There was a wait to enter Saltersford Tunnel, entry between 30 and 50 minutes past the hour if heading south easterly. We tucked in behind another boat admired the tree carving by the mooring and had quite a chat until Tilly was spotted in a window by their greyhound! What a noise!! Their poor dog had to be put inside where Tilly was out of sight and out of mind.
Two behind
A third boat joined the queue and at bang on 11:30 we all set off, as we’d be heading further we were waved ahead to lead position. Tunnel mode engaged we wound our way through the tunnel where no light can be seen at the far end for quite a while, an S bend brings it into view and then out again. Behind us the thump thump of the following boats started to echo along the arched roof.
Nobody was waiting at the other end and we sailed across the open section to reach Barnton Tunnel. This tunnel doesn’t have a timed entry as you can see through it, however to be able to see through it you have to have your bow almost in the portal with someone stood on the bow. I made my way through Oleanna to do just that, Tilly excitedly following me as it might just be shore leave time!
A ray of light caught a cowparsley head just by the portal mimicking a tunnel light of an oncoming boat. Then I got a glimmer of light from the far end of the tunnel, it was clear. Thumbs up to Mick at the stern, I retreated back into the bedroom. The sound of Tilly’s bell could be heard at close quarters, the last thing I wanted to happen was for her to jump ship. We find growling at her a good deterrent and tends to stop her in her tracks, maybe we are the bigger cat in such situations. No! You just sound so stupid!
Coming through!
As we were approaching the far end a bow came into view, a day boat with plenty on board and their tunnel light shining in front of them. A beep on the horn saw them engage reverse gear pulling back from the entrance. ‘There’s at least another two boats coming through behind us’.
The canal now does a 90 degree turn under a road bridge, a boat came towards us. I popped to the bow to check for anyone else, the way ahead was clear. Buoys still mark the landslip at Soot Hill that occurred in December 2021, single file boats only.
Landslip to the left
The occasional glimpse across the Weaver Valley to new housing, then the more familiar factories. We remembered our first time here on a hire boat, Bergen Fjord, was that for Mick’s 50th birthday? There were so many boats moored that it felt like we had to walk for miles to get to see the Anderton Boat Lift. Our original plan for this year would have had Oleanna descend the lift and cruise the River Weaver, a stretch of water she’s not been on before (we’ve only done a small section on our shareboat) and ticking off the last Wonder of the Waterways.
An earlier than thought rendez vous was made just by the lift waiting moorings. NB Halsall was there waiting her turn for the lift, ahead of schedule she’d be heading down onto the Weaver a day early. We pulled alongside and got to meet Rachel, it’s been three years since we had a diesel fill from Halsall. 68 litres at £1.09 today. We know we’d be able to fill up cheaper somewhere else but it’s good to support the coal boats all year round as they are a god send in the winter months.
Hmmm!!!
Next stop, the services block. Two boats were already pulled in. One turned out to be a hire boat the holiday makers just emptying themselves back into their camper van! What a good use of a water point in a busy place. We tucked in behind them, just clear of the entrance into the marinas. Soon there were four boats and more passing by. Eventually the hire boat was moved away.
Maybe the rust now holds this together
Lunch was enjoyed on the move as we passed Lions Salt Works, well worth a visit. Then it was time for me to go to work. The Town Square scene flats were cut out with basic details. What looks like it may work on paper doesn’t always work in 3D, especially when using false perspective. New lines were drawn, bits cut off, flats changed sides, more new lines drawn. When I was just about happy with shapes and sizes I found enough card to remake the flats, drawing full designs on them. Just the town clock to adjust now.
Meanwhile up on deck Mick brought Oleanna through the boat yard before the chemical works, three abreast chocka with boats. Then under the bridges carrying chemicals above boaters heads.
The quantity of traffic and moored boats suggested we’d be extreamly lucky to find a mooring for us at Bramble Cuttings. Three boats already sat there enjoying the picnic tables, Tilly would have to wait a while longer.
Not enough room for us at Bramble Cuttings
When were we last here? 2020, we must have wanted to go to Middlewich tip and then carried on finding space here, Mick got drenched. A day later we winded and headed back through Middlewich and up the Cheshire Locks to the Macclesfield Canal. It takes us a while now to remember such things.
Maybe by Croxton Flash we’d get a space? A boat was occupying the mooring we’d thought of. The chap on NB Stahl called out having been a reader of the blog, glad you found it useful.
Just round the bend was a space and someone had flattened the long grass beside the towpath, there’d be enough room for a barbecue. Tilly enjoyed herself, returning to use the onboard facilities and for her evening dingding, which did mean she was inside when we were outside.
Tonight’s kitchen
Salmon with ginger, lemon and soy sauce was accompanied by veg kebabs and some Jersey Royals.
0 locks, 11.2 miles, 2 tunnels, 2 mysterons, 1 full tank of diesel, 1 full tank of water, 1 annoying pick up and drop off hire boat, 3 flats re-re-done, 1 barbecue that may need retiring at the end of this summer, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
As we got near to rolling up the covers this morning we could hear boats moving. The one furthest away on the moorings winded and headed towards the lock, soon followed by the other two narrowboats who were travelling together. We carried on knowing that we’d have a wait at the locks.
So many boats!
The first two boats breasted up on the lock landing, the next hovered behind them and we sat hovering even further behind. Two cruisers came down the lock, then it was time to fill the lock.
Two in
Houghton Lock is another D shaped lock. The entrance only wide enough for one narrow boat to enter at a time, but after checking in our Imray guide we knew it could hold three narrowboats side by side. The two boats on the lock landing made their way in, the chap from the third boat pulled in and walked up to the lock with a windlass, we then got waved in to make use of the middle of the lock.
Us fitting in the middle
We chatted away as the lock gates were closed behind us and the guillotine gate raised at the other end. The two boats travelling together were from the Macclesfield Canal out for the summer, hoping they’d be able to get back onto the summit pound before winter.
Three abreast
We’ve been three abreast in a lock before at Keadby, Limehouse and possibly Cromwell. Today it felt a touch more cosy than before despite there being plenty of room for us all. The first boat came out the lock and pulled in to help his mate with the lock, which meant we had now leapfrogged all three boats.
Two lock landings
Above the lock we spotted a few places we’d have been able to pull in to visit the mill yesterday, none of them official moorings. But we were glad we’d got to see some of Hemingford Grey and been able to stretch our legs.
A few boat yards. Long gardens to far away houses, a lot of them having work done to them.
All Saints
A riverside church where a couple sat on the bench and waved.
Two games of Boules going on. Measurements being taken to see who’d won.
Who is closer?
Not much further on we pulled in alongside a park, the closest mooring to Sainsburys in Huntingdon. Just after midday, the TV was tuned in and the news left on for the expected speech from Downing Street.
The Mac boys soon arrived and managed to tuck themselves in behind us. The longer boat needing to be next to land as he had animals. His black and white cat soon coming for a nosy as the other boat breasted up. All three boats Tyler Wilson shells, one of a similar age to Oleanna, he’d had the same problem with his gas locker hinges as we’d had.
Lunch and a shopping trip for us to stock up on fresh food for the coming week, by the time we got back to Oleanna the Mac boys had done their shopping and headed off to moor out in the country.
Tilly stamping her approval on panto
Tilly was allowed out, the road hopefully being busy enough to keep her away from it and there was plenty of friendly cover to keep her busy nearer the river. I got on with reading Act 2 of panto. Another scene with a big ship, I loved my ship from last year, how am I going to make this years different?
Queen Rat got her comeuppance and Whittington the cat was made Mayor of London. Tilly wonders how Larry at No 10 feels today with all the press camped outside his front door.
Larry
A much noisier mooring than we’ve gotten used to of late. We had someone tentatively knock on the roof as I was cooking our evening meal, they weren’t expecting anyone to say ‘HELLO!’ from inside. A quiet apology was followed by the lady leaning down to the kitchen window ad wishing us a pleasant evening.
1 lock, 2.53 miles, 4 in a queue, 3 in a lock, 1st boat, 3 boats, 1 dog, 2 cats, 2 boxes wine, 1 bag of peppers, 6 eggs, Act 2, 1 big ship, 1 jungle, 1 tower of London, 1 resignation, 1 Larry for Prime Minister.
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
Wool Road Winding Hole toDiggle, the summit of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
It looks good over there!
As we got ready to leave this morning the chap from the boat in front appeared with a billy can full of coal which he proceeded to give to me. He’d taken his stove out several months ago, so had no need of it.
Good Luck with Gypsy
He bought his boat in May as a project boat and was due to have a new stove fitted before now, but for one reason or another it hasn’t happened. I suggested he might want to hold onto the coal to help keep warm, but he still wanted to give it to us. I suspect it was in his way. He grew up around Tunnel End in Marsden, before the tunnel was reopened he and his mates used to play in it, he says there is graffiti from the original navies who cut the tunnel. We wished him good luck with the work on his boat, his next aim is to get to Marsden, then who knows!
Time to climb the last few locks. The last nine locks to the summit are all relatively close together, infact today we only moved a mile horizontally but 94ft 6″ vertically.
Lifting the paddles
The angled paddle gear wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, several of them having had hydraulic mechanisms added to them. Six years ago we had enlisted crew to assist due to me not being able to use my right hand at the time. Using a windlass wrong handed was a challenge as I tried to do my bit. Today my long reach windlass was only needed some of the time.
Will that be enough water?
Our main problem today would be the low pound between locks 26W and 27W. As I arrived to open the gates into 26W above looked really rather low, would there be sufficient water left after filling the lock to get Oleanna over the cill? The bottom gates leaked, she rose, we pushed the gate open, it was touch and go from my reckoning that there’d be enough water.
Gradually making her way forward
I walked up to 27W, the level above much healthier, in fact the bywash was running. I lifted the paddles on the bottom gates and then the top gates and let water run down through the lock. I made note of where I thought I could drop the level above to for us still to be able to get over the cill of this lock.
Will she get over the cill?
Below Mick had closed the gate again, hoping to stop the pound from draining as much as I was filling it. He then refilled the lock, opened the gate and gradually inched his way out of the lock and over the cill. A big thumbs up was given and I could now drop the paddles at the top end of my lock.
There was now the pound to cross which took quite sometime! As Oleanna approached the bottom cill of the lock Mick gave her quite a few revs before cutting them and thankfully gliding into the lock at a slow pace. Now to see if I’d let too much water down to be able to get over the top cill of this lock. There was just enough! Phew!
Nearly there!
Onwards and upwards we worked, the single bottom gates meaning less walking round, but heavier to move. The last pound between 31W and 32W was also a touch low, but thankfully passable, no need to draw on the 3 plus miles of the summit pound.
As the top gate opened of Lock 32W Oleanna had reached the highest point on the Canal Network, tomorrow she will bag her next wonder of the waterways, but getting this far is a wonder in itself.
We pulled up in front of NB Idleness a tug who will also be going through the tunnel tomorrow, Kim and I had been in touch through facebook over the last week. So there was plenty to chat about on our arrival. They are longer than us at around 60ft and had been asking how easy or hard it would be to go down the Huddersfield Broad Canal.
Good hunting friendly cover here
Tilly came out for an explore as we chatted, but after a lady walking by mentioned she’d just seen a couple of Mink I decided that maybe Tilly should return indoors. After seeing how quickly a mink grabbed and dragged a pigeon down a tree earlier this summer I thought it would be safer.
BUSY!
After lunch we walked down hill slightly to Grandpa Greens for some celebratory chilled medication. Signs all around the building suggest that they have had queues round the block, but today we only had to wait for one other person to be served. Sadly no gluten free cones so I had to make do with a tub instead.
What a choice!
Mick had Belgium chocolate and Salted Caramel whilst I had Raspberry Ripple and Nutella. Both very nice and a fitting celebration for reaching the summit of summits.
Yay! Summit medication!!!
The Huddersfield Canal is the highest canal on the network at 645ft above sea level. Next is the Rochdale at 600ft, followed by the Macclesfield and Peak Forest at 518ft, Titford Canal BCN at 511ft, Leeds Liverpool at 487ft the last two surprising us not to be the other way round.
Taking down her smile
The afternoon was spent preparing ourselves for tomorrow. The highest point on Oleanna we know to be the horns at the front, the chimney used to be similar until we had some cut off. Mick undid the supports that the horns sit on and tucked them under the bracket that normally holds them off the cratch cover. This will have gained us at least another 3 inches clearance, which we might be glad of if someone else drives Oleanna through the tunnel.
One day I’ll repaint that bracket
Another job today was sussing out whether we’ve been charging enough for our house. We’ve already had an enquiry for a few weeks next year. Now that we have been paying the bills for a full year we know what it costs to run the house.
A Summit Robin
I made up a chicken and roast carrot risotto with the last of our Sunday roast and popped it in the oven before I got together with my Scarborough chums for our weekly catch up. It was good to see those who could make it and today was the first time we’ve had two people on boats, me and Sue who is currently on holiday in Greece sailing.
9 locks, 94ft 6″ climbed, 1 mile, 32 locks up, 645ft, 1 summit pound, 1 billy can of coal, 1 dodgy pound, 1 foot of water, 2 boats waiting for the tunnel, 3 by the end of the day, 2 scoops each, 2 horns lowered, 2 hours shore leave, 2 mink! 5 chums, 1 pot of oven risotto, yummy!
The yarn shop I’ve just spotted on the map at Warth Mill has been added to the ‘next time’ list!
A chilly morning, mainly due to letting the stove go out so that Morag could sleep on the sofabed last night. The stove is a touch too close for duvets in the middle of the night! The central heating soon took the edge off.
School pals
After breakfast it was time to say goodbye to Morag, she was heading off to see her son who is studying at Manchester University and it’s his birthday tomorrow. It was so lovely to have her to stay and have a proper time for a catch up.
Goodbye Macclesfield Canal
The covers were rolled back, waterproof trousers put on, we were ready. Two volunteers were by the top of the Marple flight. One chap, Rob, had been there at 8:30 to unlock the locks, he’d had a long wait for his first boat, us, at just gone 11.
Hello Peak Forest Canal and Rob
The other chap, who’s name I didn’t catch, walked on down the flight, topping up locks where needed and opening the top gates. This meant my steps for the day wouldn’t include going backwards and forwards between locks.
One down, 15 more to go
We soon got into a rhythm. Rob closed the gate behind Oleanna, I walked to the offside and lifted a paddle, then Rob would lift the towpath side. Occasionally we swapped sides.
The locks are quite deep
Many of the bottom gates overhang the narrow bridge below, so the gates tend to be easier to push from down there, but only if you are tall enough! I thankfully am just within the useful height range.
There was plenty of water coming round the bywashes, most probably because most of the locks were already full, so any water we were adding went straight round.
Heading to Lock 13
Rain came and went, sunshine did the same but for shorter periods. The weather hadn’t discouraged walkers up the flight. By Lock 13 two lads were eating snacks on the steps, then they rushed through the boatman’s tunnel to the bottom of the lock as Oleanna came out. I took the more convoluted route down steps to the horse tunnel under the main road.
New wall
The lock that was rebuilt a few years ago is now weathering in, the new dry stone wall alongside the towpath now the only clue to the works that went on to rebuild the bulging lock sides.
Gongoozling
With Lock 9 being open ready and waiting for us we dropped lock 10, the level in the intermediate pound rising almost to the top of the lower lock. Rob spotted that the overflow there was blocked, not helping on a pound that can easily overfill. Here we were surrounded by numerous eager gongoozlers all over hanging the lock sides and keen to help push gates.
At Lock 8 Rob headed off down the flight, it was 11:50 and time to go and lock the gates on the bottom lock at midday. So we were left to work the next few locks on our own, no hardship.
Nearly there
A young lad ran up to see what was happening, obviously wanting to help but a touch too shy to ask. He was very quickly recruited and despite his height disadvantage he was able to open and close the gate from the lock top, with me reminding him to keep an eye on where he was putting his feet as the edge of the stonework got closer and closer.
Lock 7’s top gate was closed but had a paddle raised for us. The level looked equal, but obviously not quite! No matter how much I pushed and bumped and pushed it just wasn’t going to shift. Where were all those keen helpers now!! Nowhere to be seen. I tried to be patient, but it simply wasn’t going to help, the lock had reached a point where the same amount of water was leaking out through the bottom gates as was coming in at the top. Eventually a dog walker was recruited to help, that extra bit of force making all the difference.
That’s a pisser
Rob and the other volunteer reappeared at Lock 5. They’d had a ping on the whatsap group for the locks and another boat had just started down the flight ten minutes before it was due to be locked. Rob stayed with us as the other fella walked back towards the top.
Open sesame
Rob was a very chatty chap. You could tell he’d not been volunteering long as he’s not fully realised just how loud you have to shout across a lock as it empties or fills. He started in May, his enthusiasm for gaining knowledge about the locks is commendable. Originally from Whitley Bay he used to walk the beaches there, but recently he’d found himself in Manchester walking the canals, so he managed to volunteer and here he is. Apparently last year there were four volunteers on the flight on Sundays, but this year it started off with just one, him, the old volunteers having gone elsewhere.
Bye and Thank you Rob
At Lock 1 he suggested I climb onboard and he’d work the lock, the gates needing to be unlocked and locked again. We thanked him as Oleanna dropped in the lock, the noise from the pissers from the lock walls taking over.
Now across the aqueduct, no chance of doing a Giles today, there were photos needing to be taken especially as the sun had come out, now we’d finished the locks!
Waiting for them to come through
Up ahead a boat was coming towards us, they’d missed the locks, but turned out to only be a day boat anyway. They were soon followed by a second day boat near Hyde Bank Tunnel where we pulled into the side to let a third boat through. This was a charity boat that would also wind once it had crossed the aqueduct.
This is when we realised that we’d forgotten something! Today at the top of the flight we were going to make our minds up as to which route we’d be taking across the Pennines. With lock closures and lack of water around the north our choices have been fluctuating almost daily and we’d obviously rather not get stuck. Maybe we’d allow ourselves another day before our final decision had to be made!
We carried on, pulling in on a length of armco before Bridge 9, the rain starting in earnest again, just as Tilly went off to explore. In one lull between showers Mick made use of the new chimney brush. The wire handle a touch shorter than the old one. Maybe we can fix the two handles together adding another 9 inches to it’s length. Once the chimney was swept the stove was lit. The temperature inside also rose with the assistance of the oven being on for a roast chicken.
But it’s raining!
16 locks, 208ft 9″, 4.33 miles, 2 tunnels, 1 left, 1 wave goodbye, 1 enthusiastic Rob, 1 very wet flight, 3 boats on the move, 4 hours shore leave, 1 happy cat, 9 more inches needed, 1 cheesy wotsit on the cratch.
A few weeks ago we’d received some alternative sausages with our Sainbsury’s order, they should have been pork and apple but instead we got chicken. We’ve not had chicken sausages before, turkey yes, but not chicken. Last night I’d taken half the packet out of the freezer to defrost. They were a little bit stubborn to get any colour and weren’t the same as a good pork sausage, but were okay in a buttie with ketchup.
First boat to come past us this morning was NB Ellis. We opened the hatch and Mick said hello, but as we’ve never met Mark properly and he was lining up for Bridge 1 he was otherwise engaged. Ellis is a Hotel Boat, but more relaxed and informal than most hotel boats, it’s more of a ‘live-aboard narrowboat experience‘. This mornings topics on the Geraghty Zoom included Bingo songs, Years and Years and sling backs in Hull.
Fish not filters now
Despite the wet weather Mick headed off on the bike to find Harrods. Harrods is a motor factors shop in Marple and is a good place to stock up on oil, filters and anti freeze. It used to be just down the hill from Church Lane Bridge 2, but thankfully we’d checked before he headed that way as the old shop is now a fish restaurant.
They are now situated in an industrial unit behind Goyt Mill, where they have more space. Mick picked up oil for the next engine service and some antifreeze.
An old Godber show on in a couple of weeks
During a dry spell we walked down to the Co-op for a few bits, enough supplies to get us happily to the next big supermarket. We think the Co-op is new, quite well stocked, but there were a few things missing off our list so we then headed to Asda where the gaps were filled.
The cake shop’s still going, no Superman today though
Across the way from Asda is Hollins an independent DIY shop. I wondered if they might have a pump action spray bottle to use on the boat covers, not that we’ll have two dry days together before the end of the year now! Mick also suggested looking to see if they had a new chimney sweep brush.
Aladdins cave and a new brush
I had a good look round, the shop is reminiscent of Clock Handyman in Scarborough and Turtles in Croydon, just about everything you might want for house, garden, kitchen all under one roof. It took me a while to walk round.
They had spray bottles and big 5 litre pump action bottles. Sadly we have nowhere to store such a big bottle and as it will only be used once a year it seemed a touch excessive. I’ll keep looking. They did however have a new sweeping brush and at £4 cheaper than Midland Chandlers a bargain. SOLD.
Why is there always one thing that gets missed when packing away my work stuff!
Back on board Oleanna we had a tidy around. Tilly seemed a touch unimpressed by the Great Wall of Marple, maybe it was too wet for the bird feeder at the top to be enticing to both her and birdies!
I chopped up onions, mushrooms and butternut squash and added tomatoes to make a veggie goulash and popped it ontop of the multifuel stove to slowly simmer away during the afternoon.
Unimpressed Tilly, back in bed.
On Thursday I’d received a message from my old school friend Morag. She was planning a visit to York and wondered if she could invite herself to stay the night in Scarborough with us. She fortunately then went on to mention that she would then be heading to Manchester on Sunday. Of course we couldn’t put her up in the house, but we could on the boat. Early evening she arrived having walked up the hill and a little bit around the houses from the station to find us. She was a little bit soggy around the edges from also walking miles around York visiting old haunts and exploring parts of the University campus where she grew up.
An evening of catching up on the last two and a bit years. News of friends both near and far. Her job which two years ago she thought she’d not stick with, it’s improved with the help of remote working, although some of the people she works for leave a lot to be desired. Morag was one of the people I’d hoped to have been able to see when we were in London this summer, but we ran out of time after seeing family and cruising through London on the Thames. Thank goodness she’d mentioned her trip to Manchester.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 very wet day, 1 unimpressed cat, 10 litres oil, 5 antifreeze, 4 croissants, 4 crumpets, 1 sweeping brush, 1 best friend from school, 2.5 years to catch up on, 1 wonderful coincidence, 1 touch 2 much wine.
Bancroft Bridge 8 to Marple Junction, well just about
Not far to go today, but would there be space. The traffic on the Macc may be a lot less than that on the Staff and Worcester and the Trent and Mersey at the moment but mooring spots can be full, especially when the weather isn’t too good.
Not many bridges left
We’d slept in, so we didn’t push off until gone 11am. A rather unpleasant aroma was wafting over the fields so we were glad to be moving on. Not quite a mile and a half to reach our destination.
Goyt Mill
A boat was just pulling into the first gap before Church Lane Bridge. We pulled into the other space, being very careful of our footing as we stepped off. These moorings became known to us as Dog Shit Alley as locals didn’t seem to tidy up after their hounds and autumn leaves tend to disguise the locations!
Dog Pooh Alley
With the wind still being quite strong the other boat decided to see if there was a mooring through the bridge, there was along with another. We followed avoiding being under trees for the rest of the day and pulled in alongside Tilly’s Great Wall of Marple. Well today is her 6th birthday, so she needed a treat.
Our mooring with the wall Tilly scaled when she was a whippersnapper
This afternoon we left Tilly in charge, sunning herself in one of the windows. We walked down the locks which were locked. Opening times of the locks are the same as last year to help conserve levels on the summit, so the padlock had been on for a couple of hours already. When we reached lock 9 we veered away from the canal down the steep hill towards Marple Station.
Top Lock locked
Here two gate posts stand alongside a slightly wonky tall house. They looked like they should lead to a big house, but there seemed to be no sign of it. Brabyns Hall was actually set quite a distance from the road here, on the other side of the railway. Map link. I wondered about it as we walked down to the station, we bought a duo ticket into Manchester and walked over the bridge to the other platform.
Gate posts and the gardeners cottage
There was a board telling us all about Miss Fanny Hudson a lady who helped shape Marple. On the day WW1 broke out Fanny announced that she would offer her home as a hospital, this was Brabyns Hall. Wounded soldiers returning from the Western Front were brought on hospital trains straight to Marple. By 1918 the number of wounded returning was escalating so Fanny Hudson arranged for Rose Hill House to open as an annex to the hospital.
Brabyns Military Hospital
In the 1940’s the house was passed onto the local authority, they had hoped to open it as a community centre but by 1952 it had deteriorated so much that it was demolished. Now it looks like the site of the house is just a car park, the gardeners cottage by the gates one of the last buildings to survive.
Piccadilly in the sunshine
We took the train into Piccadilly, then got the free bus 2 over to Shudehill. Across the way is where we met the London Leckenbys who were in Manchester for a few days having a look round as a possible University City for Josh in years to come. They had had difficulty booking hotel rooms, we now know due to the Tory Party Conference, so had ended up with a serviced apartment for a couple of nights.
Slightly worse for wine
Manchester was humming as if there hadn’t been a pandemic so we decided on staying in for the evening. A big red fish Reg had been bought from the fish counter under the Arndale Centre which was accompanied by salads and roast potatoes. Then followed by my very chocolatey pudding with ice cream and raspberries, very rich and very nice. There was enough left over for us to bring back to the boat for tomorrow.
The return train journey was busy, a full train and only two people other than the guard wearing masks, us. The walk back up the hill to the boat earnt us another glass of wine, well we did have to celebrate Tilly’s birthday somehow. Just a shame we’d forgotten to feed her before we went out! The other day we’d stocked up with a box of her current favourite food, only to discover that it was actually old gits food, 7+! Well it turns out that she is really rather partial to senior food a year early! We keep trying to alternate between 1+ and 7+, the whippersnapper food gets ignored, but the old gits gets devoured, even the same flavours. Old before her time!
Birthday Girl, home alone
Happy Birthday my little thug xxx
0 locks, 1.32 miles, 2 moorings, 1 bit of creative mooring, 2 trains, 2 free buses, 3 London Leckenbys, 3 bottles wine, 1 re fish, 1 slab of chocolatiness, 1 hungry birthday girl, 1 very annoying barking woofer at midnight! 6 years going on 40.
Damp and windy and cold. Padded waterproof trousers are back in fashion on NB Oleanna. The stove is lit and has been kept in over night for the last couple of days. If we didn’t have places to be we wouldn’t have moved today. Well that isn’t strictly true as we were moored under trees and with big winds that’s not such a good idea.
Skew curves
We pootled along under Sugar Lane Bridge that is a very skew. I checked that the Christmas tree near by hadn’t already got it’s Christmas hat on and I’m glad to report it hasn’t yet.
There she is
Along the straight from Bridge 24 to 21 I kept an eye out for the view of White Nancy, high above Bollington. Today she was hard to photograph as she melded into the grey white cloud. A local focal point and place of celebration for Bollington which on a clear day has fantastic views to the west, and to the east.
Whistling power
With the wind came the humming and whistling of power lines above. The fox gloves that last year filled wooded areas with purple of course are nowhere to be seen.
Slowly through the bridge hole
The occasional moving boat battled against the wind, at least we had it behind us for much of the morning. Speed helps you to keep on course in the wind, which was slightly alarming as we came through Bridge 20 where we could only manage to crawl due to depth as a zooming boat headed for us round a bend. They of course had to slow right down, we couldn’t get out of the way with any speed as we had none.
Caught them up
By Lyme View Marina the shiny side of NB Blanche glinted at us moored just off the end of the visitor moorings. NB Pukeko, a Narrowcraft boat sat on it’s moorings as did the boat at the end of the line with it’s 746 Ivory telephone.
On a little ledge near their bow an array of pots all surrounded with muscle shells. Are there muscles around here and if so, what creature likes to eat them?
At the aqueduct following Bridge 17 there was a long line of C&RT work boats. Today we’d seen patches of towpath reinforced with sandbags, but here there was far more than a patch. The whole bend is having sandbag reinforcing added.
Flippin heck!
At Higher Poynton we pulled in at the water point. A pair of flippers left alongside it, how random! The thought that someone had even considered snorkelling in the canal was mind boggling. We filled our tank, disposed of rubbish and looked over the bridge at the new Braidbar Boats all in grey awaiting fitout.
Mick gave Oleanna’s cabin side a hose down, our mooring last night had been a gritty one and with bouncing rain we’d got a good spattering from the towpath. Then we were on our way again.
Hello! One day we’ll get to meet your crew
A wave to NB Cleddau and NB Bethany May whom we’ve been leapfrogging for the last few days. I wonder what proportion of moored boats at Poynton were made by Braidbar?
Past The Cage at Lyme Park, the tractors and great collection of all sorts of things at Bridge 13. The chap here said ‘people just keep giving me stuff!’
Quick blast of reverse every now and again to clear your prop
Onwards though our first real leaf porridge of autumn.
Stockport down there
We decided to stop before Marple, views through the hedge over towards Stockport and armco to tie to. No big trees to blow onto us and here would be a better place for Tilly. The morning was meant to have been a wet one, but the rain had held off until we were moored up, just in time for Tilly to enjoy!
A bridge from earlier in the day
This afternoon as well as getting more accurate prices for black flooring for #unit21 I also baked a rather chocolatey pudding for tomorrow. I’d not had a 9 inch round cake tin with a solid base, so reduced the quantities by a third and used a bread tin instead. I suspect the amount of chocolate, sugar, butter and eggs that went into it guarantee it to be very rich. So there should be enough for 5.
0 locks, 6.21 miles,1 gritty boat, 0 foxgloves, 1 white nancy, 0 hats, 2 flippers, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish, 1 cleddau, 3 tractors, 52 horse shoes, 1 wizard, 4 chums, 16 or 18m? 1 very wet afternoon, 1 baked mass of chocolate.
https://goo.gl/maps/qGL19CvmLmQRfTft5
Recipe
Several people have asked me for the recipe for Apple Crumble Flapjack. We find it’s much easier to eat with a fork, but maybe that’s because I add quite a lot of apple. Enjoy!
Maybe I should add a page to the blog with recipes?!
The other day She was complaining that a fly had flown at speed into her mouth. Then a day or two later as She drank her cup of tea she suddenly spat it out, a large spider was lurking in the depths of her mug! So far I’ve not noticed any birds being consumed, but they may have chicken tonight. I’m keeping my distance, just in case.
If you don’t hear from me again I’ll have been sent in to sort things out!
A curvy accommodation bridge
Slow progress at times along the summit pound today. The levels have been down up here, but this morning it only looked to be an inch lower than the overflow at the aqueduct. At one point we were passing another boat to find both of us were sat on the bottom!
We pootled our way through Macclesfield, familiar local boats from our winter up here five years ago. Bridge 43 is another roving bridge with a high wall concealing an accommodation bridge nestled up alongside it.
The off side vegetation was getting a strim as we crossed above the houses. Then we hunkered down under the big wall that holds the top part of Macclesfield away from the canal.
The site where a culvert had problems a few months ago is only obvious now by the new mortar in amongst the stones of the canal bank, a new top to the dry stone wall and a large pile of aggregate hiding behind. The canal was closed for sometime earlier this year.
At least it hasn’t taken as long as the wall by Black Road Bridge. This used to hold someone’s garden up off the towpath and has gradually disintegrated through the years. At least this towpath closure is sturdier than the one in Wolverhampton that people just ignored.
Passed the Hovis Mill the 1 day moorings were just about full, we’ve very rarely seen boats moored here as it’s been hard to pull in and you are requested not to run your engine. The pontoon moorings were full, the end boat being NB Rosie out for a cruise from Teapot Hall.
Hills
As we pootled along we discussed a topic that people often ask. Which is your favourite canal? Well our favourite mooring is above Bank Newton Locks, the curley wurlys on the Leeds Liverpool. But is our favourite canal the Macc? A lovely flight of locks, little industry, great hills and views, a reliable coal boat to look after you, the beautiful bridges. It might just be our favourite.
Clark Lane Bridge
A strange noise could be heard as we reached the far side of Macclesfield. Raaaag aaaandd Boooooonnne! As we moved round the tone of the call changed, Rag and Bone through a loud hailer was echoing around the streets.
A little porch
Then Clark Lane Bridge curls the towpath back to the otherside, at Kerridge someone has built themselves a little porch.
Adelphi Mill, Bollington
Then as it started to rain a little bit more heavily we came round under Greens Bridge to the sight of the Adelphi Mill. Today lots of room on the visitor moorings, but we were after pulling in at Bollington Wharf, their service mooring empty.
A Bollington Day Boat
A chap was having a couple of containers filled with red diesel and chatted to Ann Marie. Then it was our turn to fill up Oleanna’s tank, the price higher than we’d paid at Hawne Basin a few weeks ago, but that’s hardly surprising. This morning Bollington Wharf had had a delivery, the price per litre having risen by 8p. Last Saturday they’d had a bit of a rush on with four boats queued up for a top up. Brian arrived and sorted out five bags of coal for us, positioning them on our roof mats as low as he could get them. If you are ever on the Macc this is where to come for a top up of diesel or bits of work that need doing. Last year they mended a gas locker hinge for us whilst we waited. There is also NB Alton that does a fortnightly run along the summit pound, so they will come to you. They certainly looked after us the winter we were here.
The bright colours of the diesel pump and day boats cheered up a thoroughly wet day. Nice to have a catch up too.
Clarence Mill
We pushed off and now hoped for a space on the embankment by the aqueduct. This was chocka block, not even a nudge around would have made enough space for us. But luckily round the bend in the shadow of Clarence Mill the newish bollards were empty. We pulled up and claimed them.
Handy bollards
Whilst finishing battening down the hatches for the day, an alarm sounded. Not the sound of Mick pressing the button to stop the engine, it was a different pitch. ‘That’s not meant to happen is it?’ ‘No’ The engine was over heating, just as well Mick was about to turn it off. This first happened on the Thames a couple of years ago, a loose pipe connecting the calorifier to the engine. It had come loose again , therefore there wasn’t enough water in the cooling system.
Everyone round here loves White Nancy
We managed a shopping trip down to the Co-op to stock up on chocolate between showers and then just left Tilly to explore the wet outside for the remainder of the afternoon. She did her best to get really quite soggy. I revisited the budget for #unit21, still need an updated price on a couple of things. News came through from Chippy that sight lines had been checked with a mock up of a tower made from cardboard and that my paint order had been placed. So at least I’ll have lots of lovely colours to play with.
Could this be our nosy neighbour from this evening?
Later in the afternoon Mick lifted the engine boards and sure enough the pipe was loose again. He checks this and tightens it on every service. The next service is due in 40 hours. So maybe an in between services check is required.
It turns out that there is at least one train driver who keeps a note of passing boaters in Stoke. Thank you Michael for your email. We’ll keep a beady eye open for you when we’re next on your patch and wave until you see us. Michael’s boat was one of those stuck in Goole this year, hope the move up the Ouse wasn’t too wet and windy for you today.
0 locks, 4.58 miles, 88 litres, 0 panic buying, 1 feline visitor twice, 2nd time being very nosy, 100kg coal, 530grams dark chocolate, 500grams granulated sugar, 1 rag and bone, 1 alarm, 1 loose pipe, 1 wet day.
With no other boats having arrived last night we didn’t feel under pressure to be at the locks waiting for them to open at 8:30 this morning. The alarm was set for 7 but then we had a fairly normal start to the day. This did however mean that we wouldn’t be first up the locks. Three boats came past, two before 8:30 and vanished up the bottom lock.
Grey but The Cloud was still in view
Yesterday afternoon Mick had walked up the flight and closed quite a few gates that had either blown open or been left, so we already knew the locks would be set against us.
Old trainers came out of the cupboard as rain and mud were a high possibility this morning. With the temperature being low we also risked our padded waterproof trousers, an intermediate waterproof covering for legs needs to be found for such days.
Low pound
Last year we climbed the locks in a group. A single hander in front a boat mover single hander behind, all done in the sunshine a well oiled machine by the time we reached the top of the twelve locks. Today we were on our own with constant drizzle, but thankfully we still got the wonderful views.
Low
Every now and then I could see someone ahead, were they coming down or going up? They were going up. The pounds between locks 10 and 12 were both very low, but with umph from the engine then neutral Mick managed to get Oleanna over the bottom cills. After about five locks we did encounter our first downhill boat, a single hander with a volunteer helping, apparently there were two more boats making their way down.
Coming up
At lock 6 you get the great view to the Cloud, no pretty flowers today.
Looking up ahead to Lock 5 the lock seemed to be being emptied. Next time I looked I thought I could see the stern doors of a boat. Eer Hang on! How could that be? Mick gave me one of those looks! Next look up there was a boat heading towards us.
Two boats in one lock!
I zoomed in on my camera. I had been right that a boat was coming down and one was going up. The road bridge masking the fact that I was seeing two locks and not just one.
Towpath surface changing
After all the rain yesterday and drizzle this morning I’d been expecting a muddy towpath. This must be where the aggregate is being used as a new surface covers part of the towpath. Quite a relief as in the past parts of it have been quite a boggy mess, today it was all dry underfoot.
A handy volunteer near the top
We picked up a volunteer at Lock 3, he set the lock above and then waited for the next boat coming downhill, Lock 1 sat waiting for us with it’s gates open.
Out the top lock onto the summit pound
Plenty of volunteers on hand at the top, although they were all having a good chat. We disposed of rubbish as the last couple of feet filled the lock, then left it open for the fourth boat of the day to head down the flight.
No cars to hold up today
Now on bridge duty with the key of power in hand I pushed the buttons at Royal Oak Swing Bridge.
Annoying lock!
Turned the key in the lock of Broadhurst Swing Bridge. Returned it. Then gradually turned it trying to lift the white handle to release the bridge with each fraction of a turn. Eventually I found the position it worked, the handle lifting easily, the bridge swinging effortlessly. When I pushed it back there was no need to turn the key to release it, it just came straight out.
Where to moor for the day, hopefully before the rain started in earnest. After Leek New Road Bridge the world opens out, hills as far as the eye can see. Even today in the drizzle they looked wonderful.
Hills
It was slow going, shallow in parts, especially where you didn’t expect it. At Gurnett Aqueduct we pulled in towards a space, but grounded as another boat came past also looking to moor up. It took quite a bit to push us off and then reverse with major umph. A second gap looked more appealing despite the mooring rings being in very unsuitable positions. Extra rope was required and a mooring spike driven in as far as the concrete trough would allow. This would do us for the day.
By the time we’d done all the chores Tilly was not impressed with the very VERY wet outside we’d managed to tie up today. The stove was stocked up with coal and this became a more attractive place to spend much of the afternoon.
A VERY wet afternoon
Panto has most definitely woken up today. Emails zooming between Macclesfield, Bristol, Kent and Chipping Norton. Working speakers, cinema screens, sight lines, cloths which hopefully have finally been ordered today. Tilly of course decided that the outside wasn’t too bad after all, but returned frequently for ‘thank you for coming home’ Dreamies just as I’d got all my plans out on the table. Tracing paper isn’t too keen on muddy dripping wet cats!
12 locks, 5.05 miles, 1st in line, 4th up, 4 coming down, 2 hot legs, 2 low pounds, 2 swing bridges, 0 held up, 1 boat up near the hills, 1 damp day, 1 excessively wet afternoon, 2 crinkly paw prints, 1 flying cat.
