Tyrley Visitor Moorings to Cowley Double Road Bridge 31
One boat passed
Last to leave this morning, we followed on behind a while later. A short distance ahead Woodseaves Cutting, narrow and prone to land slips. You need to keep your speed down and enjoy being below masses of trees all clinging on for dear life. Last time we came along here it was March, it’s a very very different place in June. The large boulders that had sat on the towpath three years ago have been moved, somehow!
High bridges and sooo much green
It’s magical down in the depths of what feels like a rainforest, all the time you just hope no one will be coming in the opposite direction. The two boats we did meet we met at places where thankfully there was space to pass.
The Shropie was built with its locks in flights, then the canal maintains it’s height through cuttings and embankments. Mick enjoyed the views on the embankments and then the cool shade from the cuttings whilst I did my best not to get too distracted below and carry on with model making.
Subtle differences
It took quite a while to get a new version of the Town Square clock made, then I could move onto Cinderella’s house. Several scenes meld into one, so a hallway has to transform into a boudoir into a very lonely place. Sadly the archways I’d already cut out just didn’t do the job so a new set were drawn out on paper before being offered up in my model box.
I bobbed back up top as we came past Shebdon where NB Percy sits on her new mooring, one day we’ll get to meet Nev. A nice mooring with views.
Chatting away
A chap stood in a bridge hole chatting away to people on the offside. As Oleanna came through the bridge a lady shouted out ‘How did your panto go?’ It was Ann from NB Caspar whom we’d met last summer in St Ives (not the one in Cornwall) on the Great Ouse. We managed a short chat as we passed by then pulled in close to Anchor Bridge for some lunch.
Grub Street soon followed, another excuse to be up top. Was the lovely car still there? Yes. Could I take a slightly different photo of High Bridge with it’s telegraph pole? Not really. In amongst the friendly cover there was a shelter made from branches, the tarpaulin slipped under the weight of falling debris making it not that water proof.
Norbury Junction looking soo summery
At Norbury Junction we pulled in so that Mick could visit the chandlery whilst we topped up on water. At last we had a float switch! That will keep Mick busy on a day when we’re not moving.
Just a small section of the mooring
More work, more excuses to look out of the hatch at Gnosall. We passed an oncoming boat in the narrow section whilst passing the mooring with Soo much stuff that entertains the eye as you pass.
Improved Town Square
We were now on the look out for a suitable mooring possibly for a barbeque this evening. We soon found one between bridges 31 and 30. Here we could get in to the side, a wide towpath, the long grass having been flattened by previous boaters. Perfect.
Well until you looked up at the sky! The wind was picking up and dark dark clouds were coming overhead. Maybe they’d just pass us by, I made some burgers and rested them in the fridge just as the heavens opened, we’d be cooking them inside tonight. The rain didn’t bother Tilly too much, but she soon returned home after some loud claps of thunder.
0 locks, 13.1 miles, 1 straight on, 2 many distractions, 1 clock, 2 arches, 1 hot humid day, 1 Great Ouse boat, 1 blogging boat, 1 busy pub, 2 wet for a barbeque, 1 soggy moggy.
George Greaves Bridge to Little Leigh Aqueduct 205, Trent and Mersey Canal
Waking early with plenty of sunshine streaming in through the windows along with the weekly Geraghty zoom this morning meant there was ample time for Mick to cook breakfast, back to the usual standards today.
Is that better Ade?
Zoom topics included relocating snails, foxes relocating shoes, a green soft top Ford Consul and which was quicker the Bakerloo or Northern line?
The covers were ready for a speedy departure, pushing off at 11am. Ahead lay Preston Brook Tunnel which is open to southbound boats from 30 to 40 minutes past the hour. Did we have enough time to reach it before the next window had expired?
Straight on for the tunnel
Not too many moored boats to slow our progress. Midland Chandlers is closed on Sundays so a new float switch couldn’t be purchased, that will have to wait a while longer. A boat coming from the tunnel towards us carried on at a narrow section, we had to hold back a touch, didn’t the chap know we had only a few minutes to spare and he was rapidly using them up!
Bang on time!
Thankfully we made it to the northern portal just as the clock reached 11:30, bang on time!
With life jackets on, big torch at the stern, head light on and cabin lights too we went straight in leaving the Bridgewater Canal behind. *It’s been a while since we’ve been through Preston Brook Tunnel, in fact we can’t quite remember when it last was, have to check the blog. Thankfully it wasn’t too wet.
That’s a bit of a queue
As we popped out the southern portal a line of boats were sat waiting for their turn, five in total. There was nobody behind us, but the lead boat was going to wait a few more minutes before setting off.
Preston Brook stop lock was left open for us. A height difference of about 2inches, the water flowing over the top of the top gates. Blimey these small gates were a touch hard to move, considering their small size they were rivalling some of the gates at Wigan.
Time to get back to work for me. Model making equipment had been dug out from under the dinette before we pushed off this morning. Now to pull out some white mount board and get started. I thought I’d checked my stocks and seen a full sheet of white and a good amount of black, but someone had already used at least a third of each! Oh! Would I have enough to make the basics?
Careful cutting was required and I had just enough white card for every bit of model including a front cloth. But should I change my mind and need to remake anything (which is quite likely) I may well be short. It may be a week before I can restock my card supplies as Middlewich doesn’t have an art shop! Eek!!
A shoe box of bits
Being slightly ahead of our schedule meant we’d not be needing to do the full four hours cruise today. We carried on past where we were meant to stop for the day and found a sun puddle to sit in quarter of an hour away from Saltersford Tunnel. Here our solar could keep topping up the batteries for a bit and Tilly could have a very good afternoon, Good Afternoon! See you later.
I managed to get the majority of my initial white card model made, just the Town Square left for tomorrow then I can put it all in the model box and see what needs altering and if I need more card sooner rather than later.
1 lock (if you can call it that!), 6 miles, 1 straight on, 2 canals, 1272 yards of tunnel, 2 mysterons, 5 waiting, 1 basic white card nearly done, 0.75 sheet of card, 5 hours shore leave, 64 instead of 68 stitches.
*We last went through Preston Brook Tunnel in May 2019.
Plank Lane to almost Dunham School Bridge, Bridgewater Canal
Our start was delayed by Mick having to return the car to Enterprise this morning. As I worked on a couple of new ideas for panto, scribbling them down in my sketch book John was sending through new ideas and new excerpts from the script. I had to pause to read through what he was sending and adjust things accordingly.
Once Mick was back we soon were ready to push off. It suddenly got very busy! NB Petroc was pulling in for water and then most probably to use the bridge. As we pulled out another two boats approached, one immediately taking our mooring the other pulling in behind the line of moored boats.
Being on the flat for a few days it’s time for me to take advantage of not being needed to work locks or bridges and crack on with work. A planned place to pull up for lunch was agreed, this would coincide with a zoom meeting with John.
I stayed up top to pass Pennington Flash a very popular mooring, we’d have moved up last night if there hadn’t been the car to return. Then it was time to scan images, add a few new references to folders I’ve shared with John, all the time keeping an eye open as to where we were. In Leigh I popped up top as we said farewell to the Leeds Liverpool and hello to the Bridgewater Canal, you now have to book your passage on the C&RT website before entering.
Marsh Orchid?
Mick pulled Oleanna into the bank at 12:40 right alongside what I thought were orchids. My meeting went well, just a couple of small adjustments and things I want to alter when I make the white card model. We’ve come up with a slightly different idea regarding the coach, normally the design is based around a pumpkin, well I’m not going to say anymore as I don’t want to spoil it for those who’ve already booked tickets.
Cruising through builders tea
No stopping here or the day, we have a schedule to keep up with and today we needed to skirt round Manchester. A boat came past just as we were ready. This chap was cruising whilst his dog followed him along on the towpath. The boat’s speed left something to be desired! We trundled along in and out of gear following.
Tilly likes the drawing board
With my drawing board set up on the dinette table I got on with sketching out a groundplan and trying to solve problems I’ve given myself. The flying bars just aren’t quite in the right place and an angled wall is a touch annoying, but I’ll get there.
Landmarks still need to be seen. Worsley with it’s half timbered building and orange water. There were a couple of interesting boats moored at the boatyard and photos were being taken of a wedding party.
Very blue today
I managed a photo of the lighthouse and then made sure I waved towards our friend Cat who lives just by the M602. Then it was time to be back up on deck as we approached the Barton Swing Aqueduct, thankfully no ships were passing on the Ship Canal today so we could cross without a long wait.
On the far side of the aqueduct a boat faced us, a zoom in with the camera showed that it was moored to the bridge bollards, hope it’s left enough space for a widebeam to get past!
Onwards past the Trafford Centre to Waters Meeting. I bobbed my head out of the bow doors to make sure Mick would be turning right. Just because I’m working doesn’t mean I can shirk my navigational duties.
Not THE facade
Mick thinks there were more boats moored on the Bridgewater than he remembers, meaning our progress was slower. Through Sale and on to Altringham where I bobbed back outside again so that I could see what has happened with the development at the Linotype Works. The clock tower still stands and the base of a chimney, but where was the frontage? Had they removed the writing?
He doesn’t like them either!
No, the iconic building which was going to be converted into flats was deemed not structurally sound, so had to be taken down. The developers are going to rebuild it using as much of the original materials as possible as it’s a listed building. Have to say we don’t think a lot of the new builds surrounding it, in fact they are pretty ugly from the canal, maybe they are more eye pleasing from the road.
This has potential!
Not far now, we’d wanted to moor near to Dunham Massey tonight, but time was ticking on. So as soon as we reached somewhere green enough without a nearby road we pulled in and gave Tilly three quarters of an hour of shore leave. At first she didn’t think much of it, too many runners and woofers. But then she must have discovered the meadow behind the fence, she was gone for quite a while. I heard her bell, only to find that she’d found a friend to bring home. A badly timed walker on the towpath meant Tilly headed for Oleanna where the front doors were open and a chink in the cratch cover allowed her access! Damn!!!
Soon after we’d settled in we were joined by another three boats, at least one setting up a barbecue. We settled for Crispy Lemon stir fried chicken.
0 locks, 18.8 miles, 2 canals, 1 right, 1 aqueduct, 1 wave to Cat, 1 thumbs up, 1 pumpkin in the room, 1 sketch groundplan, 2 portals drawn up, 1 iconic building gone, 1 friend or should I say starter! 1 almost Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
Back in Scarborough Mick happened to arrive the day after a builder had been to do some work on our roof. Hopefully the areas we can’t see have been done as well as those we can. Mick also discovered a blocked drain. As we’ve been paying for insurance for such things he made a phone call for someone to come out today to unblock it. Unfortunately this meant extending the car hire as he’d never make it back across the Pennines in time. So slightly more expensive than it should have been, but better to get it sorted today.
Lots of tall greenery
The front flower bed, which had our first humanmade compost added earlier this year is thriving! Mick sprinkled on some wild flower seeds to add to anything left from last year. We’ve still to see any flowers other than the bluebells that have been there for years.
Meanwhile back on Oleanna.
Boats have been coming and going most of the day. The Hotel Boat Lady Teal came past the chap at the helm giving a running commentary to guests sat on the roof. This was far more convivial than the language being used on a shiny widebeam between husband and wife. I thought boating was meant to be relaxing, life better by water and all that! I’m not sure what the argument was about, but I don’t give their wonderful life afloat together long!
A little taster
Act 2 of panto was re-read and scribbled sketches made. I’d thankfully finished in time to join a webinar at 11am.
Nebo is a boat logging app that was developed by Stephen Winter in Australia. It tracks your journeys and then sends you a report at the end of a days cruise. You can also use it to share your journeys and information with other boaters and friends. We first came across it when the Goole Escape happened, our friend David suggested it so that we’d all be able to see where we were on the Ouse as we headed to Selby.
Every now and then we used it to track our journeys during the following year and when we heard that Water Explorer was going to be no more we hunted round for a different way to track our journeys. Nebo came to the front and we’ve been using it for every journey since January. It’s use by narrowboaters has increased this year, more dots appearing on the map, so the chaps at Nebo wanted to do a webinar to go through new features that they will be launching in a week or so and to get feedback from boaters here in the UK, especially on the inland waterways as Nebo was mainly developed for use at sea and on rivers. It’s used extensively in Australia and the USA.
Stephen explained how the tracking works, the app which you can download onto a phone or tablet uses GPS to track your movements through Geofences, octagonal (I think he said) areas that can be identified as locations. We were shown how the geofences work around Sydney Harbour. Here in the UK they are working hard to geofence the inland waterways. So far on our journeys this year we only get the occasional named place that we’d been through or visited. On none geofenced stretches you get co-ordinates instead.
They are working at adding locks and tunnels so that you can see how long you were underground and log how many locks you’ve been through. Currently we have to do this manually, which lets face it isn’t that hard, but it would be nice if the report you get at the end of the day listed when you travelled through these.
Photos can be uploaded to show features to other users. You can chat to boats that are ahead of you, send messages and display your clubs burgee should you want to. It could make for quite a social app.
As an alternative to the app you can buy a Nebolink which is wired into your boats battery bank and has a GPS and a sim card built in. This will automatically track your journeys, starting as you move from a mooring and stopping after you’ve been stationary for a while. As with the app on a phone this will send you a daily log of your days voyages. Here’s ours from yesterday. Each month you also get a monthly report.
With the new version there will be new features such as being able to see previous journeys you’ve made should you want to.
Feedback was invited from the 18 or so UK boaters. Geofencing locks, bridges and tunnels was a main request. You can also give people a link to be able to track your location, this is being improved in the new version.
There was also the suggestion that maybe stoppage notices could be added, heights of bridges, lock dimensions, locations of services. All useful navigational information if you are using the app on a phone as you cruise.
Waterway Routes
We use Waterway Routes for this information, it is very comprehensive. Information includes types of moorings, duration of moorings, towpath types access onto towpaths, winding holes (and their available length), water points, elsans, pump outs, rubbish bins, recycling bins, diesel, gas, boatyards etc. etc. All sorts of information that are useful for boaters and towpath users. We know it is as up to date and as accurate as it can be. As we travel we help update details giving Paul five figure grid references of things we spot that have changed. Paul travels the waterways himself both by boat and by bike regularly, quite an undertaking.
Many a boater will sing the praises of Open Canal Map which is free and can be updated by users, but the accuracy isn’t, for want of a better word, policed. When we’ve looked at it in an area we’re in we find mistakes or old information which isn’t helpful. .
Nebo is having an upgrade in the next few weeks with three levels of subscription. Starter which is free. Silver and Gold (which uses a nebolink) will be subscription based. I believe everyone will get a chance to see what is offered with a silver subscription for a month for free when it is first launched.
We look forward to more geofencing of the UK waterways and may upgrade ourselves to the silver subscription. If they develop a wifi version of nebolink I suspect we will purchase one, but for navigational information we will stick with Waterway Routes. I can’t see that Nebo would ever have such copmprehensive and up to date information as Waterway Routes currently has.
A very informative webinar and nice to meet, even if on line, the Founder and CEO who I think have found a hole to fill in the UK.
The rest of the day was spent working on sketches for panto, working in adjustments I’d talked about with John. I got a third story board together, but suspect there is still more to do.
Chap in a flat cap
A walk around the new housing opposite, showed the use of astroturf and real hedging. I came across a couple of sculptures. One to mark the Bickershaw Colliery Disaster in 1932 where twenty miners entered the cage to lower them down the number three shaft to the pit face. During the descent the equipment malfunctioned and descended too far submerging it and the miners into a flooded chamber at the bottom of the shaft. Only one miner survived.
Carved from a tree
In the centre of the development is a carving of Private Alfred Wilkinson. Alfred was in the Manchester Regiment and was a recipient of the Victoria Cross for volunteering to deliver a message in Marou France in 1918, being exposed to extreme gunfire for 600 yards. He died at the age of 43 in 1940 of carbon monoxide poisoning at Bickershaw Colliery.
When’s Tom going to be home?!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 blocked drain, 1 extra day with a car, Act 2, 3rd storyboard, 1hour nebo, 1 wave to David and Tim, 7:45pm return.
No need to rush this morning as we’d only got a short distance to cover. So a cuppa in bed was enjoyed then over breakfast I added notes to my sketches for panto and sent them off so that John could have a good look before my meeting with him later on in the day.
Surely we can stay another day!
We pushed off at around10:30 and pootled our way towards Plank Lane. Passing the Dover Lock Inn, it’s such a sad sight. It’s been empty for years and has certainly had an inferno inside. A sign along the towpath says ‘Canalside Care The Dover Lock Inn, Working in partnership to improve the local environment’ ! Wonder how long that’s been there?
What a sorry state
Soon we arrived at Plank Lane. The bridge here forms part of a busy road and time limits have been put on it so as not to hold up the traffic during rush hour. You cannot work the panel between 8 – 9:30am and 4:30 – 6pm. We were well out of those times, but I still had to wait a while before I felt there was a gap in the traffic.
Red light is for traffic from the car park
Pressing the OPEN button seemingly does nothing for a while, that seems to let any cars waiting through the bridge before it drops the barriers. By the time all traffic lights turned red I’d already caught a few cars. At panels like this I always make sure I read the instructions before operating the bridge. Press and hold today.
Open sesame!
Looking up from the panel there was a newish sign in blue saying not to open the bridge all the way up, but just enough to get through, as when fully opened it may get stuck! You would be seriously unpopular then!
A top up of the water tank, the pressure now we’re on the flat considerably less than up in the hills, this took quite some time. Should we pull up behind the next boat or carry on a little bit further? Further was preferable so that Tilly was less likely to head towards the road. Spikes hammered in, cat let out.
This would do us for the night. I spent the afternoon quickly jotting down some new ideas to show John I’d had this morning, then realised that my meeting was via teams. We’ve only used Teams once about two years ago, clicking the link to join the meeting with just a couple of minutes before it started wasn’t wise. Updates, then passwords that had to be changed as we seemingly didn’t remember the correct one. Then it said no way! My IT department deserted me to cycle off to collect a car! All really annoying, but John and I got there in the end via zoom.
Has Liz Truss been along here?
My meeting was good, my basic setting was given a big thumbs up, but I’d maybe been being a touch cautious on the built pieces of scenery. The budget hasn’t risen this year, so this was a good thing. But with a director who wants to push the budget to it’s maximum there were plenty of new ideas to add to the mix. Numerous notes were taken and I’d just put them into understandable order when Mick returned.
He loaded the car with a big bag of washing and our first bucket of offerings for this year to return to the house. He also dropped off a large click and collect shopping order that needed stowing away. Then off he headed back to Scarborough for the night, checking on Olivia our new lodger and to wash our socks and pants, along with a dentist appointment tomorrow.
Sunset over the basin opposite
Boats arrived to fill with water, others carried on through the lift bridge, plenty of footfall on the towpath that Tilly managed to dash her way through to the friendly cover. An evening of working my way back through panto, Act 1 completed new squiggles of ideas. Tomorrow I’ll do Act 2 and then translate the squiggles for others to view.
Yummy!
Prawn and pea risotto tonight for me and a Tempo Special for Mick, both things we each like but the other one doesn’t. Looking at Facebook this evening I came across news from Peter Baxter the volunteer at Wigan. More pounds on the flight had been drained last night on the flight so passage had been impossible again today. Thankfully the pound worst affected isn’t that big, so the hope is that tonight the bywashs will top it up sufficiently to be used tomorrow. This does mean though that volunteers may not be quite where boaters would like them to be (right ahead of them) as they may be doing more important things managing the water down the flight so passage is possible all the way up or down.
0 locks, 2 miles, 1 lift bridge, 14 held up, 1 full water tank, 2 boxes wine, 6 bottles, 1 slightly squished melon, 1 panto meeting, 2 pages notes, 1 bag of dirty washing transported to Scarborough, 10C lower than at Plank Lane.
Getting a little ahead of ourselves was intentional, so that I could have a day to concentrate on work. Not needing to totally take over the dinette table yet meant that Mick didn’t have to leave the boat.
Get Up!!!
Tilly was given nine hours, a sausage day and set off making the most of it, but then realised she still required a morning snooze which stretched half way into the afternoon!
Mick did head off for a few supplies to Tesco Extra, quite a walk away. He returned with most things to keep us going down the flight, no time to make cruising sausage rolls this time, maybe I should stock up on ingredients!
Anyone for a round of golf?
The golfers across the way started fairly early. FORE! being shouted at the top of their voices, we are close to a tee.
I concentrated on four versions of panto, which then ended up with two versions have sketches complete for a full storyboard. Images were then scanned and put into order in a word document. I still need to add notes before I share them with the director.
Storyboard time
Mick donned his overalls and climbed into the engine bay. The bilge pump has stopped coming on automatically. It can be turned on manually, but that’s not ideal. A new float switch will be ordered for pick up from Midland Chandlers.
By 6pm I needed to stretch my legs and get some sunshine. A square walk saw me head down hill through Lady Mabel Wood, then down a road to turn North West along another road which hugged the side of the River Douglas (the river you leave Tarleton on for the Ribble Link). Then back uphill past some big houses back to the towpath. A good 2miles done.
Boats have come past all day. Three heading towards the locks, one returned a few hours later and moored up behind us. The widebeam hire boat from Silsden also came past, but returned. Later on in the day we got the days uphill boats. Final arrangements for meeting NB That’s It have been made for the morning. It looks like there may be a queue to go down the flight.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 walks, 16 sketches, 9 hours! 1 long 40 minutes snooze, 1 float switch required, 1 pooh box refreshed, 1 toe of a size 10 cast on.
Frank was up and eating breakfast before we were, he was keen to get himself over to Leeds to see a mate on his way back to Scarborough. Soon the boat was empty and the fridge looked depleted again.
Time for us to do a stock up shop. I wrote quite a long list whilst Mick had yet another phone call, I’m beginning to think he’s having a bit of a fling with someone at Royal London!
He headed off with the bike to do a big shop, leaving me with complaining Tilly, I think she’s forgotten that she’d rejected our mooring as being rubbish the other day. We’d considered moving on through Brewery Swing Bridge, but the sun felt like it would do a better job with the solar where we were.
First ideas
Time to get the panto sketch book out and start doing a few scribbles for ideas. The basic shape of Chipping Norton was traced from a previous years sketch book and then I used a pin to push through several pages marking the corners, speeding up drawing it out time and time again for a story board.
I came up with four ideas of a basic setting. Some maybe better than others. I’ll see what else comes to mind in the next couple of days before I start working my way through the whole show adding in the different scenes.
Another covid test done, both negative, we were safe to make a visit to our friends.
Margie and Robert live by the canal, we last visited them late summer 2020. It was lovely to see them both, plus there was an added bonus of their niece Alison having just arrived for a visit. I’d not seen Alison since we were most probably in our twenties, so it was lovely to have a catch up with her as well.
An exchange of parcels was made, some post for us and the very last pair of Dementia socks to be handed over. Robert immediately popped them on followed by his sandals, to which Margie said ‘I could fancy you wearing those!’ Sadly I didn’t get a photo, maybe Alison can get him to pop them back on before she leaves.
We headed out to Wildwood for a meal. The youngsters walked via the canal so that Alison could meet Oleanna whilst the elders drove. The restaurant is in part of the Town Hall and apart from it not having any level access and the toilets being on the second floor it was very nice.
A starter!
Mick and Robert opted for starters, Mick’s garlic bread arrived the size of a main course so had to be shared out. The goats cheese and mushroom penne was very tasty, plenty of choices for gluten free.
Pip, Alison, Margie, Mick and Robert
We were so busy chatting away that the restaurant had to turn the big lights on to help persuade us it was time to leave. On our return walk Tilly popped her head through the curtains to meet Alison, she then sat in the window puzzled as to why we’d carried on walking past!
A lovely evening, followed by more birthday presents sent from London which included a heater for our engine bay, very exciting.
Birthday presents from the London Leckenbys
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 empty fridge, 1 big shop, 1 full fridge, 4 versions, 1 pair socks, 2 octogenarians, 2 parcels full of presents, 5 bowls pasta, 1 giant garlic bread, 1 puzzled Tilly.
After a breakfast that involved knowledge of where the nearest defibrillator was located, Frank had brought with him his standard three shredded wheat breakfast with full fat milk and cream, we made ready to head off for the day to Bowness.
A very green drive
The near two hour drive on busy windy roads was glorious for those of us who could admire the scenery, a little harder for Frank having to concentrate so much. Local knowledge of free parking in Bowness in handy along with knowing that you may take hours to find somewhere with space for lunch. Today we headed straight up a hill and found a parking spot, years of bringing shows to Bowness from Scarborough paying off. We’d also planned ahead and booked our matinee tickets at The Old Laundry to include lunch.
First we walked down to see Lake Windermere in it’s near sunny glory. Our reserved table at the theatre/ Beatrix Potter Attraction waited for us. Soup and a sandwich were enjoyed. We were spotted by several people. Bill who was one of our latest lodgers and Sue the Stage Manager for the show we were about to see.
Surrounded by giant mice
Welcome to the Family is Alan Ayckbourn’s 88th play. Josh is wanting to introduce his finance Sara to his parents, the only problem is that they are both dead. As ever Alan has caught a subject in his play that has also risen in real life, capturing moments to keep forever and relive.
From all the production photos I’d been wondering why Tanya (our other lodger) was wearing a school uniform. This very soon was explained in the plot. A very enjoyable show with a few dark plot twists in there as there should be.
Chilled medication
We met up with most of the cast after the show to say hello and had a couple of drinks before they were all heading out for dinner.
The drive back was still lovely in the evening sun. Tilly however wasn’t that impressed as her evening dingding had been delayed. Once she was fed we headed out to Aagrah for some food ourselves, returning for a slice of birthday cake.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 trip to Bowness, 3 soups and sandwiches, many many mice, 88th play, 2 lodgers, 1 Stage Manager, 1 hungry cat, 1 big thank you to Frank for driving.
Pitter patter on the roof this morning, rain! No choice but to get moving though as we wanted to ascend Bingley this morning. Passages up and down the five and three rise happen twice a day with the assistance of Lock Keepers so arriving before 10am would be a good thing.
The first arched bridge
First we had Hirst Lock. These locks are a lot kinder when shared, but nobody else was on the move. The woods round these parts must have been spectacular a couple of weeks ago, a haze of bluebells, sadly now past their best. Maybe next time we’ll cruise the L&L in early May to catch them.
Dowley Gap Two Rise
A cat sat watching us as we arrived at Dowley Gap Two Rise. The top chamber required topping up and the bottom emptying. There was a lot of walking round to be done.
Now the weather was drying up and we pootled along to the bottom of Bingley. We wondered what this stretch looked like before the A650 and railway were hemmed in by the 1980’s looking stone walls and before the railway existed. Just after we’d pulled up joining three other boats a steam train came past, shooting it’s smoke high above the walls (from Carnforth, heading to York).
One boat was descending as I popped up to say Good Morning to the Lock Keeper. He was pleased we’d be making a second pair, pairs are easier in the locks. A chap from the hire boat we’d be sharing with asked if we’d be going up straight after the two lead boats, because theoretically they could have three pairs in the Three Rise at once. Well no you couldn’t as the following boat would have to steal the water from the boat ahead. So you need to leave a chamber in between uphill boats.
Leaking gates
It took Oleanna 22 minutes to rise up the Three Rise. The Lock Keeper setting ahead and a jolly volunteer keeping an eye on paddle winding. At Bingley you need to take note of what the Lock Keepers say, conserving water is one thing, but keeping your boat safe is another. It took a while for the chap from the hire boat to understand that you shouldn’t just open paddles, a close eye on bows and sterns were required before another two turns could be made.
The Five
The pound between the Three and Five seemed low, but there was just enough water to get us in line below the Five. The bottom lock was emptied for the lead boats then the Lock Keepers headed up the flight to get the upper chambers ready, each one filled ready to be emptied into the next one.
Sitting at the bottom of the five
Tilly sat in the window to admire the view, well the sideways view was of rather good looking trees!
I headed up to reset the bottom chamber, getting to walk up the side Barry (the renowned Lock Keeper) used to inhabit. The bywash at the bottom having moments of gushing water as chambers filled and over spilled above us. The lead boat was assisted up the staircase by the Lock Keeper whilst the lady volunteer assisted us. A pause at one point as the gates into the second chamber ahead hadn’t quite closed for us to empty the one in between. Water cascaded over the top of gates, the Lock Keeper ran round, the bywash below gushed again. We paused a while to let them get ahead of us.
Thankfully we’d recalled a Lockie a few years ago suggesting to have our cratch cover closed due to leaky gates, helping to deflect the water away from the welldeck. We know of one boat this year that has turned around due to so much water spraying over their tug deck, this was before they got to the Three and Five Rises.
Water gushing from their roof
Oleanna and the hire boat would enter each chamber far enough for the bottom gates to be closed and then nestle back towards the bottom gates. Despite this the roof of the hire boat was a third wet and water rushed down along the sides of the grab rail, nowhere for the water to drain other than right down to the stern, causing two waterfalls one each side of the stern bulkhead.
At Bingley there are four seasonal Lock Keepers (2 of which share a job). The Lockie chatted about the seasonal staff in Leeds and the difficulties they were having recruiting this year. From last year one chap has retired, another hasn’t returned due to ill health, the third one, well lets just say there are still people out there who don’t respect Lock Keepers as they should.
Out the top
As we reached the top chamber it was time to put waterproofs back on as the sky turned black, thankfully we didn’t get too wet before the swing bridge was swung for us to leave the top of the Five, fifty minutes after entering the bottom.
On the same contour as Skipton
We’d thought about filling with water, but the tap by the café was being used and the hire boat wanted to top up, we’d last til Skipton. Now to find a mooring, suitable for Tilly and in time for Mick to have another important phone call.
New improved bridge
Micklethwait Swing Bridge has had an upgrade since we last came through and had to call for assistance. A raised platform with a small pedestal with Open and Close buttons. Other bridges didn’t have such good sight lines so a quick walk from checking the road to the pedestal was needed before more traffic came.
The good views start
Cygnets, new houses, the views across to Keighley. A splash of serious colour from two rhododendron bushes in a garden made us hope that we’d timed our arrival along this stretch to perfection. Sadly we’re at least two weeks too early for the masses of rhododendrons to be in full flower. Maybe next time we come this way we’ll have to do it in early June!
More swing bridges, one operated by a hire boat, another by C&RT as they were in the middle of replacing the post it gets secured to.
The Piano Boat more a raft really
We passed the Piano Boat, a raft comprising of all sorts that the owner bow hauls along the L&L. A peek in through one of the bay windows revealed a drum kit.
So much lush green
We’d thought of mooring near Riddlesdon, but that was too close to roads for Tilly. Onwards to where we thought we’d moored before, but sadly we were too deep to pull in close enough to the bank. Onwards pulling in to try time after time, Mick’s arranged phone call getting closer and closer all the time.
JUMP!
Booths Swing Bridge has always been hard to secure in position. Today it had been left a few feet from where it should be, no chance of securing it. I tried to give it a push. Nothing! Was this the bridge our locking partners out from Leeds had mentioned that you needed to jump on the opposite corner to help get it moving. I jumped and tried again. Nothing! I enlisted Mick to come and do the jumping and sure enough this helped greatly to get it going, phew!
A short distance onwards we tried pulling in again. The depth not our friend, but this would do for the time being, for lunch and Mick’s phone call. Mick hopped off to bang spikes in.
Where were the bow spikes? I normally leave them sticking out from a spare pooh bucket. They weren’t there. Ohh! We both realised what must have happened. This morning I’d untied the bow and thrown the rope to Mick as the bow was quite a way from the bank. I’d then headed off to set the lock and Mick had been more occupied with the position of the bow rope so I wouldn’t have to stoop to get it, he’d forgotten to pick up the spikes and the good hammer. So if you are now the new owner of two spikes and a yellow hammer may they serve you well. Luckily we have spares, but will need to get replacement ones for when this happens again. Maybe a visit to a chandlers for Mick’s birthday is needed!
Tilly headed off to check on the golfers below as we had lunch and then Mick’s phone rang bang on time. Tomorrow is Mick’s birthday, he will now be of an age where he will receive his private pension. A small one he’d been getting for a few years had suddenly had a boost, he checked this with the person on the phone, the new amount was correct, what a lovely birthday bonus.
During the afternoon I watched Encanto, a Disney film set in Columbia. The settings pretty much spot on with my reference photos I’d collected. The music was very catchy, even Mick was tapping his toes.
Shhhh!
Then a spot of secret baking. A new recipe for a chocolate fudge cake from a book I got at Christmas. I omitted to add the 70ml of milk, and when I realised my mistake it was already starting to rise, so I let it be. Within ten minutes I could smell that it was cooking well and needed to be covered in foil as the top had caught! Was it the amount of sugar in it? Was it that our oven has decided to be a touch too hot? I’m sure it’ll be edible though, fingers crossed!
11 locks, 3 staircases, 11 bridges, 1 left open, 25 held up, 1 wet start, 2 shallow, 2 boaters jumping on bridges, 2 late for bluebells, 2 early for rhododendrons, -2 spikes, -1 mallet, 1 very dark chocolate cake!
Alarm required today as we’d need to be making another early start, however today we allowed ourselves to have breakfast before pushing off.
What a lovely bridge!
The road was busy at Millman Swing Bridge, but I think it always is. I put the key of power into the pedestal, waited for a gap in traffic then pressed and held the ‘Open’ button. Once Oleanna was through I pressed and held the ‘Close’ button, we were through in a jiffy. What a good design of bridge unlike Moss Swing Bridge yesterday!
Pretty and solid!
I walked on to Dobson Two Rise locks and started to set it for us, the towpath pawl on the bottom gate paddle wasn’t making any contact with the cog so I had to let it close so that I could check the upper chamber, the offside one worked, emptying the chamber. As I was walking back down a group of volunteers in blue arrived from litter picking. I was asked if I’d like some help, I then asked which side of the lock was best to use, the near side was the answer as the ground paddles on the other side are VERY stiff.
Conversation with the volunteers obviously turned to Moss Swing Bridge. Just about everyone has complained about it. Apparently C&RT are collecting together the complaints to hand over to the company who own it to try to get things improved. We’ll be adding our complaint to the many, hopefully something will happen.
With one volunteer watching, Oleanna gently rose up the staircase of two, we then paused to fill with water and dispose of our rubbish, the skip having just been emptied. The water tap was slow so we gave up when we were three quarters full, we’ll finish it above Bingley.
Next Mitchell Swing Bridge which had a problem a few days ago being stuck half open. C&RT had been out and got it moving again, however it was soo stiff I had to enlist Mick to give it a push from the towpath side, thankfully that worked.
I held a Yorkshire Water van up at the next bridge having just let one van through. The chap didn’t seem too bothered.
A little bit stiff today
We’d been told back at Dobson Two that there would be volunteers on at Field Three Rise and sure enough there was. Three volunteers who were trimming edges and cutting the grass, then there was an employee who was jet washing the stonework and lock beams. This lock has always felt a little bit left out to me. Being close to the sewage works, not the picturesque Dobson Two or close to Saltaire. Admittedly it’s normally raining when we come through so that won’t help with appearances. Once the jetwashing is done it will look lovely.
Field Three Rise getting some TLC
Three more swing bridges to go today. Dock Swing Bridge used to have to be wound round, I enlisted Mick to do that for us in 2014. Now it all operates by pushing two buttons.
Flying high
As we passed the boat yard by the junction where the Bradford Canal used to join the L&L a narrowboat was in mid flight about to be put back in the water. The chap giving instructions to the crane driver asked if we’d like a first floor adding to our boat. We declined as we’d not make it through bridge holes further on.
There was nowhere to stop in Shipley, all moorings taken.
Saltaire
Then through Saltaire. The obligatory photo taken.
Would the mooring above Hirst Lock be free? Or should we join a few other boats moored alongside the sport fields? I walked up to check, there was a boat. Maybe we could get in behind it and bang spikes in, but I remembered the earth to be minimum and stone blocks lurking beneath. We opted to reverse to a short length of armco where we got in, just about.
Looking back
Time for a quick lunch before Mick had an important phone call to answer and another to make. I got on with collating reference photos for panto before I had a zoom meeting with John the Director and Gemma the Production Manager.
Cricket is a mystery to me!
Unfortunately the internet in Saltaire isn’t too brilliant, so I kept dropping out. But ideas were exchanged, logistics talked about, future meetings set, hopefully for when we’ll be passing near by. Maybe we’ll be setting the alarm clock most days and try to moor up for lunch so that I can work the afternoons and Tilly can head of into the undergrowth to explore. Another early start tomorrow so we can arrive at Bingley in good time.
5 locks, 7 miles, 7 bridges, 29 held up at least, 6 volunteers, 0.75 filled with water, 0 rubbish, 3 decisions made, 1.5 hours of panto chat, 5 hours shore leave, 200ml of double cream, chocolate ganache can now be made.
