Category Archives: Narrowboat Life

Mushrooms and Ashley. 20th October

Castleford

Well the generators here at Castleford are a touch quieter than they’ve been in the past. The last one finally went off at 12:30, that’s at night!

Breakfast

We’re in finishing things off mode on board at the moment and with quite a few eggs left that meant we had to have them scrambled for breakfast, this also helped use up some of my nice bread in the freezer.

The Geraghty zoom followed, thankfully no-one caught our colds last weekend, maybe that’s why we still have them! Subjects covered included West Wittering, Corkmen, Tory auras, rotating apples and My First Wedding cards!

There were a few boats on the move today, but were they heading to the lock and on to Ferrybridge? One boat came from the lock, had they come from Ferrybridge or just behind us somewhere? We are seriously thinking that the lock is user operable, but what is the health and safety issue?

It was a touch windy and wet this morning, but nothing spectacular. Was that Ashley over and done with? We were likely to be on the periphery of the storm when it came.

Autumnness

A walk up to the lock to check on the level and just how many leaves were left on the trees. One of the boats that had come past us this morning was moored by it’s centre line in the extension to the lock. We suspected it was a single hander waiting for someone to share locks with rather than have to climb ladders and look after ropes in these big locks. The river level below the lock was just in the amber. Should we move? Or should we stay? We opted to stay and run the risk of the river coming back up overnight.

Back at Oleanna my thoughts turned to jobs that we should have been doing. The sun was out and we could now put the mushroom vent back on the roof. First we needed to find the black tack which seals the join between vent and roof. This took quite some finding, and as always with such things ended up being in the last place we looked, the cat proof cupboard. Then the old black tack needed removing from the vent along with the layer of rusty paint. The vent was then given a clean.

Back when Oleanna was built we’d opted for Chrome fittings so we’d not need to polish any brass. No idea what happened to the chrome but it tarnished pretty quickly on the mushrooms. I think within a year I was trying to find a way to clean them and bring a glint back to them. But this wasn’t to be, as they seem to have had the chrome stripped or stained/worn away somehow. Possibly something to do with the stove as the tarnished sides face the flue, but who knows? I gave up worrying about them ages ago.

Checking it fits

Last year we’d removed another mushroom vent and at dusk tried to fix it back on the roof. We learnt one thing from last year and that was the holes in the base of the vent are not drilled equally. So before adding a layer of black tack it was worth seeing which way round the base should be. Then mark the face that faces the bow with some tape. Maybe if we do more of these we’ll add a permanent mark to the insides so not only we’ll know which way they face for next time, but also which one goes where on the roof, before they are removed!

Better than last time!

Black tack reapplied, fixings pushed through the tack. Tilly agreed we’d managed to do it better than last time, but there was still room for improvement. She wasn’t wrong, as when it came to put the top back on, Mick had just started to tighten the nut from the underside when I realised that it was no longer attached to the top! The two part epoxy glue was needed and a good 24 hours for it to fully cure before we tried again. The big pan would be staying upside down on the roof for another night!

Here’s hoping it’s strong enough!

A big pot of chilli was put together and left to bubble away whilst I designed the next pair of socks. I’m quite happy with the design, I just hope I’ve some suitable colours for it. Yarn selection would have to wait a day or two as I’ve still got the last pair to finish off. At least I’m almost a pair in hand at the moment.

This pair may take a little bit longer

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 storm almost nothing, 1 cat bored of this outside, 1 mushroom base back on, 1 mushroom top broken, 1 threaded bar sticking, 3 meals of chilli ready, 44th pair designed, 0 bags packed, 0 drive south, 1 storm arrived later in the day.

Key Of Power Locks. 19th October

Above Fall Ing Lock to Castleford Moorings, Aire and Calder Navigation

Yesterday Mick had checked the stoppage notices again for our route eastwards. The flood locks were in use on the Aire and Calder, all were user operable apart from Ferrybridge. Ferrybridge is the last lock off of a river section that we need to pass through. We wondered why it wasn’t user operable, he made a call to CRT. The answer came back that due to Health and Safety it wouldn’t be possible for us to use the lock, we’d only be able to go through once the river level was back in the green and the flood lock opened to boats.

