Category Archives: Moorings

Insideised. 8th March

Hunting Bridge 7

There weren’t any climbing frames in BUMingham

This outside isn’t all they made it out to be. Now don’t get me wrong, it is far far Far FAR better than BUMingham, but it is windy and surprisingly wet at times.

The frothy thing in the jar. It has two dingdings just like me

She’s been busy just about all day. I did think they were going to be moving the outside today as She followed Tom into the kitchen when he was making tea. But She just fed and watered the thing in a jar before going back to bed, this did however mean I got a game of pen before they got up properly.

She made breakfast and I was allowed to come and go as I liked. After a few turns around the sideways trees I decided to retire to the inside.

She was busy again, getting all gooey and sticky, apparently ‘mixing things’ and wrapping them in a towel, then a big bag. She then ignored it all day.

Isolated in a bag on the top shelf for six hours

The sun was out so I did my best to find a sunny spot, a few things needed rearranging, but then the sun wasn’t tall enough to get my head. Quite a disappointment really.

Tom got busy too, down the hole at the back. This meant my comings and goings got all confused. They had to be from the bow and not the stern as Tom had removed that end of the boat. Normally they know when I want to come in at the stern, they can hear me jump onto the hatch, but the bow doesn’t have the same effect. Having the one way door on the wrong side of the outside doesn’t help either. So I have to adopt a different method of attracting attention, shouting through the windows!

Excuse me! Hello!!! Is anyone in there!?!

She came out to have a bit of a walk and said we’d go to the trees as I need to rediscover the joys of them. She thinks I’ve become what she calls ‘Institutionalised‘! I think I’ve become ‘Insideised’!

Apparently I really liked this outside two years ago and explored everything there was. Climbing trees, pouncing on the friendly cover, nearly making it to the distant wood and running around like a ‘loon’ in the field. Maybe I used it all up!

Woofer fencing that needs careful negotiating

But today it was blowy, very blowy and the sideways trees have had an extra layer added to keep woofers out. I have to choose my places to climb through very carefully and then remember where it was I’d come through. It’s not normally that hard, I do it by smell, but today the smell was being blown away.

Tom got very short in the hole. I left him to it, not much I could do really.

She got her head in the clouds and talked mud on the phone.

It hailed, it rained, it blew, it rainbowed a double rainbow.

Then we got our first Shropie sky. Apparently the Shropie outside does good skies.

There’s been too much fresh air for one day. The main question of the day remains, does this outside deserve a Mrs Tilly stamp of approval? I’ll think about that behind closed eyes.

Zzzzzzz ….. Mice ….. Trees ….. Zzzzzzz …..

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 straights, 0 rights, 0 lefts, 0 tunnels, 0 boats, 14 sourdough pancakes, 2 hours to fluff up, 1 very sticky mess, 6 hours in a bag, 8.5 hours shore leave, 17 trips outside, 2.5 hours shore leave taken, 1 Houdini phone call, 1 cloud, 1 white card model final amendments, 750hrs engine service, 0.5 of it, 10 litres oil, 1 oil filter, 1 air filter, 2 rainbows, 1 double, 1 haily hail storm, 1st loaf of gluten free sourdough, 1 jury still out, 1 cat still inside.

Risen.

After 6 hours in the bag on the proving shelf.

Turned out.

onto a layer of grease proof paper. Ready to go in the cast iron pot and the very hot oven

End result.

Think I should have scored it deeper. Have to wait til tomorrow to see what it’s like

Elbow Bumps. 3rd March

Urban Moorings to The Black Country Museum, Dudley No 1 Canal

Everyone talks about how slow water points are around the network, Hillmorton and Cambrian Wharf being especially known for it. Well we now know where the slowest one is. The ladies at Urban Moorings had warned us yesterday, there is a leak in the supply, luckily on the other side of their water meter, but this reduces the pressure, a lot.

Mick set the hose up whilst we had breakfast, the tank carried on filling whilst we did various chores. We handed over spare oil containers for reuse and added our recycling to theirs. Not quite a full tank of water but it would do us.

Time to say thank you and be on our way. Elbow nudges all round, no-one is shaking hands or hugging at the moment. We left them to continue work on their pumpkin patch and a bench with a glass bottle base. Photos on their facebook page.

Just a short distance to Horseley Fields Junction where we turned southwards and meandered our way. From out of nowhere came this rather odd noise, I remembered hearing it around this area before. Was it an alarm or a bird call? Looking in the overgrown offside vegetation, Friendly cover! I spotted two birds swimming around. Not Coots or Moorhens, they had orangey brown cheeks and were a touch smaller than other waterbirds. Hunting through Google I came to the conclusion that they were Dabchicks. I’ll keep an eye open when we pass later in the week and try to get a better photo.

By a new housing estate a damn has been erected with buoys around it’s edge. We feel the wrong sign has been put up. Also beware as the white tarpaulin looks like it is quite happily floating around almost mid cut, just waiting to get entangled around an unsuspecting prop.

As we had sneaked an extra load of washing in this morning we decided that the Bradley Arm/ Wednesbury Oak Loop would have to wait for the next time we’re up this way, so we sailed on past at Deepfields Junction, through Coseley Tunnel. I was fine inside even though She has put my Escape Pod away! Then at Factory Junction we turned right missing out on the locks.

Factory Locks, we’ll get enough locks in a day or two

Through Tipton we made note of moorings, all free at the moment and continued onwards. At Tipton Junction we stayed straight, onto the Dudley No 1 Canal, what there is that you can navigate on your own boat before reaching Dudley Tunnel. Not far till we reached our destination joining a couple of other boats on the moorings outside The Black Country Museum.

A black corrugated fence surrounds the museum, not much for Tilly. A quick check on the situation deemed it sadly unsuitable. The trees that she would naturally be drawn to are far too close to the busy road, no shore leave again.

Taking a walk down to the back gate of the museum we planned on crossing over the new swing bridge (well new to us along with the new visitor centre since we were last here on NB Lillyanne) to make use of the boaters facilities on the other side. Except the bridge was swung open to boat traffic, the old route over the top of the tunnel entrance was blocked off, so we’d have to walk all the way round. Through the gate with our key of power, up over the bridge, along the road to the main entrance to the Dudley Canal Trust. All just to go for a pee! We then tried to come back via the swing bridge but were told it was closed now so we’d have to walk round. Good job they weren’t too keen on closing the gates at 4pm!

There is most probably a reason for them closing the bridge to pedestrians, but it didn’t make sense to us. Out of hours it means that to reach the service block we would have to go by boat as the bridge is padlocked. We walked all the way back round!

I have perseveared with what I thought was a lost cause of my sour dough starter today, adding in an extra feed to try to pep it back up. I think I have sussed what was wrong. The instructions say to drain off any liquid that forms on the surface, hooch. This I’ve been doing, but because of this it has all become quite thick. So this morning I just stirred it back in, an option given on the full youtube instructions. I then spooned off some to discard and fed it. By late lunchtime it was bubbly again, another feed and things are definitely not dead.

0 locks, 5.47 miles, 1 load washing, 4 elbow bumps, 1 slooooow tap, 1 left, 2 straights, 1 right, 1 tunnel, 0 mysterons, 1 tarp lurking, 1 bridge closed, 0 shore leave, 1 thinner starter rising again, 1 possible solution for Vienna, 2 boaters waiting for the museum to open.

https://goo.gl/maps/BvwnPCNEtCkn4Skk6

Day 5. Morning

Houch mixed in, 10 dessert spoons discarded then fed

Lunchtime.

Extra feed showing signs of bubbles again

Evening.

Bubbles! Visible bubbling. Some discarded and fed

Urban Oasis. 2nd March

Lane Head Bridge to Urban Moorings, Lycetts Basin Bridge

A day full of sunshine. We soon passed where Vernon (Production Manager in Vienna) used to play as a child on the Short Heath Branch. His grandmothers cottage apparently was demolished and replaced by the current houses in the 1930’s and she moved to a council house. His Grandfather was night watchman on the arm and his uncles were day boat men delivering coal to Wolverhampton till the early 1960s.

Today NB Senior Moment was occupied both by humans and several Pekineses. Maybe they’d just come back from a cruise or were preparing for one.

We pootled onwards, the canal seeming far cleaner than it had done a month ago. In the bottom of someones garden I spied a curled up mass of fur, could it be alive? It opened it’s eyes to check us out as we passed. A couple of hundred yards later another battered and torn fox walked along the canal edge. They both looked like they’d been in a fight and had seen better days.

Approaching Rockery Bridge I got ready to hop off and see if this Sainsburys might have some arrowroot. I wizzed round the store and found some with baking powder and baking soda, I just hope my starter perks itself up in the next day or two!

Mick carried on and moored up on the first set of bollards, lunchtime. As we ate a boat came past, the first boat we’ve seen moving since we left Brindley Place! yes we did see some heads on Tividale Aqueduct, but not the actual boat.

Onwards, picking up a big branch which necessitated reversing and changing course before we continued much further. Our original plan had been to head for the offside moorings in Wolverhampton, hopefully stopping at Urban Moorings for some coal on the way.

As we came under Swan Garden Bridge we could see the end of the arm where Urban Moorings sits. A bench looks down the canal with Fender Fred watching for boats.

Could we see anyone? We slowed and crept our way along. Towards the end was a mooring, by some new looking sheds. A lady was stood by a door and said hello. We asked if they had any coal and if so, what variety. ‘Excell 20kg bags, £10 a bag’. Yes please. We pulled in as more and more people appeared from the sheds all wearing high-vis.

What a welcome, help to moor up too. Conversations about where we were heading turned to them saying that they had a visitors mooring £8 including electric a night. Mick and I were having a similar conversation at different ends of the boat, him saying we’d have a chat about it, me saying ‘We’ll be staying the night then’ images of the washing machine going round round in both our heads.

The gardens made from anything and everything that floats on by

Once tied up we were given guided tours of the moorings. Neither of us had realised just how big the site was. Originally Commercial Wharf the arm and land around it, there were Lime Kilns a wharf and slipway where boats were maintained. The boats, Ampton boats, were used for transporting coal along the flat Wolverhampton level and Wyrely and Essington Canal, no need to descend any locks so they were built longer and a touch wider, their holds could carry 45 to 50 tons of coal.

The site was used as a boat yard until 1992 when the last boat left the dock. Several boats had been restored here including NB Tench.

Miss Scotland had been down to help with the weeding today

Urban Moorings CIC are a group of boaters who are wanting to create mooring sites that boaters actually want, integrating history, ecology, art and volunteering. They redevelop moorings very slowly ‘Slow Regeneration’ without having to spend millions of pounds doing so. The moorers live on site, their aim is to turn derelict and unprofitable sites owned by C&RT into self managed boater run moorings.

These very friendly ladies have been here for three years, built moorings, brought electric and water onto site, made gardens for nature to inhabit where lime kilns used to be. They must have spent years clearing away buddleia and now sheds seem to be taking over. An office, a workshop, a bits and bobs exchange, more moorings planned. Recently they advertised on facebook that they were now selling coal and gas. Today they received 100 bags of Excell and moved their gas cage into position. There had also been a volunteer day to kick start the creation of a community garden. What an Oasis.

Four/five dogs inhabit the area, but they offered to put them all away if Tilly wanted some shore leave. We both looked around. She would absolutely love it here if the scent of woofers wasn’t too much for her. But we decided that the look of underneath the decking on our mooring would be far too interesting and it would be a very soggy and painful extrication for both her and us. Another day kept inside, Saturday isn’t that far off!

Work in progress, coal cage and recycling next to one of the sheds

After all the chatting, oh Kate Saffin was also here having volunteered for the day, we eventually managed to get hooked up, washing machine on, yellow water disposed of. If our solids container had been more advanced it could have been emptied here too. That is something we’ll think about, if we can store our solids during the first stage of composting and deposit it when next we pass then we’ll be using our toilet as fully intended.

They do seem to have thought of everything one could want and have plans for even more here. All profits go back into the project, so any support either through volunteering or purchases will be used to improve what they have to offer. Good luck to them, we’ll certainly be putting them on our map as a good stopping place. More information here Urban Moorings CIC

0 locks, 4.44 miles, 90grams arrowroot, 2 foxes, 5 footballs, 2 coconuts, 1 moving boat, 1 unexpected mooring, 4 bags coal, 3 loads washing, 1 Kate, 0 shore leave, 1 Miss Scotland, 2 possible openings, 1 offer, 1 oasis in Wolverhampton.

https://goo.gl/maps/KzNwExACThyfKR6q7

Day 4.

Not much to show today, two feeds and no bubbles, no rise. I’ll keep going for a few more days to see if it comes back. 🙁

Taking Our Time Getting Ready. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th January

Crick Marina to Cracks Hill to Crick Wharf to Crick Marina

As you can see we’ve spent the last few days moving, well a bit! We’ve been getting ourselves ready for cruising.

On Wednesday we moved out to Cracks Hill, here Tilly could have a bit more carefree time ashore and we could send emails to the now post festive period working world that was waking up again. With these things done we booked delivery slots with both Ocado and Sainsburys and then started to fill our baskets with supplies.

Thursday we winded after a slow start and headed into Crick Marina late morning. We’d been hoping to see a coal boat to stock up, but only NB Callisto had passed and despite having been sent a text message, he didn’t seem interested in selling anything as the boats sheets were up and he passed the moored boats with his back to us all. So Crick Marina got our trade instead. The diesel tank was filled up and 5 bags of Excel were loaded onto Oleanna’s roof before we headed back out onto the cut.

Crick Wharf was empty so we pulled in tying Oleanna as close to the bridge in front of The Moorings as the rings and bollards would allow. This left plenty of space at the water point for any passing boats. The Moorings has been closed for a festive break and not due to reopen until next week, so we wouldn’t be in their way. Patchy internet was worked round and we added and amended our shopping until the last minute. The washing machine was set to work to try to empty the dirty linen drawer whilst close to a water point.

Friday morning came and we were ready for our first delivery. We’d decided to use both Ocado and Sainsburys this time. Jaq from NB Valerie had pointed me in the direction of a different brand of gluten free all purpose flour, more expensive than the regularly available Doves Farm, but better for baking, so I thought I’d give it a try. Ocado stock it but Sainsburys doesn’t. So most of our shopping arrived with Michael in his Green Apple van shortly before 10am. This took some stowing, filling up much of the cupboards, fridge and space under the back steps. The freezer needed a bit of sorting out so that I could fit a chicken into it once it had been jointed. Most things were now stocked up, apart from the wine cellar!

More washing was done, Tilly had her pooh box refreshed, we had our pooh bucket refreshed and even some of the cupboards had a freshen up with a touch of polish before my head suggested I should have a sit down. Mick managed to make a phone call, using the wi-fi at The Moorings, following up an email we’d sent. This was received positively, our purpose for cruising northwards now confirmed. We’ve been in winter mode since part way through the summer due to my work, so we’re both quite excited about moving again and travelling some distances. Here’s hoping the weather plays ball!

Part way through the afternoon a green pepper van arrived from Sainsburys. A much smaller shop, mostly consisting of boxes of wine strangely enough. Even though we had to pay £4 for the delivery this was saved on one box of wine compared to the price at Ocado and Mick got some cheese twists too, so he’s a happy man.

During the afternoon my new socks were modelled by the two of us for photos. Father Christmas had commissioned me to knit these for our stockings with different wool than I’ve been using. A touch more expensive, but that can be felt in their softness. Even Mick unprovoked said how nice they were. So once the internet signal is improved I’ll be adding them to my Etsy shop, bespoke socks knitted to order.

Saturday and Tilly had cabin fever. After a cooked breakfast we emptied the yellow water tank, topped up the fresh water tank, disposed of the last bits of rubbish and then winded. Back up to near the marina entrance to moor for the day, there was still one thing we wanted to do before setting off.

Tilly spent much of the day coming and going, standing up against the woofers out for a nice walk on the towpath. Mick climbed down into the engine bay to give Oleanna some TLC with an oil change and a new filter. I walked into the village for the first time since we arrived to find some lighter gas for our kerchunk kerchunks that we use to light candles and the fire with. Today is the first day since my migraine that I have felt normal again. So I wanted to stretch my legs and get some fresh air. Thank you for the suggestion from Don regarding red wine helping to combat migraines. Sadly it’s been a few years since I could drink wine of the red variety as it didn’t agree with me about four years ago. But the same active ingredient is present in blueberries and chocolate. We tend to have blueberries most days at breakfast, but had run out, I just can’t have been consuming enough chocolate to make up for it!

During the afternoon we de-christmassed the boat. All the lights wrapped back up and boxed, baubles and silver ribbon put back in the Christmas Hamper for another year. The top shelf in the front cupboard lowered so as to store the hamper again. I was commended for my good behaviour with the deaf things. I’d managed to leave them all alone, not one of them managed to reach the floor. I got special Christmas stocking Dreamies for my achievement. She put them all away in a big box, that wasn’t right, I needed to sit in the big box not those deaf little balls!

The last thing for us to do in Crick was to catch up with our friend Lizzie. We’d missed out on a New Years meal at The Red Lion with her, so this evening we met up and had a belated New Years meal. All three of us enjoyed one of their steaks with proper chips followed by puddings and accompanied by a couple of glasses of wine. We toasted in the new year and caught up on each others news a lovely way to spend our last evening in Crick for a while.

0 locks, 1.54 miles, 2 winds, 1 big headache, 3 moorings, 4 loads washing, 2 vans, 5th season of Luther, 4 woofers seen off, 0 Roger still, 3 ribeyes, 6 glasses of wine, 5 days late New Year, 1 clean pooh bucket, 1 clean pooh box, 1 empty wee tank, 1 full water tank, 1 full diesel tank, 8.5 bags coal, 6 boxes, 500g Jaq flour, 9 litres oil, 1 filter, 1 boat ready and chomping at the bit to cruise.

Waiting For The Grey Boat. 7th October

Thrupp to Kidlington Green Lock 43

A dry but chilly morning, time to nudge one more step towards Oxford. Plenty of boats were heading north and at times there were several waiting for the lift bridge, we headed southwards for water and a suitable place for Tilly.

Knowing we’d be able to fill up ahead the washing machine had been active whilst we’ve been in Thrupp, the gauge now reading a quarter full. We pulled up at Langford Bridge which isn’t the best place for a water point. Just after a bridge on a bend. We opted for mooring with our stern in to the towpath and bow sticking out, a fender strategically positioned hoping that the freshly painted gunnels will survive a day un marked.

Once full, we pootled onwards having ear marked a mooring we thought would be good for Tilly. At Roundham Lock we swapped with a boat coming out of the lock and had extra crew to help us down as a hire boat awaited their turn accompanied by a lady sat in their bow playing sea shanties on an accordion .

With moorings above and below Kidlington Green Lock we pulled in above and I walked to see what was available below. I had a suspicion that the boat that would be our neighbour had a cat as there was an escape board pinned into the armco at either ends of the boat. Mick confirmed this on my return as he’d seen the cat having a bath in preparation for coming out of it’s cat flap. We decided as there was plenty of space below the lock with sunlight we’d move down.

A boat had just pulled in, most probably for lunch, they had a whippet who dashed along the towpath towards us. Maybe above the lock would have been better! Once we’d tied up Mick walked down to ask about their dog and how it is with cats. Not good was the answer and they were expecting another whippet to arrive shortly but would be moving on in an hours time. This did not go down too well with Tilly!!

They’d tied the outside up. She’d written down the magic numbers. The magic music had been played. There were trees. There was a big huge field to run around in. I’d been locked in for days, weeks, years!!! But she didn’t recite the rules, just a ”Sorry Tilly, when the grey boat goes” !!!!! We hoped that the lady kept to her word.

Just as she said they pulled off an hour later and as she walked past informed us that the dogs were safely on the boat. Tilly and I stood and watched the grey boat go past, a stairgate visible at the stern to keep their dogs in. It was now safe. “Three Hours, no friends home, dead or alive or putting them on the roof for later …..”etc. One happy cat.

During the afternoon I finished off my first Fazil for panto. He still needs eyes a tongue and some markings, but the shape is good and he fits on my hand as well as Micks. A one size fits all snake. Another two to make, but I’m going to have a break from snakes whilst I do a bit more towards a big order I’ve got. Multicoloured wool put away and subtle cream and red back out.

As our roast pork cooked the sun set over the far side of the field behind us. What a lovely sight, whilst trying to encourage a still giddy cat to come home for her dingding!

2 locks, 2.33 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 accordion, 2 planks, 1 pawprint rubbing strake, 1 mark, 1st female DR, 1 aptly named boat, 1 snake, 4th pair started, 1 Sunday roast, 4 hours of pouncing, digging, climbing and running around like a loon!

https://goo.gl/maps/yYNYgrYoTDv

Fast Flow, Toes, Sofas And Too Much Barking. 29th September

Hayes Lift Bridge to The Pig Place

Mick got up to put the kettle on. Outside the morning looked very chilly, my phone suggested –1C. Steam rose from the canal and the greenery around us had had a visit from Jack Frost scattering his icing sugar over everything. Then Mick noticed that the canal had a flow to it. Not unusual in itself, but this was flowing faster than the Llangollen Canal. We both looked out of the window, it didn’t feel right. Yesterday when we’d pulled up I considered doing more to the gunnels as the towpath was at an okay height to reach them. But this morning they were out of view, the pound had dropped by at least 6 inches if not 8. Oleanna was on a list.

The gas was turned off under the kettle and we both got dressed, Oleanna pushed out and with windlass in hand we set off to walk down to the next lock. Maybe someone was coming up in the lock and hadn’t closed the bottom paddles properly so water was flowing through the lock. Maybe someone had opened the paddles at both ends of the lock (the cause of the Middlewich Branch breach in March). Maybe there was a breach and the water was disappearing into a field somewhere. As we walked towards the lock the flow of water was still fast, through bridge holes it rushed past.

A hire boat had passed us before we set off, would they sort the problem before we got there? Were they aware that there might be a problem? We got about half way to the lock when the flow on the canal slowed, then it stopped. No point in carrying on as the plug hadn’t been pulled after all. So we turned and headed back to put the kettle on and let Tilly out for an hour or so.

After breakfast Mick got a bike out and rode back towards Banbury to Morrisons, about a mile for our Saturday newspaper. Once back we wanted to make a move so I gave Tilly a half hearted call from the hatch, she appeared and jumped on board, perfect. Why doesn’t she do that every time? Because I get busy!

We pushed off late morning and headed to the lock. Here at Grant’s Lock the design of the locks changes. Instead of having two bottom gates there is just one. This means that they are heavier and that the locks have to be longer, therefor more water needed to fill them. But it does mean you don’t have to hop across the gap or walk round to open and close both gates. Once down the bottom gate was a touch reluctant to open fully, but Oleanna managed to get through. From here I could see that a boat was coming towards us, but they were getting on for over half a mile away, So I closed the gate behind us.

A mile and a half to Kings Sutton Lock, the church spire in view for much of the journey. As we approached there was a boat just leaving, perfect timing. Another chap stood waiting to help as his boat was waiting below. We chatted away for a bit and I soon came to the conclusion that I knew of this chap, we’d met once before. They moored at Cropredy, had just had a month out on the Thames and were finding it hard to adjust back to being on the canals. This just had to be Neil from NB Herbie. Neil writes their blog, an amusing read, but his wife Kath keeps up to date with other peoples blogs.

Neil suggested that the rushing water this morning may have been C&RT letting water down into the next pound as that pound tends to get quite low. Certainly a possible explanation.

As we came out of the lock Kath spotted that it was us so we paused mid channel for a chat. Luckily what ever we got round the prop just as we slowed down managed to drop off by itself. We had known our paths would cross soon and it was good to say hello again. I didn’t do too well at taking Neil and Kath’s photos though!

By the time we reached the Pig Place we were peckish. The moorings here had just filled up and at the time we didn’t spot that there were rings on the towpath. Just as we passed, one of the boats pulled out. We paused to let them pass and then winded to return and take their mooring.

The Pig Place is a Farm Shop with fringe benefits. You can’t miss it on the bend with three piece suites laid out on the grassy hill. Each area has a fire pit and logs are for sale. There is a bar and cafe selling bacon butties amongst other things. Over the last few days we’ve been trying to work out where to spend Christmas, here they have moorings with electric hook up, so it was worth an ask. We climbed the hill and talked to the lady who weighed out sausages and bacon for us. Their winter moorings were full, taken from November to March, so no space for us for a week. The shop has lots of jars of jam and bottles of beer, then lots of pork to buy and cook. But very little in the way of fresh veg and fruit to tempt us. So we left with our small purchases and headed back to Oleanna pushing over to the towpath for lunch.

Now we’re facing the wrong way! We decided to leave that problem for tomorrow and opened up the back doors for Tilly. She was too busy trying to convince me into letting her out for her to notice she was being given todays rules and that the back doors were already wide open. But eventually the penny dropped and off she went.

If it wasn’t for the long lean woofers across the way in this outside it would get a Mrs Tilly stamp of approval. Just how am I meant to surprise friends when they bark at me! At least they didn’t want to come and join in with my fun. Every time I came out of the friendly cover they announced my presence! Which we quite liked. It did mean that we wouldn’t have wanted to moor here anyway for the safety of Tilly.

2 locks, 4.21 miles, 9 lufted lift bridges, 2wice under the M40, 1 wind, 1 blogging boat, 2 feet, 1 paper, 8 sausages, 6 rashers, 1st autumn cooking on the stove, 1 clean boat inside, 2nd pair of socks finished.

https://goo.gl/maps/TTFp6fWV4FJ2

Five Minutes Early. 25th September

Claydon Bottom Lock to Cropredy Lock

Our aim has been to reach Oxford this week so that I can visit the set builders for Panto more easily with more direct rail routes. However shortly after breakfast this morning my phone rang and it was my Production Manager. She’s been very busy looking after Ade Edmonson and Nigel Planer last week in Guildford so hadn’t been in touch for a while. Today she rang to give me possible dates to visit the builders, not next week but a couple of weeks away. They are quite a distance, so keeping visits to a minimum is needed so we don’t spend our lives travelling, a lot of things can be done over the internet too. So after we’d chatted Mick and I decided to take our time reaching Oxford. Moorings are not in abundance so we need to time our arrival well.

We took our time in getting going. Boats came past heading for Claydon Locks and then boats started to come the other way. If we’d been a few minutes earlier setting off the locks may just have been in our favour, it didn’t matter as we met a boat coming up at each lock anyway. A Black Prince Hire boat was following us, a lady stepped off and headed towards the first lock that we were just exiting. I called to her that a boat was waiting to come up several times and when eventually Mick had told her the same she let go of the handle on the bottom gate that she was about to close and walked back to her boat to wait their turn. A single hander greeted us at one lock with a jolly face, not too many people offer to give him a helping hand.

At the third lock a lady wearing lovely white trousers helped the boat in front of us. Her clothing and too big leather gloves suggested she was on her first hire boat holiday. They had stayed in Cropredy overnight and had been for an explore this morning enjoying a scone and tea in the lovely cafe. They had found their own way of working the locks, which we all do, but she was making her life a bit hard so I suggested a couple of things that would make it easier. As their boat s l o w l e y came out from the lock her husband said how exhausted he was with all the hard work he was having to do and how many more locks were there. Passing Mick I could hear exactly the same remarks. If I was his wife I’d have pushed him in by now!

Broadmoor Lock has a little stall by it, when we last came through we paused and bought a new centre line for Lillian. Today the same sign was up advertising fenders etc along with a box of freshly picked apples. We bought some, I think a couple of Russets and some Orange Pippins. As Oleanna lowered in the lock the Black Prince boat arrived behind us, the lady offered to wind a paddle that was all taped up, out of order. As soon as someone appeared from below with a windlass she asked them if they were coming up, yes, so she turned and walked away back to her boat. It takes all sorts.

A pause at Cropredy Marina for a top up of diesel and a couple of bags of coal was needed, so we pulled in and got sorted. Mick made reversing out from the service mooring look like a breeze despite the one that was coming across the water at us. Oleanna arced her way out and back down the marina to then just be able to swing round to the entrance. No body but me watching as ever.

We pulled up onto the 24hr moorings and let Tilly out. This would do for today, no need to reach Banbury and beyond quite so quickly. Tilly came back in after an hour so she was left in charge whilst we went for a nosy around the village.

The Red Lion pub looked cosy in it’s line of thatched cottages. A sign on the door suggested that it had been closed for a while, but announced it would reopen on 29th August. This still being on the door a month later suggests otherwise. A door or two up from the pub one of the cottages is for sale, a touch bigger on the inside than expected.

the way is St Mary’s Church. The earliest parts dating back to 1050, the church has undergone many alterations through it’s history.

In 1831 the present clock was installed with it’s 14ft long wooden pendulum that ticks away over head. Sadly the clock is five minutes early, maybe to help locals arrive on time. There are eight bells, six that originate from the 17th Century and the latter two Fairport and Villager were added in 2007. Last year they had a lot of work done to the roof, scarfing in new timber where joists had rotted and had beetle damage, lead from the roof was taken away, melted and then refitted. Above the chancel arch is a ‘Doom’ Painting, worse for wear after it had been white washed over, then cleaned, then given a coat of varnish in Victorian times, which did more damage sadly.

The village it self is a mixture of thatched properties, some Victorian and then a mix up to the 80’s. Many of the thatched cottages have sculptures on their roofs, a fox and peacock were the ones we could recognise.

Back at the moorings a boat had pulled in behind us leaving a classic ‘git gap’. Boaters coming past made comments about the ‘boat moving up’ to us in loud voices, which sadly fell on deaf ears. Deaf due to their four stupid yappy shit-in-your-shoe woofers! They showed no respect to me and my section of towpath. They were so stupid that Tom suggested they should go home even though I was more than capable of dealing with such stupidity. My means would have been noisy for a while but then at least we wouldn’t have had to listen to them all evening!

I made use of a low section of towpath and scraped off bubbles of rust that have had chance to take hold on the bow end of the gunnels. They were sanded back and a coat of fertan applied. Hopefully I’ll get chance in the next few days to finish prepping the port side and give it a coat or two. My intention was to do them Spring and Autumn but where we’ve ended up being moored hasn’t been suitable. I’d like to get them done before I go to Chipping Norton so that I’m not finishing them in November in the snow as I did last year.

3 locks, 1.67 miles approx, 1 trip computer not charging, 2 rights, 79.6 litres diesel, 2 bags excel, 2 weeks to get to Oxford, 4 rowdy woofers, 2 deaf owners, 1 bushy tail, 45 ft gap, 15 ft gap, 2 boats luckily going in opposite directions, 3 pairs gloves complete, 2nd pair socks started, 1 stove keeping us warm.

https://goo.gl/maps/sUsM5GFr6WU2

Hooking Up For a Bit. 17th September

Radford Semele to Saltisford Arm

Before heading off to the Oxford we need to stock up on supplies so we needed to turn round. As we’d be heading westward we decided to see if there would be space at the Saltisford Arm for a couple of days where we could catch up on the washing and be plugged in.

Several boats came past as we were getting ready to push off, we spotted a gap and went for it. A second push to the bow was required due to the wind pushing us back against the towpath, but we got away before we became a problem to the next passing boat. We winded and headed back into Leamington Spa.

I had some work emails to do so left Mick to cruise us towards Cape Locks. The costume designer for the Panto had been asking about the size of a boat due to the size of the Dames costume and I’d asked about suitability of a rubber ring for a scene. Emails went back and forth for a while until we both had answers to all our questions.

Back on deck we passed over the railway line we’d gone along on Saturday, no trains though. When we’d been at the station yesterday Mick had requested I took a photo of a train approaching the station, I was already doing so. The line in Leamington cuts it’s way through what was the old town, crossing a major crossroads at second floor height. I was fortunate enough to capture two trains whilst we were meant to be looking at the station gardens.

Our supplies would last us a few more days, so we decided to push on past Morrisons, Lidl, Tescos, Sainsburys and Aldi and do a proper stock up on our return in a few days.

As we approached Cape Bottom Lock there was a boat just entering it to go up. We’d already passed two boats that had been heading this way this morning, so it might be on it’s own. The gates closed, oh well. Then they opened again and a lady appeared and waved us in to join them, we’d been spotted. We weighed up whether we thought we’d be able to turn Oleanna below the locks. Jaq and Les from NB Valerie spent a winter in this pound, they called it Prison as they were locked in by stoppages and they both needed the local hospital. NB Valerie could be turned here after making use of the water point below the locks, we’re not sure how long she is, but we think Oleanna could possibly just do it too.

We shared the two locks with the shareboat NB Endeavour who had plenty of crew and had come from Long Itchington this morning and were aiming to do Hatton today too. The lady seemed a bit put out that a C&RT chap who was there to grease the paddles didn’t help, but there were four of us working the locks so there was no need. It being lunchtime the moorings around the Cape of Good Hope pub were busy. Two boats were on the water point where we wanted to go, two boats were heading to the pub moorings. The ones on the water point then wanted the lock so there was some do-c- do-ing to be done as NB Endeavour had insisted that we leave the lock first. It would have been better if he’d gone and got out of the equation as we got in his way and he was then in the way of the boats from the water point who were in our way! It all got sorted in the end.

We pulled up mostly so that we could empty the yellow water tank before we might have to breast up at our mooring today. As we were by a tap we took advantage of that too. Empty and full we cruised up to the junction and turned left the easier option as right takes you to the bottom of the Hatton flight. Slowly we made our way down the arm, a lady came out from the office to say hello and tell us where to moor.

The visitor moorings are just beyond a winding hole, so winding first is advised and then you back down to find a space. There was one bank side space free, but we’d been told it was only 55ft, later once it had been taken Mick paced it and we would have fitted, however it was closer to the road. We reversed to find a suitable boat to pull alongside, NB Joanna. Unoccupied but with signs of a dog, this wasn’t going to be so good for Tilly sadly. Cat Health and Safety discussed our mooring and decided that should the owner return whilst Tilly was out she’d have difficulty getting back to her boat, there would be a conflict of territories and that wouldn’t be fair on either Tilly or the Woofer. So no shore leave.

Late lunch before the hook up was sorted and then the washing machine was put to work pausing only for the dishwasher to have a go. TV was tuned in, our last stay here was prior to me starting to do TV thumbs. It deserved a diagonal thumb in the upwards direction, not perfect reception, but not bad.

The last of our Bramleys were chopped up and put into a Dorset Apple Cake still warm today for pudding and enough to keep us going for the next few days.

2 locks, 5.6 miles, 2 winds, 1 left, 0 shopping, 1 cat who is very aware of which her boat is and wouldn’t give 2 hoots about a woofer being inbetween! 1 cat still locked in despite her complaints, 2 many good trees to be missed! 2 boaters ignoring their cat, 0 visits to the pooh box if they let me out! 1 empty wee tank, 1 fill of the water tank, 2 loads washing, 1 dishwasher, 1 refill required in the morning, 1st pair of socks started, 1 yummy gf apple cake.

https://goo.gl/maps/RUghJFP6bBs

Ryans Red Cabbage 3rd, 4th, 5th September

Crick Marina to The Moorings to Welton Hythe Marina

Monday morning Mick was up early, getting a lift from Lizzie he headed into Rugby to pick up a hire van, yes he’d booked a van because it was cheaper and he actually got a van! He popped back to the boat for breakfast before setting off on a day trip to Scarborough leaving Tilly and myself behind.

First I had parcels to pick up from the post office. They have plants and some veg for sale depending on what is ready in a locals veg patch. The runner beans can not be missed, so I picked up a bag and headed to pay for them. As soon as the lady saw me she popped behind the Post Office counter and returned with two parcels. Sadly as I hadn’t intended buying anything I had no cash on me and they don’t accept cards. I was about to return the beans when the lady said I should just take them. Blimey, what a service! They have received various parcels for us over the last month with smiles on their faces and now I was being given free runner beans.

Back at the boat I set about finishing off the custom order for my Etsy shop. A pair of wrist warmers which I wanted to get into the post before we left Crick. The ends were sewn in and then they were laid out on our bed to block them. This helps to even out the stitches and makes things look that bit crisper.

Then it was time to pay attention to work emails. I spent the day to-ing and fro-ing, phone calls and third versions of boats all with the hope that they would save us some money and still do all that the Director wanted. It was a very busy day.

Just as I was about finish Tilly ran into the boat in a very frantic way. Low and spooked, making noises as if she had a fur ball. I tried to get near her to see what was the matter. This was different than when she got high on ants, maybe she’d been stung. I managed to get us both in the bathroom and tried to have a look, but she wasn’t having anything to do with me. Over the next hour she gradually calmed down. When Mick returned I asked him to have a look at her in case he could see if she had a swollen face in anyway. Of course by now she’d calmed down, had a head rub and wanted some food! She’d had me worried and I was about to call the vet in Hillmorton an hour earlier!

Tuesday morning was another early start for Mick to return the van. Tilly strangely didn’t pester this morning to go out, something had happened the evening before that left her cautious about this outside. Work emails started early with a quote from a Scenic Artist. This was quite a shock, how much do they get paid nowadays?! Was I very out of touch. It turns out that everyone was shocked at her quote not just me, maybe she didn’t want the job, she could have just said!

We needed a bit of shopping to keep us going before either getting a delivery or arriving at bigger shops. So we decided to head into the marina, top up with gas and diesel before mooring nearer the bridge to the village. The mooring in front of The Moorings was free. It is an odd mooring, you would think that it was for the water point, but there are no signs to suggest as such. When ever we’ve been in Crick of late there has been a boat moored there. Possibly having work done on them by Neil Stuttle or waiting to go on brokerage with ABNB. It is also a perfect place to get a supermarket delivery. We pulled in and checked the internet, it was slow but we had some signal.

Usually we get deliveries from Sainsburys, but this time we were going to try out Ocado. I’m wanting to try a few weeks totally gluten free and see what effect this has on a persistent complaint I’ve had for ages. One week of gluten free cereal recently and I felt an improvement, so it’s worth a try. Most supermarkets have a selection of gluten free products, but I’d looked at Ocado the other day and wow what a choice. Instead of four choices of pasta they had forty two. They offer free delivery for your first year and a discount on your first shop with them. So I reserved a slot for Wednesday. One thing however that they don’t have much of a selection of is boxes of wine. The prices were higher than Sainsburys so we checked on deliveries from them. A slot for £1 had our name on it.

We spent the afternoon comparing prices between Ocado and Sainsburys. It was quite an interesting exercise. Wine, fresh veg and fruit are cheaper at Sainsburys, but chilled goods, spices and some cleaning products were cheaper with Ocado. So we ended up with two orders. The wrist warmers were parcelled up and taken to the Post Office, chance to pay for the beans from the day before and give the post service some money. On the way back we picked a good quantity of Blackberries, we’ll be having crumble soon!

Phone signal was none existent outside The Moorings, so I ended up walking back up to where we’d been moored earlier in the day to have work conversations. I’ll be glad when someone can call me without having to send an email first, then wait for me to walk up the towpath for ten minutes. Well it was our decision to be in Crick!

Today our deliveries arrived as planned. Bang on 11am the Sainsburys Green Pepper van backed up towards us. Their pickers must have had a bit of a laugh, I got six huge bramley apples and one very small red onion. With everything stowed away I wondered where we would put the next order! Ryan in his Red Cabbage van arrived half an hour early he was going to back up and wait for our slot, but that didn’t bother us. Everything was off loaded and onboard swiftly.

Differences between the two deliveries. Sainsburys you can opt to have no plastic bags, Ocado you can hand them back to be recycled and get them refunded. Sainsburys you can choose to have substitutes if something isn’t available, Ocado they give you a substitute, if you don’t like it you can hand it back with both of them. I suspect we’ll end up using both in future.

Once the water tank was topped up and all our rubbish was disposed it was time for us to say farewell to Crick. We may be back before Christmas but we haven’t quite sussed our movements around the stoppages yet. In the tunnel we met three boats coming the other way, the last one in the last 25 meters. Lunchtime, so we pulled over where we’d been moored last week before carrying on to Watford.

We’d expected there to be no queue to go down as no boats passed us, we might have to wait for boats coming up. However as we approached there were two boats facing downhill and one uphill just above the lock. I walked up to check in and was told we’d timed it perfectly, the lock had been closed for a couple of hours for a work boat to clean the gates and they were just starting to let boats down again. One boat was already heading down soon to be followed by NB Perch a 70fter, then a hire boat, then us. I was first told to put the kettle on, then the lady Lockie changed her mind, there wouldn’t be time for a cuppa so I should pour a glass of wine instead.

The hire boat took their time, possibly the first downhill lock they had done. The Lockies looked after them, but making sure there were two sets of gates between them and NB Perch. Perch being so long they wanted to keep an empty chamber above them to save the chap at the helm from getting a soaking through the gates. We followed on behind taking our time, no point rushing. A boat came up and pulled in at the holding point below the bottom of the staircase, this is when it all started to get a bit complicated.

The Lockies set the next single lock for us and as I approached they suggested I should go and set the lock below for us once the hire boat had finished going down. So I walked down and waited for them to finish, my windlass at the ready. The C&RT work boat that had been used to clean the gates was in the pound in between along with another boat waiting to go up. The bottom lock gates were left open, a boat was coming up. Sensible use of water, well except the pound above was full and instead of Lockies waiting for the bottom lock to start filling before they let Oleanna down they emptied our lock, the water all heading down the bywash. Mick brought Oleanna out and replaced the waiting boat as he waited for the bottom lock to be full again. The crew from the work boat decided to untie, were they coming down first? Luckily not. Some do-si-doing went on to get Oleanna and the uphill boat past each other as the lock above was being emptied. Then it was plain sailing down the final lock, our last narrow one for a month when we hope to be on the South Oxford.

We pootled along and pulled in opposite Welton Hythe Marina. NB Alchemy looking very clean on her temporary mooring. I was at last allowed out! They’d said I wouldn’t like the outside where we were yesterday, but they never gave me the chance to decide for myself. This outside was familiar so I went for a wander a bit further a field. When she came calling for me it was quite a walk to get back to Oleanna, she wanted to go via the towpath, but I knew the way back was alongside the biggest pooh tray ever! I made sure I made full use of the shore based facilities and covered up after myself before heading inside for my Dingding.

7 locks, 4 of which a staircase for the 18th time, 4.72 miles, 2 parcels, 6 balls yarn, 2 bow thruster fuses, 3 rights, 1 reverse, 1 left, 1 mooring at The Moorings, 1 noisy night with traffic, 2 deliveries, 1 green pepper, 1 red cabbage, 2 substitutes, 3rd versions of boats, 1 show almost in budget, 1st order posted, 2nd order on the needles, 3rd order received, 1 full tank diesel, 2 bottles gas, 1 full water tank, 6 boxes wine, 1 full fridge, 10 GF fish fingers, 1 empty pooh bucket, 1 clean pooh box, 1 empty wee tank, 0 rubbish, 1 container blackberries, 1 cat half a mile away, 1 giant huge pooh tray, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/UccV9Szi9kA2

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna