Category Archives: Sockathon

Nasty Or Nice? 23rd April

Bramble Cuttings to Rookery Moorings

Time to start the climb up through Cheshire today. We made our way towards Middlewich breathing in as we crossed the narrow Croxton Aqueduct, here we leave wide boats behind despite the first lock being wide itself.

**The banks have been raised, possibly to stop too much water going over the overspill**

Big Lock is just that, big and can hold two narrowboats. Today we got to share our first lock since the Calder and Hebble, it will be our last until we start going down hill from Birmingham. We chatted to the owners of NB Autumn Haze which looked immaculate, had they recently had her painted? Oh yes, 4 years ago. Four years! There wasn’t a mark on her and she looked like she’d just come out of dry dock. If only Oleanna looked so smart! They were heading up to the Macc, shorter trips for them nowadays after exploring much of the network through the years.

**Sharing a lock, we’ve not done that for a while**

They went on ahead as we were pulling in for a touch of shopping to tide us over. The small Tescos had most of what we were after, no need to walk on to the larger supermarkets today. Back on board we set off for the Middlewich three locks, we’d already spotted volunteers, so it would be an easy journey around the bend.

**Our first narrow lock since Foxton last year**

Last year the bottom lock had required some gentle handling, one of the bottom paddles could only be lifted at a certain water level. Today new gates held the water back and the paddle problem is no more. A volunteer headed down to help me, no other boats in the flight, so the next two would be set ahead for us. The bottom gates may be new, but the metal board that runs up to meet the one on the top gates was hanging off at a jaunty angle. I mentioned this to the volunteer, who then mentioned it to another who said they’d mentioned it to CRT several times. Mick had spotted it as he’d come into the lock so stayed back.

Moving into the middle lock Mick misjudged the bywash and his speed, quite a clonk to the port side, he blamed the wind! Hope Tilly wasnt too upset inside! Round the tight bend to the top lock Mick made up for his earlier mistake entering the lock without touching the sides. Here two volunteers helped us ascend. The younger chap was watching the time, Kings Lock chippy would now be open, were there any more boats coming or could he head off to get himself an early lunch?

I walked up towards the junction. I spied activity at Wardle Lock, but couldn’t see if a boat had just descended. A lady popped her head out from under the bridge I was walking over, we both clocked our boats were wanting to head in the same direction, so they held back whilst Mick brought Oleanna past. There was a space outside Kings Lock Chandlers, a rare sight, so we pulled in letting the other boat go ahead.

Time to get that replacement bowthruster fuse. They had to look for the correct one, but they did have it in stock. Their white spirit was also getting on for £2 cheaper than we’d seen at Preston Brook. I did look around for a chimney brush as our original one had come from their stand at Crick, but none were to be seen. Our current one has a short handle and needs to be attached to something longer to do a good job.

Now there was a queue starting to form at King’s Lock. With one boat waiting below, Mick quickly pushed Oleanna over to claim our position whilst I helped at the lock. A hire boat arriving from Wardle followed by another from the Middlewich Locks. The first couple were heading for the Ashby, their last big cruise before resticting themselves to pootleing up and down the Llangollen. The lady on board used to be a sailor, single handing across the oceans.

Up we went, the lady from two boats behind joining to help, only a short cruise out for them at the moment.

Only fourteen swans in the next pound, we used to count so many more when NB Winding Down was based at Elton Moss. We also spotted what looked like a new Morrisons Daily which would have been even closer than Tescos for our small shop today.

Rumps Lock, one boat in, one boat out. A couple heading north from Droitwich. The Kiderton Arms now looks totally unloved. Through the last fifteen years we’ve watched it have a new roof, a pub, a thai restaurant, possibly other versions of itself. Today black fabric covers the downstairs windows, dust the upper windows and behind it another new housing estate is being built.

Time for lunch, we tucked onto the end of some armco above Rumps Lock and watched the boats following us come past. Not a place to moor for the night due to the proximity of the road we pushed on.

**At least one house in the estate will have a chimney**

This stretch of canal is possibly the one we know the best, although it’s been five years since we travelled it last and there has been a lot of building work happening. One lone half timbered Cheshire house sits in amongst new houses, it’s windows shuttered off. Hopefully it will recieve some tlc and have a new life once the estate around it is completed.

Up the two Booth Lane Locks, a hire boat just leaving the second one was confused by us leaving the gates for them. There used to be a couple of boats moored on the offside by the winding hole, but they are long gone. By Stud Green Bridge a building is having a revamp and the slatted fence has nesting boxes at about 10ft intervals along it, what a nice idea.

Moston Mill just below Crows Nest Lock 67 (Booth Lane Top Lock 67) is also having some work done to the banks, it looks very smart. Back in the 1880’s there was a big mill pond behind it. It last sold in 2020 for £820,000, now the value is estimated at £960,000.

Crows Nest Lock was the first lock north we would pass through when we were on NB Winding Down, our old shareboat. Going out it was Nice Lock, coming back to base it was Nasty Lock! Mick thought that the nice lock moments outnumbered the nasty, as we’d done the Four Counties Ring on one occasion. I then pointed out that on another occasion we’d picked WD up from Aqueduct Marina after she’d been blacked and returned her to base. So maybe this equalled it out. Now it just brings back memories of our time when a week possibly two were eagerly waited for.

A few changes along the on line moorings above the lock, no longer the ice breaker and a farm shop. A boat came towards us at Elton Moss Bridge. A moment of panic had then they went skew wiff across the cut, it was the helms third day on a boat, we’ve all been there. The old Carefree Cruising yard is very different now, three houses not one sit on the plot and Artie seems to have aquired himself a rather nice soft top Morris 1000.

Under the railway bridge where you used to be able to wind a 57ft shareboat, we stopped at Rookery Moorings, big piling and rings. Out came the tyre fenders soon followed by Tilly whos little legs made a quick beeline for the trees behind us. Last time we moored there she did exactly the same.

More boats came past, most heading towards Wheelock. One very familiar boat in her recent new blue livery came past heading to Middlewich, NB Winding Down. She’s now based at Aston Marina, the owners on board were taking her to the Carefree Cruising base as her gear box had gone. Unfortunatly nobody we knew from the original syndicate, but we said hello anyway.

Are they more boats heading south on this route due to the landslip on the North Oxford, Vazon Sliding Bridge being out of action to give access to the Trent? Or is it just normally this busy. Maybe the later and we get spoilt up north with the lack of moving boats.

9 locks, 1 fat one even though canalplan counts it as narrow, 6.7 miles, 4 volunteers, 200amp fuse, 2 litres white spirit, 274 new houses, 14 swans only, 1000 morris, 2 warm for coats, 2 cold to be without, 1 spinney, 4 little legs, 4 chicken spring roles, 1st sock of pair 17 cast off, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/9NJm3Z1L4LTBwHk76

Barry Humphery Would Have A Field Day. 22nd April

Milepost 6ish to Bramble Cuttings

**I think if they repainted this it would disintegrate**

Pootleing along the loooong pound this morning it was chilly, you could see your breath. We soon passed new fencing, high, blocking off the view to what used to be a sweet little tree house, at least the fence is wooden. Lion Salt Works, well worth a visit if you are in the area. Plenty of bags were piled up outside Thor, they make biocides and disinfectant.

Round the bend to Wincham Wharf. In amongst the boats we could see NB Halsall’s bow. Last night we’d finished a bottle of gas just as the roast chicken was finishing. Rachel was just about to pull away from a boat, we checked on her gas stocks, ‘Plenty!’ We’ll hopefully see her before we’re out of her patch and if we don’t there is always the place in Stoke.

Now under all the bridges and pipes, passing the moored boats. At the far end a sea of cranes of different sizes surrounded a building. This will be a sustainable power station once built. Then we got a reminder of New Year 2016/17 as we passed NB Tench. We spent the evening sitting in her hold trying not to be cold with Heather Bleasdale, Alex (Tench’s then owner), Brian and some other people whos names escape me now. Good to see Tench again.

By now the gentle rain we’d woken up to had set in, with the occasional heavier interlude. A strip of land with what looks like planning permission for a house and a mooring, no details of who is selling it or any agents. A new house for sale a short distance on with a roof terrace.

Orchard Marina has water in it now, last year it was very dry. A few narrowboats sit at the far end, but it looks like there is still plenty of work to be done. HS2 was going to strtech right across this area, crossing the canal three times. As we’re north of Birmingham this won’t happen now. We wondered if the people whos homes had been compulsively purchased had been given the option to buy their property back?

More old woodland along the east bank. Gnarldy oak trees covered in ivy, how much longer would these stay standing for, too wiggly for use in lock gates.

Down below in the wide valley the fields are lush green, if not covered in water. One was speckled in yellow. Were these buttercups, Mick thought more likely to be dandelions. He doesn’t like dandelions, so every year I give them a different name. In the past they have been daffodils, he likes them. This year they are gladioli, Dame Edna would have a field day in that field!

Up ahead we waited to see if there’d be any space for us at Bramble Cuttings, a much sought after offside mooring. As it came into view it was empty! Brilliant!! We pulled in, made sure we moored consideratly then let Tilly out. Meowow!!

Tilly’d just had time to climb a few trees in excitment and run around like a loon when another boat approached. They’d concidered pulling in, but they also had a cat and neither cat would want to share Bramble Cuttings. They carried on, we’d tied it up just in the nick of time.

Despite the rain Tilly played out for quite some time. We were joined by another boat at the other end of the moorings and then mid to late afternoon a third boat pulled in inbetween. A woofer was on the mooring, so no longer just feline terratory, just as well I’d got bored of getting wet!

A quiet afternoon as it rained outside, some knitting done. Micks hospital appointment was sucessfully moved to an afternoon so he can now have his 65 year olds aneurysm check. The boiler people insist on ringing us to make a new appointment, not the other way round! More dates of where and when we’ll be places were worked out with the hope of rendez vousing with foreign friends and family.

Did we ever take it slowly? Or have we always had places we need to be on certain days? One person I doubt we’ll see this year will be Heather Bleasdale as she is now busy exploring Irish waterways on GT the boat we got to meet two summers ago in Earith. She has blue skies over there!

0 locks, 6.4 miles, 1 prat doesn’t mean you can be too! £1.14 diesel on Halsall, 5826437393653 gladioli, 1 unconvinced Mick, 1st cat to claim, 2 neighbours, 1 soggy cat, 1 toe and heel turned, 5 weeks planned, 1 more boat on Lough Erne, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tek93wfGbErERBXX9

Garlic Enthused. 21st April

Longacre Wood (1 mile to Preston Brook) to site of bridge 194 (6 mile to Preston Brook)

Tilly was allowed some shore leave whilst we had breakfast and joined the Geraghty zoom. Todays subjects, Tweedy Lady protests, digital signatures, Alan Rickman and grit for boggy bits.

Thankfully Tilly popped in to say hello so the doors were closed quickly before she could wander off for a few hours. There was time for a wave and a quick hello to passing boaters, some timing their arrival well for the tunnel behind us.

We pushed off and I set to with some baking, hoping to have timed things well for lunch. I mixed up flour, rosemary, yeast, water and garlic infused rapeseed oil. Popped it into a cake tin, bunged a plastic bag over the top and stuck it onto the top shelf, the proving shelf. There it stayed for an hour as we made our way along the reeealllly long pound at the northern end of the T&M.

The knitting came out the back again and pair 16 were finished all but the casting off, I didn’t want to do that bit in a tunnel.

We’d timed our arrival badly at Saltersford Tunnel, we had to wait for at least half an hour. Perfectly timed however to prod holes in the top of my baking and drizzle the top with more garlic rapeseed oil and then pop it into the oven. Add to this the aroma whenever the fridge was opened, I’d forgotten to cover the remainder of the wild garlic butter from yesterday, the boat was starting to be a touch pongy!

A horn could be heard from the far end of the tunnel and about ten minutes later a hire boat came through. They most probably entered the far end just in the nick of time. We pushed off as they passed and headed on through the tunnel. At the far end I bobbed down below my baking baked, now it just needed to cool in the tin for a while before being consumed.

**Coming back into the light of Barnton Tunnel**

I was back in the welldeck in time to peer into the dark of Barnton Tunnel, this one doesn’t have timed entry as you can see through it, but only when you have just about entered it. Thumbs up to Mick and in we went. Once round the 90 degree bend under the road bridge that follows, we started to look for somewhere to stop for lunch.

Perfectly timed my rosemary and garlic focaccia was still warm and perfect to eat. In days before Mick was in my life, after a busy week at work I used to treat myself to a partly baked focaccia from Tescos with some Boursin cheese. The loaf still warm from the oven was an indulgent treat. Since going gluten free this is a lunch I have missed. Sarah Howell provided me with the recipe, Yorkshire rapeseed oil infused it with garlic and we did a very good job of devour it. I’ve enough flour left for a few more too.

Around Anderton was busy, a few trading boats we’ve not seen before. £1.50 for chilled medication, maybe we should stop. But it looked like it would only be of the Walls variety, I seem to be getting a touch picky on the flavour front as I get older. I wondered if the crepes were glutenous or not, but we kept on going past, we’d after all just eaten a whole loaf of bread!

**Boat lift, think we’ll be seeing you later in the year**

The water point was empty, a second load of pants and socks went in the washing machine as the water tank filled up. It was now far later than we’d thought it would be, so plans to get past Tata chemical works were replaced with finding a mooring sooner.

All the woodland either side of the canal today has been filled with either bluebells or wild garlic. The smell thankfully upstaging that coming from our fridge! Moving past the blue haze of flowers isn’t the best way to take their photo as it just turns into a vague blurr, so I didn’t bother.

Round a bend we pulled in, trees and friendly cover for Tilly, a large puddle pretending to be a new flash on the offside of the canal. Time to use up the wild garlic butter. I popped it under the skin of the chicken for our roast tonight. The aroma of wild garlic is stronger than it’s taste, but still it added a subtle flavour.

When recording our journey today and popping it into canalplan to compare the distance to that provided by Nebo, I chose to use the mileposts as our start and finish positions, these being the closest landmarks I could use. We started at the milepost which said 1 mile from Preston Brook and finished at milepost 6 miles from Preston Brook. So how come we cruised 6 miles 6.75 furlongs?

0 locks, 7 miles or 6 miles 6.75 furlongs, 2 loads washing, 1 focaccia, 2 tunnels, 1 Pippa’s Song, 0 chilled medication, 2 outsides, 1 pungent day, 1 passing moron.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/9ZcSbswgGcAWe5sm8

The Three P’s. 20th April

Pickering’s Bridge to Longacre Wood Trent and Mersey Canal

Another pretty frosty morning, no photo sorry as I actually wanted a bit more sleep before having to function properly.

A flat pootle today along the Bridgewater. We planned to stop at Thorn Marine to see if their chandlery might have a 200amp slowblow fuse for the bowthruster, we need to replace the spare that is no longer spare. I also wanted to stock up on Fertan and white spirit for when I start repainting the gunnels, grabrails, welldeck, locker lids, patches of rust. A boat was moored on their service mooring, but we found space under the bridge to tie on rings.

As Mick went into the chandlery, I headed off with a shopping bag. Yesterday we’d forgotten to buy more potatoes, a roast chicken just isn’t right without roasties, especially when there is duck fat to use up! With a Sainsburys Local not far away I set off to walk into Stockton Heath.

Some wonderful terraced houses with ornate terracotta tiles and lots of red brick buildings that Manchester does so well. I also spotted an F type Jaguar, 2 Porche, a Lotus all within my short walk to Sainsburys. I think Stockton Heath may be for Footballers!

I was on the look out for the three Ps. Potatoes, a Saturday Paper and Porridge oats. Only standard white potatoes and expensive porridge available, I made note where newspapers were and went to see what Aldi round the corner had to offer. Somehow some pate managed to go into my basket along with other P’s, oh well!

I’d checked there were papers at Sainsburys, but not which flavours. I suspect our flavour had been where there was now a big empty space. I asked the assistant where there was a newsagents, ‘Morrisons across the bridge in the village’. That would be across the ship canal towards Warrington, not too much further to walk.

**Not a good photo click it for details, there’s a train set in the attic.**

Morrisons tend to have a good gluten free isle, so I picked up a few things there, some Pepper crackers, Pudding of the black variety, some sPread and a Paper. At least they all began with P, well sort of!

Back at Oleanna, Mick had disposed of the yellow water, not had any luck with a fuse, forgot what else he was meant to be buying other than a bag of coal. He had also found a recycling centre which had a skip for general rubbish. Bins are scarce on the Bridgewater so despite there being signs for no pedestrians, Mick made use of it.

**The last cooling towers at Fidlers Ferry, soon to be blown up**

Plenty of people were on their way to Walton House and Zoo. I’d not heard of it until recently, I think it was Are and Are who visited. The towpath was extreamly muddy not encouraging us to pull in. Families with pushchairs, children clinging onto Grandads hands tried their best to walk round the quogmire of mud. Another place to visit maybe later in the year. We paused for lunch then continued.

**Click photo for details, right next door to the Post Office**

Should we take a detour down the Runcorn Arm? We went there on NB Winding Down and headed off to the lauch of The John Godber Company in Wakefield years ago. It deserves another visit, even if it’s only just to show Oleanna and Tilly what they’ve been missing all these years. However it has been added to the next time list as we still don’t know if we need to put another day aside for Mick to return to Scarborough in the next couple of weeks.

Shhhhh! Lots of building work around Daresbury. A new black stealth building has gone up, wonder what will go on in there? Shhhh! A touch further on there were lots of earthworks going on. It looks like there is going to be building work on both sides of the canal here, a huge housing development.

The time for Preston Brook Tunnel south bound passage is at half past the hour for ten minutes. Would we make it in time? A call in to Midland Chandlers would be handy, for those things Mick hadn’t managed to get at Thorn Marine, but would that mean we’d miss the next window of oportunity?

Too close to call, we pulled in. No fuse, expensive white spirit but Fertan on offer. We then had to stand and wait whilst the chaps had a little chat. Was there enough time? Outside NB Spey was moored up, Where there’s brass was an interesting read when Tom posted regularly. He’s now busy with a book and album.

A boat came towards us from the tunnel, we slowed down to pass. With a window of only ten minutes to enter the tunnel we still wondered if we’d make it. No need to worry, we entered the tunnel just as our clock said 15:30!

The tunnel was a little bit wetter than we remembered, with the tunnel light on and a torch poitning to the roof at the stern we could see the drips approaching. Someone seems to have ripped several of the arrow signs off the walls that inform you of which way out is nearest. I didn’t spot the halfway mark either. My job as navigator is to make sure we both know which way is out, so I felt a touch redundant.

Seventeen minutes later we popped out the other end, no waiting boats, just sunshine.

Dutton Stop Lock 76 was in our favour, up we rose the 2 inches, now properly onto the Trent and Mersey Canal. Where to moor for the night? Should we head to the rings at the breach site which are very popular moorings. But now the hedge has grown there is little view down across the valley which was the main attraction there. Or we stop where the wood was thick with trees and wild garlic. A length of armco showed itself, we pulled in, tied up and Tilly was given two hours. So NOT enough time! Just a tease amount of time!

Two ladies stopped for a chat, Tilly showed off her climbing prowess, then got spooked by bicycles and then ommited to see two woofers. There was however enough time to get on the roof and the chap was good at popping his dogs on leads. Then Tilly was off into the thick of the aroma. Mick picked some wild garlic, I made some garlic butter which went ontop of a lamb hotpot. The recipe I looked at which suggested this had a very misleading photo, the top of their hotpot had no way seen any wild garlic as it was golden brown and not green! It was a very tasty hotpot and there was some butter left over for our chicken tomorrow.

**Lamb hotpot with wild garlic potatoes**

1 lock, 9.4 miles, 1 tunnel with 3 mysterons, 2 chandlers, 3 P’s, 2 many posh cars, 20kg coal, 1litre fertan, 15grams wild garlic, 1 green hot pot, 1 astounded cat, 1 Mrs Tilly’s stamp of approval.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/R9kng1mvKRnxHZCD9

Sooty Doesn’t Live Here Anymore! 19th April

Bollington Underpass to Pickering’s Bridge

Sorry Tilly, it’s time for us to get moving again, we need water!

As we pootled along we wondered if we’d be joining a queue at the next waterpoint at Ye Olde No 3. We weren’t disappointed, one boat hooked up and another waiting, the usual wind pinning everyone to the bank. The first boat still had about 15 minutes to go, the second boat said they’d be a while filling up, we had no choice but to wait as our tank was only quarter full. After a while the boat ahead of us decided they had enough supplies to last them a few more days, we compared notes as to where the next tap was, that would do them. It took quite a bit of effort to get off the bank and around Oleanna, Mick pushing thier boat out as much as he could to get past our bow and pick up speed to be able to stay away from the long line of moored boats behind us.

We nudged up and it was soon our turn. As soon as the hose was filling our tank the washing machine went on. This is normally a Mick job, but today it was mine. I forgot to turn the temperature of the wash down to 30C, so it took ages for the water to heat up, at least I’d remembered to put it on a quick wash.

Next stop Lymm. Time to post the next batch of socks off and stock up on a few things to tide us over till we reach a bigger supermarket. Sooty’s house wasn’t quite so picturesque as normal, scaffolding up to a probelmatic chimney stack by the looks of it, but the obligatory bright blue sky zinged the white walls out as usual. The new owners not quite such keen gardeners as Matthew and Sooty used to be.

How far to go today? It was already later than we’d planned. To reach our planned for destination (Shhhh secret handshakes and milk shakes) it was another three hours. Another hour of cruising would have us mooring around Stockton Heath, not so good for Tilly. In the end we pulled up just after Pickering’s Bridge, the towpath muddy, but not as muddy as elsewhere, a small bench should we want to sit on it and a tree for Tilly to claim as her own.

We passed two canalside houses for sale. One a short distance before Lymm the other possibly the nearest property to the M6, which strangly enough isn’t shown in the photos. Obviously someone hasn’t been put off as it’s SSTC. Click on the photos for a nosy.

Unfortunatly Mick didn’t receive any phonecalls back from either the hospital or the boiler people today, so the next trip to Scarborough is still a little up in the air. This doesn’t help us in planning where to be to catch trains, or to pick up a hire car! Now such planning will have to wait till after the weekend.

0 locks, 5.4 miles, not quite far enough, 1 full water tank, 1 load washing, 1 very helpful shop assistant, 5 pairs posted, 2 votes posted, 2 hours shore leave, 1 big tree, 1 bouncy woofer.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Geo9urBM2robNGvE6

Appointment Logistics. 17th 18th April

Bollington Underpass

We’ve nearly had some spring weather the last couple of days. Waking early with the sun streaming in through the gap in the curtains, left by someone overnight!

**Tilly** **doing her John Travolta impression**

Thursdays sunrise was accompanied by frost on the towpath and fog clinging to the canal, well worth waking up for. Thankfully the stove was in so a quick jostle of the coals and opening up of the air vents brought it back to a blazing glory. By midday however I’d wished I’d let it go out, the sunshine warming up the boat nicely. The vents were closed down, into night time mode, just enough to keep it going until later on.

Tilly came and went. When the towpath has been busy she’s sat on a locker at the stern and watched people and woofers pass by. On one occasion I went to fill the coal skuttle very interesting, She needed supervising and a golden lab came running from as far as I could see straight for Oleanna. I suggested Tilly should take to the roof or go inside She jostled me under the pram cover, closing me in! How rude! The dog walker was adamant that his dog had stolen the tennis balls from our mooring spikes a week ago and that his dog remembered us. Well I think his woofer may have thought that at first, but rushing back and forth sniffing the air He could smell my sweet aroma!

The embankment has been good when there’s been no hard rain. Shore based facilities have been sorted, trees, plenty of friendly cover to keep me busy for hours. Just a touch muddy under paw. This one needs another stamp of approval!

Inside I’ve been resting my swollen foot, my back and blowing my nose! Socks have been processed, packaged up with postage labels paid for, ready for the next post box we pass. Then it was time to do some sewing on Mick’s slippers.

**Not the prettiest of stiching but hopefully it will last a while longer**

I had to hunt out the strong thread I’d bought for mending the boat covers, a leather needle and my leather thimble so that I didn’t end up puncturing my own flesh too often. The front of the toe was stitched round, then more glue applied underneath it from the top, left to dry and then pressed firm to make it stick. I was going to leave it overnight but decided that maybe I was just putting off the awkward sewing, so got on with the job in hand. Not the prettiest of sewing ever, but it is far FAR better than it was before. Hopefully this will last a good while before it wears out.

Boats have come past, including the lady who tied to a fence post back on the Calder and Hebble a few weeks back. I can’t remember if she was coming over the Huddersfield or Rochdale, I suspect the later as she was hot on the tail of another narrowboat. A rib also came past at what seemed to be a reasonable speed. However the wake they left behind was way over the banks, I just had to hope Tilly wasn’t stood on a gunnel.

Up in Scarborough Mick had seen a nurse at the doctors. He’d found a piece of board to put over a cracked floor board on the quarter landing, stopping you thinking you were about to go through the floor. Lots of washing, hoovering. The oven isn’t quite a shiney as it had been, but neither is the boats!

**Oopps how did they end up on my plate?!**

The appointment for an engineer to upgrade the boiler at the house had been for all day, then that was narrowed down to the afternoon. But when the afternoon came there was a phone call from the office saying that they’d been called to an emergency! An new appointment could be made anytime from next Monday. All fine for most people, except we’ll be further away by then and someone else living in the house who cannot be asked to hang around for an engineer to turn up as they’ll be at work. Some thought on this was needed for another trip back to the house.

We’d been hoping that our postal vote for the Mayor of North Yorkshire and York would have arrived in time for Mick to pick them up. Thankfully after a visit to the dentist Thursday monrning, Mick still had a few things left to do at the house and was there when the post arrived, which included our postal votes. These are now crossed, signed and put in envelope B ready for posting. Also in the post was an invite for Mick to attend Scarborough Hospital for a routine screening. Would we be able to get an appointment for the boiler on the same day? Would he be able to get to the hospital for his appointment without an overnight stay? No-one was answering the phones to see if this could be arranged. Will we ever be free from medical appointments this year? I’ve just booked visits to my dentist too which require us to be near to a station! Oh all the logistics are getting far too complicated.

Sadly no exploring for me, resting my back and foot seems to have worked though as both have improved greatly. Hopefully if we come back this way later in the year we’ll get chance to visit places I’ve missed this time.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 buses, 3 trams, 4 trains, 1 slipper, 2 sausage days, 9 Hours! 4 parcels, 2 crosses, 1 house ready, 2 boaters ready to move onwards.

Soggy Socks And Paws. 16th April

Bollington Underpass

No tea in bed this morning, Lemsip instead. Fortunatly Mick was starting to feel improved. He did plenty of chores, filling the coal skuttle, got another bag of coal off the roof. Emptied the ash pan and left the bin on the stern deck for ease of access. Between us we emptied the yellow water tank. Then he packed a bag.

**Why can’t she clean her paws before coming in?!**

A doctors appointment, dentist, an engineer coming to sort something on our new boiler and a turn around of lodgers have all nicely fitted into a few days, so Mick was headed back to Scarborough. We could have stayed in Manchester making the journey back shorter, but for a few days that wouldn’t have been so good for Tilly. A bus would take Mick to Altringham where he’d then get a tram before a train to York, then another to Scarborough. I wonder when/if they will ever reinstate the through trains to Scarborough?

**Thank goodness Mick didn’t have a Vicar of Dibley moment!**

But first he had to negotiate the underpass! This leads from the towpath to Little Bollington where he’d catch a bus. With all the rain this year this has become a small lake and with a bus due Mick had to walk through it, deeper than his shoes! Soggy feet for the rest of his journey. I had been thinking of a walk into Dunham Massey, if I do I’ll be digging my wellies out!

**I hope I can do better than the gaffa tape**

Tilly and I pottered away the day. Some mending of Mick’s slipper required. It was coming away from it’s sole and he’s worn a hole in the toe of it! Being sheepskin and very good for keeping your feet warm they need mending as the left foot is still very much in good order. Uhu used as a contact adhesive stuck the sole back on. Then I cut a patch to cover the toe from an old Ugg boot that moths had attacked in the house. I’ll leave the glue to go off overnight and then have a go at stitching the patch on. I’m not looking forward to that bit!

A few last ends to weave in on some socks. Six pairs now waiting to be sent off. First they needed their photos taking. Then the next pair were cast on whilst watching The Duchess 2008. The period drama based on the true story of Georgina Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. The line on the poster says it all really, ‘There were three people in her marriage.’ It stars Keira Knightley and Ralph Feinnes and won Best Costume Design in the Academy Awards. The frocks were rather lovely.

The weather has improved, less windy but still the occasional thunder storm. At one point today I wondered if we were taking on water, a distinct bubbling noise coming from close to the hull. It turned out to be rather large hail stones landing in the canal.

I spent as much of the day with my feet up. Over the last week my left foot has become a touch uncomfortable, a bit like having your shoe lace tied too tight. The top of my foot had become a touch fat at the end of days working locks, but last night my ankle had blown up too. Not sure I’d get a shoe on it, so it has been elevated on a stool for as much of the day as possible. It doesn’t hurt, so I’m not sure what has happened.

**A rather nice sunset to do the washing up by**

My plan to walk round Dunham Massey, have a bus ride into Altringham to visit Alty Market are on hold. I need my ankle to be better for the Cheshire Locks, it would also be handy if it fitted into a shoe!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 bus, 1 tram, 2 trains, 1 doctors appointment, 6 pairs ready, 1 very wet sock, 1 slipper stuck down, 1 sheepskin patch cut, 4 muddy paws, 119 photos on a none moving day, 1 flooded underpass, 1 fat ankle.

15.25 pairs knitted

37 pairs spoken for

36.75 to go

£825 raised so far

https://www.justgiving.com/page/pip-leckenby-1704636205453?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fpip-leckenby-1704636205453&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

All Hail Let Loose. 15th April

Bollington Underpass, Bridgewater Canal

Overnight we were woken on several occasions with torrential rain or was it hail beating down on Oleanna. This continued throughout the day and evening, interspresed with bright sunshine every now and again. Strong strong winds whistled round, rocking Oleanna. Maybe our position on the embankment had given us a windy mooring, maybe it was like this everywhere.

Extra poppers needed popping on the cratch cover. Doing this I somehow tweeked my back. After 91 broad locks and walking into Manchester I go and tweek it by sitting on a locker and pressing a popper!

Hail bounced up under the mushroom vents, landing on the dinette table, sofa and bed.

The weather, nose blowing (we’ve now both got colds) was not conducive for a visit to Dunham Massey! Even Tilly curled up on the sofa for much of the day in switched off mode. So what to do?

Breakfast of course, it was medicinal honest!

I got the blog upto date and then spent time weaving ends in on socks. There will be several pairs going in the post very soon, when I find the next post box.

Mick did some route planning. Now we are over the Pennines, we feel a touch more confident in planning our route southwards. There are people we’d like to meet up with, trips back to Scarborough to be factored in, dentists and would we be able to support the Fund britains Waterways campaign cruise on the Thames from a bridge? We now have a plan and just need to see if friends and family will be free as we pass.

Surprisingly quite a few boats came past, all at speed to keep their line in the blustery wind. Mick popped his head out the hatch. A boat that had moored up after we’d arrived was on the off side. Was this intentional by the owner to avoid the worst effects of the fresh air? Or had their spikes been pulled out by wind and passing boaters? He waited for the next bout of hail to pass and went to have a look.

***This outside is very troublesome! It needs extra tying up***

The wind assisted for a bit, pushing the boat back across to the towpath, with our boat hook Mick managed to catch it. The ropes had been tied to the spikes so there was still a means of attaching the boat to the bank. He hammered in the stern pin, then gradually worked his way along. Centre line followed by the bow. All single pins, just how far had they been hammered into the soft ground. Now they were hammered down as far as they possibly could be, hopefully the boat would be staying put.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 outdoor shoes for me today, 1 dormant cat, 319.5 miles to reach our goal, 4 lemsips, 1 stove lit, 5 pairs socks ready for photos and posting, 1 tweeked back, 1 fat foot, 2 boaters falling to bits here!

A Wave To BBC. 10th April

Canal Wharf, Littleborough to above 1st Laneside Lock 54, Slattocks

Alarm set for before 7am! All because of the weather which we were hoping to beat today. No time to lie in bed with a cuppa, we were up and having breakfast, listening out for our Sainsburys delivery between 7:30 and 8:30. The beep beep of the van reverseing towards the canal caught our attention at 7:45, time to stow our purchases.

By 8:20 we were ready to push off leaving the squabbling, nest sitting geese to it, time to head to the next mooring in towards Manchester.

New houses look like they will be going up soon along the south east bank heading to Smithy Bridge, two geese stood guard ontop of the earth works. Apparently there are plans to build 1000 new homes around Littleborough. Past Clegg Hall with a terrace of workers cottages, a long line of windows on the top floor for good light in the work rooms.

**Stopped these two chaps who didn’t understand why the bridge went nowhere**

This must be the longest pound on the Rochdale, around an hours cruise with no locks. But to keep you on your toes there are a couple of swing bridges. I went with my handcuff key and key of power just incase, just as well as they both got used.

**Propmate kept out should we need it later**

The canal at times was shallow, aided by supermarket trolleys, eroded banks, picking places to pull in took a bit of time. Then picking up some plastic on the prop required a stop. We tried pulling into the side but didn’t succeed, electing to just pause in the middle to get the prop mate out and clear the prop. No passing traffic so we weren’t in anyones way.

For the last few miles I’d been spotting what look like metal flowers attached to the off side. Outlines of three white petals with a yellow centre, at one lock this was accompanied by some leaves. On one of the bridges there is a mural of the same flower. Maybe a canoist has put these up where the plant growns?

Just as we pulled in towards Rochdale, our slightly slower progress then planned, meant we got the first rain drops falling, we’d not beaten the weather! The empty lock looked to have wet sides, were we following that boat that had been on the water point? How much further had they got yesterday before they gave up? Would we catch them up and maybe have a partner for the rest of the locks into Manchester? We’d see.

I filled the lock, spotting that a bottom gate paddle had been left slightly up. Gongoozlers came and watched, three young chaps asked Mick for a lift. I think this is just a standard thing to say for youngsters, a little like when I’ve got my painting clothes on and people say ‘You’ve missed a bit’. Very original! They helped with the gates though.

Another chap arrived at the next lock promising to help with the gates, which he did. Well he helped with the top gates, not the bottom cranked beams! He was wise in this decision. Wet underfoot there was nowhere to push your feet against. Despite my slip resistant shoes it took forever to push the bottom gate open and then close it again behind us. There obviously used to be some other means of opening and closing these gates as there is a curved track in amongst the stonework.

Just below the lock there is an arm heading off to the north. This led to Drake Street where three arms were kept busy. In it’s hay day the Rochdale Canal saw around 50 boats a day transporting goods to and from the mills. I wonder how many boats cross the summit in a year now? On the Rochdale Canal facebook group there seems to be a campaign to pursuade the council to redevelope the warehouses and arms and get them reconnected to the canal. This would be wonderful, but would need to get an instant good reputation as somewhere to moor. It would be nice to feel you could explore Rochdale.

**Culvert to the left, new tunnel to the right**

Another longish pound. Some of this is a new channel. The canal had been built over and culveted for road building, so a new course was required along with the roundabout having to be rebuilt when the canal was restored. You can see where it used to go before you head into Edinburgh Way Tunnel. Mick remembers the road works lasting forever, the route to Anne (his sisters house) from the M62 affected for months.

As we came into Castleton the lock ahead was just about full. Either the top gates leaked masses or a paddle had been left up. This is lock 51, the Lock Keepers had been called to it the day we crossed the summit. The offside gates are worked with your windlass and chains as a carpark for a mill now gets in the way. This does mean that access along the off side of the lock is for very skinny people or those who don’t mind limboing! I am neither of those. I closed the near side paddle and then noticed the rack went a lot further down than the one on the off side. If the offside paddle was still up by what might be inches then we’d be waiting an age to empty the lock.

I hopped onto the bow of Oleanna and Mick moved her up to the offside gate, here I could step off. Sure enough the paddle was up by a good few inches. I hopped back onto the bow and we headed for the lock. The lock beam has notches cut in it so that it goes over the top of the ladder handrail. We’d nudged the gate coming in, it needed to be opened again and then things aligned properly once more. With one bottom paddle lifted it was taking an age to empty, time to try to access the offside paddle. I managed to position myself in amongst the beam chains and lent over. I could have engaged the pawl if I’d flicked it with my windlass, but then there would have been no way of taking it off. So I just wound it up and held it until the lock levelled.

At Blue Pits Middle Lock I waved to Anne’s old house. Ten years ago you could just about see it, five years ago new houses blocked the view, now trees hide everything. I waved none the less.

Under the M62, the pontoon towpath was in situ today. This is also a new channel, the original used to pass a little further west with the Heywood Branch heading off to the west. If you look behind you you can see the way boats used to travel. Blue Pits New Lock 53 is a concrete affair, nothing old about it. It takes ages to fill and it’s surroundings were very bog like, I was quite glad the gates didn’t leak at either end which meant I didn’t have to wade through to operate the paddle on the off side. Puzzling why the bottom gates have these signs on them, they are usually on top gates.

A boat was moored on the next bend, a perfect mooring for spotting trains as the line sits at a height a field away. If we’d been half an hour earlier we’d have been treated to a steam train!

Not much further we reached Slattocks, bollards marking our destination for the day. We quickly unrolled the covers, headed inside to give Tilly the disappointing news that there’d be no shore leave today, but more importantly it was time to dry off.

The last pair of socks I’d frogged were finished off this afternoon. A swatch was knitted with the new blue yarns for the next pair. I was considering giving Broken Seed Stitch a go, but I think that would be better suited to two solid coloured yarns rather than varigated. Instead they will end up being very stripy socks.

5 locks, 6.6 miles, 2 swing bridges, 1 man and 2 dogs held up, 1 almost tunnel, 4 boxes wine, 1 pork joint for the weekend, 2 hours early, 1 orangutan, 0 shore leave, 1 annoying towpath cat, 14th pair started, 12 meatballs, 2 soggy boaters yet again, 1 boat ahead still not caught.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/TVGkQ3s2suEkmRjF9

Horse Bananas. 9th April

Bent House Lock 46 to Canal Wharf, Littleborough

The forecast is not so good for the next couple of days, we still want and need to get moving. Our main need today was for water. After breakfast we put on our waterproofs, we knew we’d be getting wet this morning, just how long we’d last for was still an unknown.

A paddle was lifted at lock 46 to fill it as we rolled up the covers, then Mick reversed Oleanna out from the notch back onto the canal. This is a lovely place to be, suspect it’s even nicer in the summer.

At the water point we’d been warned that there was a boat that has taken up root, they’ve been asked to move by C&RT several times, but it has fallen on deaf ears. The only boat we’ve seen moving since we’ve been in Littleborough had tucked itself in behind the overstaying boat, today we’d have to breast up to get water. But as I lifted a paddle to empty the lock I could see movement at the waterpoint, the boat was on the move also. Maybe they were hoping for a locking partner, maybe they were just moving on, but it was a welcome sign as we’d not really wanted to be filling with water across two boats.

As the tank filled it rained. As the tank filled the forcast wind started to pick up and by the time we were pushing back off the gusts of wind had started. We worked our way down the next two locks getting wetter every minute. Five years ago we’d had gongoozlers at Littleborough Bottom Lock discussing glasses of wine, today only hardened waterproof clad walkers passed, only a nod from them.

We pulled in and made use of the rings at the wharf, a restock very much required on the food and coal front. The weather forecast keeps mentioning unseasonably high temperatures, we’ve not noticed them here at all! The two bags of Ecoal Mick bought in Wakefield have been driving us up the wall the last few days. It not only creates SO much ash but it also takes an eternity to light, some decent coal woud be welcome.

**Is this brick and extra layer of insulation? All the other buildings are stone**

After a slight dry off and a cuppa Mick headed into town with the bike returning with two 20kg bags of Glow. Next job restocking the cupboards. By now we’d made the decision to stay put for the rest of the day and not head onwards in the strong gusts of wind, this meant we’d be able to get a supermarket delivery if one was available. A slot was booked and a big shop put into our basket. We just needed some things for tonight, so we walked over to the Co-op where pizzas and extra toppings were selected.

The rest of the day we hunkered down gradually warming up inside, coats drip drying in the shower, howling gails whistling through the windows, geese squabbling, there’s everything here, even Horse Bananas clinging to the hillside! Inside I watched more bake off and knitted with the occasional winge from Tilly at not being allowed out.

Unfortunatly today wasn’t a suitable day for chilled medication despite the nearest shop selling my favourite flavour!

3 locks, 0.5 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 empty yellow water tank, 1 boat ahead, 1 food order, 40kg coal, 2 soggy boaters, 1 bored cat, 1 sock on it’s 3rd incarnation! 0 chilled medication, 2 volunteers stood down, postponed by a day.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ncdEPaYUT6WWKAMv8

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna