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!
It’s been a busy week for us here in Scarborough. A visit from a plumber gave us a more favourable quote than one we’d had a month or so ago. Then last weekend we heard from Darran (the plumber) that the job he should have been doing this week was delayed so he could fit us in. He arrived Tuesday morning and by the time he left that day the old boiler and tank had been removed and replaced with a combi.
The new boiler provides heat to half the house and hot water to a bathroom. That night we both partook of showers and sat on the sofa warm without having to have electric heaters on. The following day Darran finished the set up then ran through a list of other jobs, including two new toilet innards and several sticking taps.
A builder has been to look at damp we’ve got in a couple of places and we’ve had a chimney sweep so we can now have fires again.
Paint has been stripped from the rotting window sills to see to what extent they need replacing and Frank by the end of yesterday finished securing the first new piece of wood onto the first sill, along with realigning a set of bannisters and gluing a spindle back together. Hopefully the weather will be okay to do more next week along with changing the locks on the front doors now that we’ve managed to get the springs changed inside them and have new keys.
It’s just too noisy in there!
Tilly hasn’t been too pleased with people coming and going, making noise and her areas of the house reducing in size depending on where people were working.
Inspecting the bay tree
Her job title has changed a couple of times this week. On Oleanna she is the Second Mate, earlier this week she became Clark of Works and yesterday she decided on another job.
Her beautiful white paws no longer white!
As yet we’re not sure if she would like to be a chimney sweep or if she has ideas of being a feline Fred Dibner! Her route up the chimney has hopefully now been blocked successfully.
The kitchen and utility room are almost complete paint wise, just some undercoat and white gloss (hard to get hold of currently) to go and they can be ticked off the list. Just a shame that it looks like our kitchen floor will have to be dug up. Remedial work for damp a few years ago meant the builder, whilst digging up the kitchen floor put a nick into a gas pipe leading to the hob. This was spotted a year or so later and a new copper pipe was passed through the flexible stainless steel pipe. This works, but the two metals should not be together so will degrade, therefore it needs replacing. We’ll replace the gas hob with electric, but a suitable cable can’t go through the flexible pipe, hence the floor needs to be dug up! I am currently on the hunt for matching tiles.
He only needed two jelly beans
Mick got several parcels. One containing some jelly beans which meant he could move the internet up to the room we call the shed. Our internet still isn’t as good as on the boat and another issue has been raised with our provider as when you pick up the phone the internet cuts out.
Gardens! Gardens!!
Tilly has ventured outside a few times, but isn’t that impressed. If we hold her cat flap open she’ll go through it, but she hasn’t as yet mastered coming back in. I think we will still be custodians of the door in the house as well as on the boat. I think once we let her out the front of the house she will be more enthusiastic as she’s already spied all the trees in the park.
Eggs delivered with the milk once a week
Friday morning we were up early to receive a Sainsburys delivery before it was even light. Then Mick got a train down to Goole to visit Oleanna taking his tool kit on a bike.
Neighbour from last week gone
He gave Oleanna fresh oil and a new oil filter. Then he attached a couple of Temperature Sensors. One was attached to the batteries and the other end to the Victron system monitor. The other one was attached to the engine. This means we can monitor the temperatures remotely, either at the tiller or from further afield.
When Oleanna was built the control panel was housed behind a lockable panel which we requested. Because of this we ended up with a standard panel which doesn’t show the engine temperature, this is located just inside the hatch. Due to Tilly not being allowed up on deck whilst we cruise this means the back doors are always closed when we are on the move, so it’s not so easy to check the engine temperature. Mick can access the system monitor from his phone and see what the temperature is now.
Over the last three weeks Mick has been keeping an eye on the system monitor. He can remotely connect power from the hook up, but so far our solar panels have been looking after the batteries on their own. The new temperature sensor will enable Mick to see when the temperature of the batteries drops to 5C or less. Lithium batteries don’t like to be charged when the temperature is below 0C. So remotely he will be able to stop the solar from charging them. This morning their temperature was 7C. The big spike yesterday on the chart was when Mick ran the engine.
All fine until next time
All the doors were opened up to refresh the air inside the cabin and all was well onboard. Before we can return for a night I’ll need to sort the curtains for our bedroom. I may just take a pattern from them, give the old ones a wash and rehang them for the time being. But the curtains in the rest of the boat want new lining (thanks to Tilly!) and I’m aiming to make new curtains for the house, so it looks like I need to work out how much lining I’ll need and put a big order in.
The Cinder Track
Last Sunday the weather was fine so we decided to head to the North Bay to say hello to Freddie. Our route took us through Sainsbury’s car park and then along the cinder track, which used to be the railway line to Whitby. We then headed down towards Peasholm Park walking through Manor Road Cemetery, first bumping into an old friend Jim and then Jaye and Duncan.
The Cemetery is very atmospheric with little gardens, there is a memorial to civilians who died in the bombardment of Scarborough in December 1914. Every twist and turn brings more stories. Without really noticing it you leave the cemetery and enter Peasholm Park with it’s beck, Japanese Gardens and then boating Lake with pagoda looking down from above. Built in the 1910’s the park became the focus for fetes, galas etc and in 1927 the model Naval Warfare was introduced which you can still see today, although I’ve heard it I’ve never seen it.
We crossed the roundabout and walked down to what used to be called The Corner.
The North Bay watched over by the Castle
Here the footpath is nice and wide, despite being popular there is plenty of space. We walked round to say hello to Freddie, one of my favourite sculptures. This giant chap sits on a bench, in his coat smoking. The Ray Lonsdale sculpture depicts Freddie Gilroy one of the first soldiers to relieve the Bergen-Belson concentration camp at the end of WW2.
We followed Marine Drive round the headland, watching the waves. The seagulls waiting for unsuspecting visitors to drop their guard and loose their chips! A walk round the harbour would have been lovely, but it was far too busy so we side stepped away from the crowds onto Burr Bank, walking into town through the Old Town, waving to Alan and Heather as we passed their garden.
Tut tut
Hopefully this Sunday the sun will be out again, although I’m not sure we’ll venture far as one of my knees is seriously complaining about steps, climbing ladders and kneeling on the floor. Two days off decorating should help, I may even pick up my knitting needles again, something I’ve not had the inkling to do since early lockdown.
Views of the harbour
o locks, o miles, 2 trains, 9 litres oil, 2 sensors, 1 gravel barge, 1 parcel of yarn, 1 present for Tilly, 1 sill nearly mended, 1 spindle glued, 7 windows undercoated, 1 boiler, 1 chimney swept, 1 chimney climber, 1 MBE Congratulations Sarah! 1 brick laid, 1 patch of plaster required, 4 hidden knives found, 1 boater longing to walk the towpath with her cat, 1 bag of frozen peas.
Where were we
2019 On the Kennet and Avon Canal, All Cannings to Woolhall Bridge. LINK
2018 On the South Oxford Canal, Aristotle Bridge to Isis Lock. LINK
2017 On the Trent and Mersey, Taft Bridge to Lower Burston Bridge. LINK
2016 On the Leeds Liverpool, Bingley Five Rise to Holden Swing Bridge. LINK
Trent Lock Pontoon to Sainsburys, Nottingham and Beeston Canal
Another lovely sunny morning, we woke to pink clouds across the river, these weren’t of interest to our silent Second Mate, the gulls kept her focus. I think she’s forgiven us for yesterday, nearly!
After breakfast we put our layers and life jackets on and said goodbye to our neighbours. Over night we protected them from the wind and the noisy lapping of the river on our hull. I suspect the pontoon also cuts down the noise, so that is the reason they were on the inside as they will be there for two weeks.
I untied the bow first (we’d moored using innie ropes) as this was only holding the boat in to the pontoon. The stern rope was doing all the work of stopping us from drifting downstream so was left until I had stepped on board having given Oleanna a little push, the flow of the river then did the rest helping her to turn.
Second left and we were into Cranfleet Cut, a big sign showing us the way north. From here everything is very familiar, three/four years ago we had to loiter near to Nottingham for me to visit the hospital weekly to get physio for my hand so we got to know the area quite well. HS2 will cross the cut in years to come and just add another railway bridge to the landscape here. The tap above Cranfleet Lock now has a tap fitted to it, there was one time when you needed molegrips to turn the water on, but as the pressure was only a trickle it wasn’t worth it, today we carried on.
No need for windlasses today as both locks we’d be doing have them welded onto the paddle gear. The lock needed filling so the top gate paddles were lifted, all four of them. When coming up this lock you have to take care in which paddle you lift when, best to stay back and even better to share it with another boat. The Lockie grins away waist deep in the flower bed, he’s only here for show!
River cruising is good for diesel engines, no longer constrained to going slowly, it is also good for doing your washing. One load was put on before we left Trent Lock, once this was well on it’s way to finishing the dishwasher was put on. The river is wide with several obstacles you have to avoid. Today there were masses of geese, Canadian and Greylags. It was interesting to see when they decided to fly off only one species would go leaving the other behind.
At Beeston Lock a boat had just left the lock coming our way, but his didn’t mean it would be in our favour. On leaving this lock you leave a red paddle up at both ends to keep a flow of water running through Nottingham, so the chamber starts to empty straight away. Once set we worked our way down, Mick taking Oleanna to the water point whilst I closed and lifted paddles.
The cottages just by the lock have now been restored and are open as the Canal Heritage Centre. These cottages were first detailed on the 1839 census, with 21 people living on site, but by 1980 the last inhabitant moved out. By 2010 the Canal Heritage Centre Trust was formed with the aim of creating a new community facility at the workers cottages. Works were on going when we last came through April 2017 and the centre is now open to the public. There is a tea room, exhibition space along with community activities including a Classic Film Club run every two weeks in the afternoon.
We made use of the time on the water point, did another load of washing hoping to top up the tank before moving off. Keeping a watchful eye out we had lunch too, if anyone came wanting to use the services we’d have moved off, but luckily they didn’t.
Now the plod into town. The daffodils are shooting up to find light by the willow trees, we saw our first snowdrops the other day! The new bridge crossing the canal to Boots is open, bits of work still happening around it and the locals have already left their marks. The works on the off side always amuse us with the funny noises, Nottingham Ready Mix Co. Spurts of ingredients get blown from hoppers, each making slightly different shhhht noises, it’s almost musical. There seem to be more toilets too.
Just after Castle Marina the visitor moorings start. The first stretch is currently filled with cruisers who all look settled for two weeks and have left modesty gaps between themselves! New posh student rabbit hutches are going up next door to the existing block. So we had a choice of builders, students or road noise. In the end we just moored at the end of the cruisers, within easy walking distance to Sainsburys. The builders won’t be noisy at night and the building looks to be made mostly from glulam so it shouldn’t be too loud. The road quietens down overnight, let’s just hope the current residential students are quieter than the first lot we encountered here who chatted and laughed away the nights.
2 locks, 8.18 miles, 2nd left, 1 cheesy grin, 2 loads washing, 1 dishwasher, 1 full tank water, 1 wet neck, 9 toilets, 6 git gaps, 1 marina closed on Tuesdays, 3 life jackets still waiting.
