Category Archives: Moorings

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.

Spaghetti Fork. 22nd October

Castleford to Sykehouse Junction, New Junction Canal

Yesterday was the start of Chippy panto rehearsals for Jack and The Beanstalk. I’d be wrong if I said I wasn’t missing working on it this year. I’d also have rather been at the meet and greet followed by read through and fit up followed by fish and chips at the Blue Boar then having stinging eye drops in my eyes yesterday. I’m hoping we get chance to go down to see the show but we need to combine it with other things in the south, otherwise it would be a very expensive theatre trip. I’m still in touch with many people and am getting the occasional sneak peek at what’s happening.

Rather than drawing things out or base coating bits of scenery, today we were going to find out what the health and safety problem was at Ferrybridge Flood Lock and hope for a mooring suitable for some jobs and some cat shore leave.

We got up and pushed straight over to the water point close to Bulholme Lock. With the tank filling we sat down for breakfast. Then the yellow water was pumped into a container for disposal later. Just as we were sorting this a boat came past heading for the lock. We’d have been able to share if they waited five minutes, but by the time we were sorted they had dropped down the lock and were on their way.

I was on key duty and filled the lock. Just above the top gates was a huge island of pennywort, it spanned the the width of the lock. Mick decided to take a run up, either to split it in two or to take it into the lock with Oleanna. As soon as the bow hit the island he cut the engine and she drifted into the lock with the weed surrounding her. As the lock emptied the weed drifted in front only to be picked up again on exiting the lock. Mick then managed to loose it by stopping to pick me up at the lock landing.

Going downstream there’s about an hours cruise before reaching Ferrybridge. Lots of trees and today lots of sunshine. One of those lovely autumn days to enjoy being on the back of a boat.

Just about the only thing that gives away the old Ferrybridge power station is the old wharf where the Tom Puddings were brought to be raised up to empty their cargo of coal. The building is now gone, but the wharf still exists. Pylons stretch off in all directions and stepped back from the river power is still generated. It’s a boring landscape now the cooling towers are gone, so there’s no point in taking photos anymore.

The last couple of bends and we could see we’d caught the boat ahead of us up. A boat came from the lock too. Then through Ferry Bridge we could see the amber light, self operation! The flood lock is operable.

We caught the boat ahead up just as he was about to negotiate climbing a ladder. I managed to stop him, suggesting that as there were two of us we’d work the lock. I climbed the ladder, then over the footbridge.

Maybe the health and safety issue is with the walkway on the top gates, as you’d need a very big stride to get onto them, the step being a good three foot. But that has been the case for goodness how long. The river level board showed green! Not long till the gates could just be left open. I knew there wasn’t a gate through the handrail to reach the panel, so climbed over it. Maybe I’d have been better walking to the far end of the lock and crossing the gates there, but that was a very long way round, these locks are big round here!

On our own now, the other boat not in a rush, we carried on heading eastwards. Fishermen lined the banks and nodded at us as we passed. Lots of boats around Bank Dole Junction, quite a few big ones too. We headed right, turning left will be left for next year, or maybe we’ll head to York direct from Goole, or via Pocklington?

Kellingley Colliery is getting more overgrown around the edges, only the occasional gap to see if anything is happening, nothing since March that we could make out.

Now we were back on the waterways with big skies, reaching from way over there to way over there! We’ve enjoyed trees, hills, rivers this year, but we alos like being back here with so much sky.

The M62 comes close then drifts away. Then it returns to be passed underneath just before Whitley Lock. Here a weed boat was busy collecting Pennywort. The fork lift prongs on the bow jab into islands of leafy green, then rise up. The down side of this is it’s a bit like eating spaghetti with a fork and not being allowed to twist the pasta onto the prongs, the tomato sauce making the pasta slip off. The chap scouped up the pennywort time and time again to deposit it on the bank. Whitley Lock seems to be a place where the weed congregates. Last year there was a closure for quite sometime whilst it was cleared, at least they seem to be trying to keep on top of it this year.

As we approached the lock he asked if he could come down the lock with us. Apparently yesterday above the lock had been choaked with the weed. So we lowered down to the next pound the weed boat shooting out of the lock in front of us, hunting down the next mass of weed to collect and deposit on the bank.

This is all such familiar water to us now. Past the CRT boat yard at Heck. Plenty of work boats in, one out on the bank getting a new lick of CRT Blue.

Then Pollington Lock, our last lock of the year! In Oleanna went, the lolly pop indicators raised and down she descended to the Goole level of the Aire and Calder. The Key of Power could be put back on the main key ring and have a rest.

The VHF radio blurted something out. We always have it on around here to listen in in case there are any freight boats about. It was hard to understand what was being said, Mick checked on boat movements into Goole, Exol Pride had come up Ocean Lock an hour and a half ago. Exol was heading for the New Junction and all the lift and swing bridges, then on to Rotherham. We’d almost certainly have missed her by the time we got there ourselves.

Now at every overhead power line there were notices on the bank on posts, at every culvert notices too. Back towards Christmas 2020 there was a breach on the Aire and Calder, a huge amount of water was lost, the level from this huge pound dropped and several sections of piling and bank slumped into the canal. There is currently a stoppage notice for piling works.

Four hi-vis CRT staff walked towards us on the bank. Then a fence that really meant the towpath was closed, not one that you can manoeuvre to get round. Up ahead several work boats. New piling had gone in and a digger was back filling with earth and packing it down. One worker walked backwards with a remote controlled spikey roller. Skip boats of fresh earth were being brought from past Sykehouse Junction, no dredging silt from the canal, this back filling needed to be sturdy.

