Category Archives: Nottingham Canal

Beeston, Aspley Basin, Huddersfield

An all you can eat breakfast at Aspley, I double checked it wasn’t going to contain any gluten, thankfully their hash browns were okay, bacon a little bit dried out, but it was the thought that counted. Most people were away from the hotel before me, heading to participate in Well Being hour at the theatre before the days work began. Instead I walked up the hill via Sainsburys’ to get myself something for lunch.

Many of the same faces as yesterday were about, plus some new ones, some people having travelled from Glasgow, some from Kent. Todays proceedings were hosted by Nicky Priest, an actor, stand up comedian, advocate for autism conditions, oh and wrestler! A short performance by Dark Horse choreographed to music by Loz Kaye mentioning everyone who has worked and taken part on the Making Tomorrows Theatre projects.

Key note speaker was Tim Crouch, an experimental theatre maker, actor, director. He rejects realism and invites the audience to help create the work he does. With the aid of some photographs and one prop he got his audience to think out of the box, the first image actually being of a cardboard box. What else could that box be? Give it to a child I could become a car, rocket. I’d seen him pick up an orange at breakfast he placed it on the stage. What was it? What could it be? We were all wrong, it was his dog. But what did his dog look like? We were all asked to imagine what it looked like, was it sitting, sleeping scratching some annoying flea. If we’d imagined a Golden Retriever then we were wrong and quite boring! His style of theatre doesn’t require input from designers, as my job is taken over by the audience each creating their own unique surroundings, characters in their heads. I once had an argument with a director about having some part cutaway doors in a theatre in the round, this was so they could be left open and the audience sat next to them would be able to see the play. He wasn’t having it, he needed full double doors, he wasn’t willing to trust that his audience could fill in what I had left out. Tim Crouch wouldn’t have had even the partial doors, the door frame, the room! A very interesting man.

Protagonist George Webster followed. George is a BAFTA award winning presenter of CBeebies, he’s an actor, author and public speaker advocating for disability representation, he is also a member of the Separate Doors National Ensemble. He posed questions on how learning disabled and neuro divergent actors could and should become part of the main landscape. How could the industries of theatre, television and film become more inclusive.

Panels answered questions, panel members posed questions. A very thought provoking day. The quote Tim Crouch had used ‘No one is free until everyone is free’ is very true whether it be about race, disability, or anything.

As the conference drew to a close, there would be time to chat more to everyone, but also there was a three hour train journey back to Beeston. I checked the times of buses back to Brighouse and the connecting trains, I had 25 minutes, time to say my rushed goodbyes and head off. A shame I wasn’t included in the company photo, but many of the National Ensemble had already left too. What a fantastic two days it had been.

Back in Beeston, Tilly was bored, still! Mick got on with installing the new Victron gear, I’ll let him explain a bit more about this.

Mick here. Technical stuff coming up. If you get bored skip the next four paragraphs.

For some time, in fact for a few years, I’ve been thinking that our 24 volt100 amp domestic alternator isn’t up to the job of fully charging our LiFePO4 batteries. The alternator doesn’t output the 28.4 volts required to get the batteries up to full capacity. It seems to stop short at about 27.5v leaving the batteries liable to “under voltage over charging”. This is where the individual cells can become over charged even though the voltage doesn’t reach the point where the battery management system (BMS) cuts off the charging when the cell is full. I do wonder if this is what caused one of our original LiFePO4 batteries, as supplied by the boat builder, to fail. About 21 months ago we suffered an alternator failure and I did wonder if the replacement from Beta Marine would work better, but it made no difference.

The system we had, as installed by the boat builder, was such that the alternator charged the LiFePO4 batteries directly and the 24v lead acid bow thruster bank was wired in parallel with them via a voltage sensitive relay (VSR). I had considered getting a Mastervolt Alpha Pro alternator charge regulator and indeed I had contacted the boat electrician Ed Shiers to get him to come and fit one. But we never seemed able to find somewhere suitable for him to come and visit us at a suitable time for both of us. I had considered fitting one myself but it involved taking apart the alternator and I wasn’t confident of doing this. Then last winter a new product was launched by Victron: a battery to battery charger (B2B) that was capable of taking a 24v DC input and providing a regulated 50 amp 24 volt DC output. This was capable of being programmed with a LiFePO4 profile specifically to charge our batteries properly. It was cheaper that the Mastervolt and as no tinkering with the alternator was required I could do the job myself.

So while we were at the house last winter I ordered a Victron Orion XS 1400 from 12 Volt Planet. I have bought stuff from them before and they have always been quick and reliable and apparently have good technical support, although I’ve never needed their advice. While Pip was away for 2 days I decided to install the B2B. I ran in the necessary cables on day one. In my career as a telecom / IT technician I only ever had to deal with thin wires (just lots of them!) and big thick chunky copper cables are not my idea of fun. But I got the cables in and terminated them with the required lugs at each end. I mounted the B2B in the electrics cupboard with the thinking that it would be cooler in there than the engine bay. The next day I connected everything up. So now the alternator is connected directly to the lead acid bow thruster bank and the B2B sits in between the alternator and the LiFePO4 bank via a fuse. I programmed the B2B with the LiFePO4 profile and changed the settings in the BMS so they would match the B2B. All the correct lights came on on the B2B and I started the engine. After the programmed 60 second delay the B2B went into “bulk”charging mode and the batteries started charging properly.

It all seems to be working well with the batteries charging quicker than they used to. I have still to connect the B2B up to our Victron Venus GX monitoring system. I need to shift the GX to the left because the USB socket is too close to the wall of the electric cupboard and I can’t plug the plug in. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow.

At some point in the afternoon, someone on an electric bicycle came whizzing along the towpath, Mick thought they may have been doing 30 to 40 mph. They wore a balaclava hat and hood. What had they done? Up above them they were being followed by a Police helicopter! I wonder if they caught them? Or was the bike too nimble for the police on the ground to be able to catch them?

**Front seat on the bus back to Brighouse**

My train journey back to Beeston went with only slight delays which were helped by delays to the connecting trains. Then a walk back to Oleanna in the dark to be greeted with the smell of dhal being warmed up for our meal tonight. It may take me sometime to download my photos, I really hope I’ve something that will be useful for illustrations.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 more trains, 1 bus, 9 ensemble, 2 panels, 5 provocations, 76 replies, 1 orange/dog, 1 high speed aerial chase, 1 Victron Orion XS 1400 installed, 1 afternoon of regretting that chicken last night, 1 cosy boat with a cat on my lap.

Making Tomorrows Theatre. 22nd September

2 Replies

Beeston and Aspley Basin, Huddersfield

Alarm set too early, I was off the boat at 6:45 and very glad of my three warmer layers as the first frost had landed overnight and mist hung over the canal. Have to say I wish I’d brought a hat with me.

Today I was headed to Huddersfield, 3 trains and a rail replacement bus from Brighouse to Huddersfield as the station there is closed for a month during upgrade works. The journey was good although I’d forgotten to sit myself on the correct side to watch all the locks on the Calder Hebble go by. I can report that the new rail bridges near Mirfield are still under construction.

**Brighouse the quickest route to Huddersfield today**

On my second train of the morning I realised I’d left my fully charged camera on the dinette! My phone is fine for photos but the zoom is not great. Maybe I should see if I could buy a cheap camera, after all my journey was partly with the aim of taking photos.

I zoomed round any possible shops on my way down to the Lawrence Batley Theatre having no luck what so ever on the camera front. But I did manage to arrive at the theatre just about bang on time as the events started.

Making Tomorrows Theatre Conference was taking place over two days. I’d been invited by Vanessa Brooks the Artistic Director of Separate Doors to observe, absorb and take photos which I’ll then use to draw some illustrations. These will be included in a book about the Sail Makers project that the conference was to be the culmination of. I attended the Producing Making Tomorrows Theatre days at Level near Matlock back in March and had a day at the Directing Tomorrows Theatre back in 2023

Today theatre makers, directors and producers had been invited along to observe and to take part in rehearsals using the Silent Approach, this gives a level playing field to all actors no matter what their ability or disability. The Separate Doors National Ensemble were being directed by the guest directors when I arrived. Chrome framed chairs arced round the stage, there was music composed for the play and conference by Loz Kaye, gongs were hit, packets of snacks fell on the floor, fans were fanned, people ran and took off paragliding under the direction of Angela Gasparetto. It was good to see everyone again and be in a room of such incredible concentration.

The Artistic Director of Northern Broadsides Laurie Samson joined adding some text into the work, choreographers from LMP dance encouraged movement during workshops where an albatross was hunted down with a bow and arrow.

**Rehearsals using the Silent Approach**

Plenty of time to chat with people in breaks, Questions and answers taken later, a sociable drink, chance to say hello to Marianne from Mikron who had come to see what this was all about.

Meanwhile back in Beeston. Mick did quite a lot of clothes washing and managed to get it dry on the whirligig. Then he turned his attention to some preparatory work for installing a Victron Orion XS1400 battery to battery charger. What did Tilly do? Well she just got very bored! Beeston is rubbish after all.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2025/riot-women-trailer-sally-wainwright

A long and rewarding day in Huddersfield, the conference day ending with an hour of conversation between Dr Judith Johnson and Sally Wainwright who you are more likely to have heard of, the writer of Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax. Sally considers herself as autistic, the doctors don’t agree with her, they are wrong in her point of view. She talked about her 4 Maine Coon cats. She touched on projects she is currently developing, one with Sarah Lancashire. The cat was also let out of the bag regarding her next TV series Riot Women, BBC1 Sunday nights, starting in just a few weeks time although the BBC seem to be keeping it quiet at the moment.

Afterwards and another glass of wine later a group of us headed to find some food, The Ladz seemed to be a good call, similar to Nandos, but cheaper. I suspect I may regret my choice, it was tasty and really rather crunchy and also possibly not gluten free! Accommodation was at the Premier Inn at Aspley Basin, sadly my room overlooked the car park rather than the basin. A glass of wine before working my way through numerous emails to do with panto. Maybe I should have brought my laptop with me! Oh well.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 1 bus, 3 layers not quite enough, 1 tote bag, 1 baseball cap, lots of people to say hello 2, 1 camera on the dinette, 178 photos taken, 156 blurry, 1 live stream, 1 pork sandwich, 4 Maine Coons! 3 glasses of wine, 1 glutenous loaded fries, 5 panto emails, 1 stir crazy cat, 1 appointment in December.

An Aphrodite Rescue. 19th August

Turnover Bridge 19 to Henry Knibb Bridge 3A, Trent and Mersey Canal

Eggs and mushrooms on toast for breakfast, they needed eating so we just had to. The water point was free by Beeston Lock so we made use of it, filling up the tank and disposing of rubbish. A boat came through the lock just as I was heading up to set it for us.

Beeston Lock has a paddle painted red at either end, these should be left up when you leave the lock so that there is enough water flowing down the canal through Nottingham to feed the locks. During the summer Beeston Lock only has a rise of a few inches, of course sometimes it has a much bigger rise when the river is in flood. The lock landing pontoon on the river side seems to be inhabited by several boats, thankfully leaving enough space for a narrowboat to pull in to drop off or pick up crew from the river.

Up stream we counted several of the huts/houses up for sale on the off side. Were these still the same ones we’d seen a couple of years ago? I think one of them is. Did there used to be two lovely old boats along this stretch having work done to them? Only one moored now all under wraps.

With the lack of rain the river is lower than it normally would be at this time of year. Near Barton Island we could make out what might be a submerged wall which was creating a shallow weir effect, was this where NB Legend had ended up getting stuck and requiring RCR to rescue them a few years ago. We did our best to keep well clear.

There are two more warning signs in the river, more signs on the banks, most of which are overgrown by willow trees, so it’s hard to see which side of the river you should keep to. Round a bend, up ahead we wondered what was going on. A cruiser seemingly adrift towards the east bank and a narrowboat doing his best to pole himself off the bottom near the west bank. The cruiser turned out to be tied to a distant tree and looked to have an anchor down, no need to worry about them.

Could we help the narrowboat. At first we thought it was facing downstream, then the penny dropped it was a boat we’d seen on the canal with a pointy stern and a tiller more the type you get on a butty. A chap was stood on his gunnel with his pole pushing and getting nowhere, no life jacket in sight.

We slowed asked if we could help, he nodded. I headed up to the bow, the chap walked along his gunnels to get his centre rope. We’d be using our bow line to pull him backwards off the sandbank, not his, which might not take the strain. Mick reversed us back. I coiled the rope to throw to the chap, he stood on his gunnel, I asked him to step back to a safer place, I’d rather throw the rope numerous times until he caught it than have to try to get him out of the river! Once caught I asked him to tie it securely to his stern T stud, he wrapped the rope round a few times. No it needed to be secure, I tried to explain how to tie it. In the end I got on his boat and did it for him instead, knowing it would now hold.

Mick reversed, his aim to try to dislodge the boat whilst not getting stuck ourselves. The other boat was also in reverse, it got back afloat whilst biffing into us, it’s tiller going right over. Rope untied, we just needed to get out of his way so he could come backwards more to avoid returning to where he’d been stuck. But no, he went forwards! We managed to get out of the way and stay clear of the sand bank. Next move was to try pulling him free at the front, no room for us behind now without getting stuck ourselves.

As we got ready to back up to him, we could see that his bow was floating, the current was taking it round. Brilliant, he was afloat. He just needed to turn back to face upstream and follow us. This took quite a bit of time, his boat ending up almost passing the warning sign on the wrong side, eventually he was back on course. We slowly made our way up stream, he was far slower than we were, maybe his engine wasn’t strong enough, maybe he just liked travelling at the speed he’d do on canals against the flow of the river.

Round the next bend there is another warning sign. We did our best to keep him in sight, but he seemed to have gone off course again and was heading for the east bank behind what once had been a warning sign. Should we turn? We really didn’t want to get stuck ourselves. It’s one thing pulling a boat off a sandbank in a shallow river, it’s another going past a warning board where things are more than likely to put you at risk too.

The next stretch of river up to Cranfleet Lock was done as slowly as possible. I hopped off at the lock landing, Mick secured Oleanna and walked to the end of the long pontoon, the boat wasn’t in sight. I emptied the lock opened the gate, still no sign. I worked Oleanna up, we’d helped as much as we could, should someone else take over now? But who should we call?

Mick found a non emergency number for the Fire Brigade. They listened and suggested we contact CRT. We called CRT. They listened too, we were concerned that this chap was now stuck on the river somewhere it would be hard for other boaters to help him. Their attitude was if he was stuck he’d call them himself, maybe we should call RCR. This chap was quite unlikely to be a member, so we decided we’d done what we could, unless he called for help he’d be stuck. To be honest he didn’t really seem to know what he was doing, we hoped he was okay, maybe he knew of a mooring on the east bank that we weren’t aware of.

**The Lock Keepers today weren’t much help**

Which paddle to open first on Cranfleet Lock, someone once told us, but I couldn’t remember. The order I chose seemed to work, well nearly. Now there was just the task of opening the top gate. The water was level, but could I get the gate open. I ended up asking some cyclists to lend me their bums, that worked.

At Trent Lock we turned to head upstream passing new mooring rings on the bank. How many times in recent years have we hoped for a mooring on the pontoon only to find it chocka block? So how come today when we needed to cruise further on there was only one boat moored there?!

At Sawley Lock a hire boat was just coming down, we swapped places with them and were soon joined by another boat that had been on the service pontoon on the river. Earlier in the day we’d heard that Derwent Mouth Lock was open again, levels had improved, so we followed our new lock companion across the river section and onto the Trent and Mersey Canal.

A boat was coming down, we swapped with them. Our companion was going to pull in above the lock to decide what to do, where to go as closures seem to have followed him for the last few months. We’d decided to head on through Shardlow and up the lock so as to be off the pound that had lowered at the weekend. The level had been good, water running over the by wash, but we really didn’t want to get stuck tomorrow.

We pulled in just after the permanent moorings and opened the doors. Tilly was ecstatic with this outside, we hardly saw her until it was dingding time when she came in with five minutes still to go.

5 locks, 9.4 miles, 1 almost straight on but slightly to the right, 1 rescue, 1 helmsman course required, 1 boat off course, 1 unicorn lock keeper, 3 spaces free! 1 level back to normal, 2 hours shore leave, 1 hour spent buying 7 train tickets, £100 saving.

https://what3words.com/wonderful.clicker.wisdom

Below links to the houses for sale.

https://www.sdlauctions.co.uk/property/47564/lodge-for-auction-nottingham

https://www.auctionestates.co.uk/property/prickle-pin-lodge-trent-side-barton-in-fabis-nottingham-ng11-0bl-299028

https://copeandco.co.uk/properties/4-bedroom-house-house-for-sale-in-canal-bank-shardlow-derby-derbyshire-de72-2gl/437295

Kettle Black. 18th August

Stoke Lock to Turnover Bridge 19, Beeston Canal

We opted to have our tea with breakfast today as we wanted to cover some ground. As we pushed off a narrowboat at the other end of the pontoon had their engine running, but their dog was still lapping up it’s breakfast, would they be heading the same way as us?

Upstream, under the Radcliffe Viaduct, when we reached the 5km mark Mick radioed ahead to Holme Lock, it would be ready for us, ‘come in on the green’. Once in the lock we were asked to wait, there was another narrowboat behind us, they’d be ten fifteen minutes. Holme Lock is vast and on previous experience it takes quite a while to fill and empty, so we were happy to wait. The following boat didn’t take too long to arrive and turned out to be the boat from Stoke Lock, NB Kettle.

As the lock filled and the noise waned there was chance to chat with our lock partners, firstly to find out if they would be carrying on up stream and into Nottingham. They were, we’d have someone to share the locks with. Now NB Kettle is not only black, but it has always stood out from the crowd because of it’s sign writing. We’ve seen her about on the network through the years and the rabbits and moon have left a lasting impression. I chatted to Claudia, they’d bought NB Kettle back in March this year, they’d done no boating before picking her up on the Trent and Mersey. The previous owners had been a writer and illustrator, so the sign writing had been designed by them, possibly even painted by them. Earlier this year Claudia and Lee repainted the boat, as she is know by many they kept the sign writing. Good on them!

We led the way upstream. There is a mass of scaffolding on the big weir and further upstream at Lady Bay Bridge you have to use the most southerly span as works are on going there too. Approaching Meadow Lane Lock we could see there were no moorings available below the lock, the steps on the other side of Trent Bridge also looked very busy, a mental note taken for future weeks.

Just finishing going up in the lock were a couple of cruisers, they pulled in just above the lock. Was another boat coming down? No-one made a move. Claudia and I set the lock for our boats. One of the chaps asked if we were both coming up, err yes! They seemed to have been wanting to use the lock again, but with no obvious boat waiting?! ‘Can you get two boats in these locks?’ Claudia asked, they were new to boating, this possibly their first uphill manual lock ever, it had taken a while for them to find their windlass.

Just as we were closing the gates the top paddle was being lifted by one of the chaps from the cruisers, half cut on drink or other substances. I walked up to the top end. ‘You get on we’ll do it for you’. He may well have been capable but… ‘My boat my lock and anyway I boat to work locks. Thank you anyway’ The chaps stood back and once the noise had faded we talked quite amicably, he was however suggesting we’d barged in as they had a couple more boats to move up the lock.

We paused to use the elsan for our yellow water, then had just about caught up with NB Kettle at the 90 degree bend. Here’s hoping we won’t be making a visit to the Urgent Care Centre here, we’ve already used it three times! Castle Lock had just been vacated by a cruiser so we could go straight in. A narrowboat arrived shortly before we left so the gates could be left open for them. Time to wave our lock partners goodbye, they were heading into Castle Marna for a few days to explore Nottingham. We found ourselves a space on the moorings by Sainsburys and headed off to stock up for the next few days. Thankfully it is still possible to get your trolley back to the boat. We had lunch and then headed on further.

Now Nottingham used to have a reputation, we tend not to take much notice of reputations and rely on our feelings for a place. We’ve stopped by Sainsburys numerous times, making sure the boat is well secured before heading off to explore Nottingham. Today it felt just that bit different. A tent on one of the grassy banks where the students used to have lunch. Dilapidated cruisers (which have always been about) are more plentiful and their possessions strewn across the towpath into the hedges, cans of beer being drunk and a heavy smell in the air. Today we’d have moved on anyway, which was the original plan, especially as I’d just booked a table for a meal tonight.

I walked ahead able to scout out moorings nearer to Beeston. Boats were pulled in at places I’d not noted before, their mooring spikes hammered into the bank whether it be grass, tarmac, concrete or stone. The first mooring was pretty well occupied, up ahead closer to our meal there was plenty of room, Tilly wouldn’t be impressed but we’d still let her out.

Oh it’s Nottingpants! Super fast Toms on their wheels had me running for the cat walk, time after time. A wall, one of those with little if any grip! Zero friendly cover. Pants!!!

A walk into Beeston to The Victoria. We hadn’t expected it to be that busy, but by the time our food had arrived every table in the pub was full. The menu here is not your average pub food. Yes there is sausage and mash, you can choose one or two Bangers, they are not your average bangers, they are long hotdog length but quality Lincolnshire sausages. I checked what I could eat and was given a list of dishes. Paella, sadly they’d just served the last one. Hot Fish platter, with salmon, hake and halibut, very nice. All accompanied by a pint of beer each from the local brewery, their session IPA is gluten free, very wise brewers. No room for pudding so we headed back to the boat.

Levels at Derwent Mouth Lock were still low, maybe tomorrow they will have improved enough.

3 locks, 9.6 miles, 1 right, 90 degrees, 1 kettle black, 2 new owners, 1 shopping trolley back to the boat, 2 lots paracetamol, 1 box aspirin (just in case), 89 minutes brisk, 1 pants mooring, 1 table for 2, 3 fish, 2 bangers, 2 beers, 1 pleasant evening.

https://what3words.com/beard.broker.sailor

2023 A Sociable Year

A long post, it’s the annual round up.

January, we sat waiting. Waiting for a new alternator to arrive, for the River Trent to come out of flood and then for the canal to defrost sufficiently for us move. This meant Pip doing work on the boat instead of in the house, this made for smelly days and a very cold workshop under the pram cover.

After almost three weeks we were on the move again having to navigate through thick fog, navigational aids helping us not to bump into the banks! Ahead of us in Yorkshire was a troublesome swing bridge, closed to boat traffic. Our plans had to change, we arranged to moor up in Newark and head back to Scarborough by van. Chin rubs nearly made the longer journey better, but I really don’t like the outside moving SO fast!

Four days later we were back on board, the bridge ahead was now open. Tides were checked, locks booked, cupboards stocked for a few days cruising. Winter cruising can be so so pretty, yet so so chilly. A display by the Red Arrows as we left Torksey kept us amused and a defrost was very welcome when we arrived at Keadby. After four days cruising we were moored up in Goole and walking to catch the train back to Scarborough.

#unit21 in Huddersfield kept Pip occupied for much of February. Then it was time to give the house some TLC in between lodgers. A back bedroom got a makeover just in time. Mick had trips to see Oleanna, a jobs list left with Alastair and the covers headed off for some much needed mending. Tilly was kept busy checking out the neighbours, they stay inside so I get free reign of their outside!

April arrived along with two lodgers, it was not possible to do more work on the house, Pip chose to knit socks instead. Dementia UK her chosen charity this year. Donations of yarn came from dyers and Pip’s needles started to click away, keeping up with requests. 15 pairs knitted and her target met.

May, visits were made to Oleanna preparing her for cruising, these were interspersed with visits from family, delivering socks, getting the house ready and starting work on the design for panto. On the 9th of May we loaded a van and returned to life afloat. Tilly the happiest cat once she was back onboard! A day later we set off heading west. Leeds for a few days for Pip to head to Matlock for work and then a wonderful visit to see 93 year old Betty in Harrogate.

Working our way up the Leeds Liverpool Canal, locks and the new stupid swing bridge much lighter work with two boats. Our favourite canal with wonders of the waterways, friends on route, Mick’s birthday and a trip to Bowness to see the latest Ayckbourn play. We managed a night on our favourite mooring on the network sadly it was too windy to enjoy the view with a barbecue.

Up over the top, we teamed up with NB That’s It, thankfully descending the Wigan flight in a window between vandalism and blown cills that have hampered the flight this year. Then along the Bridgewater Canal, panto designing whilst on the flat. Through Preston Brook Tunnel and onto the Trent and Mersey turning right onto the Middlewich Branch.

Back on lockdown ‘Home’ waters we cruised the Nantwich pound, 5 hours 13 minutes including a lunch and shopping stop, back in 2020 we’d spent 80 days here. We cruised southwards on the Shropie joined for a day by Carol and George from WB Still Rockin’. Laura and Alison from NB Large Marge joined us for the ascent up the Wolverhampton 21.

Through Bumingham and on to Lapworth and then Hatton where we had an extra pair of hands from Jane, who hopefully now has her own narrowboat. A well deserved burger at the Cape of Good Hope with Emma and David, then a lovely evening with Lizzie (NB Panda) at The Folly, it was turning out to be quite a sociable June.

Oleanna wiggled her way across the summit of the South Oxford, very familiar water to us. Despite the sunny weather and us cruising most days our batteries were not happy, turning themselves off overnight! Diagnosis was required, we pulled into Cropredy Marina to plug in and run tests. One of our three batteries was dead, bad enough but thankfully nothing more. Once a panto meeting had been attended we could move on, except there was an emergency closure at Banbury Lock. C&RT worked hard to get the canal open as quickly as they could, thankfully our hold up wasn’t too long.

We met up with the crews of NB Azzura (Liz and Mark) and NB Perseus (Julie and Simon) both Finesse boats, had a visit to London for Andrew’s birthday. Then had a rendez vous with Paul and Christine and enjoyed a good catch up onboard NB Waterway Routes.

Down to the River Thames where we turned upstream onto waters we’ve only cruised once before. Such a lovely stretch of river, sadly with fewer moorings now. We sped up to Lechlade where we took up residence for a week so that we could attend a get together at Pip’s cousins which coincided with the Royal International Air Tatoo in Fairford. It was great to be with family on a jolly occasion.

Work took over for Pip as we made our way back down stream to Oxford, Cinderella had to go to the ball and the model needed to be finished. Then we sauntered our way back northwards. One day had us meet up with Frankie NB Discovery, NB Dusty the local coal boat and Graeme on NB Misty Blue, it was good to catch up with Graeme and hear of his adventures since we’d seen him last year.

A trip for us both back to Scarborough to do a turn around of lodgers, see a show and pick up post. Mick would have to return the following weekend to swap bedlinen over again, this time by train from Rugby. Stand still budgets and inflation required Pip to do more work on panto so her days were kept busy reducing Cinderella’s carriage from £2000 to £400.

Stoppages around the network meant we had only one real route we could take to head back north. We winded and climbed our way up to the Leicester Section. Here we met up with Ken and Sue NB Cleddau at Houdini’s Field sitting out till way after dark. Then a small detour to Welford to meet up with NB Panda and Lizzie for an evening before we continued our way north.

Another detour to Market Harborough before Leicester where North Lock had a badly leaking cill which required a crew of C&RT chaps to force the bottom gates open, booked passage was required, this meant we got a few days to enjoy the city whilst we awaited our turn.

Sadly by now the lack of water on the Chesterfield Canal meant the top end of the canal was closed, no point in rushing up the River Trent for a return visit. In Nottingham Pip’s little toe had a kerfuffle with a cupboard necessitating a visit to the drop in centre for her little pinkie to be realigned. This meant Pip had to hand the windlass and key of power over to Mick for the last locks of the year.

Downstream on the River Trent, stopping at all our favourite moorings. Pip’s knitting needles came out again to knit more socks for Dementia UK. We had a trip into Lincoln along the Fossdyke Canal, we actually managed to finally visit the Cathedral this time!

Tides were not helpful for the rest of our trip north so a couple of days at West Stockwith was needed, but that did mean we’d be sharing the tidal waters back to Yorkshire with NB That’s It whom we’d met earlier in the year.

There was time for a catch up with David as we passed through Bramwith, a jaunt up to Doncaster and then finally along the New Junction and onto Goole where a space had been found for us in the marina. A train ride to Scarborough to pick up a van and see the latest show before packing up the boat again for the second time this year.

Planned works at the house then went very smoothly. Scaffolding arriving the day after we arrived, new windows later in the day with four carpenters and two days later the decorator who was to give the house a much needed new coat of paint outside.

Mid October Pip moved to Chipping Norton for a month to work on panto, Mick and Tilly left to welcome a new lodger for the Christmas show in Scarborough. Panto was as much work as normal with the addition of Pip getting covid after the first week of rehearsals. The show opened to toe tapping audiences and many many bananas, getting great reviews. Mick had a days trip to London to support boaters who had gathered outside the Houses of Parliament for a Fund Britain’s Waterways rally.

Back in Scarborough Christmas came early with a visit from the London Leckenbys at the beginning of December, they hadn’t been to Scarborough for ten years. A few more house jobs have been done but a list has been compiled for the new year along with those on Oleanna. We’ve had a lovely Christmas, catching up with Scarborough friends, Tilly has slept lots, we’re lucky to see her before 2pm most days! I’m just resting for when the outsides start changing again.

Don’t worry Tilly the count down has started.

This year our plans changed all because of an invite from Pip’s cousins. We travelled our favourite canal, cruised many familiar waters , visited ‘Home’, climbed trees and pounced, caught up with many boating friends and made many new ones along the way. One very sociable year.

So our vital statistics for 2023 according to Canalplan are

Total distance of 805miles, 2.25furlongs and 436 locks.

There were 121 moveable bridges, of which 33 are usually left open; 151 small aqueducts or underbridges and 16 tunnels – a total of 6 miles, 5 furlongs under ground and 7 major aqueducts.

This is made up of 244 miles, 1.25 furlongs of narrow canals; 251 miles, 5.5 furlongs of broad canals; 69 miles, 1.5 furlongs of commercial waterways; 95 miles, 4.75 furlongs of small rivers; 57 miles, 3.75 furlongs of large rivers; 87 miles, 1.5 furlongs of tidal rivers; 185 narrow locks; 223 broad locks; 28 large locks.

Although according to Nebo we did

815.09 miles and 431 locks! Hmm maybe my maths isn’t so good. But then we only started using Nebolink in August, tracking our every move rather than just on our phones.

470 engine hours, 789.8 litres diesel! Ouch, having to run the engine to top the batteries up on an evening didn’t help with this, 150amp hours down to 100, 3 gas bottles, 120kg coal, 19.5 litres oil, 2 oil filters, 2 fuel filters, 1 shower mixer, 1 domestic alternator, 1 set new engine mounts, 1 overnight guest, 3 packs Dreamies, 1.5 packs Bonkers, 39 friends, 6 brought in, 34 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval, 34 pairs of socks, £1132 for Dementia UK, 2 shows, 9 lodgers, 10 supermarket deliveries, 33 boxes wine, 1 toe, 6 months cruising, 3 boat mover sightings, 209 posts, 184 likes, 9,503 visitors, 31,309 views!

Thank you for following our journey during 2023. We have a plan for 2024, but there are several invites and a rendez vous with some New Zealanders. Will we stick to our plan? Have to alter course to fit everything in? Wait and see, we’re already counting down the weeks to being afloat again.

Melding Into The Sky. 5th September

Sainsburys Nothingham to Stoke Lock, River Trent

A number checker was spied through the curtain this morning, time for us to move on. Mick rolled the covers back whilst I dug about in the shoe cupboard below the dinette, just what shoes would I be able to wear? Anti-slip clogs, possible but maybe a touch touchy on my toe. Sandals, sadly the strap would sit exactly over my toe. Flip Flops, yes they would do, thank goodness it’s not raining or winter yet. I’d normally avoid such flimsy footwear on a boat, they can be slippy in the wet, offer no protection to your toes and because I don’t wear them all that often I occasionally catch the toe and they become a trip hazard. But I’d not be working locks today, I’d be at the helm, so they would be fine.

A touch breezy as we came up to Castle Lock. Mick hopped off to set the lock, then set me and Oleanna free thankfully not ending up on the offside where the wind and bywash were encouraging us to go.

Along the canal past the old British Waterways Building, the pubs, under all the low bridges to the right hand turn. Here we said goodbye and thank you to Nottingham’s NHS once again. Maybe they should have a mooring for us outside!

The new mural seems to be lasting well, we only spotted one rogue tag along it’s length. At Meadow Lane we pulled into the water point, started to fill up the tank, disposed of yellow water, the rubbish would have to wait til later. A boat came up the lock in front and asked if we’d like the gates leaving, we’d still be a while, they closed up behind them.

A while later a lady walked up from the river. They had a widebeam and a narrowboat to bring up, would we be using the lock to go down. Not for quarter of an hour at least, she decided that they’d wait for us, she thought the widebeam wouldn’t get past us and the cruisers moored opposite, it looked wide enough to us and it wasn’t as if they’d be saving water by waiting as the bywash was flowing away quite happily. Each to their own.

We were quite grateful as the crew worked the lock for us, nowhere to pull in below so we were able to sound the horn and head on downstream. This solved our possible problem of pausing at the pontoon to pick Mick up and me not being able to get off to secure a rope whilst waiting. Thank you guys.

Today there was to a be a Twenty20 match at Trent Bridge, Mick had considered going, but at £60 a ticket for pajama cricket he felt it wouldn’t be worth it. Shame as we’d have moored on the County Hall Steps and Mick could have walked. Another time there will be a match worth staying for.

The river was quiet, only one boat came towards us, a few paddle boarders enjoying the last days of school summer holiday. There are now signs warning of strong currents above Holme Lock, we made sure we tucked well up towards the top gates before Mick stepped off to go and press the buttons. I’d warned him about the flashing lights going on and on and on and on forever between button presses.

The top sluices were up, it looks like they have altered the locks to reset to being full for safety. Thankfully we were heading downstream so this would help speed up the lock operation. But if you were coming from below it would take forever to empty the lock as only one set of paddles were working. I got to go through at the helm whilst Mick waited and waited to press the green button. I should have moved Oleanna over into the shade as the water dropped, I could even have taken a seat and put my foot up, but I remained at the helm incase. Such a big lock, such a long time to empty it!

Mick stood watching waiting for the level to equalise, his t-shirt the same blue of the sky. With a big exit after the lock before rejoining the river properly I could slowly make my way to the pontoon to pick Mick up once the lock was closed, here’s hoping Gunthorpe Lock is manned tomorrow!

Down stream we sauntered in the sunshine. Under Radcliffe Viaduct, round the big bend bringing us to Stoke Lock. A cruiser seemed to be sat in front of the lock, what were they doing? It took a while for us to realise it was actually moored on the high wall. We pulled in to the pontoon, the low mooring we’d hoped for was occupied. The Cat health and safety committee met.

Pontoons set away from the bank give us cause for concern. Tilly may spot twitching in the friendly cover along the bank and go for a pounce, only to discover that the friendly cover was hiding the river, a river with a current towards a weir. We weren’t willing to risk it. Sorry Tilly.

PAH!!!

The afternoon was spent behind closed curtains keeping the sunlight out. A breeze through the boat would have been nice, but it was our choice to have the doors closed and Tilly in, a load of washing was dry in no time.

I cast on a sock whilst watching ‘It Should Happen To You’ 1954, starring Jack Lemmon in his first major film appearance and Judy Holliday as Gladys Glover a young woman seeking fame. Gladys rents a billboard and has her name painted on it in BIG letters. This leads to her becoming a name, Jack Lemmon falling in love with her and the owner of Adams Soap company trying to seduce her. ‘Me Too’ came to mind. Thankfully Gladys came to her senses and managed to escape, I didn’t have to shout at the TV anymore!

I managed to turn the heel of the sock whilst watching a Hitchcock Presents.

3 locks, 6.8 miles, 1 left, 1 pair flipflops, 1 collapsing chair, 0 cricket, 27p a ball! 0 shore leave, 1 miffed cat, 0 bbq tonight, 1 pasta salad, 2nd sock well on it’s way, 7th requested.

https://goo.gl/maps/id1pNU9EUztuvLy79

Carrying On. 4th September

Sainsburys, Nothingham

The decision was made early on to stay put for the day, a day with my foot up would be wise. Yes I can take Oleanna through the locks whilst Mick works them, but when we reach the river I’m not confident that I’ll be able to get a rope around a cleat on a pontoon whilst I hobble around. Most of the locks, we are hoping, will have keepers on duty on the Trent. But at Meadow Lane it’s very unlikely, we’ve certainly never seen one there.

So it was a day of listening to a phone ringing across the way, boats passing, a touch of work and hearing from our lodgers that the new sim card we sent them had deteriorated over the weekend to worse than the previous one! Fiber is on the cards but won’t be installed for at least another month!

Mick cooked us a breakfast, I’m sure there must have been some vitamin C in there somewhere! Then we enjoyed sitting in the shade until the sun came overhead late afternoon.

Mick went to check the mooring sign which says 48 hours 130m to each side. We were definitely within that. A chap sat on the grass nearby struck up a conversation with Mick, he’d been to rescue a boat that had been stolen and had all it’s windows smashed. The chap said he’d lived in Nottingham for five years and never noticed the 48 hour mooring sign. I suspect he’d never looked for it! We should have moved up, but overstaying for a day because of a broken toe, we’d chance it.

Seven requests have come in for a pair of socks. The needles came out, yarns auditioned, 24 stitches cast on, increased to 52. The tv went on, what film could I watch? When I broke my ankle I worked my way through a box set of Alfred Hitchcock films, today I’d make do with Film 4. Sid James and Hatty Jacques, can you guess the film? Very much of it’s time, 1963.

Then followed a WW2 film with Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard, Von Ryan’s Express. Mick joined me to watch this one. Prisoners of war, a train chase, explosions, planes, vicars impersonating German officers, also very much of it’s time 1965.

Time for a shower. We’d been told to replace the strapping on my toes after a shower. Mick carefully cut away the existing tape, ow! Only a slight amount of bruising, why do I never get dramatic bruises? I got to see the position of my toe for the first time since it had been adjusted. Not quite how it used to be, but it certainly was better.

By the end of the day I’d knitted a hole sock, my bum was aching, a pillow required for long sits on our sofa, Mick had learnt how to make pork stroganoff (a version of). I’d kept an eye on my toes whilst hobbling about, apart from one time! And Tilly spent the day either being a long cat or shouting at the back doors!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 cooked breakfast, 1 recorded parcel not recognised! size 6 vibrant, 1 Sid, 1 Hatty, 1 Frank, 1 Trevor, 1 train chase to Switzerland, 1 sock, 1 painful toe tap.

And This Little Piggie Went ….. 3rd September

Sainsburys, Nothingham

A lie in with the Saturday newspaper, great. Should we then head to County Hall steps for a night before continuing our way down stream? Maybe. Or possibly carry on to Stoke Lock and hope for the low bank mooring where we’d be happy to let our resident thug out again. We’d have breakfast and then make or minds up.

Walking through from the bedroom I managed to clip my right little toe on the cupboard below the stove. I’ve successfully moved between bedroom and the main cabin numerous, thousands of times before without injury. Today I was not so fortunate. I immediately sat on the sofa, knowing that this wasn’t just going to be ten minutes of feeling foolish and a sore toe, it felt different. I looked down.

My little toe that normally sits tucked in beside the next little piggie was aiming itself towards the bow of the boat! Ah! Argh!!!

Two paracetamol, a small bag of frozen peas applied, foot raised. Phone call to 111. It took a while for Mick to get a postcode of our location, Sainsburys (what 3 words not suitable). Phone signal can be problematic inside a boat, so he stuck his head out the hatch. The person needed to talk to me, fortunately if I leant backwards towards the window I could be heard. She took my details and said someone would call back within the hour, if they hadn’t then we should make our way to an A&E. I wasn’t to eat or drink anything, no breakfast!

Within the hour Mick’s phone rang and it was a nice lady who asked lots more questions. She referred me to the nearest Urgent Care Centre, Seaton House, a mile away as a crow flies, just at the right hand bend on the canal, we know it quite well having visited there twice in the past.

The Geraghty zoom was missed. Apparently toe strapping and elevation were topics today.

With my left shoe on, my right shoe in a bag we set off to head to Sainsburys for a taxi. A few years ago I fractured my ankle, so the problem of getting on and off a boat was one we’d overcome before. A bum shuffle across the welldeck, up onto a locker then swing legs round, pull the boat as close as possible to the towpath then a big pull up. Job done.

**Professional ice pack from the triage nurse**

A taxi was with us within minutes of Mick phoning, then it took what felt like an age to drive the mile, it might have been quicker by boat! I was triaged within an hour and then a while later taken through to meet Brian a locum paramedic. He wanted me to have an x-ray, suspecting a dislocation. The problem was getting someone to authorise an x-ray.

The radiographer confirmed I’d broken my toe. Another wait then back to see Brian. He called April in to join us, she headed off to check my x-ray. I had a choice, leave it as is and it would heal at a jaunty angle or they could manipulate it back to face the right way before strapping it up. April suggested the later would be better.

Brian had mentioned about gas and air, but April just told me to take long deep breaths. I’m not going to say it didn’t hurt, but it was far better than I was expecting. The two of them then strapped my toes together handed Mick a roll of tape, job done. Before leaving I made sure I asked questions, I’d made the mistake of not asking when I lost my finger and ended up having to have more physio in the end. Vitamin C was prescribed by April, wine by Brian. I checked if calcium would be good, they agreed to add chilled medication to my prescription.

A taxi back to Sainsburys, another hobble back to the boat, I managed the bow steps without having to bum shuffle. Despite Tillys protests we would be staying put for the day.

I’d broken my toe at about 9:15 and was back on the boat, foot up at 14:00. Thank you to everyone at the Urgent Care Centre and to Mick for heading to Sainsburys to find chilled medication with vitamin C included. Apparently it works better if he gets to have some at the same time too!

**A variety of chilled medication with vitamin C**

As I’ll be sitting on the sofa a touch more than planned, bang goes the painty jobs on Oleanna for a week or so, I’ve opened up my Sockathon again. Lots of Boat Women had shown interest on Facebook and I still have quite a bit of donated yarn left, so I may as well keep my fingers busy. Four pairs already on the list, if you’d like to be added then please let me know your size and one word. That word could be your favourite colour or something about you and I’ll see what I can come up with from my stash of yarn. I’ve asked people not to donate until I know I’ll get to their pair as I won’t be knitting a sock a day this time.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/pip-leckenby-1677835197682?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fpip-leckenby-1677835197682&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 stubbed toe, 1 little piggy who went wee wee wee all the way to an urgent care centre, 2 taxis, 1 very bored cat, 1 tub chilled medication, 2 glasses wine, 1 roll of strapping, 2 elderberry stains, 1 cauliflower cheese masterclass, 1 departure delayed, 1 boat not so keen on Nottingham!

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna