Time to get down to some serious work. Mick was up early and did a very good job of giving me a day on my own. He headed off to Headingley to watch the England versus India test match. During the morning he posted pictures of the ground just as an old school friend did the same from the other end. So at lunchtime Mick and Jeremy met up for a catch up before settling down to watch the afternoons play.
Jeremy and Mick at Headingly
Back on board, Tilly came and went, then she stayed for most of the remainder of the day, tucked up in her escape pod.
Lots of cutting out to do today. Then I realised that having some spray mount would be advantageous. The turquoise paper I’d used for the back ground was likely to distort itself if being stuck down with pva which is something I wanted to avoid. No spray mount in my stocks, so I combined my walk with hunting round York for some.
I tried several stationers, no art shops in the middle of town any more. Then I visited Barnitts, their glue wasn’t repositionable and £1 more than elsewhere, admitedly for a bigger can. I opted for the repositionable brand from Rymans. I also popped into M&S for some lunch things.
Blue backing
I got all the backgrounds stuck down and did some extra painting here and there and popped a big vat of Yaxni on to cook using some of the chicken stock I’d made when I jointed a chicken the other day. Very nice it was and a good way to use up old potatoes and bits and bobs.
Chris in his faded hat
Chris the Pink Hat Man today completed the 82nd day of his walk from Lands End to John O’Groats to Lands End! Today he reached John O’Groats where he enjoyed some chilled medication despite it being a touch chilly to celebrate him turning around to return southwards. Chris is heading back by a different route which will take him along quite a few canals, so once he’s back in England keep an eye open for his hat, you can’t miss it!Here’s his video from today, with awards for his best room with a view, meals etc. His walk is in aid of Hope and Homes for Children. Well done Chris.
The staircase in what used to be Habitat
Tuesday, as much as Mick really wanted to go back to Headingly it wasn’t a suitable thing to do as he had a phone appointment with a nurse at the GP’s in the afternoon. It turned out that he made the right descission as the match was very exciting at 6:30 when his phone call was due to happen!
Instead, to keep out of my way he caught a train over to Scarborough to do a turn around. Last week we’d had Alex and Angie of Heroica Theatre Company stay with us. We don’t normaly do single weeks as it’s not that cost effective for us, but we knew the house would be immaculate after their visit, which it was. Just the bed to change, pop fresh towels out and cut the grass before waiting for his phone call. All good just a slight change of medication.
Portals nearly there
On Oleanna I finished off the cloths and portals for my model, carefully alligning coloured paper so joins wouldn’t be horrible when enlarged by 25. I then chose which scene to start painting the scenery for. I opted to start in the kitchen, yellow green and fuchia pink, it is panto afterall! Still a bit to do, but a good start.
0 locks, 0 miles, 4 trains, 1 can spray mount, 1 day walking, 2.95 miles walked, 42 minutes briskly, 2 portals, 2 cloths, 1 dresser, 2 ground rows, 1 door, 1 cat who has given up!
The Geraghty zoom included Tizer, Jiffy transportation for water, Garibaldis and Chris The Pink Hat Man, more about Chris another day.
This morning it was really quite windy, the temperature had dropped and the sun had gone in. We needed to get out from under the trees. Mick checked the rings ahead of us, if we got it right there should be some big ones to tie to. We pulled out from under the trees finding clear sky, but had to use thinner rope to attach ourselves to the bank.
Air brush
Mick headed out to the Designer Outlet near Naburn, making use of his free bus travel. This was to stock up on my favourite tea which is far cheaper there than in the normal Whittard shops. I gave the airbrush a try out. Set it to the pressure I thought would be good using water, then mixed up some dark blue paint to spray onto paper. It took a bit of doing and the paint was a touch reluctant to be sprayed even though it was watered right down. But I got there in the end, painting it by hand simply wouldn’t have given the right look.
This takes time!
Then I started to cut out the bits around the roses which will be backed by the sprayed paper. All looking good, just a lot more cutting out to do!
Left to Naburn
A walk late aftetrnoon had me pacing around South Bank close to the racecourse where my school friend Charlotte used to live, streets of terraced houses where I’m sure the Terrys Chocolate Factory workers used to live. I found the London Leckenby’s prefered Butchers shop then walked past the allotments where Mikron sometimes perform. Down the back streets to Nunnery Lane passing where friends Sian and Tess used to live (decades apart), then back to Oleanna for a cooling beer and the next episode of Traitors NZ season 2.
Back alleys
0 locks, 100ft, 1 clear sky, 1 cooler day, 1 airbrush working, a little subtley, 4 pouches tea, £12 saved, 1 almost fooled cat, 2 many bits to cut out, 1 new right hand index finger required, 2.54 miles walked, 44 minutes briskly, 1 catch up phone call with Frank.
A suggested plan for the day arrived as we had breakfast, visitors expected late morning. We gave the boat a tidy through and got dressed for the weather, hot with extra hotness and a possible walk.
Today my best friend Emma was coming to visit along with her new (to us) boyfriend Soren. they are over from Australia on a whirl wind tour catching up with friends, then heading to Denmark where Soren is from. Emma was last over in January 2020, before covid struck and it’s been the longest we’ve been apart since she emigrated down under. Our trip to York this time is purely to coincide with her being here for two days.
Walking down the back lane
A tour of Oleanna for them both, then a walk along New Walk up into Fishergate sneeking a look round the back of the house where Emma’s family lived in our teenage years. We then climbed into their hire car and headed off into the countryside, the Howardian Hills just north of York. So many pretty villages, we joked about them moving back to York and buying one of the lovely houses somewhere like Coxwold.
The pub
The car was lovely and cool, the sky progressivly getting darker and the outside temperature quite a shock on gettng out of the car. We pulled up at the Fauconberg Arms in Coxwold, a very pretty old fashioned pub, much more used to having a crackling log fire going.
Soren, Emma, Pip and Mick. Emma obviously didn’t get the blue shirt memo
Their holiday has been funded by letting out a cabin in the Blue Mountains at the back of Soren’s house. He is a guide, he takes people on adventures around the Blue Moutains, absailing and cannon exploring. Then three of four times a year he is also a guide in the Himalayas! He’s a mountaineer!!
There was so much to catch up on, I think we hardly scratched the surface! After lunch, I had to have fish and chips, we drove to Castle Howard reminising about our fathers speeding along the straight but bumpy roads, doing their best to get their sporty little cars to take off back in the 70’s.
Castle Howard
When Emma had sugested going for a walk, we didn’t quite know what to expect, especially with Soren’s job. Would we be taking on a ten mile hike up and down dale? Hence me trying to get my calf improved. But instead we ambled around the grounds of Castle Howard listening to the peacocks and enjoying the rain that fell on us in the rose garden. We joked about which wing of the house we would have each and how we’d have a pimms party every Friday night in the central hallway.
Chilled medication
Some chilled medication couldn’t be turned down. Mick a little surprised to recieve his in a tub, so Emma asked for a cone. This was added to her tub as if it was a flake! A very peculiar way of serving it.
Best friends
As there were more people to catch up with we were returned to Oleanna before they headed on to their next engagement. Big hugs were given that have to last us a few more years. There’s never enough time. The only way there is more time is to head to Australia to visit them there. We just need the SJT to employ one of our favourite cat friendly actors who would be happy to look after Tilly for a few weeks.
That’s more like it!
As we’d hardly walked anywhere and my calf was up for it, I walked around the block. Up to Scarborough Railway Bridge and back again, only a slight twinge. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up the pace now.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 rendez vous made, 58 years of being friends, 1st meeting, 1 celebration, 1 snoop, 9 pretty villages, 1 of each, 4 for the price of 3, 4 chilled medications, 2 cone accessories, 5 years, 5 hours, 1 hour for each year.
Up early for us and on the move backwards before breakfast. Time to top up the water tank, check if Kenny’s hens had laid then make a move before it got too hot, plus I had a meeting to attend at 11.
Roses fading on the gateway now
Water tank full, still no eggs. We waved NB Poppy goodbye, they are heading up to Ripon where they have permission to ascend Oxclose Lock on Monday morning to reach their home mooring. They were determined to make it to at least Linton today, a shame as a stop off in York wouldn’t have held them up that much.
A serious bow rope!
Off we set, with the aim of finding a shady mooring in towards town. We passed all the familiar sights. Someone was watering the grass just before Archbishops Palace, wonder how long they’ll be allowed to keep their grass green, he was being extremely generous with the hose pipe. No-one in the garden at the Palace, no-one swimming in the river, the sewage works particularly stinky today.
The river level was too low to see the roof of my old family home today, but the house behind it was still there. We spotted Philli heading off to work in her bright orange trousers. Under Millenium bridge about to celebrate it’s 25th anniversary. Now we looked for shade.
Ice cream boats not headed off to sell yet
New Walk has overhanging trees. For the next few days the shade would most definitely be required, mooring at Museum Gardens would be unbearable, Oleanna would become an oven. Now knowing where the chain eyes are of a wider diameter helped in our choice of mooring. Under a tree that wouldn’t waft onto the roof, perfect.
We got moored up, sent some messages, had breakfast, then I settled down ready for my zoom meeting with the production manager for panto. Lots to catch up on and discuss. I hope Gemma understood my points of view on finding a happy medium on the painting side of the show this year.
Mick headed into town to try to find me a very thin blue pen. Black ones are easy to come by at 0.05mm, but blue is more problematical. This is to outline parts of my model and a more standard 0.5mm pen would end up being a touch too wide for what I want once blown up by 25 times. He didn;t have any luck so I’ve ordered one which we can pick up at the house on the next turn around.
Terry’s
I painted up numerous roses on my portals. Jus when I thought I’d nearly finished I remembered there was another piece of scenery with more of them on it. Hopefully I’ve got them all painted now!
Time to check my calf out. I’ve been doing no brisk walking, and very little walking over the last few days, hoping that the rest would help. A parcel had arrived at a locker for me so an ideal opportunity to see if the rest had worked.
Lovely clock face
I took it easy at first, then increased my speed a touch. Down the riverbank over Millenium Bridge and onto Bishopthorpe Road. Onwards to a new Co-op amongst the new apartments that have been built up around the old Terry’s Chocolate Works. My parcel was there, but more importantly I was now not that far away from the art deco factory with it’s clock tower. I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so close, so it was worth a nosy around.
The chocolate works
The development seems nice and airy, retaining some of the original buildings. A restaurant/cafe/bar/deli sits close to the clock tower, gents sat out in white shirts and dicky bow ties. I wouldn’t stop for a drink. Long avenues all seem to lead up to the clock. When I was a kid, during winter months I could just make out the shape of the tower from my bedroom window. Back along a stretch of the riverbank I’ve never walked before.
Calf verdict, much improved only a slight suggestion that if I’d pushed it more then I’d have hobbled. So complete rest seems to be what I should do when it happens again.
What?!?
Back at Oleanna I opened up my parcel. What on earth?! Beauty Equipment?! I opened up the box, phew, it was an airbrush. They must sell more to the beauty market than to artists. Here’s hoping it can cope with acrylic paints, and not just acrylic nail varnish!
Around 10am a black van came past, headed down towards the lock, came back and pulled into the passing place close to us. Sean from SPL Covers was on his way to Barnsley and had stopped off to measure up for a new side panel for our pram hood. A template was made and the canvas samples looked at, the closest chosen. Hopefully we’ll have a new side within a couple of weeks. Much easier than me making a template from brown paper and sticking it in the post to Gary. Sean also showed us how they do the front panel of pram covers so that you can open your rear hatch fully. When Oleanna is repainted we’re thinking of gettng smart new covers too, if budget allows and being able to open the hatch more would be a bonus, something to think about.
Selby Basin
As I added a colour to my panto portals Mick pulled us forward to the water point to top up the water tank, next yellow water was dealt with. It was nearing midday and a breasted up pair had arrived ready to head to York. The ladies onboard the pair had hired someone to accompany them up to York to give them some confidence on their first tidal water. He certainly was knowledgable of moving a pair.
We shared the first locking down with NB Poppy, another couple doing their first tidal water, they’d hired a pilot to assist them too. We felt slightly left out it just being the two of us, Hey what about me! I’m an invaluble help. From your nest on the bed!
That sand bar gave us a little bump
Freya passed our centre line round a bollard to see us down, ‘whilst I’m in training it all has to be just so’ she said. The lock dropped, the gates opened and we waited for the go ahead from Freya, a gap in any passing debrise found. We opted to lead the way and out we came, dipping to the side as the flow caught us, then we straightened up and were zooming along with the flow again as if we’d not had a night in the basin.
NB Poppy’s owners first tidal water
Behind us NB Poppy turned out onto the river, the lock gates closed ready to be reset for the breasted up pair.
Mending Selby Toll Swing Bridge
Under the bridges and round the bend, the exciting bit of the trip over quite quickly. When we came to a longish straight I headed below to put lunch together for us, hoping I’d be back up top by the time we reached the first tight bend in the river.
On previous journeys there have been numerous Kingfishers, today not one to be seen, but how many Egrets? Or was it just the one flying off ahead and reappearing round the next bend.
Sheep and cows on the banks moo’d and baaa’d back at me when I said hello.
More tidal water! This is getting boring now!
Soon the push of the tide wained, it really didn’t feel like there was much push anymore, had we outrun the tide? Possible as we’d been let out as soon as we could bump our way over the silt build up outside the lock. It was quite odd compared to yesterday rushing along with little effort on Oleanna’s part.
It’s a hard life!
The bridge keeper at Cawood waved from his sunny seat outside his hut. As NB Poppy came into view the keeper popped into the hut, possibly to let Naburn know we’d just passed.
So low, the speed boats would have a job being launched today
Just where had all the wood gone? When we returned from our last visit to York the next stretch of the river was filled with trees, today there was the odd one, but nowhere near as much as there’d been then. Was it all behind us coming in on the tide? Or had the last lot of Spring tides swept it all out to sea?
Moreby Hall
At the 3km marker Mick radioed ahead to Naburn. A very garbled message came back, hmm what had Kenny just said? Well at least he knew we were nearly there.
Naburn Weir and a narrowboat coming towards us
As we rounded the last bend a narrowboat came into view heading towards us, maybe Kenny’d been telling us they were on the way. At the lock we were asked to pull as far ahead as possible, NB Poppy would come in behind us. He asked the crew behind us how far behind the breasted up pair were, ‘they’ll be miles behind’. Kenny opted to penn us up,we’d expected to wait for the others. Once we’d risen a foot a horn could be heard down on the river. Kenny got on the radio and was surprised to get a reply from them, they’d have to wait now.
Rising up
I chatted with Kenny about our reason for returning to York so soon. I also asked him if he had any eggs for sale, Kenny keeps hens, the cockeril will wake you in the morning. Sadly he’d sold the last of his eggs this morning, but there may be more tomorrow.
Once up we pulled over to the visitor mooring bagging the shadiest patch, oh that was nice and cool. What3words noted, then the doors could be opened for Tilly whilst Mick hung up the washing we’d done whilst on the river. Time to catch up with news on Frank and be his PA for a while. Mick had a towpath haircut. A chicken was jointed, most of it popped in the freezer, one lot made into chicken taglitelli which normally has peas in it, but today it was brocolli, not quite the same, tasty all the same.
That’s better!
2 locks, 14.1 miles, 1 load washing, 3 narrowboats, 1 butty, 2 pilots, 1 cat, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 9 egrets, 3 herons, 0 kingfishers, 2 hours shore leave, 4 messages, 1 crackly phone, 5 potential meals from 1 chicken, 1 plan formulated for our return.
After breakfast the final checks were done, the well deck emptied of everything other than the anchor, chain and rope all attached to each other and the T stud at the bow. Mick had done engine checks yesterday and checked the weed hatch. Boating Association charts, VHF radio, life jackets. At 9:30 Mick radiod ABP at Ocean Lock. We’d been told to do this to check when we’d be allowed into the docks, it’s also to check you have a VHF radio as that is a requirement by them. There would be a twenty minute wait whilst boats moved about then they would give us the go ahead.
Sure enough after a bit of conversation on the radio we were hailed and told to proceed towards Ocean Lock. We were now entering the world of the big ships, stilettoed diggers, 50 shades of sand. Chaps waved at us from high up as we made our way. The lock gates were in their recess, we were safe to proceed entering the lock, we turned the slight right, a chap told us to stay at the back of the lock, but it didn’t matter where. We had the vast lock to ourselves. Strangely it didn’t feel quite as huge as it had done in 2021 when we shared it with WB Lullabelle and Cruiser Sea Maiden.
The huge gates closed behind us then the level started to drop. All that water for one little narrowboat! As the lock levelled out Mick rang Selby and left a message to say we were about to leave Goole. The Gates are in their recess, you can leave the lock now.For your Information there are no ships on the river. We did as instructed, the tide already visibly coming in at quite a lick. We thanked ABP and headed out to catch the tide. Well it caught us really, Oleanna dipping to one side as Mick turned us to follow the flow, keeping to the west bank for a while before moving over to the east, red line followed.
Peeking out onto the vast river
Mick had managed to down load our track from 2021 when we’d followed David on Sea Maiden, but the charts were also kept an eye on.
Goodbye to Goole
Mick’s plan had been to take a touch longer than the half hour marks on Waterway Routes, our journey of 16 miles would ideally take us 4 hours, so 4mph, this would mean us arriving at Selby around high water so we’d not have to turn to face the tide to enter the lock. Back in 2021 the Ouse was filling with flood water and our progress was far slower, infact Nigel the Lockie at Selby had wondered if he’d have to wait for us until 9pm to penn us up off the river.
Memory Map gives you your speed, 7mph, best knock the revs down! We needed to be doing only 4mph. Down to tick over to maintain steering, we were doing way above 4mph. Oh well we’d be early, the amount of fresh on the river affecting the push of the tide and our progress.
Hook Railway Bridge
Under Hook/Skelton Railway Bridge, we’d not need them to swing for us, but we did need to up the revs to stop being pushed towards the peirs. Blimey it was going at quite a lick through there!
Howden Dyke
On up towards Howdendyke, here at the wharfs they don’t have stilettoed diggers. No ships in, infact we didn’t see any boats out on the river today.
There’s a lot of water, but it’s not all that deep!
At the last wharf you do a 90 degree turn to port and head for the south eastern side of Howden Dyke Island, the M62 loooooooong bridge now visible along with Drax Power Station. When crossing the Ouse on the M62 at low tide you can see why boats need to take this route as there is so much silt to the north westerly side it just about dries out.
M62 going slow westbound
Crossing from one side of the river to the other to pass under the bridge, it really is vast soaring through the sky. The traffic west bound however was moving very slowly as after lots of work has been carried out on the bridge recently two expansion joints have failed on the west bound carriageway. There’s likely to be more road works now.
Boothferry Bridge
Stay to the north to pass under the northern most span at Boothferry Bridge, ‘We’re nearly at Grandma’s’ it being a landmark for the Geraghty family on trips to visit family from the south. We wouldn’t need the bridge to swing for us, you have to book this one five days in advance as it takes quite a bit to get it to swing.
Seriously confused water on the bridges
A few bends kept us busy, trying to stay in tick over as much as possible, we were still rocketing our way. We both wondered if we should have kept to our original plan of heading to Naburn today, no need to turn and stem the tide with the current zipping along.
Barmby Barrage
Barmby Barrage came past, our trip up onto the River Derwent and Pocklington Canal thwarted by lack of rain this year. Next year, if it ever rains again. A call to Selby Lock, were they there? Yes. We’d be early, possibly by an hour. Should we turn and stem the tide for a while, or carry on towards them. The choice was ours, they’d be there for us no matter. We thought about it, we’d carry on.
The River Aire joins to the left
Heading northwest we had wind over tide, the river became choppy. Waves with brown horses (too much silt for them ever to be white on the Ouse) crashed around us, we were surprised at how big they were.
Hemingborough
The spire of St Marys at Hemingborough stood tall caught in the sunlight.
At No Man’s Friend bend, a steep one, the river was more confused than at others we’d zoomed through. It was evident we needed more revs, Mick cranked up the engine, then some more, more, the willow branches stroking the cabin side but thankfully no more. Preemptive revs were used round the next steep bend and our line was better.
Selby Bypass Swing Bridge
Approaching Selby Bypass Swing Bridge, Mick radio’d ahead to the lock. Nigel responded, as the tide was still running we’d be needing to turn to face it to enter the lock. Once round a slight kink in the river we wanted to turn, but up ahead there was a branch, quite a chunky one sticking out of the water, drifting in the same direction as us, just at the wrong time!
The pesky branch
The lock still not visible, but we wanted to get turned with plenty of space before the lock, so should it take sometime to get round we wouldn’t be being pushed towards the next two bridges. Reverse, let the branch carry on upstream without us. It kept on going and Mick made the turn. Now to drift backwards towards the lock, where was it? The roof of the block of flats just beyond came into view just as the current was doing it’s best to push us in towards the bank and trees. Quite a bit of tooing and froing was needed to get us to stay away from the banks, little progress being made towards the lock.
Now facing the tide
With a better line and in tick over against the current we started to move towards the lock. Nigel on the radio, were we okay? Yep just taking our time. Gradually we crept backwards, lock in view, gates open waiting for us.
Now it was all about picking the right moment to turn in towards the lock. The current wants to take you one way, a patch of still water infront of the lock, the sand bank we’d seen a few weeks ago on the downstream side of the lock. Mick bided his time, then ‘I’m going to go for it’.
The flats, a topless man, that’s the lock
Revs tiller, she started to turn. The bow in the calm water, the stern now turning to get the full force of the tide. More revs, in she went. Phew! So glad it wasn’t me at the helm.
Nigel stood back and watched on as Freya took our centre line, passed it round a bollard and back to us. She then closed the lock doors and set the lock filling. Freya is being trained to be the Lock Keeper at Selby, she just needs to get her VHF licence and be certified. One big fella to one very slight lady. We got news that the swing bridge on the canal is back working, but the one out on the river is still broken.
Oleanna was winded and we pulled into a space in the basin, ready to face the tide again tomorrow and ready for a fitting too. The sun shone down all afternoon, time to trace out the design on panto portals and cloths. Then by late afternoon Oleanna nestled down into the shade the flats next to us provided, the world starting to cool down.
2 locks, 17.5 miles, 2 winds, 1 hour too early, 7mph, 1.4 when turned to face the tide, 1 hello from a willow, 2 more avoided, under 4 swing bridges, 3 hours in the sunshine, 0 shore leave, 1 surprisingly poor internet, 2 identical words in what3words.
Well considering we’ve been sat around for what feels like the last month it was a surprise to get the Nebo Monthly Summary through.
This is where we travelled in May.
We moved 11 times, underway for 18 hours and cruised what the report says was 76.5 miles with an average speed of 4.1 mph and a maximum speed of 8.1 mph, we have been on rivers and had the tide to assist us too.
The Nebo reports tend to be more accurate than they have been in the past, but there are still two different distances recorded. One is in the banner of the report and suggests the total distance travelled, the other is at the end of the days log which is a running total, this can often be 0.2 miles or so different.
So my tally of distance for May is 78.125 miles.
My spread sheet also records milage from Canal Plan, but because that is done in miles and furlongs it takes a bit of time to add up, which is currently better spent on model making for panto.
Next up on the thwarted list and due to dwindling water comes the Ripon Canal.
Ripon Cathedral
So, okay this wouldn’t have been new water to us, we’ve cruised up to Ripon twice, once on NB Lillyanne and in 2020 on Oleanna. It’s lovely going up stream on the River Ouse. Care should be taken at the river locks as the sight lines from the paddle gear are nonexistent, so you have no idea what is happening below in the lock.
Several cuts above your usual pub food
Back on Lillyanne I opened a paddle just one turn at Milby Lock, which sent the boat careering over to the other side of the lock, rather than holding her in. A large dint in the wall suggesting we weren’t the first to do this, however we may have been the first to loose a porthole which jumped out of it’s frame and into the lock. Houdini our second mate at the time really didn’t know what to make of it all!
There is Benningborough Hall to visit, Newby Hall, a lovely meal to be had at the Dawney Arms. Then Boroughbridge with it’s cheap diesel. The Ouse turns into the River Ure which has made it’s way down from Wensleydale, picking up water from the hills and speeding it down to York several times a year.
Newby Hall
You climb up Oxclose Lock onto the Ripon Canal. Built by William Jessop and opened in 1773 enabling goods to be carried to and from York and Goole. Coal was carried up to Ripon, lead and agricultural produce brought down stream. In 1846 the river and canal were sold to the Leeds and Thirsk Railway company who were meant to keep the navigation open and in good order. However it was neglected and started to silt up, lighter loads in boats kept boats moving, but by 1892 no boats could go past BoroughBridge, the canal now redundant.
Oxclose Lock
Thankfully in the 1950s and 60s local opposition stopped the canal from being filled in. The Ripon Motor Boat Club and IWA fought for the waterway and The Ripon Canal Society was born, the canals restoration completed by 1996, the management of the canal handed over to British Waterways.
Making it’s way from Pateley Bridge, through Studley Royal Park, passing Fountains Abbey the River Skell is used as the feeder for the Ripon Canal. At times of drought, such as now, the Environment Agency ask C&RT to stop abstracting water from the river to help conserve the wildlife on the river. This means there is little or no water topping up the canal.
One of the locks at the top of the Ripon Canal
A week ago, the top two locks on the canal were closed to help conserve what water there was at the top end. But on the 27th May a notice was posted that Oxclose Lock would need to be booked 48 hours in advance and was only to be used for essential passage for returning boats to their moorings or pre-booked maintenance.
Tilly spotted our Ripon visitor long before we did
So the canal is closed for the forseeable future. We have another trip planned to York in the next few weeks and may still head up stream to Boroughbridge, we’ll see how things go.
Alarm clock set for early o’clock I was awake well before it. Time to do my stretches, have breakfast and head to Woodlesford Station to catch the 7:14 to Leeds. There I swapped trains, destination Scarborough. It was cold on the Aire and Calder but it would be colder in Scarbados!
Trains are not such a good place to try to do some sketching, but at least I got one idea down on paper before we pulled in.
I arrived at my GP’s ready for a blood test well before I was due, then headed straight for the house, the roofers were actually there and had stripped back one half of it. No insulation found so that would be added as they worked to put a new membrane and battens on. They had finished those jobs by 11:30 and that was it for the day! Mick has reminded them that we need the scaffolding down by a certain date and dates are fixed with new lodgers due! Their reply was it wouldn’t be a problem.
Half stripped
I logged in to a Teams meeting to meet a potential propsmaker. They came across really well and had been the best of the applicants on paper despite their young age. They reminded me of myself at a similar stage in my carreer.
Next I put on my Theatrical Landlady hat and worked my way through a mountain of bed linen. Mick pottered in the garden some more. We’ve a rather good display of yellow poppies this year, the newly slatted garden benches have now been bleached by the sunshine so have lost their honey glow.
In the afternoon I walked to the other side of the valley to my new dentist. Xrays, a scale and polish. She doesn’t want to see me again for 6 to 9 months, so I’ve opted for a date when we should be back in the house which is inbetween.
I could actually see the sea today
A walk across Spa Bridge to see the sea, not as good as when Bridget and Storm visited last week! But hey at least I could see the sea this time. Some secret shopping was required in town before climbing back onboard a train to head back to Oleanna.
Grinning happy cats
At Leeds I headed for the second train home. On platform 17a the display said there would be a platform alteration. A Mum and teenage girl looked at the display, Mum looked down at her phone as her daughter asked, ‘Where’s platform TBC?’
Plenty of room in York today
Tilly had had a very boring day, at least I didn’t stick to the boat though!
Tomorrow it’s back to work proper.
0 locks, 0 miles, 4 trains, 3.5 hours of roofers, 0.25 roof removed, 2 samples, 2 hours ironing, 1 sketch, 1 scale and polish, 3 xrays, 1 thumbs up, 1 sea, 1 parcel, 1 purchase, not £25,000,000 for Kirkham Priory (can be seen from the train),1 bored cat, 1 propsmaker? 6.5 miles hobbled, 59 minutes briskly.
New Walk, York to Haddlesey Flood Lock, River Aire
As we laid in bed with our morning cuppas we could feel Oleanna moving, no sign of a boat anywhere, it had to be the effect of a speedy boat’s bow wave. A few minutes later one of the big trip boats came motoring past at great speed totally empty. This was to be todays River Bus and it’s first pick up was most probably at Naburn Lock.
Picking up passengers from campsites on it’s way back into the city
Soon after breakfast we pushed off, winding and headed down stream. This stretch of river now feels like we live here, so it was time to put some distance between us and it. The River Bus was on it’s way back up stream, having picked up from at least two campsites by the river already, at least it was doing a more reasonable speed now!
The old railway bridge at Naburn
A cruiser just beat us to the water point above Naburn Lock, Mick laid out our hoses to show intent another boat sat between us and the tap, we’d be sharing the trip down the Tidal Ouse with this boat today. Kenny , the Lockie, said he’d open the lock at 12:15 and he’d set us off down stream around 12:45. Water topped up, rubbish disposed of, yellow water sorted we were ready and waiting as the top gates opened up for us.
Goodbye Naburn see you in a few weeks time
Mick discussed who would go first with the other boat, we’d lead the way, apparently we’d be faster, we weren’t sure about this, but led the way from the lock. From Naburn you punch the incoming tide for what feels like an absolute age. We’d been warned that a boat was coming towards us and sure enough they came round a bend leisurely at speed as we fought our way.
After a short while we started to meet a lot of detritus in the river. You expect it on the Ouse, but today there just seemed to be so much of it. A constant flow of branches, rafts of twigs, it was a whole floating forest. It kept on coming mile after mile of it. Mick did his best to avoid it all, the cruiser generally following us. Maybe this is why they wanted to be behind us, we’d part a way through it all for them. Trying to avoid it meant sticking to the edges, hoping there was enough depth. Then cutting right across the stream of it all to find more water before we were forced into the bank.
At the water ski club two boats were being put into the river. How would they cope with everything in the water? I’d certainly not want to be on a ski being dragged through all this stuff! Well to be honest I’d not want to be on a water ski in the first place. Onwards we battled, weaving our way slowly forwards, this is our fourth time of visiting York and we’ve never seen it this bad.
Then from nowhere behind us the two speed boats arrived and over took us. Filled with people and towing no skiers, as soon as they were past us they opened up and soon vanished into the distance leaving us in their wake with trees bobbing up to say hello left right and centre! Thanks guys, this was stressful enough without you adding to it.
More and more detritus
The flow was pretty strong, Mick had upped the revs, we were only managing 2mph, the engine temperature was gradually creeping upwards. I opened a tap in the galley to run off some hot water. The sink steamed away for a good ten minutes. The engine temperature dropped a few degrees. Mick knocked the revs down.
A clearish patch ahead, the cruiser chose it’s moment and passed us. They could go faster than us and now we’d got through the majority of the detritus they cranked on ahead.
Cawood Bridge
Cawood Swing Bridge, manned today, we wonder what they do all day if it doesn’t need to swing for boats? Maybe they have other jobs to do, totally unrelated to the bridge. Now the tide stopped coming towards us, soon it turned and aided us down stream. We were now using fewer revs than when we’d been doing 2mph and we got up to nearly 8mph.
Clearer skies and water
Once round the steep bend and out of all the floating logs we had lunch on the move. The kilometre marks on the banks were moving past much faster now. The river wider, the sun showing itself. We radioed ahead to the lock, Nigel was just penning the cruiser up, he’d be ready for us in ten minutes, perfect.
Under the bridges
Soon we reached the big final bend before Selby. Mick slowed the engine, kept to the middle of the spans of the bridges and then bided his time to come level with the modern flats. Time to turn to face the tide and drift back towards the lock.
A couple of blasts from the bow thruster helped us to turn, then we drifted back to about level with the lock. Nigel stood on the bank chatting to someone. Mick waited until it felt right, then swing the bow round to face the lock, turning up the revs, Nigel pointing to keep going, keep going, into the lock. Job done another perfect entrance.
A carpet of willow fluff
We wanted to get a bit further today, so as soon as I could step off the bow I headed off to work the swing bridge on the canal. The key of power only held up a couple of cars. Onwards, I opted to walk whilst Mick brought Oleanna along. New boats sat on most moorings, including a Mr Whippy boat!
Mr Chilled Medication
Under bridges, some curvy, some narrow to walk. A wide beam had nearly got into the side at Burn Bridge. A boat was at the high mooring, someone must have persevered more than us to removed all the branches. It was warmer now the sun was out and I was striding along. Two boats came past us. How much further? I really could do with a wee. A bridge hole up ahead gave me the opportunity to jump on board, then once I’d added to the yellow water tank I hopped off again to finish walking the Selby Canal in one go.
Curvy bridgeness
Ahh! Of course it’s bank holiday, that’s why all the moorings were full, including the ones at the end of the canal at Haddlesey Flood Lock. Well that’s not strictly true, there was a gap, only 22 paces long and we needed 26! Argh. We’d had enough for the day now and really didn’t want to risk getting to Beal Lock and there being no space there either. A lady stuck her head out from her narrowboat, ‘you won’t fit in there!’ We knew that, Mick was just picking me up. We crossed our fingers that the lock landing for the flood lock would be unoccupied and headed out onto the river.
Strictly speaking we shouldn’t have moored up on the lock landing, but as the flood lock is open at the moment and you can just go straight through it we didn’t feel too bad mooring up for the night. Only one boat came past us after we’d moored up, the cruiser we’d come down the Ouse with, they were hoping to reach Staniland Marina this weekend.
For some reason this evening the laptop has decided to process over 200,000 items! Because it is doing this it won’t sync things and therefor is hiding things that were synced from elsewhere! Very frustrating especially when there are lots of photos to go through. The IT department has looked into it and it seems to be a problem other people are having also. For now we’re leaving the laptop on so that it can continue processing things, it could take up to 56 hours!
Not a bad view for the evening
Apart from the computer it was a quiet evening with a good view along the River Aire, who knew a pipe bridge could actually be picturesque!
