Category Archives: Theatre

Felt Rendez Vous. 4th September

Wood Lock to Radford Smelly Christmas 2019 mooring

Waterway Routes suggested it would take us under a couple of hours to reach our rendez vous, we also wanted to fill with water on the way and try to drop in to the Geraghty zoom. The water point didn’t stand out in our minds as being a slow tap, but we still added an hour to our cruise just in case.

We pushed off a little later than planned meeting our first boat a short distance on. After dropping down Fosse Top Lock we pulled over at the elsan and water point. For a while this elsan was out of use but today it boasts a blue C&RT sign and we used it to empty our yellow water. Tucked behind the elsan wall someone, most probably a boater, has left several bags of rubbish. There are no bins here, in both directions there are ample bins all within a couple of hours cruise. But if you tuck it away out of view it becomes someone else’s problem and not yours! Grrrr!

The tap had very good pressure so we were topped up in no time and back heading to Fosse Middle Lock. Mick signed into the Geraghty Zoom whilst we went through the lock, the internet signal only just able to keep us connected. Subjects today were Sheila Hancock and Giles Brandreth and us going through the lock. Numbers of attendees were down today, children’s Saturday morning activities and adult orchestras are all starting back up now, so it may be that the time of the family zoom gets changed to fit better with life no longer on hold.

Fosse Bottom Lock provided us with enough blackberries for breakfast tomorrow as Oleanna dropped down to the next pound.

We passed our locking partner from a couple of days ago, moored up by woods where normally a collection of boats sit. I like his little table.

Then the big arch of the former railway bridge 33A dominates the scenery as you pull in for Radford Bottom Lock. We took our time, no need to rush, we were an hour ahead of our schedule. The back pumps pumped water up from the bottom pound as we added water into it. Then we pulled up on the end bollard to wait for Lizzie, leaving plenty of room by the lock.

The bin store had recently been emptied, a shame the padlock was broken as it’s in one of those locations where people are likely to arrive with a car load of rubbish to dispose of rather than taking it to a tip.

The black boat and figures are no longer by the bridge

Lizzie arrived a little after her estimate, only to be expected as she’d just driven to collect her Dad from a weeks holiday with her brother in Lancashire, there and back in the morning! On the back seat of her car were the two packages I’d been waiting for, what a shame we’d not been able to hand them over last weekend which had been the original plan. Thank you so much Lizzie for delivering them to me, I now have to do some work!

Not far for us now, just a pootle back out of the trees to find a mooring space below Radford Semele. Quite a few boats were moored up, we found a length of armco which wasn’t quite long enough, but as soon as a hire boat moved off we backed down the line so that we could be on chains rather than pins.

The pound felt very sludgy and going was slow backwards, it all felt quite silted up. We’ve been hearing such comments about parts of the system after the lockdowns, but today is our first experience of a silty bottom.

Tilly had been given shore leave at our first mooring, luckily she came back when called so we could move the outside without her in it. I think we are almost in the space we occupied for Christmas 2019, the weather is somewhat warmer than it was then.

4 locks, 2.23 miles, 1 hour ahead of ourselves, 15 minute zoom, 27 blackberries, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 0 figures, 1 felt handover, 4 greens, 1 sludgy bottom, 2 outsides, 3 annoying swans, 1 long list, 1 boat on an intermittent list.

Puzzle. 3rd September

Bickley’s Bridge to below Wood Lock 19

Another morning of pleas at the back door, Tilly was given an hour of shore leave whilst we had breakfast, today she didn’t get distracted but did require mad cat woman to call for her. With all three of us onboard we pushed of around 10:30.

First stop the water point and bins by Bascote Bridge. A dish washer load had been going, once that was so far through it’s cycle the washing machine was put on, Tilly’s pooh box had a good clean and rubbish was disposed of. Shortly before the water tank made it’s ‘I’m full!’ boom we could hear NB Hadar approaching, they and their families hire boat pulled in to wait for the services.

Bascote Staircase requires the top chamber to be full and the bottom to be empty, there will always be one chamber requiring to be set, this morning it looked like we were following someone as the top needed filling. As Mick brought Oleanna into the top chamber Hadar and family were approaching, hand signals suggested they’d be descending together, one of the crew came to join us to help us down.

Heading to the last of the Bascote flight

The next two locks also required filling before we could enter and they are just a touch too far to walk ahead to set and come back to open and close gates. Behind us the Hadar crew worked well with their extra pairs of hands.

The chilled medication sign is now tucked away at Welsh Road Lock, instead you can buy half a dozen eggs for £2. In the back garden there is a model railway set all laid out, just a bit too far away to have a good look.

As we worked our way down the lock we could hear Hadars engine thumping away in the distance, or was it getting closer? I think the only time we couldn’t hear it was when it was stationary.

The next pound is where HS2 will cross. Huge earth works are on going here, on the south bank of the canal a digger perched high up flattening out an embankment. To the north you can certainly see the route the line will take through a dip in the hillside, is this a man made or natural dip?

Wood Lock always seems to be the shabbiest of the locks along this stretch, the paintwork peeling off the paddle gear. We worked our way down pulling in a short distance below the lock, this would do us for the day and we’d be able to let Hadar and family go past.

Yesterday I’d asked for my panto felt order to be chased as it still hadn’t arrived, well that was how it seemed at my end, no parcel had arrived for Lizzies attention. Mid morning I was forwarded a copy of the signature the delivery driver had received, most certainly not Lizzies. But if someone had signed for it, last Thursday, where was it?!

Lizzie and the chaps at Unusual checked everywhere again, but there was nothing. Oh blimey! I was starting to write an email when I got a message from Lizzie, she’d found the parcel, at The Wharf pub across the road! Their address is very similar, but the parcel did say Unusual on it, oh well now we just needed to sus out getting it to us without being too much hassle for Lizzie. A rendez vous tomorrow lunchtime was made, a what3words location sent, we just have to get there in time.

Plenty of boats have came past us during the afternoon, including one called Puzzle. ‘Didn’t we share some of the Trent and Mersey with that boat? A lady with her daughter?’ Don’t know why I ever ask Mick such things, but I do. Looking back through photographs there was NB Puzzle back in June, but were the colours on the cabin side the other way round from the one I’d just seen? Maybe, maybe not. Cream top and bottom with black in between. Or had it been black top and bottom with cream in between? Could there have been two boats built at the same time, both called Puzzle but painted the negative of each other? Could this be why they were called Puzzle so people would be puzzled about if they’d seen the boat before or not.

Wish I’d taken a photo now!

6 locks, 2.6 miles, 1 thumping boat behind, HS2, 5.75 hours, 1 dropping pound, 4 paddles checked, 1 boater puzzled, 1 parcel at the pub, 4 shades of green, 1 week late.

https://goo.gl/maps/pau5m5r7TcHR2jMt5

Time Travellers, 2nd September

Daventry Road Bridgeish to Bickley’s Bridge 26

Tilly was given an hour to head off into the friendly cover as she was pleading at the back door and we didn’t plan on going too far today. An hour and a bit later she returned after being called (!) only to plead at the back door once again. She’d got distracted and been far too busy to deal with the matter in hand, given the choice she’d rather use shore based facilities than her pooh box.

We pushed off passing Willow Wren Training. Here they have added some camping pods on their campsite, they also have some small self catering rooms. Another possible location for a party, more research required.

Training boat in the bywash, two boats in the lock

At the top of the Stockton Flight we could see a boat just heading into the lock to go down, was our luck in? No, another boat pulled in alongside them. Oh well, hopefully having left our arrival until after 11 we hoped we’d meet quite a few boats coming up the flight saving work all round.

The lock emptied and below it we could hear the thump thump thump from NB Hadar. The lock below had just brought two boats up, Hadar and a hire boat with their family aboard were breasted up and now there were the two boats that had just gone down the top lock. Six boats in one short pound, each needing to get out of the way of the others to get to where they all needed to be.

Add into this mix one boat that had just gone down the top lock was winding to come back up. Eventually it all sorted itself out, one lock bringing two boats up, one lock taking the breasted boats down, two boats waiting for the locks to be in their favour again, both facing opposite directions.

The chap waiting to head down the locks came up to chat with us, yes we would be going all the way down the flight and not just winding after one. Hooray we both had a partner. Once we were down the top lock we teamed up with the chap a single hander who looked like he’d come up from London (Lee Navigation protest posters in his windows). He was obviously very experienced, hopping on and off his boat when needed, closing gates, lifting paddles.

Quite a few of the locks had uphill boats, but there were the inevitable locks set against us. I headed on down to set them returning to close a gate behind the two boats.

One coming up, two going down, and one waiting below

Hadar were keeping ahead having three crew at the locks. At one point there were two empty locks between us and a boat was just about to come into the bottom of them. Should I set the one ahead of us or wait for the uphill boat to come up two locks? I opened the bottom gate and waited for the uphill boat, which meant I got a little rest, we’d been working at quite an efficient pace downhill!

Grandparents daughter and grandson were heading up, keeping a steady pace working the locks. This gave us just that bit longer to rest. Then we were off again, the next couple of locks sat waiting for us.

There had been little time to chat to the chap we were sharing with, but at the last two locks (of our day) we had a bit more time. He was heading for Birmingham, maybe a bit further and would carry on down hill today. He thanked us for our help, I thanked him for his, although he didn’t think he’d done much.

Off he headed towards Bascote Staircase, we pootled along past the pubs to find the moorings beyond Bickley’s Bridge 26 empty so we tied to the first rings. Should my panto order have arrived today then we’d be able to either reverse to the pub or carry on to the next water point to collect it.

With the internet being temperamental round here the photos of my model had taken forever to upload, I even left the computer on as we cruised today hoping it would all happen if I wasn’t watching the computer. Thankfully this had worked so I could let people see the model.

A walk into the village for a couple of bits of shopping had us walking across the fields and popping out into Long Itchington close to where the blue plaque for Jacob Von Hogflume hangs on a house. Back in 2015 we came across the plaque and I wondered if I could find anything else about Jacob.

Kit Ward claims to have had a couple of drinks with the time traveller. Link

He also has a twitter account Link where recently he has been discussing the heights of historic figures such as Henry VIII and his wives.

Jacob is not the only time traveller marked with a blue plaque. Of course there are a series of Dr Who actors, Jon Pertwee, William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton. But there is also Professor Ralph Deeson in Glasgow and Niloc Semaj in Brecon.

10 locks, 9 shared, 2.58 miles, 6 in a pound, 2 outsides, 4 hours to upload, 1 Viking, 2 boxes, 1 meeting, 2169 resident.

https://goo.gl/maps/CrrUdEAPnbk6MJZT6

Bear Crew. 1st September

Nethercote Bridge 101 to Daventry Road Bridgeish 19, Grand Union Canal

A slower start today, the grey in the sky putting us off pushing off. We watched the gold silver final of Boccia in Tokyo over breakfast, catching a glimpse of Fran, Mick’s niece every now and then. Gold for David Smith! A farmer in the field opposite was trimming the hedges and as we passed we admired the sunflowers in a wide border of wild flowers, just about the only colour we got to see today.

I hopped off at Bridge 108 to walk to the junction. Crab apples are starting to fall from the trees, leaving areas of the towpath a touch treacherous in places. The blackberries around here seem to be a touch later in ripening than those on the South Oxford, there will be so many of them in a week or two.

Just before Napton Junction I spotted a new set of steps leading through the hedge. This leads to Wigrams Camp Site, I was walking so as to have a nosy. The site was empty today, but I could see the service block and the camping field, not as big as I’d imagined, I wonder how many motorcaravans and tents they would accommodate?

I walked round and checked down the Grand Union, no boat in sight so I gave Mick a thumbs up to make the turn.

Next to the camp site there is a holiday cottage for 2 and a B&B with several double rooms and a summer house. All very interesting! Further enquiries are needed.

I walked on down to Calcutt Locks, a couple of boats had just left the top one, so we pulled in. A boat had just been pulling away from a mooring so we waited to see whether they would join us, but they just came towards the lock and winded. We descended on our own as another boat was waiting to come up.

The locks were quite busy, another pair coming up the second lock, one turning in to top up on diesel the other carried on upwards. By now there was another boat waiting to come down so we waited for them to catch us up with their teddy bear captain sat on the roof.

The lady asked how long we’d been out, I said ‘since May and you?’ ‘Since Saturday’, they had been for a jaunt up to Dunchurch Pools and were now heading back to their mooring below the locks. She also asked if there was a winding hole above the Stockton Flight, they’d never been that way. Descending the two locks I almost got her full life history, I managed to keep my urge to open gates at bay despite them being ready for a good five minutes.

As they turned into Ventnor we waved towards NB Herbie and carried on. Passing all the old workboats around Tomlow Road Bridge, Gort looks like it’s had a nice new paint job.

Not much further on we pulled up before Gibraltar Bridge, this would mean that if my delivery arrived with Lizzie today we’d be able to meet her at The Boat a few bridges on, but if not Tilly would have fields to play in for the afternoon.

A load of washing was hung out on the whirligig. I made some scale model actors for my model and took photographs to send to the Director.

Mick climbed into the engine bay to tighten the stern gland and see why we seem to be getting quite a lot of water in the bilge at the moment. He discovered that the greaser (which you turn every day to help keep the stern gland water tight) hadn’t been working. The new bits he’d added and old pipe weren’t working so well. So he rejigged everything and with a different combination of bits he got it working again. This should now help stop so much water from coming in as the prop rotates.

This evening we’ve watched a second programme regarding 9/11. Yesterdays programme had been about several survivors and todays was the day of President Bush. Both programmes had us transfixed to the TV and were very moving. It feels like only yesterday that I was in the paint shop at the SJT chatting to Mick’s sister Kath when Stephen Wood came in and told us that the twin towers had collapsed.

3 locks, 4.88 miles, 1 right, 1 gold medal, 1 bear, 55.5 possible venue, 1 stern gland greased, 9 model people, 30 photos, 1 very slow internet connection, 5.25 hours shore leave, 2 moving transfixing programmes.

https://goo.gl/maps/VMjsrann1c9XnPQM8

Burger And Chips. 31st August

Norton Junction to Nethercote Bridge 101, Grand Union Oxford Section.

Mick walked up to the service block and cottage at the top of the locks with the Brompton to wait for our shopping to arrive. The driver rang in advance to ask where we were, his local being The New Inn at the top lock. He delivers to lots of boats and would have been happy to drive down to the C&RT yard for us, a very jolly chap.

It took a while to stow the shopping, so whilst I did that Mick pulled us forwards to fill the water tank. Boats were already on the move, the moorings round the bend reorganising themselves to gain the view.

Think an emissions test should be brought in!

A short boat came past us, meeting another coming through the bridge hole from Braunston, the short boat span round to the left avoiding any collision, good job they were short. They corrected themselves and carried on towards the tunnel soon to be followed by us.

In the tunnel we managed to hold back before the 400m mark and big kink to avoid two of the three boats coming towards us, we then powered on to get past the kink before the next boat came past.

With no sign of anyone following us we hoped a boat would be waiting above the locks to share. As we arrived we checked with a hire boat, they were staying put. Then the short boat we’d followed through the tunnel, they were having lunch before descending. Oh well, we’d be on our own.

Just as two uphill boats came out of the lock the short boat changed his mind, he’d come with us. The chap did his fare share, closing gates, winding paddles, whilst down below his partner was busy.

We passed a few uphill boats, me walking ahead to set those that needed it and coming back to open a gate for the boats to exit by. I could now see what the lady below on the short boat was busy with, burger and chips accompanied by a thick slice of white sliced bread and butter. Coo they looked good! She vanished with her plate leaving the chaps for an opportune moment.

They moor somewhere on the River Soar and were part way through doing the Leicester Ring with no maps other than Google maps on his phone. I suppose you can’t really go too wrong, clockwise you need to keep going right, anti clockwise left, just so long as you don’t turn down the Ashby.

The chap managed to get his burger and chips to eat as we approached the Admiral Nelson. Oooo they looked good, so did the chips at the pub! The lady stepped off and had a look round, then was picked back up below the lock, gold sandals not the ideal crew footware.

The chap kept single handing and we used one gate to exit to reduce the work load. What a shame there were no burgers and chips for us. Maybe we’ll find a suitable pub soon to make up for it.

We pulled in before Butchers Bridge for our measly lunch, then pushed on to Braunston Turn where we turned left. A couple of miles on we found a spot to ourselves with views to the south and suitable sideways trees for Tilly. Mick lit the stove for the second night in a row, it is now autumn isn’t it?!

I spent a couple of hours hanging sliding doors and adding a green neon line to my #unit21 model. This will need a touch of adjustment but is more than enough for a white card model to show the director.

Horticulturalists out there, what should I do with my wild strawberry plants? They obviously are unlikely to fruit again this year, but they have sent out numerous numerous babies. They obviously survive in the wild, so is there a way of keeping them happy over autumn, winter and into the spring please? Any tips would be gratefully received.

6 locks, 6.61 miles, 8 boxes under the back steps, 1 good deed via escapees, 1 right, 1 left, 1 tunnel, 3 passed, 2 mysterons, 2 plates of burger and chips, 2 hungry boaters, 2hrs 15 mins shore leave, 1 model just about there, 1 vat of chilli.

https://goo.gl/maps/eFZRCTKcY3tw3VsaA

Boaters Meat. 28th August

Cracks Hill to Houdini’s Field

Shortly after mooring up yesterday I got the result of my Antibody test, it came through as a text and an email. ‘No antibodies were found in your blood sample. This means it’s unlikely you’ve had COVID-19 in the last 6 months.’ The result I had hoped for. My result was added to the Zoe Covid app, it doesn’t look like it gets added to the NHS app though.

A bit after 7pm we heard a boat approaching, this one was the one we’d been expecting and the mooring in front of us was about to be filled. NB Panda was joining us for the weekend with Lizzie on board.

This morning Mick headed off back into Crick on the bike to pick up a few supplies. A new Sainsburys delivery has been booked, here’s hoping we can get a suitable mooring on Monday so that we won’t have to cancel this one too. He was back for the weekly Geraghty Zoom. This weeks subjects included Supermarket Sweep on a Brompton, Family photos, Boccia rampers and egg banjos.

Earlier this year we’d planned to be around Crick for the boat show. More a social affair for us along with having a nosy at new boats and the latest boaty things that we can’t afford. We’ve been to the show five times and because we moored Lillian there in her early days we know quite a few people. But as covid cases increased we changed our minds, wanting to avoid the crowds, yet we still wanted to catch up with friends. So a tentative plan to have a boaters meet was put into action for this weekend.

The planned meeting place was at Houdini’s Field (named after our first second mate who had never seen so much grass) just under two hours cruise from Cracks Hill. Both boats pushed off managing to get a boat in between us, but he was right on our fender so Mick let him pass at the first straight.

Trying to peek through the friendly cover as we approached Yelvertoft Marina. Was there some yellow? Could Lillian still be there? Was that just a bow flash? Then a yellow swans neck came into view. She’s still there, looking as jolly as she always did. We waved.

The willow tree just before Yelvertoft Wharf is almost touching the water, good job we’d just spotted a boat coming towards the bridge before it vanished behind the greenery! The summit pound is pretty as ever, the red berries starting to show themselves in the hedgerows, fields golden, trees lush and green.

A lady in a canoe came towards us talking on the phone, she was on a reckie to see if there was anywhere better to moor up ahead.

We were near our destination, would there be enough room for two more boats?

Bridge 27 came into view, followed by the red cabin side of NB Kamili. Andy and Irene were busy doing jobs. Panda tucked in in front of them and we carried on a short distance away to find a space for us, right by the gap in the hedge into Houdini’s field. Only one boat missing from the meeting, sadly Noel and Carolyn wouldn’t be able to join us this time.

Tilly followed us up to have a chat, she chatted away in the friendly cover too!

Just some sliding doors and a green line to add

I spent the afternoon making a model for #unit21. Mick sat out in a chair, he’d been expecting to spend the day listening to cricket, but that had long finished. Lizzie worked on filling bits of Panda whilst Irene battled with bathroom sealant! She may have to go for some counselling once she’s finished!

Andy, Irene, lots of food, 2 Sainsburys bags, Mick and Lizzie

At 6pm we all congregated by Kamili and Panda. The bbq was lit and all our various edible bits and bobs were laid out on the handy bench. Blimey what a spread! Pork loins, steak, sausages, veg kebabs and a treat pudding of bananas and chocolate. We were very surprised that no one else had ever had one before!

Being outside we could enjoy each others company while feeling at ease, no worries of covid, no worries of asthma brought on by Tilly and being at one end of the moorings we shouldn’t disturb anyone else.

We had prosecco, Lizzie turned the food, Tilly brought a friend to play and was quickly grounded, Irene was an expert plate holder for the cooked food all wrapped in foil to keep warm. What a wonderful feast and lovely to spend an evening with everyone even if it was a touch cold and VERY dark by the time we decided to call it a night.

0 locks, 4.3 miles, 5 siblings, 1 hello yellow, 2 boat flotilla, 3rd boat waiting for us, 1 boat missed, 7 hours shore leave, 0.75 of a model made, 1 test won, 5 boaters, 1 cat, 1 mouse! 1 lovely evening, 2 dark to carry on.

https://goo.gl/maps/CSDzSHLuWsNvZmbY6

Star Jumps, WD And Thespians. 26th August

The hedge Flecknoe Road Bridge to the view before Norton Junction

Last night we’d had this stretch of armoc to ourselves, but just around the corner there were seven boats nose to tail, we preferred the view we’d had. As we made our way towards Braunston Turn we kept our eyes open for any gaps in the hedge to the north of the canal so that we could drop a pin on our map to remember it, only one and not much of a gap.

As we cruised along I tried to drink several glasses of water. A few weeks ago I got an invite from the Zoe covid app to do an antibody blood test, this would show if I’ve had Covid without knowing. I’d arranged for a test kit to be sent to Scarborough and then have been waiting for a suitable time to do the test. On the instruction video it suggests drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water the day before, so yesterday I spent a lot of time filling up the yellow water tank! Today 2 to 3 glasses had to be drunk at least half an hour before doing the test, I also needed to be near to an NHS Priority Post box, Braunston.

At Braunston Turn we turned right following a hire boat who quite quickly pulled in. Would Braunston be full of boats or would we be fine finding a space? There was so much space available we easily slotted in at Butchers Bridge our preferred mooring.

Now to do the test. I laid everything out and had to discourage Tilly from watching too closely. Then I had to get my blood pumping by doing some exercise before submerging my left hand in a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes. Far more complicated than sticking a cotton bud up your nose!

Star jumps are a little bit hard to do inside a boat, but I decided to stay indoors rather than amuse those having their bacon butties at the Gongoozlers Rest. Then self inflicted pain! A lancet pushed hard into a finger tip, followed by massaging my hand and finger to fill a little bottle up to a line. One thing they should add to the instructions is that if you have long finger nails then most of your blood will collect on your nail, a trim before hand would have worked better. With my sample done, labelled and packed up we set off to the Post Office.

As we crossed Butchers Bridge we glanced up towards the bottom lock, was that boat NB Winding Down? It was green, the sign writing wasn’t visible. We walked down to have a look, yep it was, but would we know the people on board?

Mick called out to the occupants, ‘Hello, do we know you? We used to have a share in Winding Down’. Well we did know them, Paul and Aileen , some of the original syndicate members. Our paths crossed several times in Waitrose at Sandbach on hand over days. A lovely catch up with them and news of other members we knew, the last AGM on zoom and most importantly that NB Winding Down will be moving further north for next years cruising season, so we’ll have to keep our eyes open near Stone in future.

Up the hill we climbed to the Post Office first popping my sample into the post box, then across the road to the butchers.

Well, since first noticing a sign saying they do gluten free sausages a few years ago, we’ve asked every time we’ve come in and only once have we had any. Quite a disappointment! Maybe the church spire no longer means Bangers! Yes I could buy some of their normal sausages for Mick, but what would I have!?! We bought bacon, a pork pie, some pork, eggs and some strawberries. Have to say their fruit and veg looked better than it used to, maybe they have a bigger turn over after the lockdowns when I suspect the locals shopped with them more. A few more bits from the shop across the way and we were done.

After lunch we pushed off to climb the locks. A lady waved to Mick from the bridge after opening the bottom gate, she thought he was her husband! With no boat following and two boats coming down the next lock we headed up on our own.

In the pound below The Admiral Nelson people sat out side their boat, turns out they were waiting for a boat to share with. Marvellous!

Nick Wolfe stood at the stern of Aldgate, he turned to me and said ‘Hire Boat!’ One was pulling into the lock landing below the lock, doing their best to get out of our way whilst being berated for mooring up. Oh blimey! Poor holiday makers! The poor ladies at the bow had steam coming out of their ears as they tried to pull their boat out of the way. They assumed I’d have the same reaction and angrily said they weren’t staying. As we worked the two boats up the lock I could still hear ‘You can’t moor there!’ from below. No wonder some people think boaters are down right rude, I think they already knew what was being rammed down their throats!

Calmly we worked our way up the remaining locks. Three generations of one family out on a friends boat for the day. The lady said they lived on a boat for ten years in the 70’s, it must have been so different then. Then she said that her husband was an actor, so they used to go where the work was. Obviously that started a whole different conversation.

Meanwhile Mick at the stern was chatting away, acting had been mentioned and the chap said ‘Oleanna’ sounded familiar. The world got smaller over the next couple of locks. Graham Padden had been working at The New Vic in Stoke in 1998 when the Stephen Joseph Theatre visited with their 10 x 10 season. 10 new plays with a company of 10 actors. Comic Potential, Perfect Pitch and Love Songs For Shopkeepers were the main house shows with seven more in the studio, I designed eight out of the ten. He then mentioned that he’d been in Shadowlands with Janie Dee in the West End. His wife and son were also actors. They’d all toured into Chipping Norton too!

At the top of the locks we led the way to the tunnel. Life jackets and torch at the stern. We soon saw a light coming towards us, this was followed by another three in quite quick succession. Thankfully no-one else entered the tunnel so we got to the kink on our own.

3:30pm. Would we get to the Watford flight in time to go up the locks before they closed? We’d get there, but if anyone was waiting then we’d not get up the locks today. We carried on up to Norton Junction where there was space for a couple of boats with the lovely view. It would have been rude not to moor up, so we tied the outside up and let Tilly out. She was given a strict time to be home. She obliged.

A little while later the bow of a very new Cowpar appeared at the bridge ahead of us. This was the new Finesse boat that had been shown at Crick Boat Show last weekend. Excuse the looks on their faces as it is a 70ft boat turning at a junction with a bridge hole to contend with. A very nice looking boat with electric drive, there’s a boat test by Adam about it in last months Canal Boat magazine.

6 locks, 6.98 miles, 1 right, 3 glasses, 1 prick, 500 whatevers, 10 turns, 2 syndicate members, 1 share for sale, 0 bangers, 6 rashers bacon, 3 pork loin steaks, 0.5kg beef mince, 1 small pork pie, 1 punnet strawberries, 3 actors on a boat, 1 tunnel, 2 mysterons, 4 passing boats, 1 prime view mooring, 1 bruised finger.

https://goo.gl/maps/1qq4YepPW6DonSeZ6

If They Go Straight On, We’ll Go Left. 25th August

The hedge to another bit of hedge near Flecknoe Road Bridge 102

Most people had moved off before us this morning, one boat just beating us to pushing off heading in the same direction, no worries we were guaranteed to be in a queue today. If we weren’t on a schedule I suspect we’d have just moved up to claim one of the spots with a view for the day, oh well.

HS2 has had a huge mound of earth on the south bank of the canal for years now. Today we could see where the route of the line will be as fresh soil has been laid out just after bridge 128, on the north bank there is a wooden fence which we suspect marks the route across the gentle valley.

Three years ago I did quite a lot of research into the route and what was going to happen in the area, The workers encampment has moved to the south side of the canal and the route now only crosses the cut once, it’s route having been nudged over a touch.

In a couple of places saplings have been planted and a swath of wild flowers sit below one of the mounds of earth.

In one field away from the canal we could see what looked like wheelbarrows. Surely they are not going to build HS2 with a fleet of wheelbarrows! The top layer of soil has been removed and zooming in I wondered if this is an archaeological dig, there are several buried villages along the canal.

We wrapped our way around the hills, the obligatory photos taken. A couple of chaps were enjoying glamping, an added horse box being used as a kitchen. The narrowboat still sits in the field cut off from the cut, not listing as badly as it was a few years ago.

The last bend of the summit pound and then we pulled up at the top of Marston Doles. A chap filling with water made sure we knew that his boat would be in front of us once a boat had come up the top lock. We helped boats up and down the lady from the waiting shareboat reminded me of Derek from Alan Ayckbourns Roleplay, Derek has a long monologue regarding his and Dee’s (his wife) drive from Doncaster to their daughters flat in docklands, with minute details of diversions, hold ups and turns. Instead of riga mortice setting in I just had a grin remembering Bob Austin’s wonderful performance.

We took our turn down the two Marston Doles locks, then pootled along the pound to the top of the Napton flight. Some boats were coming up, but not enough to meet at every lock, the trend seemed to be more downhill. Some people we were meeting were heading back to base after being out for a week or three taking their time before returning to their houses.

Behind we had a Carefree Cruising shareboat, ahead Derek and her husband, although they soon pulled in to check the weedhatch and most probably have lunch. The following boat caught us up at one point but then the boat ahead of us lifted a couple of paddles for us helping to fill the locks ahead speeding up our descent.

The views from the flight are always great and the buffalos were in view today. The new coping stones on lock 9 still have a way to go before they blend in, but are far better than the concrete ones at lock 10.

We paused between locks 8 and 9 to have a late lunch. Two volunteers walked up the flight, one chap stopped to say hello, a reader of the blog. Thank you, sorry we didn’t get your name.

One last lock, we waited for a boat coming up. They were returning to base, the chap wanting to get home, the two ladies not so keen, wanting to take their time. If they reached the top of Marston Doles before they closed for the day he would insist on getting over the summit so as to descend the Claydon flight in the morning. How could they manage to take 2.5 hours to climb Napton? I suggested they may come across some numpties on the flight who would slow them down.

A boat came out of the lock ahead of them, the crew closed the gates, then a lady from the following boat started to fill the lock all whilst the chap who was wanting to get home shouted at them for stealing his lock. Another paddle was lifted before the mistake was realised. If this happened at every lock the ladies wishes might come true!

Below the locks we aimed to pass Napton Junction before finding a mooring, just about where we should get to today. A boat at the end of the visitor moorings pulled out and carried on at tickover. The journey around Napton Hill is always longer than you think it is going to be, but today it would take us even longer!

‘If they go straight on, we’ll go left at the junction’ a thought we both have whilst driving over the Wolds to Scarborough. ‘And we’ll still get to Braunston before them!’ Blimey they were Soooo slow, we even considered stopping at the bridge where every car hoots their horn!

Napton hire base had only one boat in, plenty must have headed towards Warwick or Braunston this last week. Slowly we followed, going into neutral every now and again.

Quick straight on before they change their minds

At the junction we waited to see what they’d do. Thank goodness they turned right, into Wigrams Marina! We were free once again.

We waved towards Herbie’s new home at Ventnor and tried to catch a glimpse of the campsite and holiday cottage that Dave (Scouts) has suggested as a possible location next summer for a party. Think we’ll have to come back and have a proper look if allowed.

Once the proximity of roads eased we started looking for somewhere to moor. The second stretch had nobody moored on it possibly because the towpath is narrow, but we’d been having complaints from inside for a while so we pulled in and let Tilly out. An hour and a half somehow got extended to nearly 8pm! It was only the threat of no Dreamies for the next week that worked in the end. Tilly does not know how to tell the time!!!

This evening we have watched Act 2 of Home, I’m Darling. An enjoyable play, I suspect better if sat in the theatre watching it, although I wouldn’t have wanted to be the lady sat behind the high backed armchair!

9 locks, 10.92 miles, 4 share boats, 1 Ayckbourn character, 2 paddles lifted, 2 reluctant lock wheelers, 2 too keen lock wheelers, 1 slow boat to Wigrams, 1 straight on, 8 glasses of water, 2 many wee breaks, 2.5 hours! 1 cat avoiding capture, 2 minutes to 0 Dreamies for a week, 1 cat who can tell the time when it counts, obviously!

https://goo.gl/maps/ZyWFDcT2w9h4nsyD6

Todgerless. 24th August

Slat Mill Lock to the hedge near the view between bridges 130 and 129

The weather started off a touch chilly, but soon necessitated a change of legs from jeans to shorts as the sun came out.

Up Slat Mill Lock where the bullocks frolicked in the field. In the past we’ve moored in this pound only to be disturbed by the cows or speeding canoeists, so we choose below the lock where the cows are held back by trees and the canoes by the lock.

Passing the permanent moorings Hello Kitty said hello from a small grey boat with a crackle finish. The chap who has been weeing into the canal for years had his todger hidden behind a breasted up boat. A ginger boat cat eyed up Oleanna for a possible boat upgrade, a stern look came from She inside. It had no chance of upgrading to my boat! Allan Cazaly’s old boat has had some steel work done to it.

Cropredy Lock has possibly my favourite lock cottage of the Oxford, it’s been a while since we’ve passed in the summer months. The garden today was tidy behind it’s white picket fence.

If there was a mini woofer sitting on the fence today it would have been hidden by the giant rose hips. I liked the toy woofer and have planned to have one so as to be able to replace it when we pass next, however I have not got a suitable woofer to leave. Maybe this winter I should make one out of milliput, maybe I should make several so that I can leave a different breed when ever we pass.

Passing Cropredy Marina we could see the new extension, another big pool with full length pontoons, plenty of space for them to fill. Maybe a mooring for Oleanna whilst I work on panto? But getting to and from the marina would involve a cab which past midnight are few and far between in Chippy, we’d also be stuck by Varneys Lock.

At Broadmoor Lock a single hander lady busied herself to get into the lock, I went up to lend a hand having a good chat. She tends to boat alone as boating isn’t for her husband, ‘It’s like sleeping in a coffin!’. A hire boat arrived as she left and I helped them down, dad and his young adult children loving it, mum not so sure she’d be able to live without her full wardrobe if they boated for longer than a week! Maybe they are going to Woburn Safari Park in September.

Alongside the lock there used to be a stall where you could buy apples and a chap sold ropes and fenders. The stall is now gone and the house that was being built is now complete. The railing to the veranda made from half a pallet and three saws, sadly my photo is out of focus.

Varney’s Lock does look like it needs new gates with the amount of hardware on one bottom gate. I helped the single hander again, closing up after her, then pushed the gates open ready for us. At the farm above Elkington’s Lock there is a stall selling veg and pickles, we’ve still to finish off the veg box from last week before we stock up again. The fields are full of sweetcorn and flowers which may be pumpkins.

We decided to stop for lunch where the sideways trees actually grow sideways. We pulled in a short distance away from NB White Swan, Tilly recognising where we were making quite a row inside expecting to be let out. But as it was only a lunch stop she had to leave the sideways trees to Ghost.

The Claydon Locks are currently locked overnight to help preserve water levels on the summit pound, we were well within the time frame so no need to worry. Our pause below had meant the single hander had gone on ahead, but we were still following someone with no boats coming down to swap over with so every lock needed resetting.

Once Oleanna and Mick had reached a good height in each lock I would walk on ahead to set the next one. With a volunteer on the middle lock we made good progress catching the boat ahead. We paused to see what had happened to our bow fenders, a week link had snapped that held the bottom one to the top earlier, now I noticed one of the hooks had come adrift holding the top fender. Mick tried to reconnect it in a lock but couldn’t work out which chain it had come loose from so it became a job for later.

By the time we reached the top lock the boat ahead was only just starting to fill the chamber. I gave them a hand and then once they’d managed to actually clear the top gate to close it, I dropped the lock. As the lock emptied a boat appeared from above and leant a hand.

Now the long and winding summit pound shows the canals age sticking to the contours rather than going through cuttings or building embankments. We passed through the old Railway Bridge where the last two times we’ve paused for me to collect ivy to make Oleanna a Christmas wreath. Today thankfully there was no need as we’d have only just got in the way of the constant stream of boats.

At the tunnelless tunnel we met at least two boats coming the other way, one had to wait for us and the boat ahead, then we waited for the next to pass. One chap coming along a section exclaimed at how narrow it was and he hadn’t got to the really narrow bit!

Fenny was busy as we’d expected. We decided not to stop for a Christmas works do but we’d carry on hoping there would be space near the radio mast just short of the HS2 works. It’s so pretty along the summit, winter or summer. We just wish there were more gaps in the high hedge that masks the views to the west and north.

Up ahead we could see that we’d arrived at our chosen mooring. There were quite a few git gaps, people lining themselves up with the views, understandable as they are so few, just not helpful when you would like to moor up. We sized ourselves up for the first gap, but ended up reversing back to where we’d started. Despite it being late Tilly was given an hours shore leave which she adhered to very well, I could swear she can tell the time! I can!!!

Mick tried several ways for us to be able to watch Home, I’m Darling on the TV. The TV’s browser wasn’t so keen, chromecast didn’t do much better. In the end we used a cable between the laptop and TV, the old fashioned way. Act 1 watched, we’ll save Act 2 till tomorrow, if we have internet.

10 locks, 10.09 miles, 2 many boats compared to winter, 1 ghost, 1 tunnel without a roof, 1 carving, 3 saws, 14th not 12th up, 9 down, 0m 23, 3m 24, 1 moored on the waterpoint, 1 hour after hours, act 1 in the 1950’s.

Changes, 23rd August

Kings Sutton to Slat Mill Lock

A little damp to start the day required coats to be worn, but by the end of the afternoon we were back down to one layer as the sun showed its face. Maybe autumn is arriving. The other day I crunched my way over some cobnuts that had fallen from a tree, most mornings we have blackberries added to our cereal bowls picked whilst Mick waits for a lock to be set. Crab apples fill the hedgerows, there must be something other than jelly you can make from them? Dark Elderberries droop from high up and sloes are plumpening up. Then today I spotted a plum tree alongside a lock, sadly the fruit still too hard to pick, maybe in a weeks time it will be just perfect. Oh the bounties of autumn. When will we be lighting the stove again?

At Grant’s Lock some first time hirers were just about to make their way down, they’d been having a taster holiday with their two kids. The first day it had rained and they’d wondered what they’d let themselves in for, then the sun had come out and the damp day became a distant memory.

Waiting for the lock to fill I had chance to have a look round the lock cottage, staying outside for safety. Over the last few years it has gradually been vandalised and at some time in the last year it has been gutted by fire. The windows frames now just frame the destruction a fire can do.

The staircase was burnt away, not much left of the ceilings, the floor beams charred into nothing. The heat of the fire easily melted the gutters, the fridge door relaxed into a new shape and the door into the lean is just charcoal. Such a sad sad sight. It will either be pulled down, fall down (as there is little holding it up anymore) or someone may come along with a large wodge of cash to try to rescue it.

As we pulled away three canoeists came towards us at speed. Little flags on their boats showed that they are raising funds for the Elysium Memorial in remembrance of service men and women who have taken their own lives. They are canoeing from Preston Brook Marina to Putney Bridge on the Thames 280 miles at about 21 miles a day.

The new estate on the outskirts of Banbury is still being built, little of any architectural merit going up.

The foundry that once used to add to the aroma of Banbury looks to have gone. No piles of clinker and moulds alongside the canal anymore. We wondered if the site will be turned into more canalside residential properties.

Boats were here there and everywhere. We paused to let others go through narrow stretches and then pulled in behind a boat on the water point below Banbury Lock to wait our turn. A quick check above the lock, the water point up there was also in use, so we stayed put. A request from Paul at Waterway Routes to do a few checks whilst we were in Banbury, the toilets here have been closed for ages, but are now reopened and he also wanted to know the position of the new footbridge, which is slightly different to the old one that was demolished a couple of years ago.

We filled up with water then ascended the lock, plenty of people around to watch us work and plenty of people wanting to cross over the top gates as always. The lift bridge with it’s hydraulic mechanism was a breeze. Then we were into the building site.

We’d arrived at the builders lunch break so there was no noise from what I think will be a cinema on the north east bank. Far more noise was being made with saws, hammers, drills just by Tooleys were volunteers were working on Fellows Morton and Clayton boat Kilsby, once the work is completed the boat will offer educational trips, story telling and theatre to the community. Historic Narrowboat Hardy sits a short distance away still waiting to be restored, at least she’s afloat.

We pulled in right underneath the new footbridge, not yet open as it currently leads into a building site. Time for a bit of top up shopping. Mick headed over the canal to get foody things whilst I headed into Castle Quays to the post office. I sent off samples of black canvas for #unit21 and the art work for the cloths in Rapunzel so that they can be printed.

Lock 29 at first looks like it is a new bar facing onto the canal, maybe where you’d eat whilst staying at the new Premier Inn next door. But inside there is lots of space, lots of tables and lots of stalls selling food and drink of all kinds. Fudge, Greek food, fresh bread, smoothies, all sorts.

After lunch on board and a quick return visit to Holland and Barrett we pushed onwards. Looking back, at what might become a wind tunnel. The new buildings are not as encroaching as we thought they’d be. I wonder how noisy the moorings will be at night once the building works are completed. The lack of afternoon sunshine for solar will put many off mooring here, but the proximity to the new Lidl is a bonus.

Malc Weblin passed away in June this year at the age of 85. As you passed his and Dink’s cottage there would always be a smile and a big wave from him. Today two people sat in the conservatory, I’m assuming one was Dink, her companion gave us a wave. As nice as it was it wasn’t quite the same.

At Hardwick Lock we were second in line, we helped with the boats ahead and then rose up ourselves.

The two cats painted into the little windows at Bourton Lock are still keeping guard, although someone has added a touch of green writing to the front wall!

Bends on the Oxford Canal tend to bring surprises. Todays surprise was going to be possibly the most surprising we’ve ever had!

Sure enough round the bend came a narrowboat, just as it came into the view so did something over head!

Very low over our heads swooped the grey undercarriage of an RAF Hercules. It was huge!! No warning, it just appeared over the top of the trees and carried on almost skimming the hillside. Thankfully both boats managed to keep on course.

Now should we catch up to where we should be? Or should we stop at the award winning mooring below Slat Mill Lock. We decided on the latter, by now the afternoon was fading, if we carried on it would be way past Tilly’s dingding so there would be no shore leave for her. Several boats were already moored up but we managed to slot in.

Tilly had a couple of hours whilst I cooked us a quinoa crust chicken, bacon and leek quiche. Mick tried to get the TV onto the SJT website so that we could watch the production of Home, I’m Darling that Vicky our ledger had been in. But sadly the internet signal wasn’t good enough or something wasn’t quite right for us to watch the play. Hopefully tomorrow things will be better.

4 locks, 6.47 miles, 1 lift bridge, 1 new bridge, 1 missing bridge, 1 burnt out cottage, 1 bath tub, 1 range, 16 yellow tiles, 240 glucosamine and chondroitin complex, 1 new Lidl, 1 low flyer, 1 award winning mooring, 0 night at the theatre.

https://goo.gl/maps/YR7NQWfswjvHhdNo9

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna