Category Archives: National Trust

The Year Of The … 2024.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So this year was The Year Of The ……

… SOCK!

Now for our final statistics for 2024

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

Canalplan stats.

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

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

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

Nebo stats.

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

Other stats.

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

Thank you for joining us on our travels in 2024.

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

A Butty In Wycombe. 18th July

Aylesbury Basin

A new boat sneaked in next to us last night. I’d heard what I thought might be an engine, but they were very quiet about mooring up. Still one space free.

As we had breakfast the sun rose above the buildings surrounding the basin, with temperatures set to actually go high today we hoped Oleanna wouldn’t get too hot. Tomorrow it’s meant to get hotter, we considered moving to the bank by the service block where trees might give us some shade, but that can wait for tomorrow if needs be.

Buses were checked and more importantly the location of bus stops, the nearer the better. Just behind the University building was a bus stop that would serve our needs with two buses heading to High Wycombe. The X9 came first and my £2 fare gave a tour of Stoke Mandeville, Prince’s Risborough, lots of thatched cottages, tall hollyhocks and the rolling Chiltern Hills.

At High Wycombe bus station we waited for another bus, only one stop taking us to the hospital and the Urgent Treatment Centre. Form filled out, confirmation of which knee my problem was with. A ten minute wait and I was triaged and sent back to wait my turn. The waiting room not too busy, but there were people turning up who had appointments so we had no idea how long the wait might be.

Mick decided to head off to find us something other than crisps or chocolate for lunch whilst I sat and waited. Time to catch up on boating blogs, I also tried to hunt down a newish one I’d come across a few days ago, Narrowboat Umbrellas, I think. But I wasn’t successful. Mick returned after a visit to Tescos back near the bus station with a sandwich each. What a nice day out with lunch, chicken and bacon for me whilst the waiting room chairs got harder and more clammy as the time went on.

**dzzzerp, dzzzerp, phwip, frrt, dzzerp**

That chap needed seeing well before me, chest pains. Another with a nebulizer sat in a wheel chair. Our main entertainment the sound effects coming from a bottled drink machine. Was this the noise it actually made? Or was there a sound card inside to make it sound like a 1980s Dr Who robotic entity?

My name was called. A lovely practitioner sat me down, glanced at my knee. ‘You’ll need an MRI scan for that and we don’t do them here, I’m really sorry.‘ She gave my knee a little prod. After walking further today than the last few days my knee had obliged and swollen up. I needed to see my GP who would more than likely refer me first for physio and if that didn’t work then I’d be referred for an MRI followed by …. I explained that my GP was 210 miles away, hence me sitting in front of her today. She could give me pain killers to help get me walking again, but sadly that was all she could do.

**High Wycombe known for it’s chair making looked lovely**

My prescription was zapped off to a chemists in Aylesbury and we headed to find a bus stop for our return 2.5 hours after arriving. Thank goodness it hadn’t been as long as our wait in A&E a few months ago for Mick which was 8 hours! Unfortunately there was no returning bus for ages so we walked slowly back to the bus station. Mick checked in charity shops as we went for a walking stick, no luck. But then we passed a Blacks. £9 later I had a trekking stick which made walking a touch easier on my knee.

A quicker bus journey back to Aylesbury. Our entertainment for the journey was supplied by a lady who suddenly asked peoples opinions on an HS2 bridge we’d just gone under. She then claimed that she had been a journalist for ITV news and could have been a news reader. The person whom her questioning eyes had fallen on then claimed to be foreign and not able to speak English. Well the journalist could speak 7 languages and proceeded to say Bus in all seven of them. She decided that the person was Italian and sprouted forth words such as Bambino, ciao, bellissima, then something that I didn’t catch but she kindly translated for all to hear ‘That’s a block of Cheddar cheese’!

Back to Oleanna, thankfully she’d not got too hot during the day and one side was now in the shade so we could open windows and hatches to freshen her up.

Mick collected my prescription. Some strong Co-codamol and Naproxen which last longer than Ibuprofen. I’m not used to getting prescriptions and expected to have all instructions written on the labels. 60 Co-codamol! 28 of the other, I thought she’d only said to take those for 10 days, or had she? Two co-codamol were taken early evening. Blimey they were far stronger than the ones I’ve been taking for migraines! My knee stopped hurting as I walked, but I’ll try one tablet next time as I felt a little bit out of this world on two.

**The best medication is served chilled**

I tried filling in an on line request for a doctors appointment but had missed the daily deadline, that will now have to wait for tomorrow. Discussions on what to do. We could sit still in Aylesbury, it would be nice to look a bit further afield than we did ten years ago. Today we’d been past two National Trust properties. But unless I was about to be rendered pain free we wouldn’t be visiting such places. Tomorrow after some shopping we’ll seek out some shade and then continue back up to the Grand Union and continue northwards slowly.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 buses, 1 trekkers pole, 2 sad sandwiches, 2.5 hours wait, 1 lovely lady, 88 pills! 1 extreamly bored cat, 0 doctors appointment, 1 pot of chilled medication for the freezer.

Missing BumBag! 8th June

Pyrford Marina to Domino’s Mooring, River Wey

Mick was off again this morning to return the hire car, he also stopped off at Tescos for a few things. The menu for tonight had been changed so some fish pie fish was required.

Whilst we’ve been away we’d moved our wild strawberry plants into the cratch, the first berries had been just about ripe when we headed to Scarborough and we wanted to be the ones to enjoy them rather than birds! By this morning about half of our crop was ripe, I picked and rinsed them to be added to our cereal. They may be small, but they don’t half pack a punch of strawberryness.

As we were getting ready for the off, I couldn’t seem to find my bright blue bumbag. I keep my phone and camera inside whilst we cruise for ease of access and safe keeping. It normally gets put there or over there when we’ve finished cruising, but this morning it was nowhere to be seen. I’d done a bit of a tidy up for when Ann-Marie and Dave came, but where had I put it. The boat was searched top to bottom, inside and out. No bumbag! Places were double checked, Oh Bumbag! Still no bumbag!!! Recently I’ve also taken to having a bank card in it, that was frozen straight away. I’m hoping that ignoring it’s absence will soon bring it out from hiding.

Once we’d breakfasted and filled the water tank it was time to get moving. Push back, wind, just as a big widebeam was heading towards it’s mooring, then a little narrowboat came into the entrance winded and backed back to it’s mooring, blimey things were busy! We pulled out, turning right onto the navigation again, pulling up immediately on the posts, time to empty the yellow water tank whilst we were port side to the bank.

Our extra crew also arrived, Kath Mick’s sister who lives quite close by. Buses hadn’t been as expected, but she’d made it to the rendez vous point in the end. Time for a quickish hello and then it was time to wind and head downstream. Not far, just far enough for Tilly to have some shore leave away from roads.

A mooring marked on our map had been free when Mick had passed it earlier and thankfully it still was. We pulled in and tied up. In amongst the trees was a plaque in memory of Domino the boat cat. Not even a year old Domino had been attacked by a dog earlier this year. I always knew the woofers round here had no manners, now they have even less anything! Was the dog in question still walked along the towpath? What was the likely hood of the same thing happening again? Domino was a young boat cat, would Tilly’s eight human years serve her better? It would have been very unfair to keep her in especially as the mooring had serious stamp of approval potential.

The afternoon was filled with chatting, snoozing and food preparation. I made up a batch of apple flapjack, some sad git’s puff pastry was defrosted and rolled around sausage meat ready to be baked tomorrow and a large fish pie was put together to feed the troops, very tasty it was too.

A very pleasant evening with conversation whilst watching the sun go down. A very nice mooring despite being so close to the M25.

**Mesh in the side hatch as the sun went down**

0 locks, 0.7 miles, 2 winds, 0 bumbag, 1 empty wee tank, 1 full water tank, 2 packs fish pie, 1 car returned, 1 sister, 1 lazy afternoon, 1 lovely mooring, 1 black pawbanded Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4YsTj7LffLZ6t7fB8

Swimming Visitors Only. 1st June

Medmenham Meadows to Tilly’s Island, Cliveden

Brrrrr! Extra coats and a wind cheater required today, grey clouds over head, Brrrr!

Either Oleanna had been pushed in towards the bank a bit or the level had dropped a bit overnight as we were listing a touch this morning, nothing to fret about, it just required a bit more of a push off. What a shame it hadn’t been warmer yesterday afternoon to be able to sit out on the mown grass by our mooring. With the bow pushed out, Oleanna with help from the flow and wind winded to head downstream.

Many of the boats along the meadows live here, reserved signs sat in gaps, we’d been lucky to find a space that wasn’t someone’s permanent mooring. Along the last length there was a familiar boat. We waved frantically calling out ‘Hello Sue!’ We’d not got round to sending Sue on WB No Problem XL an email saying we’d be passing and I suspect if the weather had been better yesterday we’d have had a walk to say hello. A jolly wave came back from inside.

The locks today would be manned again, the first lock being Hurley and there was the Lockie we’d seen yesterday at Hambledon Lock. He’s a seasonal Lock Keeper and chatted with Mick. The full time staff are down by two from last year as sadly two of the Lock Keepers passed away. The lock cottages are given a spruce up before new people move in, certainly this was happening at Whitchurch Lock as we passed, new double glazing.

**Enjoying the water despite the chill**

All the beautiful launches and boats were under wraps at Peter Freebody and Co. Only one boat wasn’t wrapped up, the exception to prove the rule, one solitary plastic cruiser in amongst all that varnished wood.

**All the curtains closed, nobody home**

Down Temple Lock and onto the reach to Marlow. In amongst the seriously big houses and gardens there was an open sided marquee and lots of festoon lights. This was the secret (?) location you would be brought by boat from Marlow if you paid £95 for a five course meal. Today would be the last day in this location, glad we hadn’t paid to sit in our coats and be chilly even if the food was nice, only one welcome drink included in the price Feast Over Flame.

A space was just being made in the moorings at Marlow, a narrowboat pulled out and winded heading for the lock. We’d considered pulling in to buy a newspaper, but that would have delayed our arrival where we wanted to moor today, which might mean we’d miss out. The crew from the narrowboat came to help us pull onto the lock layby, the pull from the weir making this a little bit tricksy. The lock was made ready by a Keeper, then we were pulling in side by side. They have a mooring at Medmenham and were heading off for a weekends cruise.

Now for the long sweep of the river round to Bourne End. Along this stretch is always busy, a widebeam had just pulled out and was wanting to wind as two rowing boats were heading at speed towards them a shout from the support boat had them cut their speed to avoid a collision. We tried to check our speed as we passed a set of markers, we knew we weren’t going extreamly slowly due to the flow so when my stop watch reached 2 minutes we decided we’d actually missed the first markers to time ourselves.

**A surprising price for what looks like a small house. Click photo**

Round into the lock cut for Cookham Lock. Weekend traffic obvious to us now, three cruisers coming towards us and a narrowboat at the water point. The lock was manned again and here we said our hopeful goodbye to our locking partner as we hoped to find a mooring along the next reach.

Small day boats cruised up and down, the queue for the cafe van and chilled medication was a few deep. Had we have arrived in time to get a good mooring? We passed the first island a boat already moored up, most probably just for the afternoon. Then the next island, one space free, the longer space we were after also free. Quick before anyone else pulled in! We headed past the island to wind and then made our way back up, pulling in easily to the mooring we’d managed to get two years ago on Tilly’s birthday. Tilly’s Island, a Pawfect outside, cat paradise, just so long as no-one else pulled up on the other available moorings.

Five and a half hours Tilly! Five FIVE FIVE!!!!! YES!!!!! She didn’t manage to use them all before having to retire for a cat nap in her escape pod.

A quick run up a tree, the mooring posts were quickly claimed. She hesitated to venture too far. An extra rule was given, ‘If you do fall in make sure you swim back to THIS island’. The mooring was ideal apart from one thing, no land access, well that’s actually what made it ideal for Tilly, just not for any human visitors. I sent a message to Sam, who’d been hoping to be able to visit us today. Unless she had a canoe or was willing to swim across to the island we wouldn’t be seeing her today. A reply came back that she wasn’t too keen on swimming in the Thames so maybe we’ll be able to see her elsewhere in a week or so time.

**Our island, could someone turn the thermostat up please**

The afternoon was chilly to say the least, not one to sit out on the bank enjoying our surroundings! I watched Mr Holmes (2015) about a retired Sherlock Homes, dealing with dementia and trying his best to remember his last case which starred Sir Ian McKellen. A very English film, perfect to sit and knit in front of.

One boat had joined us for a while on Tilly’s Island, but they moved off long before dark leaving us alone with nature and the stove lit.

4 locks, 9.8 miles, 2 winds, 2 locks shared, 1 island, £10, 1 very happy cat, 0 visitors, 1 pooped cat, 1 gold embossed Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/fAa6jjH3ySzsb6Sf9

2022 Back To Exploring

Time for the annual round, a long post so sit back, put your feet up and enjoy.

The New Year kicked off with winter maintenance in the house. Having two hallways proved time consuming refreshing the woodwork and patching up the worst of the wallpaper. But this was broken up with weekly walks to see the sea. I resumed work on the development showing of #unit21 for Dark Horse and a Christmas present of a cheese making kit proved very tasty in creating my first ever Yorkshire Curd Cheese Cake from scratch. I plan on having a second go at this soon!

In February work progressed in Huddersfield towards opening night, the floor painted, final costume fittings and then the set and lighting added. All while Mick serviced our life jackets and Tilly grew more and more bored of life in the house.

Once the show was opened we had a trip down to London to catch up with the London Leckenbys for a belated Christmas, on our way back we visited Oleanna. When ever we could we visited Blue Water Marina to do jobs and have a pack up lunch. The stove was reblacked, walls washed down and cupboards sorted through.

Then at the end of February, Mick and I left Tilly in charge of the house, we packed enough clothes and food for a couple of days boating and headed to Thorne to move Oleanna through Thorne Lock before a winter stoppage began. Blimey it was chilly out there, but wonderful to be back afloat and moving Oleanna to Goole. Now we were all set to move back onboard and have a few weeks of pootling about in Yorkshire.

Back at the house we made it ready for the first of this years lodgers. Our boat Christmas tree was retired into the back garden where we hoped it would thrive, this of course was before we knew a drought was on it’s way! Tilly said goodbye to the dragon that lives up the chimney, left Seville and Valencia to look after the house before having to endure the car trip back to boat life.

After a few days sorting ourselves, including having one of Joan’s gluten free Chinese takeaways, we unplugged Oleanna and backed out from our mooring at Goole Marina (Boat House). We spent the next three weeks bobbing about between Pollington Lock, Doncaster and Goole. Maintenance jobs were ticked off the list.

Alistair did engine and weedhatch jobs, Frank joined us a couple of times to do carpentry jobs, our galley drawers no longer have a life of their own, the covers had a good scrub and a spray of Wet and Forget to help them keep clean.

In March I’d set myself a charity challenge, to knit as many pairs of socks in the month as I could. Nine pairs knitted for people in return for sponsorship, I also got a very generous donation of yarn from Lisa on NB Summer Wind.

Our plans had had to change as Thorne Lock still hadn’t closed, but was about to! Plans to visit York and West Yorkshire were abandoned, we’d bought ourselves a Gold Licence for the year so wanted to make the most of it. So on March 24th with all the jobs done we turned our backs on Goole and set off into the sunset to see where 2022 would take us, all three of us grinning from ear to ear.

We made our way to Keadby ready for our booked passage on the tidal River Trent, the fast route south. A phone call from a boating friend in need of support meant we’d be doing our best to make use of the spring tide to reach Cromwell in one go despite the weather forecast. We spent a couple of days doing what we could to help in Newark before we needed to be on the move again.

On upstream to The Trent and Mersey keeping up our cruising hours and Tilly hoping we’d stop with enough time for her to explore each day before cat curfew.

Up to Fradley then onto the Coventry Canal, we played leapfrog with NB Free Spirit for a couple of days.

Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, up the Curdworth Flight then a turn left onto a section of the Grand Union we’d not been on before at Star City. Up Garrison Locks, Typhoo Basin and then the Ashted Locks where we now have the measure of that Tunnel! A mooring space at the top of Farmers Bridge had our name on it. This was handy for a road trip to swap lodgers and for visits to the dentist. It also meant we were in shot when a group came to jump the top lock!

Fast forward to 6:15

Our route out of Bumingham saw us through Edgbaston Tunnel, down Lapworth followed by Hatton. A pause was needed for Tilly’s annual visit to a new vet, the one here the closest to the canal we’ve visited so far, also handy for The Cape of Good Hope!

At Napton we joined the Oxford Canal and headed for Braunston, pausing to stock up on goodies from the butcher. On the Grand Union we made our way up over the hill and started our descent down The Long Buckby flight back towards tidal waters.

On the 1st of May we turned left at Gayton Junction onto the Northampton Arm dropping down the flight to the River Nene. We’d only been this way once before and that was when we’d just bought Lillian (NB Lillyanne) back in 2014. We bought ourselves a second Abloy key, showed our Gold Licence to the chap at Northampton Marina and started our journey down stream, time to explore.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna