This mooring hasn’t been so enticing to Tilly this time around, maybe there are no friends left from our previous visits recently. She still managed a few minutes out on the towpath before returning to snooze in front of the stove.
Quite picturesque, just a worry with the proximity of the weir!
Breakfasted we made ready to push off. Not far today, but a move we couldn’t put off. This morning was a bit misty, but the cooling towers were still in view, just the tall chimney disappeared into the clouds. We turned left towards the River Soar. There has been a small cruiser sat down towards the weir for some time, it looks well settled, engulfed by its own island of pennywort.
Oleanna’s last lock of the year and in her current livery
Soon the red hill comes into view, then the houses built on stilts to be above flooding, then a few boats, then Redhill Flood Lock. This, even though we’d only be going straight through it today, would be Oleanna’s last lock for this year.
Jolly tugs about the place
There was no gap outside the cafe or marina offices, so we breasted up next to a boat and went to see if anyone was in the office. Mandy was away on holiday, we’d paid in advance over the phone last week, but Graham would be about somewhere. Mick rang the number on the door, an old chap answered, asked lots of questions, maybe this was the owner. He’d let Graham know we were about.
Moored by the slipway
By now a boat had pulled off from in front of the cafe, so we nudged along and tied as close to the bank as we could, the bottom being a touch too close to get right in. Graham came over to say hello, asked if before we left if Oleanna could be winded to face the slipway, then she could be bow hauled onto the trolley and pulled out by tractor. Sadly we won’t be around to see that.
Oleanna is likely to sit in the shadow of these towers for a while
After a bowl of soup and finishing off some bread from the freezer we walked up to see if we could say hello to Tom who will be giving Oleanna her repaint. Our slot is still some time away, but we thought we’d just let him know we were here now. However Tom had headed off early today, much better than watching paint dry.
If dog’s are not allowed off lead here, then cats most certainly are not allowed out!
No shore leave for Tilly and time to start packing things up. It’s always hard to know where to start. Knitting and socks first. I still have so much yarn! Then I moved onto work things, digging out bits that had been stored under the dinette and in cupboards. I don’t think I’ll get the chance to return to Oleanna before I head to Chippy so I need to be thorough.
The Secret Passageway!!!!
Usually when we move back to the house Mick heads off to pick up a van from Scarborough, by the time he’s returned I’ve got quite a lot packed that goes straight into the van, then more packing can happen. This time is different.
I’m going to stay here and guard Oleanna
We needed to pack as much as possible, the stern under the pram hood was filled with boxes and a few bits ended up in the cratch too trying to equal the weight out, then the dinette started to fill up. We stopped when it was time for some food. More still to be done in the morning.
There’s stuff down there that needs packing!
Tilly quite enjoyed it all, getting to places she’s normally not allowed. The SECRET PASSAGEWAY!!! Then she tries to help by checking what is stored under the bed and being in the way of us lifting the lid. There’s nothing in here yet! The holdall soon filled up. Hopefully we’ll have enough Ikea bags, boxes and crates for everything!
This one’s empty!
During the day I’d had numerous messages about panto frames, a constant stream of whatsapp from the props maker, then more from the production manager, two ideal chairs that were to be picked up this week had been sold to someone else! Grrr!!!!
Chilli from the freezer tonight, it is almost empty, just one crust of bread and one bread roll left.
0 locks, 0.6 miles, 1 left, 1 flood lock, 2 bowls of soup, 6 ikea bags, 1 holdall, 1 empty space beneath the dinette, 1 quizzical cat, 1 hour in the passageway, 1 last night onboard, 2 lemsips before bed, 1 cat caravan hiding in the cratch.
I took over the tea making duties this morning, one mug actually being Lemsip. The fire was stoked up and a shopping list put together. Mick stayed in bed for a snooze, I headed out to stock up on tissues that would be kind to noses and more cold drugs, plus a Saturday newspaper.
Space!
A couple of boats had moved off this morning from above Trent Lock, they’d been there on the 2 day mooring with all the other boats for getting on for at least two weeks. Maybe we’d move up ourselves, but with Mick full of cold we opted to stay put. Tilly stayed by the stove all morning but ventured out later on.
Samuel Clegg’s Arts and Crafts house, click photo for more info
I’d got boat jobs on my list for today, but with a snoozing Mick I postponed them until he was awake in the afternoon. Yesterday when mooring up I felt like something was missing. Where was the rosemary plant? We’d had it when mooring up at County Hall Steps as it got moved into the cratch to avoid being blown away by Storm Amy. Neither of us remembered moving it to get the hook up cable out from a welldeck locker when in the marina. Where had it gone? Maybe one of us had lifted it out of the cratch for some reason, or maybe an opportunist had picked it up when we’d stopped for soup the other day. That’s two plants down this year, the Thyme hadn’t liked being in Leeds and totally gave up when I re-potted it. Have to put some herbs on my Christmas list!
I’ve used this outside all up now, can I have a new one?
More links came through for pieces of furniture for panto, then some light fittings. Some perfect chairs and a choice of tables. Then a very long email from the props maker who has been very quiet since our four hour long meeting a few weeks ago. They’ve not got started yet for one reason or another, which is a touch worrying. But then they are only contracted to do a weeks work prior to rehearsals starting. I’m really hoping props don’t become bum squeakingly worrying!
With Mick now up and about, blowing his nose still, I could get on with the autumn job of cleaning the window frames out. Normally this requires a touch of gardening as seeds green things have taken hold, but today there were only a couple of blades of grass. The fluffy strip the glazing sits on normally is quite gunky, however since the summer has been so dry this was not the case.
Extra ventilation
Each window came out, had a good clean on both sides. The grooves they sit in were hoovered and washed out and then the most important job making sure all the drain holes were clear. Ten year old cotton buds are bent to get through all the holes. It’s amazing just how much York silt we still had on the starboard side. Tilly got a touch confused when one window was lying on the sofa, The view wasn’t as good as I remembered it!
Stir fried chicken with noodles, followed by crumble and custard. The next pair of socks are nearly completed.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 cold Mick, 1 newspaper, 2 boxes tissues, 2 lemsips, 49 brisk minutes, 7 windows cleaned, 2 kitchen still to do, 1 level mooring required, 2 chairs, 1 table, 1 flurry of emails.
Scarborough / Castle Marina to Beeston Turnover Bridge 19, again!
A glimpse at Hull Fair
Breakfasted, a chat with the Liza and Stuart, then it was time to say our goodbyes and pop the cat caravan in a blue Ikea bag and head back to the station. Another four hour journey, work progressing well on sock pair 106. The tide was further in than it had been yesterday as we passed the Humber Bridge.
Tide’s further in
A change at Sheffield gave me enough time to briskly walk to M&S for a sandwich each whilst Mick changed platforms and got us a cuppa. On closer inspection of the PG tea, we wondered how long it would be before the tea would actually look like tea? On the train the brewing was checked again, still no more colour. A sniff. Hang on this wasn’t decaf! Well it is naturally decaffeinated as it was Camomile tea with milk!
This is NOT tea as we know it
Back in Nottingham we walked back to Oleanna via the canal. I popped into Sainsbury’s to buy some bicarb and vinegar, I’m going to have a go at cleaning the sink traps of gunk.
Pair 106
Tilly was happy to see us both. We kept the caravan out the back so it didn’t spoil our return for her. Dry washing was packed away, a few items like socks still a bit damp were popped in the tumble dryer, the dish washer popped on. Once these had used as much electric as they needed we disconnected from the hook up, untied and pushed off back out onto the cut.
The birds have taken over the marina
Slowly we made our way back out towards Beeston. Today there was no warmth from sunshine, today we needed fleeces and fleecy coats. A bit under 3 miles we pulled in where we now seem to moor in Beeston. The spikes went in far easier than they did a couple of months ago when the earth was baked hard.
Needless to say Tilly wasn’t impressed with the new outside. Well it’s just the same as everywhere else in Nottingpants!
Colour in the trees
Pizza, then it was time to get started on Celebrity Traitors, there’s also Blue Lights and Bake Off to catch up on and that’s before Riot Women starts on Sunday! So a plea to the world, please no spoilers as we’re already a little bit behind, plus when I’m in Chippy I may get even more behind.
0 locks, 2.7 miles, 1 left, 2 trains, 2 bicarbs, 1 litre white vinegar, 2 camomile teas, 50 brisk minutes, 1 empty food bowl, 1 small pile of biscuits, 1 caravan hidden in the bow now, 1 stove lit, 2 pizzas, 1.2 episodes of Traitors watched, oooo!
Miraculously we both managed to sleep pretty well last night despite the strong winds. This morning the wind was still about, we expected it to get worse after midday with rain too. So far the only casualty from the winds was a lid from one of our solids containers. When buckets become full they are put outside, either on the roof or the gas locker, with a lid almost closed on them so that the contents can breath as the composting process begins. Maybe in future storms the lids will be firmly pushed on!
After pottering away a few hours, no shore leave granted for Tilly in case she blew away, we both headed out, hoping to beat the rain. Mick headed into town by bus for a flu jab and I walked along the river bank towards the west, heading into the wind. Coo, blimey it was strong! My hood up to keep my cap on my head, and clinging onto my hood whilst my coat filled up with air like a Michelin Man.
Under Wilford Suspension Bridge, the river side path moves away from the bank a little and is boxed in by fencing and a flood protection wall. In amongst the modern glass and concrete buildings stands 26 Wilford Lane, a Victorian house with a tower and many pigeons in residence. The boarded up windows suggested a building awaiting a sad end, the tower suggesting it should be given a new lease of life in my opinion.
Looking round on the internet later I came across numerous articles about the house, a few years old now. The property was first approved for demolition six years ago, a new building encompassing six dwellings was to be built in its place. Two years ago the Nottingham Civic Society was urging that the building should be kept, it’s architecture and historical interest needed to be kept.
Pretty boats and buildings
The house used to sit next door to the Plaisaunce. The son of John Boot, who founded Boots in 1849, Jesse Boot is known for having transformed the chemists into a national retailer. The businessman commissioned Plaisaunce himself and it was built in 1897 by Charles Glenn, having been designed by the architects Bromley & Watkins. It was Jesse and Florence’s Summer House, with extensive grounds, tennis courts, garden parties and firework displays were held here for their employees. During World War 1 it became a venue for wartime fundraising activities. After Jesse’s death it was sold in 1932 and was demolished in 1961.
I found a date that suggests permission for demolition is due to expire 14th October 2025! Will it still be standing in 10 days time?
Trams making use of the old river crossing
I carried on along the walk, passing a couple of schools, and joined the tramway which crosses the River Trent at Wilford Toll Bridge, this according to our maps is the furthest you can get by boat up stream. It opened for traffic in 1870 and is known locally as Halfpenny Bridge. In 1974 it closed to traffic as it’s central span was found to be in poor condition, it was replaced in 1980 by steel girders and concrete. In 2014/15 it was enlarged to accommodate trams.
Wilfred Toll Bridge
The rather nice little toll both today was emitting an aroma of toast, it’s now a sandwich bar. Sadly customers stood in the way of the menu and prices. Back along the northern bank under the London Plane trees, I hoped their sturdy trunks would keep them upright in the strong wind.
By Trent Bridge are some old Victorian public toilets, Grade 2 which appear to be to let. Well the sign says they are under offer, but that looks to have been the case for a few years. The toilets were closed 20 years ago and the council were looking for someone to repurpose the building whilst keeping the terrazzo flooring and cubicles. Photos of inside can be found here.
Toilets
Discussions regarding the next few days, what to do, where to go? A few days ago we’d made a plan, but it didn’t have enough spare days, just in case something went wrong. This along with a comment from Paul Balmer has changed our minds. So long as the river behaves after the storm we’re likely to stay put for a little while and enjoy being in and around Nottingham.
Might need to wear my sunglasses for this pair!
The afternoon was spent in front of the stove. Firstly finishing off sock pair 105 of my Sockathon, then winding up some extremely PINK yarn for the next pair. These were cast on whilst watching Alpha Papa 2013, on iPlayer. An Alan Partridge film where Norfolk Radio station is about to be taken over and one of the presenters ends up holding the staff as hostages. Jingle Genocide ensues, an amusing film for a blustery Saturday afternoon with a bored cat on my knee.
A touch of mending required
Pork stroganoff this evening to help use up some of the roast pork from a few weeks ago.
There seem to be so many Egrets on the Trent this year
Mick showed me the old drive plate this morning. It’s not meant to turn, well only if something goes wrong and it’s designed to be the thing that breaks protecting the gear box. Turning it over we could see how much it was moving about sideways too.
With the hope of not getting wet we wanted to be off and away in good time, but as we pushed off it started to spit, this gradually increased to light rain as we headed up stream waving goodbye to Stoke Lock. That’s another lock on the River Trent where we’ve had an incident of some sort, we’re up to three now!
Goodbye Stoke Lock
At the 5km mark Mick radioed ahead to Holme Lock, the volunteer answered very quickly. He’d have the lock ready and waiting for us, ‘Come in on the green’. Walking through Oleanna I popped my waterproof trousers on, no point in getting soggy whilst penning up in the lock!
It was good to be back on the moveeven if we got wet!
Holme Lock is such a slow riser, but then again it is a big lock. Thankfully all the paddles at the top end work, you’d be there half a life time if they didn’t! More scaffolding was going up on the weir. No moving boats in sight, maybe we’d be the volunteer Lock Keepers only boat today.
A sign on a sunken boat made us both smile. I suspect the owner hasn’t found the situation amusing. You Sank My Battleship. Bankriver, Banksea’s lesser known cousin.
Two cranes were around parts of the new bridge, enclosures created up high and some welding going on. Formers were going together on both banks for concrete, the footings of the bridge soon to be poured. The local news suggested the bridge would be going into position next month sometime.
Trent Bridge
Under Trent Bridge and to County Hall Steps. Here hopefully we’d be far enough away from trees during Storm Amy. There are rings to tie to, which we’d need to keep an eye on if levels rise, these are quite high up on the steps and selecting the right rings for Oleanna’s length proved a little tricksy, but we got there in the end.
Not if they’ve any sense in this weather!
It was now raining pretty heavily. I suggested twenty minutes shore leave to Tilly. She managed to get two steps up the bank and endured twenty seconds before returning for some Dreamies. Rubbish, now I’ve got to use the on board facilities!
Yesterday I’d had a lengthy email from Chippy about the roses we’re aiming to make for panto. Four people had made around 20 in three hours, was this a practical idea? I know I can make at least 4 in an hour, if not 5 or 6 if I really got going. I’d made suggestions to lighten the load from volunteers, cutting the estimated number needing to made from 600 to 250, but we’d need to buy roses to fill the gaps. Jo the General Manager at the theatre had made another 10 at home last night, a bright pink star goes to her. It’s now down to those who hold the purse strings, that’s if they ever reply to emails!
The ducks were having difficulty swimming upstream against the waves and wind. Mick headed out to buy a few things and I walked around the block. This involved crossing Wilford Suspension Bridge. The bridge will be closed for a day next week to remove all the love locks, the owners have been asked to come and remove theirs. Walking along the north bank was quite blustery and I was always aware of the big trees.
I checked Meadow Lane Lock, it was still there, then turned to face the wind, blimey!! Crossing Trent Bridge I tried to keep to the outside edge, the wind pushing me towards the cars, then back along the bank to Oleanna. The wind too strong to have a longer walk today.
The locks
When we’d moored up today, Mick had used one of the new fender hooks, hoping it’s lower profile would mean that the pram cover could be poppered down all the way along, leaving little chance for the wind to catch a loose section. He’d used a buoy fender to keep us away from the bank more in the wind. However the weight of the buoy and the wind had meant the fender hook slipped off from the grabrail, thankfully the buoy floats and the boat behind had stopped it from being blown too far, so we didn’t loose the eye. We’ll try a more standard fender from it when the wind has calmed down, but so far it seems that they might be kind to paint work, but lack enough gripability.
Jacket potatoes went in the fire box, the coals not up to full winter heat yet so the potatoes cooked but didn’t get crispy skins. With them we had a chicken coleslaw using up the last of the roast chicken (from the freezer) and various bits of veg.
1 lock, 5.5 miles, 1 soggy morning, 1 far more soggy afternoon, 6 Egrets in flight, 1 NHS letter to London, 1 storm Amy not here yet, 1 noisy night ahead, 23 brisk minutes, 20 seconds, 1 slippy fender hook, 3 jackets, pair 105 knitted, pair 106 designed, 1 rose coup hopefully averted.
My favourite, Webbox for breakfast!!! It’s rare She gives me Webbox, but today She gave me some whilst She and Tom were still in bed! Result! Apparently it’s because today I am ten. I’ve been warned not to expect Webbox every morning just because I’m ten now. Did I mention that I’m ten, She thinks it’s important, I think I am still a cat.
Feathers!
Have to say the bag She had smelt very good, it smelt very very good indeed, in fact it smelt so good I tried to get into it the wrong way. Inside was a furry, feathery, yummy smelling thing that just had to be licked to death. She said she now regretted getting me something that would be covered in lickingness. But I’m ten today so that doesn’t matter.
Mine!
After some biscuits I headed out to check on the outside. Yes it was all still there, plenty to climb and scratch around in. She says my nails are filthy, but I don’t care, that’s because I’m ten today.
MINE!!
An email to the Production Manager for panto was needed for a catch up, things were feeling a little bit too quiet in panto world. She didn’t reply but within an hour Jamie, the set builder, got in touch saying they were about to start. He has concerns about one piece of the build and would I consider some adjustments to it. He made a suggestion, hmm. Not ideal. I thought some, asked a question with a suggestion back. This then morphed into a hybrid solution which would require some redrawing.
1st of the month, time to annoy the spiders
After lunch with Tilly back on board I’m ten today! it was time to head to the water point. This morning RCR had called saying an engineer would be with us tomorrow morning. If we end up without a working engine at the end of tomorrow we want to be prepared, batteries topped up and a full water tank. However this would mean having to move with part of the engine soon to fail, add into the mix that we are on a river and fairly close to a weir!
Just about ready for the off
I insisted that the anchor was laid out ready for deployment, not on it’s prongs, but there on the locker lid ready should it be needed. Things were moved out of the way. We discussed the plan of action. We untied. Mick pulled us backwards away from the trees at the bow, then gently nudged us away from the mooring, winding to head down stream. All went well and we were soon alongside the high wall of the lock cut. The stern needed aligning with a ladder, which Mick climbed, bow and centre line were tied. Hose passed up, a small adapter required for the tap, then we could fill the water tank. The pressure wasn’t too great so we were there for a while.
Hose pipe connecting
Next was the slightly more risky manoeuvre of returning to the mooring. The lock cut wasn’t wide enough for us to wind in, so we needed to reverse out of it. The grinding noise was worse in reverse, but Mick took it gently, then with help from the bow thruster we turned to head up stream and pushed on back to the mooring. No need for the anchor thankfully. Just as well as all day we’d only seen a couple of boats come past who’d have been able to give us a tow back to land.
Sock pair 104 were packed up and then walked to the post box I’d spotted the other day in the village. I’d considered walking further today, but I needed to try to get the adjustment to panto sorted.
Posting socks
The other day I invested in the program I’d used to clean up the print for panto. A one off payment rather than a monthly subscription. I scanned in my drawing and was able quite quickly to adjust the width of the gate curly bits. This printed out at the correct size so I could amend my drawing quickly. Brilliant. I’ll still need the drawing board out to finish things off, but far quicker than doing it all by hand. I just need to keep finding reasons to use the package and learn new uses for it.
Kedgeree this evening, well we had to have something fishy to celebrate Tilly’s 10th birthday, she’s nearly caught me up now as in cat years she’s most probably about 56. Tilly had salmon in gravy! I had requested, frogs legs, clams, tuna steak with a bit of cod’s roe on the side and a fricassee of shrew. She said that with our current engine problems they’d not been able to get to specialist fishy froggy shops and maybe I was better off self catering.
0 locks, 0.1 miles, 0.05 there, 0.05 back, 2 winds, 1 full water tank, 10th Birthday, 56! 1 catnip kicker, 3 shrews, 1 mouse, 1 attempt at a squirrel, 1 boat back on it’s mooring, 1 engineer in the morning, 1 more thing to okay for printers, 200mm lost from gates, 2nd day of waiting.
Tofu had been omitted from our shopping list on Saturday, no rush to buy it, but I decided to see how far it was to the nearest shops. Yesterdays find of paths along the drainage ditches across the fields, meant there might be two routes to the retail park. I headed across the fields to the good track that skirted round more fields. After a while the tarmac vanished, but well worn tracks took over. I’d studied Google maps and not been able to find a definite way into the retail park, so when I heard voices up on the embankment by the lagoons I headed that way to see if someone could help. With directions I could now carry on, arriving at the delivery side of the shops, but from here I could easily get onto the main road and gain access to the front side of the shops. Around 2 miles walk.
Along the drainage ditches
First stop M&S Food Hall. I was after tofu and a cooking apple. They had apples but not tofu. I scanned the shelves for yellow stickers, best done in the mornings at M&S, but very little took my fancy, so I left empty handed there were other supermarkets to try.
Next, Pets at Home. It’s a certain cat’s birthday tomorrow and some treats may be required. I considered boring presents. A new bowl, no point she has bowls in both house and boat. A new collar, that wouldn’t go down at all well. A rainbow bow, or glittery one, they wouldn’t last even a matter of minutes. I scanned the shelves for her favourite treats and picked up a new toy.
A strong Halloween vibe in Morrisons
Across the way to Morrisons for tofu, success and an apple, I had to buy 5! I only wanted one. Oh well there are some blackberries in the freezer, we’ll just HAVE to have a crumble! Never mind!
I found the other route back to the river that the Lock Keeper had mentioned to Mick yesterday. Not a route I’d choose to do near dark, a well worn path, but carved through dense undergrowth. Back at Oleanna a little later than planned I tucked surprises away in a cupboard and had lunch.
Mick called in to see the Lock Keeper to let them know we’d be here for a few more days. A note was made in the book for when the number checker comes round, they are apparently quite hot round here, shame they’re not so effective around Nottingham at the moment.
Trimmed ends
A bit of hunting around for panto again, another blog post caught up on then it was time to finish weaving ends in on a pair of socks. Who decided to use so many colours?! It took forever to weave all the ends in, but at least they are done now and once packaged up they can be on their way.
A request for a hair cut was granted. Stool placed out on the bank and a grade 2 trim was produced without either of us falling in. Mick now looks a lot neater. Lemon Chicken stir fry tonight.
After a quick shower each this evening our water tank is now down to a quarter. Tomorrow we’ll maybe bite the bullet and head for a top up, hoping to make it back to our mooring with a full tank to await RCR’s return.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 sausage day for Tilly, 79 brisk minutes, 5 miles walked, 1 bag of surprises, 1 block of tofu, 5 apples, 4 boats, pair 104 finished, 2 clean boaters (we couldn’t wait any longer), grade 2 hair cut, Day 1 of waiting.
Tea in bed, then we were up and dressed and heading out with bags of rubbish and a windlass each. Rubbish disposed of we then sat by Trent Lock. Kat had said she’d be leaving Sheet Stores at about 8:30 and she had a boat to visit before she’d arrive at the lock, it was now a little after 9, we didn’t have long to wait for NB Bargus’s bow to come into view. We lifted paddles to fill the lock. My phone rang, Kat hadn’t found the boat with two mermaids, where had it gone? It turned out it was also below the lock on the river towards Sawley.
Teddy and Bella a little chilly this morning on the stern of NB Bargus
We worked Kat, Teddy and Bella down the lock onto the river, then met them alongside Oleanna. A top up of diesel, still at £1.01 a litre and two bags of excel coal, thankfully they were at the right end of Bargus. A chap came along wanting a gas bottle, as Kat had passed him above the lock he’d just run out. Then the owners of the boat with mermaids arrived with their dog, they curtailed their walk and headed home to wait for Kat. I suspect we won’t see Kat again this year, she’s headed back to the Trent and Mersey and hoping to get up the Coventry, Glascote and Atherstone to supply boats. CRT are hoping to open the locks for a week maybe a bit longer at the end of October to help businesses and also so that boats that have been stuck get back to home moorings before the winter stoppages kick in.
A day or so ago a notice had been put out by CRT. The Grand Union will be opening for a window of three weeks, but the south Oxford may only open for a week if there is sufficient water to do so. We’d already decided to not head that way for me to go to work on panto. We’d be able to make it to Marston Doles in time for me to start work, but then Mick would likely get stuck somewhere, so it’s not worth it. We’ll keep kicking our heels around the Trent for a bit instead.
More breakfast was required back on the boat
Breakfast. A treat felt in order, so we headed to the Lock House Tea Rooms to see what I might be able to eat. Have to say we were a touch disappointed that they didn’t do a breakfast. They did do bacon or sausage cobs and they had gluten free bread. We ordered one each and a cuppa. A few bites and they were gone, so we returned to Oleanna for a couple of slices of toast to follow.
Sailing boats were going back and forth as we got ready to push off, a narrowboat headed down Cranfleet Cut, we’d be along to join them in a few minutes. It took a while for a gap in the sailing boats and then for Oleanna to wind, she really wanted to cling onto the high wall, but we got there in the end.
Heading down Cranfleet
Today Cranfleet Lock had four volunteers on duty, mob handed. They waited for us to arrive, something needed picking up out of the water, volunteers ran to their shed and got a grabber, nowhere near long enough to reach whatever it was. It turned out that they’d dropped a pen! Well they’d not be getting that back. Down we descended, our lock partners led the way out onto the river, a little chap occasionally having a go at steering, no wonder they were zigzagging as he couldn’t see over the roof at all!
This river section now very familiar, we’ve been along it now four times in about five or six weeks. No boats stuck on the sand bar, however we could hear Oleanna scraping over the top of it! At Beeston Lock landing, the narrowboat had moved off leaving just enough space to pull in for one boat, the remainder of the pontoon was still full with over staying boats (if you can class them as that as they shouldn’t be there in the first place). I have had a reply from CRT after I’d sent them my photo of the landing, they are of course aware of the boats.
CRT are aware of these boats, hard not to be really.
Dad and son from the boat ahead walked up to the lock to set it. I walked over their stern to go and help leaving Mick and Oleanna to hover. Mum and daughter came along too. Something was said, son ran screaming back to the boat, this was the start of the running! What followed was a seriously stressful time at the lock for me and possibly Mum and Dad. I’d stupidly crossed over the bottom gates and the daughter wanted to do the same. Both kids were wearing buoyancy aids, this didn’t stop them from running round the lock. Their dog ran back and forth as Mum now was left on her own with the kids climbing onto gates, winding paddles, running, watching from under gate beams. I did my best to keep calm, Mum did a better job, I suspect she’s used to it. This was their first lock and the kids were just so excited! Thankfully it was soon over and no-one had fallen in or been crushed and we were all back on our boats.
An interesting pram hood
We carried onwards towards Nottingham. The pennywort stretched across the canal. One cruiser had managed to collect a large clump of it around their prop, so they were doing their best to free themselves, we pushed a large patch away with our bow for them. It always takes longer than we think to reach Castle Marina. A space was found, mooring rings as always with useless spacing for us.
With a shopping list in hand we aimed to do a biggish shop quickly. However when we got back to the boat and everything was stowed I suggested we stay put for the day. Our plan had been to reach County Hall Steps on the river, that would take at least an hour, we’d not be letting Tilly out anyway today as she was having an enforced rest day for her limp. We opted to stay put, after all we’ve not minded staying here before and some of the boats that had made us feel uneasy a month or so ago had moved on, leaving their rubbish behind mind!
A walk was needed. I plotted out a route that would hopefully have me back long before dark, up to the cathedral, round the castle and back along the canal. I found a footpath that took me up the hill on the other side of the canal. Here there were vast posh houses, the road markings blue not yellow! I’d entered the Nottingham Park Estate. I walked past about twelve tennis courts. Came across a road called Tunnel Road, this had to be investigated as I could see houses high up above.
The entrance to the tunnel
Tunnel Road is a Grade 2 listed tunnel that was carved out of the rock to give access, quite an entrance, to The Park Estate in 1855. Carved through sandstone it was to give access to horse-drawn carriages from Derby Road. It is 125m long and has a section open to the sky in the middle to give ventilation and light, here a staircase climbs up around to reach Ropewalk and Upper College Street. The incline ended up being too steep for horses and carriages so a different route into The Park was found for them.
I didn’t fancy climbing all those steps
I walked round some more seriously posh streets, past the Nottingham Playhouse, found a very steep set of steps that brought me down to near the castle and then followed the tourists down the hill further to pass Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem pub then the canal and Oleanna. Mick had popped a couple of potatoes, double wrapped in foil in the fire box of the stove. I then popped some left over chilli in a pan, got it up to simmering temperature on the hob and then moved it over to the stove top to carry on bubbling away whilst the potatoes finished cooking inside. I get pleasure from cooking on and in our stove in the cooler months of the year.
Tourist central
2 locks, 8.3 miles, 1 cat on sofa rest, 2 bags coal, 76.4 litres diesel, 1 coal boat helped down, 1 scraping along the bottom, 2 hyperactive kids, 17 pennywort rafts, 1 box of wine, 1 plan changed, 1 thinner rope required, 105th pair of socks cast on, 49 minutes brisk walking, 1 hill climbed, 125m tunnel 2 steep for carriages, 2 jacket potatoes.
An hours shore leave before we pushed off this morning. I’ve been having difficulty accessing documents in the Chippy shared folder for panto, so some emails needed to be sent about it so I could finish updating the props list.
A few boats were moving so we joined in, pootling along to our next mooring which we hope will serve us well for a couple of days. I walked as Mick brought Oleanna behind. The wooded areas along the canal are rather pleasant, in amongst them there are a few ponds and ditches. When the railway was built, ballast was required for the tracks, suitable material was found at nearby sites. When the gravel was dug out the holes that were left filled with water, the biggest became known as Ballast Hole Pond. However when the power station was built in the 1950’s the ash produced needed to go somewhere and landowners were paid to fill in the ponds and ditches on their land. I’m sure the amount of ash far exceeded the local area and other places had to be found for it’s disposal.
O dear, hope that wasn’t the banner we lost on the River Trent!
Two volunteers were clearing pennywort from above Stenson Lock, they asked where my boat was, not far behind, I was the advanced party. No sign of boats arriving below so the lock could be filled. No sign of boats arriving from behind to join us so we descended the lock on our own, bywashes happily running along this stretch of the canal. Chatting to the volunteers, we were their second boat of the day, they needed four more to beat Sundays record of five. It certainly feels that all the boats on a dash back to there home moorings have achieved their goals, and now it is continuous cruisers and the occasional boat from a marina just nudging their way along the cut. Most boats are becoming quite familiar now.
Stenson Lock
Handing my windlass back to Mick I then walked the near three miles towards Swarkstone Lock. A few emails came in regarding the budget for panto. At least one major item wasn’t mentioned, I quickly sent a note to the production manager. Two months ago the budget looked good if we could nudge the build cost down just a touch, but today we were now a couple of thousand over! Oh blimey, the last thing I want to be doing now is amending things, especially two months after the Final Design meeting. The producer was doing their best to find the extra, but I know there will need to be some cuts as we still haven’t had the price in for one element of the set and I really don’t think the amount being suggested for foliage and roses is enough and that is an element that can’t be scrimped on! So my walk today wasn’t one of enjoying the scenery.
Today’s mood
The railway hugs the canal for some distance and then moves away. I’d made notes of possible Tilly friendly moorings on our way west, now we hoped there would be space for us. The first stretch had several boats, generators running. I walked ahead to the next stretch under a bridge. A slightly more open aspect, armco and a good stretch away from the road bridge to be happy to let Tilly out.
An afternoon of exploring for Tilly, props list updating for me and a snooze for Mick. A catch up phone call with Frank who is so far coping well with his treatment. I order him his repeat prescriptions and am a little bit out of sync with it at the moment.
Deena’s Duck socks
Time to send off the latest pair of socks, I found the nearest post box which was down towards the River Trent and strode off, crossing the railway and fighting my way through all the traffic queueing to cross the river. I walked back around the houses picking up more free apples and pears on route. Sock pair, I think 102, have arrived with Deena so I can now show you her socks. Her word was DUCK. So I chose to knit some Mandarin Duck socks.
Long evening legs
After an afternoon of exploring the new outside, Tilly returned with a bit of a limp. She won’t tell me what happened, bit has let me feel her legs and paws, nothing obvious. We’ll see what she’s like in the morning.
Chilli again tonight. The rest will go in the freezer.
1 lock, 4.4 miles, 2 outsides, 1 big Grrrr! 100 brisk minutes, 2 very long legs, 1 limping leg, 103 socks dispatched, 2 apples, 2 pairs.
Coach and Horses Bridge 25 to Willington Visitor Moorings
Shore leave whilst we had breakfast, then when Tilly came home the rear hatch was closed, we wanted to be moving on into Willington today. We could leave the chap and his cat with the towpath all to themselves, not that that cat was making any use of the outside, I didn’t see it pounce once! A load of washing was set going before we set off, there’s a drawer full to work through.
Weaving ends
I opted to stay on the boat for our mile cruise today, there’s a pair of socks to finish weaving ends in on and with there being dark colours I need good light. Willington was just that bit too close for me to finish the second sock off, just another six ends to weave in, then they will be heading off to Cornwall.
The service mooring was free, so we pulled in. Water filling, yellow water dealt with, rubbish in the bins, they’d filled up since yesterday, but there was enough room for ours. Ahead there seemed to be a space which would serve us well we were soon tied up on the visitor moorings. The down side of our mooring is the proximity of the trains, this would mean no shore leave for Tilly.
More hands lost
When Mick had been in hospital I’d contacted family and friends, but there were a few people I’d not got contact details for, one was Siobhan in Australia, Micks best friend from way back when. She however had found out via her sister who follows me on instagram, I think she also reads the blog occasionally. So it was time for the two of them to have a catch up via the internet and for Siobhan to see first hand how Mick was doing.
After lunch we both headed out for a walk, Mick to buy a Saturday newspaper and me to walk round Mercia Marina if I could. Mick succeeded, I didn’t.
A faded duck
I made note of a better mooring further ahead where the railway drifts away from the canal near the entrance to the marina, here I’d allow Tilly some shore leave as there’d be plenty to keep her busy. But for now we’d be staying put. I crossed the canal, wound my way to the entrance of the marina. The duck sign on the bridge used to be bright but today it’s almost vanished with age and grime.
Heron
Our first ever visit to Mercia was by car, to an open day at Aqua Narrowboats, their boats a touch too pricey for us at the time and the waiting list a couple of years long, so we’d discounted them. They did come back onto our list when we were looking the second time around. They have now moved to a bigger workshop elsewhere. Across the entrance to the marina on that side was a big gate, no access to be able to walk round, I suspected the other side would be similar and my walk would end up being at least a mile shorter than I’d hoped.
Expensive but if they save the paintwork
I bobbed into Midland Chandlers. We’d spotted some stainless steel fender hooks that hang from your grab rail, they have a thick neoprene cushion which hopefully will protect paintwork, especially when new. I bought two to see how they do, we’d like our new paint job to remain as good as possible for as long as possible. We prefer to be able to hang fenders when and where required along the grabrail, but the fender hooks we currently use gradually leave marks.
More buildings going up
I walked round the shops, full to the brim of expensive clothes not suitable for boating and objects nobody really needs other than if they require more things to dust. A few restaurants and cafes. More new buildings are going up, possibly flats with more retail opportunities.
Mercia is now a destination not just a marina. They have quite a selection of sculptures around the place which are worth a look. This green man with his two faces and fab bunnies was maybe the best.
Round the other side I found another cafe and gates for moorers and sadly no pathway around the marina, so my walk was shortened. Back along the road, people filling bags with sloes, I think I’d have headed to the towpath where they are in abundance too. Back to Oleanna, a complaining cat, a snoring Mick and work.
Stretched and tidied up
Kedgeree this evening, expertly cooked by Mick. He certainly doesn’t need Home Economics classes.
0 locks, 1.3 miles, 6 more ends to weave, 1 full water tank, 1 empty yellow water tank, 2 noisy trains, 0 shore leave, 42 brisk minutes, 1 front cloth tidied up, 2 soft boiled eggs, 23:40 last train.
