Category Archives: Illustrations

The Year Of The … 2024.

Time for the annual round up of travels on Oleanna. So sit back with a glass or mug of something nice, put your feet up and I hope you’ll enjoy the read.

We saw the New Year in in the house. Some canal side painting to hang in the downstairs toilet kept me busy during betwixtmas. I decided to set myself a new knitting challenge for the year, to knit a pair of socks each week for the full year to raise funds for Dementia UK. Emails were sent out to numerous yarn dyers and the parcels of generous donations started to arrive along with my needles starting to knit round and round in circles.

Late January we hired a car. First trip was to Dewsbury to purchase fabric for new dinette cushions, it also gave us chance to catch up with Mick’s old work colleagues Mark and Sarah on our way back. The next day we started to do jobs on Oleanna. Mick set too in the engine bay and The Shed to get ready to install our new lithium batteries, I sanded and cleaned the oak floor inside. Window surrounds with water damage were sanded back, stains removed and then revarnished. The stove top was given a fresh coat of paint and the floor two coats of Danish Oil. Mick fitted the batteries and chunky cables and tested things out, all seemed to be good.

Bowls of soup kept us going whilst on Oleanna and whilst in the house I made gluten free crumpets and focaccia. I just have to make the most of the big kitchen whilst I’ve got it!

February. More and more donated yarn arrived, I was going to have to make space on Oleanna for it, just as well I wouldn’t be making a panto model this year!

New dinette cushions were covered. The Galley tap was replaced, we’d discovered that the tap we had was no longer made, but managed to buy two along with spare cartridges, hopefully these will see our boating days out! The new battery installation was tidied up and hooks were added into The Shed to make better use of the storage in there.

Tilly had her yearly vaccinations and we stocked up on flee and wormer for her. Opticians were seen, improvements to a bathroom in the house were started, we had our first lodgers of the year and a lovely visit from Pip’s old school friend Morag. We then called together our Scarborough friends for a gathering before a final tidy up of the house and our return to Oleanna at the beginning of March.

***Shore leave permitted for another year***

With just about all the house jobs done in the house we moved back onboard, this pleased Tilly and she found her way into the secret passage as soon as she could If I stayed in there I might never have to return to the house again!

Our first aim for the year had been to join the Fund Britain’s Waterways cruise on the Thames, quite a journey from Goole especially when all routes south were blocked by winter maintenance. Once we’d stocked up the boat we headed straight for the New Junction Canal, pulling in to give Tilly some much needed shore leave. She was happy and so were we to be back out on the cut.

We headed towards the first of the stoppages that would be lifted, got stuck by rising waters on the River Aire, made a dash to Lemonroyd when levels dropped a touch. Here things didn’t go too well, two visits to an emergency dentist and Oleanna’s cooling system developed a fault for which we needed a part. Thank goodness we’d upgraded our batteries, but there was no hot water. Alastair from Goole came out to fix our problem and we had a few days plugged in at the marina before river levels dropped and Woodnook Lock on the Aire and Calder reopened we could now be on our way again.

Making our way up towards the Rochdale Canal we negotiated river sections just coming out of the red and made our final dash to Brighouse before the level rose again. We were now at least two weeks behind our planned schedule to reach London in time for the campaign cruise, yes we could have upped the hours we were cruising, enlisted extra crew in places to speed our journey, but we opted to slow down and enjoy the journey and abandoned joining the cruise.

Through Tuel Lane the deepest lock on the network arriving in Hebden Bridge for Easter weekend. We enjoyed cheese, hot cross buns and a pint with Alex one of our favourite actors. Then an evening with old college friends Alan and Doug up near Todmorden before we carried on climbing over the Pennines.

The Rochdale was how we remembered it, hard work but wonderful scenery. The Great Wall of Tod and ducklings took us up towards the summit where we’d booked our passage across the top, a shame it was an overcast damp day. Two C&RT chaps helped us up the last uphill lock and then down the first few locks on the other side getting us through a section guaranteed to be low in water.

There was a pause in Littleborough meeting up with Mick’s sister Anne and his niece and great nieces, first time I’d met the great nieces and the first time we’d seen Anne and Ruth since lockdowns.

A mystery man arrived near Slattocks on our descent towards Manchester, Paul Balmer (Waterway Routes). He’d offered to help us on the long stretch into Piccadilly but arrived a day earlier to help get us to the Rose of Lancaster, he did return the following day and was rewarded with the first batch of apple flapjack.

Down the Rochdale Nine and onto the Bridgewater Canal where we turned left heading southwards. We pulled in for a couple of days at Little Bollington for Mick to have a couple of days away in Scarborough, leaving Tilly and myself on the embankment where the breach on New Years Day 2025 has now happened.

Through Preston Brook Tunnel and on southwards on the Trent and Mersey. Up the Cheshire Locks for the first time this year we paused and had a night out at the New Vic in Stoke to see One Man Two Guvnors with a cast of so many familiar faces. Then on through Harecastle Tunnel and down to Stone where we were joined by Bill and Lisa who got to work their first locks.

At the beginning of May we turned a right at Great Heywood and onto the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal. Unfortunately one of our new lithium bully boy batteries had gone faulty. This needed sending back which took some packing and planning for a pick up. It was deemed to be faulty and a replacement was made ready to be sent out to us when we’d reached somewhere suitable.

A dentist check up in Birmingham suggested I’d be needing a few appointments so it was just as well I’d been before we arrived in Birmingham. Up the Wolverhampton 21, we like that flight, and an overnight stop at Urban Moorings to donate our deposits from our separating toilet.

We now had a rendezvous. Messages had been sent back and forth and as we arrived in Birmingham we were able to pull in right behind NB Lottie Jane where Clare and Graeme were waiting for us. They were over from New Zealand for a few months and had borrowed their friends boat. Over dinner we arranged to share the broad locks ahead of us, they’d head off in the morning and we’d loiter for my dentist.

A few days later after coinciding with another Graeme on NB Misty Blue, then descending Lapworth Locks we rendezvoused again on the embankment above Rowington on the Grand Union. Here there was a meeting of boats as we managed to also coincide with Chris on NB Elektra and have a guided tour and a catch up sat out on the towpath.

Down Hatton, both boats glad to have company to work the locks, we rewarded ourselves with a meal at The Cape of Good Hope. Onwards to share the locks back up the other side with Clare and Graeme. It was very nice to be able to spend some time with them again before our journeys took us in different directions at Napton as we headed onto the South Oxford Canal and they headed towards Crick for the boat show.

Mick’s birthday was seen in on the South Oxford, now a state pensioner! A new battery was delivered and looked after at Aynho Wharf for our arrival, more socks were knitted, one pair hand delivered in Thrupp and we managed to moor at several of our favourite moorings as we headed down to Oxford.

**Sally, Andrew, Ian, Mick, Jenny, Pip, Sam, Jac**

A big Leckenby get together was arranged at the Kings Arms by Sandford Lock on the Thames. Andrew and Jac drove over from London and Ian and Sally along with Sam and Jenny drove over from near Lechlade and Windsor. We had a very loud Sunday lunch, so good to be able to get us all together at a jolly event.

Now we headed down stream on the Thames, we usually end up going up stream! Perfect timing to meet up with Australian visitors Siobhan and Patrick in Wallingford for lunch.

A perfectly timed arrival at Clivden meant we got to moor on an island for the second time, perfect for Tilly. A warm evening bbq above Boveney Lock, watching the royals in Old Windsor. Then we arrived at Weybridge where we joined the River Wey, with a transit licence we moved up to Pyrford Marina meeting up with Ann-Marie and Dave from NB Legend and then a trip back to Scarborough to do a turn around at the house.

On our return we picked up extra crew member Kath (Mick’s sister) and turned onto the Basingstoke Canal. Kath has lived close by to the canal for several years but never seen a boat on it. The following day we joined forces with NB Olive to continue our climb up the locks, there were now 6 cats in the locks not just 1! We cruised our way up to the end of the navigation only to have a phone call saying that a boat had hit a lock gate behind us and that the Deep Cut flight of locks was now closed. Would we be stuck for days, weeks or months?

Oleanna’s horns were removed for some of the lowest bridges on the network, we’d actually have had plenty of space for them. Lunch was enjoyed with Marion and John, a walk over the top to visit the other end of Greywell Tunnel was enjoyed in the sunshine. We then spent the next few days waiting for news on the broken lock and trying to find moorings for Tilly away from NB Olive as Tilly isn’t too keen on other cats!

We spent time visiting Brookwood Cemetery, walking in the woods near Mytchett Visitors Centre and caught up with Sam Leckenby for a meal. Then we heard that the Canal Rangers would be able to give us assisted passage through the troubled lock. Four boats were bow hauled through, only cats allowed to stay on board. At least we’d managed to cruise The Basingstoke Canal on our second attempt.

Downstream on the Thames again to Teddington and a lovely early evening trip to Brentford ended our journey on the Thames this year. We’d booked a mooring in Paddington Basin for a few days giving us chance to catch up with friends and family in London. Andrews birthday was celebrated in true Leckenby style, meet ups with Christine and Paul for Tapas, brunch with Kathy and a few pints with Nick, Kerry and Harry were all enjoyed even though my left knee was starting to seriously play up.

We pulled out from London as the General Election was looming, we’d done postal votes some days before hand. Back along the Grand Union heading northwards we decided to attempt the Slough arm for a second time. Sadly our depth meant all we achieved was a load of weed around the prop and had to abort our mission.

The Grand Union is a very familiar waterway now to us, we climbed up to the Tring summit and headed off to Lizzie’s 50th birthday party in Crick. Lots of boaters we’ve met through the years were there to have a catch up with. We also took the opportunity to catch up with my college friend Jen who’s joined us for a or two cruise in the past.

The first lock of the Marsworth flight was hard work for my knee, the second impossible. Time for role reversal, I’d be at the helm, Mick wheeling a windlass from now onwards. A turn onto the Aylesbury Arm, water Oleanna hadn’t been on before. Our only sight seeing was at an NHS walk in (more like hobble in) centre in High Wycombe, but we did pop to say hello to Ronnie Baker.

Another turn around in Scarborough before we headed towards Milton Keynes joined for a lovely day by Mike and Chris. Northwards to Braunston and onto the North Oxford Canal passing through the large landslip site which had the canal closed for months earlier in the year. Right onto the Coventry Canal, Atherstone and up to Fradley where we turned left for the first time in years.

Now we met up with our old shareboat NB Winding Down and walked round Shugborough Hall, my knee having improved with exercises. Straight on to Stoke then a right onto the Caldon Canal. There was the opportunity to coincide with Debbie and Dave on NB Bonjour, handing over another pair of socks, before we carried cruising both arms of the canal. Having limboed our way on the Basingstoke we decided to give Froghall Tunnel a go. Horns removed again, we slowly but surely managed our way through and had a very quiet night in the basin one lock down on the Uttoxeter Canal, another first for us.

At the beginning of September we retraced our route back to the Trent and Mersey with perfect timing to meet up with Mike and Christine on NB Alchemy, we had time for a catch up and introduction to Tilly before we headed in different directions. Middleport Pottery was visited for the first time, then it was through Harecastle Tunnel for the second time this year.

Paul joined us again to assist us down the Cheshire Locks getting us a little ahead of schedule which meant we were at the Anderton Boat Lift at a weekend meaning Lizzie could join us for the trip, even though it was an exceedingly wet day. This ticked off Oleanna’s seventh and final wonder of the waterways.

We cruised to both ends of the River Weaver on new waters for all of us. A tour of the Daniel Adamson was offered and taken and the last pairs of socks for my sockathon got sponsors. The monthly market in Northwich caught our attention and we had a very lovely evening in Manchester with the London Leckenbys when Josh moved to the city to study at the University.

Back southwards on the Trent and Mersey we crossed paths with NB On The Fiddle and NB Cobweb meaning I could hand deliver some more socks to an old SJT colleague. We started up the Cheshire Locks on our own, but soon picked up Bridget and Storm who were in need of a canal fix, it was great to have a couple of days with them.

Now we turned over the Trent and Mersey and onto the Macclesfield Canal. The Bosley flight was low on water so I handed the helm back to Mick and reclaimed the windlass, Mick is willing to give Oleanna extra umph when needed.

A belated birthday trip on the PS Waverley for Mick had us moored in Macclesfield for a few days, NB Alton stopping to top us up with diesel and coal. Then we were across the top of the Macc and down the Marple flight ready to turn onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Rain gave us a day off in Stalybridge. Another pause was taken at Uppermill for a trip to Scarborough to see the latest Ayckbourn play and meet up with our lodgers before they headed homewards.

On our final ascent to the summit of the HNC, we thankfully we swapped roles due to low water levels, a 100 meter dash and quick thinking by Mick averted disaster at Lock 29W where Oleanna had got stuck on the cill as the lock did it’s best to empty itself behind her. Once we’d reached the summit we had a quiet afternoon preparing for Standedge Tunnel the following morning.

Our third time through the tunnel, Tilly resigned to hide tucked away behind Mick’s pillow. In Marsden there was then a wait for a lock bridge to be mended before we could descend through Yorkshire. Paul came to assist again on a very drizzly day getting us to Slaithwaite.

From here we had a trip southwards to help celebrate Kath and Sean’s Civil Partnership, a wonderful day with all the Geraghtys together.

Mick and I worked the rest of our way down to Huddersfield where Paul came to assist again wanting to check data for Waterway Routes which is hard to do without being on a boat. We finally waved goodbye to Paul in Wakefield and did our best to avoid the River Aire going into flood, but ended up having to wait a few days at Castleford.

Back on the Aire and Calder we headed to Sykehouse Junction and tucked ourselves on the moorings at the start of the New Junction where we’d moored on our first night this year. Tilly was given shore leave, I remember it well! whilst I tried to finish off some painting jobs before we returned to Goole.

By the end of October Oleanna was tucked up in Goole and we were back in the house with our next lodger, the baddie from the Christmas show at the SJT. Back in the land of veg boxes, get togethers with friends, lantern parades and walks on the beach. Jobs in the house have been listed, a few ticked off and more to work through next year in between lodgers.

The run up to Christmas also included visiting a couple of potential boat painters. A trip to London for a boat trip on the Thames to mark Marion and John’s Golden Wedding Anniversary and at the same time catch up with my family too.

This year Christmas was just the three of us with lots of food and some sock knitting of course. In fact I knitted right up to the bongs of Big Ben at midnight getting part way through my 55th pair of socks in 2024.

So this year was The Year Of The ……

… SOCK!

Now for our final statistics for 2024

This year is the first full year that we’ve logged our journeys using Nebo, but I’ve also kept a tally as we’ve cruised using Canalplan, I’ve got quite a spread sheet. The two methods of recording distances give different totals so I shall list them both. Nebo calculates distances, has average speeds and maximum speeds. Canalplan doesn’t do speed, but includes locks, tunnels, bridges, etc so I suspect I’ll carry on with both next year.

Canalplan stats.

Total distance of 956miles, 4 furlongs and 846 locks.

There were 56 moveable bridges, of which 11 are usually left open; 205 small aqueducts or underbridges and 28 tunnels – a total of 12 miles, 4 furlongs under ground and 1 major aqueduct.

This is made up of 426 miles, 1 furlongs of narrow canals; 279 miles, 7.5 furlongs of broad canals; 55 miles, 1.75 furlongs of commercial waterways; 44 miles, 1.5 furlongs of small rivers; 137 miles, 5.75 furlongs of large rivers; 5 miles, 0.75 furlongs of tidal rivers; 417 narrow locks; 353 broad locks; 55 large locks; 2 boat lifts.

Nebo stats.

Underway 289.95 hours; end mileage 943.24miles; average speed 2.5mph; maximum speed 27.8mph (the link was doing something odd for the first few months then it became more realistic); maximum speed 6.5mph (I hasten to add this was on the River Aire heading downstream in the amber)

Other stats.

58 Vehicles held up at moveable bridges; 1011.03 litres of diesel bought; £0.90 lowest diesel at Viking Marina Oct 2024; £1.24 maximum diesel at Aynho Wharf May 2024; 490kgs coal; 3 x 13 kg bottles of gas; £52 electric at moorings; 2 buckets of compost deposits; £20 donation; 630.4 Engine hours; 4 packs Dreamies; 51 friends; 4 brought in; 2 upset tummies; 40 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval; 51 boxes of wine; £252.45 spent on mooring fees; 1 overnight guest; 0 shows; 12 lodgers; 5 supermarket deliveries; 1 problematical knee; 8 months cruising; 20Litres oil; 0 fuel filters; 2 oil filters; 1 kitchen tap; 3 new batteries; 1 faulty; 150amp hours to 460 amp hours (at 24 volts); 1 boat mover sighting; 1 blue boat sighting; 11 days of guest crew; 54.4 pairs of socks; 1,000,000 plus knitted stitches; £1525 raised for Dementia UK; 271 posts; 268,000 words; 353 likes; 399 comments; 15900 visitors; 41300 views!

Thank you for joining us on our travels in 2024.

The count down to the start of our travels for 2025 has started.

We’re Ready, Are You?

24th December 2024

We’d like to wish all our readers, friends and family a very Happy Christmas.

**At least it’s Micks stocking Father Christmas won’t be able to fill if she stays there.**

Tilly has decided to keep our stockings warm and keep a close eye out for the big man in red. I’m hoping she doesn’t over heat before he arrives!

We’re Ready, Are you?

Big Blue Bum. 23rd October

Sykehouse Junction to Viking Marina

No rush to be away this morning, we’d woken to quite a bit of dew, so no point in trying to get some paint on the grabrail, it would have only got in the way anyway. So Tilly was allowed an hour of proper shore leave, her last for sometime.

When she came in, it was time to back up to the junction and turn towards Goole on our last cruise of the year. This makes me feel a bit sad, but planning for next year is already underway so there’s things to look forward to.

At the end of Southfield Reservoir there is a CRT base camp. Four portacabins sit between the canal and fishermen. Tugs, skip boats and diggers sit on the bank ready to send the next mound of earth to back fill the pilling.

Round the next bend on Drax Straight as we call it, is another length of bank being worked on. Here they’ve only just started to pile drive the piling into the canal bed. At the next bend is where the breach happened in 2020. Here signs state there is a culvert and not to use spud legs. Best not as they wouldn’t want to relive all the works that went on in 2021 to reopen the canal here.

The log cabin looks to be occupied now, despite the underside of the roof looking unfinished. A narrowboat moored alongside, maybe the cabin owners or just a coincidence. The alpacas have increased in numbers too and sheep now graze the opposite bank.

Just before Rawcliffe is the final bend of the canal. I can zoom in on my camera and see a blue stern. This used to make me think Exol Pride was in the docks, but I now know better as this was likely to be one of the gravel barges moored just after the diesel point at Viking Marina.

As we came in through Goole Docks caisson we spotted what had changed. A sunken cruiser where we’d never think to moor. Three boats on the 14 day mooring, one that seems to be a frequent visitor. The big widebeam that had been for sale outside the old Waterways Museum has gone.

Then a new big blue bum of a boat. Off Roader, used to be the Humber Princess and has had a make over. Designed to carry freight and possibly gravel, we believe it’s due to start work shortly.

We pulled in to the diesel point at Viking Marina, easier to get into now the floating dry dock has been moved. A phone call to let Laird know we’d arrived, the paperwork already started this morning. We had a look around the chandlery for a few items. If you’re not choosy about what colour boat you have there’s a bargain to be had in Rylard paints. Sadly nothing jumped out to us on our wants list, we’ll have to order from elsewhere. We had quite a chat with Laird about where we’ve been this year, apparently he had something to do with the restoration on the Basingstoke Canal way back when.

Key fob for the gate, diesel topped up at £0.90, the cheapest we’ve had all year. We knew where we were headed so reversed back to the entrance and then slotted in alongside another narrowboat. We’d hoped we’d be able to just step across, but we are just a touch longer making things a little awkward. Laird had given us the option to move to be bank side so in the afternoon he came to help us switch over. A lady watched on astounded at how the three of us did it. She said she could tell we’d done it before. Well Laird might have but we’ve not, it did however look like we knew what we were doing!

Settled and lunched Mick got the Brompton out and waved goodbye to me and Tilly. A train to Scarborough and a stop off at Pizza Tempo required for him on the way back to the house for the night.

**Painting dungarees. Maybe of use at the house next year**

Tilly and I pottered for a while. The big holdall was filled with clothes. Ikea bags started to be filled. Office cupboard sorted through for things we might need. All the things I’d brought with me to do paintings of the canals went in a bag, so far unused. Hopefully over winter I’ll make use of them. The hope is that this years Christmas card will be a painting.

There is only so much you can pack without moving it off the boat. Once Tilly’s excitement wains from being able to get in empty cupboards, the realisation of what is happening dawns on her and she needs reassuring. Sitting staring into space with her ears at odd angles is usually the first sign. I did manage to distract her by opening a tin of tuna to have with jacket potatoes. Mick insists that we follow the instruction manual we got when we first adopted her which says, ‘Never, ever, ever, no really never ever give your cat human food’. It is the only smell that catches her nose and pulls it up into the air. I wonder what she’d make of tuna if she was try some? But meany TOM won’t let me !!!

0 locks, 1 caisson, 6.6 miles, 1 wind, 3 skip boats, 1 disturbed lunchbreak, 1 new boat on the block, 73 litres, 90p! 1 do-ci-do, 1 bank side mooring, 1 last hour of shore leave, 1 Mick locked out, 1 Pip locked in, 1 girls night packing.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y1ENKXFJqT23F3wo7

Stirring Up The Red. 10th October

Handmade Bakery, Slaithwaite

Sunshine. It was guaranteed to be good weather today as we’d not be working any locks. But the sunshine could be used for other things, painting!

Mick headed off to visit the Co-op and Aldi to see what miracle drugs he could find to help us both with our colds. We’d really like to not be spluttering and sneezing this weekend, but it looks like we’ll have no choice.

I dug out the cream and red paints from one of the bow lockers. Masking tape and fine sandpaper from the painting cupboard inside. The pan was lifted off the mushroom vent and dried off, moisture having collected around the rim of the pan. Then sections of the grab rail were taped up that needed top coat. My aim this year had been to repaint the grabrails, but I’ve run out of time to do a proper job. This also seems to be my aim most years! We just get too busy boating.

Once the sections were taped off I gave them all a sand down. The undercoat needed flattening out and the surrounding paint needed to have a key to aid adhesion.

**May not look pretty, but it’s got a coat of paint on it!**

An old envelope was stuck under the hole of the mushroom vent inside the cabin, to catch any stray blobs of paint. Then a coat of cream was painted. I’d not bothered to mask off an area here, I just tried to keep the area within the size of our biggest pan so it could be covered up again later.

Then areas on the grab rail had a coat of red. Red no matter what you do fades in sunlight, it’s a fact and you have to live with it. For me to have a boat with no red on it wouldn’t be right as it’s my favourite colour. I’ve touched up the starboard side before with the red that had been noted in our boat bible from Finesse when Oleanna was built. However the number was out by 1 digit so the colour had been quite a bit darker. Now the grabrail looks a bit of a patchwork, one day it will all be the same bright red again.

One area of rust had spread across from the red grabrail onto the blue cabin side, I’ll hopefully follow up with the blue on the next possible day. The red also will require a second coat at some point. I made sure I removed the masking tape after a short while, leaving it on too long means it’s a nightmare to remove.

Next job was to dig out my sewing machine from under the dinette. I’d bought myself some red cords which had been sent to the house. They were in the sale and I could only get my size with a longer leg than required. So they needed turning up by 3 inches. Ironed and sewn, job’s a good un.

Attention turned to a painting I did recently. This needed trimming and a backing making for it. I’ll hopefully be able to show you what it was and for after the weekend.

Next and final job, give Mick a hair cut. It’s not that long since it was last done, but a tidy up would be good. He’s all smart now, we’re ready for the weekend. Just have to hope my nose stops glowing red from being blown so much!

**My photo of tonight’s Northern Lights!**

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 bottle of cough medicine, 1 box tissues, 2 boxes cold capsules, 1 roof touched up, 1st coat on grabrail, grade 3, 3 inches up, pair 41 finished, 8 more pairs on waiting list! 0 northern lights visible, 2 sniffly coughing boaters, 🙁

Audibly Slowing. 19th August

Bridge 67, T&M

Mick was up, breakfasted and on his way to the station for a 9 something or other train, the first of three trains that would have him arrive in York three or so hours later. The first train was delayed so he didn’t arrive in York till around 1:30, good job he didn’t have an appointment. Todays trip was for a blood test after a change of medication. Since we’ve discovered that we can walk into York Hospital for certain things and the results still arrive with our GPs in Scarborough, we are saving both time and money on the trains.

Mick walked to the hospital. The moorings at the bottom of the Museum Gardens were pretty packed, narrowboats breasted up. A green bear sits in front of the Art Gallery and is a photo opportunity. Once at the hospital he took a number and waited his turn, only a fifteen minute wait and he could be on his way back.

***I only came in to get rid of my cobwebby head***

Meanwhile back on Oleanna. After my exercises Tilly was allowed shore leave. 8 hours 30 minutes! No sight or sound of her for the first 90 minutes, today this outside was better than yesterday.

Numerous boats came past, about 1 in 10 audibly slowed as they approached Oleanna. I nearly opened up the hatch to congratulate the helm on NB Tranquillity at their speed. Another passing boat caught my eye, a Carefree Cruising boat. Yep it was NB Winding Down, our old shareboat with someone young at the helm.

Ends were woven in on sock pair 33, photos taken and then an email sent to the sponsor of pair 32 to see if it would be possible to hand them over in the next couple of weeks.

The afternoon was filled with drawing, inking and starting to paint the little project I started the other day. Still some more to do on it and one section I’m not convinced about that may require some attention.

Mick was back onboard around 7pm. The wind picking up around us. Today has definitely felt autumnal!

Tomorrow we’ll have a decision to make, which way to head northwards. This has been discussed a few times and we keep changing our minds. Carry on up the T&M, we came down it earlier in the year, or head up the Shroppie, we came down last year. Which ever way we go up, we’ll come back down the other way. Decisions decisions!

0 locks, 0 miles, 6 trains, 1 vile of blood, 15 minute wait, 23 fast boats, 3 slow boats, 8 out of 8.5 hours shore leave used, 1 sleepy cat, 1 blanket square finished, 1 evening off socks, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

Visible Scars. 9th August

Barley Mow Moorings to Ansty Moorings

No need for an alarm this morning, but we were still awake early. Time to enjoy a cuppa in bed before getting up, exercising and having breakfast, Tilly was allowed an hour of shore leave then the doors were firmly shut, time to move onwards.

Through Newbold Tunnel, hardly worth turning the tunnel light on for, but we did. Then we managed to pull up outside Armada Boats, in between boats passing by. The last time Mick had stopped here it was snowing! A few days ago one of our gas bottles ran out so it’s always best to replace as soon as you can so that you don’t get caught out! It would be hard for us to get caught out as we carry three bottles, but best to replace that empty bottle.

£42 for 13kg of gas, a top up of diesel at £1.08 and two filters for the next service at £9 each. Thank you Dave Scouts for reminding us to stop here.

Three miles or so. Normally I’d have got my knitting out the back, but the current pair of socks are a touch too complicated right now, so need to be concentrated on so that I don’t get lost!

There were spaces where we’ve stopped before, but not far enough for todays cruising schedule. A hire boat had managed to get into the side under some very good shade, we’re hoping for a mooring like that in the next couple of days.

At Easenhall Lane Bridge 34 a yellow sign can just be seen instructing you to slow down, evidence of a small landslip right by the brick work. A fence with a gate in it means business, cutting off the towpath. The extra piece of fence that’s meant to stop people from getting round the edge has been pushed out of the way as they always are, the undergrowth worn away through use. The towpath is officially closed, but other people know better!

Back in early February there was a major landslip in the cutting. Tons and tons of earth (estimated at 40,000 tonnes) slid down and into the cut fully blocking the navigation until May when it was opened at certain times so that C&RT could continue working at the site. Today the canal is open, there had been two landslips, large areas of raw earth are very visible scars at the moment. I wonder how long before nature reclaims the cuttings and what else C&RT intend to do here. Some gabions line the edge of the bank, but the towpath is very muddy. We kept our speed to the minimum, the bottom of the canal hitting the base plate at one point, respect for this cutting has always been needed, but now more so. Maybe I’d not been looking for the slow down signs, or been busy doing something else, but I hadn’t noticed them.

Boats moored just before a bridge opposite a skip boat caused a bit of a log jam as a boat came the other way. Then it was our turn through the narrows, nowhere to step off the stern of Oleanna to work the bridge due to all the hire boats being at base. A chap gave the bridge a big push, it swung perfectly out of the way for us. I hopped off the bow so as to close it behind us. Beeping of a truck reversing could be heard and a crowd had gathered. On the back a short skip boat complete with greenery was being backed down to the narrows, it must have been going in here.

We’d done our cruising for the day, so looked for a mooring away from the railway. Through Grimes Bridge 26 is a length of armco, which was full, including a C&RT work boat. Volunteers packing up for the day removing equipment and going home for the weekend. There wasn’t enough armco for us, the boat in front was doing it’s best to moor up, but the sloping stone bank of the North Oxford canal means you’d be a long way out. We carried onwards, tried a bit further on, but soon gave up hoping the next moorings would have space for us.

Under the M6 the railway running right alongside. Eventually we reached Ansty, the straightened route of the canal a good few miles shorter than the original. Here there was space for us. We pulled in as far away from the road bridge as possible. A deja vu moment. A footpath goes through the hedge and two large water containers sit with the tops removed waiting to swallow up a curious cat. Oleanna was moved onwards to rings further along midway between road and water butts.

Tilly came and went and was ecstatic when the lid of the Dreamies pot came off showering the table and floor with it’s contents. We were too busy picking up from the floor to notice her sterling work on the table!

A sketch book came out. Reference collected yesterday was used for some basic ideas , photos taken and emailed off. A little project for a friend, I’ll be able to share the result with you later in the year. I got approval, so onto the next stage in the coming days.

Quesadillas this evening. I tried using a tin of beans in a spicy tomato sauce, it was a touch too runny so I added some cooked rice which helped. Just a shame the spicy tomato sauce wasn’t as spicy as I’d imagined, they lacked a bit of a kick.

0 locks, 7.9 miles, 1 gas bottle, 21.3 litres, 2 filters, quite a few straight ons, 3.5 hours shore leave, 2 big brown ski slopes, 1 slow poot, 1 swing bridge, 3rd mooring, 2 sketches, 1 thumbs up.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/AnfRXZ5mxLDrye5Y8

TLC Day 8. 30th January

We called into Sainsburys to pick up an order from Ikea, I’d not had confirmation that it had arrived, but it should have been there since Sunday. The lady suggested looking for my delivery on DPD, she needed a QR code to scan before I could have my parcel. Then of course she needed to see some ID for me, which I didn’t have! Thankfully she believed me that I have a driving licence and handed over the order. Thank goodness we’d gone by car, it was a huge box! We chose some soup for lunch and then headed on to Goole, thankfully the sun was out today making for a pleasant drive.

More cupboard sorting, this time the cat proof cupboard. Illustrations for Seperate Doors, bits of panto model, some of these need to stay on board, others need to head for safe keeping at the house. Now we no longer live on board full time some things don’t need to be at hand should we want them. The big box of boat build details was packed along with the folder on Stillwater Narrowboats, that can be filed away somewhere upstairs upstairs, no need to look at that again.

**One of my all time favourite illustrations for Seperate Doors**

The office cupboard moved from port to starboard. I’d like to have a pull out shelf for the printer at some point, it now being on the starboard side means the power lead will reach a power socket. Whiltling things down is good, but I’m also mindful that we need to compensate for the weight of the new batteries and not end up on a list.

Mick ran the engine. I made a cardboard template for the shelf that will sit above the battery in The Shed. Pea and Ham soup, then a final tidy of various things, The Shed put back together. I could then hoover through and get ready to put a coat of Danish oil on the floor. With the hoovering done, Oleanna was winterised.

**Glad you can’t see the diggers on the otherside of the Dutch River**

Thankfully the day being bright, Goole looked like the Med today, I had plenty of light to be able to do the oiling. I took my time gradually working my way backwards to the bow. Making sure everywhere got an even coat, no slap dashing today. The last bit is always so hard to do from the bow steps leaning down past your toes to cover the last foot square. Done! The front door was locked, the oil can now cure over several days before anyone will walk on it.

There will need to be another trip so that we can put everything back where it lives and give the bathroom a good clean. The Shed will need it’s new shelf and some hanging rods rather than rails, but we need to see what space we’ll have once the fire extinguisher is back on the wall.

Mick will be along sometime soon to explain more about what’s been happening in the engine bay with the new Bully Boy Batteries. I’m now heading off to chain myself to the sewing machine to cover the dinette cushions, oh and a bit of knitting too! Hopefully soon I’ll be able to show you some of the finished socks, once their sponsors have received them.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 last trip, 1 engine ran, 3 Chippy lanyards, 1 panto car, 2 phone boxes, 1 Petiti tree, 1 hoover, 2 last soups, 1 onion, 1 careful coat of oil, 1 face looking forward to not wearing a mask again, 1 boys blood pressure creaping down each day.

What Did You Get? Betwixtmas 2023

**Breakfast with tea not bucks fizz this year**

Christmas Day was quite grey, but thankfully the drizzle/rain stayed away for us to have a walk down to the seafront and allow Frank to walk (without getting wet) the two miles to join us.

Glasses of fizz were at hand to help with the final food preparations.

Frank had brought round three sprout stalks from his garden, so he set to. An hour and a half later, his sterling work had got enough diddy sprouts for maybe two of us, they were added to with extras from the bumper veg box I’d ordered.

I’d seen good reviews for M&S gluten free bread sauce, so we had a taste test between theirs and mine. The Leckenby version made with brown seeded bread and some garlic, the M&S version very white and plenty of cloves. They both had good qualities, I think the decision was that they tied.

Mammoth amounts of food took over our plates. We think that this year we managed to achieve the correct quantities of everything. Plenty and still quite an amount of left overs after Frank had finished. Cheese was put till the end of the meal (my Mum wouldn’t have approved!), but just as well as my birthday cake was extreamly rich! Five days later and we’ve still only managed to eat half of it. Chocolate and Hazelnut Celebration Cake and the cheese remained in it’s wrappers!

In the morning we’d opened our Christmas presents, before Birthday cake there were the tree presents. Mick got a new litter picker (not just for tidying up the towpaths but also to help pick things up once dropped in the engine bay on Oleanna. I got the Sarah Howells Gluten Free cook book and Frank got a pair of Pip socks, the last pair to be knitted this year. This makes it 34 pairs since April, I’d forgotten to add in a pair I made for my cousin at the beginning of May.

Birthday presents followed. This pile quite often ends up with a few Christmas presents accidentally added, ambiguous wrapping, or just because.

A lovely day with fat bellies, lots of empty bottles and good company.

So what did we get?

We both got new waterproof coats.

A new barbecue. I’d considered a Cob as so many had sung their praises, but the price tag was a touch too much for Tilly’s pocket, so a slightly sterdier fold away version of the one we’ve had for the last eight or so years. It’s handy as it tucks away easily into one of the stern lockers. I got some Sketchers anti-slip trainers which are comfortable for my toe and the antislip looks as good as we’ve had before. Tilly got a flapping fish to remind her of our travels on the water. This did have to be removed after a while I just don’t understand why it didn’t die! I had resorted to numerous headbut bites and yet it still flipped around!

Lots of other goodies. Books were all cookery books this year, a Tom Kerridge book didn’t make the photo. Tilly got a new (to her) food and water bowls so that she doesn’t have to move them from house to boat to house. I’ll have something to say about that Blue one on my own blog! Plus a LOT of Dreamies. You’d better start moving the outside again so I can have those! Pyjamas were also popular, between us we got three pairs. An ice bag, very handy for knees or heads. Socks, now just not any old socks! Thank you to Kath who got me the arty socks, Father Christmas for the chunky socks, but extra bonus points to the NB Cleddau crew for the Crazy Cat Lady socks. Thank you!!!

**Sue cutting the cake, assisted by Jaye and of course Duncan!**

We’ve had a few relaxing days since, interspersed by Sue’s 60th where her family and friends took over a local Indian restaurant. What a lovely evening, Happy Birthday Sue!

**Can anyone guess which lock this is?**

The painting for our downstairs toilet is coming on. A good project to do Betwixtmas. Soon I’ll have to set the drawing board up and sort out dimensions of the lean too that we’re wanting to replace, there’s also the boat cushion fabric to source, curtain tracks, some painting and more bloomin sealant to do in the house! Then there are the boat jobs on the list. But these can all wait for the new year I think, Oh and there’s the yearly round up to write and that always takes ages.

Hope you all had a good Christmas and got some fab presents too.

0 locks, 0 miles, 12 pairs socks, 4 cook books, 4 bowls, 3 bags of dreamies, 1 fish, 1 wobbly thing, 3 pairs pyjamas, 1 bottle truffle oil, 2 waterproofs, 1 cold on the way out, 1 on the way in, 1 lodger with a tickly throat, 1 phone, 4 pens, 4 pencils, 1 bbq, 2 much birthday cake so if anyone is passing in the next few days please help us!

Back To Work. 20th September

Brayford Pool

With the forecast so abysmal we wouldn’t be going anywhere today. It actually didn’t live up to all the hype. We did have rain, we had some blustery wind too, but we’d been expecting far far worse.

After yesterdays sight seeing it was a good day to do some work and spend the day sitting down. Yesterday I’d had a catch up chat with Jo the props maker for panto, I now needed to do some sketches of a prop she is making after gleaming more info from the director as to what he would like it to do. Jo will only be with us one day a week during early rehearsals so doing alterations won’t be possible overnight, so we all need to be on the same wave length now. Sketches and a storyboard were done, photographed to send to Jo, to make sure I’d covered everything we’d talked about and managed to tick things off John’s request list.

With the thumbs up on the set print front, Gemma and I also had a phone conversation to go back over all the elements we are wanting to get printed. A few quotes needed adjusting due to additions or wrong dimensions having been given. With all the details correct she was now able to issue an order for the cloths and portals. I then needed to pack up the model pieces to be posted to Prompt Side. Notes were written on the backs of model pieces. Extra leaves were stuck to paper so that they could be slotted into gaps in the print so as to make use of any spare canvas. This all took far longer than expected, the model was as clean as I could get it, plans were printed out and everything packed into a big envelope ready to go tomorrow. I just have to learn Photoshop now.

Mick braved the weather and headed to Morrisions to do a shop that would hopefully last us until we get off tidal waters next week. The bike went with him as a sherpa. Fridge and cupboards restocked and a few more boxes of wine added to the cellar.

A few phone calls were made to Lock Keepers to book our passage along the tidal Trent. Hopefully the winds will have calmed down before our planned passage.

After tea I put together an email regarding the complicated prop for panto for John’s approval. Hopefully he’ll like it then Jo will be able to crack on with making it.

A full day of work.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 tourist attractions, 346295 students being noisy again, 1 box sorted, 4 model pieces packed ready to go, 8 hours, 3 boxes wine, 100 woofer poo bags!!! 0 woofers on this boat! 1 passage , 1 familiar buddy boat.

An Extra Shower. 29th August

Zouch Lock to Zouch Lock

Ahead of ourselves. Should we stay that way or let the days catch up with us? A day sat still could mean some much needed maintenance work on Oleanna, rust around the mushroom vents needs sorting before winter.There’s the grab rail that I’ve been meaning to do for a couple of years too. Don’t mention the gunnels or cratch board!

Forecast rain and still having a headache put me off. We decided to move.

Three boat lengths up there was a newly vacated gap with a better view. We moved up and gave Tilly some shore leave, hoping she wouldn’t get confused following her scent back to where we’d just left.

A morning of pottering. There was one job that could be done. I dug out my pencils, pens, watercolours and paper. Time to do a new first night card for one of our lodgers. Tanya is on her third visit, so the house and a compilation of Scarborough views have been used, time for a new one.

I went through the photos I’d taken on our Scarborough walks during the second lockdown, shortlisting a few. Another photograph found on the internet was used along with mine for the composition. This was drawn out and inked in.

I could have sat at the dinette all day, but wanted to stretch my legs and see if a walk would help dissipate my headache. I plotted a route, showed it to Mick, made sure Tilly was inside and set off, crossing the bridge over the canal and the field alongside our mooring to meet the road.

The boats at Zouch Marina have poles to rise up and down on, they also have a contraption similar to a caravan hook up which attach to the boats bows. These must be to help keep the boats in position when the river goes into flood.

I took the chance to get off the busy A6006, only to find the footpath was fenced in and overgrown with nettles, a new development planned for the other side of the fence. More main road before turning down Wide Lane in Hathern. I’d hate to think what they were comparing Wide Lane to when they named it, cars having to park on the pavement. One half timbered house had dormer windows in it’s roof line, most probably a framework knitters cottage, looms tended to be in top rooms where extra light could be sought.

Next door a rather lovely house is for sale, sadly it’s not by the river so no mooring opportunities.

Hathern in the 19th C got the name Wicked Hathern. Rev Edward Thomas March Philips spent more than 50 years in the village trying to civilise his parishioners who liked to spend more time in the pubs than his pews. Cockfights and drunken brawls in the graveyard prompted the priests outbursts, the village being dubbed Wicked Hathern. Pubs still outnumber the churches 5 to 2, but I believe things have calmed down.

By now it was drizzling. I took refuge in St Peter and St Paul’s Church, the door open and organ music emanating from inside. A family of three sat by the organ, Mum cutting things out from a paper, Dad I couldn’t tell what he was doing and a young person possibly about seven or eight was sat at the organ, playing away pretty well. Not sure if they were using the pedals, I suspect their legs weren’t long enough to reach. I had a quick look round but didn’t want to disturb the practice.

Small children in school uniform came from the direction of the school, an ice cream van sat waiting for new customers. I had no money on me so I couldn’t sample their wares, anyhow it was drizzling even more now.

I could have waited out the rain under a tree, but decided that it looked to have set in, so carried on. A horse gave me a soggy knowing look as I reached it’s field. I crossed over towards the weirs.

A large curved gate holds back the water, presumably this is used in times of flood to speed the water down stream. Then I crossed over the curved weir and got chance to see just how many boats are kept along the arm, at least five. They must have to limbo under the footbridge to get in and out.

Back to the towpath and back to Oleanna, I was by now soaked! Straight into the shower and my soggy clothes got a wash.

Time to put some colour on my drawing. Base colours, then a touch more detail. As this dried, so had the outside world. Mick had requested a haircut so without the aid of my assistant, she was more interested in the trees, I got to work with the clippers. A smart boyfriend again.

The final shadows were added to my painting. It just needs scanning now and making into a card. I’ll also need to run off one of the house for our other lodger as it’s her first visit. Those who know Scarborough will know the subject matter.

0 locks, 0.1 miles, 3 boats worth, 1 busy cat, 4 more paracetamol, 2 damp a day for jobs, 1 new card, 3 very soggy miles walked, 2 weirs, 7 year old organist, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/hYdFNHYakd5GmUuc7

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna