Category Archives: River Thames

Leaves, Leaves, Leaves. 12th to 14th July

Cow Field, Lechlade

Time to settle down to do some serious days work. Jotted down in a margin I worked out how long I thought each job might take me, I needed to make the most of three days on the trot when we’d not be moving to be able to have a day off. Wednesdays goal was to finish all the leaves and get them stuck onto portals and cloths. Painting them was one thing, cutting them out another, then touching in their edges. Blimey they went on and on forever! And some more!! And even more!!!

Add into the mix the number of planes going overhead heading for Fairford and the Royal International Air Tattoo. Big planes, little planes, a helicopter, jets, display teams that arrived flew over the airfield then split up to come round to land. On Wednesday I decided to keep a tally of the number of planes (you know how I like numbers), a little hard as you couldn’t really tell which planes were circling round before landing. My tally got up to 128ish. The sky was certainly very busy.

With all the noise, Tilly stopped sitting out the back. With all the noise Tilly’s legs shrank and she started looking upwards and cowering. Time to make her a cave to feel safe in as the aircraft would carry on for days! A bit like my leaves!!! The escape pod came out and was zipped together, nestled next to a big bag on our bed, the curtains left drawn. Soon Tilly had taken up residence and we’d only see her first thing, dingding time and if we were lucky she’d sit on my lap in front of the tv for an hour late evening long after all the planes had stopped.

Wednesday evening we decided to treat ourselves to a meal out, we crossed over Ha’Penny Bridge closed to cars after an incident a few weeks ago! The New Inn was the obvious choice, it had been four years ago. Not the cosiest of pubs, we were offered a table in the back room which was chocka, we opted to sit in a front room, which soon became chocka too. Four years ago I’d thought about a gluten free burger, but that option on the menu meant having a burger without a bun! Instead I opted for a duck breast with mash and red cabbage and sniggled a chip off Mick’s plate. Blimey it was busy, the air show had very much moved into town.

A nice duck breast

Thursday I continued with leaves, getting up early to finishing cutting them out, returning to bed for a cuppa before breakfast. By the end of the day, backings had been stuck on card, the first two types of leaves added. Just the breadfruit leaves to go, a shame they weren’t quite dark enough. The skies were quieter, not so many arrivals. Tilly checked on the weather then stayed in her escape pod for the rest of the day.

Friday. What a wet day. I think it didn’t stop raining for a full twelve hours. It didn’t really matter to me as I had my head down. A new schedule to aim to keep up with. Breadfruit leaves added and everything went into the model box, at last! I still want to do a little bit more to them, but that will have to wait as other things need paint on them first.

At last something’s in the model box!

The Town Square was painted up. One house and the Town Clock turned out really well the other buildings may get revisited. Tilly avoided the rain unlike Mick who headed into Lechlade to pick up a few supplies. On Wednesday he’d treated himself to a sausage roll from the sourdough shop, today it was a pork pie from the butchers. The butchers turned out to be quite useful for things other than meat and a lot closer than the Co-op which he didn’t find.

Pork and pickle pie

Today was the first day of the air show, not that you’d really know it. Due to the rain and wind we didn’t notice much in the skies. The red arrows cancelled their display. However more boats arrived in the rain.

Planks and poles in a dry window

They did their best to fit in where ever they could. The shallow stretch a short distance behind us has seen two narrowboats stuck bow in. It took Mick and two other chaps with planks and poles a while to get one boat free.

The Town Square tucked away for safe keeping

Here’s hoping the sun comes out tomorrow as I’m having a day off work.

0 locks, 0 miles, 128 at least planes in 1 day, 30 the next, 2 stuck boats, 12 hours solid, 1 very bored cat, 1 extreamly wet day, 1 model box starting to look like something, 179 leaves, plus some spares.

Scareoplanes 12th July

Lechlade

She says we’ve tied this outside up before. She is correct.

It was hot and rubbish then. For some reason Tom was very happy about it. I wasn’t!

No friendly cover. Trees in sight but not close enough to go climbing in.

Tom’s standing around when it wasn’t wet

This time this outside is very blowy. Extremely WET!

But that is nothing compared to the

SCAREOPLANES!!!

Today they just kept coming. Finding a few friends and kept coming.

I ran out of paws to count them, but She said there were over 100!!!

If you want me I’ll be in here!

I have decided to take up residence in my escape pod for the duration.

You Have Reached Your Destination.

Lechlade

Nine weeks ago on the 9th May we moved back onboard Oleanna, leaving Goole on the 10th. Today we’d reached our planned destination, Lechlade.

The above map taken from data provided by our Victron Inverter

Our vital statistics for our trip down are as follows

Nebo 366.54 miles 270 locks

Canalplan 364 miles 1.25 furlongs 270 locks

Our Victron Inverter 403.5 miles (?)

Nebo’s map of our journey

Interesting how both maps have gaps in them, both in different places.

So,now where?

We need to make our way back northwards, currently there is only one route open to us, the River Trent.

Apologies to those who get their updates by email. You won’t be able to see the map from victron as it was embedded in the post. The IT department may see if he can replace this today, but you have already received the post, so you won’t be reading this bit anyway!

Pivoting Up The Thames. 11th July

Rushey Lock Meadows to Lechlade Cow Field

Oh blimey, how did that happen? We both slept in, not done that in ages. This of course meant we were later than planned in leaving this morning. With rain forecast for the afternoon we hoped we’d not get a soaking.

That’s how much further

The chair that had gone for a swim yesterday had been left in the cratch overnight. It was nice and humid in there this morning, the chair was moved to stand in the shower, I didn’t want it in the wardrobe for a while (where it usually lives) until it is most definitely dry.

Yesterday afternoon we’d been joined by another boat, they pushed off a good quarter of an hour before us, would we catch them up to be able to share locks? Todays cruise had to make up for not moving yesterday and would consist of many twist and turns as the Thames wiggles it’s way upstream.

A breakfast stop

A group sat on the bank, their three boats pulled ashore by Old Man’s Footbridge. The smell of breakfast wafted onto the river. We waved, but they were all too busy tucking into their bacon and eggs.

Radcote Lock

The Self Service sign was out at Radcote, but there was someone about at the lock. As I walked up a Lock Keeper opened up the sluices to empty the lock, he then said he’d see us at the next lock.

Towards Radcote Bridge is a nice looking campsite, motorhomes were parked up amongst the trees and geese preened themselves on the bank. Moorings, then the tents and shepherd huts. The tents looking plump like meringue kisses fresh out of a piping bag. Through the little arch which looks like someone missed the road above.

Opening the top gates with the long pole

Sure enough the Lock Keeper was at Grafton Lock, he emptied the chamber for us and then pushed the gates open. As we rose numerous birds busied themselves over our heads. House Martins. There are thirty nests around three sides of the lock cottage, around sixty birds and they were preparing for their third brood of the year. The Lock Keeper said they were very good tenants, they wake at 7:30am and go to bed at 8:30pm. He was obviously very proud of them.

We pulled in to top up the water tank, the last water point before Lechlade. A load of washing had been on. Tilly’s pooh box had a clean, she was obviously crossed legged so it got an extra rinse after an emergency wee! Then I had a shower. The water tank was full to the brim and everything that required water done.

Nice

Lunch was eaten on the move. Not many big houses sit alongside the upper River Thames, but those that do are obviously rather nice, it is the Thames after all!

There’s a mooring in there somewhere!

The moorings at Kelmscott were empty, not surprising as the house is only open Thursday to Sunday. Signs hide amongst the undergrowth suggesting more moorings. We used one of these when we visited the house four years ago, it required a safety rope to be able to clamber up and down the bank from one of the handy mooring signs.

More wiggles, was it an M or a W? A line of trees came into sight time after time after time.

Turquoise and orange

Buscot Lock was also manned. Here flower troughs make up the display of flowers. I spotted that we’d picked up a hitchhicker. A caterpillar? As we pivoted round more wiggles I tried looking it up. Not a caterpillar, possibly a Sawfly Larvae, hope it wasn’t after my wild strawberry plants.

Mick worked the tiller hard getting us round the bends. Oleanna seeming to sit still whilst the world pivoted round us. Then St John’s Lock the last lock on the navigable Thames. Here we paused, emptied the yellow water tank and disposed of rubbish before heading for the lock. Just as I was about to close the bottom gates a boat came into view, we waited to share, they could close the offside.

The matchstick markers on the paddles

Now to find a mooring, a downhill boat had said there was plenty of space. True but would any of it be deep enough for us? By now the wind had picked up. We tried pulling into one space, far too shallow. Another was reversed back to, rubble filled it’s depth. Forwards. On the slight bend it seemed to be deep enough. Mick tried bringing us in, the wind having other ideas.

Now, where to moor?

Our locking partners headed on further towards Ha’Penny Bridge. Pulling in to the bank they were pushed away. They headed on to wind and then try again.

Oleanna was reversed. we’d take a run up at mooring this time. A couple walking their dog offered to take ropes for us, which was very much appreciated. With them clinging on to Oleanna we eventually managed to get spikes into the ground and be tied up. The couple then headed off to help our locking partners moor up too.

Thank you for holding ropes

Tilly was given the ground rules, but we knew she’d not be enamoured with our mooring, no friendly cover or trees within scurrying distance. Then the heavens opened. It was even less popular!

During a drier moment there was a knock on our roof. Time to pay our mooring fees. This chap lives on a widebeam moored on the field, he collects the fees for the local farmer. They are the only boat to be allowed an electric fence around them to help keep the cows away. These cows are known for chewing ropes, licking paint and playing with pram and cratch covers! Thankfully the farmer has moved them to another field for a few weeks as the grazing here needs to recover, so we won’t have any problems with them during our stay.

£5 a night or £25 for a week, we paid the later.

4 locks, 9.3 miles, 1 lock shared, 2 gates, 1 clean pooh box, 1 empty wee tank, 1 full water tank, 2 horse fly bites, 7 nights, £25, 0 cows.

https://goo.gl/maps/boTREtnWjL4U9jkdA

Fishing! 10th July

Rushey Lock Meadows

Such a lovely mooring it would have been a shame not to have stayed a little longer, so we did just that. A Chorizo Day for Tilly as I’d be spending much of it painting palm leaves for my Colombian Rainforest.

The sun first thing was very very bright, it shone in through the bathroom porthole soon after 4am, so this needed blocking out with the aid of a bung to encourage more sleep.

Left over fried potatoes instead of hash today

Mick did the honors for breakfast as Tilly headed into the long grass to explore. Then it was time to get on with painting leaves. My aim for today was to finish the leaves, but that very soon became obvious that I wouldn’t achieve my goal. As I’m hoping the portals will be printed this means that I have to be ever so ever so careful with how I paint them, any slight mistake will end up being enlarged to 25 times the slight wobble of brush. The extra time is warranted, I just hope I’ve enough time to paint the rest of the model before my next meeting. As much as I like writing blog posts and try to keep them limited to certain times of the day, they can take up an extra hour or so. Posts may be shorter or missing in the coming days.

Oleanna needed an oil change, Mick started to get himself set up. One of our chairs was on the engine board, it got moved out onto the stern for a moment. A gust of wind caught it and off it blew into the river. Mick grabbed a boat hook, but sadly it had already sunk and drifted too far to be saved.

Was the frame magnetic? The sea searcher magnet came out, so did I to see what Mick would catch. A long throw, slowly pulled back towards the boat. He’d caught something first time! Was it? Could it have been our chair? I thought I could see the frame.

Then whatever it was dropped out of view again. Several more attempts with the magnet and something was caught again. Slowly Mick raised it into view below the water. Yes it was our chair! Holding it steady I reached down with the boat hook and managed to hook part of the frame. Up it came closer, except it was under the stern of Oleanna.

Rescued

I held onto magnet and hook whilst Mick leaned right over to get a hand on the frame. Phew one chair rescued! One of us wouldn’t have to sit on a stool outside. It was left close by, far enough away from the bank edge to dry off. I think it may take some time.

Mick did an oil change, Tilly got bored with the outside and I worked. A few boats came past, mostly from upstream including a beautiful steam launch called Duet, sadly my camera wasn’t to hand at the time. More info can be found here.

Toadless Hole

This evening we had the remainder of what we would have eaten last night had it not been such a lovely evening. Toadless Hole and roast veg.

0 locks, 0 miles, 9.5 hours, 4 taken, 1 soggy chair, 1 magnet, 9 litres Boyes finest oil, 117 banana palms, 1 DEFRA funding announcement!

How Much Further?! 9th July

Pinkhill Lock 24hr moorings to Rushey Lock Meadows

The covers were rolled up after breakfast then we sat down to chat with the Geraghtys, we’ve missed a few zooms recently so it was good to see those who were there and hear of a recent visit to near York.

Moo!

Time to make a move, we had a destination in mind for the day a few hours cruise away. The sun was out, blue skies that every now and then were covered with cloud.

The Thames now wiggles and winds it’s way. A look at our map for moorings, did we remember them from four years ago. One came past, yes we’d stopped there maybe for a night.

Hollyhocks

No other boats seemed to be heading the same direction as us, in fact there were few boats on the move at all. At Northmoor Lock I hopped off with the boat hook so as to be able to grab the bow line once in the lock, the rope having been left on top of the cratch for ease. More wonderful Hollyhocks and roses at the lock cottage.

Could this have been where I was a bridesmaid?

Onwards upstream. New Bridge, was this the pub where my cousin had his wedding reception back in the 70’s. A check of photos later suggests not as there isn’t a stone bridge featured in the photos.

At Shifford Lock the sign said Self Service, but as I walked up to open gates a volunteer came out from the hut, we’d disturbed his lunch break. Yesterday had been a really busy day for them, 26 boats, today we were one of just a few. This was where we’d hoped we might be able to moor for the night. The volunteer pulled a face, he didn’t say we couldn’t but he also didn’t welcome us. The mooring on the back of the lock island is reserved for electric boats until 4pm, so he was right to discourage us.

Volunteer opening the gates for us

I then asked if we could pull up right at the far end of the lock landing so we could have lunch. Another face pulled, the Lock Keeper would be back at 2pm and he’s quite strict! I spied a water point, we’d fill up and have lunch, sorted. This we did and were soon on our way again.

New hide

I checked the blog for where we’d moored four years ago. One place was not far away, we kept our fingers crossed that it would be free, even if Tilly had stayed out to really late there! As we rounded the bend it was obvious the mooring isn’t used so much anymore due to the overgrown friendly cover on the bank. Peeking from inside was also a sign saying no mooring, Nature Reserve. Fair enough, they wouldn’t want Tilly out looking for friends! What a shame it was a lovely mooring. A new hide stands opposite.

Safely passed

Where should we try next? Next possible was at Tadpole Bridge. More wiggles to navigate, this time with canoes and paddleboarders thrown into the mix, several not knowing they should pass on the right.

Would there be space at the pub? Would we have to go in for a pint? Would the sausages I’d defrosted have to wait for tomorrow?

Pippin facing down stream

NB Pippin sat tied to two posts. Behind there would have been space for us except there was a canoe. Mick called out to the owners of Pippin, despite the front door being open no-one was home. No-one came to the canoe. We decided to pull alongside Pippin . This was all happening as the latest test match in Leeds was getting very close to a conclusion. As the English team scored runs Mick stood out the back of Oleanna incase someone returned to Pippin.

Across the way a young lad went overboard from his canoe. Dad took photos of the poor lad clinging on for dear life. Plenty of drinkers enjoyed sitting by the river, just not the people we wanted to see. Oleanna was far longer than Pippin and getting off would be tricksy, Tilly certainly wouldn’t be allowed out here. We conferred. We could stay, not an ideal mooring or carry on, the next mooring on our map at least 90 minutes away. Onwards!

A Lock Keeper was on duty at Rushey Lock, they’d just penned down a boat so the gates were open for us. As we ascended I asked if being a good gardener was one of the qualifications required to be a Thames Lock Keeper, the lady nodded. Mick asked if there was anywhere to moor nearby, we had recollections of Sue from WB No Problem XL having a favourite mooring here. The Lock Keeper described it’s position not five minutes up stream. Right then left and there it would be.

The right needed negotiating as a boat was just coming round it. Then to the left. Yes we remembered it now, have to check to see if we stayed here last time or not. No-one else was moored so we had the pick of the bank. Where I hopped off there was a sign warning of a wasps nest, we pulled along a touch further and banged our spikes in. This would do us, far Far better than the pub mooring.

What a lovely mooring

Tilly was given three hours, the long grass something to be negotiated. I did a couple of hours painting in banana palms before we set up outside to cook the sausages that had been destined for a toad in a hole. Just enough veg for kebabs too, I just need to get reacquainted with cooking on lumpwood charcoal again to reduce our carbon intake! Everything was cooked through and edible just a bit dark on the outside.

What a lovely mooring to watch the sun go down. Thank you Sue for having mentioned it years ago and to the Lockie confirming it still existed and giving us directions.

Setting sun

3 locks, 13.2 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 sneaky lunch break, 0 room for us, 1 git gapped pub mooring, 3 lovely gardens, 2 close calls, 1 perfect mooring all to ourselves, 37 half leafs painted, 6 sausages, 2 and a bit kebabs, 0.5kg potatoes, 1 sunset.

https://goo.gl/maps/9doQwctj1yhBrgzQ8

Nine Shades Of Blue. 8th July

Below Eynsham Lock to Pinkhill Lock 24hr moorings

Today was going to be wet, how far should we travel? And would we get soaked?

Lock ready and waiting for us

By the time we’d had breakfast Mick had spotted a Lock Keeper, time to get ourselves a licence. We’d deliberated as to what duration to get. Two weeks would be £155, if we stayed on the river for longer then a months licence would be cheaper than three weeks. Mick returned having spent £155 and in return we had a licence to display in a window. I was all ready to tape it to the inside of the cratch where it can be seen by Lock Keepers no matter which side they are on.

Covers were rolled up and we pushed off into the lock soon followed by a second narrowboat that had just come into view.

Pippin and Oleanna rising together

The Lock Keeper was on duty for both here and Pinkhill (the next lock upstream) today. Unless there was a problem up stream she’d likely be staying at Eynsham. We chatted as we turned the wheels to operate the sluices. The EA has kept the same number of Lock Keepers, but reduced the number of seasonal keepers this year. She said the locks were the same as ever at this end of the Thames, but we’d notice things were different up stream, our last visit being four years ago.

On leaving I thanked her and wished her a dry day. This was not to be however as the heavens opened fairly soon after leaving. Waterproofs on we wound our way round the meanders of the river. Most of the moorings along here were occupied, one boat was the first boat we ever went to look at NB Cream Cracker, it had cream leatherette panels in the ceiling and a trad stern so we’d discounted it very quickly.

We kept up with NB Pippin, I hopped off on the lock landing and went up to help open the bottom gates. Here the Hollyhocks stood proud in the lock cottage garden, muted colours suggesting they’d faded with the sunshine. Not much of that for us today, it was now really quite wet.

Pinkhill Lock

NB Pippin was on a touch of a mission, they hoped to reach Lechlade today, then would take their time returning over a few days. We let them go first whilst I closed up the lock behind. We might see them at the next lock, but might not.

As we rounded the next bend a space on the picnic moorings called to us. If the weather forecast for today was correct then we’d only be getting more and more wet as the hours went on. Or we could just stop and sit out the rain. We decided on the latter and pulled in.

What!!!!

Tilly was not impressed! Rain at both ends of Oleanna, So not fair! But the rain passed over and shore leave was deemed to be okay again and off she went looking for friends.

Should we stay the day or risk the rain. The weather didn’t seem as bad as it had been forecast, but had we not seen the worst of it yet? One job for my panto model would require several hours in one sitting to paint the backgrounds for the majority of the set. Today could be that day, or tomorrow. We chose to stay put.

Blue

The paints came out and I mixed my first shade of blue, azure mixed with white for a pale shade, this was for the floor. After two coats on relevant model pieces more blue was added, the next band painted, two coats. This continued throughout the afternoon until I’d reached the top band which was just about black at the top of the cloths and portals.

Mick had to be Dreamie monitor for the afternoon to try to keep Tilly away from my model bits. A shake of wetness could leave marks that would end up being printed twenty five times bigger! However I tend to be the Dreamie dispenser, so she naturally came to me on returning from shore leave. Thankfully though my model survived without any added splodges.

Shades

The weather was surprisingly not constant, we had sunny intervals and rain at times. Paddleboarders came for an explore, dropping into the river between us and our neighbours. A family came to fish, the kids playing whilst Mum and Dad sat with rods to our bow, the rain didn’t seem to bother them much. All afternoon groups of teenagers walked past, the lead person with a big map in hand, everyone carrying big rucksacks on their backs. Were they doing a Duke of Edinburgh walk? Or was it a whole school year walking the Thames Pathway. They kept coming and coming until early evening.

In one sunny spell we headed outdoors ourselves. Time to set the towpath barbers up and give Mick a haircut. Much better now.

2 locks, 1.6 miles, 1 wet day, 1 miffed cat, 5 hours painting blue, 0 barbeque, 6 paddleboarders, 79 walking kids, 12 Dreamies, 9 shades, 3 blue fingers, 1 thumb, grade 3,1 smart and tidy boy again.

https://goo.gl/maps/PPHFgkjpJTWrcqjT8

How Very Thames. 7th July

Kidlington Green Lock to Eynsham Lock, River Thames

Mick pointed me to additional adjustments on the laptop this morning. Could I balance the contrast, brightness and colours to make the screen more comfortable? I tweaked a few things then started to type.

Whenever there is new tech on the boat and I am the new user, Mick can be seen wincing over several days until I’ve found all the things that have changed. The program I use to watermark the photos for the blog wasn’t there this morning, an easy thing to solve once you remember if you’d paid to have a better version or not. The next thing, which English? I can only put up with colour being underlined in red for so long. This is an easy fix and one I can do myself, it’s just annoying as I know my spelling is correct, in English English!

Drinkwater’s Lift Bridge

We pootled down the canal. Drinkwater Lift Bridge was wound up, no vehicles or walkers to stop. Then we slotted in at the waterpoint and topped up the tank very slowly, even slower as the washing machine was working hard.

As Oleanna dropped down Dukes Lock a small, varnished to within an inch of its life, rowing boat shot round the corner in front of us heading to Dukes Cut Lock, it did have an outboard motor. I walked round and at first couldn’t see the boat, blimey it must have shot through the lock too! No it was so small it was hiding waiting for the lock to empty, the owner clinging onto it’s red rope.

Does this paddle actually do anything?

It took forever to empty and it took two of us to push open the bottom gate. We may have just fitted in the lock along with him, but neither Mick or I wanted to try. I paced it out, borderline. Best not to share. The paddle was lifted, not even two turns possible. Was this actually doing anything or was the lock just filling by itself around the top gate. An extra push on the beam had the water leveling out quicker, the chap heading off into the distance upstream. Time to do it all again for Oleanna.

Pootleing away

Eventually we were up and level with the River Thames. Slowly past all the boats that live in no man’s land in Dukes Cut. Some are interesting, one very much afloat yet on such an angle! A couple sat in a clearing with a big big speaker blasting out what at first sounded like ‘Let’s get ready to rumble’, but it wasn’t Ant and Dec, something more modern.

Floating but on quite a list

The floating pontoon just before the junction was empty, we pulled over tying Oleanna up around the willow branches. Yellow water tank required emptying then we had lunch. Time to get Oleanna river ready, well yesterday would have been better, but it didn’t happen. The anchor chain and rope bucket were brought out from a locker, one end attached to the bow T stud the other to the anchor. Life jackets found in the shed.

Back on a river, deep and wide

Now, should we stay put in the shade? Or should we carry on? The hours on our schedule have decreased a touch, but being close to a road today would be handy. We carried on towards Eynsham Lock, the sun shining down on us as Mick checked our quarter wave.

Boats were nestled into the banks here and there, the further we got away from Oxford the fewer they got. The chap in his pretty rowing boat had pulled onto the bank a short distance on, enjoying the days sunshine to read his book.

The 24 hour moorings below Eynsham Lock were empty, we pulled in. On a bend in the bank, we started to pull along to get a straight edge to the high bank. The Lock Keeper came down to check we were alright and requested we pull right up to the other end of the moorings.

I said we’d need to see him for a license, he asked what our plans were and he suggested seeing the Lock Keeper in the morning, he’d not seen us today and the mooring for the night would be free, bonus! That makes our return journey and timings slightly easier.

In painting mode

A quick check around the area, then Tilly was given three hours to explore the nettles. I sent a message detailing our location to John at Chippy Theatre as some samples had arrived for me and he’d offered to drop them off on his way home tonight.

The afternoon was spent going through a costing list for panto that was about to be sent out to builders, painting in breadfruit leaves and round palms whilst Mick listened to the cricket. At 6:30 I got a phone call from John he was about five minutes away. It was a very quick five minutes as he was already at the locked gate envelope in hand. Hooray my samples, but not as exciting as I’d hoped, lots of dull green fabrics but some Chinchilla Habotai Silk that looks like a possible.

In for a dip

During the afternoon a group of teenagers had gathered on the opposite bank, many of them enjoying the river waters for a swim. That side is quite shallow so many of them could stand, what a lot of noise! At least they were having a good time. They were replaced with couples having a swim, a tent was set up was there fishing going on?We’re certainly back on a river.

Ideal location for our first night on the Thames

The chairs came out and two of the salmon fillets had a sprinkling of some Thai spices, some veg kebabs and potatoes were prepared, Mick lit the barbeque as three men rowed past heading for the lock. A short while later a couple came past standing up, rowing Venetian style. How very Thames!

But where is Montmorency?

2 locks, 4.8 miles, 1 empty yellow tank, 1 full water tank, 2 rights, 1 little boat, 1 slow lock, 1 anchor, 1 free day, 1 free mooring, 1 envelope, 6 shades of green, 61 leaves painted, 2 kebabs, 2 salmon fillets, 2 pimms, 1 big fat plane, 2 boaters and 1 cat back on the river.

https://goo.gl/maps/Wp6XcYs9L4AaUnY59

Restoring Power. Catch up 4th March

The weather forecast next week looks to be cold. What’s new? Well it’s going to be colder than it already is up on the north east coast. Goole looks like it will have below freezing temperatures. When we left Oleanna we’d left her with everything sorted for such a cold spell, she was plugged in with the thermostat ready to kick the heating on should things get really chilly, the advantage of our Aldi boiler being able to run off electric when hooked up.

Daffodils are coming!

However in the last couple of weeks Oleanna has been turned round by Alastair ready for when he has time to do jobs on her. Mick left him with some keys and the camera on board had broadcast movement a few days after his last visit, so we knew she’d been winded. She’d been unplugged from the mains, turned around for easier access, then plugged back in again, Oleanna has two hook up points to make this easy. However inside there is a switch you need to flick to select which end of the boat you are hooked up to, Alastair didn’t know about this. So for a couple of weeks Oleanna has been living off free solar, but should the heating need to come on it wouldn’t work. Someone needed to flick the switch.

Mick caught the train down to Goole a now familiar journey and if you break your ticket in Filey it’s cheaper. Oleanna was given the once over checking she was ready for minus temperatures and the switch was flicked to accept power at the stern. A catch up with Al from NB Summer Wind was had and a chat with Alastair.

The alternator chap he’d had in mind to refurbish our faulty one is no more. Another company said that unless it was something special/historic then it wouldn’t be worth doing! Well they obviously didn’t want the job. We’ll be scouting around in Scarborough to see if anyone here can help us instead.

Topping up the diesel didn’t happen again as Laird had just run out as Mick arrived. Hopefully next time.

The other job today was to meet up with Sean from SPL Covers, who just happened to be at the marina on another job. Our covers are in need of some tlc, too much use. The pram cover front window has had a hole in it for a couple of years and this year it has made a few friends. These happen when it gets folded down for cruising, a crease happening in the same place time and time again has taken it’s toll. The window has also gone quite opaque too, so this will be replaced.

The cratch cover zip that failed early last year will also be replaced. I tacked it together last spring so it was about time it was replaced. Mick checked to see if SPL could clean them too, however that would likely take several weeks to happen and we’d rather the covers were back on Oleanna as soon as they can be to help keep the weather off.

A productive visit.

Admiring the view on high

Meanwhile on land.

Last week was production week for #unit21 in Huddersfield. The upgraded set went in easily but as the temperature of the set increased we found a problem with the fabric it was covered in. When the flattage arrived in the cold it was very baggy saggy. But as it warmed up in the theatre it tightens up making things look wonderfully smooth. However the upgrade to the set involved slitting the fabric to insert LED lights and perspex to create fake neon. In hindsight the original covering of the flats and upgrade should have been done in a warm environment when the fabric was taught, not an easy thing when workshops tend to be chilly places! This is also the first time either Graham or myself have used Ripstop on a set.

So as the set warmed the fabric tightened starting to distort the slots the lights were in. Clamps and cable ties stopped the movement, but the fabric carried on doing it’s thing. Thankfully the atmospheric lighting doesn’t show any of our problems up after a touch of colouring in with a Sharpie was done.

The actors did a couple of run throughs for technical purposes, then a full dress rehearsal where one of our new Led strips decided it didn’t want to do green, the main colour required. So sadly on photos we have a rouge strip and on press night it and it’s partner were unplugged.

The show was very well received and there were plenty of familiar faces in the audience, including Vanessa Brooks who used to be the Artistic Director at Dark Horse, also Pete Massey who used to work at the SJT in Scarborough. It was great to be able to have a catch up with him and Rach his wife after the show.

#unit21 is now on tour for the next few weeks. The Lowry in Salford 3rd 4th March, Chroma-Q in Leeds 10th March, The Junction Goole 15th 16th March, Storyhouse Chester 23rd 24th March.

Decorating of the back bedroom has started. Well the decorating bit hasn’t yet started, it’s more the demolition stage. I’d hoped to be able to remove the cornice and ceiling rose that would never have been in such a bedroom, but they have turned out to be plaster and very well attached. With my back still making me cautious they can stay for a while longer, the last thing I want to do is be patching up a ceiling.

Blistering paint

Lots of patching up and some paint stripping to do, interesting how some new Eco friendly paint stripper has and hasn’t worked even with being left overnight to work it’s magic.

A new sewing machine has been invested in along with a cordless drill that matches the sander I got at Christmas, so we now have three batteries between tools.

Tide’s out

Estimates for new windows have been coming in, all very expensive. The funding we’d applied for from the council to help insulate the house we were told a few weeks ago had run out, but yesterday we had a phone call suggesting there are now more funds available. We’ll have to see what happens on that front.

Our cruising plans for the year have had to be slightly altered. Two offers of work and an invite from my cousins will see us heading down south rather than staying in the north. It will be good to see family members at something other than a funeral and I think I was 18 when I last spent any time with my cousins kids. Hopefully there will still be enough of the summer to return northwards to accomplish our original plans of cruising the River Weaver. The life jackets have had their annual service, left inflated in a room over night well away from any cat claws.

#unit21 socks

Pip’s Sockathon 2023 will take place during April this year. A charity has been selected, a conversation with their Community Fundraising Executive has been had, so I’d best get my needles ready. There are still some things to sort for it but there will be more news on that front very very soon.

A Sunny Scarborough Sunday walk

So for now that is all our news. Stay warm everyone, I can safely say it is far warmer on a boat than in our house!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wind captured on camera, 1 boat unhooked, 1 boat rehooked, 1 new sewing machine, 1 drill, 2 batteries makes 3, 1 red strip, 9 ensemble, 2 job offers, 1 workshop, 1 family get together, 1 brown bin, £30 curry for 2, 1 soda bread, 1 bored cat, 4 troublesome doors, 1 job made longer, 1 room stripped back, 36k or 26k? 1 charity, 10 pairs maybe this year, 1 vanity project, 174 x110, 1 blind, 2 covers at the menders.

2022 Back To Exploring

Time for the annual round, a long post so sit back, put your feet up and enjoy.

The New Year kicked off with winter maintenance in the house. Having two hallways proved time consuming refreshing the woodwork and patching up the worst of the wallpaper. But this was broken up with weekly walks to see the sea. I resumed work on the development showing of #unit21 for Dark Horse and a Christmas present of a cheese making kit proved very tasty in creating my first ever Yorkshire Curd Cheese Cake from scratch. I plan on having a second go at this soon!

In February work progressed in Huddersfield towards opening night, the floor painted, final costume fittings and then the set and lighting added. All while Mick serviced our life jackets and Tilly grew more and more bored of life in the house.

Once the show was opened we had a trip down to London to catch up with the London Leckenbys for a belated Christmas, on our way back we visited Oleanna. When ever we could we visited Blue Water Marina to do jobs and have a pack up lunch. The stove was reblacked, walls washed down and cupboards sorted through.

Then at the end of February, Mick and I left Tilly in charge of the house, we packed enough clothes and food for a couple of days boating and headed to Thorne to move Oleanna through Thorne Lock before a winter stoppage began. Blimey it was chilly out there, but wonderful to be back afloat and moving Oleanna to Goole. Now we were all set to move back onboard and have a few weeks of pootling about in Yorkshire.

Back at the house we made it ready for the first of this years lodgers. Our boat Christmas tree was retired into the back garden where we hoped it would thrive, this of course was before we knew a drought was on it’s way! Tilly said goodbye to the dragon that lives up the chimney, left Seville and Valencia to look after the house before having to endure the car trip back to boat life.

After a few days sorting ourselves, including having one of Joan’s gluten free Chinese takeaways, we unplugged Oleanna and backed out from our mooring at Goole Marina (Boat House). We spent the next three weeks bobbing about between Pollington Lock, Doncaster and Goole. Maintenance jobs were ticked off the list.

Alistair did engine and weedhatch jobs, Frank joined us a couple of times to do carpentry jobs, our galley drawers no longer have a life of their own, the covers had a good scrub and a spray of Wet and Forget to help them keep clean.

In March I’d set myself a charity challenge, to knit as many pairs of socks in the month as I could. Nine pairs knitted for people in return for sponsorship, I also got a very generous donation of yarn from Lisa on NB Summer Wind.

Our plans had had to change as Thorne Lock still hadn’t closed, but was about to! Plans to visit York and West Yorkshire were abandoned, we’d bought ourselves a Gold Licence for the year so wanted to make the most of it. So on March 24th with all the jobs done we turned our backs on Goole and set off into the sunset to see where 2022 would take us, all three of us grinning from ear to ear.

We made our way to Keadby ready for our booked passage on the tidal River Trent, the fast route south. A phone call from a boating friend in need of support meant we’d be doing our best to make use of the spring tide to reach Cromwell in one go despite the weather forecast. We spent a couple of days doing what we could to help in Newark before we needed to be on the move again.

On upstream to The Trent and Mersey keeping up our cruising hours and Tilly hoping we’d stop with enough time for her to explore each day before cat curfew.

Up to Fradley then onto the Coventry Canal, we played leapfrog with NB Free Spirit for a couple of days.

Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, up the Curdworth Flight then a turn left onto a section of the Grand Union we’d not been on before at Star City. Up Garrison Locks, Typhoo Basin and then the Ashted Locks where we now have the measure of that Tunnel! A mooring space at the top of Farmers Bridge had our name on it. This was handy for a road trip to swap lodgers and for visits to the dentist. It also meant we were in shot when a group came to jump the top lock!

Fast forward to 6:15

Our route out of Bumingham saw us through Edgbaston Tunnel, down Lapworth followed by Hatton. A pause was needed for Tilly’s annual visit to a new vet, the one here the closest to the canal we’ve visited so far, also handy for The Cape of Good Hope!

At Napton we joined the Oxford Canal and headed for Braunston, pausing to stock up on goodies from the butcher. On the Grand Union we made our way up over the hill and started our descent down The Long Buckby flight back towards tidal waters.

On the 1st of May we turned left at Gayton Junction onto the Northampton Arm dropping down the flight to the River Nene. We’d only been this way once before and that was when we’d just bought Lillian (NB Lillyanne) back in 2014. We bought ourselves a second Abloy key, showed our Gold Licence to the chap at Northampton Marina and started our journey down stream, time to explore.

A decision was made to head down to Peterborough taking note of places we’d want to visit on our return journey. We worked our way through the guillotine locks, many button operated and others with the wheel of cardiovascular overload.

Tilly loved many of the moorings apart from those in Peterborough where crowds surrounded the boat and meant returning from shore leave was impossible for several hours.

In two weeks we reached the end of the river at the Dog in a Doublet Lock. Here the river becomes tidal, we’d save that trip for another time and turned back upstream to head for the Middle Level.

Here we wanted to explore all the drainage channels, but decided we’d do that on our return too. So we took the direct route and crossed the low lying waters in three days arriving at Salters Lode on Mick’s birthday. The levels out on the tidal stretch of the Great Ouse needing to be just right to get through the lock, turn and head upstream to Denver Sluice.

A lovely GOBA mooring was found on the River Wissey and eventually the sun came out for a birthday barbeque, we’d made it to the Great Ouse.

The remainder of May was spent exploring the River Wissey, Ely and The Little Ouse. Brandon Lock sits at the most easterly point on the connected navigable network for boats Oleanna’s size. Sadly a build up of silt stopped us from getting her bow into the lock, but we did get her as far east as was possible, ticking off the fourth point of the compass.

There was a trip to Hull Truck to meet old friends at a gala evening followed by a meet up with Micks family back in the Fens. At the end of the month we got to know Neil the seal at Ten Mile Bank moorings as he basked in the sun and took sunset dips in the river.

The Jubilee was seen in at Denver, we lit our guiding lights as a Lancaster Bomber flew overhead heading to see the Queen. The Relief Channel gave us a good mooring to be able to have a trip away to celebrate Dawn and Lee’s 50th Birthdays in Scarborough, we went as Wallace and Gromit and won an Oscar!

Another visit to Ely to see the Cathedral, Farmers market and meet up with Heather from NB Bleasdale, the first of many this summer. The River Lark was explored, the end of navigation reached with a handy mooring outside a pub.

We headed for the Cam, our paths crossing for the first time with Ken and Sue from NB Cleddau. Then onwards in to Cambridge where we visited colleges, ate chilled medication and had a day trip to Duxford so that Mick could sit in the pilots seat of a Trident 2, a seat his Dad had sat in on many a flight.

Oleanna squeezed along each of the three Lodes, Wicken, Burwell and Reach. Wicken Lode a magical place and a day visit to Anglesey Abbey with it’s wonderful gardens.

Then we headed onto the Old West a river with a very different feel than the Ely Ouse. A pause was needed when we reached Earith for us to have a tour of Heathers new to her boat GT. Once off the tidal water we were on a different Great Ouse again. Here St Ives, St Neots and Hemingford gave us sunsets, D shaped locks, huge meadows and wonderful towns and villages to explore.

As the temperatures started to rise I needed to do some work. Cruising happened in the mornings, my Panto script and sketches were done in the shade of what trees we could find. White sheets were bought and we hoped for a mooring with shade for the really hot days that were to come. Tilly took to lying on the floor and we took to wearing wet t-shirts to help us to keep cool. Thankfully the hot blast only lasted a couple of days then the temperature dropped and we could continue to head upstream.

July 21st we reached the navigable limit of the River Great Ouse, having to reverse some distance to be able to turn round and return to Bedford for the River Festival.

Here we met up with Ken and Sue, Jennie and Chris from NB Tentatrice and Heather again. Plenty of things to see, do and hear. The boat parades, raft races, vintage cars, all sorts kept us busy for the two days.

Now at the end of July we alternated the days between cruising and my work. More beautiful days cruising and more wonderful sunsets, one day off to visit Cambridge for some more chilled medication and to see the Hockney exhibition.

August saw more hot days. Trips to London to celebrate birthdays, panto meetings, catch up with best friends and travellers over from Australia.

On the 15th August we crossed back from Denver Sluice to the Middle Level having really enjoyed our three months on the Great Ouse. Now water levels were a worry along with having enough time to reach Oxford for me to go to work in October. We made the decision to come back and explore the Middle Level another year, maybe we’ll cross The Wash to get there!

By the end of August our progress up stream on the River Nene slowed to a halt. First one lock broke then another two ahead of us. We’d recently been accepted to join the Reflections Flotilla on the Thames to mark the Queens Jubilee in a few weeks time, now that time was ticking away.

When we did get moving again we had to make up our cruising hours. With the news of the passing of the Queen we didn’t know if the flotilla would still be going ahead, we carried on at pace waiting for news. Back up the River Nene, turning onto the Grand Union, working our way southwards. The news came through that the flotilla would go ahead, but now in remembrance of the Queen.

With a couple of days to spare we squeezed into the Eco-Moorings by Islington Tunnel. Two days of catching up with family and more friends over from Australia before we joined boats heading along the Regents Canal towards Limehouse Basin. An afternoon of activity saw numerous narrowboats festooned with white lights.

On the 24th of September the Thames barrier was closed and we all headed out of Limehouse Lock up stream to Chelsea where we clung onto buoys until the early evening when the flotilla started to muster.

Getting on for 150 boats all displaying white lights got into formation and headed down stream. Crowds stood on the illuminated bridges and Tower Bridge opened up in a royal salute as we passed underneath. What a truly amazing day.

Now we had to head towards Banbury, back round the Regents Canal as a leak in the engine bay needed testing on the calm waters of the canal rather than the tideway. By the time we reached Brentford we were confident with Oleanna’s engine again. On the Thames Tilly got a birthday present of a night on a Cliveden Island. Sadly we got an unexpected present on our arrival in Oxford, a second red line on a covid test! Panto painting couldn’t be put off so we made our way gradually up the Oxford Canal keeping our distance from people at locks and taking maximum doses of paracetamol.

A week of painting in Banbury before I moved to Chipping Norton to stack up the hours over the next four weeks getting the 50th anniversary panto ready. Rendez Vousing with Oleanna at weekends in Banbury and Coventry kept me sane. Mick had to single hand across the summit of the Oxford Canal to avoid the first of the winter stoppages.

All three of us were back onboard by mid November, covid free and vaccinated. We took things slowly now, time to rest up, meet friends, gather family and pootle towards Christmas. Our 20th Anniversary was celebrated with a Chinese takeaway at Alvecote Marina, a planned stop which ended up being extended due to plummeting temperatures. The canal froze, there’d be no moving the outside for Tilly!

Temperatures lifted dramatically and the ice just about vanished in a couple of days, we could now be on our way to Christmas. Alrewas was a good place to spend the festive days, a very good butchers and a village with lots of character and humour.

Bookings in the New Year had been made for passage on the tidal River Trent for us to reach Yorkshire, but this would not be. The Trent had risen before Christmas, Cranfleet Flood Gates were shut ahead of us, so no New Year at Hazelford Lock. Instead our alternator played up and we sought out a mooring to hook up to and see in 2023.

This year we’d been wanting to explore again. This year we cruised miles of new water, made new friends, got too hot, got iced in, got stuck, got to be in the first illuminated flotilla on the Thames for 300 years. What a great year it has been.

So our vital statistics for 2022 according to Canalplan are

Total distance is 1249 miles, 6½ furlong and 555 locks . There were 88 moveable bridges of which 29 are usually left open; 156 small aqueducts or underbridges and 18 tunnels,  a total of 7 miles 2 ¼ furlongs underground and 8 major aqueducts.

This was made up of 227 miles, 1 1/2 furlongs of narrow canals; 363 miles, 2 furlongs of broad canals; 85 miles, 5 furlongs of commercial waterways; 269 miles, 1 furlong of small rivers; 234 miles, 7 1/4 furlongs of large rivers; 69 miles, 6 furlongs of tidal rivers; 176 narrow locks; 232 broad locks; 54 large locks; 2 locks on major waterways.

731.7 engine hours

1156.1 litres diesel, 5 (although we’ve got 1 empty now) gas bottles (used for central heating as well as cooking), 28.5 litres oil, 3 oil filters, 1 fuel filter, 2 air filters, 1 water pump, 2 new belts, 690kg coal, 1 overnight guest twice, 6 packs Dreamies (not enough!), 56 friends, a record breaking 41 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval (4 in one day!), 15 pairs socks, 2 shows designed, 9 lodgers, 2 lots gluten free puff pastry, 9 supermarket deliveries, 30 boxes of wine delivered, 2 lost unicorns.

Thank you all for joining us on our journey. Wonder where we’ll get to in 2023?