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!
Medicinal breakfast
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.
At least it’s not sticking outwards
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.
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!!!
DIY ice pack peas
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.
One little toe strapped up
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.
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!
A walk into Beeston this morning to post the design for one of my cloths to Promptside. I’ve been in contact with Peter regarding the scan of my artwork and it may be that layering up leaves hasn’t helped, a scanner focuses on one level. He suggested I send him some artwork and they will do a test print. If it turns out rubbish then I will have to re-do the model of the cloths and portals. But if anyone can get the print to work it will be them, fingers crossed.
Canary Girls
I passed a mural on my way, depicting the Canary Girls of WW1 who worked at the National Shell Filling Factory in Chilwell. During the war it filled 19 million shells with high explosives. On the 1st of July 1918 eight tons of TNT exploded destroying a sustantial part of the factory and killing 134 people of whom only 32 could be identified, another 250 were injured. The following day the factory was up and running again.
On my way back I walked along Humber Road wondering why it was called thus as it’s quite a long way from the Humber Estuary. Then a rather nice looking building came into view. Now a dance and fitness studio it had the look of a posh garage.
The Humber Factory
Circular motifs were on the walls with men walking round in circles. Then I spotted a blue plaque. This is where Thomas Humber the engineer made bicycles, motorcycles and cars before moving to Coventry, his factory opening in 1880. In 1868 he had developed a safety bike where the pedals drove the rear wheel. He then produced his Spider Bicycle an early form of ordinary bicycle, Penny Farthing. By 1892 he was employing 1200 people at the Beeston works and when he branched out into motorcar production it rose to 1800.
Time to move on. We rolled up the covers and pushed off from our tight mooring.
A Muller of Yoghurt pots
Each time we come through Nottingham we feel that there are more and more moored boats. Today this was most certainly true. Little communities of cruisers have grown up along stretches of the canal. One chap was busy doing his washing, his twin tub powered from a genny. We wondered what a collection of cruisers would be called? Maybe a Muller or a Ski of Cruisers.
Castle Marina is still in the process of replacing it’s pontoons, but there seem to be more boats in residence than there were in January when we last came through. We pulled up just past the main entrance through to Sainsburys and managed to find suitable rings to tie to.
A restock shop was required and with the weather set to get warmer again we had another look for a barbeque. Only the disposable ones were available, but we did managed to pick up some kindling for when we next light the stove. The shopping trolley accompanied us back to Oleanna and everything was stowed away. By now it was quite late in the day so we decided to stay put for the night much to Tilly’s dismay as she is still grounded.
This chap had a drum and cymbals on his extended bike
0 locks, 3.2 miles, 1 cloth on it’s way, 4 miles walked, 0 shore leave, 2 boxes wine, 2 much christmas, 0 bbq, 1 fridge stocked up.
Trent Junction to Beeston, Nottingham and Beeston Canal
We winded and headed along Cranfleet Cut. There would be few trains today due to a train strike, the sign marking where HS2 was planned to cross now looks a touch forgotten about.
What were the holes for?
The stone work along the bank has lots of holes in it. What were these for? Did there used to be a wooden structure that was supported by the holes? Is it to aid drainage from the land behind? If anyone knows please tell us.
Up ahead we could see volunteers at the lock. As we approached they all stood up and walked over to close the paddles and open the gates. Four chaps in blue with life jackets. Well I’d be superfluous if I hopped off so I stayed on board, allowing them to operate one of the few remaining manual locks for us this year.
Check your quarter wave
Now down on the river we zoomed our way towards Beeston. The level seemed to be a touch low, we could see where walls lerk below the surface ready to catch you out should you stray over to the eastern bank. We passed Barton Island where recently a boat sank, a problem with it’s weedhatch. They came past us yesterday being towed to a boat yard on the Soar somewhere.
The wooden houses by the river. Various styles. I like the slightly quirkier ones which look like they’ve been cobbled together from bits and bobs. A new one going up, a lot of sterling board being used, wonder what it’ll be clad in?
We pulled up on the long pontoon before Beeston Lock, a chap pulled his boat almost to the end, but not quite. A pause for us to empty the yellow water ready for disposal at the elsan, no notice that the services have been vandalised recently.
Flower!
Up at the lock boats were coming from everywhere, well from Nottingham. I checked to see what people were doing, all stopping for water, just what we were after too. The lock was sorted to being in our favour, we dropped down to the canal level, only about a foot today, then pulled over to wait in line for the water point to become free.
5 miles to get back on the river again
The tap took it’s time to fill everyones tanks and bottles, you would think a place like Nottingham would have more than two taps!
Now to find ourselves a mooring. At first it didn’t look hopeful, but then I spied two gaps either side of a dutch barge. The second one looked like it might just be long enough for us, the chap from the dutch barge came out to help pull us in sideways, a couple of inches spare front and back, brilliant.
QUICK!!! I got on the internet, time to see if I could book a table for this evening, even Tilly didn’t know what was going on, Why wasn’t she giving me the rules and writing down the magic numbers?! 5:45 or 8pm. I opted for 8, my request had been received, but would it be accepted? An hour went by before I got confirmation of our booking. Hooray! We could go to the Victoria Hotel.
The Victoria Hotel
Apparently I am grounded. As there is no ground inside I really don’t know what it means. She says I’ve broken rule number 1 four times in the last 3 days. Only one thing to do, sulk!
Tonights menu
Our table sat waiting for us at the Victoria Hotel in the Middle Room, every other table packed. People stood at the bar to order drinks and food whilst others stood in front of the blackboard menu, also available on their website. What a choice, what a popular place. We’ve eaten here once before in 2016, but not managed to either get a mooring or a table since.
We made our selections, drank our wine and watched other peoples meals come out from the kitchen. Not one chip could be smelt, not one burger on the menu. One sausage or two with your mash though.
I’d chosen a Moroccan Lamb Tagine which came with rice and some slices of bread instead of couscous and a nan bread. Mick had a chicken skewer with pitta bread and a salad. Puddings were also partaken, Pistachio Chocolate Brownie for me and Bakewell Tart for Mick. All very very tasty. So glad we got a table.
As we finished our meal people lurked in doorways, waiting for tables to clear or for no shows. The kitchen stays open, so if you are lucky and get somewhere to sit they will serve you. Then the drinkers gradually take over, some sitting reading the newspapers with a pint, one chap inhaling some rather good looking cheese on toast.
On our return to Oleanna I counted six maybe seven campervans pulled up, thankfully noone would be opening their curtains in the morning to see us staring back at them. Tilly wasn’t interested in us at all, no knee sitting, just one very big sulk!
2 locks, 5.1 miles, 1 empty wee tank, 1 full water tank, 2 troughs of strawberries tidied up, 1 table booked, 1 sulky cat, 1 very good meal, 1 pub definitely worth visiting, 0 chips seen or smelt.
The canal banks were frosty even Oleanna’s eyes were frosty this morning. We decided to let things warm up a touch whilst we joined the Geraghty zoom. Subjects covered, being unique, the difference between English and Scottish NHS, advance packing, we felt slightly left out as we have no spare bed available to collate clothing.
Hello Woofer
Thankfully the flow along the Nottingham and Beeston Canal meant we didn’t have ice to contend with, just the odd bit crackling in the margins. There seem to be new areas that the local boaters moor, several groups have managed to pin themselves to the bank, one stretch with an ice rink for a towpath.
Moorings reduced at Castle Marina
Mick made a call through to Castle Marina, we were wanting a top up of diesel, the answer came back as expected the marina was frozen over, we’d be heading on straight past. There seems to be problems with the pontoons in the marina. As we passed numerous big signs line empty pontoons. Maybe they are getting replaced.
No stopping for a shop today, straight through a first for us. The towpath in parts needs work as it is undulating by the edge. This boat caught our eye NB Bird on a Wire, I like the addition of a squirrel.
Reaching the bend
Castle Lock was surrounded with crud, two life buoys by the weir and a blue fat fender by the lock gates, this was picked up, with a new bit of rope it may be useful. Plenty of the buildings now seemed empty, that may have been because it was Sunday, but dusty windows were not inviting.
Posh new restaurant
By the big bend the building work has been completed. Cleaver and Wake now sits alongside the canal, run by Masterchef Professional winner Laurence Henry, it offers an ‘elevated dining experience’. We cannot afford to eat there so our roast pork this evening would be enjoyed onboard at the fraction of the price for one of their starters.
Fishermen slowed our progress. A new mural along a wall suggests some regeneration money is being ploughed into the area, The Island Quarter, a new ‘destination’!
Meadow Lane Lock
Meadow Lane Lock required a couple of logs removing from behind the top gates then we took quite a bit of rubbish down with us to the river where only a couple of rowing boats were busy zooming past the lock. Two boats on County Hall steps, not surprising after the floods. The occupants of County Hall itself may be moving and the building sold off for a hotel.
Trent Bridge
Back on the river we zoomed along, it was in the green but the flow was quite strong, tick over to keep steerage required. The river was strangely quiet, we’d expected sailing boats and more rowers, but none were seen.
Rufford Hall or Southfork as we call it
Southfork looked dead as usual. A peer in through the first floor windows revealed some dodgy tromp l’oeil around some archways. From Rufford Hall on-line interior design courses are run!
As we approached Holme Lock mad people were climbing into canoes to launch themselves into the river and head down the white water course. The pull towards the hydroelectric plant was strong so more power was required on the lock cut to keep us going straight.
A chap walking his dog said he wasn’t sure what was happening with Stoke Lock, a boat had gone down there yesterday. Luckily we could fill him in that it requires booking.
Ice filled the lock along with more flood detritus. Holme Lock takes SOOOOoooooo long to empty or fill, you could add a half hour to your journey here. But we were soon out, the hydraulic rams on the gates cutting through the ice easily.
Radcliffe Viaduct
One last reach of the river gradually getting more and more rural. Numerous Herons and Egrets sat and watched or flew past. Only one Kingfisher spotted in amongst the trees. A train came with potential for a good photo of Radcliffe Viaduct, except it’s progress was very slow compared to ours, the view left for someone else to see as we headed round a bend.
Stoke Lock
Up ahead at Stoke Lock the low mooring was occupied, presumably the boat that had come down Holme Lock yesterday. This wasn’t good news for Tilly as she isn’t allowed out on pontoon moorings on rivers, especially ones just out of flood. We pulled in, the current wanting to pull the bow out from the pontoon, we’d not wanted to wind to face upstream due to the pull from the weir.
Time for the joint of pork to go in the oven.
3 locks, 9.6 miles, 1 left, 1 marina frozen over, 2 rowing boats, £40 for 2 courses, £10 for both of us onboard, 0 shore leave, 1 blue fat fender.
Derwent Mouth Lock to Boots Footbridge, Nottingham and Beeston Canal
Ice surrounded us this morning, maybe we should have followed the boats yesterday. Was today going to be another day breaking ice, or should we sit tight and hope that the sun would make a difference? 7 hours cruising between the Trent and Mersey to Stoke Lock for our booked passage on Monday morning. We suspected we’d not be able to cancel the booking now in time to save a volunteer from coming out to meet us. Oh well, we’d see what happened.
Thank you!
Well what happened was the high bow of NB Hadley came past at quite a lick heading for the lock, churning it’s way through the ice. ‘We’ll be following you, thank you!’ Mick shouted out of the hatch. By the time we’d had breakfast another boat had come up Derwent Mouth Lock and reset it for us, brilliant!
Solid ropes
Frosty mornings means stiff ropes. Wiggles of lines are hard to untie from T studs and then pull through nappy pins, it’s a bit like that game where you move a hoop round a bent wire trying not to connect the circuit by touching it.
Green! Plus a first outing for new waterproof thermal kid gloves
Fog. There was a lock somewhere ahead of us, it had been there yesterday, honest! The river level was now in the green, below the lock a channel cut through the ice could be made out vanishing into the fog. Working the lock I took care not wanting to slip. Frosty lock beams were avoided as much as possible meaning walking round the lock more than I normally would, but I’d rather the extra exercise than slip in.
Derwent to the left, Trent to the right, I think!
Life jackets on, anchor attached we were ready for the river. Straight on where the Derwent meets the Trent, we were glad we know the river quite well. The pipe bridge, the M1 bridge, keep right so as not to get too close to the weir.
Come on sun, you can do it!
Would Sawley Flood Lock be open or closed? Where was Sawley Flood Lock? At about three boat lengths away the lock beams could be seen. Was it open? No. The flood lock has a paddle left open at both ends to keep a flow of water heading to the locks at the other end of the cut back onto the Trent.
Key of power time
We soon arrived at Sawley Locks, the right hand one out of use currently. Time for the Key of Power. The lock was in our favour but still had to work it’s way through it’s programming of opening the sluices a bit at a time, four times before the next press would actually open the gates.
Ron helping out
The lock cottage, tea rooms and pub have recently been sold and today we got to meet it’s new owner Ron Gooding who came out to say hello, he then offered to work the lock for us so I could hop back on board. A friendly chap who is used to Thames Locks, he’s a BSS Examiner and a marine gas engineer, according to his card. The pub will reopen at some point, ‘there’s lots to do’ along with the tea room. Today must have been his first go at working the lock, which doesn’t work in the same way as the Thames locks. I kept saying to press and hold the button til it started to flash, but he was too busy chatting.
Back on the main river Oleanna skidded round with the flow of water coming from the weir. Here we most certainly needed Waterway Routes! ‘The river bends here Mick’ ‘In the other direction!’ Landmarks appeared out of the gloom, moored boats, the scout place, the pontoon, Erewash, mind that rib, left now, mind that other rib, we’d made it to Cranfleet Cut and the flood gates that have been closed for a month.
Ratcliffe Power Station could only be made out by the clouds of steam rising above the fog back lit by the sun doing it’s best to burn it’s way through.
Setting Cranfleet Lock
At Cranfleet Lock the Lock Keeper was a touch frosty sitting at an angle in his flower bed. The lock was full of logs and crud brought down by the floods. Both bottom gates needed opening as there was so much sitting behind the gates to get one fully opened.
Adding to the fog on the river
Now onto the long reach to Beeston, the fog kept coming and going. Small cruisers appeared round bends swerving to our starboard to avoid us, we’d already moved over to give them more room, so they ended up being a long way over.
£325,000 2 bedrooms though
We wondered how high the floods had been along here, had the houses on stilts been affected, did they ever flood? One house has just recently been sold. It has it’s own floating pontoon and is on a double plot. Rather a lovely house. Link to it’s details.
Beeston Lock
Beeston came into view, the sun having cleared most of the fog by now. Pulling in to the lock landing took a bit of doing, the flow preferring to keep us moving towards the weir. A few days ago we’d seen pictures of how much rubbish was just outside the lock gates, thankfully most of it had been moved away but both gates required opening.
Familiar from the Great Ouse last year
As I worked Oleanna through the lock a lady with blue hair and a dog chatted away. Obviously a boat owner wanting to head upstream. How had our trip been, speedy! What was it like at Cranfleet? We chatted away, me wondering where we’d met before. After she’d walked away I realised it was the lady from NB Watt Way who had been at Bedford River Festival and she’d followed us across the tidal section to Salters Lode.
I think I preferred the donkeys!
A top up with water, we then carried on a short distance to find a mooring for the day. Some shore leave was allocated to Tilly, but she really wasn’t enamoured with the wall and all the foot fall.
As soon as we’d tied up I had a look at The Victoria Hotel’s website to see if there might just be a table for us this evening. Last night I’d checked and there were quite a few left, but now there were none. Oh well, we’ll go another time when the weather might not stop us. Instead of very nice pub food we had the remains of our chilli with jacket potatoes, not quite the celebratory meal we’d hoped for on reaching Nottingham, but a tasty one never the less.
A better solution is required, this one was free though
Checking Nebo as we were moving today, my phone kept up with us very well. However the phone inside seemed to stall a couple of times and had only recorded four miles of the eight plus. I remember this occasionally happening early last year when I was trying it out, it would loose us for a while, I’d assumed it was because I was using my phone for other things, but maybe that wasn’t the case. We’ll keep recording on two devices for the time being.
5 locks, 1 a flood lock, 1 set of flood gates open, 9.54 miles, 1 straight, 1 left not left left, 1 left, 1 very white day, 2 many bits of tree, 1 lady, 1 disappointed cat, 1 canal without ice, 0 table.
Needing to catch up and the sun being out meant we were happy to push off this morning. Blue skies lift the heart and thankfully there were blue skies back in Newark too making life that bit easier.
Radcliffe Viaduct
Three sunny miles cruising up to Holme Lock. Mick tried radioing ahead in case there was a Lock Keeper on duty, but officially they start back next week. No reply came so I was to work the buttons.
Holme Lock is huge and always takes an age to empty and even longer to fill. Add to that the button controls and their flashing lights! Well we were there for sometime before I could even open the gates. With Oleanna in the lock I started to press the open button to bring her up, water gushing in, yet the level taking forever to fill.
It takes forever!
All of a sudden the towpath opposite there was a todo! A family had been walking their dog on a lead when another dog appeared and attacked it, it kept coming back for more no matter what the people did. The lady said things to me which I really couldn’t hear and I was trying to concentrate on Oleanna. I think she thought I was a Lock Keeper and would know which boat the dog eventually ran off to. Unfortunately I couldn’t help.
Now on our way into Nottingham, the reach was quiet, no sailing boats out today and despite the cricket season having started there was no-one playing at Trent Bridge.
Hang on! Were there people in the garden of Southfork? This is the first time we’ve ever seen anyone near this house! New builds are still going up along the river, including a new development overlooking Meadow Lane Lock.
Meadow Lane Lock
A widebeam was coming down in the lock, the lady saying they were going up the river, so I signalled to Mick that they would be turning upstream. Well that’s not what she meant at all, they were heading downstream to Stoke. Fortunately Mick had moved so they could pick up crew anyway.
We pulled onto the water point where I jumped ship and headed off to Hobbycraft to buy myself a sketchbook and some tracing paper so that I can be ready to start Panto when the next version of the script arrives.
The writing’s on the door
Mick topped up the water, emptied the wee tank and rinsed off the roof before I got back.
Along the next stretch I stood in the bow with a tape measure. We’d offered to measure the height of the new rail bridge for David to see if he’d be able to get under it. When on the River Wey a few years ago we managed to work out our air draught to the top of the horns. The new rail bridge was 88cm above them. The tape came out again once round the 90degree bend as some of the bridges seemed low too. In fact one of them only measured 75cm above our horns.
Approaching the Sainsburys moorings we were surprised at the number of boats moored up near the student accommodation. We pulled in to the last gap we could see, just as well as round the corner it was nose to tail boats! Yes we moored right in front of a no mooring sign, yes we had lunch, yes we went shopping and no we cannot work out why there is no mooring there!
Nest making, we also saw a pair necking today
Mick called round to check on diesel prices. Castle marina £1.75. Mercia £1.78! Then Shobnall, if we wanted over 50 litres it would be £1.20. Being twelve hours cruise away we should be fine until then and at that price it will almost certainly save us £50! We did however pull into Castle Marina for some coal £13.50 for 25kg of Excell. They had some Marine 16 too but at over £30 Mick decided to leave it and see how much it might be at Shobnall.
Beeston towpath full
Back onto the Nottingham and Beeston Cut we pootled our way westwards catching up with an extreamly slow boat who thankfully let us pass. Starting to get cold we wanted to stop so tried pulling into a gap. The wind did it’s best to push Oleanna away from the bank and even with both of us clinging on we couldn’t get her into the side, we’d try further along. Well there were no gaps further along. Nottingham seems to have had an increase in local continuous cruisers, we reckon there’s about five times the amount of boats than there used to be.
Beeston Lock where windlasses are welded onto the paddles
Only one thing for it we’d have to carry on along the river and hope for space on Cranfleet cut or at Trent Lock. It was cold and threatening to rain, but we had no choice.
We did our best to keep towards the western bank, after hearing the story of NB Legend getting stuck on an old submerged wall last year we really wanted to avoid any possibility of re-enacting the incident.
Soon Cranfleet lock was in view and we tried to remember if we knew which paddle to lift first. No recollection at all. Having four gate paddles it’s confusing, thank goodness you can hang back in the lock. It turned out that I guessed correctly choosing the paddle on the same side as Oleanna, but in the middle first followed by the outer one.
Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station just across the way
At the junction we popped out far enough to see if there was space on the pontoon at Trent Lock, there was, but on the inside so no view. However there was a space on the wall at the junction so we pulled in at 7:30, stoked up the stove and got warm again.
5 locks, 15.2 miles, 2 rights, 1 junction, 1 beautiful day, 5 times as many boats, 3 bags coal, 0 diesel today, 8ft 8inches we think, 1 inch too low, 2 boxes wine, 1 shopping trolley back to the boat, 0 shore leave, 1 tidier boat, 1 more good day for David.
Time for the annual round up. Put the kettle on or pour yourself a glass of something stonger, put your feet up, this is a long post.
Looking out into a cold world!
As midnight turned from 2020 to 2021 we saw the old year out and new one in at the house in Scarborough, a quiet affair with just the three of us.
January and February brought ups and downs with them. Oleanna rose and fell with the water level at Viking Marina due to the breach at New Bridge whilst the country locked down. Despite the restrictions on travelling we made use of having a hire car for a few days at the beginning of the year to keep an eye on Oleanna.
Jobs around the house continued, our bedroom was redecorated and reclaimed from troublesome tenants. Tilly and I ventured out into the nearby park for the occasional walk, dependant on the number of woofers and the weather of course.
We walked, we ate, we drank, did our best to stay well and I started on the design for Chipping Norton’s panto in my reclaimed work room.
The spare living room was used as a workshop doing some work for Animated Objects, scrimming giant sci-fi guns and then painting model buildings all for The Odyssey. Beetroot burgers were made and pancakes consumed.
Then March came along and some easing of restrictions. Colour came back in nature with the daffodils popping up and my panto model started to get coloured in. A design for some origami paper arrived ready to be folded up to be part of 1000 ships display that would happen a couple of months later along the Yorkshire coast.
With new freedoms we had a couple of trips to Goole to check on Oleanna. First one was to swing her round and finally put fire extinguishers on walls all ready for her Boat Safety Inspection which she passed with flying colours and a comment that we seemed to like CO and smoke detectors, well I’d rather have too many than not enough!
The cofferdam at the breach site was completed and an access ramp created. My posts about the breach put us in touch with several people in Goole and at the beginning of April The Goole Escape Facebook group was formed. Due to the breach and lack of water in Goole Docks no leisure boats were allowed to use Ocean Lock out onto the Tidal Ouse. A joint calm voice was needed to try to find a way out for those boats wanting to leave, including us.
Of course March was also when Mick and I got our first vaccinations. Who’d have thought having a jab would put a smile on peoples faces! Not that you could really see them behind all the masks. A bathroom got a make over and we discovered parts of Scarborough we’d never been to before.
April was a very busy month. With lodgers on the horizon house jobs needed finishing. The roof needed attention along with a wall in my work room, both jobs were for the professionals. Pictures went up on walls, finally. The bathroom needed finishing with Frank fitting us a new bath surround.
Mid month out attention moved back to Oleanna. Way back when, we’d booked her in at Goole Boathouse to be blacked. We had a night on board before moving her from one marina to the other to come out of the water. She was jet washed down and the chaps began applying layers of 2 pack to her hull. We visited most days with jobs to do ourselves. Mick busied himself inside whilst I ground back rusty bits on the gunnels, repainted them and the tunnel bands. Inside the oak floor had a good clean and then was treated to two coats of oil. The weather had been perfect for it and she went back in the water a week after she’d come out, enough time for the 2 pack to cure. She looked smart again, well the cabin sides still needed a good wash!
Whilst in Goole we met up with David, Karl, Wendy and Martin, four members of The Goole Escape group. David had managed to negotiate with ABP passage for leisure boats through Ocean Lock at Goole Docks, this was limited to specific times of the tide. So escape was now possible but everything would have to come together to make a sensible plan. We wouldn’t be ready for a few weeks and hoped that there wouldn’t be a mass exodus before we could join people.
As I carried on trying to finish my panto model Mick made good use of his time doing a VHF radio course, we’d need to be able to use the radio to meet the criteria for going through Goole Docks and out onto the Tidal Ouse. Tilly visited the vet and got a years worth of flea and wormer treatments, we were all set to move back on board.
The first of May was that day. We’d hoped that Tilly would remember the boat after seven months on shore, within about two seconds of being back it was obvious she knew where she was. News that Goole caisson gates were now open and cruising up towards the breach site was possible we headed off to give Oleanna a good run and so that Tilly could venture back onto dry land. It was very good to be back on the move again. On our second such trip Tilly remembered how to swim!
Whilst in Goole Mick took his Short Range VHF Radio exam and passed. I carried on painting my panto model. We both had our second vaccinations. Heather Bleasdale came to visit joining us for an outdoor lunch. We got to know the Goole Escape Committee and discussed plans. We watched work going on at the breach site. Mick had a birthday and Joan’s Home Kitchen provided us with a celebratory meal a couple of days before we hoped to escape.
On 21st May an escape committee meeting was had early on, the weather looked hopeful for the tide in the afternoon, we were booked in at Ocean Lock. Our escape was to be via Selby, the Lock keeper was called there and our plan confirmed. At lunchtime we moved up to fill the diesel tank and await the other escapees, Sea Maiden and Lullabelle. Given the go ahead by the docks to proceed we were soon passing through to Ocean Lock where there was plenty of space for the three of us. At around 14:30 the large lock gates opened to reveal our way out of Goole onto the Tidal Ouse.
All three boats arrived safe and sound
We headed upstream following Sea Maiden being pushed along with the tide. Would we make it to Selby before the tide turned. Each boat arrived individually and was locked up into Selby Basin. We’d made it, now all we had to do was escape Selby as the swing bridge out of the basin there was broken.
We waited. Tides, times, weather and the amount of fresh coming down stream all had to fit together. Bridget and Storm came to visit. We twiddled our thumbs. The Environment Agency came and closed the flood barrier. We twiddled our thumbs. Daily escape committee meetings were held. By the 27th everything was looking to fit together apart from one thing, Keadby Lock would not be manned at a suitable time for us to get off the river. Sea Maiden and Lullabelle decided to stay put in Selby. Heather Bleasdale was joining us for the trip but Oleanna would be out on the river on her own heading to Trent Falls.
What a day that was! David’s advice was spot on. Leaving Selby just before 10am Oleanna zoomed downstream with the out going tide. We followed our charts keeping to the channel. At the Apex light Mick swung Oleanna round to head upstream onto the Trent our progress slowing instantly.
We then crawled our way to find where we should wait for the tide to turn. Two hours of very little, drifting on our anchor. We’d picked the day well, it was wonderful out there.
When Oleanna started to move round a touch more we managed to pull the anchor up and found our way back into the main channel to head upstream with the incoming tide. One plan had been to moor up in Gainsborough, but we decided to carry on and arrived at Torksey just as the last light was fading at just gone 22:00, 64 miles in a day, I doubt we’ll ever beat that.
Over the next few days we made our way up the Trent, dug out our windlasses to work locks in Nottingham. Once we rose up Derwent Mouth Lock onto the Trent and Mersey we had completed our escape. The going would now be much slower along shallow canals and plenty more moored boats to slow down past.
Now we should make our booked mooring at Rembrandt Gardens, every day would be a boating day unless the weather was either too hot or far too wet to cruise. Along the Trent and Mersey, pausing to stock up in Alrewas. At Fradley we turned onto the Coventry Canal to head southwards. We gave a tow to NB Burghley Girl to the bottom of Atherstone.
At Hawkesbury Junction we did the 180 degree turn onto the North Oxford Canal, through Rugby and up Hillmorton. NB Kamili with Andy and Irene passed as we arrived in Braunston where we paused for another butchers, then up the flight and through the tunnel.
Straight on along the Grand Union. On route we stopped for a drink with Lizzie at Bugbrooke. Paused for a hot day under some trees near Milton Keynes. Had a diversion along the Wendover Arm for a night. Picked up extra crew, my old college friend Jen, for a day through Hemel Hempstead. Came across our first sightings of HS2 cutting it’s way across the landscape.
At Bulls Bridge we turned left onto the Paddington Arm. On our trip into London we came across our friends Pete and Clare on NB Billy, it turned out we’d be neighbours at Rembrandt Gardens for a few days. We arrived on time and the next day headed across London by bus to Hackney to see the London Leckenbys for the first time since Christmas 2019.
Plenty more family to catch up with. Kath came for lunch, we had a trip to Eastbourne to see Marion and John, a lovely lunch with Christine and Paul. So good to see everyone again and not just on a computer screen every Saturday.
Happy Birthday Big Brother
Andrew’s 60th Birthday was celebrated, nothing fancy just good to be able to be together for it, we’d achieved our second goal of the year.
We heard there was a space at St Pancras Cruising Club for a long boat like Oleanna, so we took advantage of a more secure mooring close to Kings Cross whilst we had a visit back to Scarborough. Checking on the house, lodgers changing over and seeing the latest Ayckbourn play with Bridget and Storm, it all made for a good weekend away. I then headed off to Huddersfield for a couple of days work with Dark Horse, fitting costumes for a photo shoot.
There was to be a Tideway cruise from St Pancras Cruising Club and with one space left we jumped at the opportunity. Ten boats made their way to Limehouse, we breasted up with NB Misty Blue, Graham turned out to be another Goole Escapee. Three lock-fulls of boats headed out onto the Tideway on the morning of 10th July, special permission had been sought to go under Hammersmith Bridge which was closed to all forms of traffic at the time.
Tilly thought we were mad taking her onto such rough water, I was a little perplexed too! Very glad that I was the official photographer, clinging on as we did more than bob up and down! Tower Bridge, The National Theatre, Christine, Adam, The Houses of Parliament, Battersea Power Station. So many sights, what an experience!
The further west we got the calmer the water got. We were glad when Hammersmith Bridge was passed as there had always been a chance that it might close to boat traffic at anytime due to safety reasons. We turned off at Brentford along with several other boats and continued up to Hanwell where we had a very sociable evening at The Fox with everyone. Thank you Simon for mentioning the cruise to us.
Sadly our washing machine hadn’t liked the lumpy water so for the next month we cruised meeting up with engineers on route hoping it could be mended. Back through London, pausing at St Pancras again. Then down to the Herford Union to cut across to the Lee and Stort. We had another mooring booked on the Lee awaiting our arrival, alongside NB Billy.
Then up the Lee and onto the River Stort. We’d only ventured so far up the Stort during our first winter on Lillian, this time we headed all the way to Bishop Stortford. Our return journey was held up slightly due to the river going into flood overnight so we had to wait for it to lower to get under the bridge at Roydon.
Back through London we made use of the new Eco-moorings near Islington Tunnel, a handy stop off with electricity. Here we met up with Nick an old friend from York and Adam called in for a catch up after working the breakfast shift at Radio 2.
Goodbye Christine!
At the end of July we pushed on and left London behind us, returning to Bulls Bridge.
We headed up to Uxbridge for cheap diesel and finally got our washing machine mended. We turned around and headed back to the Hanwell flight, stowed the garden back in the shower and headed out onto the Thames again where we turned right towards Oxford.
With a weeks license we couldn’t dawdle, although a broken lock gate at Boveney Lock did hold us up overnight so our license would be extended. A space was spotted below Cliveden so we treated ourselves to a night moored in the grounds of the big house. We paused for a socially distanced chat with Sue on No Problem XL, good to see her looking so well. Henley Regatta was almost ready as we passed through and our favourite mooring above Days Lock did not disappoint. All too soon we turned up Sheepwash Channel and ascended Isis Lock back onto the Oxford Canal.
Whilst in Oxford I managed an actual face to face meeting with Dash the Director for Chippy Panto. He seemed happy! Then we made our way up to Thrupp where we’d booked ourselves in at the cruising club for a few days whilst the London Leckenbys came to visit and we had a trip back to Scarborough and we got to see the show at Esk Valley for the first time since we’ve been living afloat.
I had a day trip to Chippy where I did a final model meeting over zoom from a dressing room, but also had chance to measure things up. Then we were off up the Oxford Canal, mooring in our favourite spots, it was a touch busier than it normally is in the winter.
A pause to visit Village Meats in Braunston and we spotted our old share boat NB Winding Down so we stopped to say hello. On up the flight sharing with a boat full of actors, then left up to Crick for the first time in ages.
A prearranged boaters meeting at Houdini’s Field worked brilliantly, NB Panda and NB Kamili convened and we all enjoyed each others company over a fantastic barbeque outside so everyone could feel safe and Tilly could roam about. Oleanna was treated to a very good wash and brush up before we were on our way again. We now needed to get her north before I started on Panto.
News came through that the breach on the Aire and Calder had been mended and nine months after the canal had sprung a leek it was mended and open again. Boats could now move through the area, mooring however is still restricted.
Following the Grand Union we headed down the Stockton Flight to Leamington Spa. Tilly and I had a few hot days on our own moored at Radford Smelly then we were on our way again. An obligatory burger at The Cape of Good Hope the night before we teamed up with NB Mad Hatter to ascend the Hatton flight. One day my old college friend Emma will not have an excuse to helping us up the flight, this time we met for a cuppa and a catch up the following day.
On up Knowle to Catherine de Barnes, then Camp Hill Locks, the Ashted flight and Tunnel (!) followed by Farmers Bridge into Birmingham. The city centre is still full of building and tram works but with the sun out it looked stunning. We also caught up with Paul Balmer from Waterway Routes before carrying on with our journey.
A night at Hawne Basin filled the diesel tank up. A night at Dudley Port Basin got the cupboards filled. A pause at Urban Moorings meant we could donate our deposits and the next day we descended from the Birmingham plateau down the Wolverhampton 21.
Along the Staffordshire and Worcester we managed to have a mid stream catch up with Barbara from NB Bessie Surtees. At Great Haywood I managed a catch up with Kay from NB Pea Green as she set up to trade for the day and Mick filled Oleanna’s water tank.
Heading north on the Trent and Mersey we pulled in for lunch and a surprise hello to Barry and Sandra from NB AreandAre whom we’d got to know last year in the first lockdown. In the afternoon we were joined by Bill and Lisa for a trip through Harecastle Tunnel. Now we swung off the Trent and Mersey and onto the Macclesfield with it’s wonderful bridges.
It would have been nice to take our time but we had a rendez vous to make. The end mooring at Marple was free and from here we headed into Manchester by train to join the London Leckenbys for a meal of big red fish. The following day my old school friend Morag joined us for a night on board with some serious catching up to be done.
Our next deadline loomed, Standedge Tunnel. We dropped down the Marple flight, crossed the aqueduct and turned right at Dukinfield Junction onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. We knew we were in for some hard work to climb our way over the Pennines, last time we’d enlisted crew to help as I was one handed. This time we’d be going solo. Apart from the very first lock it wasn’t too troublesome. The work is rewarded with stunning views.
Standedge Tunnel did not disappoint. Because of social distancing Mick got ride ride up front in the cratch leaving the helm to a C&RT volunteer. Bumps and scrapes made Oleanna wince along with us, but we all got through in one piece with no damage. Tilly wasn’t too happy about the trip, but at least I can now boast to the local cats in Scarboreugh that I’ve been through the longest deepest highest tunnel on the canal network whilst they just lazed around on their shed roofs!
On our way down the other side Oleanna had a belt that went taking out quite a few wires in the engine bay. RCR were sent for, the engineer suggested we’d need to remove a pulley on the alternator to be able to remove trapped wires, this could not happen where we were. We could move but the batteries would not charge. The only way to top up our electric was with the solar panels. Emergency power conservation went into operation, blogs were hand written, the freezer turned off and we gradually ate our way through our defrosting supplies. Every day Mick managed to pull more wire from the alternator and soon there was no need for an engineer again, just a new belt needed fitting.
We made our way down to Huddersfield and arrived the day before I had a production meeting at Dark Horse. After walking to my meeting I handed over the model and we stocked up on supplies before heading off east along the Huddersfield Broad Canal.
The Board locks are just that, but they are short. On Lillian we’d nearly got stuck here, but Oleanna was built a foot shorter so we knew we were fine, we still had to take great care in descending the locks diagonally. This continued on to the Calder and Hebble, taking our time and using our Hebble spike. The rebuilding work done at the Figure of Three locks, after flooding washed huge parts of the structure away, are only noticeable due to the new stonework.
Bigger locks were welcome, using the key of power once past Wakefield. The sun shone wonderfully for my last full days boating this year as we made our way to Castleford. Here we hired a car to get me down to Chipping Norton to start work on Panto whilst Mick and Tilly stayed on board with the plan to move Oleanna to a winter mooring in Thorne.
Whilst I painted the set working all the hours I could, Mick and Tilly gradually made their way eastwards. They passed through the breach site and headed to Goole to top up on diesel. On their way back towards the New Junction Canal the engine started to over heat, a problem that had happened a couple of years ago on the Thames.
The following day he winded and slowly made his way to Rawcliffe Bridge for easier access for RCR. Little could be done there and then, so Mick and Alastair (engineer) arranged to meet at Viking Marina in Goole. Oleanna managed the two and a half miles in three stages. After her cooling system had been flushed through the problem hadn’t gone away. The water pump was removed and was obviously the problem. A week later with a new pump Mick moved back out onto the cut and joined Lullabelle (a fellow Goole Escapee).
Taking a long weekend off panto, I headed up to join Mick and Tilly to help move them back to Scarborough. Wendy and Martin kept an eye on Oleanna for us whilst we settled Tilly back into the house, I knew where I was! Pah!!
Several days later with the weather on his side, Mick returned as early as he could, pushed off and single handed Oleanna back along the Aire and Calder to Sykehouse Junction where he turned onto the New Junction Canal. With swing and lift bridges to work he was glad of the assistance of a volunteer at Sykehouse Lock. Then the sharp turn at Bramwith onto the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigations. A few more bridges and two more locks before he arrived at Blue Water Marina, Oleanna’s winter mooring.
Tucked up for a rest
On our way back from Chippy a week or so later we called in to check on her. A boat in winter isn’t too friendly without the stove lit. We’ll have visits every now and then to check on her and do the odd job. The weeks are already flying by before we move back on board.
For a year that we’d decided would purely be about seeing our family and friends we ended up having quite an adventurous time. Trent Falls, the Tideway through London and Standedge Tunnel made it quite a year.
So our vital statistics for the year 2021 according to canal plan are
Total distance was 932 miles, ½ furlong and 627 locks . There were 42 moveable bridges of which 16 are usually left open; 169 small aqueducts or underbridges and 30 tunnels – a total of 19 miles 3 ¼ furlongs underground and 3 major aqueducts.
This was made up of 277 miles, 1 ¾furlongs of narrow canals; 270 miles, 4 furlongs of broad canals; 89 miles, 4 ¼ furlongs of commercial waterways; 59 miles, 7 ¼ furlongs of small rivers; 121 miles, 5 furlongs of large rivers; 105 miles, 2 ¼ furlongs of tidal rivers; 8 miles of seaways; 263 narrow locks; 302 broad locks; 61 large locks; 1 lock on major waterways.
Sadly with Oleanna’s log book where it should be, onboard, I’m not able to offer up the engine hours, litres of diesel, gas bottle or bags of coal. Maybe I’ll update this once we are back on board.
The Thames, 2021
This year we’ve done more miles than last, not bad considering we were on land for so much of it. We’ve done far more tidal miles than ever before and for the first time we’ve been on a Seaway! If someone can tell me what the difference is between Tidal waters and Seaways please do. Maybe it was around Trent Falls, or was it downstream of Tower Bridge?
As last year I hope the pandemic doesn’t throw a spanner in the works for us or anyone else. We need the theatrical world to still function with an income for me designing shows and lodgers paying to stay in our house.
I want to say ‘Keep well friends’, but I feel I need to add, ‘Get well soon friends’, as so many have tested positive recently. Thank you for following us and hope to see you soon x
Sainsburys to Shardlow Visitor Moorings, Trent and Mersey Canal
Having missed out on a cooked breakfast this weekend, so far, we paused this morning for one. Not quite the full works, but suitable for a Bank Holiday Monday.
Next job writing a shopping list and then ticking the items off in Sainsburys. We decided that both of us would go as we knew neither of us would remember everything that would be needed despite having done a list. This was the first time the two of us have done a big shop together for over a year. Hopefully we got everything we were wanting.
Next job, fill up with diesel. We pootled into Castle Marina following another narrowboat, luckily they pulled up at their mooring so we could wind and reverse onto the service pontoon.
97 litres of diesel to fill the tank at 84p. A bag of Excell just in case and some fire lighters to help light the barbecue we planned to have. We also made use of the elsan to empty your wee tank. The water tank could wait a little while longer for a top up.
Then we were back on our way, turning left out of the marina. There are quite a lot of familiar boats around Nottingham, Blip being one of them sat at the end of the permanent moorings. More boats were moored up along the three miles than we’ve seen before and at Beeston there was little room to be had under the willow trees.
I hopped off with the recycling, disposed of it, then closed the bottom gates after Oleanna at the lock. This lock is meant to be left with a paddle up at both ends to help keep the level right through Nottingham, yesterday we’d noticed that the level was down a touch, paddles at both ends of the lock closed.
One too many I think!
Back onto the river passing the drunken pirate in his look out and numerous people licking chilled medication. Oh for an ice cream!
This river section has houses on stilts and some lovely looking boats. A new property was being created with two shipping containers high up away from any flooding possibilities. Still a long way to go for those river side views.
As we neared Cranfleet Lock we could see a wide beam waiting to go up. Would there be any volunteers on duty? Guaranteed to be. Well we were surprised at there being four chaps all ready to help. The wide beam went up, a small cruiser came down then it was our turn.
We waited for an oncoming narrowboat to join us and up we went. It’s only the second time I’ve been up in this lock, the first just after I’d lost my little finger. The boat we shared with was heading home after a weekend out in Newark. They had delayed their return journey this morning due to the stranded boat at Stoke Lock, arriving there to drop crew off to work the lock wouldn’t be a wise thing at the moment. The boat was now floating again.
At the end of Cranfleet Cut we had three ways we could go. The River Soar to Foxton and the Leicester Section, the Erewash Canal or continue on the Trent to Sawley. We already knew which way we’d be going so turned right, but not right right, we headed up the Trent.
Ratcliffe Power Station
Our journey southwards would be a touch shorter if we went by the Soar, by about 15 minutes a day, but we’ve been that way quite frequently in the last few years and not touched this end of the Trent and Mersey Canal possibly for five years.
Trent Lock was busy, no space to be had on the pontoon, another favourite of ours. We pushed on upstream our partner boat following to Sawley Lock. Here another set of volunteers took ropes and pressed buttons at one of the locks, the other currently out of action.
Sawley Flood Lock
Through the flood lock and on towards the junction of the River Derwent, The River Trent and where the Trent and Mersey Canal starts, Derwent Mouth.
Derwent Mouth Lock
Myself and the chap from our accompanying boat lifted the paddles. With every click water flooding into the lock. With every click Oleanna was lifting up off the river. With the top gates open we’d made it. We’d escaped Goole! 138 miles, 19 locks behind us.
Escaped!
This evening we’d planned to have a celebratory barbecue and thought we’d stop just above Derwent Mouth Lock. Well that just wasn’t going to be as the towpath past the lock landing was filled with boats. Should we tuck on the end overlapping the generous lock landing? Mick thought we should, I thought not. We carried on a touch disgruntled that our wished for mooring was taken.
Coming into Shardlow we passed the house with the model railway, my camera at the ready should it be running today. Two boats were moored in the little arm and another two out front on the canal. One of these was very familiar, Tyseley the Mikron Theatre Company boat. She has recently had a repaint and new windows at Northwich dry dock on the Weaver where she was built. She looked very fine indeed just ready for the start of the Mikron tour. Sadly we don’t think we’ll be coinciding with there waterways tour this summer and just turning up on speck won’t be possible as you have to have booked a ticket due to covid restrictions and limited numbers.
The first mooring in Shardlow after the pubs was free, so we pulled in, our barbecue could wait for tomorrow. Tilly was given an hour and set free to see what/who she could find.
Anchor pinned back in
Our covers were being put up as a couple cycled past chatting away. The chap following suddenly hit a mooring ring, his bike flipping up into the air. He managed to cling onto his bike which went into the canal, but had quite bad scrapes to his hand, elbow and leg. His girlfriend wisely suggested they shouldn’t just carry on and wait a few minutes whilst we hunted round our first aid kits for antiseptic wipes. Hope he is alright and not too bruised.
Instead of our barbecue we managed to rustle up a tuna and pasta salad, a roast chicken our other option would have been a touch too much. Tomorrow we’ll start to slow down, just under four hours a day needed to reach our destination.
Two happy boaters
4 locks, 2 flood locks, 11.08 miles, 97.21 litres diesel, 1 bag coal, 1 box firelighters, 1 chicken, 2 salmon steaks, 0 room, 1 hour not fully taken, 1 roast chicken a touch too hot, 1 escape complete, 1 Dannie, 1 Willie, 1 Sedgwick the 3 who escaped, may many more escape Goole.
You may think our escape to be complete now that we are off tidal waters. Well for us it won’t be until we are back on the main canal network. Yes the weather looks good, in fact factor 30 good, but to be off the River Trent would be good, just in case!
What a beautiful blue day
We had our breakfast and were on our way again. The grey start to the day was soon burnt off by the sun.
Newark Marina has had an extension built, a new pond extends out towards the city, one side already with boats moored up. Averham Weir needed a touch more power to keep us away from it and only one cormorant dried it’s wings on a post, there’s normally one sat on every post.
Farndon Marina
The sun was fully out by the time we reached Farndon Marina, the camp site by the visitor moorings looked pretty full. Oh, hang on! Moorings, campsite, a cafe/club/bar place.
Mooring and campsite!
Could this be a possible venue/location for a 55.5 birthday do next year? On our travels I’ve been noting anywhere possible to have a weekend with friends and family to mark my half century, decade, year. There must be moorings, a campsite and preferably B&B and a bar all in close proximity. If anyone has any ideas on venues please let me know, you never know you may even get an invite!
The estate of Stoke Hall always looks so green rolling down to the river, the hall nestled a bit of a distance away. At Fiskerton there was just about enough space where we could have pulled in to have a pub lunch, but we’d only just got going so pressed on, still wanting to get some miles crossed off today.
Hazelford Lock
Yesterday we’d thought about carrying on to Hazelford Lock where we’d have been happy letting Tilly out, but on seeing Heathers mooring we’d stopped, thank goodness as there almost certainly wouldn’t have been any room for us. Even the smaller cruisers were breasted up, one narrowboat totally surrounded by white.
I spy a little cruiser
We shared the lock with a strange looking little brown cruiser which only had it’s number for a name. We all clung onto the blue risers as the level rose.
Above the lock a half submerged old work boat was tied to the moorings, this was most probably the boat that got away from the moorings below the lock a while ago when the level was high. It headed off down river doing some damage to the pontoon at Farndon.
The long pontoons further upstream are now full of boats. Barge Tortus catching our eye along with another boat that has had a very large top box added!
Oh the Trent is lovely on a blue skied day. Well until the next lock! Gunthorpe Lock.
With Lock Keepers at every lock there was no need to drop me off with the key of power, instead I’d be passing a rope around a blue riser very very carefully. We ended up on THE riser. I couldn’t look it in the eye as only one paddle was lifted at the top end of the lock. Why did this lock of all the locks in the Trent have to take SOOOOooooo long to fill! LINK
Tilly waiting to wave at the BJ ladies who rescued her
The Lock Keeper had a chat with Mick asking if we were carrying on to Stoke Lock. We were. We were told of a sand bar below the lock which had caught itself a boat today. On approaching the lock we should continue straight on towards the weir until it was almost too late to turn in to the lock. This was all noted.
No space on the pontoon above, good job we’d had lunch on the move.
Stoke Lock ahead
At a km away from Stoke Lock we radioed ahead. The keeper said we needed to be well left of the grounded narrowboat, the lock was ready, he was holding it for us.
Sure enough there where you’d normally expect to just turn in towards the lock a narrowboat sat. A lady walked along the gunnel and climbed onto the roof to sit in her canoe. They’d lost the paddle a week ago so it couldn’t be used to get them to dry land. They’d been stuck there for an hour.
Not really where you want to spend your bank holiday
Mick brought Oleanna round them as far to the left as he could. Even so we could hear Oleanna’s base plate scraping over the sandbar. We made it into the lock where the Lock Keeper asked us to stay back so as not to be level with another narrowboat who hadn’t got a rope looped round the risers at the bow, as yet.
Woof
All sorted we rose up the lock. The Lockie had managed to get an oar, the couple on the narrowboat on the sandbar would be able to now reach dry land and go home to Nottingham for the night. RCR would be on their way tomorrow to get the boat floated again. If you ever find yourself in such a situation, always try to reverse off, don’t put the power on full, as this just tends to make matters worse.
There was a space above the lock, lovely as Stoke Lock is we wanted to be further on.
At Holme Lock we had the huge chamber to ourselves. Thankfully more paddles were working than the last time we came uphill here so our ascent seemed really quick. Mick chatted to a volunteer about the hydro-electric power station that seemed to take forever to build. It is now in operation. When it started up the vibrations in the lock cottage were too much for the owners to cope with, the foundations shared between them and the station. To rectify this would cost way too much, so the power company bought the house, the manager now lives on site.
Above the lock there were few sailing boats about. The mooring at Southfork ranch looks like it needs a good weeding, at least it looked like someone was home today. The new building work that was going up when we last came past doesn’t seem to have moved on anymore, the protective netting having seen better days!
Trent Bridge
A few canoeists could be spotted between the glints from the river as we approached Trent Bridge. The moorings on the steps looked to be full, so there was only one thing for it, go up Meadow Lane Lock. Now where did we put those windlasses?
What are these strange looking things?!
The last manual lock we did was the 3rd September and it was Bank Dole up from the River Aire onto the Aire and Calder. We knew at the time it would be a while before the windlasses were needed, but we really hadn’t thought it would be nearly nine months!
I hopped off the stern, windlass in hand as the gates of the lock opened. A boat was coming down, both crew onboard, they could continue on their way without stopping. There was however just enough time for the lady to tell me which paddles were not working, one at each end.
With several gongoozlers we managed to remember how to work a lock ourselves and gradually the level came up. Back onto a canal, a narrow canal. Well the Nottingham Canal is a broad canal but after the big rivers and the Aire and Calder it felt narrow to us. We almost had to hold our breath in as we went under the bridges.
The new rail bridge we’d seen going in a couple of years ago is now up and working. Just before the right hand bend a large scaffolding set of stairs leads up to street level replacing those that used to be used on the other side, these are now in a building site which is slightly encroaching the canal. Plenty of space to turn though.
Tram!
A chap lay in his sleeping bag in the shade under the first bridge. New street furniture and planting lined the towpath.
Nottingham
As we reached the bars the noise level grew. Every single outdoor seat taken at the three bars, music and just a pure cacophony of humans enjoying the sunshine, company and booze! I’d been wondering about going out for a good steak and chips, but on seeing the masses here we decided to stay in tonight and have broccoli bacon pasta instead. Too many people make us, and I’m sure many others, nervous.
Busy busy busy
Castle Lock was open with both paddles left up. With a seated audience alongside I was glad we’d had a practice go at Meadow Lane before having to really do this locking thing in public.
New blocks of student accommodation stand on the banks of the canal. They sort of feel like they were there before, but we’re sure they weren’t. Hopfully they are not the reason for C&RT to have put up no mooring signs along part of the stretch which has numerous mooring rings, today quite a lot of local boats were moored there!
Castle Lock
We pulled up near to Sainsburys for a big shop tomorrow. Music and smoke from barbecues filled the air, maybe we’d have been better off on the no-mooring mooring rings. Thankfully the world around us calmed down during the evening, only for the geese and coots to take over!