Our favourite spot at the junction was taken, so we turned onto the New Junction Canal to see what was available. One narrowboat at the far end, we pulled in just where the edging starts to flatten out and tied up. This would do us nicely.

Tilly you have four hours! Four!! Brilliant!!!!!! No eating your own body weight in rodents! Spoil sport!

After lunch I got the attachment of doom out. The rusty patches on the port side that I’d treated before Standedge needed cleaning off again. Then a coat of primer was applied. The boat ahead was being repainted by the looks of it. Tilly would now have to stay off boats and cat walks!

Mick put the mushroom vent top back on, only tightening it with his fingers, not wanting to put strain on the glued threaded bar. This will be fine. Then the interior cover went back on.

Then it was time to enjoy our evening as the sun set. Tilly zonked from so much friendly cover, now lounging on the sofa in front of the stove. Yarn was selected for the next pair of socks, they were cast on. What a lovely day and cruise.

4 locks, 16.5 miles of big skies, 0 red light, 1 lock on self operation! 2 locks shared, 1 full water tank, 1 clean pooh box, 1 empty yellow water tank, 1 right, 2 colds still clinging on, 1 grab rail with some paint on it, 4 hours of freedom, 3 little friends, 43 pounces, 2 trees, 1 slight patch of white, don’t know how that got there! 1 exhausted cat, 1 cosy Oleanna on our last night out on the cut.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZxiYHj3QcSKLyPwH7

Green Flags And Pins. 18th October

Above Cooper Bridge Lock 1 to above Fall Ing Lock 28, Wakefield

Mick headed off to check the river level before breakfast. Amber! He then walked up to check the flood gate. Still closed. But there was certainly hope we’d be able to get moving again today. Messages were sent on to Paul who was already on his way to Leeds. If we had to abort cruising today he’d divert and walk from Rotherham to Sheffield to check his map data.

Both Mick and I had had the same thought. With an extra crew member today should we try to get to Wakefield in one go. The forecast for Sunday is appalling and river levels likely to go back up and it would be good to try to get off the river sections before hand. This would mean two longer days than normal, but nothing we haven’t done before.

Mick made a phone call to CRT to check to see when they thought the flood gates might open. Sarah was very helpful and said she’d ring round and call back. This she did within a few minutes. Flood gates were being opened and once they had been the notice on the website would be updated. Info passed on to Paul. A while later Mick checked the website and sure enough it said all flood gates were open on the Calder and Hebble. Time to go!

**Through the flood gate at Cooper Bridge**

Just as we were about to push off Paul could be seen up at the lock, a wave to confirm we were on our way. He’d checked that the gate ahead was open, well one side of it was. Once down and through the lock he took our Hebble spike and walked ahead, the road being a more direct route to Cooper Bridge Lock 16 on the Calder and Hebble. In hindsight Mick should have headed a touch further upstream to wind before heading for the one open flood gate. It ended up taking a while to turn sufficiently to get through.

The lock cottage by the lock looks a touch naked without the trees, I suspect the owners like the improved natural light though. The geese are still about, bickering amongst themselves and occasionally turning round to hiss in Pauls direction.

**Paul about to climb the ladder to open the gates**

Down back onto the river we headed to Battyeford Flood Gate which takes the navigation off to the right above the next weir. Ahh! The gates were both closed here, obvious that they were unlocked, but no way for us just to head through. Thankfully there was a ladder where Paul could be deposited to climb up and open the gates to let us through. If you were a single hander this would have been next to impossible to sort, nowhere to tie your boat other than to the ladder and no means of keeping the gates open when returning for your boat. We managed to get through and pick Paul back up from a ladder again, the gates wanting to close behind us. A note was sent to CRT as we felt this was a hazard. Sarah soon replied, we were basically being a bit too quick for their staff to get everything open and chained open.

Now the mile long stretch to Ledgard Flood Lock. Waterway Routes doesn’t only show services and different types of mooring, but also access points onto the towpath, whether the towpath is suitable for cycling or not. As we headed downstream Paul referred to his map, flags and pins turned to green if the information was correct, he had other markers too for possible locations for new bridges. Paul aims to personally check everywhere on the waterways every three years, either by boat, foot or by bike. He’s happy for people to spot things and inform him of changes too, lengths of stay at mooring sites, access points, changes to names on bridges or locks. We help to keep the maps up to date as we travel, in fact Paul quite often requests we check the location of a new bridge or the state of a towpath upgrade. This year we’ve confirmed what is at the new services at Marple amongst other things. Today we were off duty as the main man was with us and he’s far more fastidious than we are.

Approaching Ledgard Flood Lock we could see that the gates were closed and the lock would need to be worked. You have to have a Hebble Spike to work the lock, Paul climbed off the bow with it in hand and went about setting the gates and paddles to fill it ready for us as Mick pulled us backwards away from the weir to wait. The lock is pretty big and took a while to fill and then empty. We left it how it had been found, bottom gates chained open top gates closed.

A pause to fill with water at Mirfield Services, then we were on our way again, no stopping for lunch today otherwise we’d run out of daylight. As Paul and I set Shepley Lock we were being watched by a very large sheep! Wonder how that came about, don’t remember it from earlier in the year.

**A bailey bridge will be added to the maps**

The next flood gates were open and once we were down the next lock there was time to make a brew and lunch to have on the go. We came across one of the charity boats having just pulled out from Thornhill Double Locks.

Easy working these with two people. Once down Oleanna pulled into the side whilst Paul walked up the Dewsbury arm to check map data there too. We’ve still not been up there on Oleanna and going by boat would have taken us that bit longer than by foot, so we’ll save that for another time.

I made use of being moored up to put together a pot of Staffordshire Lobby, my first go. Slow cooking beef, potatoes, parsnip, carrots, beef stock, beer (gf) all popped in a casserole. I’d been aiming to cook this on top of the stove, but as it was quite warm today it wasn’t lit, instead it went in the top oven Gas mark 1 and a bit. After an hour it was turned down to 0.75, it still had a few more hours to cook giving off it’s rather nice aroma.

At the Figure of Three Locks we met a hire boat coming up, they’d been stuck in Wakefield when the river had gone into flood and had just broken a windlass on one of the paddle gears. Hopefully their holiday hadn’t put them off completely.

Approaching Broad Cut Top Lock ahead we had blue skies behind and catching us up quite a bit of cloud. The towpath continues down to Broad Cut Low Lock, here the navigation re-joins the river and to reach the towpath you’d have to cross the river. Paul’s maps plot out the route you’d need to take which involves walking through a railway bridge. Next time we’re moored here we’ll go and have a look.

**Purple dotted line showing how to reach the towpath**

On reaching our last lock of the day Thornes Lock, another that you have to have a Hebble Spike for, the dark clouds caught us up, Mick headed inside to find our coats. Back on the river and on to Wakefield where we turned in through the flood lock and back onto the cut, pulling up a little damp at 17:35. We’d pushed off around 10:15 this morning and only paused a couple of times, over 7 hours, a long day for us. But we’d made it to our destination caught up with where we’d wanted to be today.

Paul topped up on chocolate boat biscuits, packed his bag. A little bit more map data to check before catching a train back to the boat in Birmingham, the moorings we’d pulled onto. Earlier in the year they’d been 72 hr moorings, but new signs have them as 48 hrs. Suspect this will be one of the changes on next months updated maps.

Thank you so much Paul for giving us a hand the last two days and earlier in the year too. Your assistance today was very much appreciated and we were glad to be able to help you check the river.

The Staffordshire Lobby needed some buckwheat adding, a gf substitution for pearl barley. This however soaked up every last drop of moisture in the stew. Next time I’ll add it much much later and hope to still have a good amount of gravy. Despite this it was still very tasty, easy to make and most probably perfect to sit on top of the stove all day slowly cooking away. We’ve got half of it left over to enjoy in a few days time.

13 locks, 2 flood locks straight through, 1 flood lock worked, 2 flood gates open, 1 flood gate ajar, 12.7 miles, 1 giant sheep, 1 pot of lobby, 1 stretch checked, A team plus 1, 1 destination achieved, 1st Christmas wishes, 1 disappointed cat.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/WeMriWioqzUpRq8V6

Sledgehammer. 14th October

Above Lock 21E to above Lock 3E

Up early, Mick set off back into Huddersfield to return the car, then got a lift back out to Slaithwaite. We’d hoped to make an early start but it wasn’t until just gone 10am that we pushed off. Mick walked ahead to set the lock, but where had he gone? I could see the lock was empty. A CRT person walked up and was clearing the bywash, was there a problem? I rang Mick, he’d just met Kevin and had been chatting about Lock 1E and the locks to reach there.

With 18 locks to work today Mick got out the Brompton. Most of the locks were that little bit too far apart to be setting ahead, but there were a few that he could. The main reason for the bike was that he could free wheel down the towpath to start setting the next lock as I followed behind with Oleanna.

Below Lock 21E is the patch of blackberries that Mick and Frank once stopped the boat to fill bowls full. Today what was left of them were all wizened, no point in holding up the proceedings. Some locks had both sets of paddle gear on the same side, some hydraulic, some not. We soon got into rhythm with me closing offside paddles, then giving the thumbs up once back on board and making sure I was clear of the cill.

Another beautiful blue skied day. Dropping down to pass Titanic Mill. Just by the lock there is a lot of work going on clearing trees and digging behind a wall, is this for the canal or some building work?

Alongside for much of the way the River Colne follows the canal down the valley. Golden trees now dropping their leaves made for an orange carpet along much of the towpath. The trees gradually hiding more and more light industry, more mills would soon appear alongside the canal.

One very slow pound. Was there something around the prop? Was it leaves? No just the bottom too close to the top. A sign on a lock beam, slow down and keep to the centre. Did this mean above or below the lock? I wasn’t going fast anyway and was tending to keep to the centre.

Golcar Aqueduct. A bend to the right then a narrowing over the aqueduct before bending back to the left. Just before the narrowing there was a traffic cone at the side and a big mound of bags of aggregate all muddy and wet. Earlier in the year there had been a leak here, this had held up our friend Graeme. He’d ended up having to retrace himself and find a different route. Thankfully today we were good to go through.

**He always pushes his bike under bridges**

I expertly crossed the aqueduct not touching the side. Then when turning on the far side ended up a foot out but stuck on the bottom! This took me quite a bit of time to wiggle Oleanna’s way off, reversing and pushing with the pole, but I got there without the need of calling Mick for assistance. He’d only just got the next lock ready anyway.

Down 11,10, and 9E Isis Lock, the one that is easy to click on on Canalplan when wanting to head via Oxford and finding your route plan taking a rather large detour!

Time for a lunch break. We pulled in on the bollards, apologised to Tilly yet again for no shore leave. One day Tilly you’ll be allowed back out, but not yet. Mick decided that he needed to check the quality of the cup cakes again. Verdict they were actually nicer than the main cake. Result, none left!

Time to carry on. Mick’s face lit up with the sight of a walkway over the top end of the next lock. Well there was a reason for that, no access to the bottom gates from the road bridge. I knew this, but he didn’t.

**Lock beams open over the road bridge**

As you empty the lock it’s wise to end up waiting on the off side. When empty you can then push open the bottom gate and lower the paddle, cross over the walkway on the top gate and do the same at the other bottom gate. From the road bridge at the tail of the lock you can reach both bottom gates to close them, saving having to walk round the lock another time.

David Essex was going round and round in my head, I needed to reset my brain to forget it. We don’t normally listen to music as we cruise, preferring to listen to the bird song, but maybe some would help! But what?

How’s about a song about Penguins? I searched Google. The Penguin marching song which came with movements. I listened to it once, it wasn’t going to do the trick as I didn’t already know the words. Hold me Tight needed knocking out of my head. I found a suitable song, turned the volume up. Peter Gabriel did the job and only one witness on the towpath to hear my dodgy cold filled singing.

At Paddock Foot Lock 5E there was a chap loitering around the lock. Was he talking to himself? On the phone? Too busy rolling a spliff? He walked back and forth. Mick checked his phone, only one more lock after this, time to put the Brompton back onboard for safe keeping.

The chap followed us down to the next lock. Above which was an orange work boat with a funny scaffolding contraption mounted on it. I think there is some work planned on a retaining wall nearby soon, maybe it was for that.

Another odd bod arrived. Whipping out a tape measure from his pocket, he chatted to Mick a bit, crossed the lock, paced to the end, measured something then crossed back. He had no idea how locks worked so I suspect he has a compulsion to measure things and maybe walks to the end of the lock several times a day. Or maybe he had something to do with the scaffolding on the workboat. The other chap paced out the length of the lock as Oleanna descended.

Mick was picked up and we now made our way along the narrow section to above Lock 3E. Here we joined a couple of other boats, neither of which we were expecting. There is limited space above the lock, really only the lock landing. Here it’s not a problem to be moored on the bollards as the first boats to go through the lock would be boats heading towards Lock 1E in the morning, any coming up wouldn’t reach 3E until we’d already left.

**Maybe room for one more breasted up behind**

The only thing was the lock landing was full. We pulled over to the off side where railings could be tied to. A chap popped out from NB Wildflower to chat and check if we were booked for tomorrow. It sounded like the two boats we’d been expecting in front of us were already down near Lock 1E, one wasn’t booked but was hoping he’d be allowed through.

We settled down for the evening. Tilly now in resigned mode of being an indoor cat, only a few complaints before she went back to sleep. Gradually the outdoor world turned purple around us. The exterior walls of Kirklees College washed in purple flood light, sadly not our own Northern Lights!

18 locks, 4.1 miles, 1 annoying song, 1 Sledgehammer, 1 Brompton lock wheeler, 0 problems with water, 1 lunch break, 2 odd bods, 1 boat jam, 1 purple world, 1 cat giving up hope of any shore leave ever again.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/3RARnPHtitFFcfto7

Broken Smile. 9th October

Above Lock 42 E to Handmade Bakery, Slaithwaite

Lemsips all round this morning. Maybe I should have tried to catch it sooner! Oh well. A message was sent to our volunteer lock wheeler to warn him of the germs floating around Oleanna, he decided to continue with his journey to meet up with us anyway.

At 10am we pushed off, filling the top lock of the flight. With Oleanna in the lock we emptied the yellow water into our container for disposal later, it’s far easier to have the bank on the port side to do this job. Just as we were about to start our descent a white car pulled up, the window wound down. ‘Hey! Oleanna!!!’ It was Pete Toon from Mikron. A shame not to have managed a longer chat but there was traffic. If we’d been stuck longer I was going to contact him to meet up somewhere. Only a week or so left of the Mikron shows for this year, touring by van now as Tyseley is on the Weaver at Northwich for the winter.

Next a train pulled in at the station. Paul our volunteer had arrived. Hello’s all round then straight to emptying the lock and starting our descent. Last night the local weather forecast had suggested that we might have a shower or two today, they didn’t mention the constant drizzle that would accompany us down the locks today.

Caution under the low pipe bridge below the top lock is required, the next pound needed lowering and then some extra weight from Mick assisted. Then we were on our way, Mick and Paul leap frogging each other down the flight. Sometimes they were lifting a paddle at the next but one lock down, taking our water with us. Most by washes were flowing anyway so we’d not run out of water.

**Hills visible, they’d been shrouded in cloud before we started**

Three years ago to the day we’d set off down the flight. One pound had been low and required topping up. I think it was in that pound that a fan belt went on or domestic alternator and wrapped itself around a pulley. We ended up mooring up in the next pound and calling RCR out to help. When the engineer had inspected everything he didn’t have the right tool for the job, but we were safe to carry on, although our leisure batteries could only be topped up by the solar. It was drier three years ago!

**Stone arched bridges as well as wooden**

The trees are just turning, some sunshine would have made our descent very pretty. Hillsides off in the distance, the short pounds between locks.

At Lock 37E a temporary repair had been made. The problem had been the rotten upright as I’d thought. Strips of metal have been bolted onto the timber to keep it going a while longer. I’m sure our friend Frank would have fashioned a suitable repair out of wood in the same amount of time it had taken to bolt this together.

33E sits by a reservoir, there were diggers and several CRT chaps over looking things. Mick went to ask what they were doing, but instead was asked how many locks ahead we’d been setting. One of the chaps was really quite miffed that there was so much water coming down the flight and said that we should only have been setting one lock ahead, rather than two. This puzzled us as lifting a paddle on a lower lock to start filling it would surely lower the pound above, then that would be topped up when the lock above was emptied, any water coming round the bywash would be doing that anyway. He suggested we shouldn’t set ahead on the rest of the locks and on a few of them we should empty them slowly as they would end up flooding the next pound down.

32E had orange fencing around it. I’d been warned about it by the Lockie yesterday, it was open as you could work round it. This work round would involve walking up to the lock before to cross the canal, then round the reservoir where the path to the lock had been blocked off. Not the best work around, the orange fencing won’t stop people from using the bridge!

***I’m quite happy here , so long as you tie up a good outside today***

After 32E there is a longer gap between locks. Mick hopped back on board so I could sit down, only problem was that everything was quite damp. Puddles on the towpath kept Paul light on his toes.

**A lovely place to stop on the end of the lock landing**

At Booth Lock 31E it took a while to fill the lock. This is where we’d stopped three years ago and had planned on stopping last Saturday. An ideal mooring for Tilly to have shore leave but not a good place to stop today. We carried onwards, all down hill for the rest of the year!

Which lock was it where there was a boater who would complain about you using the lock? Above 26E, sadly the boat hasn’t faired well over the last three years.

Now the canal heads down a tree lined route, the River Colne sitting just below the towpath. We were hoping for a space before lock 24E the guillotine lock. Here there were bollards and a good stretch of woodland before the river, perfect for Tilly who was in need of some fresh air and play time.

Mick and Paul walked ahead as I brought Oleanna in to moor. However the bottom was way too far close to the top. When we came through on NB Lillyanne there had been boats moored here, not sure if that had been the case three years ago. Today it was empty because no-one can get to the side to tie to the bollards. Paul took the boat hook and dipped for depth, no more than 18 inches!

Sorry Tilly, really sorry. She won’t be smiling about our mooring today!

24E was worked by both Mick and Paul. On one side of the guillotine is the paddle mechanism, the other side you wind the gate up with your windlass. Now to find a mooring. The blue Strawberry Island boat was moored on the relatively new moorings below the lock, we pulled in in front of them and retired inside.

Coats were hung up to dry and a late lunch consumed with a slice each of carrot cake.

Thank you Paul for helping us again, making our descent much easier and with good company. It does also mean that Paul gets chance to check the information on his maps and the mooring above 24E will now be removed.

What was left of the afternoon was a quiet one, well apart from Tilly grumbling at the back door! I sussed out that the Slawit Chippy did gluten free fish of you ordered in advance. A phone call was made and an order placed.

All cooked in beef dripping, so not a chippy for vegetarians. My fish was a touch smaller than Micks, but that happens! Not the best we’ve had but very nice after a damp day at the locks.

19 locks, 2.4 miles, 1 drive by Pete, 1 volunteer Paul, 1 pound too high, 1 annoying pipe bridge, 0 beeps, 0 raspberries, 1 drizzly day, 3 soggy boaters, 2ft 4″ required, 1ft 6″ available, 1 grumpy cat, 3 slices of cake, 1 very handy bakery, 2 haddocks, 1 chips, 4 lemsips.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/j9HNh98x8c2CGxoF7

Jobs Worth. 5th October

We’d been warned about the trains going past, their wheels screeching, but it wasn’t much different to us than we’d had the previous night in Diggle. It was nice to wake to sunny skies, yellow warmth gradually lifting above the hills and casting its glow across the field opposite. Much better than alongside houses cutting out all the solar, how fortunate to be able to moor here until the locks open again.

To celebrate being back in Yorkshire and still having a boat we had a cooked breakfast. Then there were blog posts to get up to date. Sifting through 350 plus photos of the tunnel took plenty of time.

Our aim today was to wind the boat and come back so that I could get a lick of paint on the rusty patches on the port side grabrail. To do this we decided to wait for the tunnel trip boat to move up to the tunnel for the day, so we’d have more room to wind and not be in anyone’s way.

We were just dropping the covers when one of the volunteers across the way checked we were leaving. Well we planned on coming back facing the other way. “Oh but the trains are noisy here, the moorings above the lock are much quieter.” “It’s only a mooring to stop and have a cuppa after the tunnel there. It’s not a mooring. The moorings are half a mile away above the top lock.” ” You can’t moor there!” But we’d asked yesterday and been told we could stay. “Well they shouldn’t have told you that” “You’ll be in the way of boats wanting to use the tunnel tomorrow” Except there won’t be any boats as the locks are closed.

By now Mick was working himself up into a Geraghty strop. If we could carry on down the locks, we’d have already moved down to above the locks last night, but we couldn’t. The telephone conversation I’d had with the chap yesterday regarding the bridge suggested that we’d not be able to descend for a few days. Who knows how long it would take to make the bridge safe, maybe a day, maybe several and the chap we were currently talking to hadn’t known about it at all yesterday until we told him, all he’d wanted to do was sell us a second copy of the book on the tunnel we got last time (a good read by the way). Appointments for us next week mean we’ll not be available to move immediately. Yesterday we’d been told we could stay, we’d not gone into conserving water mode as there is a tap by the tunnel entrance we could use on an evening. If we went to the locks we’d have to reverse back half a mile to the tap. In the current circumstances it made sense to us to stay put. But no, no reason given, we had to move.

Should we see what the chap who’d called yesterday would say? No, we’d call Tunnel Control first as it was people there who’d said we could stay in the first place. Well that back fired as Mick got to talk to the same chap who wasn’t going to let us stay. Mick was never given a reason other than it’s not a mooring. Eventually the chap relented a touch so that we could stay until the tunnel trip boat was back on it’s mooring for the day, then we could top up on water before leaving.

I lifted the pan on the roof, at least that could have a coat of something, then I checked the other patches I’d started to prep on the starboard side grabrail last year but never finished. A touch of rust needed sanding back. Then I applied the first coat.

What to do with the rest of the day? Mick had already got us a Saturday newspaper. We needed a few supplies, so we walked into the village down the steep hill. Today both my knees were complaining after running the 100 meters two days ago, so the down hill took time.

**Maybe this would do for the do were going to**

A quick look round. Marsden Mechanics, sadly no Mikron shows on at the moment. A couple of charity shops, one with a fab dalek outfit in the window. Fruit and veg. Bakers. Fish and chips. Pubs. Co-op. We did a shop for something to eat this evening and checked what else they did in case we run out of preferred bits and bobs if we end up being here a while. Maybe a delivery would be required. Peel Street Social looked interesting and very popular as did a cafe on our way back to the boat.

**If only we could moor here! No where to bang a spike in though**

Back at Tunnel End the shuttle boat and trip boat were back on their moorings plugged in to charge up. We waited for the cafe to close before pushing over to top up with water and empty the yellow water tank. Then said a very quick goodbye as we pushed off to make our way to the top of the locks, where the mooring is.

Here Tilly would be allowed out. Here Tilly was not impressed, her PHD in mathematics was being put to the test trying to work out equations to get her jump correct to reach the top of the wall.

Another boat is moored here, the smoke from their chimney continuous, they also seem to be mid fit out with lots of banging and sawing. The trains are still noisy, not so squeaky, but it’s more the people coming and going from the trains on the Real Ale Trail that is very noisy. At least we’d been lucky enough to have one night on a lovely mooring.

0 locks, 65 ft reversed, 0.4 miles, 1st coat, 2nd for others, 1 walk, 1 steep hill, 2 painful knees, 1 miffed cat, 1 wall too high, 0 trees, 0 friendly cover, I thought we were in the Pennines! 1 Jobs worth requiring some customer relations skills, 2 padlocks, 1 sunny day.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/qAegFyA8vZ7jSxxT6

Hoods Up For Nine. 1st October

Tescos Stalybridge to Uppermill visitor moorings.

Having had yesterday off, we needed to catch up no matter the weather today. Last nights weather forecast had been for the occasional light shower. Well the rain was lighter than yesterday, but it hung around so could hardly be considered occasional! We pushed off shortly after 9am with our hoods up.

Lock 7W another lock that was rebuilt during the restoration of the canal at the millennium. Only one top paddle worked so it took quite a while to fill. Todays locks as yesterday were all gentle. Only a slight nudge to the stern and hardly any pull towards the top gate. But today there were obvious bywashes coming in below most locks, a nudge off course that needed compensating for, thankfully the B team managed without too many bumps.

When the canal was restored a pylon was in the way, so the channel had to avoid it’s legs. A narrowing was needed and you now pass directly underneath it, an obligatory photo.

Maybe on Sunday we should have done our shopping, then carried on to the service block above 8W. We did this on our first trip up the HNC, I think one other boat was moored there. There is a long line of bollards and you should not moor on a water point, but we’d pulled back leaving room at the lock landing and room at the tap. So far we’ve only seen the Community boat moving and one boat moored up away from a home mooring.

There was something about the water point here, I couldn’t quite remember. The key of power didn’t open the box. I spied a hole at the top, just the size of a handcuff key. I tried it, then Mick tried it, putting down the claw hammer he’d brought to prize the door open. Several turns of the handcuff key did the trick and we could top up on water.

This is our third time up the HNC, I don’t think we’ve ever managed to do the next stretch in sunshine, it’s always been wet. The first time we’d enlisted Kath and Sean to assist us up to the summit pound as I was bandaged up and one handed at the time. It rained and rained most of the day. Then in 2021 I remember us being bundled up and getting soggy whilst waiting for news on where I’d be painting the set for Chippy’s panto Rapunzel. Today we’d be soggy again, but avoiding yesterday had been a good thing.

Through Dave Scouts Tunnel, our tunnel light assisting a chap on a bike with trailer who had got stuck where the towpath had got narrower. We suggested he get himself a front light.

We passed soggy gardens. The water gradually getting more and more peat coloured. Church spires stabbed themselves into the grey cloud that seemed to be getting lower, but then we were getting higher with every lock.

Below Roaches Lock we pulled in. Well we tried to pull in several times! Here the bank used to be all over the place, now it looks neat and there are mooring bollards. However the depth leaves something to be desired! This should have been our mooring last night, we’d made it for lunchtime. With the bow just about in we tied up for some food and a sit down, it didn’t matter that the stern was only just close enough for us to tie a rope, we wouldn’t be long even though Tilly was making eyes at the friendly cover.

Onwards. The bywashes seeming to get stronger, yet a few pounds seeming to get shallower. Several planters filled with herbs and strawberries, some chicory was spotted in one all for use of people passing by.

After one slow pound we paused before exiting the next lock to check the weed hatch. A full demonstration was given by Mick. Since the cover was adapted a few years ago it has become a little harder to lift out as it now requires both hands to lift it to access the prop. So A steadying head on the outer lid of the access is needed, this explains why Mick’s cap is as filthy as it is! He selected one of our two prop mates, the thinner one and started to delve the depths. Only the smallest amount of weed was found on the prop. Conclusion the pound being shallow was the problem.

Three years ago this section of the canal was filled with sunshine, wonderful views through the trees stopped us in our tracks. Today we just carried on, the merk surrounding us. A third boat was moored up by the little marina by the handy Tescos after Frenches Bridge 80, still only 1 moving boat seen.

Once up Wade Lock 21W Mick requested the boat hook. the top gate was clogged with tree detritus. He lifted as much as he could so the gate would open enough for us to pass through, then Oleanna had to glide through the remainder, plenty of branches and leaves.

Time to moor up. Easier said than done. There are 2 day moorings on the offside, one boat already there, but a tree overhangs the rest of the mooring. Then a length of bollards on the off side. We pulled in before a boat, the bow came in but the stern simply wouldn’t get close enough. We moved up to try between two boats, managing to get close enough to manage to reach the bank. That would do us, we caught up with where we should be. A long day for us nowadays, but the kind we used to do frequently.

Sorry Tilly. The mooring was a no go despite it looking fantastic. Trains pretty close and on the other side a car park and busy road. Two years ago today we managed to moor on one of the Cliveden Islands a special treat for Tilly’s seventh birthday. Sadly today wouldn’t be so good. Instead her birthday treats included some Webbox sticks and the Secret Passageway being opened up for her to explore with ease. It also stopped me from getting wound up because she was trying to dig her way behind the sofa to access it. You should see what’s down here! It’s brilliant. I don’t know how I managed to get her so easily when it’s normally impossible! That’s because it’s your birthday Tilly. Magic things happen on birthdays!

15 locks, 5.3 miles, 2 days in 1, 1 pylon, 2 jaunty moorings, 1 birthday wish come true, 1 secret passageway, 9 YEARS OLD!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/3QVzxvub61Kbb56L8

Starting The Climb. 29th September

Dukinfield Railway Bridge to Tescos, Stalybridge, Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Dr Zeus, Baby Shark, Recorded Commentary and Ceonothus were topics on the Geraghty zoom this morning as well as the trip on the PS Waverley. There is a post being written about Mick’s trip, hopefully it’ll be posted soon.

Time to move onwards. Right at Dukinfield Junction, under Asda and out the other side. Only what was that? Was there someone in the water behind the white thing. A fridge freezer and a fisherman who had an inflatable seat, said he can go where others can’t. He can also keep boaters on their toes!

Below Ashton Lock 1W of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal there are two signs, one welcoming you to the HNC the other to the Ashton Canal. There is also a very small sign under the bright blue one saying that the HNC is a SSSI. I only know this as I zoomed in with the camera.

Mick headed up to empty the lock. The locks all have bridges over the bottom end, but no walkway at the top gates, so you need to walk all the way round to lift paddles. We soon got into the routine that once Oleanna was high enough I’d step off on the off side to lower the paddle whilst Mick opened the top gate, saving his legs.

Above the first lock there is a very narrow channel with several bridges over it, the going is very slow along here, very slow.

2W and 3W are quite close together. Mick emptied the bottom one, then I was a little bit surprised that the bottom gates didn’t close behind Oleanna. Where had he gone? Nearly 11ft down I couldn’t see much. I called out to check he was okay, no answer. I waited. Maybe if I stood on a locker I’d be able to see more, but I really didn’t want to hoik myself up there. I waited, still nothing, was he alright. I called his phone. Of course he was alright, he’d headed up to the next lock to set it emptying. He had signalled to me what he was doing but I hadn’t seen.

These locks have what look like pepper pots by the top gates, these are posh air vents from the paddle gear.

A tree hung low over the canal. A broken branch or two, some sawn, some just broken. Our higher chimney would be a problem. We slowed, reversed so that Mick could take the top off, all the time Oleanna drifting and doing her best to get her own back on a particularly annoying branch. It snapped but didn’t come off! Mick tried too as we went under it, it cracked a bit more, hopefully no longer a big pointy sharp thing ready to attack paintwork.

On the side of a building now used for thai martial arts there is a great mural by AKSE-p19 a Manchester graffiti artist. This one was painted in 2022 and is of Kru Steve Moore a senior instructor at the Sitsiam Centre.

Over the River Tame Aqueduct, the narrow channel flowing pretty speedily below us.

Now in Stalybridge, the lights and railings dating from when the canal was reopened in 2000, all more grown over than when we were last here, only the official towpath side has a clear path, despite there being lights along the offside too.

As we rounded a bend towards the next lock we could see a bow of a blue boat sitting under the road bridge. A community boat from Dukinfield. No sign of movement, were they having their lunch and was this why all the locks had been full in front of us? Soon a head popped out from the bow doors, another at the stern. It was a training day and yes they’d winded and tied up to the railings under the bridge to have lunch. Wonder how many times they do this and find themselves in the way, not many I suspect.

The next few locks into the heart of Stalybridge were rebuilt. The first has pebble dashed sides and an emerging view up to the hills ahead. The next is still original stone work, followed by a full concrete lock. The newer locks have both top paddles on the one side, saving walking round.

We popped up much to the delight of a little girl on Dads shoulder, so many questions, just at the age where Why? or What? start every sentence. Surprisingly there were no boats moored outside Tescos. We pulled in on the off side by the car park, then quickly remembered about the goose pooh! Mooring rings sat in pools of the stuff, eerk! But this side would have less foot fall and is easier to get a supermarket trolley to even if you have to climb through the railings!

Late lunch followed by a big shop. Yesterday we’d made sure we had everything we needed for a meal today just in case we didn’t manage to get to Tescos in time. It turns out we were here in time but we had to rush to beat them closing.

A very nice roast chicken enjoyed, Oleanna nice and cosy. Then the wind started to howl and rain started to pour. Mick checked the ropes before bed, leaving us with some slack should the level rise overnight, but this did mean we’d get rocked to sleep by the wind. Here’s hoping it’s not too wet tomorrow!

6 locks, 2.3 miles, 3 canals, 1 SSSI, 5 minutes of morning shore leave taken, 0 afternoon shore leave,1 lost wheeler, 4 pepper pots, 1 branch, 2 much goose pooh, 2 tickets.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/w1yiVJk4NwM4PQGq6

Chocolate Fingers. 27th September

Bullocks Bridge to almost Hyde Bank Tunnel, Peak Forest Canal

We really need to get better at getting a move on in the mornings, we didn’t get going until 10:45, we’d a bit of catching up to do from yesterday, plus a flight of locks along with other things.

Three miles to Marple, it was windy! We were glad to see the chap still has his collection of things at Bullocks Bridge, spotted a boat that had come up Bosley ahead of us a few years ago, it doesn’t look like it ventures far now. A cat got a chin rub from a passerby, then had a serious grump on at a woofer on the towpath. Passing Goyt’s Mill a gust of wind caught my cap and very nearly had it in the drink!

A message came through from our house. A leak had manifested itself overnight following feral weather on the North Yorkshire coast. Some time was spent trying to talk to someone who’d be able to at least go and have a look to see what the problem was, all we got were answer phones to talk to, hopefully someone will call back.

**Sylvester and Peter keeping an eye open for fly tippers at the services**

There was one space left in Marple, we tried pulling in, the wind making it hard so an Andy manoeuvre was required. All very well except the local ducks were convinced I’d have several slices of white sliced and were positioning themselves right in the crush zone. I waggled my hands to try to get them to move, but they just thought it was pre-dinner entertainment and Mick thought I was suggesting he brought Oleanna in further. No ducks were harmed in the end and all they got from us was the weed on Oleanna’s hull.

Mick had a prescription to pick up and a pint of milk to buy. Then it was lunchtime. Then we could push off again. The new services in Marple have opened, big fanfare! They have been closed for years whilst some new housing was being built. But now there is a stone built building with elsan, water, toilet and if you go around the corner behind a locked door is a room filled with red Biffa Bins of all varieties! I should have hung onto our recycling. There are also many bird boxes, bird feeders and a rather nice bench all provided by Marple Men in Sheds. There are also five EV charging points, each space was full, no car was charging up though.

Under THE Macclesfield roving bridge and the end of the Macclesfield Canal. Left please! The top of the Marple flight of 16 locks, a drop of 207ft 10″ that’s very nearly 13ft each. Mick hopped off and topped up the top lock. Then we were on our way down.

A chap stopped to chat, as the water dropped I had to excuse myself as I’d no longer be able to hear him as Oleanna descended into the depths. He went to chat to Mick who had now come back having set the lock below filling. In Lock 15 I had quite a wait, Mick came back saying there was a boat coming up. With the pounds here being quite short and the wind blowing a hoolie we swapped over, he could do the do-ci-do.

**Mick waiting to move across the pound**

The lock below us had it’s bottom gates open, I could see the interested chap chatting away to the man from the uphill boat, the lock ready, but just chatting. They moved over into the next lock, once the bottom gates were closed I lifted a paddle so our locks worth of water would help fill their lock rather than just run round over the bywash. I opened our gates, the lady from the boat below opened her gate, the chap ignored the fact that the lock was ready and carried on chatting on the stern. Come ON!!!! Wake up smell the coffee!! The lady shouted repeatedly to him, I was about to join in and Mick had the back door of Oleanna open ready to give a blast on the horn. He looked up, ‘oh it’s ready, are the next gates open?’ Yes and there’s a boat that’s been patiently waiting for you to get a move on. The lady and I smiled a knowing smile at each other, we were on our way again.

**Gate beams overhang the lock bridges**

There’s always gongoozlers down Marple. There’s always pissers coming out of the lock walls going down Marple. In the next lock we paused so I could go below to close all the windows to save having puddles inside. The wind blew, the bywashes flowed making some hovering a little difficult. Mostly Mick walked on ahead to set the next lock filling whilst I closed the top gate and dropped paddles before waiting for him to return. One gongoozler said Mick was walking three times as far as the boat was moving. True.

The sun was out. In a couple of weeks the flight will be filled with golden trees, today it was still pretty.

One of the locks had very new looking paddle gear on the top gate, a recent stoppage this last week. Then as the water level dropped in one lock we could see where it had been rebuilt recently. New stone work with dints in it to try to mimic the older stonework. The Marple locks have had a tendency to narrow and several have had to be rebuilt in the last few years as they have narrowed too much. Quite a lot of the stone work overhangs in some of the chambers, stepping out by a few inches!

**Fancy stone work either side below the** lock

The bottom gates overhang the lock bridges, meaning you can operate the gates from the bridge, you just need to climb up to the top to operate the paddles. I’m a little bit short for some of the gates, but Mick didn’t seem to have a problem with them.

A boat was heading up, a lady appeared with a windlass. ‘They don’t half take time to fill these locks’ she said. As I passed NB Somerton the chap at the stern made mention of Tilly, I think his dog sat on the roof was Hannah. Nice to meet you even though very briefly.

**Rows of Chocolate Fingers to help you get your grip** (just humour me)

We descended the next lock, Mick said we’ll see how well the next few retain their water and I said to myself how nice it was that all the pounds were full, no struggling to get over cills today.

Then at the next lock we discovered why the uphill boat had been taking their time to ascend, a bottom paddle a good few inches up, there was also a top paddle partly open too. Some of the paddles won’t close fully if the gate is open, Mick had had to return to a few himself as we came down the flight.

Under the railway and across the aqueduct, views out towards the north east. Through Rose Hill Tunnel, no longer with a roof. We were now at our preferred mooring, but so were quite a few other boats. It took us a little while to be able to find a place to pull in close enough to the bank, only slightly on a list!

16 locks, 4.6 miles, 1 left, 1 new service block, 2 look outs, 1 months pills, 1 pint, 1 hat saved, 1 aqueduct, 1 very slow man, 1 hire boat catching us up, 0 time for shore leave.

Mine, It’s Mine! 26th September

Holland’s Bridge to Bullocks Bridge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna