Category Archives: Theatre

Calm Returns. 15th August

Thrupp Canal Cruising Club

A slightly damp morning meant that the campers would be packing up their tents today to then have to dry them off when they got home. Messages came through from 1km away as they prepared to head back to London. It has been a lovely weekend with them, but now the calm of the waterways can return.

Tilly was given free reign coming and going again today as she liked. She certainly keeps herself busy for hours on end before returning home to check we’re still here. This mooring in Thrupp is far better than alongside the road with only walkers to dodge and not the occasional car to run away from!

Despite it being Sunday I sat down to do some work. The budget for #unit21 needed a bit of pruning. On Friday I’d had a long chat with Graham who will be building the set for me to see if we could get down the price of materials. He had quoted for a set to withstand the rigours of touring to a couple of venues a week and I had designed it to fit plywood sizes. Making the whole set lighter (less robust in the long term, but with some care it will be fine) and adjusting some dimensions to fit other materials better we managed to trim nearly £400 off the build. A couple of pointers from him to cheaper flooring may also save £300, so the budget is just about back on track.

I miss working with people like Graham.

Next up was a paint list for panto. I worked my way through the model deciding what colours I’d be needing and in roughly what quantities. Next week I’m paying a visit to Chippy so will see if there are any paints still usable from previous years to help reduce the long list I have. My biggest dilemma is on the glitter front.

Panto sets are known for their sparkle, mine not so much. Stage glitter tends to be bigger than that kids glue onto their cards for Granny and Granddad, sharp 5mm squares of plastic that get glued onto scenery, then when dry the excess tapped off. But glitter is not good for the environment it being made from plastic. So far Eco-glitter has reached the makeup world, but not reached the scenery world and some theatres (The National) are locking away their old stocks so no-one can use it anymore.

There is one scene that really needs a sprinkle of panto glimmering glitter. I’ve found one product that may do the job but it still doesn’t tick the box environmentally. I need to look harder!

With Tilly out being a thug and Mick listening to the cricket all day I took myself off for a walk. My route heading towards the campsite in Hampton Gay. Here there is a church and the ruins of a big house that I wanted to explore.

Hampton Gay was once far busier than it is now, excluding campers of course! There was a Mansion House, a mill, church and cottages with a population of around 86. Now the ruins of the Mansion House stand behind fencing and warning signs. The church opens around once a month and the cottages have vanished unlike the occasional train that runs right past the grave yard.

Fire, bankruptcy and even a curse at the end of the nineteenth century brought about the abandonment of the settlement. In medieval times the mill ground grain. In the 17th Century the mill was converted to produce paper and the population grew. But two separate fires struck the mill, each time it was rebuilt the last time it went bankrupt. In 1887 a huge fire overwhelmed the Manor House, without this or the mill people moved away and the population shrank.

Some stories say the manor was set on fire deliberately for the insurance. Others believe it was the result of a curse. On Christmas Eve 1874, a Great Western Train from Paddington derailed just a few hundreds yards away. Despite calls for assistance, the residents of the manor house refused to offer help and shelter to the victims. Thirty-four people died that day and sixty-nine were injured and according to legend a curse was placed on the house.

Not able to get into the church or a closer look at the mansion I decided to walk across the fields towards Hampton Poyle. From the meadows you can see across to London Oxford Airport where a plane had just landed.

Looking back towards St Gile’s Church I could just see Holy Cross Church which stands on the other side of the Cherwell and canal. Both churches less than half a kilometre apart

Holy Cross just visible on the left, St Giles on the right

Over styles, through fields with grazed grass, numerous horses everywhere. My straight line brought me to St Mary’s Church just over a mile away, just how many churches does one area need? There’s even St Mary’s Field Church only another half mile away, it’s spire visible from quite a distance.

Hampton Poyle’s St Mary’s has a 13th Century chapel, it’s north and south isles were added a century later and the double bellcote was an 18th century addition.

In the16th-century, priest Richard Thomason, was allegedly condemned to hang in chains from Duns Tew steeple (near Bicester) for his opposition to the first prayer book of Edward VI. The 17th-century rector Edward Fulham was forced to resign and flee abroad on account of his strong Royalist views and his opposition to Puritanism.

Across another field with more horses to White Bridge which crosses the Cherwell, not the prettiest of bridges but it’s concrete serves the purpose. On the south bank of the river I now turned westwards across the fields following the course of the river until it reached Thrupp Community Forest.

Here paths weave themselves through the trees, some more muddy routes have been bypassed. I was glad I’d got long trousers on as the nettles were rampant and my arms had to keep being lifted aloft. The river remained shy behind the not-so-friendly cover.

Soon I popped out to where the railway crosses, just that little bit too close to Thrupp, the path now bringing me back to Annies Tea Room. We still haven’t visited here, one day hopefully on a weekend when the Ice Cream Parlour is open!

With small amounts of food left over from the weekend I made us some fried rice, one chicken thigh and a couple of inches of salmon were added along with a good scattering of frozen peas. From a very full fridge on Friday morning to an almost empty one.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 quiet day, 3 campers back to London, 2 boaters pottering, 1 test, 9 hours, 1 very pooped cat, 1 shade of glitter, 10 litres emulsion, 10 litres bona mega silk matt, 12 colours, 1 panto paint list complete, 3 miles, 3 nearly 4 churches, 1 feast of leftovers.

Just As Long To Walk As Drive. 13th August

Jericho to Thrupp Cruising Club

Up early to beat the hire boats back into College Cruisers. Late yesterday afternoon NB Hannah May had arrived and arranged for a diesel top up this morning. Movement could be heard across the way at 8:20 so we made sure we were ready to push over once they had been filled up. We did a do-ci-do and took on 40 litres, at £1 a litre we didn’t fill the tank, just enough to keep us going until further up the Oxford.

We pushed back over to the towpath just as the first of the holiday makers were arriving back. Next job was to pick up the things missing from our shopping trip yesterday. I headed off to Waitrose which was kind of on route to Aldens Fish Market.

I chose to walk along the Thames, the patched pipe under Osney Bridge not really doing it’s job as loads of water was pouring out into the Thames. Glad it’s not on our water meter! The temporary pipe over the bridge is quite colossal.

At the fish market I was good, I had a look around dreaming of filling the freezer but only bought what I’d come for, a side of salmon. The lobsters would remain safe under their board for a while longer.

Back at Oleanna it was time to push off as we had a rendez vous to make. The moorings had filled up yesterday maybe people only come into Oxford for the weekend. We met a few boats as we headed out of town, either at locks or along narrow sections which necessitated us pulling in and hoping to not end up in the offside vegetation.

The cruiser with the cats is still along the Agenda 21 moorings, only two felines on the roof today and no sign of the old chap.

Speed bumps have been added to the towpath on several stretches.

Now for the bridges. Bridge 234 still wants to be open as soon as you unlock it. I braced myself for Wolvercote Lift Bridge 233. Here the bridge quite often requires an extra pair of hands to get it lifted and out of the way and the bridge landing has an overhang which has scarred many a hire boats cabin side. Well today the problem simply wasn’t there.

The bridge lies in several parts on the offside under the A34. No bridge beams to struggle with pulling them down and then keep the bridge raised whilst your boat goes through. A couple of cyclists appeared on the offside a touch puzzled as to what they were going to do.

A boat was coming down Dukes Lock so we swapped with them and rose up to meet the next lift bridge. Drinkwaters Lift Bridge 231 was about to close for major rebuilding work when last we passed. During the works the approach walls collapsed and had to be rebuilt. It is now operated by windlass from the towpath side. No longer a fight to unlock it with your key of power, just 30 turns to lift and 14 to drop it.

Our usual stop on the way out of Oxford had a couple of boats moored up. A solitary sunflower stood high in the field alongside the lock. We swapped with a boat as we arrived and another came into view as we left, perfect timing all round.

Next Roundham Lock, where through the last few years the bottom gate beam has been shored up to last that bit longer a section of armco was the last bodge job we’d seen. But today there are new beams at both ends of the lock.

Approaching Thrupp we had to stop quickly as the bow of a boat suddenly came into view past a large bush on the off side. We pulled in, trying to avoid the worst effects of the overhanging brambles on the cabin sides.

The visitor moorings in the village were quite empty, we considered pulling in, but we carried on to the lift bridge. I did the honours, stopping a very new boat from coming through as Mick was in the bridge hole. They then did their best to negotiate the bridge themselves without loosing any paint. A touch more use of power may have assisted them, but give them a few more months and they’ll be a touch more bold with their manoeuvres.

We pulled in at the water point and went to find the lady at Thrupp Canal Cruising Club. Whilst boats are out on summer cruises temporary moorings are available for a small fee, we’d booked one a couple of weeks ago. Sue (?) showed us to our mooring, ever so welcoming and anything they could help with we just had to ask. As soon as we were tied up Tilly was off out to explore, not returning for quite sometime!

Meanwhile on the other side of the River Cherwell, just over a kilometer as the crow flies, the London Leckenbys were pulling up at Willowbrook Farm campsite and setting up their tents for the weekend. Once they’d settled in they then drove round the 9km to join us and walked up to the boat with a rusk sack full of contraband, before returning the car to the site and walking the 1.8km on well marked paths back.

When we’d first come up with the idea of trying to find a campsite close to Oxford and the canal, Thrupp came up as a possibility. A newish eco campsite on a working farm that produces halal meat. Then about a week ago Jac noticed the not so fine print ‘Strictly No Alcohol Allowed On Site!’ Not quite the right place to have a relaxing beer in front of your tent, but you have to respect other cultures. So bottles of gin and wine were brought round to ours and we wouldn’t go to the campsite for a bbq, instead both evenings would be spent on Oleanna.

We’d considered going for a little pootle to find a suitable bit of towpath not too far away for the evening, returning before it got too dark, but just off the side of the TCCC moorings was an area with a bbq and picnic bench. This would do us.

Family were set with jobs of chopping. The other week they had made a tabbouleh not realising I wouldn’t be able to eat the buckwheat, today we made one using Quinoa which was very tasty. Veg and haloumi kebabs were skewered, a potato salad made up. The side of salmon required cutting in half to fit on the barbecue, a grating of ginger, pinch of sugar, soy sauce and lemon juice added then a good wrapping of foil.

Our usual barbecue stove was lit along with two disposable ones that had come from London. The salmon cooked quickly so was nudged to the sides for the veg kebabs to cook in the middle meaning the disposable bbq’s were only really just getting going when we’d just about finished eating!

A lovely if a touch blowy evening sat outside. Cheese was enjoyed back onboard after we’d tidied up outside. Then the head torches were brought out to aid the walk back to the campsite, hopefully the London Leckenby’s weren’t too noisy on their return!

4 locks, 6.51 miles, 2 lift bridges, 1 bridge in bits, 40 litres, 1 side salmon, 1 mooring, 1 campsite, 0 alcohol, 1 happy cat, £646 saved, 1 family get together, 1 yummy meal, 2 beers, 2 G&T’s, 2 bottles wine, 5 head torches for 3, 1km, 9km, 1.8km, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/ffmyBofVnWF4qSnS9

Face To Face, 12th August

College Cruisers, Oxford

Being close to Chipping Norton I’d been hoping to be able to meet up with the Production Manager for panto at the theatre to be able to discuss solutions for a couple of things, but this meeting sadly was not going to happen.

Trying to get everyone needed for an online final model meeting is proving difficult, next week there isn’t a day when the Director, myself and the Costume Designer can all be on line at the same time. In the mean time I’d been in touch with David the Director to see if we could meet up and actually be in the same room as each other with the model. We arranged to meet this morning.

David’s sister used to have a narrowboat, so despite me suggesting meeting in Chippy at the theatre, the meeting was always going to be on board Oleanna.

It’s been over a year since we first started talking about Rapunzel and today is the first time we’ve actually got to meet face to face rather than on line. David is a tall man, his head brushed against Oleanna’s ceiling!

Mick made us drinks and then headed off to buy a mouse, giving us more space to spread out. With all the doors and windows open we could almost have been sitting outside. Tilly came in to inspect David, she’s always a touch reluctant to be friendly, but with the assistance of a stick of webbox she can be won round.

Two hours of chatting about the show followed. It’s the first time I’ve shown anyone other than Tilly the model all the way through. Seeing it online isn’t the same as being sat in front of a model, being able to ask questions, pause, go back, move a light around to that detail can be seen that just doesn’t show in photographs. Only one minor adjustment required, which shouldn’t cost anything and a request for a seagull on a stick. At least it wasn’t the moon!

One very happy Director.

Next was shopping. We walked into town to Sainsburys in the Westgate Centre. I checked a couple of things before leaving Mick with the list and headed off to see if I could find some presents. Westgate came up trumps with Next, John Lewis and a branch of Blackwells. So I managed to be back at Sainsburys to add a roll of greaseproof paper to the end of the conveyor as Mick was paying.

A canoe course on the Castle Mill Stream

A detour to the Chinese supermarket on Hythe Bridge Street to stock up on Rice noodles and tapioca starch. That was everything from our shopping list apart from a side of salmon, that could wait for the morning.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 people in one ~~room~~ boat, 1 meeting, 6ft plus of Director, 1 very happy chappy, 1 downpour, 7 hours! 1 bike fully laden, 2 bags rice sticks, 2 bags tapioca, 0 salmon side, 1 do like knowing my way round a city.

Goodbye Old Father Thames. 11th August

Sandford Lock to College Cruisers, Oxford Canal

Only a few hours cruising left on the Thames and the last day of our licence, although I think we could have got an extra day because of the hold up at Boveney.

Today our trip would be a relaxed one unlike Mick’s two years ago. The river then was going up and down, not by much, but that much made a lot of difference to cruising. He first made his way up the pretty Iffley Lock stopping for a night or two near a rowing club.

He walked up to Osney Bridge where boats were starting to cling onto the moorings, then on to see what the turn into Sheepwash Channel was like. He did his homework and made his decision to go for it before the next band of rain had chance to rise the river any further. Thankfully it paid off and he made it to the safety of the Canal.

Today we pootled up the river with no fears of levels rising. The lavender at Iffley Lock looked wonderful as ever, a Lock Keeper arrived as we did and worked us up. A chalked sign announced that Osney Bridge would be closed between 10 and 12 today, but there was plenty of space on the East Street moorings where we could wait.

The rowing clubs looked all gleaming in the sunshine and the dreaming spires were all very well tucked up behind the leaves of the trees.

We went round Folly Bridge to the right a trip boat preparing to show the sights to it’s passengers.

Osney Lock was on self service, our last on the Thames for this trip. The bow rope was all ready on the roof ready to be picked up with the boat hook. We’d just closed the gates behind us when a keeper arrived, he’d been to see how things were progressing at the bridge ahead. He reiterated that there was plenty of space on East Street for us to wait.

Space, blimey! Only three boats moored up along the whole stretch, we’ve never seen it look so empty. We pulled up almost to the far end to wait for the work boat to finish.

An EA work boat a while ago had collided with a water main that runs under the bridge. Today they were putting in a bypass pipe so that the original one could be mended without interruption to the supply. The work boat sat plum in the centre of the bridge, we had a cuppa and waited for midday.

Another two boats arrived behind us, the workmen would be another half hour, maybe an hour.

Then a trip boat arrived, it hovered mid channel next to us waiting for the work boat to move, but move it did not, not until about 12:45. We were out, ropes untied and on our way.

I managed to get a photo of a hole in a pipe, but the proper hole was in a much bigger pipe a little further on, only a quick glance upwards and it looked like bits of wood had been strapped to the hole to stem it’s flow. I didn’t notice a bypass pipe, but then we were through the bridge very quickly.

The right turn into Sheepwash was easy, not much flow to make it a worrying manoeuvre. We turned and waved goodbye to Old Father Thames and headed back towards C&RT waters.

Work is happening at the Swing Bridge to restore it, most of the structure encapsulated in white tarpaulin, so nothing to see.

A boat was pulled up on the pontoon below Isis Lock, waiting for the bridge to open. They kindly asked if we wanted the lock gate opening for us, but we actually wanted the pontoon so that we could fill with water from a handy tap alongside the permanent moorings on the canal. We swapped over and they headed out onto the river.

The water pressure was pretty good and by the time the next boat appeared our tank had just filled. They were wanting to do the same as us so were happy to wait for our hose to be stowed.

A narrow lock! And a pretty one. No heaving or having to bump the gates to get them moving, just a gentle little sigh to let you know it’s ready to move. I know that won’t be the case by the time we reach Somerton Deep Lock, but for now I’ll enjoy the ease of the locks.

We’ve heard the stories of so many boats on the Oxford Canal at the moment. Sadly the canal into Oxford seems to have a bit of a reputation, fortunately for us it meant we had the choice of moorings.

Having spent quite a bit of time here over two winters whilst I’ve been doing panto we know the advantages of where to moor. Nearer Isis Lock you are slightly sheltered from the noise of trains, but the outlook is of the hoardings for the development that may one day actually happen across the canal in Jericho. But this mooring now has a lot of over hanging branches, not so good for solar. Further along you get the view of College Cruisers and the house where the first murder in Inspector Morse happened. Here you get a lot of sunlight, but increased train noises. We chose sun and being nearer to the footbridge.

Tilly was quite happy to be back in this outside, she knows it very well, except someone’s changed it’s colour to green!

3 locks, 2 river, 1 narrow, 4.51 miles, 5o much space at East Street, 1 copper house, 1 hour wait, 1 right, 1 full water tank, 1 washing machine running again, 1 meeting confirmed, 1 get together postponed, 1 menu written, 1 shopping list, 1 Gothel portrait, 1 Dame painted, 1 model totally and utterly complete, 1 cat back in the Oxford outside.

https://goo.gl/maps/TKEfN3YH7w3t9fVW7

Seven Meters. 10th August

Above Days Lock to above Sandford Lock

A lie in, waking to the sun streaming in through our bedroom porthole. Wonderful.

Sadly the clear blue sky didn’t last long, but at least today we wouldn’t get soaked.

We took our time in setting off, eating up some bacon was on the cards so this came accompanied by a few mushrooms and poached eggs, not a full breakfast so no photo today.

The two miles to Clifton Lock has long back gardens coming down to the waters edge on one bank and meadow land on the other.

Along quite a stretch there were diggers with a constant procession of dumper trucks. There were too many for it to be a farmer improving drainage and every now and then we came across a culvert from the river. Is this land going to be built on? I’ve had a quick hunt around on line and it seems that there may be a development near to Little Wittenham, but without trawling through pages of stuff I’m unsure. I just hope the views from our mooring are not affected.

Clifton Hamden Bridge is made of sturdy brick, when built it used to join Oxfordshire on the north bank to Berkshire on the southern, but in 1976 boundaries changed and Oxfordshire engulfed the south bank. The bridge replaced a ferry on the shallow reach of the river where it had been fordable to cattle and horses. But in 1826 on a ceremonial trip from Oxford to London, the Lord Mayor of London’s barge grounded in the shallows here. Weirs upstream had to be lifted to free the barge which was stuck for several hours. This led to the building of Clifton Lock in 1835 along with weirs which improved the depth, but this meant animals could no longer cross so the bridge was built in 1867 designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott.

The lock keeper saw us up Clifton Lock informing us about Whitchurch Lock and it’s broken collar, this was why there were so many Le Boats about, they’d all headed towards Oxford yesterday due to the closure. Looking at the lock gates you can see where recent flood levels have left their mark.

Now we were on the reach where Oleanna had engine troubles two years ago. The river was on yellow boards, stream decreasing. Oleanna was having to force her way upstream and her engine overheated, necessitating the need to lower the anchor shortly after the Appleford Railway Bridge. Link to the post. Today the flow is far less. Mick can now check the engine temperature without having to slide the rear hatch as he’s added a heat sensor to the engine. All seemed as it should be, I still opened the hatch to check the gauge, all good.

At Culham Lock we waited behind a hire boat to go up. The lock is 7′ 11” deep so takes a bit of filling, so we had a wait. Flapping of wings from across the canal from a pigeon who flapped it’s way not very well across the river dipping into the water and eventually landing on our gunnel. It wasn’t happy, maybe it’s wings had got a touch too wet. It made it’s way onto the lock landing and spent an age flapping it’s wings whilst crouching, maybe it was in pain. I considered trying to catch it but Oleanna wouldn’t be the best place for it under the beady eye of Tilly. It managed to fly back across the river into a tree. This is when we noticed what had caused the problem, a mink!

The pigeon managed to fly away, but it’s friend on another branch was very quickly grabbed by the mink, dragged down the trunk of the tree and taken out of sight, possibly into it’s burrow. It took no time at all. After about a minute or two the mink was back out looking for its next victim!

The Lock Keeper squeezed us in behind the hire boat then brought in another narrowboat alongside. Ropes were adjusted on the hire boat in front, their ropes on the stern not really long enough for the job or depth of the lock. Extra turns round bollards and t-studs for the boat we were alongside, I think we had the best position for an easy ride up.

The queue above the lock was several deep, not enough lock layby for them all to tie to. Was this an early indicator of how busy Abingdon would be?

Once round the bend above the weir the other narrowboat overtook us, forging ahead to grab a space.

Abingdon came into view, all picture postcard in the sunshine. We spotted only a couple of spaces we’d have tried to fit in, I suspect they wouldn’t be empty for long.

We’d already been told at the previous lock that Richard the Abingdon Lock Keeper wouldn’t be there, he has been suffering from Long Covid for the last year. So I was all prepared to go and press buttons. However a voluntary volunteer (unofficial) was stood at the panel ready to help people through. He was very chatty and warned us of a sunken boat upstream and told tales of a widebeam taking 4 hours to fill their water tank from the tap above the lock.

Down to a quarter of a tank we wanted a bit of water, a lady was just waiting for her tank to make the ‘boom I’m full’ noise so we waited, hose out claiming our position in the queue.

We were soon attached to the tap, not too much water going everywhere. Looking at the directions our hose would be too long (as would most hoses on narrowboats), but thankfully we still got water. The pressure here was similar to that at the bottom of Hillmorton. We decided we’d do half an hour and then let someone else have use of the tap, which meant we got to about half full.

A pause for lunch and then onwards to Sandford Lock. After a visit to Abingdon from RCR in 2019 Mick had realised that the overheating hadn’t been solved. He kept to the edges of the river where the flow was less, meaning he could keep Oleanna’s revs as low as possible. Today the bollards below the lock were in view, last time I’d been here they were just peeking above flood water. Today I had to use a ladder to assist getting off Oleanna. Up at the lock I’d been beaten to the buttons by a young chap who was only just tall enough to reach the buttons, his Mum and Dad were waiting for the lock below too.

All went well until he hadn’t seen that we’d been joined by another small cruiser, so he started to close the gates as it was coming through. Plenty of shouting meant he removed his finger from the button stopping the gate, phew!

An Oleanna sized hole was waiting for us above the lock, just where we wanted to be for the day. What NO trees! The friendly cover’s a bit sparse too. I remember last time when there were six cats who ganged up against me. I’ve been patient all day for you to finally tie up a good outside and this is what you catch! Can we go back to yesterdays outside? Pleeease!!

With the sun still being out and a grassy mooring we got the barbecue out. Tilly was allowed to stay out with us for a while even though it was after dingding. I’m sure she just stayed out because it’s normally against the rules, not because she wanted to as she didn’t venture far!

4 locks, 12.09 miles, 1 lie in, 2 poached eggs, 1 squeeze, 1 volunteer volunteer, 30 minutes of water, 18m not 7m, 1 sunken boat, 1 meeting arranged, 2 out of 5 options for another, 2ft 6” lower, 1 button presser, 1 unimpressed cat, 4 veg kebabs, 2 salmon steaks, 1 pleasant evening.

PS The Selby Swing Bridge from the basin onto the canal was lifted out yesterday. It is being sent away to be mended, due back in 12 weeks time. So no stopping to press buttons for a while. Not sure where the temporary footbridge is though. Link to photo

So Many Favourites. 9th August

Sonning Lock to above Days Lock

More rain, oh well back on with the waterproofs!

We pushed off at the new normal time of 8am, oh for a lie in! Coming in towards Reading there was a lady carrying a large bag, it looked like she was about to feed the swans, big bag of grain and most probably her Ikea blue bag was full of white sliced bread. But zooming in with the camera I could see her bag contained something else that was white, a swan. She undid velcro fastenings which held the swan safe and then set it free into the river. Then the bag of seed was scattered out for everyone to enjoy.

An interesting extension to an old barge

Near the junction with the K&A we passed the lovely 1905 Dutch barge. The lady on board had been wanting to head up the K&A, but is stuck for the time being. We waved across to her and her Dad, who’d come along to crew for her.

Good job we didn’t want to go shopping at Tescos this morning as all spaces were taken. Onwards through Caversham, the lock on self service. Below the lock the diesel price was 4p cheaper than above, we’ll be needing some before too long but not quite yet.

The house with the round tower balcony and galleon weather vain is one of our favourites along this stretch, it straddles a slot where you could moor a boat.

By the time we reached Mapledurham Lock the Keepers were on duty and the sun was out. The lady wished she’d brought suncream with her, I wished I hadn’t put my winter waterproofs on! A sign warned you to stay to the right at the next bridge, Whitchurch Bridge in Pangbourne, someone apparently has stolen the sign pointing towards the lock!

There were plenty of spaces below along the bank should we have wanted to pull in, maybe ‘next time’. The Lock Keeper was busy chatting in his hut so a walk up and wave to him was needed, we passed through with another boat just before 11. Apparently an hour later the lock was closed. *Another broken collar, hope it doesn’t take as long to mend as at Boveney.

Mick decided it was time for elevenses, I postponed them until we’d passed the Seven Deadly Sins houses. Seven gothic mansions. Were they built by DH Evans to house his seven mistresses or to house seven lady friends of the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII)? No matter who they were built for they are lovely. One has just sold, well half of one, and another is having some TLC, the last one in the line is now more visible than I remembered.

Two years ago you could moor along Beale Park for 48hrs, a short while later sign posts were put up saying ‘No Mooring’, nothing to do with us, we hope! Cruising alongside the park at first we noticed the posts where the old signs had been. Then a blue banner near the island. From her on there are twelve marked 48 hr moorings, payable at £10 a night, refundable if you pay to go in the park. There were a few boats on them, but it was far too early in the day for us, we needed to cover more miles.

Wild swimmers were heading upstream, another downstream, this one wisely wearing an orange cap and dragging a very obvious float behind.

During the day my meeting in Chipping Norton was cancelled, well it had only been a maybe. So we were in flux as to how far to get today as we didn’t need to be in Oxford quite so soon. Then another email came in asking if I would still be going to measure things, this would be useful, but I’d be on my own and with no technicians about! In the end I decided to defer my visit to next week, we could slow down a touch, maybe.

Goring Lock is where Mick and Paul got to on their first day of moving Oleanna from the Kennet and Avon two years ago. The Thames had been in flood and I’d had to abandon ship to go off to work on panto. Mick joined Carol and George for a couple of days whilst waiting for the river to settle down a touch before he and Paul continued on upstream. Today things were far far calmer. The boat we’d shared Whitchurch with joined us and tried for a second time to buy a licence, they also failed for a second time.

Half a mile on is Cleeve Lock, here the lock was on self service so I went up to do the honours, boat hook in hand to pick up our bow rope. The boat we were shared with tried for a third time to buy a licence, maybe I should have said I only accepted cash!

Above the lock is a water point. Here the water sprayed everywhere, possibly a third of what came through the tap actually making it’s way through to the hosepipe. A couple were trying to do something at the water point, huddled under a small umbrella so as not to get soaked!

We pulled in at an available spot for lunch, risking that the weather would change as we ate, this of course is exactly what happened as the heavens opened just as we wanted to move off, this was then the theme for the remainder of the day. Bright sunshine followed by torrential downpours.

Moulsford Prep School is obviously very very popular with the geese of the area. The grassy bank to the river was covered in geese, this was not a gaggle but a gargantugaggle of geese. Just imagine how much goose pooh there must be there!

Onwards to Wallingford. The pretty church spire peeking out from behind the trees. There were a couple of spaces here, but we left them for others. NB Legend ended up mooring here the same year Mick and Paul were fighting their way up the Thames, they were just a few days behind us and ended up having a much longer stay in Wallingford than planned as the river boke it’s banks five times during the winter, followed by the pandemic and the first lockdown.

Above Benson Lock the next batch of Le Boat hire boats were making ready to set off, I think we counted five with crews unpacking. By the time we reached Days Lock we’d caught up with one of them, the Lock Keeper told us to hold our breath as he squeezed us in alongside them, only a couple of inches to spare.

As we left we asked the Keeper if it was still possible to moor on the fields above the lock, we’d heard that a new land owner had put No Mooring signs up. The Lockie said that he thought we might have to pay, maybe on line, but people certainly moored there. This was welcome news, but would our favourite mooring be free?

The first space had new fencing nearby. A stake looked like it had once had a sign on it, the sign possibly now on the ground. We knew we were too deep to pull in there so carried on a short distance. There were no signs along this stretch two years ago and today there were no signs again. The gap was empty and the wind assisted us tucking us into the bank between the two sets of trees, our mooring.

Tilly was straight out, claiming trees and broken branches. Across the field came a buggy, was this the landowner coming for their money? No they went diagonally across the field and out of view, never to return. Obviously our presence wasn’t a problem, we think they were tending their sheep. Tilly stayed out being very busy until I had to call her in at 7, past cat curfew!

Sadly it was a touch too windy and occasionally wet to have a barbeque. Once all the hire boats had gone past the world was calm. The amount of sky though more than made up for it. We’ve spent so much time in London, or in amongst trees, this evening we had a view back. The sunset did not disappoint.

7 locks, 24.36 miles, 4 soakings, 2 very hot boaters, 9 favourite houses, 1 favourite boathouse, 12 moorings back, 6 swimmers, 1 tight squeeze, 11ses, 2nd broken collar, 1 river behaving this time, 3 kingfishers, 1 favourite mooring, 1 stunning sunset, 2 week gap found, 1 happy cat, 3rd day in a row Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/utNPSG11ckRQFPmXA

Even A Kitchen Sink. 4th August

Lock 89 to Ontario Bridge 205A

Time to check that the drier still worked, thankfully it does and it finished off our bedding and towels wonderfully during todays cruise.

Our nearest neighbours Mike and Pam on NB Two Jays-Bray got chatting to Mick, our whirligig and pram cover had caught their attention. New to boating life they have come over from Cape Town to live a life afloat for a couple of years, they’ve only been on board full time for just over two weeks and are still adjusting to living afloat. It was nice to meet you, maybe we’ll bump into you up the way somewhere.

With all the washing brought inside it was time to move on. Back passed the Slough Arm and onwards past Bulls Bridge where the Scout boat had just come out from the junction and was headed for the water point. We waved to Rod and Nor, but no one was looking, maybe we’ll see them on the Thames.

How does all that stuff fit on their roof?

At Norwood Top Lock a volunteer lock keeper was tending to plants and helped with the lock gates. A second lady in blue appeared assisted by her four legged litter picker, she went down to set the lock below for us. Were we heading all the way down, both of them asked. Well it was lunch time, so we planned to pause for something to eat after the top two locks before carrying on down the Hanwell flight.

We paused just before Three Bridges for food then carried on to the flight. Today’s photo of Oleanna, MIik and the bridges wasn’t so good, think I peeked a month ago!

The ladies had said they’d had two boats go down the flight earlier on today and every lock we came to was empty. From the top lock I could see a chap below opening the bottom gates of the next but one lock. He must have been single handing a widebeam I thought as both gates were open, he then headed back to the previous lock for his boat. We waited a while but then decided to drop our lock, there was lots of water coming down.

Leaving both gates for him we headed to the next lock where he was just arriving. Not on his own, he was actually accompanied by a lady who looked quite heftily pregnant and a dog, hence him doing all the work, she positioned a chair by the lock and sat to watch.

I waited for instructions, the chap wanted the gate paddle lifting. I checked he didn’t mean the ground paddle first, oh no! His cruiser sat well back in the lock and the gate paddles opened gradually, the boat should be okay. So I did as asked. I don’t think he had any intention of opening the ground paddles, until I suggested it might speed things up, his partner looking rather hot and in need of some shade.

He said they’d started the flight at 11 this morning it was now about 2:30! No wonder if he’d only been opening one set of paddles. One lock he said had taken forever to fill, about an hour! Oh well, each to their own.

We carried on down in the ever increasing sunshine. My mind had decided a few days ago that it was now autumn and I hadn’t bothered putting sun cream on. With a shorter sleeved t-shirt on today than normal the paler tops of my arms gradually became a good shade of pink!

The bottom lock was turned as we came into the second to last chamber, we waited for the crew below to start filling before dropping the water from ours, we then swapped in the pound inbetween.

Going downhill is that bit quicker than going up, but we’d done the flight in an hour and a quarter, wonder what time the cruiser finished?

We pootled our way along. Should we stop here near The Fox or carry on that bit further? With supplies onboard we’d not be eating out, but space can be at a premium in Brentford so we pulled in just about where we’d been moored after the tideway cruise and let Tilly off to explore.

With the last of the roast chicken from Saturday I made a pie. A couple of leeks, tarragon, white wine sauce, mushrooms and some feta cheese were added to the chicken. All topped off with a chestnut flour short crust pastry. All very very tasty, just a shame the sweetcorn that accompanied it wasn’t up to scratch. What did I expect, it’s not as if it’s in season yet.

8 locks, 7.6 miles, 2 straight ons, 2 lady lock keepers, 1 canine lock keeper, 3.5 hours plus! 1 familiar outside again, 2 pink arms, 1 wizened corn on the cob, 1 of the best homemade pies ever (hence recording what went in it for next time).

PS. If you happen to be around Huddersfield, pop up to the Piazza Shopping Centre where Dark Horse have an exhibition of The Garden which became their online production last summer. All my illustrations are on display and every hour you can get to see the final animated production.

https://goo.gl/maps/oStuZw4syfHdNZob7

Cancelations. 2nd August

Uxbridge

First job this morning was to ring the washing machine people to see if the new circuit board had arrived and when they could come out to us. The lady on the other end of the phone knew exactly where we were moored, she’s been to the pub and sat looking at the boats moored alongside. It kind of helps being close to where the company is based. An appointment was made for tomorrow morning.

A morning going nowhere would be wasted without a cooked breakfast

Next we needed to cancel two bookings with C&RT as we’d booked passage through Thames Lock, Brentford to Teddington. We’d not been able to cancel them on line over the weekend so Mick rang them up. There is a long spiel about C&RT not tolerating abusive behaviour towards their staff before you get to speak to someone. Just what is the boating world coming to!

Passages are now cancelled and another one is made, here’s hoping we can keep to this one.

Next as we are sitting right next to a car park we booked a Sainsburys delivery, I thought I’d booked it for tomorrow morning, but when I went back to it to add things it was saying Wednesday! Now there weren’t any slots available, grrr! I cancelled the order, tried to get a Tesco delivery, but they won’t deliver to business premises. Morrisons don’t deliver in this area. A Click and Collect was considered, but at what time? Hard to know when waiting for something to be fixed. So I wrote out a list instead, one of us would have to go shopping.

Oleanna was due a 250 hour service, so Mick donned his overalls and lifted the engine boards. Tilly complained at not being allowed out. I ordered some samples of fabric to be sent to Chippy for me to pick up when I visit in a couple of weeks.

There are a few things we prefer to buy from Sainsburys, wood cat litter being one of them. You would think that wood pellets were pretty much the same everywhere, but I can confirm that Sainsburys ones absorb more odour than Tescos. They fluff up nicer too for our separating toilet.

So I walked up to Sainsburys to buy a bag, stopping off at Halfords to see if they had some Meguiars Ultimate Compound (thank you Irene for the suggestion) to try to remove the scratches from the cabin sides. One bottle bought, Oleanna just needs a good wash now then Mick can have a go at the scratches.

I spent much of the afternoon hunting through 250 pages of neon clothing on Vinted, a site where you can sell your old clothes. I’m needing nine neon tops for #unit21. With a tight budget I need to know something will fit before making a purchase so I’ve asked numerous scantly clad young ladies for bust measurements of their tops. The things you do as a Theatre Designer!

Kate Fassnidge left land and property to the community of Uxbridge

Mick later in the afternoon noticed that there was now a delivery slot for tomorrow morning with Sainsburys. He checked with the pub that it would be okay to get a delivery and they were fine about it, the ANPR isn’t currently working anyway. So the written list was converted into a virtual one again.

For sometime I’ve been meaning to start doing paintings of waterways, think I’ve mentioned it before. Our trip through London along the Thames gave me lots of reference photos so I’ve decided to start there. But where to start exactly? I considered linking bridges together, but with over twenty in that one day this would be hard. Instead I’m going to go for a circular view between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge so as to include the Tattershall Castle, Houses of Parliament (I’ll remove the scaffolding on Big Ben) and the London Eye. Today I’ve sketched out some ideas, a more detailed sketch will be needed before I start on the actual painting.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 passages cancelled, 1 booked, 1 engineer coming, 2 cooked breakfasts, 1 order made, 1 order cancelled, 1 order made again, 250 hours, 9 litres oil, 10L of cat litter, 1 bottle Ultimate Compound, 250 pages of clothes, 2 many nipples, 35.8 what? 1 exhibition, 1st ideas, TV signal reduced to 0 today.

Ping! 1st August

Ballot Box Bridge to Uxbridge Lock, Grand Union

As it was Sunday we enjoyed having a read of our Saturday newspaper with a cuppa before we got up, so we didn’t push off until almost 10am. Our aim today was to fill the diesel tank as the last time was a top up at St Pancras Cruising Club nearly a month ago. Also getting ourselves out west will hopefully help in getting an engineer back out to look at the washing machine.

Last weekend (I think) there was a big litter pick along the Paddington Arm, masses of rubbish was collected by volunteers and their efforts showed today, the arm looking much cleaner. Occasionally there was a sign attached to fencing asking people to please use the bins provided, here’s hoping!

The boat of fame we’d seen on our way in, decorated with graffiti looks like it is getting ready for it’s next makeover, the port side greyed out, maybe the starboard side is already repainted!

With intermittent showers I retired below. An email from the Production Manager for panto had just arrived, so I was able to give it a bit of attention. Checking felt samples and fabrics. Hopefully we may actually get to meet up at the theatre in the near future, which would be excellent to look at various things that are very much dependant on the structures back stage.

What looked like a lighthouse towards Bulls Bridge Junction turned out to be a tower on a self storage place. Then a very neatly painted NB Orpheus came into view, a very proud owner at the stern. This boat reminded us of the boat that pulled in alongside us in Llangollen Christmas 2017, both have slipper sterns and classical features.

At the junction I went to stand on the bow to give a thumbs up for a clear way ahead.

NB Driftwood was sat on the Tesco moorings, we wondered if they’d still be there when we come back. We turned right and headed northwards. Past a bus depot. Bindweed taking over the world. Under Murderer’s Bridge. Past NB Anglewood whom we’d shared locks with up towards Marsworth weeks ago.

At Cowley, two yellow eyed white cats sat on the roof of their boat. Below the lock we spotted a big sign advertising the sale of a house boat on it’s mooring. Even with a mooring and conservatory I think I’d have still tried to tidy up the outside a touch! Anyway if we had the money the lock cottage is still for sale and much more appealing.

Signs instructed to leave the top lock gate as we found it, water spilling over the bottom gates. C&RT were sending water down to somewhere. The Malt Shovel has new extra tables along the towpath, but considering it was a Sunday lunchtime there weren’t many takers.

Getting closer to Uxbridge it looked like our way ahead was blocked. A zoom in with the camera and I could see there was a very new widebeam coming past the pontoons alongside where the towpath is being upgraded. A lady stood at the bow, walkie talkie in hand. At the stern a chap at the wheel a lady looking down the starboard side. We wondered if it had been dropped in at Bridgewater Basin as No Problem XL had, it was certainly a new Collingwood boat.

Approaching Denham Marina a boat was just winding at the entrance. L plates on the side of NB Willum, there were three ladies on the stern. Blasts of forwards and reverse got them round then they headed back up into the lock for some more training.

We turned into the empty service mooring. Hang on the chain was across! But it’s not a Wednesday and it was just gone 2pm, they don’t close until 3!

A laminated sign on the chain announced that they were closed until 9th August, they had been pinged. Mick had tried calling this morning, but got no answer, I suspect they had just found out and were busy laminating the signs before self isolating. Hope everyone stays well.

We winded and found ourselves a space on the visitor moorings. With a quarter of a tank of diesel we need to find some soon, especially as we’ll be heading out onto the Thames. The afternoon was spent ringing several places, yes we can fill up at Packet Boat, but they reportedly only do a split of 60/40. Messages were sent to coal boats but none replied.

At least our mooring should be good for an engineer to visit, even if we have to put up with a very vocal cat in the meantime, shore leave is not deemed safe here.

1 lock, 11.74miles, 1 right, £215k, £580k, 1 mooring sorted, 1 campsite sorted, 1 plan coming together, 1 marina pinged, 0 diesel, 0.25 of a tank, 1 vocal cat, 1 green felt missing.

https://goo.gl/maps/u5B2Eq15AUBHGxhF7

Two Bricks In The Amber. 26th July

Hunsdon Lock to Broxbourne Bridge

With all the rain yesterday we knew the river would have come up. The small weir that lads had been paddling in on our way upstream the other day was now a torrent of water, not sure you’d have been able to stand up in it today. I looked downstream from the lock the level was certainly higher, would the railway bridge below Roydon be passable?

We dropped down the lock and quite speedily made our way to Roydon Lock. There were quite a few boats moored on the pound. Signs along this stretch suggest you should find alternative moorings as the levels change quickly.

At the lock one bottom gate paddle was half raised, presumably to help lower the pound. There are also sluice gates further upstream that were raised sending water down.

The gauge below the bridge is quite hard to gauge, unless your boat is lowered to the level below. So we brought Oleanna into the lock and dropped her down. When level with the pound/reach below the top of our horns (highest fixed point on Oleanna) were just about level with the top mortar line of the lock. Tracing this across to the gauge and nudging Oleanna forwards we deemed the river to be two bricks in the amber, ‘Proceed with caution’.

The red line where Oleanna’s horns would come to, 2 bricks into the Amber

Two bricks in the amber was nearer red than green. Two low bridges to go under, which we might just make, but there is also a sharp left hand bend which with the increased flow would make it a touch hard to skid round. If we’d been heading upstream then maybe we’d have given it a go, you can go slowly heading into the current and stop should needs be.

Below the lock, river to the right and river to the left

Mick reversed Oleanna back into the lock, I closed the bottom gates and we refilled the lock, reversed out onto the lock landing, pulling as far back as we could and left the gates open should anyone else arrive from above.

A chap from a boat moored there said the level yesterday had been right up to the top of the lock and spilling over the bottom gates. The lady at the lock cottage said if we had no rain today we should be fine by the end of the day. All we had to do was wait, so that is what we’d do, Tilly taking advantage of the spare hours.

A message came from Hackney that the washing machine circuit board had arrived! Hooray!! With time on our hands Mick headed off to the station to catch a train in to Stratford to collect it.

During the morning I had a quote through for the set build of #unit21. Apparently the cost of materials has shot up in the last few months, I’m not surprised. Grahams quote thus was a touch more than I’d been hoping for. I need to get my budget in to the Producer by the end of the week, so we’ll see what she reckons as I know we’ve already trimmed away quite a lot of what we were wanting.

At about 1:15pm I could hear a boat arriving. One lock gate was slightly closed so would need opening up for them to enter the lock, so I went to lend a hand. NB Otter had things on it’s roof and the chap on board was aware of the low bridges ahead, but wasn’t aware of how the gauge worked below the lock. By now the 16.5 bricks below the green had increased to 18.5 so at least another 6 inches. Once Otter was lowered, it looked like it would still be in the amber, but nearer the green. The chap dropped his solar panel off it’s chocks, Tidied his roof, removing any plant pots, crossed his fingers and set off.

He didn’t return.

Then emails from the Production Manager of Panto started coming in. At least she was wanting to communicate with me! A quote for the build needed checking through that nothing had been missed, a village hall is being sought for me to paint in the week prior to rehearsals and the final costs of printed cloths were being added into the budget.

Of course poor Mick arrived back as I was working my way through the quote and was told ‘I’m busy!’ ‘No, I need to concentrate’ ‘Shhhh’. Tilly had already retired to the bedroom to keep out of my way.

Once work emails were sent, we made ready to push off again. Two C&RT chaps had walked past going to close sluices up stream saying the level was just about back to normal now. Mick removed the black buckets and coal from the roof. Oleanna dropped down in the lock, the level below had risen a touch since NB Otter had gone through. Still in the amber but far closer to the green, we’d go for it.

Zoomy down the river. Around a bend. There was THE bridge. All looked good several inches to spare. We’d have had difficulty earlier on. Under we limbod out through the other side.

The next bridge, arched, was now a breeze. A boat was heading towards us with a raised cratch, we both looked at each other, lined their cratch up with the top of our horns. It would very much be touch and go for them to get under the bridge. We mentioned this to them as they sped past us, at least they’d be able to slow down.

Their cratch a few inches taller than our horns. Eeek!

The sharp turn under the other bridge was handled by Mick and we were safe.

Brick lock with it’s leaking top gates took forever to empty, but with patience it did eventually. Below Lower Lock a group of boats has gathered and labelled the off side as Pirate Collective Pollenglish. Back to the junction with the River Lee and the end of the River Stort.

Boats were using the services below the lock, so there was no hoping back onboard below, a little walk was needed to find a suitable spot. Pylons of the Lee now escorted us back to Dobbs Weir Lock where two magnet fishers were hard at work, it didn’t look like they’d caught much.

At Carthagena Lock a boat was just leaving, the gates left for us. Brilliant! Except there was a breasted up pair hiding amongst the masses waiting to go down. We took our revs off and glided into the side to wait our turn.

We helped the pair down. If anyone would like a couple of painted watering cans they have been left for anyone to pick up just by the lock. Mick helped with the annoying bottom gates, thankfully as we left they weren’t too much bother.

Fingers crossed that a mooring would be available at Broxbourne. Most boats want solar for 14 days, so we were lucky in that there was space for us under the trees. We’d also quite like some solar, but cruising for a few hours a day means it’s not as imperative to us.

Too late in the day for Tilly to go out she was plied with her evening dingding to placate her. After we’d eaten our evening dingding Mick pulled the washing machine out to replace the circuit board. Would it work? Only a few more days of pants left in the clean drawer!

Well, we’ll be looking for a laundrette in the next couple of days! Sadly the circuit board hadn’t worked. We will regroup in the morning and decide how to progress.

7 locks, 1 twice, 4.93 miles, 1 left, 2 bricks, 16.5 bricks, 5.5 hours wait, 2 trains, 2 buses, 2 quotes, 1 dog peed rope, 1 bucket water, 1 bollard cat claimed, 18.5 bricks, 1 cratch 2 high, 1 breasted up boats, 2 watering cans, 1 circuit board, 1 broken machine still.

https://goo.gl/maps/NDk3dsBBMDKefRpf8

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna