Tilly was given shore leave, she could have most of the day if she wanted it. We settled down and enjoyed poached eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms on toast, oh and some black pudding sneaked in there too, yummy.
Sunny Naburn
Then a phone call made us reconsider our existing plan for the next few days. Mick needed to be at the house, I needed to be at York Hospital for an appointment and now there was another appointment which if I could attend it would be a good thing. We’d planned on staying in Naburn until our booked passage back to Selby. Yesterday I’d taken photos of the bus timetable, only every two hours. If we headed back into York however, we’d both be able to walk to the station and hospital making things much easier. Decision made, we’d be heading back into York.
Next pair finished
We emptied the yellow water into our container and Mick walked it to the elsan hoping to catch the Lock Keeper to check on times for our departure in a few days time. The number of boats that had arrived in the last hour suggested Kenny might be busy penning them all down and sure enough he was.
A second trip to the services proved better timed. Our locking would be at 12:45. Mick also enquired about passage from York to Barmby Lock where you gain access to the River Derwent and the Pocklington Canal. When he’d asked about this in Selby, Nigel had said levels were low, but hopefully by the time we wanted to head that way they would be improved. Kenny however said the Pocklington was now closed until October! Someone had left a paddle up and drained the canal and with little water available to top it up…. well!
Time about to tick away in the breeze
We may need to replan our summer. That is the second waterway we’d hoped to cruise this year closed until October. We need to confer with Graeme and Vicky, if we can get hold of them.
Tilly was encouraged home. It’s good this outside, can we keep it for a while? Sorry!
We untied and pushed off, heading back upstream. We’re getting to know these five or so miles very well! A Kingfisher decided to escort us after we’d passed Bishopthorpe Palace, staying until I’d got a reasonable photo of it.
Hello
Where should we moor? We’d only just pulled away from Museum Gardens and the mooring there has very little shade for the increasing temperatures. Or should we pull in on the rings by Millennium Bridge where the Chilled Medication boat moors during the day, there was lots of spare room there. With the sun out the medication would be flying out of the boat, hardly a good place for Tilly to get shore leave. So a touch further on where there was currently shade, also the rings in the bank were big enough to pass our ropes straight through, so not too much hassle mooring.
I had a slow walk around the block, but my cold meant I fell far short of minutes and steps today. I called into Alligator to see if they had any millet flour, but sadly they didn’t. The lady tried her best to sell me other gf flours or even some bread, but all I wanted was some millet flour to try out some recipes for myself.
Lines in the sky
Mick headed off late afternoon to Scarborough. He caught the train he used to catch when he worked in York 11 years ago, in case any of the regulars were still traveling, but no-one was familiar. Tilly and I had a quiet evening, the boat cooling down after the high temperatures today, I got on with blowing my nose and knitting whilst Tilly got on with her cat naps.
News on the Strawberry Island Cruising Club flotilla to London. All boats have arrived in London, but a fire at Maida Tunnel has split the flotilla in two. Some have remained in Little Venice where Cavalcade is this coming weekend, whilst others are on the Eco Moorings nearer Kings Cross. Here’s hoping the tunnel reopens on Friday so they can all make Cavalcade.
0 locks, 4.9 miles, 1 more river and canal closed this summer, 1 shady mooring, 1 wee tank empty, 2 outsides for Tilly, 1 train, 25 minutes late, 1.98 miles walked, 22 minutes briskly, 1 pair of socks ready for hand delivery, 1 pair of socks finally designed, well 1 more alteration from heel up, 9pm generator stopped, 10pm generator started up but on the move.
Tuesday and the world was that bit quieter. This morning the rowers were from the older end of the spectrum, grey haired and not quite so feisty with their strokes. I was also not so feisty about anything, a sore throat I’d hoped was hay fever was turning into a cold. This meant cancelling our morning coffee meet up with a friend.
Choochoo
Several boats left the moorings, Mick headed off to stock up on Lemsips for me and also pick up a fresh box of tissues. I then set off to pop two pairs of socks in the post. Being just across the river from the main sorting office in York should have made it easy to drop the parcel off, but I stuck to the river bank instead of walking down a path at the back of the building, so ended up walking all the way round under the bar walls, along the road that had been worked on last night to find the post box.
I then headed to have a look at the old station and The Grand Hotel with it’s fab weather vane on top. Round the corner seems to be a small Chinese area, several restaurants and supermarkets. We’d run out of rice paper to make spring rolls so I was keen to replace them. Job done I walked back round the other side of the river to get back to Oleanna.
Leaving Earnest behind
A supermarket delivery arrived at the bottom of Marygate for us, items stowed a bite to eat for lunch. There was no reason to stay put in York for another day so we rolled up the covers, waited for day boats to pass, then pushed off, winding and heading down stream.
As we approached the University Rowing Club moorings we could see that Philli’s smaller boat was end out into the river. Had someone untied it? Well yes, Philli! She was turning it round , so another chance to say hello, have the boat pointed out that we should be able to breast up against when we’re next in York so that we can enjoy a glass or two of wine on Sabrina W.
Millennium Bridge
Another pause to see our house then on past numerous young people who’d been swimming. Archbishops Palace where the flag had returned to the top of it’s flag pole. What a lovely day to be on the river cruising.
Philli pulling round Ryan J
We pulled down the lock cut at Naburn, the floating pontoon by the weir was full. Straight to the water point to fill up and put a load of washing on. We’d survived a full week on one tank of water so really needed a refill.
Fulford Hall with swimmers
Whilst at New Walk, Oleanna had got seriously dripped on by trees, she’d become so sticky. Then with all the silty sand that gets blown about along with bird deposits she needed a wash. Well she didn’t get the full works but a rinse off with river water, twice to get rid of the worst of it, the windows will need a touch more attention when the bank is at a better height.
That’s more like it!
We moved back along the moorings, other boats pulling up for water or to await the lock tomorrow. Time for some quality shore leave for Tilly.
0 locks, 6 miles, 2 winds, 1 pack of papers, 1 bottle soy sauce, 2 pairs socks posted, 1 pair ends woven in, 1 Earnest, 10 lemsips, 1 box tissues, 3.28 miles walked, 34 minutes briskly, 1 owl for company.
Subjects covered on the Geraghty zoom this morning included, 10 year old shopping, 10 pin bowling, the Popes Funeral and rowing. This has been relayed to me as I was out walking to meet a complete stranger somewhere on the river bank.
It was lovely and warm, but I had to keep my red fleece and pink (used to be red) cap on as I looked out for a woman wearing orange trousers. Our route had been confirmed along the east bank of the river and which streets would be walked. A message came through saying that she’d set off from her end, I set off at speed hoping to get back onto the river bank before we met.
Pip and Philli
Once on New Walk I kept my eyes peeled for a pair of orange trousers, had she meant bohemian orange trousers? Or hi-vis orange work wear? Past where we’d been moored last week I could see the occasional flash of bright hi-vis orange, yep that had to be Philli with Pickle her dog.
Pickle!
Philli ownsSabrina W on the York University Rowing Club moorings, we’d been trying to meet up to hand over a pair of socks, but she’s been working nights and could only call in before 8am, not a time that we are usually dressed. Big hugs and a treat for Pickle then lots and lots to talk about. I am the first Facebook ‘Boat Woman’ she’s met and the first time she’s met another Phillipa, well she’s a Philippa. Both born and beard in York with connections to Fulford. Then there were connections to the world of theatre and the learning disabled. Try to stop us talking in the sunshine, poor Pickle was getting a touch bored of all the gabbing. I did however find out about the temporary path on Fulford Ings.
A few years ago when the river had been in flood constantly for what felt like months and the moorers could only get to and from their boats by rowing boat, the amount of sewage that escaped from a pipe that crosses the Ings was appalling. Manhole covers were excrement volcanos! She had obviously made quite a fuss about this and last summer had a visit from Fergal Sharkey, who has been campaigning to stop the water companies from discharging sewage into the rivers. Well soon afterwards work started on replacing the old sewage pipe. Well done Philli.
Philli’s socks
Finally I handed over her socks, her favourite colours and a portrait of Sabrina W. Thank you Philli for the photos of them later on, it was great to meet you and yes we will visit when we’re next in York, I really want to have a look around Sabrina W.
Enjoying the sunshine
Back to Oleanna for a late breakfast and potter before the London Leckenbys came by on their way to the station. A food parcel of pork and salad bits was deposited with us, hugs all round then they were away to Scarborough Bridge and the station, Andrew and Jac back to London and Josh returning to Manchester.
A visit from Diana
Sitting out in the sunshine we awaited our next visitor, Diana an old family friend. It was lovely to see her and show her Oleanna, she now can picture us onboard when I post photos on Facebook. There was lots of news from her family to catch up on and news from Fulford, sadly most of this was about people passing away. None the less we had a very jolly two hours in her company.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 boat women met, 1 pair of socks handed over, 1 very late breakfast, 3 Leckenbys on their way, 3 meals worth of leftover pork, 1 Diana, 1 kg put on, 4.22 miles walked, 51 minutes briskly, 1 more day of indulgence to come.
*If you watch the film about Sabrina W you’ll see how Selby has changed. I can’t imagine pushing round Selby Swing bridge now and polling a dumb barge through it, hefty hefty work!
Awake again at 7am with the University rowers. A while later a couple of sculls came down from York Rowing club, the lady asking her friend about boats moored along this stretch. There are only two of us, the other up by the Foss which we’ve seen elsewhere , it does have the look as if it might be staying for a while. Her friend said boats moor up for a couple of days and then move on. She said something about how there obviously wasn’t any enforcement. Well there are no signs to say we can’t moor here or back by the Foss, we’re not exactly in anyones way. Well maybe the trip boats are winding a little bit sooner than they were a week ago, but only by a hundred yards. So we don’t have a problem with it and she shouldn’t either.
Millennium Bridge
A slow morning. I wanted to print off some things , so Mick left me to it and he went to have a look at the station works. Once I’d finished off what I was doing I took a walk along New Walk to Millenium Bridge, crossed over and walked back up the other side of the river past Rowntrees Park. There is a caravan site here and motorhomes were arriving in a steady stream.
Interesting cars by the lock
Some preparation for tomorrows party, I’m in charge of pudding so made a batch of sweat pastry from a new recipe book I got at Christmas. I’d got so far with it when there were Hellos from outside. Andrew and Josh had arrived for the weekend, having driven up from London in a small van bringing the old family dining table with them for the flat in Fishergate. They’d been thinking of swapping the flats existing table for a while as it wasn’t really large enough for six. So a return to York for the table Dad had made and that we grew up with was perfect especially for this weekend. We had chats and a cuppa, then they headed off to await a Tesco delivery followed by Jac who’d be arriving later by train.
Pastry finished and a batch of what looked like nice rosemary crackers, however they turned out to be a little disappointing, a river bank hair cut for Mick.
Time to finish my walking for the day, up a snicket between houses that I hadn’t noticed before, checked the opening times at Alligator, a wholefood shop that’s been there since the 70’s, then walked down streets where school friends used to live back towards the river bank. Sadly a great fish and chip shop has gone, time your arrival close to closing and you’d get double helpings. The Wellington Pub is awaiting new management to run it, a lovely little pub. I was tempted but I couldn’t spot the bar billiards table that used to reside in the side room, so that was a deal breaker.
This outside is getting boring now!
In flotilla news, word is that Denham Deep Lock should be open again on Saturday afternoon. We’ve got our fingers crossed for all the boats heading to Cavalcade and the Campaign Cruise to the Houses of Parliament.
No real need for an alarm on this mooring as the rowers started to pass not long after 7am. I was up, breakfasted and out of the door heading towards the station a little after 9am.
Sunny on the Bar Walls
The sun was out, I crossed Skeldergate Bridge. Should I follow the river on Skeldergate? Walk through Bishophill? Go along Nunnery Lane? In the end I opted to walk along the Bar Walls round to the station, what a lovely morning away from the traffic.
The bridge now gone
From my vantage point above Queen Street I could look down on the works that have been taking place to remove a road bridge around the outside of the walls. This used to raise traffic above the rail tracks that punched their way through the walls to the old station. The old station was a terminus, no through rail links and soon railway traffic had outgrown the site, it had become a bottleneck so a new station was needed.
Permission from Parliament was granted in 1866 for a new station on the other side of the walls, the first train pulled out of the station at 05:30 on the 25th June 1877, bound for Scarborough. The station took three years to construct and was the largest in Britain, confirming the city’s status as heart of the network.
Frolicking Foxes
A group of people stood on the walls, phones out looking down the bank. Was this a location from a film or TV program? What was catching their eye? Well it turned out to be a Vixen and her three cubs frolicking in the long grass on the inner side of the walls.
View from platform 4
I hopped on the next train to Scarborough, quite warm from my walk and the sunshine, thankfully I knew things would be different in Scarborough today. As the train approached Seamer the sky had already turned misty and dark. Stepping off the train I was immediately glad of my extra layers, the sea fret was in, no view across the valley and only 10 C! I had time to take a selfie with a sea view so walked up to the Esplanade.
Great view of the South Bay and Castle!
An appointment with my new dentist had called me to Scarborough. A nice lady, not the same chair side manner as Colin in Birmingham had, but maybe that was reflected in his prices, also Scarborough is well known to have a serious lack of dentists, hence having to wait about five weeks for my first appointment. All good, thankfully and another appointment for a clean in a few weeks time.
Knitting on the train
I picked up something for lunch and then headed to the house, time to check the place over after our last lodgers had vacated and do a couple of jobs. They scored 9 on our lodger scale, loosing a point due to a bin not having been emptied, leaving a light and the second fridge on which was very empty. But other than that all was good.
Castle Mills Lock
The garden is in need of some tlc, sadly the gardener we’d lined up never reappeared! But it does mean the bluebells are having a good time undisturbed. Thank you to our lodgers for keeping the strawberry plants watered too, someone else will benefit from then in a few weeks time.
Polling papers for the new Scarborough Town Council had arrived. We should have applied for postal votes, but have now run out of time. Mick will be around for the election, but I needed to get a proxy application in quickly before time ran out at 5pm today.
It’s quite good, apart from all the people!
Meanwhile back in York. Mick headed to Barnitts the stove rope I’d bought was a little chunky for the lower door, so he swapped it for the next size down. A top up shop at Morrisons was done. He also walked up to Castle Mills Lock on the River Foss. Sadly there was a sign on the lock saying it would be closing on Sunday for the rest of the summer for works on the lock. We’d hoped to head up the Foss and see how far we could get before having to most probably reverse back. You have to give at least 2 days notice for the lock, it’s operated by the local IWA. Yes we might just be able to squeeze it in before Sunday, but there are other things, more important things to do before then. We’ll just have to return another year.
Boo!!!
I took advantage of there being running water and had a shower at the house, a good collection of shampoos and bits and bobs left by lodgers. Thankfully there was a comb so I could wash my hair, all saving water on Oleanna. I rapidly picked up the fruit and veg that had been left along with the big tin of Danish Oil (ours not the lodgers) and then high tailed it back to the station, just a few minutes spare to catch the next train back to York.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 closed lock ahead, 0 enough time, 2 trains, 4 foxes, 1 sunny city, 1 fretted town, 1 stove in working order, 1 cat snatching moments on the bank, 1 near clean bill of teeth, 1 quick shower, 3 bulbs garlic, 2 lemons, 4 onions, 1 lime, 5 apples, 7.55 miles walked, 99 minutes briskly, 1 speeding boat, 2 pizzas.
Showers. Tilly was offered some shore leave, which she took up for a while before retreating inside. I’m a fair weather cat and I like it like that in my older years. Thankfully the showers petered off, not that they’d been very soggy.
We’d toyed with staying put for the day, but our options for shopping were just about none existent and if we left it too long before heading into Selby then it would be Easter Sunday with just about all shops closed. Mick spotted a Tesco Express near to Burn Bridge so that was our aim for today.
Pushing off at West Haddlesey
I opted to walk, at about 3 miles it would be a good way of ticking off the brisk minutes. We both suspected that I’d beat Oleanna as the Selby Canal is really quite shallow, so slow cruising. It also gave me chance to check out the footpath along the first stretch.
Footpaths and towpaths
A big sign showed lots of local walks and that the towpath continued to Tankards Bridge, information already passed on to Paul at Waterway Routes. The footpath was good and obviously well used. I kept my pace up and kept just in front of Oleanna with enough time to pause to take photos.
Paperhouse Bridge with the tunnels/culverts/aqueducts either side
Yesterday I’d crossed Paperhouse Bridge where two round areas sit alongside the canal. Our maps suggest that the canal passes over these on aqueducts, even though they look just a bit like fancy side ponds. But information from the big notice says they have a tunnel, culvert between the two of them. These were designed by William Jessop to collect water and help stop the canal from getting flooded. There were originally four such tunnels/culverts/aqueducts, one has since been filled in.
They won’t budge!
I paused by the high wall mooring. Mick rang. As it was available, should we stop here for the day? Plan changed, he reversed Oleanna back to attempt to moor. There seemed to be quite a few branches in the way. He got the stern in and then with the boat hook managed to pick a branch out. However there were more branches and these were stubborn to shift. Back onboard to try from there, it wasn’t easy. I helped by staring at the branches. But that didn’t even help. After quite a bit of revving we decided to give up and continue to our original mooring.
On we plodded to Burn Bridge. Mick pulled in at the end furthest away from the busy road, under the willow tree. We’ve been here before several times and despite the road it’s a nice mooring. Had something changed? There seemed to be more grass on the bank. The stern came in, but when trying to pull Oleanna in she stopped just that little bit too far out to be able to comfortably step across. The bottom was far too close to the top! We tried again, nope! Not wanting to go any further, or to try mooring nearer the bridge we opted to bring the stern in and have the bow sticking out, after all we’ve not seen a moving boat for a couple of days and we’d still not be blocking the navigation.
Burn Bridge Willow tree
Some mixing and stirring was required by Tilly, some festive baking needed despite watching what is eaten at the moment. This was left to rise whilst we walked to Tescos for a few essentials, we’ll do a bigger shop in Selby tomorrow.
Whilst I added spices and fruit to the mix, Mick chaperoned Tilly’s shore leave. We knew she’d be far more interested in the friendly cover at our end of the mooring, but every now and again she’ll do something unexpected, if that involved the road that would be very bad indeed. I took over once the buns were proving again.
Tree!!!
Mick checked the stoppage notices. The moorings at Burn Bridge have been closed since June last year.
Please be advised that some moorings at Burn are currently unavailable due to ongoing safety renovations. The original footboards, planks, and structure had deteriorated beyond repair and are being replaced along the original banking. Alternative moorings are available at Haddlesey, and Gateforth landing. The notice stopped on 14th April.
The mooring is a quarter of what it used to be
Looking back at old photos, it looks as if they have removed and not replaced the original footboards. This extra few feet may have meant having enough water to get into the side and now it is far too shallow. We’ll have a go at pulling in further along in the morning to see if it’s all too shallow for us.
Hot paw buns with their marzipan prints
All was baked and ready to be a pudding after our main course this evening. We can’t have Easter without Hot Paw Buns! The boat smells all nice and spicy now.
The real thing
The flotilla to London has had quite a few problems today, failing hydraulics on one boat and a second morse control cable has broken. RCR are on their way to fix it tomorrow. Petition Link.
More socks
0 locks, 2.8 miles, 3 tunnels, 1 towpath, 2 attempts to moor, 2 many branches, 1 willow tree trimmed, 1 very jaunty angle, 5 bananas, 1 pot humous, 130 grams cranberries, 12 Hot Paw Buns, 1 willow climbed three times, 2 pairs of socks wrapped and ready to send.
The height of wind today was meant to be around 4pm with gusts of around 40mph. We woke to waves on the canal and wished we’d moored facing the other way round as the waves were enjoying giving Oleanna’s stern a good slap. Last night we’d already decided not to head anywhere today, we’ve not got that far to go for our next deadline so waiting a day isn’t a problem.
Tilly had a go at liking the outside, but soon gave up and sat in front of the stove, Mick had to light it for her, although we felt the benefit of it too.
Beware the moon lads!
As the wind was due to get worse I decided to go for my walk early in the day, so as to avoid the worst affects of the fresh air. I looked at various routes. One to look at where the cooling towers of Eggborough Power Station had once stood. Another to West Haddlesey to look at the lock off the River Aire onto the Selby Canal from the opposite bank of the river. But these were all a bit too long. Another into Whitley village to see what it was like, but to not back track on myself would have meant too many miles again.
Stick to the path!
Instead I opted to walk across the field behind the mooring, up to High Eggborough, a handy post box here. Then along a footpath through a pig farm. Lots of ladies snuffling the ground or sheltering in their arks.
Oink!
The path came out at Great Heck. I’ve heard lots of good reports about The Bay Horse Inn here, real ale and good food, although only the usual gluten free options of steak or gammon, so I won’t be rushing here for a pub meal.
The Bay Horse
Back to the canal and then I retraced my steps onto the towpath. By now the wind was really quite strong. I opted to walk to the side of the footpath just in case I got blown over, then I might not land in the water. Two fishermen sat huddled up, one without any shelter, the other had at least found some bushes to hide behind. Blimey that wind was bitter!
Crockery emptied
After lunch Mick and I set to with a job a we’ve been putting off for ages. A new wheel under our corner cupboard. The original ones have a rubber wheel with a plastic centre. One of these had cracked and the plastic centre on one side had given up on holding up all our crockery sometime last year. This meant the cupboard was now grating along the floor as we move it in and out. Last year we found some castors that we thought we’d be able to use, the right diameter and we’d be able to remove the wheel to replace the broken one on the cupboard without having to remove the whole cupboard to get to the underside of it.
The cupboard was emptied of everything, then it was chocked up with some handy kindling to make removal of the old wheel easier. A new wheel was removed from it’s fixing and tried in the old one. Ahh the diameter was the same, but the thickness of the wheel was just that bit more and it would have to be forced into the fixing, but then it wouldn’t be able to turn freely!
Just needs the bolt through now
The new wheels are all rubber, with a harder plastic centre to them. Could I shave off the centres to make them fit better? This meant digging out my work boxes from under the dinette to find a scalpel. I sliced off bits to reduce the width, then tried it again. Yep it fitted, phew! We now just needed to lift the cupboard a fraction to get the bolt through the middle. The cupboard was blocking the route to the back, so Mick walked round the outside of the boat, only to find we’d not unbolted the hatch, so there wasno access that way. In the end I laid on the floor with Mick’s feet positioned where there was any space, the lift was quick, bolt through, nut tightened, job done and now a small visible gap under the edge of the cupboard. I’ll have to try to tidy the floor up at some point now and disguise the scrapes.
The pull out drawer that has been disconnected for some time was screwed back onto the pull out cupboard, so finally the pan drawer pulls out again with it, also creating a good hidey-hole for Tilly, who’s been bemused at it not having a top to it.
It was still early and as I’d dug my work boxes out from under the dinette I got on with painting up three versions of a new colour scheme for Oleanna.
Top one is how she is now. Then two versions with cream cabin sides, one with blue stern and bow, the other all cream. I’d had reservations about having an all cream boat, but as soon as I started putting lines on the cabin sides it started to feel good, quite French really.
We looked at the schemes. Both agreeing on the one we preferred, but it raised other questions. Should the cabin ends be the same as the cabin sides? Should the well deck and stern be dark so as not to show up the mud so much? If we’re painting the mushroom vents, should we consider having coloured window frames? Should they be blue? Thank goodness we’ve got a year to think about it all!
As the stove had been lit most of the day, we utilised it’s heat and had jacket potatoes with the last of the roast chicken made into a coleslaw, very yummy.
Pair 65
Sock pair 63 had it’s ends woven in and pair 65 was cast on. I still need to finish off another pair, which is a slightly more complicated job, but that pair will hopefully be handed over from boat to boat in the next week.
The Campaign flotilla has split again. The lead boats were at The Globe near Leighton Buzzard this evening, the others I believe were at Fenny Stratford. Petition Link
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 dormant cat, 3.85 miles walked, 64 minutes briskly, 4pm, 6pm, 9pm it started to calm down, 56889656454567 white horses, 1 wheel fixed, 2 new colour schemes, 2 many new questions!
Tilly was offered shore leave this morning, but she really wasn’t too keen on the idea. I’ve told you before I don’t like it being blowy!! Sort it out with this outside!!!That told us then, time to move on.
Don Doors
Two boats had been moored across the way at the start of the New Junction Canal and just as we were getting ready to push off they reversed up towards the junction then forwards to Bramwith Lock. We discussed how we’d be pushing off today, the wind wanting to do the job for us. Untying is one thing, but retrieving chains and getting back on board before the boat has crossed the canal is a different matter! We managed it with both of us at the bow, no oncoming boats and then a speedy stern rope.
Bridges bridges
Onto the New Junction, time to head north. Through the Don Doors and on to the first bridge. I now opted to walk between the bridges to operate them, swinging and lifting as required. I did however hop back onboard to travel the two straight miles to Sykehouse Lock though.
Dandelions add to an increasingly yellow world
Here an amber light greeted us. No lock keeper! I’d get to work the lock myself for the first time in an age. Sykehouse is different from all the other locks around here. This is because it has a swing bridge across the middle of it. If you come through when there is a Lock Keeper on duty they can swing the bridge when ever they like, so quite often you are asked to move to the other side of it for them to close it before you ascend or descend. But on boater operation you have no choice.
Pushing the bridge out of the way
Your key goes into a panel at the centre of the lock (the white box on the right of the photo), close to the swing bridge, instructions on it’s lid, not so handy if you are short. Turning your key releases the bridge barriers either side of the lock, these you close. This then enables you to lift the big locking mechanism (shaped a bit like a giant key on a sardine can) and then push the swing bridge round out of the way. Once it has locked into the other sardine key the panels at either end of the lock will work, enabling you to open sluices and gates as required. Then when your boat is out of the lock and gates closed you close the bridge following the instructions in reverse order. I like it, it’s fun.
Downstream panel with Oleanna starting to descend
Mick loitered by the next swing bridge for me to arrive, I then walked on to the next bridge the last on the New Junction. Thankfully the strong wind hadn’t hampered us too much.
Windsurfer and Lapwing
Up ahead at the reservoir two people zoomed along on their windsurfers, one not having quite so much luck and should have taken note from the Lapwing sat on the bank.
Grey clouds in the big sky today
One long blast of our horns and we turned to the west. There was a boat on the nice mooring alongside the reservoir, but we had plans to go further today to Pollington. More stretches of new piling where the bank had slumped after the breach. The grass seems to be starting to come through now, but these stretches don’t have a handy bar to tie to as they did nearer Goole.
4, dead slow! That’s still pretty fast
One boat was moored at Pollington, so we opted for the other end of the moorings and pulled in, just as the wind started to be really really strong. I lost my cap, which thankfully landed in the well deck and we both fought with the covers.
Tilly was given the remainder of the afternoon for shore leave, we didn’t think she’d like it, but off she went returning half an hour later for some biscuits followed by Dreamies.
Still some more steps to do I headed out, when Tilly was in, and walked up to the lock. Here a chap on a long term hire boat had pulled up and was about to open the lock gates, his boat on the wrong side of the lock, he had to walk all the way round. I then headed into Pollington and walked past what now seemed familiar from a walk quite a few years ago.
The cricket ground was being mown by a car circling with a cutter behind it, hopefully it was only the outfield being mown like this. A bank of Primroses surrounded someone’s garden. I walked back down to the canal along the road that leads to the long term moorings, eggs for sale here. There is no access from the moorings so I crossed the canal and then walked back up to the lock, the long term hirer having only just climbed back onboard his boat having descended the lock.
The hire boat just heading away from the lock
Back on board I hunted out some dark yellow yarn as I’d run out yesterday. Now I could finish off sock pair 64, or so I thought. I seem to be catching Mick’s sleepy reaction to the news, at least this time I put my knitting down before I zzzz’d off to sleep.
No Pollington sunset for us this evening. In fact we sat and wondered why we seem to have liked it here before. The water tap is very slow. Internet is even slower and TV reception optional! Tomorrow showers are forecast, we hope to find a gap in them and move along a bit to improve things.
All boats on the Fund Britain’s Waterways Campaign flotilla have now reached Taveners Boating Club just north of Cosgrove. A notice regarding the Marsworth flight suggests the problem may be sorted tomorrow, fingers crossed. Link to Petition.
Basin Bridge to Manor Farm Winding Hole to Coopers Bridge 80
No rush to go anywhere today really, so the back doors were opened for Tilly to explore as we had breakfast and waited for the mist to be burnt off.
By 11am we were ready to move off. Our average speed today would be about half of that we’ve made so far this year, the Chesterfield Canal is shallow, reedy and at times weedy. Having said that, take it slowly and then there is more time to enjoy this lovely canal, try to go fast and you’ll get exasperated. We know of several boats that have given up part way and missed the beautiful top end of the canal.
Locks on the paddle gear
Having said that, this time we have no intention of going right to the end, but hopefully later in the year we’ll be back to take Oleanna to the navigable end for the first time. But where should we moor today?
Misterton Top Lock
I walked on ahead opening up the two Misterton Locks. Here you need a CRT Key of Power to undo the anti vandal locks on the paddles. Mick brought Oleanna into the bottom lock coasting through the bed of reeds that lay on the water. ‘Lovely Day’ was heard from numerous walkers, they were not wrong.
Keeping an eye on each other
At Misterton Top Lock a couple were pruning their hedge, ‘CRT are meant to do it’ Well it’s great that you are helping them. Up by the top gates was a swan, I think a cob. On past experience of swans on the Chesterfield I made sure I kept an eye on him, we had one fly at us, trying to attack our stern fender on NB Lillyanne, thankfully today I couldn’t see any nest that he was protecting. He kept a keen eye on me too then did a very balletic stretch with one leg and a wing, a pas de swan.
A moving boat, a hire boat returning to base
I carried on walking, two moorings marked on our maps, but could we find another just that bit further out into the countryside and before the first winding hole. I was tempted to carry on to a 2 day mooring further on, but that would have meant more hours cruising and Mick reminded me that we have half a tank of diesel for the Tidal Trent and to get back to Thorne and since we last filled up we’ve done 120 miles. Diesel is none existant on the Chesterfield.
Already quite pretty
I spotted a few places where the reeds might have been thin enough to pull in, but as we’d passed a hire boat returning to base just above the locks the water was cloudy so I couldn’t work out the depth. Only a couple of possibles. I looked over my shoulder, my brisk walking meant I was leaving Oleanna well behind. I walked up to the winding hole, then onto the next bridge, then returned. I’d wait for Oleanna to wind and then point out where it might be possible to pull in. But each of the places the bottom was too close to the top, we returned to the next bit of armco thankfully far enough away from the road and with plenty of friendly cover too keep Tilly amused for a while.
Winded and coming back
Off she went, tail swishing with excitement. I’d done my walking for the day so got on with a couple of jobs. One was to mend the turny bit on a kitchen blind. The glue holding the wand and the turning piece had given up, so hopefully that was a quick fix with some Max UHU.
Someone’s in there
The other job was to replace a press stud on the blinds we have at the bow door. These fabric blinds roll up and get poppered in place. A week ago one of the poppers came apart so we’ve been a one blind up, one blind down kind of boat for a while. Ages ago I bought myself the means to attach poppers with the aid of a hammer. The floor much better to get the rivet part flattened out inside the popper. I then looked to see if I could use the same poppers on the pram cover as one has been missing on the straps that hold the rear flap open for quite a while. Despite the poppers looking the same size, I couldn’t get one to pop onto the other half, just a fraction too small. Oh well I’ll see if I can find a different brand that might be just that bit bigger.
Poppers
I then got on with tracing out a profile of Oleanna from a photo. I want to do several different versions of her new paintwork before we commit ourselves to going for cream cabin sides. The first go was a bit wonky, so I ended up tracing the photo onto tracing paper and then straightening out the wonky lines. This will now get copied onto watercolour paper so I can paint the cabin sides and see what she’ll look like with the colours reversed.
Torksey Lock Bottom side to Stockwith Bridge 85, Chesterfield Canal
What is it with bubbling tidal rivers?! We’d not heard a jot of it yesterday afternoon and evening, but as soon as we’d just managed to nod off last night the river bubbled it’s way up the sides of Oleanna’s hull making for an unrestful nights sleep. Not so good when the alarm was going off at 05:30!
Getting ready to push off
As we got dressed outside light was starting to clear away the nights darkness, getting ready for the sun to rise. Extra layers, thermals, padded trousers, although Mick couldn’t find his. Vest, long sleeve top, jumper, fleece and coat on top before a life jacket. This morning it was going to be cold!
The frozen covers rolled up, Nebolink turned on. The boat from further down the pontoon pushed off bang on 06:00, he said to Mick that he was headed for Gainsborough Pontoon. It took us another ten minutes before we untied our ropes and pushed off up to the junction where we turned northwards.
Cottam Power Station
Cottam Power Station pastel colours in the dim light. Mist rising from the river. Where was the castle? That’s the viaduct, but which part of it to aim for? There is an island and a peir to watch out for. I described where we needed to be as best I could with the outline of trees just sitting above the fog.
Visibility was such that we could only just make out both banks, were we in the middle? Time to concentrate, rely on Memory Map and Waterway Routes to show us our location and which way we were facing. Mick had the track we’d made last Tuesday showing on his tablet, maybe if we stuck to that line we’d be fine. The tide all the time pulling us along towards the North Sea.
Oleanna seemed to freeze more as we cruised along
First Mick spotted the wake in the water from NB Airbourne, they couldn’t be that far ahead of us. We slowed our pace as best we could and there about 100ft ahead was the boat. We let them get further ahead, better to have space between us today seeing as how we couldn’t see very well.
Here comes the sun!
The sun started to rise to our right. Vapour trails which had been pink as we set off turned yellow above our heads. The mist glowed, the best light diffuser you can get. We just needed the sun to be up and start burning it’s way through the fog. Should we have set off? With our gps and nav lights we felt confident that we shouldn’t bump into anything we shouldn’t.
Mistical
What a stunning sun rise. My photographs snatched between moments of concentration. Our charts show places where you should line up between white poles so as to avoid banks of silt. The river was quite low, would we be able to stick to the red line? One recently painted post came into view, we just needed to spot the other one. We knew that trees had been cleared to make this easier, but not when there was fog, we only spotted it when the other post had long since vanished behind us. We got away with it.
Cwor!!!
Blimey it was cold despite having layers upon layers. Fingers frozen, needed to be used to turn pages and keep Memory Map alive. I soon turned off the sleep mode on my phone, the screen alive constantly.
There they are
There was the boat in front, he’d pulled away from us a bit more. A clearing of the fog, great. Then we were plunged back into the next cloud of freezingness. Today is the first time we’ve not managed to see the Landmark Trust property up on the hill, we could just about work out where it might be and wondered what the current guests would make of their view over breakfast today!
West Burton Power Station
West Burton Power Station sat in the cloud ahead like the giants palace in Jack and the Beanstalk. Mick’s phone rang, it was John the Lockie from West Stockwith Lock, checking to see we were on our way, he’d got up early to come and meet us. A reassuring phone call to have, knowing there’d be someone at the lock to get us off the river.
As we came to the tight turns south of Gainsborough the mist started to clear a touch, John had said that it was clear at West Stockwith, phew we’d be able to see our way into the lock. Past the flour mill and we could see the boat ahead clearly, the morning world now revealing itself to us.
Gainsborough Bridge with plenty of room today
What a difference to last Tuesday. The tide we’d been pushed along by then was obviously much higher, the tide today lower and that bit slower. The arches on Gainsborough Bridge felt to be a third bigger than last week, how had anyone had a problem going through?
NB Airbourne pulled in towards the pontoon, we slowed Oleanna’s engine so as not to add to the difficulty of mooring up on a tidal river. The chap seemed to be alright, the boat staying put as he dealt with ropes.
A phone call to John at the lock. There was 4ft of water over the cill, we should be fine to get in. Mick cranked the revs up a notch.
Gainsborough was very very quiet today. No crowds on the bank. No beeping of horns. No drones above following us. However one large banner still hangs from a balcony facing downstream. The flotilla would today be arriving in Leicester making a noise getting peoples attention again.
West Stockwith lock in front of the white house
Now the mist had all burnt off as we headed up the last straight before the bend where the lock is. John called he was ready for us. Had we watched the videos of how to turn into the lock? We’ve been in twice here, once at slack water, the other time turning to stem the outgoing tide and then make our way back towards the lock.
John and a trainee lockie guiding us in
I moved to the bow before any manoeuvres happened, Tilly had already assumed the brace position on the bed tucked up amongst our pillows. Mick turned Oleanna then brought her back towards the lock, John stood signalling to keep going straight towards him. Mick the pushed the tiller over to kick the bow round, maybe just a little bit early as the starboard side touched the lock mouth before the bow had got in the lock. Ropes passed down to us, then we rose up into the daylight, quite a warm morning now!
Two bums to the beam
We pulled over onto the visitors mooring in the basin. Time to warm up and have breakfast, we’d finish off the bacon from last week. Then it was chores time, Tilly’s pooh and the wee tank sorted.
Breakfast!
Not far now to our chosen mooring, we winded and then pootled to the first length of armco along the Chesterfield Canal. Time for a rest for us and some much needed shore leave for Tilly.
A big muddy ditch once the tides out
Todays walk took me back upstream along the river bank, the tide still working it’s way out to sea, the mud banks looking very, well, muddy!
The Station
I then crossed fields which are used as a flood water reservoir, the roads and footpaths closed off when it’s full, today a bright green grassy crop was doing well. I got a green light to cross the railway, Walkeringham old Station House along side. The station opened in 1867 and closed to passengers in 1959.
I passed a long line of houses that were built for workers at West Burton Power Station, crossed the main road at Walkeringham Cross, not that there is much of a cross ontop of the stone steps now.
An intriguing property
I passed South Cottage, that sits at an angle to the main road, tiles and brick work on it’s façade, surely there must be information about it somewhere. The only thing I can find is a suggestion of a Sunday School on an old Ordnance Survey map.
The Staff
Across fields to where big mounds sit fenced off from the world, part of WW2 petrol tanks. A sign close to the road suggesting the work force is maybe a touch young.
For Sale
Up near the canal a house for sale. Lovely gardens. Then back along the canal to Oleanna, walking past the first two locks of the Chesterfield Canal and an awful lot of reeds in the water, that’ll be interesting tomorrow!
The Chesterfield Canal
Eight years ago today, we finished packing a van with a third of our possessions, popped Tilly in her escape pod and drove to Sheffield to move onboard Oleanna, our new home. Such an exciting day.
The Fund Britain’s Waterways Campaign Cruise hit Leicester and threatened to return Richard III to Yorkshire. They are still making quite a noise, but we think they sounded way better with Oleanna’s horns added into the mix. If you haven’t signed it yet please sign the petition.
1 lock, 15 miles, 1 wind, 1 extremely foggy morning to be following another boat, 1 stunning sunrise, 1 kingfisher, 2 lock keepers, 1 empty wee tank, 1 clean pooh box, 1 cooked breakfast reward, 5.71 miles walked, 86 minutes briskly, 1 big Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 64th sock yarn chosen, 1 quiet afternoon and evening.
