere if you look hard enough through the town.

Opposite the Adelphi Mill is Bollington Wharf the home to NB Alton the coal boat. Paul must have just stoked the back cabin stove as it wasn’t being a very good advert for the smokeless fuel! We waved and said hello to Brian and Ann-Marie busy filling the back of a van with 20 litres containers of red diesel, these most probably headed to boats in the area but not reachable on Alton.

The embankment would have had room for just one more boat, but we weren’t anywhere near ready to stop for the day. Earlier in the year the embankment sprung a leak. Clay was puddled a couple of times to stop the water escaping. New stop planks sit close to bridges either end of the embankment, just in case.

Past Clarence Mill where we slightly spooked a hire boat coming towards us. Then on under the wonderful Sugar Lane Bridge 26, built on a skew but retaining all the curvy attributes of the Macclesfield Bridges.

Past Lime View Marina. Would the same boats still be there? Was there still a phone in a pramhood, yes! The hedge alongside the towpath a touch too leafy to be able to see across towards Stockport. At last the Blue Boat, NB Jubilee Bridge whom we’d met on the Huddersfield Narrow back in our yellow days on NB Lillyanne.

Hang on! That boat, it’s mine! Well it’s got my name on it. Handy size for a theatre designers studio and it has a stove too. I wonder how many feet long it is? Wouldn’t need the outboard if we towed it. Hmmm.

A modern house is for sale overlooking the canal on the way into Poynton. A boat had just pulled up on the water point, taking their time in tying up. We wanted to drop off our rubbish, hoping that the bins were still there on the way to the car park. They were. So was the little conveyor belt in Bailey’s Trading Post that we’d seen back in 2020. Three boats nestled together behind the arched bridge at Braidbar Boats, two new boats being fitted out for excited boaters, the other we’ve seen about.

The wind was building up, rain couldn’t be far behind. Should we pull in opposite the moorings where the Del Boy boat now resides. The fencing now just about Tilly proof would stop her from getting lost for hours, but might not leave her with enough interest. Onwards that bit further and a space showed itself before Bullocks Bridge. We slotted in playing dog shit hopscotch as we tied up.

One job left to do, light the stove, we’d gradually got colder and colder outside, time to get Oleanna all cosy again.

I mastered some popcorn bobbles on pair 39 of my socks, these look a touch like autumnal berries. Unfortunately when I’d got so far with this pair I’d checked my gauge and it all seemed a touch too big, so I’d reduced my stitch count to four less. Now it was finished it seemed to have shrunk! I should have stuck to my instinct and kept the extra 4 stiches. Well at least it will allow me to add in a red line or two to help tie in the berries better when I re-knit the first sock tomorrow!

0 locks, 8.3 miles, 1 hour short of planned mooring, 1 full water tank, 1 Pip boat, 1 better than expected day, 2 hours, only 1 taken, 1 Tilly proof fence, 20 x 20 litres, 1 smoking boat.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/abSXfcJo5isRGdnR7

It’s mine MEOW! 12th September

Marsh Lock to ‘Blind Man’s Straight’ or Tilly’s bench

The wind and torrential rain carried on this morning. News that Hunts Lock was now open, we wanted to be on the move, but the rain was just constant, maybe we’d have to delay our cruise to Winsford by a day or two. That would have knock on effects to the next few weeks! The weather was so horrible even Tilly didn’t bother to ask too much to go out, not that she was allowed anyway.

We watched the radar, a window of opportunity a while after midday. The black clouds started to dissipate, an odd patch of blue! We put on our waterproofs and crossed our fingers that we’d not get soaked yet again.

The pontoon looked to be higher today, maybe it was maybe it wasn’t, but the ‘hup!’ onto the bank didn’t look as high. With a scaff pole fixed to the pontoon and some other structure to hold onto I had a go, bum on the bank, I just had to be able to stand up now!

**Coming in to the lock weathered wood**

Marsh Lock leads out onto the Manchester Ship Canal and therefore you have to have special permission to go through and your boat needs to have been checked over by a surveyor for seaworthyness. All the winches and paddles are very weathered.

Out in the channel wooden structures have weathered away, the wind was certainly keener stood looking across the River Weaver and Ship Canal, the River Mersey just over a thin strip of land. I was glad Mick had persuaded me to go and take a look, I just had to get back onto the pontoon now.

Across the way at the chemical works hi-vis clad chaps shouted over and waved as we made ready to push off. Ropes untied we were on our way again, this time with the wind at our backs, grey clouds to stern and starboard, hopeful blue sky to port, you could see your breath.

We passed the same boats as we’d seen on our way down, waved to Sabrina a Facebook Boat Woman, a shadowy hand waved back, one day we’ll end up mooring in the same place and actually get to meet. Past the Danny, only one head visible onboard today.

By now the sunshine was taking over, it was nice to see the river in this light and not huddled up in our waterproofs. Devil’s garden looked inviting, the chap stuck his head out of the hatch, ‘Much better today!’

**Devil’s Garden, such a lovely mooring**

Sleepers have been used to level out a riverside track, new looking aggregate lining the route on the north bank.

As Dutton Railway Viaduct came into view Mick called ahead to the lock, it would be ready for us. A centre line was all that was required and we gradually rose up the lock chatting away to the Lockie. He’d inform Saltersford Lock for us.

Above the lock the wreck of Chica sits more degraded than when we passed her 13 years ago. Her story started in 1894 as a cargo boat in Norway, she was commandeered in WW2 by the German Navy, after the war she ran guns across the Mediterranean and then smuggled tobacco and cigarettes from Gibraltar. She then joined the Liverpool fishing fleet and ended up being a trip boat on the Weaver in the 1980’s. In 1993 she started to take on water and with no-one on board she sank at Dutton and has sat on the bottom ever since. Follow the link for a good photo of her a year after she’d sunk. Below are the photos I’ve taken. Left in 2011, right 2024.

Back on up towards Saltersford Locks. Despite the call ahead the gates weren’t open, a chap stood peering over the bottom gate, someone else could be spied holding a rope at the far end, a boat was coming down. We waited for our turn then passed the centre line up top.

Two very chatty volunteers here today. We heard that the Lock Keepers cottage was now under offer to a keen gardener and how the volunteers are thanked by C&RT by going on boat trips every now and again. All the time we were at the lock the Lock Keepers Collie came back and forth hoping someone would throw his ball for him.

We carried on up stream back to where we’d moored a couple of days ago. Only one other boat moored here today, so hopefully Tilly would have a better time of it.

A bench sits on the towpath. Tilly took a fancy to it. Tipple tails made over the arms, some serious scent marking went on. It’s all Mine Meow!

There’s a brass plaque on the bench in memory to Thomas Shuttlewood who died too early in life, it also mentions that this part of the river was known as ‘Blind man’s stretch’. A lovely spot to sit out on a sunny afternoon, watch the river go by and have a hair cut, as Mick did later on.

2 locks, 10.1 miles, 1 written off morning, 1 lovely afternoon, 1 huge expanse of water, 1 woofer, 1 woofers ball, 1 cats bench, grade 3, 4 pairs of socks photographed, 2 pairs wrapped up ready to go, 1 CRT notice, 3 bookings, 2 boaters 1 cat with everything crossed.

To Devil’s Garden. 10th September

Moorings above Saltersford Lock to Devils Garden

A wet morning and my back had a twinge, last thing I wanted to do was get down on the floor to do my exercises, they could wait for another day. One thing that couldn’t wait for another day was a cruising plan. A joint effort was required and a touch of maths.

We both opened up Canal Plan. We worked out when we need to be back in Yorkshire, a mooring has already been found for Oleanna. Then specific dates when we need to be elsewhere, the number of days when Oleanna won’t be moving, which stops require a train station, which a marina. The way Canal plan works is that if you add in some stationary days then the end date of your cruise gets added to. We didn’t bother with this, instead we deducted the number of days Oleanna would be stationary from the full trip and kept a tally on how this affected trip days. I understood my method, Mick just had to go along with it and see if it worked. Thankfully it did. Yes we could have adjusted the trip on Canal plan and added in the stationary days but that would then be a touch ridged.

Three possible routes to try out and see if the dates would work.

Firstly the Huddersfield Narrow, the shortest cruise. Plenty of stations to choose from, if we got stuck by flooded rivers it would be the easiest to move the boat at short notice when levels came down. Marinas not so plentiful, but a slight adjustment to cruising hours made it work.

Second choice the Shroppie, the longest cruise. This would mean not doubling back on ourselves too much. Stations not so good, some buses would be needed. Cruising days on the Tidal Trent have some leeway and the tides look favourable to CRT working hours at the locks. Some adjustment required for a marina, but that would be manageable if they have room.

Third choice the T&M, in between the above cruises, retracing the way we’ve just come back to Fradley. The Tidal Trent on the same days as the Shroppie, better stations too.

The final choice is still to be made, but at least we could let friends know the two possible locations we’d be at for a rendez vous. About half an hours drive between them so at least they’d know where abouts to head in the first place.

We checked the radar. More rain due overhead. Two boats moved off, a while later they were replaced with another two. We were going to wait until after lunch, hoping the rain would subside. The two boats that had arrived headed off again in a lull in the showers.

At 2pm we decided to make a move whether the weather was good or not. Waterproofs on we winded and headed down stream to Saltersford Locks. On arrival there was a boat moored on the lock waiting pontoon, where was the Lockie? We hovered for a while, then Mick rang the Lockie. The lock would be ready in about 15/20 minutes, the boat on the landing moved off and we could pull in to wait. Sure enough the lock took forever to fill, the Lockie set it filling and headed off for a while.

This is the only downstream lock we went through back in 2011, it holds 660,000 gallons of water and I think it was estimated back then that it could hold 27 Winding Downs. It sits alongside a smaller lock, but that hasn’t been used since the 70’s. We passed our ropes around bollards towards the back of the lock. The bow just by a set of disused centre gates. The lock was set emptying, this would take time too.

Just below the lock was a water point we pulled in to fill up the tank. An end of terrace cottage, formerly a Lock Keepers cottage, is for sale. The pressure was pretty good so we were on our way again soon.

We didn’t remember the journey to Dutton Locks from 13 years ago. Houses sit close by. Some leading up to Acton Bridge have pontoon moorings sticking out into the river, one of them for sale!

The moorings by Acton Bridge were full. We wanted to be further on anyway and the mooring certainly wouldn’t be cat friendly. Mick took the advice of the Lockie back at Saltersford and called ahead to the next lock, it would be set ready for us when we arrived.

Above Dutton Locks the moorings were full. The sunk vessel we’d seen 13 years ago has degraded a lot! Maybe on our way back I’ll get a closer look, today we wanted to head on further. We pulled into the lock, the gates closed behind us and the water started to drain out through sluices in the side of the lock.

Now on totally new water to all of us. Back in March 2011 the locks had been on winter opening hours meaning they had to be booked, we only had limited time on the river anyway so hadn’t ventured further, today we could carry on.

Dutton Viaduct came into view, dark against the rain laden clouds, sun streaming through where it could. The river has views, next to no flood banks. Open views, then tree lined banks. We had our hopes on a mooring a mile or so further, a little m on our map meaning we’d need spikes.

As it came into view it had great potential and there was only one boat moored up, space for us. We winded and pulled in a short distance up stream with trees to our bow and stern, our own slot. We’d found the Devil’s Garden mooring, both of us had heard of it before, a favourite for many.

Tilly was allowed out and we all had a little explore, checking signs and fences avoiding stepping in the cowpats. Tilly stayed out and played for a while, but it was blustery, rainy and she was wanting dingding.

Mick lit the stove, we’d be needing one for our jacket potatoes to accompany a pie each. Yarn was selected for the next pair of socks, pair 37 I think. Thank you to those who’ve sponsored a pair this week I’ve now only got to find two more sponsors to make 52 pairs for the year and I’ve beaten last years total too! It may be that as the nights start drawing in I may be able to knit a few more pairs, after all why stop at 52, I’ve still got a mountain of yarn to use.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/pip-leckenby-1704636205453?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fpip-leckenby-1704636205453&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

2 locks, 5.8 miles, 2.2miles of new water, 30 minutes for one lock, 1 full water tank, 1 damp blowy day, 2 pies, 2 jackets, 0 cows, 37 in 4 shades of blue, 1 cosy boat, 1 lovely mooring.

https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m17!1m12!1m3!1d7260.5534387613325!2d-2.6748082668054605!3d53.28409690096703!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m2!1m1!2zNTPCsDE2JzU3LjUiTiAywrAzOSc1My45Ilc!5e1!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1726061794294!5m2!1sen!2suk

Down In One. 5th September

Below Plant’s Lock 41 to before Rookery Railway Bridges 158A

Up early, breakfasted, exercised, covers rolled up and outside ready to push off before 9:12, which is when our extra crew arrived. Paul Balmer had kindly offered to help us down the Cheshire Locks today and had made his way up from Birmingham to join us. Once his ruck sack was stowed inside Oleanna we were on our way. Me at the helm, Mick and Paul walking ahead to work the locks.

We’ve done the Cheshire Locks many times before, our share boat was based in Sandbach for her first few years. From what we can remember we’ve never done them all in one day before. It also depends on where you consider the locks starting and ending. We’d already done the top lock yesterday, our aim was to get down the two locks at Wheelock before stopping for the day, there are still 5 more locks to Middlewich Junction, then three round the corner to Big Lock, we don’t count these last 9.

Having two crew made things pretty quick, both working a lock then one walking ahead to set the next whilst the other stayed to close up behind. I just had to keep up with them both!

It was a grey dreary day, with a slight amount of wetness in the air every so often, but that didn’t put us off. Dropping down to Red Bull services we had Police Officers asking if we’d seen a chap in red shorts covered in tattoos, we couldn’t help. Mick dropped the rubbish off as we went past the bins. Only one other boat moored between the tunnel and the bottom of Townfield Lock 46, where were all the boats!?!

**Hall’s Lock 49 a cruiser coming up one of the paired locks**

The chaps hopped back on board to ride to Church Top Lock, Mick taking over the helm so I could sit down. Mick and I over the years have developed hand signs to convey information. Boat coming up, boat going down, walking, can I have a lift, I’m walking ahead is that okay? On several occasions Paul came to relay information to me, Mick had already beaten him with our signs. It didn’t matter as it was nice to have someone to talk to.

Whilst Oleanna and I dropped down inside each lock Mick and Paul chatted away up top, boats and trains most probably the main subjects covered. Gradually as we worked down hill the canal lost it’s bright orange hue from the tunnel, the only residue was left as small drips on Oleanna’s clean roof!

**Crew ahead at the next lock waiting for a boat to come up.**

At Hall’s Lock we met an up hill boat at the paired locks, both in use today. Then we passed a few more through the Lawton Locks, crew from other boats helping where needed.

Everyone on board to cruise to Rode Heath where there were a few boats moored. Above the lock a house for sale. Normally this would be a stopping point for us, but it was still too early even for a lunch break.

The oven was heated up and just before the two Pierpoint Locks a tray of sausage rolls were popped in the oven. I’d guessed at cooking and cooling time, but the chaps were a touch too quick with the locks so we had to wait for them to cool down for a while before tucking in. What was in the Quality Street tin to follow? Apple flapjack of course, this years cruising fuel.

There was Paul’s list to go through, there’s always a list of questions and subjects to cover. We also had plenty of photos to look at too. Maybe if we’d have stopped ten minutes earlier we’d not have been second in line for Lock 57, but we were.

One boat coming up, another to go down, then two coming up sharing. Were these the two we came across earlier this year, in a similar area? Almost certainly. I had to call Mick back to help get Oleanna off the bottom, too many boats mooring in this pound and not enough carrying on up to let water down.

Sitting in the locks I got to see things from a different angle. The buffer plates in the T&M locks vary quite a bit, the most interesting ones most probably the oldest ones. Looking back, picking Mick up every now and again I spotted that quite a few sets of steps have had the stone treads turned upside down, the worn area now filled with mortar, but a new flat step on the top.

Earlier this year, possibly at Maddocks Lock 59 I took a photo of all the daffodils between the paired locks. Today the grass is filled with clover flowers, many past their best.

At Clear Water Lock 63 we took our time exiting. Paul wanted some photos and the depth below the water measuring. A boat hook came in handy for measuring. The depth of water up to my chest, the first rung of the lock ladder at our cabin height!

The pound below the lock was a good 14 inches low and Oleanna took her time to cross over the bottom cill. A boat waited below. As Oleanna exited I’d need to turn her to miss the boat, the bow thruster came in handy as there was nowhere for the stern to go. I very nearly ran out of space as the chap on the waiting boat had stopped waiting, and was heading straight towards the lock, reducing my manoeuvring room all the time! He’d apparently asked Mick why I was taking so long, was there something around the prop? No there was only just enough water under my boat making her unresponsive. Maybe I should have just stopped and waited to see how far he was going to bring his boat. I could have had a go at him, but just said Hello instead, life’s too short to deal with an impatient Twonk head!

Mick would climb back on board when ever there was a slightly longer gap between locks so I could have a sit down. Only two more locks to descend, down to Wheelock, then we’d be on the flat again for some distance. Onwards we cruised to just before Rookery Railway Bridges where there are mooring rings and some rather good friendly cover for Tilly.

**Paul, Pip and Mick, the Cheshire crew**

Another cuppa and some flapjack to keep Paul going before he headed off to walk to Sandbach Station. Thank you so much for your help today Paul and for your company.

25 locks, 7.9 miles, 9 sausage rolls, 12 pieces of flapjack, 2 many low pounds, 1 short ladder, 1 impatient twonk, 2 emergency safety pins, 5 hours 20 minutes, 1 hour shore leave, 1 big fish pie, not enough time to award a Mrs Tilly stamp.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/9e5GVFvZUQ9xJYSJ7

The Missing End. 30th August

Froghall Basin to The Boat, Cheddleton

There was no point in putting things back on Oleanna’s roof yesterday as we’d be going back through the tunnel today. Well the chimney went on in case it rained overnight. The mooring had been quiet apart from what sounded like a distant dog kennel, one with lots of hounds.

Yesterday we’d wanted to dispose of some rubbish. CRT signs suggested that the bins were theirs, but another sign said there were not and there would be a £600 fine for anyone using them, they belonged to Hetty’s. Mick popped over this morning to check on the situation. Apparently CRT removed the bins a while ago, Hetty’s then took over the contract with Biffa, so they are theirs. The chap at Hetty’s said we’d be okay popping one bag of kitchen waste in them before we left.

Time to make our move. Mick headed off to set the lock, no need to as there was no chance it would have filled up overnight. The chap from the waterpoint yesterday was walking his dog and came for a chat, at least someone other than us had now seen that we’d made it through the tunnel. Blimey the lock was like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon when empty, so much plant life. Up Oleanna rose, we then pulled onto the water point to top up the tank again.

Not such a powerful tap and I suspect it was connected to Hetty’s as the pressure varied. A CRT fundraiser came over to chat, full of the problems to do with funding. He confirmed the bins were no longer CRT’s, maybe someone should remove the CRT sign.

Opposite the lock is a rather nice building containing several holiday lets. They have their own swimming lake behind them. A lady came out to wave at us as we passed, heading back to the tunnel.

**Can we do it in 2 minutes this time?**

It took a while to line up with the tunnel again. Then we plunged back into the 75 yards, repeating yesterdays slow progress, only a little bit quicker this time, 7 minutes instead of 10 for Mick’s head to pop back up at the stern.

With all the covers removed it made sense to me to give the roof a much needed wash. Mick wasn’t so keen and busied himself putting nav lights back on and reassembling the horns. I however was determined to finally give Oleanna a wash, sick of the green and grey the cream had become.

With other items removed the roof needed a prewash and rinse to get rid of the worst of the muck. Then followed with a soapy wash and scrubbing brush, rinsed down. Mick ran out of jobs he could get away with, he really hates washing boats, doesn’t see the point in it! So I got him to do the prewash and rinse on the off side. Where the coal lives on the roof both sides got the full works the rest of the offside could wait for us to be moored later on.

Oh finally the cream was back with us. Unfortunately it did mean that I’d got to see just how bad the grabrail had got close up on the port side. Last year I’d prepped the starboard side for painting, then ran out of time. The port side didn’t get a look in. I’m going to have to find the time this year along with knee stamina to stand on the gunnels to get the job done. Washing the roof was at least a start.

As we had lunch a boat came past. Where had it come from? It had come from the tunnel, we’d not seen it go past earlier. Mick said he’d spotted it down an arm when he went into Hetty’s. So when we came across a boat heading to Froghall, thankfully not on a narrow section, we could confidently tell the helm that there would be no-one heading towards him as there were no boats behind us. We kept sounding our horn, just in case, but met no other boats.

Just by the water point at Consell Forge there was a For Sale sign. Not much of a river frontage, but hardly surprising as the house was up a track away from the weir and river. If you like a good pint and heritage railways along with a bit of seclusion this is your house.

Back up the river, back onto the canal. No Bob or Rob to help at Wood Lock, but that didn’t matter. We now wanted a mooring. A hire boat and CRT boat occupied the first length. The boat from the water point yesterday sat on the next mooring opposite The Boat pub. We pulled in behind, tucking in as close as we could, with boats moored opposite we didn’t want to be in anyone’s way. It did require some creative mooring, but we got there in the end.

Time to put Oleanna back together again. I finished off washing the roof, the offside no longer off, whilst Mick put the cratch cover and pram hood back on. Except there was a vital bit missing from the pram hood. An end that connects the end of a piece of frame to attach it to the cabin sides. When we’d taken the frame off it had been stored inside, last night it was put on the roof out of our way, then back inside again today. We hunted high and low, inside and out. Tilly was questioned in case she’d found it interesting and batted it under the sofa for safe keeping. It was not to be found, we needed some means of attaching the frame to the roof.

**Boy things kept for what? But that broken thing might just**…

In amongst the things that have been kept for some reason was a broken bit from the tv aerial pole. A rubber end to it and a broken metal prong. It fitted into the frame leaving the prong which we might be able to clamp into the connector. Mick played around with it for a while, cable ties and for now we have a way to attach the frame when it’s up, it always gets folded down for cruising no matter. A new connector will need ordering next week.

Not the quietest of moorings. Plenty of dog walkers and noisy drinkers at the pub. This was then followed by a lot of cars coming and going. We’d be able to cope with it for a night and before there is any boat traffic in the morning we want to be moving.

4 locks, 4.8 miles, 75 yards of tunnel, £750,000, 0 boats behind us, 1 year of grime, 1 sparkling roof, 2 sides still to do, 15 patches of rust, 1 noisy mooring, 2 dogs to get along, 1 bored cat, 1 missing end, 1 broken bit repurposed.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/WqJVkvPNNTgQgc3X7

Hand Over Feet. 27th August

Below Engine Lock 4 to Bridge 30

A hire boat headed for the lock. One came from the lock, would it now be set for us?

No! The boat had only come from the mooring just in front of us, oh well, at least it was Mick who had to wind wind and wind the low geared paddles on the bottom gates to empty the lock! This was to be our 600th lock this year, that spread sheet I started in March helping with calculations! Once up I walked ahead with the key of power, no walking stick today, hooray!! Those exercises must be doing some good.

We’d been watched coming up the lock by a Grandma and Grandson, he’d helped push the top gate open. They reached the lift bridge at the same time as me, the little lad asked if he could push the button. Of course he could. One push doesn’t do it though, you have to keep pushing until it’s right up. He helped with closing it too a little extra help from me at the end as I think it was getting boring for the last few feet.

***There’s a feline artist around here***

Despite there being a footpath over the next lift bridge shown on the OS map it was left open. On we pootled to the bottom of Stockton Brook Locks all full to the top.

Stockton Brook pumping Station with it’s red brick sits proud yet wounded just back from the canal. It began operating in 1884, providing clean drinking water to the area, pumping water to several reservoirs. In 2004 it was taken on some 20 years after being decommissioned and now the aim is to open it up as a community facility, art gallery, cafe, conference and meetings. If you happen to be in the area on 27th 28th September they are having an open weekend, shame we won’t be here. More details here.

Each pound between the locks was a little low, next to no water running down the bywashes. At the third lock the pound above looked very low. As Oleanna rose up this of course made the situation worse. Then we could see water rushing down the bywash, someone must have been coming down the top lock, the next lock was also full. We decided to wait for the boat to arrive and hope that with their lock emptying the pound would be high enough for us to get over the cill. We swapped roles, Mick helped me onto the bank, a very big step up and I walked up to the next lock.

**Swapping in a low pound was a Mick job**

I explained the situation and if Mick didn’t come out of the lock then we’d need to let more water down to get him over the cill. The helm explained they were quite a heavy boat due to their batteries, an electric boat. Thankfully there was enough water and the two boats managed to pass in the pound without grounding out. I walked ahead expecting the next lock to be empty, but it was just about full. Were we following a boat or had the electric boat taken forever to reach the lock giving it time to refill?

It was nice to be out in the open rather than at the bottom of a slimy lock even if it was raining. Pushing lock beams is done trying to keep as straight as possible, trying to avoid twisting my knee, but it is still not something I want to be doing every day.

**Pretty cottage, but what about the neighbours?**

The Lock Cottage is for sale. Whilst looking for details on the pump house I came across an article regarding the nearby golf course. The locals are not happy with a planned extension and new licence, commenting on it being like a ‘nightclub’ with ‘noise, vomit and litter’. Maybe this is why the house is for sale!

We pootled onwards. The old swing bridge with it’s central pivot point and one way sign still sits in the middle of the canal, maybe on our return we’ll stop and have a look at the information board on the offside.

Ahead is Stoke an Trent Boat Club down a little arm, the navigation heads off to the right. The first time we came round this bend was on NB Winding Down and we hit a frozen canal, only being able to keep going straight until we hit the bank. Should we stop here with views out across the fields opposite? We carried on to be close to Kidd’s Bridge, a farm behind the hedge made it no too suitable for Tilly and trees on the offside hemmed it in. In the end we pulled in just after where bridge 30 used to cross the canal. The end of the moorings before the services. This would do us for today and we were in the general area we’d said we’d be mooring today.

A late lunch. Sounds of bow thrusters, reversing, was someone having difficulty mooring? Then a bow came past, NB Bonjour had just had a dog overboard moment, Jess had spotted something in a field that required further investigation, on the off side!

**Debby and Dave heading back to the T&M**

Debby and Dave pulled in. Chats on the towpath were followed by a cuppa on Oleanna. Time to hand over Pair 32 of my sockathon socks. Thank you Debby for sponsoring a pair and how good it was to be able to hand them over.

This is the first time we’ve actually managed to coincide with time to chat. I think last time was at Lapworth about 7 years ago. We chatted boats, toilets, where we’d been and Dave and I played knee pain snap. Lovely to have been able to coincide, hope your knee news is helpful Dave and see you again somewhere sometime.

Tilly had a good afternoon, returning a little before cat curfew and not interested in Dreamies! I should have realised something was wrong then. Eating her own body weight whilst self catering hadn’t gone down too well! Thankfully the episode didn’t last too long this time.

I had a go at using up the chips from last night in a kind of frittata. Courgette, sweetcorn, and some feta were added along with egg and some yoghurt that needed using up. A tasty concoction, which turned out a touch more like a hash than a frittata as I didn’t want to put my pan in the oven to finish it off and flipping it over with a pate wasn’t going to happen either, so a fish slice did it in sections. If we ever end up with ten portions of chips again, I’ll give it another go.

6 locks, including our 600th this year! 3.1 miles, 2 lift bridges, 1 open, 1 very low pound, 1 heavy boat, 1 way sign, 2 bloggers meet, 32nd pair socks, 1 overly full Tilly, 1 soggy Jess, 2 matching knees, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

Two Out Of Three. 17th August

Fradley Bridge 90 to Bridge 55, Trent and Mersey Canal

Plenty of boats had passed us before we pushed off this morning, but we timed our departure with a gap. Half an hours cruise to Fradley Junction, the morning had started bright but it started to turn grey.

A hire boat was pulled up on the bridge landing, poles, hooks anything available was being used to try to find something, a wallet had sunk into the murky depths. The bridge an easy push to open so I operated it and then rather than walk round to the locks I hopped back on board.

A For Sale sign! This may well be my property of the year!! Junction House has for as long as I can remember had piles of wooden stuff outside the front door, suggesting an interesting owner and interior. Today I spotted a bell hanging in a tree, not sure when it gets rung. Looking at the house from the junction it doesn’t seem half as big as it actually is and with around an acre of land, just a shame it doesn’t have it’s own mooring. The estate agent photos confirmed my theory of an interesting owner, the first interior photo does not disappoint. If anyone would be willing to give me the £800,000 and maybe a touch more to give the building some TLC I’d be very grateful. Thank you.

Oleanna was turned left towards the east, the first time we’ve been on this stretch of the Trent and Mersey since June 2019. As ever there was a queue, but how long was it? A boat had just pulled into the lock landing, another going up in the lock. We crept along the line of boats, a chap quickly making us aware that there was a queue and he was in it despite being tucked in amongst the long term moorers. So third in line we trod water, waiting for our turn, the blue shirts of volunteers visible at the two locks ahead.

**Hello T&M little arched lock bridges**

I’m missing working locks and with volunteers on hand I decided to pick up the windlass and help, I just needed to get off Oleanna first, a rather big step off the stern when we reached the lock landing. With stick in one hand and windlass the other I went up to help reset the lock.

**One of the forty volunteers who man Fradley**

The full compliment of volunteers at Fradley now numbers 40, but today it being summer their numbers were depleted due to holidays, so only three were on duty, thankfully the two we were to pass through had volunteers. I lifted and closed paddles and gates, the top gate could wait for the volunteer to join me. At Shadehouse Lock the volunteer did however leave me to carry on pushing the top gate open and went to lower the paddle, I’d imagined that would be my job, the gate maybe a little too heavy for my knee, but I managed.

HS2 was going to cross the canal shortly before the southernmost bend to the T&M, but that was the stretch that was cancelled. A mound of earth sits close to the canal, will this be left for nature to reclaim and boaters in years to come say ‘that was once going to be HS2’ or will the land be flattened out? Round the bend however is different, this length of HS2 will still go ahead meeting up with the existing line between Lichfield and Rugeley on the Trent Valley line. The trees along the canal bank are still there but then comes the earth works behind.

Wood End Lock moorings are fenced off and look pretty unsafe, the lock cottage also fenced off. We pulled in behind the boat ahead to wait our turn, Mick wondering why the chap didn’t pull further along to make bollards available for us. I already knew I’d not be working this lock, the bent beams on the bottom gates require some umphing!

Moving up to leave space behind us for the following hire boat, I waited for our turn, then gave the bow a touch of bow thruster and off I went…. except Oleanna was stuck on the bottom again! After much pushing with a pole and engine revving we got her off the bottom and slowly into the lock. Maybe this was why the chap in front of us hadn’t moved his boat forward to give us a bollard!

Now to find a suitable mooring. Past Kings Bromley Marina towards bridge 55, we hoped for a space. It was pretty full, but there was a space, would we fit. We breathed in and shoe horned ourselves into the gap, most probably left by a 57ft boat. The boat behind us didn’t offer to move up, well he was mid painting his cabin side.

Ah wet paint. Cat. Ah!! I’d just given Tilly the rules and the news of four full hours of shore leave, but hadn’t opened the door yet. A conference. The boat behind the tacky wet painty one had a dog roaming too. The chap painting said he’d be moving off at tea time back to the marina. That Tom had better have his tea at 2:30! He finally moved off at 17:30, sorry Tilly.

Knitting needed catching up on, I finished off the first sock on pair 33 and got the toe knitted of the second one. A much simpler pattern that should mean I can catch myself up again.

Sad git’s meatballs tonight. I usually cook them in a pan and add sauce to them, but tonight as Autumn seemed to have arrived I opted to cook them in the oven, helping to take the chill out of the cabin.

3 locks, 3.7 miles, 1 left, £800,000 a bargain, 1 jaunty Mona Lisa, 5 years, 4 0 hours shore leave, 1 painty boat, 1 roaming woofer, 1 bored cat, 1.25 socks knitted, 12 meatballs for heat, 1 more Dr Who to go.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/yhbeBeexKiawxraz9

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna