Ewell Fen GOBA Mooring to West View Marina EA Mooring
Today we had a rendez vous around midday so no shore leave for Tilly whilst we had breakfast. We pushed off and pootled our way towards Hermitage Lock passing more pumping stations, a cruiser and quite a few canoes. The canoes were almost certainly a batch of Duke of Edinburgh teenagers, maps out, rucksacks getting dribbled on and plenty of smiles.
Four of the twelve boats we saw today
A sign came into view, 3/4 mile to go to the lock, call the lock keeper. He was just penning a boat through, so would reset the lock for us.
The lock has a road bridge over the middle of it, chains hang from the chamber sides as well as below the concrete bridge, we’d have plenty of head room today going up onto the tidal river. A sign on the top gates and one before we’d entered the lock warned us of low water levels on the next stretch. A little like at Cromwell on the River Trent the tide only really affects the river here on spring tides and the lack of fresh water coming down stream isn’t helping with levels at the moment. So if you are deep drafted you need to keep it slow and steady coming out of the lock.
Left 4.5hrs cruise compared to 8hrs to Denver on the right
Once out of the lock the Hundred Foot Drain or New Bedford River heads off to the north east, tidal to Denver and Salters Lode. This is the fast route back to the Middle Level, we may or may not go this way on our return.
Another route to Denver but access is denied
Then pretty soon the Old Bedford River follows off to the north east too, a straighter version of the new river, on our maps it’s marked as none navigable for nearly half of it’s length, we won’t be going that way.
That’s a bit of a haul up out of the water
Earith soon comes into view a village that was once a port. Most of the wharves and warehouses have long gone, but there are still a few signs of it’s past. This is where Jewson and Son’s was founded.
Egrets today but no seals to watch
West View Marina was soon upon us, would there be room on the pontoon for us today. As we approached it appeared to be full, but two narrowboats hid the visitor moorings from us, they were empty, we pulled in a little before midday.
Heather with chilled medication
A quick tidy up ready for our visitor who soon arrived by bus, calling in at the marina office to pick up a chilled medicated lunch for us all, Magnums which had to be eaten quickly as Heather had been waylaid on her way to us.
We spent time catching up on news and on one of the many tangents we went off on we discovered we’d both worked for Theatre Projects. Heather had been a PA to Richard Pilbrow and I’d made models of new theatres for them over a couple of years as I finished college, possibly twenty years apart but we both knew the directors of old.
Heather’s new boat
With a cuppa consumed after the ice creams we walked over to take a look at Heather’s new (to her) boat, a Pedro. Every now and then on rivers we’ve started to spot Pedros and found their shape pleasing and being made from steel a touch more solid than your average cruiser.
Guilden Tass was bought last year with the intention of taking her over to Ireland to cruise the waterways there. Work is on going, taking it’s time, but one day she’ll have her prop back on, have had her hull blacked and be back in the water.
Loads of room to sit, a touch out of place due to on going works
Cruisers are a different beast to narrowboats, width and an indoor position to steer from as well as one right on the very top, but most of all they have wheels not tillers. Indoor is spacious, although the toilet/shower less so. All very exciting, I wonder if she will be back on the water before we leave the area?
Covers over the outdoor wheel and morse control
We left Heather to have some boat time on her own, she beamed as she slid the door closed behind herself. Another cuppa later on before we walked her to the bus stop to say goodbye and then have a nosy around the village. Have to say there wasn’t much to see other than a few nice looking houses and a very busy road. We did find the post office which may provide us with a newspaper tomorrow morning.
Ice skating at Earith, is that GT in the back ground?
1 lock, 3.66 miles, 1 visitor, 3 magnums, 1 Pedro, 2 boat Heather, 2 many cushions, 0 prop, 1 steep ladder, 0 shore leave for complaining Tilly, 2 Egrets, 1 list of places to visit, 1 very small world, 6 courgette fritters still needing a touch more refining.
When in a University city such as Oxford or Cambridge we feel we should visit a college or two. With a lot to choose from we chose two which couldn’t be more different from each other.
The choir
First was the tourist attraction of Kings College. I wanted to visit the college as it is where a chorister kicks off Christmas Eve singing Once in Royal Davey Daddies City. To be honest I hadn’t come across this until Mick came into my life, now every year either the TV or radio are on for us to listen. The chapel is also quite a visual treat.
The way in
Entrance is best booked in advance, if you can book a week in advance you’ll get £1 off your ticket. The entrance is down Senate House Passage which leads to the north door of the chapel.
Just look at that!
As soon as you walk in the ceiling and stained glass grab your eyes. I love fan vaulting so I was always going to enjoy our visit. A sit down was needed to appreciate the pleasing structure way over head. One area caught the eye, a very smiley sun just off symmetry, a helium balloon that someone had lost grip of. I wonder how long it will take for it to loose it’s attraction to the ceiling?
King Henry VI laid the foundation stone in 1444, King’s one of his two ‘royal and religious’ foundations, the other being Eton. Both the school and college were to admit a maximum of 70 scholars drawn from poor backgrounds, boys from Eton were guaranteed entry to Kings. From his original plans only the chapel was ever built and that took almost a century. Subsequent Kings took on the college, it’s building paused during the Wars of the Roses.
Lots of light and detail everywhere
The anti-chapel is overwhelmingly carved. Half crowns stand out from the walls, back lit. Tudor heraldic emblems fill every space left around the stained glass windows.
The west window
The dark oak screen which houses the organ was a gift from Henry VIII and bears his and Anne Boleyn’s initials. It’s not as elaborate as many choir screens, but not many date back to this time. He also commissioned the stained glass windows for the north, south and east sides of the chapel, split in two with Old Testament at the top and new Testament below. Sitting looking up at them there is a lot of bright blue sky.
You get big choirs in Cambridge
The choir stalls line the sides, seats going on forever, no wonder the choir is famed.
Rubens
Below the East window stands The Adoration of the Magi, painted by Rubens in 1634. During my A level Art I studied Rubens, I think the best essay I ever wrote at school was about his portrayal of naturally curved women.
Dodgems at Dawn
You then get the chance to walk around some of the outside areas. Today the Front Court was off bounds as the May Ball was being cleared away. It appears that this years thing is bumper cars, we came across them elsewhere in Cambridge today too. The gatehouse and screen, separate the college from the city’s streets and it’s people, the architecture ornate and delicate dates from the 1820s.
Flower meadow
Behind the court lies the Back Lawn, the majority grass. Don’t stand on it whatever you do! Then directly in front of Kings Chapel the grass has been sewn with wild flowers, a sea of waist high daisies with paths leading down to the River Cam. Very pretty and tasty for the bees.
As we crossed over the Bridge we looked back, the whole place shouted MONEY at us. We’d done THE tourist college with it’s spectacular ceiling and old masters, and Keep of the grass signs, now it was time for something very different.
Murray Edwards College
On the north west side of the city, up Huntington Road lies Murray Edwards College. Originally founded as New Hall in 1954, the first year had just 16 women students in buildings on Silver Street, it set out to try and address the low number of women undergraduates at Cambridge University . It was able to relocate to Huntington Road when the Darwin family donated their home The Orchard. The college buildings were opened in 1964 with the capacity for 300 students. In 2005 the college was renamed after it’s first President Dame Rosemary Murray and Ros and Steve Edwards who made a large donation to the college.
Fountain Court
Architects Chamberlain, Powell and Bon had designed the Barbican and Golden Lane Estates in London, they were chosen along with the builders WC French who had built the original motorway bridges on the M1. See, I told you it was completely different.
The Dome
The dining hall known as The Dome is made up of precast concrete, 4 inches thick, flanged so that they overlap each other with glass panels in between. The dome soars high above the first floor, your eye naturally pulled to it’s centre. Four staircases spiral down to the ground and lower floors, one in each corner.
More of the Fountain Court
Large wooden glazed doors invite you into rooms where the texture of the concrete has either been left ruff almost like the sea bed, or polished smooth. Cream brickwork on curved walls surrounds the Fountain Court with its blue lined troughs of water and of course it’s fountains.
Long glazed corridors with large windows, many open today for fresh air create open walkways from parts of the college to the next. For me this was reminiscent of parts of York University and parts of the house my Dad built as our family home.
The Porter was very friendly, gave us both a sticker for the Women’s Art Collection along with a big white folder with details of where we could go and the artworks held within the college and it’s 14 acres of gardens, and yes we’d be allowed to walk on the grass!
The collection is formed of modern and contemporary art by women, the largest of it’s kind in Europe. It was founded in 1986 and has expanded since then with donations and loans from artists. The college houses more than 500 works, including pieces by Barbara Hepworth, Tracy Emin, Rebecca Fortnum to name just a few. Every corner you turn there is another work, at the bases of staircases sculptures sit.
As we left we turned round, numerous potted plants sitting on the front steps a black cat lurking in there somewhere, we decided that we preferred it here to Kings. More inclusive, relaxed, warm, arty, airy, grass between your toes friendly. Well worth a visit and it’s free! Thank you Bridget for pointing us in the colleges direction.
Todays Menu
We now walked back into the city, one last thing on the list of essential things to do in Cambridge to tick off the list, Jack’s Gelato!
That’s better!
The queue was far shorter late afternoon and it was just the right length to have made the very hard decision of which flavour to have. To save any bickering between us we both chose Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt. Mick had a standard waffle cone, I paid the extra for a gluten free one, a rare thing! We sat down on the wall outside King’s College our backs turned towards the money and enjoyed our well earned chilled medication.
0 locks, 1 walked over twice, 0 miles, 7 miles walked, 2 colleges, 513 years apart, 1 spectacular ceiling, 1 mesmerising ceiling, 1 organ screen, 1 walkway of roses, 1 Ruben, 2 Tracy Emin and a Barbara Hepworth, £11, £0, 2 chilled medications well deserved.
Clayhithe Moorings to Fort St George Moorings, Cambridge
Clear clear water
The river was so clear this morning, all the reeds and plants intermingled with the fish below us. The sun was out again with the temperatures requiring shorts and shady hats.
We pootled our way in towards Cambridge, much of the journey we were surrounded by trees offering us some shelter. Baits Bite was to be our second lock of the week. Accompanied by a Lock Keepers hut and behind that a rather shy thatched cottage hiding behind high fencing.
Okay then
By The Plough Pub in Fen Ditton there are signs asking you to keep left, this means passing boats on the wrong side. A rowing boat came round the bend ahead of us, a touch too close to the bank and old man in the pub garden shouted across to them about a painting of the Bumps at this location.
Maybe this is the one he was on about. The bend here is known as The Gut, keeping to the left is because of the difficulty in steering a 60ft rowing VIII, as the boat ahead of us had just found out.
Wonder if these cows have better manors than those at Lechlade?
We’d been surviving on what water we had left since filling up at Prickwillow so we gladly stopped in between the moored boats along Stourbridge Common. Here cows graze right up to the river, leaving their calling cards on the banks. Thankfully today any cowpats were dried out making stepping off to tie up easier than it would have been otherwise.
Whilst the tank filled up I had a shower hoping we still had far enough to go to heat up another tank full for Mick later on. Some bins were found nearby, including recycling which was a relief as our rubbish mountain was getting close to engulfing us.
Under Riverside Bridge where two lanes cross the river, one for pedestrians the other bikes. Past Cambridge Museum of Technology with it’s high brick chimney. Terraced houses were soon replaced with boat houses, one for each college, the river narrower than the Thames through Oxford, but still full of boats.
College Boat Houses
We kept our eyes peeled for spaces, the first one too close to a bridge and right outside a pub. Midsummer Fair was set up on Midsummer Common ready to draw in the crowds later this week, maybe we’d be better further in. Then a space with some wonderful shade, we couldn’t let that go to someone else!
Only a few poles to tie to meant the spikes came out. Mick bashed them into the ground, on the final hit the hammer flew out of his hand and straight into the river! A mental note was taken to it’s location and the Sea Searcher magnet earnt it’s keep assisted by the river clearing a touch and the handle of the hammer being bright yellow!
Despite Tilly’s protestations the doors remained shut for her. The amount of foot fall, bikes, scooters and proximity of a busy road means that sadly she won’t be exploring Cambridge.
First port of call was a visit to Heffers. Heffers was established 140 years ago and was the equivalent to Blackwells in Oxford, the university bookshop. In 1999 Blackwells bought the shop, it still retains it’s name. In a previous life I was a book and map seller at Blackwells in York, so time to have a browse was on the cards. With aircon and some birthday presents to purchase I was going to be kept busy for a while. Mick browsed from a chair near the front doors whilst I headed off to find the Crime Section. One title I was after was easy to find, another however wasn’t there. A friendly chap asked if he could help, the other title was currently being considered for reprint. He then suggested various authors that might be suitable, this was a man who knew his stock inside and out. In fact he turns out to have worked in bookselling for 40 years, 38 of them for Heffers and he is also a judge for the Golden Dagger Awards for thrillers. So I purchased a wild card paperback suggested by him, hope Andrew will enjoy it.
Kings College on the left
A couple of hours had us bimbling around the city along with many thousands of tourists. We did have a couple of aims.
Mathematical Bridge
The Mathematical Bridge which crosses the River Cam at Queens College. The bridge was designed by William Etheredge in 1748 and built by John Essex in1749. It spans the 50ft wide river using short lengths of timber. These short lengths of timber are held in a state of compression by the action of gravity on the whole structure, based on a voussoir bridge requiring strong abutments to balance the compressive forces created by the spring of the arch. The triangulation in the structure makes it very strong. Since it was first built it was repaired in 1866 and then rebuilt to the same design in 1904.
Below on the river the punts were in use, several with experienced guides gliding the punts along with ease showing up those having their first attempt. Just beyond Silver Street Bridge is the limit of navigation, although it is only possible to bring powered craft into The Backs between October and March with permission from the Cam Conservators, between March and October the furthest we can go is to below Jesus Lock. Today we weren’t tempted to have a go on a punt.
At weekends they have a second shop elsewhere in the city
Walking back through the city we headed up Bene’t Street. As soon as we’d turned the corner I could see the queue, at least thirty people standing in line. Slow decisions at the head of the queue very necessary. Jack’s Gelato will be visited before we leave, but I didn’t really want to stand around for half an hour today, so we even refrained from looking at todays flavours as that would have been torture.
The Fair
The walk back to Oleanna passed numerous other University buildings and colleges, the bus station (possibly handy for tomorrow) and then across Christ’s Pieces a park filled with trees offering walkers wonderful shade. Then along and across Midsummer Common which one end was almost totally taken over by the fair, we’ll see how noisy it gets tomorrow when it opens.
1 lock, 4.96 miles, 1 full water tank, 2 clean boaters, 1 miffed cat, 1 big splash, 1 handy magnet, 1 first perusal of Cambridge, 2 long a queue, 1 list, 1 joint membership, 3 options, 1st to read the letter, 2 presents, 1 vat of bolognaise sauce.
The main reason for not hanging about on the River Nene has been the need to return northwards. Peterborough is the ideal place to do this from as the East Coast Main line trains mostly stop here and at York. When the Rail Sale was on we managed to book tickets for a fraction of the prices normally charged, but only on off peak trains.
That kept me going on my journey north
My first train wasn’t until midday, so there was time for a lie in and a proper breakfast. Tilly was allowed some shore leave, but when she returned the doors were firmly closed, I really didn’t want her following me to the station. You’ll notice some extras on the breakfast plate, white and black pudding, the advantage of shopping at Morrisions, they do gluten free versions!
The station is a twenty minute walk from our mooring which looked a similar distance to the moorings on the embankment in town. Most of the walk can be done through park land rather than along a busy main road. My train stopped at every station north. No boats on the Trent at Newark that I could see, but the pontoon in Doncaster looked really quite full. A fifty minute wait for the train to Scarborough and I was soon walking to Sainsburys to stock up on cleaning items that had been used up and not replaced by lour last lodgers.
Alan and Betty waiting or their Ding Ding
Mick hadn’t had enough time to do much at the house last week on his failed visit to collect our postal votes, which still haven’t arrived (but thankfully the candidate we’d have voted for got elected). This visit was to change the beds, do the washing and clean the house as much as time would allow before I was due in York for a hospital appointment.
The washing machine and tumble drier were worked hard, the last load left to finish washing overnight. Ironing until almost 10pm and all the beds made up ready. Our last lodgers along with using things up and not replacing them had done little in the way of cleaning. This meant no undercoat on the windows this visit!
Tilly added her own thoughts to the list too!
Meanwhile back on Oleanna, Mick had a little list of jobs to work through whilst I was gone. Today he took the kitchen tap to bits to replace a cassette to stop the hot water tap dripping. This is the second time he’s had to do this in five years. Maybe the tap wasn’t such a good find even if its shape mirrors the angle of the tumble home!
Well the lodgers had left it!
The cold water side of the tap didn’t want to come off and now when you turn the tap on on that side it leaks at the base of the unit. More investigation required and YouTube watching.
The dishwasher and shower filters were cleaned out too all whilst Tilly explored the environs.
In need of the services at Gayton Junction we prepared, emptying the wee tank whilst the outlet was on the towpath side. Then we pootled our way to the junction.
What a difference from yesterday! I got sunburnt yesterday, today we could just about see our breath! Layers and long sleeves were certainly needed.
Gayton Junction, which way?
At the junction there was already a boat on the services, but fortunately they had just finished. We pulled in alongside and let two other boats pass before we could swap places and tie up. There was a hive of activity around the service block, the local IWA branch were busy weeding and giving the place a general tidy up. We filled and emptied as required then were ready to push off.
IWA all hard at work
We’ve pulled up at the services here before, but only once been along the Northampton Branch. That was just over eight years ago when we’d just bought NB Lillyanne, she’d been moored on the River Nene and her licence had just run out, so we spent a couple of long days getting her off the river and onto C&RT waters. Quite a rush, not enough time to take much in or write a blog.
Last year was all about seeing family and friends, this year we want to explore again. Today we’d be heading down the Northampton Arm towards the River Nene, Middle Levels, Great Ouse, River Cam etc where we plan on spending the summer. We have our Gold Licence, have joined Friends of the River Nene and The Great Ouse Boating Association. There are different licences to buy, keys and windlasses (that are also called keys), all very exciting!
Fancy swing bridge
But first we needed to stop for an early lunch, there’s nowhere really to stop in the flight of locks down into Northampton so we pulled up opposite Gayton Marina. This is where all the hire boats were aiming for this morning and also where we came to view the first second hand boat we looked at inn 2014, it had too much leatherette for our tastes and really bad storage for a liveaboard boat.
From eight years ago I’ve had this thing that Gayton Marina had to be on the main line of the Grand Union near the junction, every time we’ve passed since I’ve wondered where it had gone! Now I know it wasn’t just a mirage.
NB Caress of Steel came past just as we pulled in, another Finesse boat with space for a motorbike in the tug deck. Then we watched the swing bridge at the entrance swing, all automated, a barrier and flashing light. There was no-one to be seen operating it, do moorers have a fob that they can press to open it? Or is someone watching on CCTV?
Top Lock
Time to set off, with sixteen locks ahead of us before we could stop we needed to get on with it.
We remembered narrow locks, going under the M1. I remembered trying to ride a Brompton up the gravelly track between locks, our lock operation has changed since then going up hill. Today I’d be walking much of the flight three times to set ahead and then let Mick and Oleanna out of the lock above.
What would be different to the locks? There’s always something different on each canal. The beams were wide, easy to cross. Here the handrails on the bottom gates were on the downhill side of them. Would I still be able to push the gates apart to save a walk around the lock? Have they always been like this or is it to put people off stepping across from one gate to the other?
Beep beep!
At the second lock I stood and worked out if I could push the gates from the centre safely holding onto the railing. This actually would be a touch easier to start off with, but to guarantee getting the gate into the recess I would need to change the angle to which I pushed. After a few locks I decided that the angle I was pushing at was not being kind to my knees, so I chose to walk round instead. Thankfully Mick closed the other gate for me with the boat hook, saving a second trip round.
The thick of the flight runs through twelve locks seemingly in countryside, the last one however sitting underneath the M1 near junction 15A. All quite pretty, I suspect the views would have been better if the sun had been out.
A family walked up the flight, crossing over the gates of each lock. They were obviously keen to lend a hand with a gate or two.
Red roof
In the pound below lock 6 I could see a red arc. This turned out to be the roof of a cruiser, the chap on board appeared when we had a couple of locks still to go to reach him. Obviously a single hander, I headed down to lend a hand with gates as he bow hauled his boat into the lock. He said that he’d stopped in the pound overnight and some nair do wells had opened all the paddles and drained the pound, he’d woken up with his boat on the silt.
The bywash was flowing and had got him afloat again, the level still quite low. It took time for Oleanna and the cruiser to pass. We’d left the next two locks ready for him, I suspect he made use of the open gates and then settled back down for another night, waiting for the next down hill boat to leave gates for him.
It won’t go down!
The level below Lock 6 was low. Oleanna ground to a halt exiting. I lifted one of the top paddles to see if I could flush her out. This worked quite quickly, but then the paddle wouldn’t close fully. I managed to force it down a touch, but had to call for Mick to see if he could get it further. Thankfully this worked.
The canal was built by the Grand Junction Canal, with a height difference of 32m between the Grand Junction at Gayton down to Northampton. 17 narrow locks were built to connect the River Nene to the canal network. The first boats arrived at Far Cotton in Northampton on the 1st May 1815, 207 years ago today! However today we wouldn’t be greeted by crowds cheering, it would just be geese crapping everywhere!
Farms were cut in half by the canal, so seven lift bridges were put across so that sheep, cattle and machinery could cross. Today only one such bridge is still fully in tact, just below lock 5, two more sit beside the canal.
Under the M1 are murals painted by local school children. One side depicts the canal through the seasons, the other is a time line of Northampton which is very interesting, bright and jolly. For 100 years the canal was very busy transporting coal, grain and timber, by WW2 road competition took over and trade declined.
A heron flew away from the lock
In 1968 a group of local enthusiasts formed the IWA Northampton Branch, in 1971 the IWA National Rally was held when 650 boats gathered. The branch fought to keep the arm open, objecting to road plans that would affect the route. Today they look after the upkeep of the flight. Mosaics sit near the top gates of each lock and as seen at the top of the arm today work parties keep the thick of the flight trimmed and tidy.
The pounds very full lower down
Once under the M1 the last few locks are set further apart. New housing sits alongside and the amount of reeds increases, this is also something we remembered from eight years ago. Gradually the canal becomes more urban.
Reeds reeds and more reeds
Local boats sat making use of the few rings above Lock 17, but there was space for us infront. We used the last ring and the girders holding the pipe bridge up to moor and moved the geese along taking care not to stand in their pooh.
Last night we had unwrapped the pork joint, dried it off and left it in the fridge to dry out. Before starting the flight I had left it out to come up to room temperature. Once down Lock 15 I turned the oven on, gave the joint a dry off and added some more salt to the leathery rind. Down Lock 16 in it went. By the time we were moored up it had done it’s 30 minutes at gas 7 and could be turned down. The effort paid off as we enjoyed the best pork crackling I’ve ever made along with a quarter of the meat. A good celebration to mark the anniversary of the arm and the start of our exploring this year.
Yummmmm!
16 locks, 6.5 miles, 1 left, 1 full water tank, 1 grey day, 1 left of 7, 34 mosaics, 1 slow boat to Gayton, 1 Tilly not too impressed, 2 hrs 42 minutes, 1 joint of pork that will last us four meals, 18 train tickets booked (making use of the Sale before it ends), 2 tired boaters.
Maybe if we’d not said hello to everyone on this mornings zoom we wouldn’t have ended up in the queue for the locks, but it’s always nice to see everyone and queues on canals always seem to work themselves out in the end.
Slotting in with the passing boats
We pushed off at around 10:30, waiting for a gap in passing boats. The stag do boats must have turned at the junction heading towards Watford or been lucky at the top of the Buckby flight as there was no sign of them.
Queue!
Straight on for us to Long Buckby. Ahead of us a couple of boats were pulled up on the lock landings and one on the water point waiting to go down, we were following another boat and had to tread water for a while. Behind us at the junction a boat was turning out from the Leicester Section, someone in the bow who was more there for the photo opportunities than as a spotter, were they aware of another boat about to come through the bridge ready to broadside them?
Going down again
I hopped off to lend a hand with the two boats who were now going down, space now vacated at the lock landings. A lady on one boat said she was only doing the one lock, the hire boat she was with would wait for a boat from the next lock full. Behind us there were now at least another two boats treading water awaiting their turn.
A new partner
We shared the top lock with NB Black Swan before they joined the hire boat ahead. With no traffic coming uphill the lock was reset for us, crew from the boat behind arrived and we were waved on on our own. As the lock finished emptying a procession of three boats appeared above, someone must have pulled out from one of the moorings. We’d wait for someone at the next lock.
Oleanna and Jubilee
Here we started to meet uphill boats who informed us of plenty more behind them. The gates were left open expectant of more uphill boats whilst we waited for a new locking partner. Up they came and after a while of waiting (long enough for a comfort break and change of top) we were joined by NB Jubilee. Sorry we didn’t get your names.
Look at that sky!
The last locks of the flight we now shared, swapping with other boats coming uphill, there was time to chat and enjoy the sunshine. What a lovely day to be boating especially as we were now out of the holding queue.
Buckby Bottom Lock
At the bottom we could have pulled in for lunch, but not knowing how many moored boats there would be ahead to slow our progress we wanted to keep moving so as to reach Rubgy Boats before they closed for the day. So lunch was had on the move.
Bye bye Buckby
Plenty of traffic, by rail, road and canal. It’s a noisy stretch with the odd patch away from the faster travellers. We paused for me to head to Tescos in Weedon for a newspaper, thankfully all the really good bits were included with the paper today unlike last week!
A treat
Pulling in at Rugby Boats we filled the diesel tank, £1.40 a litre, bought 2 bags of coal (well it might snow before next weekend!) and some chilled medication which was enjoyed as we pulled away.
Hello again!!!!
More and more boats have loud music emanating from them. As we approached Bugbrooke music became very very loud indeed. Was this coming from a boat, had the bridge been installed with speakers. No there was a lady singing to backing tracks outside the pub, she was good, but we’d rather hear nature being noisy in the countryside so we pushed on, wanting to get a couple more miles ticked off before mooring anyway.
Our planned five hour day had extended and cat curfew was getting close. We ended up pulling in just after Bridge 42, the same place we’d stopped last year after being boarded by ants at Bugbrooke. Ahh peace and quiet! Well not really.
Confused sheep
The West Coast Main line thundered past every now and again, people heading off for the weekend. The sheep across the way were very vocal and then at one point all charged across the bridge behind us, their hooves clattering as they went. They were up there for ages as the farmer dealt with them one by one releasing them back into the field. Quite a few boats passed us, hire boats heading back to base for the morning at Gayton, others heading out and one quite late all the way from Wyvern, they were obviously on a mission!
We think this should be our boat!
7 locks, 10.49 miles, 4th in the queue, 2 Jubilees, 1 straight, 2 locking partners, 2 bags coal, 87 litres, 1 cornetto, 1 magnum, 2 Truckers going, 1 sheep stampede, 6mph, how did they do that!
A delayed breakfast today, yet we still needed to be up as we were expecting a visitor, Frank, our bubble carpenter. A phone call asking how to find us was followed by a second one, then he arrived. Time for a cuppa and a bacon butty.
A craftsman at work
There were two things on Franks list. Sort out the galley drawers so that they don’t open when ever anyone breaths at them. Somehow open the freezer drawer under the dinette fully and increase the ventilation into it.
Last year Mick purchased some 15mm by 10mm magnets which we planned on embedding into the worst effected drawers. I love my galley drawers, the idea for them came from NB Lillyanne. There are two larder drawers, a cutlery drawer, t-towels rolling pin bags and batteries drawer and finally the rapeseed oil and tins drawer. When built all these drawers opened and closed wonderfully, yet as soon as there was a slight list to port the cutlery drawer was the ring leader, encouraging the others to open.
Magnet stuck to the plate on the back of the drawer front
On a snagging visit, Kris from Finesse added some standard magnetic catches, but this was only possible on a couple of the drawers as there was nowhere to attach them to on the others. So for the last four years we’ve had to push the cutlery drawer (still the ring leader!) in every time we descend the stern steps. I really dislike my galley drawers because of this.
There are more tea breaks now than there used to be
Frank had brought his Forstner drill bits, these drill flat bottomed holes. However the depth of the magnets meant that the pointy bit of the drill was likely to come through onto the drawer front, not good. We could however still use the magnets in the carcass. We hunted round for a bit of metal that could be used as a plate on the back of the drawers and found an angle bracket that was chopped in half. This was then sunk into the back face of the front to correspond with the magnet. Hope you are following this!
The flat hole for the magnet to go in
The first drawer to be tackled was the ring leader. It was closed on it’s new magnet and then we all stood on the port side, it stayed closed! At F*ing last! I love my galley drawers.
A trip to B&Q for some metal washers meant the other drawer would take less time to sort, just £11 something for the washers! We know we’ll still have five drawer moments should we go on a big list, but things are far far improved.
Bakewell Tart, recipe will come another day
By now I was trying to cook our Sunday roast. First the Bakewell Tart needed the filling mixing and then baking. The case for it had been made last night and during the day today had to sit on the bathroom sink so as not to end up on the galley floor. Frank and I worked on a time share basis for the later part of the afternoon, windows of twenty minutes for magnets to be attached, then the potatoes could be peeled.
Knitting surrounded by tools
An email was sent to the Trent-link group saying how our original plan was going to be affected by the Thorne Lock stoppage being moved. I’m not sure how many people have been in touch to add weight to an appeal to get the stoppage moved.
Frank already tucking in
In the evening the three of us enjoyed maybe just a touch too much wine, roast pork with everything, followed by Bakewell Tart accompanied by some chilled medication.
Two bits of news came through today. Another couple of donations to my sockathon means that with my Justgiving and Facebook donation page added together I have reached £290! £40 over target. Brilliant, thank you everyone.
Woo Hooo!
Then I spotted on Instagram a post from one of the Chippy Panto actors. The nominations for this years UK Pantomime Association Awards had been announced. Rapunzel has been nominated for Best Panto in the under 500 seats category. Brilliant news! Oh yes it is!!!
0 locks, 0 miles, 2wice lost Frank, 3 bacon butties, 2 drawers sorted, 1 freezer drawer left for tomorrow, 8 hours exploring, 1 fence no boundary, 1 bakewell tart, 1 joint pork, 0 fully crackled crackling! 26 roast potatoes, 2 vagabonds, 2 crabbies, 2 plus bottles of wine, £40 over 3rd target, 1 nomination.
The water tank was set to fill this morning then we moved back to a space vacated by Lullabelle. Our new mooring would be closer to the pub, so possibly noisier, but further away from the smelly elsan point. We then swapped our boaters clothes for something a little bit smarter and set off to walk to the station, we were having a day out.
Two negatives making a positive
We’d bought our Duo ticket on line, but still needed to pick it up from the machine at the station and with two trains that would serve our needs we hoped we’d left plenty of time. That however was put to the test. As we approached the second swing bridge through the docks the flashing lights started and the barriers came down. A chap ahead of us shouted abuse at the bridge keepers but was still told to get back!
We watched as a ship reversed back through the bridge, thankfully a keeper positioned to give clearance to the man with the big Key of Power, meaning the road traffic was held up as little as possible. We made it to the station platform as the train pulled in, the very nice guard held the doors for us to collect our ticket, then we were on our way to Hull, passing Trent Falls, the Humber Bridge, Ferriby and Hessle and finally into Paragon Station.
Trent Falls there somewhere
Lunch was a romantic affair, sandwiches and a bottle of water from Tesco sat on a stone bench besides the building we’d come to spend the afternoon inside.
Truck
This year is Hull Trucks 50th Birthday. For 15 of those 50 years I designed numerous shows for them, both at Spring Street which closed in 2009 (where I designed the last show) and then at the new Ferensway theatre (where I designed the first show). So it was only right for us to get to see a show this year and to wish the place a Happy Birthday.
Hull Truck was founded by Mike Bradwell back in 1971. A group of actors supported by the government all on the dole. They devised shows, music playing a large part in their process. Their first productions played to meagre audiences. Childrens shows were received well whilst they devised shows for an older audience, plays about people you didn’t see in plays, for people who didn’t go to the theatre. A van/truck was bought for £35 to tour in, it broke down and was abandoned in Gilberdyke. The admin office was the phone box on the street.
In the 70’s the acting company lived and rehearsed at 71, Coltman Street in Hull which is the title of the first production this year, written by Richard Bean. During my time with Truck a similar set up happened when the company used a house on Beverley Road for rehearsals and costume storage, actors and myself could also stay in the large echoey building.
The Foyer
The play focuses on the formation of the theatre company, a lot of artistic licence has been used, but the general ethos of the company shows through. Mostly young actor/musicians lead the story, added into the mix a couple of ‘Truckers’. Matt Booth and Adrian Hood (Hoodie) are old Truckers and friends, I’ve designed at least six shows with them, part of my Hull Truck family, another reason to see the show.
Wonder how Roberto is?
Being cheap skates we’d paid for two stools at the very back of the auditorium, the view still pretty good. Unfortunately our nearest neighbours were talkers, loud talkers! They had also been cheap skates, but the lady really should have spent more on her ticket and sat closer to the stage to be able to hear the play, then we’d also have been able to hear it! Some people treat a trip to the theatre the same as sitting in front of their TV at home, commenting as if they are on Gogglebox. The chap on the other side of them asked them to shut up, but it didn’t deter them. Sadly he left in the interval, where as we checked with TP the Front of House Manager and moved to the other side of the auditorium, where the lady could still be heard!
Model of Spring Street with it’s 10ft head height
Despite this we enjoyed the show, the second half very amusing. Hoodie was wonderfully straight playing Seth providing many a laugh out loud moment. The best line came from Matt as Daz, a gay Hells Angel, ‘Dernt Steal Me Curl!’* Apologies to locals if I’ve spelt that wrongly.
The second funniest lines were ‘Boner’ ‘What?’ ‘Boner, it’s an erection!’ Which were beautifully delivered by our audience neighbours!
After the show we managed to see Matt and have a quick chat, as we’re in the area for a while we may be able to meet up for a proper catch up soon.
To while away time waiting for our train we crossed the Ferensway to see what has happened to Hammonds. Hammonds was THE Department store in Hull. In May 1941 Mick’s Mum had left a new coat for alterations, sadly before she could collect it the store was bombed, Hull receiving more than it’s fare share of bombing raids in WW2. Now the ground floor is a Food Hall. Filled with local posh produce, very good for gifts rather than every day meals. To the rear are several eateries and bars, a good place for a pre-theatre meal.
We caught the next train back to Oleanna, gave Tilly her dingding and heated up the left overs of last nights dinner adding some pasta. A good day out.
0 locks, 60ft in reverse, 1 full water tank, 1 stuck at home cat, 2 trains, 2 sandwiches, 2 annoying neighbours, 1 FOH Manager, 2 Truckers, 1 old theatre home and family, 1 Boner, 2 chilled medications, 6th sock started, Happy 50th Hull Truck!
*Translated from the East Yorkshire accent ‘Don’t Steal My Coal!’
An early Sunday lunch was enjoyed before we got in the car to drive over to Huddersfield. This visit I’d be staying four nights so being nearer to the theatre would be good so I booked into the Premier Inn at Apsley Basin. This not only meant I’d be able to pop into Sainsburys on my way to and from work but I’d also get to see boats every day.
Boats and us!
My chauffer stayed or a cuppa before heading back to Scarborough.
Valentines cards
Monday morning and I found a couple of cards in one of my bags. Somehow the postman had delivered a small box of chocolates and cards to me which I opened whilst waiting for my lateral flow test to to do its thing.
Then it was time to head on up to the theatre to wait for the set to arrive on the back of Grahams trailer. The last time Graham and I worked together was also on a Dark Horse Theatre production, seven years ago, Snakebite. There was a time where I saw more of Graham than I did of Mick! Once the set was in the building Graham and I started to bolt the sections together whilst Penny (the Stage Manager/Lighting Designer) started to rig the lights and soft black masking.
By lunchtime the floor was laid, the flats were in position. Graham had rigged the lift door mechanism and then explained it to me. The warmth of the building had helped by tightening up the fabric the set had been covered in. Ripstock doesn’t like the cold and even just a few degrees can mean a baggy set.
After lunch I proceeded to stick green neon gaffa tape onto the set whilst the sound was sorted for the show. Penny followed on with focusing the lights. Down in the dressing rooms I sewed names into costumes and adulting badges were added to the front of the overalls.
Tuesday, Penny plotted the lights, sound and computer animation whilst I hunted round every clothes shop in Huddersfield for a vest top which I hoped would cover up a pink sports bra. I returned with a few choices and later in the day one of them did the job.
After lunch we were joined by the actors to do a technical rehearsal. Making sure the actors knew where to stand in light, where to stand out of view. Making sure the sound levels were suitable and that the lighting states did the job whilst not overpowering the animation on the set.
This normally would be done in full costume, but we saved that for a tech run later in the afternoon. After work I treated myself to a hot meal next door at Table Table, there are only so many wraps you can eat in a week!
Hair and make up
Wednesday started with a full dress rehearsal. Make up and hair were added into the equation. With three of the Dark Horse staff members on hand to do space buns I managed to avoid having to lend a hand.
An audience and Penny with all her screens
Two shows today. The first with quite a large audience. A local learning disabled school along with representatives from theatres the show may tour to next year. Then in the evening we had an audience of friends and family.
The shows were development showings, half the show with full production values. Although if Dark Horse manage to get more funding for the show next year then we will add neon lights into the set rather than having to rely on neon tape.
Both shows went down well and I got chance to have a catch up with the Assistant Producer from the SJT in Scarborough.
Subdued crochet compared to my socks
Normally on Panto Postcards I do a tally of how many hours I’ve worked. Well with most of the work having been done in advance the days were short. Monday and Tuesday starting at 9am and finishing at 6pm, I was glad I’d taken some crochet along with me as there was quite a gap between shows.
All gone!
Then once the final audience member had left the auditorium it was time to take everything down. This took all of 35 minutes. The original plan had been to ferry all the set over to the rehearsal space, but because of Storm Dudley it was decided to take it to the office instead. Better that people didn’t fly away.
A couple of drinks in the pub next door to wind down was followed by some chips which I managed to eat all of on the way back to my hotel. The second photo is of an empty box overlooking the canal basin whilst Dudley did it’s worst, nothing to do with the wine I’d drunk!
Thursday morning Mick arrived to pick me up. It was time to celebrate Christmas with the London Leckenbys. The four hour drive wasn’t too bad as the worst effects of the storm had passed. A pizza followed by some chilled medication was enjoyed at Wells Street Pizza in Hackney.
Friday we managed to avoid the worst effects of the fresh air Storm Eustice was blowing around. Jac and Josh headed off to do a bit of shopping and get a hair cut at Bermondsey Market, but neither Mick or I fancied sitting on a double decker bus at the height of the storm. Instead we got to watch the womens curling instead.
Christmas presents were unwrapped in the evening. Mick got a hedge trimmer and a webcam. I got a big saute pan, a red fleece top, a new duvet cover and the latest Andy Griffee hard backs. A very good haul, worth the trip to London.
More watery mysteries
Saturday we said our farewells, hopefully we’ll get to see Andrew Jac and Josh next just before Easter. We’d managed to miss the really bad weather again for our trip back to Scarborough, although we did have torrential rain, then sunshine. When we turned onto the M18 we then got sleet which by the time we turned off the M62 had turned into snow, much of it looking like it would be hanging around.
Snowy Wolds
A road closure meant we had to divert to Bridlington and as soon as we ducked under the railway line all of the snow vanished, Scarborough was having quite a pleasant day!
My pretty little Thug
Tilly’s magic food bowl was totally empty and the biscuit bowl had been licked clean too.
Good job they came back when they did as Tom hadn’t left ANY reserves!
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 hire cars, 24 hours work, 7 actors, 21 strips of neon gaffa, 100 dabs of glue, 1 baggy set, 1 tight as a drum set, 2 showings, 1 happy director, 4 nights, 4 pizzas, 1 family Christmas, 1 whole salmon, 2 storms, 1 snowy landscape, 1 cat happy to have us home.
Time for the annual round up. Put the kettle on or pour yourself a glass of something stonger, put your feet up, this is a long post.
Looking out into a cold world!
As midnight turned from 2020 to 2021 we saw the old year out and new one in at the house in Scarborough, a quiet affair with just the three of us.
January and February brought ups and downs with them. Oleanna rose and fell with the water level at Viking Marina due to the breach at New Bridge whilst the country locked down. Despite the restrictions on travelling we made use of having a hire car for a few days at the beginning of the year to keep an eye on Oleanna.
Jobs around the house continued, our bedroom was redecorated and reclaimed from troublesome tenants. Tilly and I ventured out into the nearby park for the occasional walk, dependant on the number of woofers and the weather of course.
We walked, we ate, we drank, did our best to stay well and I started on the design for Chipping Norton’s panto in my reclaimed work room.
The spare living room was used as a workshop doing some work for Animated Objects, scrimming giant sci-fi guns and then painting model buildings all for The Odyssey. Beetroot burgers were made and pancakes consumed.
Then March came along and some easing of restrictions. Colour came back in nature with the daffodils popping up and my panto model started to get coloured in. A design for some origami paper arrived ready to be folded up to be part of 1000 ships display that would happen a couple of months later along the Yorkshire coast.
With new freedoms we had a couple of trips to Goole to check on Oleanna. First one was to swing her round and finally put fire extinguishers on walls all ready for her Boat Safety Inspection which she passed with flying colours and a comment that we seemed to like CO and smoke detectors, well I’d rather have too many than not enough!
The cofferdam at the breach site was completed and an access ramp created. My posts about the breach put us in touch with several people in Goole and at the beginning of April The Goole Escape Facebook group was formed. Due to the breach and lack of water in Goole Docks no leisure boats were allowed to use Ocean Lock out onto the Tidal Ouse. A joint calm voice was needed to try to find a way out for those boats wanting to leave, including us.
Of course March was also when Mick and I got our first vaccinations. Who’d have thought having a jab would put a smile on peoples faces! Not that you could really see them behind all the masks. A bathroom got a make over and we discovered parts of Scarborough we’d never been to before.
April was a very busy month. With lodgers on the horizon house jobs needed finishing. The roof needed attention along with a wall in my work room, both jobs were for the professionals. Pictures went up on walls, finally. The bathroom needed finishing with Frank fitting us a new bath surround.
Mid month out attention moved back to Oleanna. Way back when, we’d booked her in at Goole Boathouse to be blacked. We had a night on board before moving her from one marina to the other to come out of the water. She was jet washed down and the chaps began applying layers of 2 pack to her hull. We visited most days with jobs to do ourselves. Mick busied himself inside whilst I ground back rusty bits on the gunnels, repainted them and the tunnel bands. Inside the oak floor had a good clean and then was treated to two coats of oil. The weather had been perfect for it and she went back in the water a week after she’d come out, enough time for the 2 pack to cure. She looked smart again, well the cabin sides still needed a good wash!
Whilst in Goole we met up with David, Karl, Wendy and Martin, four members of The Goole Escape group. David had managed to negotiate with ABP passage for leisure boats through Ocean Lock at Goole Docks, this was limited to specific times of the tide. So escape was now possible but everything would have to come together to make a sensible plan. We wouldn’t be ready for a few weeks and hoped that there wouldn’t be a mass exodus before we could join people.
As I carried on trying to finish my panto model Mick made good use of his time doing a VHF radio course, we’d need to be able to use the radio to meet the criteria for going through Goole Docks and out onto the Tidal Ouse. Tilly visited the vet and got a years worth of flea and wormer treatments, we were all set to move back on board.
The first of May was that day. We’d hoped that Tilly would remember the boat after seven months on shore, within about two seconds of being back it was obvious she knew where she was. News that Goole caisson gates were now open and cruising up towards the breach site was possible we headed off to give Oleanna a good run and so that Tilly could venture back onto dry land. It was very good to be back on the move again. On our second such trip Tilly remembered how to swim!
Whilst in Goole Mick took his Short Range VHF Radio exam and passed. I carried on painting my panto model. We both had our second vaccinations. Heather Bleasdale came to visit joining us for an outdoor lunch. We got to know the Goole Escape Committee and discussed plans. We watched work going on at the breach site. Mick had a birthday and Joan’s Home Kitchen provided us with a celebratory meal a couple of days before we hoped to escape.
On 21st May an escape committee meeting was had early on, the weather looked hopeful for the tide in the afternoon, we were booked in at Ocean Lock. Our escape was to be via Selby, the Lock keeper was called there and our plan confirmed. At lunchtime we moved up to fill the diesel tank and await the other escapees, Sea Maiden and Lullabelle. Given the go ahead by the docks to proceed we were soon passing through to Ocean Lock where there was plenty of space for the three of us. At around 14:30 the large lock gates opened to reveal our way out of Goole onto the Tidal Ouse.
All three boats arrived safe and sound
We headed upstream following Sea Maiden being pushed along with the tide. Would we make it to Selby before the tide turned. Each boat arrived individually and was locked up into Selby Basin. We’d made it, now all we had to do was escape Selby as the swing bridge out of the basin there was broken.
We waited. Tides, times, weather and the amount of fresh coming down stream all had to fit together. Bridget and Storm came to visit. We twiddled our thumbs. The Environment Agency came and closed the flood barrier. We twiddled our thumbs. Daily escape committee meetings were held. By the 27th everything was looking to fit together apart from one thing, Keadby Lock would not be manned at a suitable time for us to get off the river. Sea Maiden and Lullabelle decided to stay put in Selby. Heather Bleasdale was joining us for the trip but Oleanna would be out on the river on her own heading to Trent Falls.
What a day that was! David’s advice was spot on. Leaving Selby just before 10am Oleanna zoomed downstream with the out going tide. We followed our charts keeping to the channel. At the Apex light Mick swung Oleanna round to head upstream onto the Trent our progress slowing instantly.
We then crawled our way to find where we should wait for the tide to turn. Two hours of very little, drifting on our anchor. We’d picked the day well, it was wonderful out there.
When Oleanna started to move round a touch more we managed to pull the anchor up and found our way back into the main channel to head upstream with the incoming tide. One plan had been to moor up in Gainsborough, but we decided to carry on and arrived at Torksey just as the last light was fading at just gone 22:00, 64 miles in a day, I doubt we’ll ever beat that.
Over the next few days we made our way up the Trent, dug out our windlasses to work locks in Nottingham. Once we rose up Derwent Mouth Lock onto the Trent and Mersey we had completed our escape. The going would now be much slower along shallow canals and plenty more moored boats to slow down past.
Now we should make our booked mooring at Rembrandt Gardens, every day would be a boating day unless the weather was either too hot or far too wet to cruise. Along the Trent and Mersey, pausing to stock up in Alrewas. At Fradley we turned onto the Coventry Canal to head southwards. We gave a tow to NB Burghley Girl to the bottom of Atherstone.
At Hawkesbury Junction we did the 180 degree turn onto the North Oxford Canal, through Rugby and up Hillmorton. NB Kamili with Andy and Irene passed as we arrived in Braunston where we paused for another butchers, then up the flight and through the tunnel.
Straight on along the Grand Union. On route we stopped for a drink with Lizzie at Bugbrooke. Paused for a hot day under some trees near Milton Keynes. Had a diversion along the Wendover Arm for a night. Picked up extra crew, my old college friend Jen, for a day through Hemel Hempstead. Came across our first sightings of HS2 cutting it’s way across the landscape.
At Bulls Bridge we turned left onto the Paddington Arm. On our trip into London we came across our friends Pete and Clare on NB Billy, it turned out we’d be neighbours at Rembrandt Gardens for a few days. We arrived on time and the next day headed across London by bus to Hackney to see the London Leckenbys for the first time since Christmas 2019.
Plenty more family to catch up with. Kath came for lunch, we had a trip to Eastbourne to see Marion and John, a lovely lunch with Christine and Paul. So good to see everyone again and not just on a computer screen every Saturday.
Happy Birthday Big Brother
Andrew’s 60th Birthday was celebrated, nothing fancy just good to be able to be together for it, we’d achieved our second goal of the year.
We heard there was a space at St Pancras Cruising Club for a long boat like Oleanna, so we took advantage of a more secure mooring close to Kings Cross whilst we had a visit back to Scarborough. Checking on the house, lodgers changing over and seeing the latest Ayckbourn play with Bridget and Storm, it all made for a good weekend away. I then headed off to Huddersfield for a couple of days work with Dark Horse, fitting costumes for a photo shoot.
There was to be a Tideway cruise from St Pancras Cruising Club and with one space left we jumped at the opportunity. Ten boats made their way to Limehouse, we breasted up with NB Misty Blue, Graham turned out to be another Goole Escapee. Three lock-fulls of boats headed out onto the Tideway on the morning of 10th July, special permission had been sought to go under Hammersmith Bridge which was closed to all forms of traffic at the time.
Tilly thought we were mad taking her onto such rough water, I was a little perplexed too! Very glad that I was the official photographer, clinging on as we did more than bob up and down! Tower Bridge, The National Theatre, Christine, Adam, The Houses of Parliament, Battersea Power Station. So many sights, what an experience!
The further west we got the calmer the water got. We were glad when Hammersmith Bridge was passed as there had always been a chance that it might close to boat traffic at anytime due to safety reasons. We turned off at Brentford along with several other boats and continued up to Hanwell where we had a very sociable evening at The Fox with everyone. Thank you Simon for mentioning the cruise to us.
Sadly our washing machine hadn’t liked the lumpy water so for the next month we cruised meeting up with engineers on route hoping it could be mended. Back through London, pausing at St Pancras again. Then down to the Herford Union to cut across to the Lee and Stort. We had another mooring booked on the Lee awaiting our arrival, alongside NB Billy.
Then up the Lee and onto the River Stort. We’d only ventured so far up the Stort during our first winter on Lillian, this time we headed all the way to Bishop Stortford. Our return journey was held up slightly due to the river going into flood overnight so we had to wait for it to lower to get under the bridge at Roydon.
Back through London we made use of the new Eco-moorings near Islington Tunnel, a handy stop off with electricity. Here we met up with Nick an old friend from York and Adam called in for a catch up after working the breakfast shift at Radio 2.
Goodbye Christine!
At the end of July we pushed on and left London behind us, returning to Bulls Bridge.
We headed up to Uxbridge for cheap diesel and finally got our washing machine mended. We turned around and headed back to the Hanwell flight, stowed the garden back in the shower and headed out onto the Thames again where we turned right towards Oxford.
With a weeks license we couldn’t dawdle, although a broken lock gate at Boveney Lock did hold us up overnight so our license would be extended. A space was spotted below Cliveden so we treated ourselves to a night moored in the grounds of the big house. We paused for a socially distanced chat with Sue on No Problem XL, good to see her looking so well. Henley Regatta was almost ready as we passed through and our favourite mooring above Days Lock did not disappoint. All too soon we turned up Sheepwash Channel and ascended Isis Lock back onto the Oxford Canal.
Whilst in Oxford I managed an actual face to face meeting with Dash the Director for Chippy Panto. He seemed happy! Then we made our way up to Thrupp where we’d booked ourselves in at the cruising club for a few days whilst the London Leckenbys came to visit and we had a trip back to Scarborough and we got to see the show at Esk Valley for the first time since we’ve been living afloat.
I had a day trip to Chippy where I did a final model meeting over zoom from a dressing room, but also had chance to measure things up. Then we were off up the Oxford Canal, mooring in our favourite spots, it was a touch busier than it normally is in the winter.
A pause to visit Village Meats in Braunston and we spotted our old share boat NB Winding Down so we stopped to say hello. On up the flight sharing with a boat full of actors, then left up to Crick for the first time in ages.
A prearranged boaters meeting at Houdini’s Field worked brilliantly, NB Panda and NB Kamili convened and we all enjoyed each others company over a fantastic barbeque outside so everyone could feel safe and Tilly could roam about. Oleanna was treated to a very good wash and brush up before we were on our way again. We now needed to get her north before I started on Panto.
News came through that the breach on the Aire and Calder had been mended and nine months after the canal had sprung a leek it was mended and open again. Boats could now move through the area, mooring however is still restricted.
Following the Grand Union we headed down the Stockton Flight to Leamington Spa. Tilly and I had a few hot days on our own moored at Radford Smelly then we were on our way again. An obligatory burger at The Cape of Good Hope the night before we teamed up with NB Mad Hatter to ascend the Hatton flight. One day my old college friend Emma will not have an excuse to helping us up the flight, this time we met for a cuppa and a catch up the following day.
On up Knowle to Catherine de Barnes, then Camp Hill Locks, the Ashted flight and Tunnel (!) followed by Farmers Bridge into Birmingham. The city centre is still full of building and tram works but with the sun out it looked stunning. We also caught up with Paul Balmer from Waterway Routes before carrying on with our journey.
A night at Hawne Basin filled the diesel tank up. A night at Dudley Port Basin got the cupboards filled. A pause at Urban Moorings meant we could donate our deposits and the next day we descended from the Birmingham plateau down the Wolverhampton 21.
Along the Staffordshire and Worcester we managed to have a mid stream catch up with Barbara from NB Bessie Surtees. At Great Haywood I managed a catch up with Kay from NB Pea Green as she set up to trade for the day and Mick filled Oleanna’s water tank.
Heading north on the Trent and Mersey we pulled in for lunch and a surprise hello to Barry and Sandra from NB AreandAre whom we’d got to know last year in the first lockdown. In the afternoon we were joined by Bill and Lisa for a trip through Harecastle Tunnel. Now we swung off the Trent and Mersey and onto the Macclesfield with it’s wonderful bridges.
It would have been nice to take our time but we had a rendez vous to make. The end mooring at Marple was free and from here we headed into Manchester by train to join the London Leckenbys for a meal of big red fish. The following day my old school friend Morag joined us for a night on board with some serious catching up to be done.
Our next deadline loomed, Standedge Tunnel. We dropped down the Marple flight, crossed the aqueduct and turned right at Dukinfield Junction onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. We knew we were in for some hard work to climb our way over the Pennines, last time we’d enlisted crew to help as I was one handed. This time we’d be going solo. Apart from the very first lock it wasn’t too troublesome. The work is rewarded with stunning views.
Standedge Tunnel did not disappoint. Because of social distancing Mick got ride ride up front in the cratch leaving the helm to a C&RT volunteer. Bumps and scrapes made Oleanna wince along with us, but we all got through in one piece with no damage. Tilly wasn’t too happy about the trip, but at least I can now boast to the local cats in Scarboreugh that I’ve been through the longest deepest highest tunnel on the canal network whilst they just lazed around on their shed roofs!
On our way down the other side Oleanna had a belt that went taking out quite a few wires in the engine bay. RCR were sent for, the engineer suggested we’d need to remove a pulley on the alternator to be able to remove trapped wires, this could not happen where we were. We could move but the batteries would not charge. The only way to top up our electric was with the solar panels. Emergency power conservation went into operation, blogs were hand written, the freezer turned off and we gradually ate our way through our defrosting supplies. Every day Mick managed to pull more wire from the alternator and soon there was no need for an engineer again, just a new belt needed fitting.
We made our way down to Huddersfield and arrived the day before I had a production meeting at Dark Horse. After walking to my meeting I handed over the model and we stocked up on supplies before heading off east along the Huddersfield Broad Canal.
The Board locks are just that, but they are short. On Lillian we’d nearly got stuck here, but Oleanna was built a foot shorter so we knew we were fine, we still had to take great care in descending the locks diagonally. This continued on to the Calder and Hebble, taking our time and using our Hebble spike. The rebuilding work done at the Figure of Three locks, after flooding washed huge parts of the structure away, are only noticeable due to the new stonework.
Bigger locks were welcome, using the key of power once past Wakefield. The sun shone wonderfully for my last full days boating this year as we made our way to Castleford. Here we hired a car to get me down to Chipping Norton to start work on Panto whilst Mick and Tilly stayed on board with the plan to move Oleanna to a winter mooring in Thorne.
Whilst I painted the set working all the hours I could, Mick and Tilly gradually made their way eastwards. They passed through the breach site and headed to Goole to top up on diesel. On their way back towards the New Junction Canal the engine started to over heat, a problem that had happened a couple of years ago on the Thames.
The following day he winded and slowly made his way to Rawcliffe Bridge for easier access for RCR. Little could be done there and then, so Mick and Alastair (engineer) arranged to meet at Viking Marina in Goole. Oleanna managed the two and a half miles in three stages. After her cooling system had been flushed through the problem hadn’t gone away. The water pump was removed and was obviously the problem. A week later with a new pump Mick moved back out onto the cut and joined Lullabelle (a fellow Goole Escapee).
Taking a long weekend off panto, I headed up to join Mick and Tilly to help move them back to Scarborough. Wendy and Martin kept an eye on Oleanna for us whilst we settled Tilly back into the house, I knew where I was! Pah!!
Several days later with the weather on his side, Mick returned as early as he could, pushed off and single handed Oleanna back along the Aire and Calder to Sykehouse Junction where he turned onto the New Junction Canal. With swing and lift bridges to work he was glad of the assistance of a volunteer at Sykehouse Lock. Then the sharp turn at Bramwith onto the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigations. A few more bridges and two more locks before he arrived at Blue Water Marina, Oleanna’s winter mooring.
Tucked up for a rest
On our way back from Chippy a week or so later we called in to check on her. A boat in winter isn’t too friendly without the stove lit. We’ll have visits every now and then to check on her and do the odd job. The weeks are already flying by before we move back on board.
For a year that we’d decided would purely be about seeing our family and friends we ended up having quite an adventurous time. Trent Falls, the Tideway through London and Standedge Tunnel made it quite a year.
So our vital statistics for the year 2021 according to canal plan are
Total distance was 932 miles, ½ furlong and 627 locks . There were 42 moveable bridges of which 16 are usually left open; 169 small aqueducts or underbridges and 30 tunnels – a total of 19 miles 3 ¼ furlongs underground and 3 major aqueducts.
This was made up of 277 miles, 1 ¾furlongs of narrow canals; 270 miles, 4 furlongs of broad canals; 89 miles, 4 ¼ furlongs of commercial waterways; 59 miles, 7 ¼ furlongs of small rivers; 121 miles, 5 furlongs of large rivers; 105 miles, 2 ¼ furlongs of tidal rivers; 8 miles of seaways; 263 narrow locks; 302 broad locks; 61 large locks; 1 lock on major waterways.
Sadly with Oleanna’s log book where it should be, onboard, I’m not able to offer up the engine hours, litres of diesel, gas bottle or bags of coal. Maybe I’ll update this once we are back on board.
The Thames, 2021
This year we’ve done more miles than last, not bad considering we were on land for so much of it. We’ve done far more tidal miles than ever before and for the first time we’ve been on a Seaway! If someone can tell me what the difference is between Tidal waters and Seaways please do. Maybe it was around Trent Falls, or was it downstream of Tower Bridge?
As last year I hope the pandemic doesn’t throw a spanner in the works for us or anyone else. We need the theatrical world to still function with an income for me designing shows and lodgers paying to stay in our house.
I want to say ‘Keep well friends’, but I feel I need to add, ‘Get well soon friends’, as so many have tested positive recently. Thank you for following us and hope to see you soon x