Waiting above Fall Ing Lock

Mick walked round to the garage for a newspaper, but none was to be bought, no newspapers at all. So nothing for it but to head onwards. We decided to make a move up to Stanley Ferry sooner rather than later, just in case the river responded to last nights rain, we’d rather be stuck somewhere where we could let Tilly out. Someone else had had a similar idea, NB Perseverance had whizzed past heading up stream in the rain whilst we were still getting up.

Going down

We were on our way before breakfast, topping up the huge Fall Ing Lock. This being our last manual lock for 2024 I was determined to operate it. The bottom gates are heavy, but not too bad if you are patient. I lifted the paddles and watched as the water washed up over the river level board pushing it into the red from amber.

The river seemed pretty normal to us as we made our way towards Stanley Ferry. Here the flood lock was in use, I climbed off with the key of power to operate it. At first it didn’t respond to any buttons being pressed, Mick had a go too, the top sluices needed reminding they existed, now I could open the gates. Unlike at the beginning of the year there was a difference in height, maybe 9 inches.

Key of Power from now on

A boat was coming towards us, I waited to close the gates behind them and retrieve my key. This was NB Ampere an early electric boat that we’d seen at our first Crick boat show. There was time to chat to the crew as the boats swapped positions and the gates closed behind them, they’d been stuck above Lemonroyd when the rivers came up.

NB Ampere dropping off crew

The only space we could find with rings was at one end of the water point, we tucked in, leaving space for another boat. Time for breakfast a bacon butty each. Then as the port side was to the bank we emptied the yellow water tank. The connector that screws into the outlet seems to be loosing it’s thread. Some PTFE tape was wrapped round the connector hoping this would stop any leakage. It was an improvement, but will require a replacement over winter. We moved up to the services to use the elsan, then I swung the bridge open a CRT fundraiser being very jolly saying hello to everyone who came past, but not managing to engage further.

Across

Across the aqueduct and past the Stanley Ferry CRT workshop. Earlier in the year there had only been a couple of new gates awaiting fitting. Today the whole of the area was filled with lock gates. Tried to count how many pairs there were, I think around twenty, that’s a LOT of oak!

New gates, lots of them

The sun was coming out now, anglers lined the banks as we dropped down Birkwood, Kings Road Locks. Under the M62 and on to Woodnook Lock where we’d drop down onto the river again. Big and wide we headed to Castleford Junction and the sad houses.

Mick opted to wind to face upstream to drop me off, just in case the flow from the River Aire wanted to assist us towards the weir. I took my time up the steps, wanting to avoid slipping as I’d done back in March. Here the river level was still just in the amber. I opened the gates and waved to Mick to come round from the lock landing. As he approached I could see how much current there was as the stern of Oleanna was being encouraged towards the weir. The level of the huge lock had to drop by about a foot, so took some time to level out to the cut.

Castleford Junction

Now we had to decide what to do. Should we continue onwards and see if Ferrybridge Flood Lock was actually not useable? If that was the case then we’d have to return to Castleford to be able to moor. Sunday’s weather had looked bad on the forecast and might bring the river back into the red. Being close to a station on Monday was a necessity, both Castleford and Knottingley would work. We opted to not risk having to return and pulled in towards Bulholme Lock. Here we hoped we’d not be plagued by the permanent moorers running their generators well into the night.

Tilly was awarded three hours shore leave. Not her favourite mooring, but far better than being cooped up in Wakefield.

They were here in March

As the afternoon went on several boats came past, one from the lock ahead of us. Had they come from Ferrybridge? Were the other boats headed that way carrying on or mooring up. Surely the light at the lock should be red if Ferrybridge Lock was inoperable! It was amber, and unless you looked at the stoppage notice you’d not know anything about the health and safety issue. Hmmm!

6 locks, 1 of them a flood lock, 7.9 miles, 2 bacon butties, 1 empty wee tank, 0 manual locks left, 1 key of power, 3 hours shore leave, 2 many boats moving for it not to be open.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/GTNwv1MrmtTzx3zr6

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.

Let’s try again

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.

I wonder where the Cill is?

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.

Autumn ahead

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.

Baaaaa!

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.

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.

That smells good

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.

From blue skies at Ledgard

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.

to ominous skies at Broad Cut

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.

Hello Wakefield

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 Paul

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.

A thick Staffordshire Lobby

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

Freedom! 17th October

Opposite Sainsburys to above Cooper Bridge Lock 1, Huddersfield Broad Canal

Sunshine! Wonderful sunshine, just a shame we were still coughing. Last night it had rained, more so than it had during the day. We got ourselves ready to push off and awaited our plus 1.

The Locomotion Bridge

A couple walked up, warning us of a very leaky lock ahead for us on the broad canal. They’d ended up doing the lock backwards as they’d been afraid of the water sinking their boat. Quite new to boat life they had plenty to talk about. Paul arrived so we made our excuses and pushed off, we hoped to cover quite a few miles today to catch up on ourselves.

Hello waiting cars

Paul walked ahead to lift Locomotion Bridge. Key of power turned the barriers are manual, then a press of a button has the road lift up and above for us to pass under. Four cars held up and a few cars turned round.

Errr Mushy Peas!

Onwards to tackle the Broad locks. Today Paul and I would work the locks and leave Mick on board to negotiate the cill and getting round from behind the closed bottom gates. Above the top lock was a mass of duck weed, this would mean we’d need to open a second gate as just one was likely to not go fully into the recess due to the amount of weed in the way.

With Oleanna’s bow tucked in behind a bottom gate, stern over to the other side she fits down these locks quite well, care required when you first start to empty them to make sure the stern is clear of the cill. Paul and I would stay until Oleanna’s bow had crossed over from one side of the lock to the other to go through the open gate, then one of us would walk on ahead to start setting the next lock.

Autumn

Gradually as we worked our way down the duck weed got less. Long pounds we’d catch a ride for, shorter ones my walking pole came in handy. A few locks were full already, one with two paddles left up. One wound down easily, the other was very awkward and wouldn’t budge. Paul tried. We opened the gate fully so should he have to force it and then step back he’d be landing on dry land rather than the canal. It shifted thankfully and we could carry on our way.

No lack of water today

The leaky lock we’d been warned about was leaking, closing the stern doors would help keep Mick’s legs dry and hopefully give the stern a bit of a rinse off at the same time. One of the locks was very Very full, constantly being topped up from above, water flowing over the top gates and then in turn over the bottom gates. Once empty it took Paul and I quite some umph to get the bottom gates open, but we got there in the end.

Mick had been using the bow thruster to get out from behind the gates, it hadn’t sounded too happy at one lock, that was because the fuse was about to blow. So he took the opportunity of the very full lock to head to the bow and change the fuse in the bow thruster locker. We still have a spare, just in case and will seek out another as soon as we can.

A fancy bridge to nowhere

No new notices had appeared in our inbox from CRT this morning regarding the Calder. But Mick checked on line the existing thread that seems to get updated, yet not sent out as an email.

17/10/2024 03:04 The following flood gates/locks are closed;

Ledgard Flood Lock, Anchor Pit, Cooper Bridge, Thornes Flood Gates, Wakefield Flood Lock, Longcut/Thornhill Flood Lock, Battye Flood Gates, Greenwood Flood Gates.

Ahh! This would hamper our plans for reaching Dewsbury today! River levels were checked and yes there had been a big spike overnight, just starting to come down. We hoped things were improving and might be good before we reached the end of the Broad.

Lock 6 is called Ridings Lock and the bridge at it’s tail is called Ridings Bridge 9. Paul has wondered why the elaborate bridge which currently leads nowhere was called Ridings. Maybe a three thing. Riding comes from a Norse word which means a third. Maybe with the bridge being 9 and the lock being 6 this was a possible reason. I wasn’t fully convinced so later had a look at old maps of the area.

The bridge headed to the Riddings

No sign of a posh house anywhere. Deighton up the hill was quite a working class area of Huddersfield. To the south of the canal was Fieldhouse Fire Clay Works. I then spotted between Deighton and the canal Riddings on the map. It looked to be fields, nothing more, maybe Riddings became Ridings at some point?

Riddings, according to the Yorkshire Historical Dictionary An assart; a piece of land cleared of shrubs and trees, found principally as an element in minor place-names from the twelfth century.

Catching a lift on the lower longer pounds

Onwards down the locks. Last time we were here the level in the pound between Locks 1 and 2 was quite low, today that didn’t look as if it would be a problem plenty of water coming round every bywash.

Cooper Bridge Lock 1

At Lock 1 the end of the Broad Canal, where it joins the Calder Hebble Navigation Oleanna pulled into the duck weed filled lock. A check of the river level board showed to be red. Paul walked up and over the bridge to see if the flood gate ahead might just be open. Sadly it was well and truly closed. There’d be no more progress today, not unless the levels dropped and the flood gate could be opened.

Flood gate closed

Time for lunch. Mick called CRT, if the flood gates reopened this afternoon, Paul would stay to help. After a lot of explaining and a phone call back we were told that the flood gate was more then likely to remain shut for the rest of the day. No point in Paul staying really. We’d confer later on this evening as to whether it would be worth him returning tomorrow. The stretch between Coopers Bridge and Wakefield is quite hard to check by foot or bike to keep the data for the Waterway Routes maps up to date, so Paul was hoping to hitch a ride with us.

What is this? Outside!!!

As we’d be staying put we pulled back away from the sea of duck weed. A low bank and some friendly cover. Rules recited, surprised She remembered them! The back doors opened and Tilly was set free for the first time since leaving Marsden and the first quality shore leave since we’d arrived at the top of Diggle. This was well and truly worth SHOUTING about! Three hours of Freedom AT LAST!!!

About an hour after we’d moored up, Oleanna started to move. The lock above was being emptied. A boat came into view, I popped my head out of the hatch to let them know the river was on red and the flood gates were closed ahead. A bit of conferring was done, they then reversed up behind us, joined by a boat they’d been sharing the locks with.

See ya!

During the evening the levels looked to still be coming down, a quick confer with Paul, we’d carry on as planned until we heard differently, hopefully we wouldn’t!

9 locks, 3.5 miles, 1 destination for yesterday almost reached, 1 lift bridge, 4 held up, 2 much water, 1 stubborn paddle, 1 sunny day, 1 river on red, 1 fizzing pylon, 3 hours freedom, 1 very LOUD cat, 1 chocolate boat biscuit each, 1 plan made, 12 fingers 4 paws crossed for tomorrow.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Jov4h7gQ9i5mqcnD7

Lets Keep Warm Today. 16th October

Opposite Sainsburys, Huddersfield

It may have been the new cough medicine, it may have just been going to happen, but this morning I woke with a very gurglie chest. Both our colds are hanging on and morphing. Over breakfast we had a discussion, today we’d planned to do the Huddersfield Broad Canal and moor up at Coopers Bridge for the day.

Tilly can we sit by the stove too, please!

The Broad locks are quite short, one of them NB Lillyanne nearly didn’t get out of even with both bow and stern fenders lifted. Oleanna was built a foot shorter with this in mind, but she still needs to go on a diagonal and tuck in behind a lock gate to go down. Yes I could give the juggling round of Oleanna in the lock a go or we could revert to Team A. If we waited a day we could go one better, Team A + 1.

Maybe a day keeping warm and not exerting ourselves would also help with our colds. Decision made, we’d not be moving today. It was forecast to rain anyhow, better be indoors and stay dry.

Blues and yellows

The day was spent doing some paperwork for the house. Selecting the yarn for my next pair of socks and winding it into cakes ready to be knitted up.

Just needs a new plug!

A romantic walk up to the bins and around the block made us stretch our legs. A pause to use shore based facilities and Mick spotted a fridge. How generous of someone, giving away a 12 volt fridge rather than disposing of it at a tip!

Quartet

We then sat down to watch Quartet (2012) staring so many wonderful actors. Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins, Andrew Sacks, Sheridan Smith! Then all the musicians who acted as extras, directed by Dustin Hoffman. The film is set in a home for retired musicians and when Maggie Smith moves in there are a few hurdles to be sorted. Finances threaten to close the home, but it is hoped that the annual gala performance by the residents will help fill the coffers. Will the four opera singers be brought together to perform the quartet from Rigoletto? A lovely damp Sunday Wednesday afternoon film to knit in front of.

Here’s hoping things are improved all round tomorrow.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 walk round the canal, 1 change of plan, 6 spoons of yucky honey, 0.5 of a sock knitted, 0 shore leave, 1 grey day.

It Isn’t Like Baunston! 15th October

Above Lock 3E to opposite Sainsburys, Huddersfield Broad Canal

Ready for the off at 9am. The chap on NB Wildflower was doing a few engine checks also ready to push off. As we were blocking the entrance to the lock, we’d go first and he’d follow a distance behind hoping to save himself some water for Lock 1E.

In Lock 3E

A group of students chatted to Mick as the lock emptied, they were left to close the gate behind us along with Mr NB Wildflower. Under the bridge to pick Mick up and then on to Lock 2E, this lock isn’t accessible from land so you need to be on your boat.

Approaching Lock 2E

From the bridge behind us we could see Mr Wildflower waiting for us to have filled the lock and gone into it, then descend. After Oleanna exited Mick walked back to the top end of the lock and lifted a paddle, so it could already be filling when NB Wildflower arrived.

Now through the tunnel under buildings. It goes from wide to quite narrow and plants disguise just how narrow it is, there was a big bump, closing both bathroom doors inside. By the next college building was the orange boat we’d been expecting, they were moored at a distance from the lock, apparently the chap on board hadn’t known about booking the Marsden flight or Lock 1E, he was hoping he’d be allowed to tag along behind us today. Then up by the lock was the blue boat from Strawberry Island. We pulled in behind them the level of the pound really quite high.

Hoping to be able to go through today

This pound is known to loose it’s water. They have tried various things over the years to sort it , but nothing has been too successful. So now the lock has stop planks above it, holding back the water. With boats having moored above 3E we brought water down with us so hopefully there’d be enough to pen us all through.

Stop planks in place

A little before 11am, several CRT chaps turned up. One dropped off a mound of ash, to ash up the stop planks once the boats had passed through. Then the paddle that had been keeping the gap between the stop planks and lock empty was closed and the level in the gap soon rose up. Then top stop plank was given a biff with a keb and up it rose. The wood of the planks naturally wanting to float. These were hauled out in turn and laid on the bank in order. One of them took a bit of persuading, but all in all it was an easy procedure.

As the lock filled we were told to move our boats away from the bank and hover in the middle of the channel, otherwise we’d end up getting stuck as the level dropped. The chap from the orange boat arrived and was given the go ahead to tag on the back, he rushed back to untie and wait inline.

Everyone waiting treading water

Paddles were wound, gates opened. First the blue boat, then NB Wildflower who had waited breasted up to us, Oleanna then the orange boat. Now CRT had the harder job of putting the stop planks back in and ashing them up so the level could recover before Thursday. Kevin had arrived by now, time to thank him for adding us to the list today.

Waiting for the lock to fill for us

One last look back over our shoulders to the Huddersfield Narrow. It’s been an eventful trip! One we’ll think of when ever there’s a low pound, but it is still a stunning canal, if only there were more moorings.

Goodbye HNC

Through to Aspley Basin. The service point was free, we pulled in and started to fill with water. NB Wildflower was back on it’s mooring in the basin, slotted in for the winter. The orange boat soon arrived wanting to top up with diesel and another short narrowboat pulled up behind us to empty cassettes.

As we filled with water and dealt with yellow water we chatted to the chaps on the short boat. They asked if we’d been through the tunnel and what it was like up the HNC. They had no idea that you had to book the tunnel. ‘I looked on the CRT website and all it said was come for a nice picnic etc, nothing about booking’. You can’t just turn up and go through Standedge as you would Braunston Tunnel. We warned them that you could only go through on certain days and the tunnel would be closing at the end of the month for winter. We directed the chap to the boat licencing section of the CRT website here he would find bookings. We also suggested they should book lock 1E and the Marsden flight.

These two chaps say they normally take their time, might take a month to get to the summit pound. I suspect they are not normally on a canal like the HNC which was built to get goods from A to B so there was no need for moorings to enjoy the scenery. They also said their outboard engine was coming off today, presumably for maintenance.

The penny suddenly dropped. Is your engine petrol? ‘Yes‘. Ah you won’t be allowed through the tunnel then, no petrol engines allowed! Worth checking, but it would save you working up the 42 locks not to be allowed through, then the 42 locks back down. I’m sure when you try to book there would be something that would flag up a petrol engine and stop the process. We left them thinking about what to do.

The moorings

A short distance on we pulled in. Oleanna preferring to be on a list no matter what we did! The fire was stocked up, lunch had and a shopping list written. We walked over the Locomotive Bridge and headed to stock up at Sainsburys. The shelves in the medicine isle were studied. We both still have our colds and very gurglie chests. I tried my best to avoid the Honey and Lemon cough syrup, I hate honey with a gut wrenching passion, but it looked like it was the only one that would help us.

A quiet afternoon snoozing in front of the fire and a roast chicken in the oven. Today I finished off this weeks pair of sockathon socks. I’m hoping to be able to keep up a good pace for the rest of the year as I now have a waiting list of an extra ten pairs from the Boat Women group on Facebook! Thank you everyone, I may have to extend my fundraising page.

3 locks, 0.8 miles, 4 boats down, 1 final wave to the HNC, 1 big shop, 4 boxes wine, 3rd bottle of cough medicine, 2 coughing boaters, 1 pulled muscle, 1 roast chicken, pair 42 finished, 20 more to go! Hello! what about me?!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/pXrMuK96pjrdyARP8

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.

Blue skies

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.

Autumnal sunlight

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.

Titanic Mill

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.

More Titanic

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.

No way round this rotten bridge

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.

9E

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!

No cupcakes 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.

He’s always been a bit of a Trout!

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?

Got to love a good fire escape

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.

Loitering man

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.

Bright work boat

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!

Purplihole

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

Check Rear Seats. 13th October

Handmade Bakery to above Lock 21E Waterside Lock

Breakfast

We were the last down for breakfast, Fran had already left! Time to say goodbyes until later in the year when there is another Geraghty get together planned. A generous breakfast was required so we’d not need to stop for lunch. Sadly Travelodge don’t do gf bread, so I just had to have three hash browns!

We kept checking but there was no-one there!

Our return journey had us round the M25, up to M40 then we opted for the M6. We most probably were passing over the top of Salford Junction (where the Tame Valley, Grand Union and Birmingham and Fazeley Canals meet) as NB Harnser was passing underneath heading for Star City.

Saddleworth

We then skirted round the southern side of Manchester and up and over Saddleworth Moor. Down through Marsden where the Jazz Festival was starting to wind down and back to Slaithwaite.

They were empty when they opened!

About bloomin time!!! My magic food bowl only has two compartments and those are empty!!! Tilly was pleased to see us, more so when the stove had been lit.

Ticking off a couple today

Time to move on, tick a couple of locks off the list for tomorrow. Up ahead a boat was just coming out of the lock, poles pushing it over to the lock landing. With only two locks today I chose to work them. The boat on the lock landing had already lifted a bottom paddle to empty the lock. I double checked with him as he said there was another boat coming up. There was, but as Mick found out, it wouldn’t be there for a while as it had no engine, neither did the boat on the lock landing! These boats were heading up to above Lock 27E to join the other ramshackled looking boats.

I wonder how far these boats have come

We worked our way down, then limbod under the low bridges on to Pickle Lock 22E. Below we pulled in to fill with water and dispose of rubbish as the next engineless boats came past. Then we found a mooring for the night. Sadly for Tilly it was decided that the mooring wasn’t suitable and it was a touch late for her to go out anyway. Time for a cuppa and a cup cake left over from Kath and Sean’s lunch, very nice.

Cup cake and a cuppa

We are now ready for the big push down towards Huddersfield tomorrow.

2 locks, 0.4 miles, 3 hash browns, 0 toast, M25, M40, 1 old bridge by a new bridge, M6, 1 wave to Josh, 1 starving cat, 1 bored cat, 0 cables harmed, 1 toilet roll got off lightly, 3 engineless boats headed for engineless moorings, 1 full water tank, 1 socks and pants load of washing, 1 macaroni cheese with leeks and bacon.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/URAAyZ2jbJJcWnqy9

Hold Me Close. 11th & 12th September

Handmade Bakery, Slaithwaite and Woking

Tilly did her very best to hold on, but a refresh of her pooh box was required. I’d just cleaned it out when she could hold on no more, but thankfully this just required a good rinse out before fresh litter was added. All nice a clean for the next few days.

Ahhhhh…cat nip…

Mick headed off to meet someone from Enterprise and was whisked off in Huddersfield to do paperwork and pick up a car. He also picked up more Lemsips and we now have a variety of cough medicines and several spare boxes of tissues! Bags were packed, including the iron.

How long this time?!

I always know what’s going on, even before She opens up the toy box. I especially like the first whiff, strong slightly stale cat nip, sends a zing to the tip of my tail. Then my magic food bowl came out, this just confirms my suspicions. How many big sleeps?! How long will I be deserted for? Only two Tilly.

How long before these cooling towers are gone too?

We headed eastwards to the M1 to head south. The sun was out, blue skies and such incredible countryside. A guaranteed queue through Holmfirth then back up onto the tops. Then it was the humdrum of the M1, Radcliffe Power Station now dormant on the horizon. Then across towards Warwick, Banbury, Oxford down to the M25 where we sat in traffic as expected for a Friday afternoon.

Along roads surrounded by trees, then roads circling round high rise buildings. The Light Box, left here, then again here, under the railway, left, no that left. Eventually we pulled up in the Travelodge car park in Woking. Four months ago we’d been in Woking on Oleanna, we’d considered returning for this weekend, but that would have made our trip northwards harder negotiating our way around C&RT stoppages that will soon be starting.

Spicy aromatic dishes with rice

A meal in a Lebanese restaurant had been arranged for those arriving today. Two of Mick’s sisters with husbands, a niece, the couple of the moment Kath and Sean plus tonight was a chance to meet Lydia Sean’s daughter. A lovely meal was enjoyed followed by a glass or two of wine back in the hotel bar.

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre almost finished having a make over

Saturday morning, hotel breakfasted, and smart clothes put on we all set off in cars. One to pick up more of the family from the station, others heading for Guildford. Having negotiated Guildford on foot several times I knew it was easy to take a wrong turning, which Mick did, meaning we’d have miles to go before being able to cross the River Wey. Thankfully I knew we’d be able to turn at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and corrected our route pretty quickly, getting us to Guildford Registry Office still with plenty of time.

Registry Office
Photographers always get in the way!

At 11:30, the Geraghty and O’Malley families along with great friends from Ireland and the National Theatre were gathered waiting for Kath and Sean to make their big entrance.

The happy couple

A few readings on partnership, the legal bits said and witnessed, then the register signed. What else would they walk out to but David Essex and Hold Me Close, Sean doing a good impression of a man who’d not noticed Kath sneaking that particular track into the ceremony! She of course was word perfect.

John was the official photographer for the day and did a very good job without taking over a good section of the day as many professionals do. Time for chats and hugs before we all climbed back into cars and headed off to Mytchett for lunch at The Kingfisher on the Quay. We’d had a good burger here back in June with Sam my cousin.

Short speech of thanks

We had a room to ourselves in the busy restaurant. A short speech to thank people and a glass of fizz, then introductions, conversations, photos. Nibbles followed by a pre-chosen main course. Mick had opted for a Wagyu Burger and I had steak frites, all very nice.

The cutting of the cake!

Kath called me up. Time to make use of my upbringing. Just how would my Mum have cut their cake? Mum was a caterer and certain things became second nature growing up in her kitchen around her apron strings.

A month or so ago Kath had got in touch with ideas for their cake and asked if I could design it for her, all based on plants and creatures that inhabit their garden. The cake decorators had had a little bit of a challenge on their hands, but they had done a fab job, the ceanothus and Japanese Maple came out really well, as did the hedgehogs.

It didn’t last long!

Plenty of time for the kids to run around outside, Thomas has an inexhaustible amount of energy! Then late afternoon people started to head off. We did a trip back to the hotel to loose a car and then returned to Kath and Sean’s for another drink and some nibbles, a quieter time.

Geraghtys. Mick, Anne, Kath, Christine and Marion

What a lovely day having all Mick’s family together for the first time in years to celebrate Kath and Sean’s Civil Partnership.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 1 hotel room, 4 sisters, 1 brother, 4 brothers, 1 sister, 2 Catholic families, 2 partners, 1 cheesy song, 1 ebay dress, 1 NY hat, 2 bow ties, 1 cake, 6 gf muffins, 1 very happy couple.

Stirring Up The Red. 10th October

Handmade Bakery, Slaithwaite

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

It’s sunny out. Can I go out?

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

Stirring up the red

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

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

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

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

Several shades of red

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

Second coat of red and blue needed

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

An exciting five minutes for Tilly

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

Sewing

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

Ready to hand over

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

My photo of tonight’s Northern Lights!

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