Category Archives: Nature

Patience Tilly Patience. 30th August

Naburn Water Point Pontoon to Naburn Visitor Moorings

Levels were certainly dropping this morning, but would they get low enough for us to head downstream tomorrow? Our main hope for the day was that the levels would come down enough, early enough for us to play do-ci-do and reverse back to the 48 hour moorings and let Tilly out. We all had our fingers crossed.

Just as we were about to tuck into breakfast we heard an engine and movements from outside. Had someone else arrived? Or was someone leaving?

It was the latter. The Abandoned boat was on the move. Kenny, the Lock Keeper had managed to track down the owner the other day, the chap hadn’t been pleased when he was told his boat had been moved. He apparently changed his mind when he heard that his boat would have sunk if no action had been taken. A couple of days ago smoke was seen coming from the abandoned boats chimney, but nobody saw him until this morning. He asked the hybrid boat to move out as he wanted to be off, so they did as requested. His manoeuvring meant that he ended up across the sterns of everyone else and required a push and then his bow pulling round so that he didn’t remain pinned to us for the rest of the day. He said nothing, headed off upstream, Kenny said he was headed to Linton Lock. Each to their own!

Tom decided to study the charts and lots of words about the Ooose. He obviously needed some assistance so I lent him some, sitting on the book to keep it warm. Very helpful I thought.

The lady from NB Gandja came to say hello, we’d been wondering where abouts of the river they’d got to. They had enjoyed their trip up to Ripon and on their way back they had moored at Boroughbridge when the river started to come up. Someone from the homemade vessel, No 9, had knocked on their roof at about midnight and suggested that they should move to the floating pontoon above Milby Lock. The following morning some C&RT staff told them not to move until the level dropped. When it did they had called Kenny at Naburn, but he told them there was no space, so they headed into York Marina as the river was due to rise again. She was hoping for a discount as they weren’t using any of the facilities, just electric and water, at £27.50 a night! Glad we’d headed to the lock! They plan on heading to Selby on Tuesday, so we may see them again down the way.

To while away some of the afternoon we tagged along at the very back of an heritage tour around the lock. These were taking place over the weekend with a volunteer talking about the history of the Ouse and Naburn Lock. We missed about a third of it, but did find out that the lock island had once been home to a corn/flint mill and workers cottages. The mill and lock were serviced by a blacksmith in one of the buildings which still stands.

The chap showed photos of the floods on Boxing Day 2012 when the lock island was under water, right up to the yale lock on the office door, quite impressive. Neither Mick or myself remember that flood, November 2000 was the highest recorded, the gate across the bottom of the lane by my dad’s house had only one bar left above the water on that occasion, I suspect in 2012 there were at least two bars visible.

Back at the boats the level was getting more and more promising. Tilly did her best to be patient, waiting for her shore leave to return. We waited for a view to come back to each side of Oleanna. Being hemmed in without a view was getting to all of us. At least you got to go outside!!

The afternoon wore on, Jo had headed out to the park with her kids and a friend, maybe we should have done the boat shuffle before she went out. Mick chatted to Kenny and Richard, both of us heading down the lock in the morning, we’d be joined by a couple of cruisers heading to Goole. We waited and waited. Was that Tiger Storm we could hear? We waited. That had to be them! I baked a loaf of bread for Mick and then got a fish crumble ready for the oven.

At half an hour past my dingding the back of Oleanna dipped. Tom went to chat with Jo She, She needed to settle the kids then could move her outside and give us some back. This all took way too long, a Tiger Tom should understand my needs and hopes, but they just slid away.

As Jo pulled back we could just see the edge of the moorings glinting in the evening sun, any earlier and we’d have been paddling. Everyone was out and ready to move round. Jo winded and headed off up the cut to wind again and return to the visitor moorings so her kids could have easy access to the bank.

Then it was our turn. Mick reversed Oleanna back to the nearest end of the moorings. A blast of reverse then an adjustment with forwards meant he flooded the moorings, luckily my end stayed dry, well drier as there was a layer of sticky silt that the ducks had been paddling about in.

Doofer moved outwards, the hybrid boat pulled back and Richard reversed NB Isabella back towards the moorings. Doofer and the hybrid moving back in, both against the pontoon. They will be following us down the lock in a few days time.

As we finished tying up, the beeper went announcing that the crumble was ready. It also meant that it was way past cat curfew. Should we risk letting Tilly out for the first time in days. Our decision was no. Should she get carried away and stay out overnight the tide would not wait for us. She would have to make do with a view tonight.

0 locks, 0.06 miles in reverse, 1 boat gone, £27.50! 5 boats shuffled round, 0 milk at the shop, 7pm land visible, 1 balloon, 1 so so bored cat, 2/3rds of a tour, 1 loaf, 1 crumble, 6 days without a view, 2 sun setting vistas revealed, 1 early night.

Water Water Everywhere! 26th August

Naburn Water Point Pontoon

A quick check out of the front window at about 6am proved we were now on the move, upwards. The levels were rising. Overnight we had passed the level we’d reached a couple of days ago, but luckily the forecast level was gradually dropping, still high but out of the red zone.

Around about 8am we could hear an engine followed by voices. The hybrid cruiser narrowboat had escaped from York early this morning and sought refuge here at Naburn. They rafted up to the abandoned boat relieved to be moored to something floating.

What to have for breakfast? I decided to make us blueberry pancakes, we still have a few in the freezer that were ordered by accident. With no sourdough starter discard handy I had to hunt through my recipes for a recipe that predates my bubbling friend. There was one that had been a great success using Red Bob Mill 1 to 1 flour. No stocks of that brand on board I hoped that Sainsburys plain gf flour would do a reasonable job. Well the American brand must have quite a lot of xanthum gum in it as todays batter was more like a normal pancake mix. I decided to make larger than normal breakfast pancakes and scattered blueberries on top as they cooked. A little rubbery, a different recipe will need to be found for when I have no starter to use up again.

I had a message through from Scarborough friend Georgie wanting to pick my brains about an installation for York Mediale. We arranged a time for me to be stood outside to receive her call. Turns out the project she is currently working on is very similar to the Water Torture Cabinet I designed for A Regular Little Houdini, but with a couple of extra problems thrown in for good measure. It was good to hear that Top Show (scenery fabricators in York) are still in existence as six years ago the chap who ran the company passed away. The two chaps working for him were hoping to take over the business and continue. It was nice to be problem solving again, hope I helped.

Soon afterwards my brother rang. They had been thinking overnight and looking at the weather forecast along with river levels. If they’d been going camping in Kent and the weather looked as dire then they would have already cancelled, but a trip to see us in York made it a harder decision. With rain forecast for all day Friday, no possibility of cruising up to York for the day, the only place we’d all be able to sit would be around our dinette table, that’s if the river level stayed low enough to not require waders. So very sadly their trip is cancelled. Very disappointing, but nature has played her card.

Josh starts back at school very soon and he needs to settle into how that will work before they plan on having a weekend away. He may also be on the late shift at school, so leaving after school to head north on a Friday may not be possible. Instead we may do a trip south to see them. So we shall have to wait for post and the yarn I’d bought to knit Jac a new top, I was quite looking forward to getting my needles clicking away again.

Whilst I was on the phone the levels kept rising and rising. Two bricks worth disappeared under water, just how high would the level get?

2:15pm Looking out towards the tidal section of the Ouse

This afternoon the river on the tidal side of the lock was very high. A walk over to the weir and it almost looked level, fantastic for white water rafting, but very different from when we’d arrived below the lock a couple of weeks ago.

We chatted with the Lock Keeper. Yesterday he’d tried to find who owned the abandoned boat, apparently it was sold in March and C&RT have no record of who the new owners are! Well at least it is safe rafted up to the pontoon with us all.

Two cruisers that had been moored on the downstream pontoon had headed off to Selby earlier. The skippers very used to river conditions as they used to deliver large rolls of newsprint to York Press on the Foss, their powerful engines would also help with most situations and the swing bridges would need to be swung for them as they zoomed by. Jo, on the widebeam next to us, had been booked to head downstream today, but none of us would be going anywhere until at least the weekend.

The Lock Keeper was keeping a close eye on the levels. If it got higher it would soon be over the top of the lock gates, he’d then swing the swing bridge over the lock meaning those on the pontoon above the weir could still have access from the lock island. If it got even higher he hoped that they had sufficient supplies on board as the water covers the island and the water can get to chest deep when it’s really bad.

Viking Recorder at 6pm shortly before the peak

In the past the lock cut has been filled with boats seeking refuge from the floods. Rafted right across from the water point pontoon. Then ropes have been tied to trees across the cut so boats could tie to them and stay away from the banks. He can’t remember the maximum amount of boats he’s had here.

But today the peak of the flood should arrive around 8pm and the expected level in York would be around 2.5 meters, so we should be fine.

We walked along the river bank, past where we’d been moored yesterday afternoon, the tops of the ladders only just visible. A fisherman had taken up camp where the river bus normally pulls in, at least it wouldn’t be dropping passengers off today!

Following the path towards Naburn we thought we’d get river views, but the height of the Himalayan Balsam was way too high, so we only had a view of the footpath.

The view did widen out across a field which will be part of the flood plain, cattle grazed here today, but apparently you can quite often see deer. We followed the path round, noting that the caravan part of the campsite sits at the same height as the field we were walking in. The tent field seems to be a touch higher, so the London Leckenbys may not have had their tent swept away.

Now the water was so high in the cut that it was flowing over the top of the lock gates, the lock we are moored behind is no longer used and has gates about a foot higher. Left photo today, right 2 weeks ago when we arrived. The ladders on the moorings were now below the water and very soon the mooring signs became submerged. The pontoon we are all attached to now has a step down onto dry land.

Just in case, we decided to top up the water tank. The Lockie thought we’d still be able to reach the water point, but there are times when the level has been so high that the waterpoint has actually been submerged itself. On these occasions a hose with a closeable nozzle on the end comes in handy. Connected up to the tap and left pressurised this would mean boats would be able to connect up to it and get water.

With the tank filling I cleaned Tilly’s pooh box out and then decided to have a shower as the tank filled. Just as I was rinsing off the suds there was a bang and something hard fell into the shower tray, just missing my feet. What the?! The water on/off side of the control had shot off and water was spouting out of the side of it. I tried putting it back on with no luck, water sprouting everywhere!

Wrapped in a towel with the shower doors closed behind me, shower pump still going, I tried to think how to stop the water, where was the stop cock? A shout to Mick through the back doors, he was chatting away on the pontoon, I was dripping inside. In a slightly calmer moment I’d have thought about turning the water pump off, luckily Mick had that thought for me.

Of course he wanted to see what had happened, and what would happen if the pump was turned on again. ‘Ooo! I see what you mean’. The storage shelves behind the shower were emptied, the unit pulled out and the stop cocks to the shower turned off, we could now have water elsewhere in the boat, isolating the shower.

No ladders, no lock waiting signs, no high wall anymore

The control was removed and looked at, we no idea how the end had been fixed on in the first place. A hunt round for the old control that Mick replaced last year, it had lost the ability to change the temperature, but nowhere was it to be found. Only one thing for it a trip into York tomorrow to take it back to Screwfix and get a new one. At least not having a shower will help in saving water.

The water kept rising. Last look before sundown there was maybe another foot to go before we’d be needing wellies to get off the pontoon. Hopefully this was where it would stop.

0 miles, 0 locks, 1.55m higher in York than when we left, 1.2m higher than when we arrived in Naburn yesterday, 2.8m cabinet, 2 mile walk, 1 cancelled camping get together, 1 sad Pip, 1 more boat, 6 safe boats floating, 1 broken shower, 1 laser pen needing new batteries.

We May Be Here Longer Than An Hour! 25th August

Scarborough Railway Bridge to Naburn Water Point Pontoon

What a rainy morning. Before river traffic commenced the water was fairly calm, fast flowing past us but calm. One boat came past heading down stream and pulled up at the bottom of Museum Gardens, a kind of hybrid of cruiser and narrowboat.

As the rain lashed down around us I had quite a long messenger conversation with my old college friend Nick. We’d been hoping to catch up whilst being around York, yesterday would have been a perfect time to meet, a sunny evening, but it was too short notice by the time we got into town. The plan had been for him to visit this morning, but with torrential rain that simply was bonkers. As we’ll be staying north this winter we hope we can catch up at another time.

The level had gone down a touch this morning, so at least when our Sainsburys delivery arrived nobody needed to be wearing wellies! Our shopping was quickly sorted, quarantine goods went into the shower cubicle where it would be drier than the welldeck. Fridge items came inside to be dealt with, but that was put on hold until we’d pushed off, winded and headed back towards Naburn, the river level was not going to stay where it was for long.

At the back of the Guildhall a large floating pontoon was tied up to where the trip boats sleep at night, this had been brought from Queens Staith. It looks like the building works are supplied by road to Queens Staith, loaded onto the pontoon which is towed to the back of the Guildhall where it is craned off onto site, much easier than bringing everything down the side of the Mansion House.

Our progress on the river heading downstream was fast and we made it back to Naburn in about an hour. The level hadn’t started to rise here so we decided to give Tilly some shore leave before it was likely to be cancelled.

A few puddles but it looks like it won’t drift away

Now on the third different bit of towpath near Naburn Lock, Tilly was very tentative to step off, but on seeing that there was some dry land she soon jumped up onto the bank and headed off. She’d been given a couple of hours leave.

Mick tested the depth here . To the sides of each ladder are large chunks of wood to help protect the ladders and boats from each other, but in rising water these may well be something that your boat could end up sitting on. We didn’t plan to be near them for very long.

Mick went to chat to the Lockie who lives on site. The water point pontoon had been vacated by two cruisers yesterday and already Richard and Heather had moved onto it. Breasted up against them was the widebeam we’d seen at Linton Lock. This is where we should move to as the level is set to rise much higher than it did the other day. We just needed to leave the end where the water point is so that people could access it.

The one thing we needed now was Tilly. Mad cat woman time, in the gale that had now settled in. Shouting and shouting, listening for birds giving away her location or for her to reply to me. Nothing.

I walked up and down, spending more time where she spent most of her time before. But of course we were now moored nearer the lock and there was a good patch of trees at that end.

I did the circuit again. We emptied the yellow water, trying to be interesting, but we failed. Another circuit, then another. I checked the paint I’d applied yesterday, thankfully it hasn’t blistered up. I still wasn’t interesting enough! Another circuit. Eventually I heard a reply. Thank goodness she hadn’t gone walkabout and lost her scent in the wind! She came trotting back out from nowhere and jumped straight on the boat.

Time to make a move.

So right now it decided to tip it down. We’d both put coats on, but not waterproof trousers. There wasn’t far to move, but we both got soaked in the process. We pulled alongside Doofer the widebeam, their bow curving away from us so I opted to throw our bow rope over their T stud. I did this very well, but also managed to catch their full bow and button. I tried again a couple of times, but also got their anchor.

I am cautious stepping onto other boats, you don’t know how grippy the gunnels are, having bad grip in one hand doesn’t help either. I waited for Mick to acknowledge that I was going to step across, not wanting any movement between the two boats. When I felt safe I hopped over made sure our rope was round their stud and climbed back on board Oleanna to tie up. We were now the third boat breasted up to the pontoon.

One boat has been sat on the moorings for the last few days, nobody on board, just loose ropes. Mick had chatted to the Lockie about it, should they move it to the pontoon? With the Leeds C&RT office closed the Lockie couldn’t get contact details for the owner and he shouldn’t move it without permission.

Suspect we’ll all be here longer than an hour

A while later we could see the Lockie and the chap from Doofer bow hauling the narrowboat along to join us. Jo had originally pulled up to where we’d been the other day on the high wall, but the Lockie wasn’t keen on this. Levels are due to rise in York to around 3m, so he advised her to move alongside us which would be safer. Everyone was out battling against the wind and rain, boats rafted together. We adjusted ourselves to try to level up the sterns for safer access across to land, which was just as well as Jo was about to take her kids to Leeds.

All safe now we sat and waited for the levels to come up. This took it’s time. We’d all been in a rush to get breasted up in the wind and rain as if we’d been expecting a tsunami from York.

I forwarded the forecast levels to Andrew in London for them to think about. If the river does come up that much the pontoon here will be at the same level as the water point, any higher then wellies or waders might be needed to get on and off the pontoon, who knows if the camping field will remain above water?!

During the afternoon we only had a four inch rise. I finished making some buckwheat lasagne to use up the bolognese sauce from two days ago. The gluten free lasagne you can buy in shops isn’t that good, but with my sour dough starter and a bit of resting time my version is far tastier.

0 locks, 5.7 miles, 1 wind, 2.13kg leg of lamb, 6 boxes wine, 4 inches spare, 1 AWOL cat, 1 howling gale, 4 abreast, 1 behind, 3 kids evacuated, 1 Tiger Storm, 4 inches only, 0 view, 1 tasty lasagne, 2 boaters and 1 cat safe.

https://goo.gl/maps/hkmpck4HcUWhgSZ38

A Sunny Window. 24th August

Naburn Lock to Naburn visitor moorings to Scarborough Railway Bridge

Despite less of a view this morning we knew the sun was out. This also meant the level had dropped some overnight, a relief. We took our time having breakfast and when we heard the engine start up next door Mick headed out the back.

Sunniest of days. Richard and Heather were pulling away, time to learn how to reverse! They were then going to go for a pootle up river for some practice.

That beam was well under water last night

We put a load of washing on and waited for a dinghy to finish collecting water before we pushed over to the service moorings, the floating pontoon there still occupied by boats that had sought refuge. The bollards on the moorings had been submerged when we moved to the wall last night, but today I could step off onto dry land again.

The water tank was filled, rubbish disposed of we then reversed our way back to the Visitor Moorings to decide what to do. We knew the levels in York would still be over the path. We also knew we needed to stock up on supplies. Yesterday we’d booked a delivery to the moorings at the bottom of Marygate for tomorrow morning. We just needed the river to drop some more and this would be possible.

Tilly was granted shore leave again, this time the shore was not going to leave her. She did take care when she first stepped off the boat, being cautious of damp patches of mud was sensible. Then she was off and up the bank, heading towards the village where the friendly cover is especially good!

Jo was soon on the move too, filling with water, then reversing back behind us.

As the sun was out I decided to give the grabrail a coat of top coat. When we first got Oleanna I ordered a tin of each paint for touch ups, a tin of red would be ample to repaint the full grabrail. But somehow, the RAL number I’d given the chandlers didn’t correspond with the paint on the rails, it was darker. At first I thought that maybe the paint had faded, as red tends to. Then when we were in Sheffield at the beginning of last year the painter at Finesse gave me a quarter of a tin of the correct colour. This was not enough to redo the whole rail but sufficient for touch ups.

My plan has been to order a new tin of the correct colour but in the mean time touch up where needed and maybe wait until we’ve been through Standedge Tunnel before going the hole hog.

Undercoat was sanded then I first touched up a patch of cream. On opening up the tin of red paint from Finesse, I noticed it had a different smell to it, less enamel more car spray. I found a better brush and started to apply it.

Yes the day was sunny, but the grabrail was not hot. The paint acted like it was drying within 30 seconds. I wasn’t doing huge expanses, but yet couldn’t go back to smooth the finish. I toyed with stopping after the first bit as the paint just wasn’t acting how it should. But then (I may regret this) decided to continue to at least get some top coat on to protect the work already done.

The whole lot will need sanding back down when the time comes. I removed the masking tape, only a few minutes after I’d applied the paint and in a couple of areas the red came off with it along with the undercoat beneath! Oh blimey!! Have I been here before?!

Ages ago I was given the job to refurbish a drinks promotion set which was surrounded by a black shiny floor. The floor had been sanded and I’d applied a coat of black paint, then I was given a varnish to apply. The health and safety for this product required me to wear full breathing equipment and the rest of the workforce in the workshop had to have left, so the job was left for last thing one evening. I applied the varnish and left. In the morning a major reaction had occurred because I’d been given a cellulose varnish that had reacted with what had gone before. What should have been black and very hard wearing shiny floor looked like a tractor had run over it, blisters covered the surface.

Looking at Oleanna’s grabrail I could see a few air bubbles appearing. Oh, BUMingham!!! We’ll see what happens and hope for the best.

Mick got the tape measure out to see how much of the hard edge was above water, 22cm. When we’d arrived it had been 36cm, the visible edge at Museum Gardens had been at least 15cm if not 20 when we left. This meant that the moorings in York should just be above water or very soon would be as the levels were still falling.

I called for Tilly who came running, worried that the shore was on the move again.

All aboard we reversed out of the lock cut, winded and headed upstream back to York. Temperature checks were requested as Oleanna was pushing quite hard, all still fine, just where it should be.

With the sun out the water was bright blue, glinting in the sun. Kingfishers were making the most of it darting in front of us fishing. We slowed to see Dad’s house the ground floor windows almost visible at this height.

Both Chilled medication boats were moored up on their moorings out of town. The tree that had been partially blocking the river (nothing compared to what it would have done on a canal) has been cleared by Millennium Bridge.

Where one of the chilled medication boats usually moors here we could see a couple of lads on the edge, they’d been fishing. Were they paddling? Or was the ground just above the water level and dry? We could see their toes as we got nearer.

The scaffolding is mostly removed from the Blue Bridge and very bright blue it is.

The sun had brought everyone out onto Kings Staith the pubs and restaurants doing a roaring trade. We carried on now fairly confident that we wouldn’t be needing wellies to moor up.

Two boats were moored along the bottom of Museum Gardens, one taking advantage of the higher wall at the end of Marygate. We pulled in just past them, here there would be easy access for a delivery tomorrow. A big joint of lamb was added to our shopping as I don’t think we’ll be enjoying alfresco dining with the London Leckenbys later in the week! What a lovely evening, a big shame they are not here now.

The levels are due to start going back up tomorrow around lunchtime, our shopping due to arrive by midday. We’ll be pushing off as soon as it is all on board and heading back to Naburn.

0 locks, 0.12 miles in reverse, 5.64 miles to York, 1 wind, 4 kingfishers, 1 level dropped by 38cm in Naburn, 54cm in York, 1 beautiful evening, 1 horrid pot of paint, 6 claggy touch ups, 3 hours shore leave, 2 boats down, 3 boats up, 1 tentative meeting tomorrow, 1 batch garlic mustard crackers (recipe nearly perfected), 1 big joint of lamb ordered, if we are stranded due to flooding we’ll eat it all ourselves.

https://goo.gl/maps/jnCPKSZ8ezgALGEZ9

Walking On Water. 23rd August

Naburn Lock visitor moorings to the high wall by the lock

She insisted I sat on her knee this morning to have the rules recited. I had to concentrate hard as there were a few said with extra gravity. I think it’s because She and Tom kept peeking out of the curtains last night, they both even opened up the one way hatch and used torches to have a look down. Words were mumbled to each other then we could all get back to sleep.

At first today I was told I had all day. Fantastic!!! But it depended on how things were. I didn’t understand this so just humoured them and went to wait for Tom to open the back doors.

There was something wrong! Someone (it wasn’t Tom or She because they were in bed all night, I can vouch for that as I slept on them both) last night must have partially pushed the outside away from us. The wetness that is normally on that side was creeping along this side. Just how was a cat meant to get to shore, it was shore leave after all.

This was going to take some calculations. An extra stretched leap got me to the bank, back on the outside. Phew! time to find some friends, see you! Except there were woofers. I needed to sus out how to get back on board. This was going to take more calculations.

From the top of the bank it did not compute. Access to the small wall was too slippy and I might fall into the abyss of brown water, She’d warned me that the darker water was the worst, but I wasn’t keen on any of it.

The steps, yes the steps. Hmm, now there was a patch of outside still visible, a hop onto that then the cat walk, job done.

She opened up the cratch to give me more options, but that only really led to having access to the top of Oleanna. But from here I could jump onto the outside with the help of a post. Job done, no woofers I was off!

I kept myself busy with the friendly cover, climbing trees, playing with friends, I decided to leave the conker spiky things for others to play with. I’d been quite happy when She came calling for me. Brilliant playtime! Except She wanted me to go home.

But hang on, the shore had been busy whilst I was in it and had started to leave Oleanna! Was this really what shore leave meant?! I didn’t like it what ever it was! The little island I used to do a hop and a skip on last time had vanished, nowhere to put my paws on to get to the cat walk!

She picked me up, then stepped onto the water!! How was she doing this?! What kind of miracle? This water walking was a noisy sloshing scary business. I took the first opportunity to make a jump for it through the one way hatch, a good grip with my back paws meant I made it safely back inside.

They both could walk on water. To be able to do this they had to put on wellies. She said this was the first time she’s used hers, so I think she was a bit of a novice, but Tom had it down to a T. A very noisy T.

We had a walk up to chat with the Lock Keeper and book our return to Selby for next weekend. He’d been checking the levels upstream, as had we, and the forecast was that levels would rise again overnight. We could move to near the lock where there is a higher wall to moor alongside or if space became available on the pontoon that would be good also. With the tide coming in the water going over the weir was very nearly level.

Rubbish was disposed of, then we had a walk to check out the campsite for the London Leckenbys. It’s about a five minute walk up the lane to the main road and their field is off to the right, handy for the water point and bins. Here’s just hoping the rain doesn’t turn the field into a quagmire!

On our return to the boat the level had risen again, our welly toes now submerged. After walking to the stern it was hard to see where the edge was, so extra care was needed stepping on and off the boat which was now quite a big step.

After Lunch Mick went to check with the others on the moorings. Jo, with her kids, on a widebeam was keen to move over to the higher wall. Richard and Heather on the boat infront of us would happily breast up to us once we’d moved. Locations were checked again with the Lockie and we pushed off. Hopefully to find a shore that wasn’t going to leave us!

A bit of tooing and froing before we were happy, tyre fenders deployed should the levels rise more and away from any under water obsticles we might get caught on as we, hopefully, went down. Jo followed us over, then Richard and Heather on their new to them boat.

Long conversations followed regarding their boat, bought second hand a few days ago. It’s in need of some work internally and is only undercoated outside. All those decisions to make, things to discover, very exciting. Last night had been their first on board and they’d been glad we’d warned them about the levels as they were too busy just being on their new boat.

Watching the levels and forecast levels during the evening it looked like things would gradually improve and hopefully there wouldn’t be a second spike overnight. Mick still made sure our ropes were loose before going to bed. At least on this side we should be able to sleep better despite not being able to see much of the outside world.

0 locks, 0.13 miles, 1 level river, 14 inches over night, 1.43m by 3.15pm, 4 wellies, 4 cat wellies required, 2 boaters walking on water, 1 big field, 1 cats shore leave curtailed, 1 short move, 0 view, 2 lock keepers, 1 crewless boat, 4 boats on the high wall, 0.85cms higher than 13th August, 2 happier boaters feeling safer.

https://goo.gl/maps/1GBHKFcobsBJWL6G6

The Other Side Of The Sideways Trees. 18th August

Ripon Basin to Oxclose Lock

The next few days we’ll be on the river again and staying in places not so cat friendly so today we decided to move back to Oxclose Lock and give Tilly a few hours of freedom, but first we waited for the rain to subside. Six years ago it also rained as we left Ripon.

By 11:30 it looked like it was drying up, time to roll the covers up and make our move, with chores to do it would be a stop start journey. First up to the very end of the Ripon Canal, the trip boat not going anywhere today, here we winded and headed back to the otherside of a cruiser that had joined us yesterday.

The yellow water tank was emptied the container left on the bow to be emptied at the services which was our next port of call. Here we cut the corner again, NB Otter having moved on meant we had more room to play with today. Facing downstream we used the other tap and were surprised that this tap had much better pressure than the other one. The tank would be full by the time we’d done our other chores.

The service block built to match the lock cottage

Tilly got a clean pooh box, Mick dealt with rubbish and the yellow water, the tank was full and we could move on, now in the rain!

Six years ago on Lillian we’d squeezed into the two locks on the way up. Mick hadn’t been confident at missing the cill on our way back down, so after topping up with water we’d winded and then reversed through the locks, giving us that bit of comfort knowing that the bow could overhang the cill if needs be. This is one of the reasons we had Oleanna built a foot shorter, we knew she’d fit even if we still had to go behind a bottom gate on a slight diagonal.

Pulling out of Bell Furrows Lock I managed to take a photo of the top gate. On facebook groups there are often people complaining of leaking gates, people expecting them to be watertight.

Well this gate is by far the worst we’ve seen in a long time and being a touch long for the lock Mick hid behind closed doors as the lock emptied, keeping his legs dry.

Lillian’s back deck had no gaps in the surround, so leaks like this would only have one way to go and that was through the engine board drains or down into the engine bay itself, another reason for going down backwards.

I then elected to walk down to Oxclose Lock, this was so I could see what lay behind the sideways trees.

First there was a lake, here a few cormorants sat whilst others dived, the occasional swan added a touch of variety.

Then the lake in the middle of the race course. Here a fisherman had erected a green tent and was hoping for a bite.

The last lake was a totally different matter. This is Ripon City Wetlands Reserve. It was filled with thousands of geese, mostly greylags from what I could see. The lakes have been formed from sand and gravel quarries and this last lake is by far the most popular of them all.

Clouds of gaggeling geese flew over trying to find gaps in which to land. The noise was colossal! Glimpses through the sideways trees made me wonder if any more birds could fit!

On the other side of me Mick pootled along, looking a little bit superimposed in my photo here as the bank is so high.

Reaching Oxclose Mick pulled in at the end furthest away from the lock whilst I walked round over the lock gates. Two volunteers were hard at work with a pump and jet wash giving the lock landings a good clean.

Tilly was given five hours and came and went all afternoon. Returning for some Dreamies every hour and then off again to find friends.

At cat curfew time I heard a very loud hiss from the sideways trees and peered into them to see what was happening. Tilly had the biggest mohican back and bushy tail ever and seemed to be having a stand off with something. With back up from me she headed straight for Oleanna, had a good chomp at her evening ding ding and then fell asleep.

2 locks, 2.04 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 0 rubbish, 1 farewell to Ripon and it’s otter, 1 damp day, 3 lakes, 1 fisherman, 4578432 geese, 2 volunteers, 1 exhausted cat, 2 soaked trainers, 2 boaters watching the levels.

Watch For The Bubbles. 16th August

Oxclose Lock to Ripon Canal Basin

Rain. We’ve not had much of that of late, our mooring last night meant we heard the best of it being under trees. I do remember a boat here before that moored on the offside so as to avoid the added noise. Six years ago we waited to see the effect of a passing storm, not wanting to be caught out in York if the river rose. The added water passed through a day after the storm so we weren’t held up too long.

Today we decided that as we’d only got a couple of hours cruise up the canal to do before tomorrow afternoon then Tilly could decide when we left. Typical letting me out when it was raining! I made the most of it, taking my time.

Julie the Lock Keeper walked down to check the bywash and give things a once over. Mick popped out for a chat and to see if she knew if there would be space up at the basin. There might be a couple of boats but there should be space for us. Mooring is limited up here, about ten visiting boats can be accommodated on the canal, but then it is only just over 2 miles long.

It had stopped raining so I gave Tilly a call, just as Julie was heading back up the towpath. We had a chat about all things cat and she hoped Tilly would return soon. Just as she walked away I could hear Tilly’s bell deep in the friendly cover behind the sideways trees.

I’m busy!

Tilly wasn’t coming in, she’d found a friend. After a while I could hear her bell again and encouraged her to come home, picking her up and plonking her through the side hatch to make sure we wouldn’t be stuck any longer.

Setting off we had over a mile to cover before arriving at our first lock. The towpath was busy. People stopping to look at birds, there are several large lakes just to the east of the canal and they seemed to be filled with noisy geese today. There also seemed to be some activity at the racecourse, but from our low level on the canal we couldn’t see what was happening, even standing on the stern lockers didn’t get me high enough to see over the hedge.

The two locks up to the basin had been a tight squeeze on Lillian but today we knew we had an extra foot to play with, we still needed to enter the locks and tuck Oleanna behind a gate to close the other side. Bell Furrows Lock top gates were leaking like a right b**ger and as Mick brought Oleanna in he exclaimed, ‘Oh Eck!’ Glad I had removed the quarantined flour from the well deck.

The top paddles on the locks have C&RT padlocks on them, I’d forgotten to take a key with me, but one was soon passed up. Oleanna stayed on a diagonal until she’d risen well past the cill, plenty of gongoozlers about to watch her slow ascent. One chap at Rhodesfield Lock wanted to help me with the lock beam, but that would have been too close for comfort, it wasn’t that heavy anyway.

I made sure I closed up the paddles fully and that all gates were closed, not many boats about, but those that sat on moorings would appreciate not finding themselves on the bottom in the morning.

The lock cottage is currently up for sale. In need of a lick of paint on the exterior it is a nice looking Grade 2 house, just a shame about the road so close behind it.

We pulled in at the services, another boat NB Otter sitting on the 48hr mooring here making it a touch awkward to pull in for a water point. When the canal was restored I suspect they didn’t expect boats of our length to visit so none of the three sides available to moor up to are quite long enough for us. Mick brought us in at a jaunty angle, I was ready at the bow to hop off with a rope.

Once we’d cut the corner we needed to pull back to make sure the canal in front of us was clear, should a widebeam have been heading down the canal we’d have blocked its way. All settled we connected the hose. Now if you think the water point at Hillmorton Locks is slow, here is a serious contender to being even slower! Once a minute of flow had come through the pipe the dribble started to fill up our water tank. Bins were sorted, then we waited and waited. Good job the tank was 1/2 full to start with. We waited, then gave up at 3/4 full, we could always top up again on our return.

Not far to the visitor moorings where we had the stretch to ourselves, we pulled up at the far end.

This looked good, plenty of sideways trees. But she said what lay behind those sideways trees was death! I didn’t like the sound of that so went to sleep instead.

It must have been quite peaceful here during lockdown with the lack of traffic, but as the evening progressed it quietened down. A chap sat on one of the benches and chatted away loudly on his phone. Tilly sat bolt up right, was she earwigging the chap? She jumped onto the Houdini shelf and looked out of the window, we’d seen no ducks, just what was keeping her attention?

I opened up the hatch to see a brown slithering body arch and dive back into the water infront of me, 10 to 12 foot away. An otter!

We watched as the bubbles moved around, the otter resurfacing for it’s next lung full of air, then letting it gradually go as it swam around under the water.

Wow! So close. Understandably our evening meal could wait as we watched for bubbles and for it to resurface.

It gradually moved it’s way down the canal towards the locks, the chap on the bench started talking again, he’d been waiting for it too.

2 locks, 2.08 miles, 4 hours shore leave, 1 Lock Keeper, 1 extreamly slow tap, 0 rubbish, 1 otter boat, 2 boaters watching the levels, 1 cat watching her new friend, 1 friend a touch too big to play with!

https://goo.gl/maps/ynBsuBcJjWmq4GLj9

After The Rain. 18th July

Pipe Bridge 115A

Miserable. We made the decision to stay put for the day as it was so totally miserable. We’ve had a couple of long days and really didn’t want to get wet again.

The back doors were opened up as we had breakfast for Tilly to head off into the wet air. No hesitation from her this morning. Well I’d found friends yesterday and had to find more today. I also had to work out how to get one of the big wooly friends home. That was going to take quite some calculations as there is a fence with square holes and wooly friends are not square by any means!

The Geraghty Zoom had talk of a close pass by an asteroid this week, the second coming on the south coast and the existence of a UK desert. We also had a late arrival from Ruth who’s birthday it was, she’d already hit the prosecco as it was a none wedding day for one of her best friends, the day certainly had to be marked.

Could we be bothered to get damp for our Saturday newspaper? A stretch of our legs would be good, so we both wrapped up and walked back along the towpath to Clayton-Le-Moors, a slight round about trip down a footpath we’d seen yesterday meant our walk included some up and down too.

Mick headed into the Co-op whilst I had a little look round. A queue at the chemist, I could have had a hair cut (but that would be five months too early) or a Benidorm tan. I decided to stand in the rain instead. Mick took his time and it turned out that he’d bumped into an old work colleague John in one of the isles. Back in 2014 John came to visit us on Lillian, but sadly today it was only a quick chat in the Co-op.

Early afternoon we heard the swing bridge behind us and peered out the back doors. NB Billy was pulling up very damp. Yesterday they’d only just managed to get into the countryside before they’d had enough of the slow going, but their mooring wasn’t ideal. We’d let them know where we were and it only took them three hours to cover 7 miles!

The weather gradually dried up through the afternoon, Clare popped round to have a rivet gun workshop. Yesterday in one of the locks our cratch cover had caught on one of Billy’s rivets, a press stud took most of the force and a slight rip to the fabric. In narrow locks we roll the covers right up to prevent this, but we’d decided to have them down for the leaky Leeds Liverpool ascent, so this was always a possibility.

Mick got the gun out and demonstrated how easy it was. I just need to find a bit of suitable fabric to mend the rip which I’m hoping the Fent Shop in Skipton will provide. Then they headed to see if we had the right size rivets to mend Billy’s covers (not injured in the locks with us), not quite but a mend was possible to keep them going.

As the afternoon turned into evening the sun even came out. Then after we’d finished our macaroni cheese (with extra bits) the sky looked amazing outside.

This morning we’d risen to no view, someone having stolen the hills. This evening we were treated to wonderful amounts of sky, hills as far as you could see and a wonderful sunset.

Earlier in the day we’d been trying to decide our favourite moorings with views. We obviously have several. This evening, this mooring came out on top as it showed off in style, curlews calling out as they flew past as the sun nestled down behind the hills.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 miles for a paper, 1 colleague, 2 damp boaters, 2 more pairs of wet shoes, 4 moving boats, 1 life raft, 3 rivets, 1 gun, 9 hours, 1 stubborn none square sheep, 3 smaller friends, 1 stunning evening, 1 stove lit, 1st in the view catagory.

Bees, Bums And Bridges.1st July

Hill Top Footbridge 20 to Dryhurst Bridge 26

We woke to rain and a layer of cloud hid the view across the valley. I opened up the curtains so that we could hopefully watch the clouds roll away as we had our cuppa in bed.

It really is astonishing that your average towpath user seems to have no idea that people can hear every word inside their boat or that they might be looking out of the window. Yesterday we had two chaps walk past who appreciated Oleanna’s lines and did not stop raving about how gorgeous she was for a good ten minutes, thank you we appreciated your comments and agree with you.

This morning a young lady stopped by the side of us to warm up before going for a run. She stretched and lent over right in front of our window totally oblivious to the two of us catching up on news supping our mugs of tea sat in bed. Even Tilly had to have a closer look. I have chosen the photo very carefully as I know this post will go live at 8am and to retain the ladies modesty! Her running partner soon arrived and off they jogged leaving us with only the cloudy hillside again.

Due to having run the dishwasher yesterday evening after 8pm, our batteries were in need of a charge. With little sun around at the moment that meant we’d be needing to run the engine, should we stay put or move whilst it charged the batteries? We decided on the later eating breakfast whilst outside remained dry. Of course as we rolled back the covers it started to drizzle and then it got heavier. We sheltered for a while under the pram cover and as it seemed to be easing we pushed off to creep our way further towards Bugsworth Basin.

Having had a few days with no obstacles, today we had bridges that would need moving. The first Turf Lee Lift Bridge, operated with a windlass. It took quite a lot of puff to wind it up and not so much to bring it back down again, all the time it rained. I was regretting my choice of trousers over shorts.

Then Wood End Lift Bridge which serves a house and a compound of some sort. A few years ago it was changed from a wind up wind down to an automated bridge. The position of the control panel obscured behind bits and pieces on the towpath, luckily I remembered this and didn’t cross the bridge hunting for it.

An interesting boat sat just before the bridge landing. Two layers of small portholes had what looked a touch like pairs of victoria sponge cake tins welded together which acted as swivelling shutters for the portholes.

Round the next bend to Higgins Clough Swing Bridge, another advertising to turn the key of power 3/4 when a full turn would be a better option! But the bridge was easy to move once the locking mechanism had been released.

So far anywhere we’d thought of stopping had been occupied, so when we came through Disley and saw space alongside another boat with a view we pulled in hoping the depth would be good for us. I say this as we’d spent some of the cruise getting here bumping our way along the bottom ten foot out from the bank.

There was depth for us, so we tied up sharing the ring at the front with the other boat. Tilly was let out to explore. I tried encouraging her to pose for a photo in front of the view, it never works! As I took photos I realised there was a bee trying to get in through the hatch. Another look and there was another, and another! The hatch doors were closed and I went outside.

A small group of bees were milling around the cabin side, had we disturbed a nest? If so we certainly needed to move for both ourselves and them. Luckily Tilly was just sussing things out, stood on the wall, so a very easy pick up and was deposited back into the boat.

The chap from the boat ahead returned and we all decided that the bees obviously had made a nest behind the old shuttering along the canal edge and were a little bit peed at us being so close to their front door. We pulled Oleanna back, still managing to have sufficient depth and tied the bow to what had been the stern spikes. We could now settle down for the rest of the day.

During the afternoon we watched Act 1 of Midsummer Nights Dream from The Bridge Theatre. A wonderful example of how ‘Live’ theatre brings the audience and actors together. Theatre is a live experience, a unique performance every time for the audience in the room. In this case the audience playing an extra part as they looked on and at times got in the way of the actors and stage management.

If Covid-19 hadn’t arrived, this week you’d have been hearing very little from me as I’d have been busy putting the finishing touches to The Garden at The Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield. Last minute touches of paint, stitches in costumes and helping actors do buttons up and tying laces for those who excel at other things. Tonight would have been the opening performance of the show.

Here’s a link to the Lockdown Edition which will be on line to view from the 14th to 28th July. Tickets are available at: https://thegardenlockdownedition.eventbrite.co.uk

0 locks, 2.08 miles, 3 bridges, 60 turns up, 40 turns down, 1 button, 1 push, 1 pair of pants, 1 wet day, 7 bees, 60 ft pull back, 1 tooth, 1 delivery secured, 1 surprisingly good loaf of bread, Act 1, 0 first night, 1 designer missing designing.

https://goo.gl/maps/GHW1qR9ssxt1VF3N9

Sheep Worrying. 29th June

Smith’s Bridge 14

A day for not doing much really. The wind and rain didn’t make the thought of moving very appealing, even the hardiest crew member Tilly wasn’t impressed with the weather. I think the amount of footfall here yesterday actually had more to do with her choice than the weather.

As there is still a chance that a project I’ve been offered with Dark Horse Theatre Company might happen next year I decided it was way time I did a bit of sussing out for it. The production will have a lot of projection in it and after watching Small Island last week I decided to get in touch with my friend Jen. Jen was a Scenic Artist at The National Theatre and had worked on the show. The constant background of projection had made me wonder what colour the back wall had actually been. Almost certainly not white as this would have allowed light to bounce around all over the place, but was it grey?

She came back with the response that the back wall had been heavily textured and painted in several shades of grey. If I’d been to see the show I’d have been able to appreciate the texturing and the work that had gone into what on the TV screen at home looked more like a plain wall to project onto with just a bit of something to break it up a bit.

I sent another email to a good friend, normally a lighting designer, currently redesigning his garden, for a touch more information. Then I settled down to do a bit of hunting around for flight/boiler suits and hats for the cast to wear. I will soon need to provide a costume design so that it can be incorporated into the animation for the show.

The day being so damp and chilly Mick lit the stove and gave Oleanna a glowing warm interior. Tilly appreciated this and took pole position on the sofa for much of the rest of the day.

Think someone doesn’t like speeding bikes

Mid afternoon it looked like outside was drying up a touch, so I decided to see if there might be any views to be seen from the hill up towards Lyme Park. Mick wasn’t so keen so I set off on my own, making sure he knew what route I’d be taking.

I returned to the water point, at the Trading Place I realised that the chap yesterday hadn’t been constructing something in the doorway, but it was actually a little trolley that he could put peoples purchases on which would then slide to the doorway for them to collect. Shame I didn’t take a photo.

Over the bridge and straight up the track to where it forked, a quick check of my map and I took the right fork, still heading up hill. Cattle grids to keep the sheep in and plenty of farm traffic. There were tractors moving large round bales of silage from one place to another, builders pickups and a large transit that seemed to be visiting every farm in the valley. It took a while to climb up the hill past all the farm yards sadly missing many of the disused mine shafts as I went. The area used to be filled with coal mines.

But once I was above all the tractors and mud I was able to catch my breath and admire the grey view towards Stockport and Cheadle Hume.

Fields of sheep sat either side of the track. A few woolly beasts had found the tastier grass on the wrong side of the hedge which lead to a game of chicken, in a sheep kind of way. I kept myself right up to one side of the track hoping not to worry them too much, as they all carried on running away from me up the track. But soon a gate stood in their way! What were they to do? I carried on walking up the side, then all of a sudden the one brain cell between the six of them jumped into action, one sheep making a dash for it past me, the others followed suit, panic over.

A large banner covered a gate outside the last house on the track. This must be where Heather Broadbent lives. Last year she started on the around the world yacht race. Glancing at her blog and facebook page, it looks like the boat, CV21 got to Australia before the rest of the race was put on hold due to the pandemic.

National Trust tracks up towards Lyme Park

Through the next gate I was on National Trust land. I had no idea how much of my planned route would be on their tracks and the gates would be closing in half an hour. I reckoned that as soon as I started to head down hill I should be fine and I would soon be crossing over fields to the next track to make my descent, so I should make it in time.

Ladder and dog flap, Tilly would just step through

A large wooden ladder, with a handy dog flap below it joined me onto the North Cheshire Way for a couple of fields. Of course as I changed direction the wind now blew drizzle at me, so with my coat zipped right up I continued across the wet grass.

A section of dry stone wall was mid way through being mended. All the stones had been laid out of the grass, graded into sizes and the top stones all ready to go back sat in a line.

Below in the field I could hear a ladies voice. The milk heard gathering by a gate. They’d be heading for milking. Would I get to the farm before them? She opened the gate and off trotted Mable ahead of the pack, leading the way to the milking shed. I think she got there before the last straggler had left the field. Luckily for me the route to the milking shed didn’t involve the track down hill.

Back on tarmac I passed Platt Wood Farm with immaculate gardens and then veered northwards. A short distance onwards was a rather fine Volvo Amazon Estate sheltered out of the rain.

The house it was next to was for sale. At first it looked like the house was detached and the sign suggested it came along with some woodland. Now if we got a mooring at Higher Poynton we’d be able to walk from boat to house quite easily. A shame we’ve not got £600k to spare! And it’s only a semi!

By now the drizzle had turned to rain and I was glad I was mostly sheltered by the tall hedges. Over the canal again at Bullocks Bridge and a very damp walk back to Oleanna. Mick had suggested he might move the boat so that we didn’t have to listen to the music from across the way for another evening, but due to the rain the side hatch had been kept shut, well until the skies dried up again in the evening! Oh well, we’ll move on again tomorrow.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wet blowy day, 3.2 miles walked, 6 panicked sheep, 1 round the world yachts woman, 5 minutes on National Trust land (worth a years membership), 1 cosy boat, 1 pair of soggy jeans, 2 much Oasis.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna