Category Archives: River Trent

Unexpected Last Cruise. 31st December

Shardlow to Willowbrook Moorings

The levels seemed to have a downwards trend this morning, just a shame the forecasted levels weren’t to continue in that direction! What will be will be, we always knew the River Trent in winter would be interesting, or not as the case may be!

There were a few lulls in the rain so Mick took the opportunity to head off to the Co-op for a Saturday newspaper. Before he left he fired up the engine to top the batteries up.

As I pottered away inside I heard the engine tone change. Nothing like the washing machine or dishwasher were on, but it sounded like one of them had just started a heat mode. That wasn’t all either, there was a sort of rattling sound coming from the engine. Maybe Mick had left a spanner on top of something and it was vibrating? I gave him a call and turned the engine off for further investigation on his return.

The engine board was lifted, things checked over, engine started up. Hmmmm! The batteries weren’t charging as they should. The rattling noise continued. Maybe after five years the alternator had gone. What a handy time for it to fail, New Years Eve with an extra bank holiday on Monday! The invertor was turned off, minimal use of power required.

We put our heads together, we could sit in candle light for the next few days reserving what was in the batteries for the freezer and fridge, or we could find somewhere to plug in. Shardlow Marina wouldn’t be possible as we’d have to go down onto the River Trent. Mick tried calling Chapel Farm Marina. The person he needed to talk to had just left, but hey would try to get him to call us back.

**Where we thought we’d be spending new year**

Next Mick tried across the way, JD Narrowboats. A chap answered the phone who wasn’t meant to be at work today. He could give us a mooring, but there wouldn’t be any power. He suggested a few things to Mick but none of them were suitable for our set up sadly.

On our way into Shardlow I’d made a comment about the moorings above the lock, some of them having power. There had been a big sign saying that moorings were available. Mick walked up to have a look and take down the phone number. He called and chatted to Tracy. They don’t normally do short term visitor moorings but they would be able to help us out until we got sorted. If we moved up the lock they would come and see us later to get us hooked up.

**Our last known position on Water Explorer**

After lunch the wet weather gear came out. The trip computer was fired up to run Water Explorer for the last time before the site is taken down. Would we be the last boat to be recorded as moving on the site?

We reversed back to wind outside JD Narrowboats. Two boats had pulled up outside The Clock Warehouse, presumably for the new year. We worked our way back up the lock and pulled into the mooring. Mick then said that the alternator now appeared to be working again! What!!! However it couldn’t be trusted.

Tracy and partner arrived around 4pm, got us plugged in, took a meter reading and took a cash deposit from us, any funds not used when we leave will be returned to us. We were also sent their address should we need it to have a new alternator sent to us.

**Below Shardlow Lock, last lock of the year**

I got on with cutting out foamcor for the giant mug. Followed by discs of yoga mat and sections for the sides. I thought I’d have a go at taping it all together to make sure it would work. Just as I thought, the softness of the yoga mat was not suitable to stand up on it’s own. I tried fixing the sides to a base piece and all that happened was that it all bent over onto itself! Hmmm, a rethink is required. Maybe if I make the mug out of foamcor first then cover it in the mat? I could get a carpenter to make it out of wood, bending skin ply round a former. This would be far more solid, but what they are wanting to do with the mug requires it to be as light weight as possible and as soft as possible to avoid injury, yet keep it’s shape.

Before resorting to carpenters I’ll see what I can do with foamcor. The mug will only have to last for a few shows, not months. So I’ll see what I can do first.

I also turned my attention to places to stay in Huddersfield for production week. My preferred Premier Inn has shot up in price over the last few weeks, almost doubling. Travelodge was still cheap, but a bit of a walk away from the Theatre. Time to look elsewhere, possible AirB&B apartments were looked at, more research required.

Chicken Tagliatelle this evening with a difference, we didn’t have any tagliatelle! Fuseli did the job though. We watched the film Yesterday whilst the whole of Derby seemed to be setting off fireworks. Thankfully Tilly isn’t too bothered by them. Big Ben bonged the New Year in, we watched the fireworks which went on forever! Derby kept up with the capital, explosions continuing for another hour.

Our hopes for the new year are charging batteries and dropping river levels.

So all of us on Oleanna would like to wish you all a

Happy New Year

1 lock, WE the last cruise 0.37 miles, Pip’s Nebo 0.4 miles, Mick’s Nebo 0.5 miles? 1 wind, 1 unexpected cruise to end the year, 1 failing alternator, 1 Saturday newspaper, 1 boat plugged in, 2 many bird feeders, £450 or £250? 1 very floppy mug, 1 new year facing the wrong way, 1 walrus.

https://goo.gl/maps/r1T2RbcBEyrriC1R8

Two Reds. 30th December

Shardlow

The levels appeared to have peaked this morning and were just starting to come down. We knew we wouldn’t be going anywhere today.

Phone reception is almost none existent inside the boat in Shardlow so it was no surprise when Micks phone received a text message from Adrian at C&RT. He’d tried calling to see if we were still wanting our booking tomorrow to go through Stoke Lock, Cranfleet Flood Gates were still closed. He already knew the answer as did we, Mick texted back confirming that we’d like to cancel our booking. He also asked what would happen from the 3rd of January at Stoke Lock, would we need to book? The answer was that there would be plenty of people about to pen us through when we arrive, hopefully soon afterwards the lock will be back to self operation. Adrian would stand the team down for lunchtime tomorrow.

Mick spent sometime sat out the back making phone calls to cancel all our Trent lock bookings. We’re hoping we may still be able to make the window of good tides next week, but who knows what the river will do and when Cranfleet Flood Gates will reopen. Cromwell Lock said that they’d be able to get us to Keadby one way or another, maybe missing out on a stop at West Stockwith. One slightly worrying thing was that despite us both remembering Mick having talked to Keadby Lock they didn’t seem to have us in the diary! Glad we hadn’t got to the M180 Bridge and radioed ahead with no-one expecting us! Doesn’t matter now, and we’ll double check when we booked it next.

Mick also called Shardlow Marina. Oleanna was due an oil change, the price of oil was a touch more than he was wanting to pay, maybe it would be cheaper to get the bus and buy some from Halfords? He decided to pay the extra and got on the bike and headed off.

**When red lights shows it is not recommended for craft to proceed beyond this point due to flood conditions**

Down the towpath at the Shardlow EA flood gates two red lights showed. Both the River Soar and Trent are closed. We’ve stayed this side of the flood gates just in case the river comes up even more!

Tilly did more calculations regarding the wall. She eyed up the wooden signposts again, checked them for claw stability, then decided the call of Dreamies was greater than achieving her goal of getting to the top of the wall.

Inside I took over the dinette table. Foamcor was measured out and cut up to make the base shapes of some giant sugar lumps and milk pods, the sort you get in hotels. I caught up on the Christmas Day radio 4 play which was directed by an acquaintance, The Signalman. All the edges of the shapes were covered in masking tape, this should stop the contact adhesive from eating into the foam when I come to cover them in yoga mats.

Whilst the PVA glue was out I made use of it to re-stick some edging strip that was coming off in the bathroom. An off cut of foamcor proved useful to get the glue in behind the veneer. Masking tape used to hold it in position whilst the glue dries.

Mick got on with the oil change in the engine bay. He’s saved doing the filters until tomorrow, we doubt we’ll be on our way for a few days.

This evenings meal made use of the last ham, ham stock which I’d drained off when I roasted the joint. I made it into a stew with a potato, carrot and peas. The stew bubbled away on the stove top for an hour before I made use of the last of the stuffing, making a sort of topping out of it. It then went inside the oven to finish off. Verdict, tasty maybe a little bit salty, but a good invention to use up the last of the leftovers from Christmas.

Yesterday and today we watched Mayflies, a story of a man diagnosed with cancer and his wish to control the end of his life. What a jolly bit of TV to have between Christmas and the New Year! Some very good performances, but a box of tissues was very much required. To jolly things up we’ve watched episodes of Ghosts, Mick has nearly caught me up.

**Glad I can’t make the mug to go with them!**

0 locks, 0 miles, £60 oil, 4 bookings cancelled, 1 oil change, 6 inch sugar lumps, 1ft milk pods, 1 pot of stew, 2 many tears, 1 near death experience, 1 red lever, 20 catnip Dreamies spilled on the sofa, 2 swirling cats eyes!

Calculations. 29th December

Henry Knibb Bridge 3A to Shardlow 48hr Visitor Moorings

Both of us had checked the river levels during a conscious moment over night, so neither of us were rushing to get going this morning. As we had our cuppa in bed we checked again, both the Government website and Gaugemap, levels were still going up on the rivers. Cranfleet flood gates would remain shut today.

Time to make use of those nice field mushrooms I’d bought in Alrewas along with the bacon. Once breakfasted we made ready to move into Shardlow, away from the traffic noise and to see if there was space by the pubs to put a supermarket order in for delivery.

**Didn’t the cottage used to have something like Wisteria on it?**

A slow pootle to Shardlow Lock past all the moored boats. The lock was full and a grassy island sat just above the top gates waiting to make it’s way down with us. Despite Mick trying to discourage it’s descent it won and entered the lock with Oleanna. A Grandad with pint in hand brought his grandsons over to watch us at the lock, just in time to help close the off side gate.

A top up of water was needed, a load of washing and the dishwasher had been at work already. Tilly’s pooh box got a refresh then we were ready to find a space. As we passed the moorings outside JD Narrowboats I spotted a very shiny NB Hunky Dory, was this THE NB Hunky Dory the owner having got in touch with us years ago at their planning stage. This was to be a boat with not one but two incinerator toilets, high spec kitchen appliances. This was all pre-pandemic, was this their winter mooring, or was the boat only just finished? Both very possible.

Two boats were on the moorings before the bend, we hoped there might be room for us at the far end, but rings hadn’t been used with others in mind. A glance up to the pubs, three boats were nicely spaced out there too, it didn’t look hopeful for a delivery so we reversed back to the first mooring ring. Yes there is a git gap in front of us, but we are on the last ring. Mick walked up to check on the pub moorings, there were four boats, no room for us.

A cuppa and a shopping list were put together then Mick headed over to Leicestershire in the bike, across the River Trent, to pick up a few things to keep us going for the next few days.

Tilly came and went for Dreamies. There are calculations going on with the hope of being able to reach the top of the brick wall alongside our mooring. The C&RT wooden posts may just assist. The mortar between the bricks is too new to get a good grip. Depending on how long we are here, she may discover that she can walk just a few yards along the towpath to an open gate to see what’s on the other side of the wall! There’s no fun in that though!!

An enforced stop means I need to get on with some work. Props for #unit 21 will be needed soon into the New Year and I have quite a lot of materials on board to get started.

I unwrapped a couple of the yoga mats I’d bought. These are cheaper than plastizote, come in a good colour but are a touch softer than I’d thought. Making certain things from them won’t be a problem, but the biggest prop may need extra support. I spent the afternoon measuring the mats and working out how best to cut them up. I’d not taken into account their rounded corners, but as the thicker mats are bigger than advertised this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Next I measured all Oleanna’s doors, hatch and windows. I need an opening of at least 60cm for the big prop. Oleanna has a maximum opening of 54cm! If I took the front door frame out then maybe, just maybe there’d be enough room. This would mean making the prop in our bedroom as the bathroom doors are narrower. Hmm, maybe I’ll cut everything out and assemble it in Huddersfield when I get there.

The door openings did make me wonder how deep our washing machine is. It’s not a full depth machine so maybe it would fit through the doors sideways? Was it brought in before the doorframe was fitted? Now what about the cooker? One day we’ll have the joy of finding these things out!

As the day progressed the river levels have risen further. Our bookings on the Trent are looking like we won’t be able to use them.

Last of the Christmas duck was added to some fried rice this evening. That’s the end of the duck and birthday cake, just the ham to finish off tomorrow.

1 lock, WE 0.65 (will this be our last journey recorded on Water Explorer?), Pip’s Nebo 0.8 miles, Mick’s Nebo 0.7 miles, 1 load washing, 1 dishwasher load, 1 clean pooh box, 1 clean pooh bucket, 2 many git gaps, 1 mathematical cat, 2 yoga mats, 1 sheet of calculations, 1 boat going nowhere for a while.

https://goo.gl/maps/P3TN186TzVZ1ev9P7

£7 Protection. 28th December

Stenson Lock 6 to Henry Knibb Bridge 3A

Last night we had discussions about our rate of progress. Yesterdays cruise had been cold and bordering on the not so pleasant. Should we slow our progress somewhat to less than 4.5 hours a day? Would we then be able to make our booking at Cromwell? Should we keep up the hours with the hope that we’d still make Stoke Lock for the last bookable passage between Christmas and the New Year? Would todays forecast rain scupper all our plans anyway?

It was decided to continue as planned, river levels were still coming down, slowly. It would be daft not to be in a position to be able to do the next hop on the river to a safe mooring. Our current mooring was also not suitable for Tilly with the occasional train going past only 50 yards away, plus the trees creaking overhead in the wind! So layers of waterproofs were put on, we’d brave todays rain.

Father Christmas had brought me some new knickers in my stocking, little did he know that he was also providing us with means to keep the navigational phone dry at the stern. It rained for much of the morning, but nowhere near as heavy as we’d expected. It was also far warmer than yesterday, although the wind was quite strong at times bringing the temperature down.

**Coal settling in for the days cruise**

Ragley Boatstop moorings should have been our mooring last night, just as well we’d stopped early as it was full. A chap warned us about the level below Weston Lock as something yesterday had happened to a paddle at Aston meaning the pound between the locks was draining, they had difficulty, but hopefully all had been sorted by C&RT.

Along the stretch where cars are warned not to fall into the canal. We approached Swarkstone Lock. The Winter Moorings above the lock would have had space for us yesterday, but we’d have been really miserable by the time we got there. A couple of familiar boats NB Still Waters whom we’d seen a few times over the summer and the boat with an owl, Solar Afloat and chilled medication.

We dropped down the lock and just as I opened the bottom gates a hire boat arrived to drop their crew off below no need to close the heavy gates.

The next stretch of towpath is in the process of being upgraded. Pristine tarmac, mud no longer stretches out along the side of the canal. This will have some boaters moaning about a speedway for cyclists.

Weston Lock was next, another line of winter moorings. A quick look over the bridge showed that the water level was fine below. Here the bottom gates can be an absolute b****rd to close, the offside in particular. I worked the lock, avoiding the big steps up onto the beams to help protect my calf muscle and walking round the lock instead. As I lifted the first bottom paddle a boat appeared below. Hooray, I’d not have to close the gate! Result.

Aston Lock, it was now really quite breezy. As Oleanna descended, the wind hitting the sides if the chamber pushed her across the lock. Here I did have to shut the bottom gate.

We pootled on towards Shardlow deciding to stop short where Tilly might have a better couple of hours shore leave, unfortunately it’s quite noisy from the A50. After a couple of visits to outside it became obvious that Tilly was far more interested in receiving the catnip Dreamies on her return than actually being outside! These Dreamies are now rationed to 2 a time and if she keeps on at this rate they will be reduced to 1 a time! That means they’ll last longer!

With a late lunch out of the way Mick phoned C&RT to make our booking through Stoke Lock for the 31st. The lady who answered the phone had to be talked through where we meant, then she tried calling the local team for us to make the booking. Adrian was already on the phone, she’d get him to call us back.

Another look at river levels, it was now looking like the trend was in the upward direction, some stations predicting a sharp rise. This morning the strong stream section of the C&RT website had said that at Cranfleet flood gates was Amber, proceed with caution. However the stoppage notice of the floodgates being closed had not been rescinded.

We didn’t have long to wait for Adrian to call us back. He asked if we’d be able to get to the lock for the hour window on the 31st, we would as our current plan was to moor above the lock the night before. He booked us in and said someone would call that morning to confirm our passage. Mick asked him about Cranfleet floodgates, the strong stream section of the website wasn’t working now.

Adrian was the man to talk to. He is the person who decides on the closing of the flood gates in the area and sends out notices accordingly. The gates may have been opened by someone tampering with them, but they should actually be closed. River levels would be checked in the morning to see what effect todays rain had had. If the level was still going down the gates would be opened, we may get a phone call if that is the case.

Next years licence was bought, not a gold one this time as we’re likely to be staying on C&RT waters in 2023.

Ham with jacket potatoes, onion sauce and red cabbage tonight, a replay of Boxing day. The red cabbage is now used up, but there is still some ham left for another day.

3 locks, WE 7.97 miles, Pip’s Nebo 8.3 miles (including walking round locks), Mick’s Nebo 8 miles (static on the boat), 1 wet day, 1 blowy day, 1 more booking made, 4 now booked, 16 Dreamies, 20 the maximum in one day Tilly! 1 noisy mooring, 2 boaters watching the levels, 4 fingers crossed.

https://goo.gl/maps/8wurXtJcPfum8aME6

Don’t Trust The Locals. 27th December

Branston Water Park to below Stenson Lock 6.

Grey today. We’re keeping an eye on the weather forecasts and river levels. Todays trend was levels are gong down, but with an expected upwards movement due to the coming rain! Not what we want, but we keep moving in the right direction hoping that things will have improved when we get to the River Trent.

Going down Branston Lock we had a boat on our tail. Might this be a boat that we could share the wide locks with? We’d see.

Shobnall Marina was sadly not open today, their price for 50 or more litres of diesel is now £1.12, the lowest we’ve seen for a very long time. A cluster of boats sat along the next stretch, being close to the marina and shops a good thing at this time of year.

We’ve never really explored Burton-upon-Trent, it’s somewhere we head through in spring or autumn on our way to other places. Next time we’ll do our best to stop and have a look round, but having said that the Bass Museum is sadly no more, having closed it’s doors earlier this year.

At Dallow Lane Lock a boat was just pulling in below, the lock in their favour. I walked up to help with the bottom gates. I asked where they were headed today in the rain. They’d been to fill with water and were returning to a mooring close to the marina. Their plan had been to be in Alrewas for Christmas but the cold weather had put them off.

I was then asked where we were headed. My answer was ‘Hopefully Swarkstone today then if the river is behaving, we’ll be heading on to get through Stoke Lock before the new year.’ She responded with ‘Well it’s all shut off up there!’ We talked for a couple of minutes at crossed purposes, me thinking she was meaning flood gates on the river being closed, until she mentioned the Railway Bridge.

Bridge 20A had been closed for maintenance presumably by Network Rail and had been due to reopen on the 23rd December, this is why we didn’t hightail it up the T&M earlier. The lady was quite adamant that it was still closed as it was still on the C&RT website and no notice had come through saying that it was open again. I thanked her, took note and reported back to Mick. He and I were of the same opinion, we’d go and see for ourselves. Of course there was chance that industrial action had slowed down works and it being a third party maybe news hadn’t come through to C&RT.

Winter stoppages, in our experience when finished on time do not get an advice notice to say they are open. Notices come through if there is a delay, postponement, over running of works. Or on some occasions when the maintenance work is completed ahead of schedule, even by one day. So because we’d not seen anything regarding the railway bridge we assumed it was now open.

We dropped down Dallow Lane, the boat behind us now right behind us and able to open up a bottom gate for us. They were only heading to Willington today, so lock partner. Waving goodbye to the last narrow lock on the T&M. Our next one, if we stick to the current plan, will be in Middlewich maybe in about six months time.

Coming in to Willington there was a boat come a drift at it’s stern. I walked up to the front of Oleanna and pushed it out of the way. We stopped in the bridge hole just ahead, I held onto the centre rope whilst Mick went back with mallet and a boat hook. By now the bow was also adrift. Gradually he pulled her back to the towpath, hammered in the spikes. Her position not the best close to the bridge especially as we’re now back in the land of widebeams.

Talking of widebeams we passed WB Tardis. Wonder how much that pram cover cost them?! Surly it can’t be any bigger inside!

Plenty of walkers on the muddy towpath. We were wet and getting really quite cold by now. Our schedule had us mooring near Swarkstone Lock today, but we wanted to call it a day sooner than then. We pootled onwards.

First one railway bridge, then Bridge 20A. As thought it was open, from our side the only noticeable thing was a fresh coat of paint had been applied. On the other, there had been works done to the embankment and off to the side was a large compound. We’re very glad we go with our instincts and not word on the towpath, as we’d have pulled up in Willington for the night if we had.

Nowhere to moor until Stenson Lock. Here there was one gap, which was two fenders too short for Oleanna. Nothing for it but to go down the lock, at least some activity would warm us up! I took a windlass and walked ahead, I’d find out if my calf could cope with wide lock beams today.

It took forever to fill the chamber, at 12ft 6″ it is really quite deep. The ground paddles are strong but the gate paddles almost non existent. In came Oleanna, bottom gate paddles lifted, down she went. Today the sign inviting us to have an ice cream on the cafe wasn’t as enticing as normal!

We pulled in past the lock landing, enough depth for a mooring, pins went in, then second ones as the ground was a touch soft. Too late and too close to the railway line for any cat shore leave today, so we had to put up with complaints from Tilly for several hours.

Leftover bubble and squeak with duck today. We’ve still stuffing, cabbage, duck and ham to finish. What something can I make tomorrow?

3 locks, WE 9.48 miles, Pip’s Nebo 7.7 miles (operator error), Mick’s Nebo 9.5 miles, 1 railway bridge OPEN, 1 boat adrift, 1 calf coping, so far, 1 cat not coping, 4 trains, 2 wet boaters.

https://goo.gl/maps/aBgxGLekMhX8fGeS8

The Big Day. 25th December

Bridge 47, Alrewas

**Smoked salmon and scrambled egg breakfast**

After stockings came a glass of Bucks Fizz and breakfast, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, using a bit more of the parsley mountain now in our freezer. A festive chat with the London Leckenbys who were about to sit down to ham sandwiches and presents.

**VHF for tidal waters and Trent Locks**

Next Christmas presents. Thankfully delayed deliveries hadn’t managed to spoil our main presents. Tilly and I had clubbed together to buy Mick a new VHF radio as ours had gone faulty on the reflections flotilla, we’d ended up having to borrow one. Now that we seem to go on slightly more adventurous cruises we went for a better handheld radio than before. This should cover a larger distance. Mick put it on charge straight away and then had a go at turning down the squelch.

I got a cordless sander. I should also be able to get other tools that will use the same battery. When working on panto, Jo the props maker had a very small hand friendly cordless electric drill, so I’m hoping that might be the next tool to be added to the collection. We got plenty of other goodies too.

Time for a Christmas walk before any more booze was consumed. The last two years we’ve headed down to Scarborough sea front to have the wind clear away any cobwebs. This year we’re back on the canals, not quite the same as the north east wind making your cheeks ruddy, but just as good.

We chose to walk into the village, turning up Post Office Road. The Crown pub seemed to be popular as families turned up for a pint and lemonade.

The model cottages sitting facing each other both had wreaths on their front doors. At first I thought it a shame that they hadn’t consulted each other and gone for the same. But when I spotted the wreath on the red door, it made me laugh.

Baubles hung from a tree, this needed investigating. It is a memory tree for Mums and Dads, some of the baubles have messages written on them. Below there was a tin with a couple more baubles, were these for anyone to use or sat waiting for particular offspring to come and hang them on Christmas morning.

There was a nice looking house for sale, £620,000 for a five bedroom house, not bad. Although it feels lovely and light inside I think it’s lost some of it’s period character with the modern cupboards everywhere.

Back to the canal and a walk to look at the river levels. In the amber, Mick said it had gone down since yesterday, if it carries on in that direction that would be good. We walked down to the weir a short distance further on. The river swirled confused under the walkways and sped it’s way to the weir. Mick thought with enough umph we’d be fine going past.

A look inside the church, still warm from the mornings services. A big tree stood to one side, this with the smell reminded me of Christmas Days in the 70’s when we’d head to The Homestead for drinks with the Rowntree family in York. There in a hallway stood a tree as tall as the room, it’s base swathed in cotton wool. Trains, sledgers, animals decorated the snow below the poor tree that strained under the weight of SO many decorations. The sight kept my brother and myself transfixed, the coloured lights twinkling in the oak panelled hallway as the hubbub of adults came from the library where sherry and mince pies were handed out. At ten to one Peter Rowntree would call everyone silent, there would be a toast to Christmas and then a round of Happy Birthday for me. Today stood in All Saints I glanced up at the clock, ten to one, the time I was born.

In the churchyard many of the gravestones have been moved to the sides, this was done in the 70’s when the grounds had a change of layout. In the nearest corner to Oleanna stand the three wise men and their camels, followed by a donkey. His tail had been pinned on several times before.

Back to Oleanna, a few more Catnip Dreamies for Tilly had her gazing into nowhere for quite some time. I think she was just that little bit off her face!

The duck was pricked, stuffed and popped into the oven. Timings worked out for everything else. Bread sauce and cabbage put on top of the stove to reheat. Veg peeled ready to roast or steam. Sausages wrapped in blankets to keep them warm. It was as if we’d done Christmas dinner on the boat before! Well it’s actually easier here than in the house believe it or not.

Not normally one to watch the Christmas Day speech, lunch is normally timed to clash, but this year we thought we’d give Charles a chance as the pigs in blankets went in the oven. I think normal timings will resume next year.

Two plates brimming full were dished out, some roast potatoes had to be put back to make space for all the extras. All very nice, although my experiment of using oat milk for bread sauce won’t be repeated, it was okay but a little porridgy.

Full to the brim, Snowman was watched before the day moved to Birthday. Cake, candles a cup of much needed tea and then presents.

I got a gluten free recipe book, some waterproof thermal work gloves, some magnifying work glasses to help with model making and illustrations and a box of Pantomime yarn from Riverknits. I’m not sure I’ll knit the pattern the yarn came with or something else, not decided yet.

Another glass of wine accompanied Morecomb and Wise. A very good birthday and Christmas.

0 locks. 0 miles, 3 stockings crammed full, 5 bedoingee balls, 5 chocolate oranges, 2 styles of quality street wrappers, 1 vhf radio, 1 sander, 1 bottle of English fizz, 2 bottles wine, 1 packet of serious crack for cats, 1 spaced out Tilly, 15 pairs socks, 3 cans of beer, 4 spices, 7 silicone lids, 2 boxes matches, 1 pair of glasses, 1 book, 1 wifi camera, 2 plates only just big enough, 2 slices cake, 2 rather full boaters, 1 lovely day.

Destination Christmas. 23rd and 24th December

Common Lock 14 to Gallows Bridge 43

‘Rain, proper rain’ Shefali had said last night and she was right. We could have stayed put until it stopped but that could be most of the day and we had Destination Christmas to reach and things to get sorted when we arrived. So after breakfast we put layers of waterproofs on, rolled and folded the covers, they were already soaked and so were we.

**At least our lights brightened up the morning a touch**

No photos as it was peeing it down. My phone came out from the Nicholsons shelf so that I could record the locks as we went through them, then it got tucked away again in the dry. Come the 1st January this will be the way we record our journeys on our phones. We’ll wait until we have more time to alter the way the trip computer works before using it again.

A long line of moored boats didn’t boad well for being able to moor up in Alrewas, that was until we realised these were boats on C&RT winter moorings. Bagnall Lock gave Mick the run around the bottom gates preferring to stay open as always. It took a while to get the masses of water leaking in through the top gates to hold one gate shut long enough to be able to close the second one without the first one reopening.

Now we just needed a space to pull into.

No boats moored round the bend or on the narrow section. Sandy’s boat came into view, moored all alone. We carried on, our preferred mooring to be near Alrewas Lock, but from a distance that looked quite full. We reversed back close to the footbridge, leaving 2 boat cat lengths between us and Sandy ( Jezebel and Tilly could hopefully have stretches of the towpath each). We had reached our chosen place for Christmas.

Once tied up, we unanimously decided to head straight off in the pouring rain to do our collections. A couple of months ago we’d been thinking of where to spend Christmas this year. Alrewas jumped to mind. A pretty place to be, plenty of mooring, most suitable for Tilly. But also, possibly more important was Coates the Butchers. A month ago I’d placed our order for a duck and a gammon joint via their website, payment had been taken. This morning whilst grimacing at the rain from bed I’d had a phone call saying that our order was ready for collection, very reassuring. We headed off to the butchers.

**The main reason for coming to Alrewas**

We’d been told to go to the click and collect under the canopy, no need to join the queue. The click and collect had been pushed to one side to give the queue some shelter from the rain. Chatting to the chap in front, he’d moved to Alrewas when he retired mainly because of the butchers. Then the lady behind started to chat, she used to own a narrowboat until a few years ago. Her son-in-law was part of the butchers family and for several years she used to make sausage rolls for them from November to Christmas Eve, 3000 of them!

Our order was brought to us after a while. We still wanted a few things so stayed in the queue. Fresh veg, bacon and a pork pie. Thankfully the veg outside the shop was replenished. We possibly spent as much as we would have done for big bags of veg from the Co-op, but I won’t have to make soup for the next week to use it all up.

Next a visit to the Co-op for the last few bits. All done apart from some parsley, hopefully they will have new stocks in the morning.

By now we’d started to dry off, so had the weather, the queue at the butchers was longer.

On our first ever visit to Alrewas I’d spotted a knitted narrowboat in the window of an old shop. Today the Alrewas Knitwits have a big display. By the War Memorial where Post Office Road meets Main Street has been taken over by them. Penguins ice skating, a tenth birthday cake, Father Christmas taking refuge in a phone box with a large plate of cakes, an Eskimo fishing next to their igloo.

Then across the road there are wall hangings for the twelve days of Christmas, each one made with applique. I especially liked the pipers piping being girls in gingham with recorders.

Back at Oleanna we dried off and let Tilly explore for the afternoon. Although two big gun dogs did curtail her exploration for a while. She puffed herself up to almost their size! There was an extra shore leave rule today, ‘No digging in the graveyard’ That simply wouldn’t be good!

Christmas Eve.

Mick was sent on a mission for some parsley this morning. The butchers with only a couple of people in the shop came up trumps with the biggest bunch I’ve ever seen for 50p! Surplus is now in the freezer.

The day has been all about cooking whilst Tilly came and went avoiding the local woofers. Stuffing made. Bread sauce milk infused with flavour and garlic roasted to be added tomorrow along with bread. Red cabbage braised, only cranberry sauce to add. Cider gravy stock bubbled and reduced.

Christmas Eve sausage rolls were delayed as I’d forgotten to defrost the pastry last night! But they were enjoyed with a cuppa before cooking continued.

**I wonder who’s birthday it might be?**

As Mick did secret things in the bedroom I baked a birthday cake. Lemon and Almond Damp Cake, well that’s what my Mum used to call it.

The day has been much much brighter than yesterday. Plenty of people stretching their legs along the towpath and others visiting their relatives in the grave yard next door. Several boats passed a couple stopping nearer the lock.

Mick walked down to check the level below the lock, the next section is joined by the River Trent. As yesterday, it was Amber, the rain may still be on it’s way downstream, we hope the level drops over the next couple of days so that we can carry on our way. The next couple of weeks we are very much at the mercy of the River Trent.

A notice came through yesterday afternoon regarding Stoke Lock on the River Trent. There has been a winter stoppage which was due to be finished today. The notice said.

We are very sorry to advise that we need to put in place a navigational restriction over the Festive period. The repair works are complete, but unfortunately the testing and commissioning needs further work meaning we cannot return the lock to user operation as we are unable to open and close the gates automatically. The lock can be operated by a Trust colleague to allow boats to pass through and any boats wishing to transit through the lock will be able to book a passage between the hours of 11am and 12 noon on 28^th 29^th 30^th and 31^st December.

**The churchyard Christmas Tree made from rubbish**

We made a phone call to C&RT to make a booking. The chap Mick talked to read the notice a couple of times. He took it to mean that we’d only be able to ring to make a booking during the hours mentioned, on the dates mentioned. He was about to send us away to ring back on the 28th, but thankfully called his supervisor first. Unfortunately it turns out that the people we need to book it with had already broken up for Christmas, so we need to call back on the 28th. So if you were wanting to cruise the Trent between Christmas and New Year, you won’t be able to do it on the 28th as 24hrs notice is required.

Fingers crossed all calms down on the Trent quickly and our journey northwards can go ahead as planned with the tides.

The stockings are out ready and waiting for the big man in red. We’re all ready for tomorrow.

2 locks, WE 1.16 miles (not including reversing), Pip’s Nebo 1.4 miles, Mick’s Nebo 1.3 miles, 2 very soggy boaters, 1.85kg duck, 1.75kg gammon joint, all the veg, 1 last red cabbage, 2 woofers woofing, 1 bowl of stuffing,1 tuperware of milk, 1 pan of cabbage, 1 jug of stock, 1 plate of cake, 1 gammon the best ever, 2 much cream in the dauphinoise potatoes, 1 river to come down and stay down, 1 numpty, No 4, 1 rubbish Christmas tree, 3 stockings ready and waiting to be filled.

https://goo.gl/maps/z5mNXn7TtgUYhpVD7

Chocolate Box. 11th April

Shobnall Fields to Fradley Swing Bridge, Coventry Canal

More news came through yesterday from my cousin in Ukraine. They have managed to visit their home in Chernihiv to board up windows and doors and sift through to see what the looters might have left. Not much really other than heavy items of furniture which leaves them with the two suitcases they had packed when they fled. The house had triple glazing most of which is now shattered across what is left of their lawn, a lot of shards to pick up before their dogs can play out again. There is still no power or gas and very little in the shops, so it will be sometime before they can return to rebuild their home.

“Hopefully things don’t deteriorate again but when will it all end?”

Here in Burton we pushed off and made our way to Shobnall Basin, thankfully there was nobody already filling with diesel so Mick swung Oleanna round and reversed in through the narrow entrance. He managed this without touching the sides, an audience and wind! He was quite smug about it too.

At £1.20 a litre we wanted to leave with the tank full and we were surprised that the tank was full after only 81 litres considering we’d been pushing upstream for several days. A new bottle of gas too, the price of which had just gone up, but today they would charge us the old price. In the shop we looked round for some Marine 16, here there was a large bottle at about the same price we’d have got half the amount for in Nottingham. Glad we waited.

Time to move on. There are more new houses in view near Branston Lock. Looking one way it is still quite green, the other way and huge distribution warehouses are going up.

Next Tattenhill Lock, the chocolate box lock. It always looks so pretty in the sunlight the cottage a B&B. What a different place this must have been when the cottage was first built, no builders merchants along the way where huge clouds of dust blew across the canal, pile driving noises and the constant road noise from the A38.

We held our breath going through bridge 36. I sent a photo to David, his boat would certainly not make it through such tight bridge holes, it wouldn’t make it through the narrow locks either.

The moorings were full below Barton Turn Lock so we had to ascend it before stopping for lunch. The end of a beam is now painted red and at some time the handle has been moved so that it is over solid ground and not just air!

Now the mile and a half where the A38 clings to the side of the canal. We always wave to lorries along here. At first today it seemed like everyone was miserable, but then we got our first wave back, then a beep beep, even a flash of lights from one driver.

Wychnor Lock we caught up with a boat that must have come out from the marina. The lady was a novice learning the ropes, the chap an old hand. Mick came up to lend a hand setting the lock once they’d gone.

Now we were on the stretch with the River Trent, the navigation more windy than before. The boats moored here have rings that can slide up and down on scaff poles for the changing height of the river. There is a weir and several bridges to help keep the towpath from getting flooded.

Alrewas was semi busy, we’d have found space for ourselves, but wanted to get further today, catching up with our schedule. A new boat is aptly named on the off side mooring where the canal narrows.

At Bagnall Lock Mick held the gates closed with the aid of the boat hook, one of them naturally wants to open itself but thankfully I only had to return to close it one extra time.

Now the locks up into Fradley, passing the new marina which now has a few boats in residence. Late afternoon meant there would be no volunteers, they may not have started back yet anyway. But it did mean I got to work all the locks myself, which is why I love boating.

Between Keeper’s Lock and Junction Lock there was only one space free, each boat socially distancing themselves and not one shared mooring ring. We planned to ascend all the locks today so carried on. NB Freespirit was the second boat in line. Mick said hello as he passed as did I from the towpath, but no reply came back, Bridgerton must have been very captivating.

Entering the top lock was a shiny new hire boat, the maximum length for these locks, with six on board it would be a cosy week. We swapped and ascended our last lock of the day as a giant teddy walked down the road.

Last chance to change our mind on route. We turned left keeping to the quicker plan. I swung the bridge and we pulled in to the first space available, the water point already commandeered by an ex-hire boat. It was late so despite her protestations Tilly was not granted any shore leave, instead she had to sit and watch me make up a chicken pie.

10 locks, 9.35 miles, 1 windy reverse, 81 litres, 13kg gas, 1 chocolate box, 1 narrowboat holding it’s breath, 18 waves, 10 horns, 1 lights flash, 0 queues, 1 maximum length boat, 0 shore leave, 1 narrowboat topped pie.

https://goo.gl/maps/e4eqJur8JkwAVTeC8

Which Way Now? 9th April

Trent Junction to Cuttle Bridge 13, Trent and Mersey Canal

Depending on which route we take we are either an hour behind or a day behind our schedule, this will almost certainly determine which way we go. But which way is that?

Tilly was given 90 minutes shore leave as we had breakfast and joined Mick’s sisters on the Geraghty Zoom this morning. It’s lovely that we are all still doing this two years on. Tilly came home within time so we were able to push off as planned.

The rowers were out and one of their support boats was doing its best to try to move what could only really be described as a tree in the river. They attached a rope, nudged it this way and that, tried to get it up the club slipway without much luck. Hope they got it sorted in the end.

Trent Junction is where the River Trent meets the River Soar and the Erewash Canal. The Erewash is a dead end, so we wouldn’t be going that way this time. Cranfleet Cut we’d just come from, so we’d not be going back. This left us two options, the Soar or the Trent. Our summers cruising plans would suggest going onto the Soar would be the most direct route, but a detour is required, so we’d be sticking with the Trent for a little bit longer.

We headed upstream, past Trent Lock pontoon, the chilled medication van already stationed to serve todays gongoozlers. It was chilly out there, we were glad of our winter layers despite the sunshine.

Sawley Lock, the left hand lock had it’s gates open waiting for us as the right hand one was already being filled by another boat. I hopped off and headed to the panel a big shiny box with exactly the same instructions as those on the small pedestals downstream. There were only a couple of spaces available opposite the marina, this is where we should have been last night, but we’d had a much nicer mooring.

Sawley Flood lock was open so we could pass straight through and back out onto the river before we were to join the Trent and Mersey Canal. Another junction, not left to the marina, not right onto the non navigable Derwent, but straight on to the canal.

Two boats were ascending the lock, the chaps stood chatting on the top gates, only the ground paddles lifted. ‘We’re in no hurry’ said one chap as they moved to open the gates. We emptied the lock and worked Oleanna up off the river. Last year this signalled our successful escape from Goole, today it meant that apart from the river section at Alrewas we shouldn’t now get stuck if the river level comes up.

A pause for lunch in Shardlow before I walked ahead to make use of the post box by Broughton House which commands its position on London Road. Eight semi-circular stone steps lead up to the front door of the house which was built in the early 19th Century by James Sutton one of the merchants who developed the inland port of Shardlow.

Across the way at a side door to Holden House people were being served hot drinks and what looked like a blackboard menu of sandwiches sat against the wall. May have been worth a proper look if we’d been staying longer.

Shardlow lock was just being exited by two boats, a small narrowboat exiting second with novice crew on board, they seemed to be enjoying themselves but were a little bit confused as to which side they should pass Mick as he approached. I’d already lifted the ground paddles before I spotted another narrowboat pulling up below, we apologised and said we’d wait at the next lock, but the chap wasn’t going that far.

A quick chat with David to see how he was today before Aston Lock. Today wasn’t as positive as the last few days, but he was still making progress with the boat. Not everyday will be a great day, but this week he has certainly achieved lots.

At Aston Lock we gained eleven gongoozlers a family of cousins out for a walk. This meant we had extra hands to work the gates.

I’d been warned by a boat going downhill that the bottom gates at Weston Lock were leaking like a sieve and it was taking an absolute age to fill. When we got there we’d caught up with the two boats ahead of us, the chaps again stood on the top gates chatting away with only the ground paddles opened.

‘We’re in no hurry’ the chap said again. I did point out that the bottom gates were leaking and that maybe opening the gate paddles would help fill the lock. It took a little while for the penny to drop, all that was happening right now was that they were letting water flow through the lock whilst it still had another foot to rise, they could be there forever, well until the pound above ran out of water!

We followed up. Are all these wide locks counter intuitive like Stenson Lock? Opening the same side ground paddle really didn’t hold Oleanna against the wall. Here we got a shower of hail too, just enough to get us all soggy and chilly before the sun did it’s best to return.

As we approached the stretch where there is an underwater stone shelf, keep to the off-side, a boat was coming towards us. They were going at quite a rate, their bow faced towards us and just as they passed the yellow sign their stern hit the shelf, lifting the boat out of the water! Blimey!! The chap on the front thankfully didn’t fall in. We checked they were all alright before we carried on, all seemed fine.

It was cold now, should we catch up with ourselves, or pull in before Swarkstone Lock? The latter was more attractive with fields alongside the canal that Tilly would enjoy. We tried several places, but ground to a halt at least a foot out from the bank. In the end we gave up and moored up with a gap between us and the towpath, Tilly could easily jump it, so could we. Time now to warm up inside.

5 locks, 8.42 miles, 2 straight ons, 5 siblings, 2 outsides, 2 catty men, 1 leaky lock, 2 shallow to moor, 1 card, 1 shelf rearing, 1 cosy stove, 1 orchestra conductor in the making.

https://goo.gl/maps/4V9bzVYbrELLeqRM9

There Is Only One Way. 8th April

Stoke Lock to Trent Junction

Needing to catch up and the sun being out meant we were happy to push off this morning. Blue skies lift the heart and thankfully there were blue skies back in Newark too making life that bit easier.

Three sunny miles cruising up to Holme Lock. Mick tried radioing ahead in case there was a Lock Keeper on duty, but officially they start back next week. No reply came so I was to work the buttons.

Holme Lock is huge and always takes an age to empty and even longer to fill. Add to that the button controls and their flashing lights! Well we were there for sometime before I could even open the gates. With Oleanna in the lock I started to press the open button to bring her up, water gushing in, yet the level taking forever to fill.

All of a sudden the towpath opposite there was a todo! A family had been walking their dog on a lead when another dog appeared and attacked it, it kept coming back for more no matter what the people did. The lady said things to me which I really couldn’t hear and I was trying to concentrate on Oleanna. I think she thought I was a Lock Keeper and would know which boat the dog eventually ran off to. Unfortunately I couldn’t help.

Now on our way into Nottingham, the reach was quiet, no sailing boats out today and despite the cricket season having started there was no-one playing at Trent Bridge.

Hang on! Were there people in the garden of Southfork? This is the first time we’ve ever seen anyone near this house! New builds are still going up along the river, including a new development overlooking Meadow Lane Lock.

A widebeam was coming down in the lock, the lady saying they were going up the river, so I signalled to Mick that they would be turning upstream. Well that’s not what she meant at all, they were heading downstream to Stoke. Fortunately Mick had moved so they could pick up crew anyway.

We pulled onto the water point where I jumped ship and headed off to Hobbycraft to buy myself a sketchbook and some tracing paper so that I can be ready to start Panto when the next version of the script arrives.

Mick topped up the water, emptied the wee tank and rinsed off the roof before I got back.

Along the next stretch I stood in the bow with a tape measure. We’d offered to measure the height of the new rail bridge for David to see if he’d be able to get under it. When on the River Wey a few years ago we managed to work out our air draught to the top of the horns. The new rail bridge was 88cm above them. The tape came out again once round the 90degree bend as some of the bridges seemed low too. In fact one of them only measured 75cm above our horns.

Approaching the Sainsburys moorings we were surprised at the number of boats moored up near the student accommodation. We pulled in to the last gap we could see, just as well as round the corner it was nose to tail boats! Yes we moored right in front of a no mooring sign, yes we had lunch, yes we went shopping and no we cannot work out why there is no mooring there!

Nest making, we also saw a pair necking today

Mick called round to check on diesel prices. Castle marina £1.75. Mercia £1.78! Then Shobnall, if we wanted over 50 litres it would be £1.20. Being twelve hours cruise away we should be fine until then and at that price it will almost certainly save us £50! We did however pull into Castle Marina for some coal £13.50 for 25kg of Excell. They had some Marine 16 too but at over £30 Mick decided to leave it and see how much it might be at Shobnall.

Back onto the Nottingham and Beeston Cut we pootled our way westwards catching up with an extreamly slow boat who thankfully let us pass. Starting to get cold we wanted to stop so tried pulling into a gap. The wind did it’s best to push Oleanna away from the bank and even with both of us clinging on we couldn’t get her into the side, we’d try further along. Well there were no gaps further along. Nottingham seems to have had an increase in local continuous cruisers, we reckon there’s about five times the amount of boats than there used to be.

Beeston Lock where windlasses are welded onto the paddles

Only one thing for it we’d have to carry on along the river and hope for space on Cranfleet cut or at Trent Lock. It was cold and threatening to rain, but we had no choice.

We did our best to keep towards the western bank, after hearing the story of NB Legend getting stuck on an old submerged wall last year we really wanted to avoid any possibility of re-enacting the incident.

Soon Cranfleet lock was in view and we tried to remember if we knew which paddle to lift first. No recollection at all. Having four gate paddles it’s confusing, thank goodness you can hang back in the lock. It turned out that I guessed correctly choosing the paddle on the same side as Oleanna, but in the middle first followed by the outer one.

Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station just across the way

At the junction we popped out far enough to see if there was space on the pontoon at Trent Lock, there was, but on the inside so no view. However there was a space on the wall at the junction so we pulled in at 7:30, stoked up the stove and got warm again.

5 locks, 15.2 miles, 2 rights, 1 junction, 1 beautiful day, 5 times as many boats, 3 bags coal, 0 diesel today, 8ft 8inches we think, 1 inch too low, 2 boxes wine, 1 shopping trolley back to the boat, 0 shore leave, 1 tidier boat, 1 more good day for David.

https://goo.gl/maps/F1CniEGNnBT3Rk3E9

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna