Category Archives: Trent and Mersey Canal

Starting From The Bottom. 17th June

Bramble Cuttings to Rockery Railway Bridge 158

With a distance to cover today Tilly had no choice but to stay on board this morning, the doors were kept firmly closed. A boat pulled up for a short while at the other end of the moorings, possibly just to give his dog a comfort break.

We pushed off about 10:30 headed northwards. The nearest winding hole about two miles away at Whatcroft Flash. The sun was doing it’s best to show and a damselfly decided to stop and soak up some rays on the phone that currently runs Waterway Routes as we cruise. My photo doesn’t really show how much the turquoise on it’s tail zinged out.

A short distance further a tree was down across the cut, leaving a gap just wide enough for a narrowboat to squeeze past. Soon we came across a C&RT tug boat, whom we thought might be heading that way to help clear the blockage, but they were there to move skip boats about.

No moorers at Whatcroft Flash, another favourite spot of ours, but then the towpath was showing how much rain we’ve had recently, a right quagmire. We winded with ease at the wide water and returned to towards Middlewich.

A very Cheshire house with giant bear to guard the log pile

My messages to people at Chipping Norton finally got a response this morning. The feeling there is still quite a positive one, even if the government haven’t given the theatre industry any guidelines for when they reopen. The fact that Will had not mentioned restructuring of the organisation or redundancies on the horizon helped me make my mind up about the job in Vienna. There are so many factors to consider, dates so tight they may as well be a pair of latex gloves, not enough room on the boat for two models, I’d have to turf Mick and Tilly overboard! I’ve weighed up the pros and cons over night taking all factors into account, too many to bore you with. My heart has been shouting ‘Take it take it!’ My trip earlier this year had been a great one and it’s very flattering to be asked back. But my head has shouted louder, I’m not willing to stop cruising (now that we can again) for a couple of months to get two shows designed and I’m also not willing to compromise my work. So very, very sadly I have turned Vienna down. Hopefully they will approach me again as the cheese shop near the theatre needs further investigation and the gluten free Weiner Schnitzel needs another try, it just won’t be this year.

Back on the cut, Mick brought us in below Kings Lock where my young helper was lurking hoping she could help again. Apparently their cruiser has engine problems so they are stuck at the moment and in the last few days she thought she’d helped 23 boats through the lock. A chap was trying to persuade his dog to cross the top gates, the dog reluctant to walk over the gaps. I waited as my assistant wasn’t able to close the bottom gate on her own. The dog then misplaced a paw and ended up in the drink, the chap pulling on it’s lead to keep it’s head above water. Thankfully the chap was young and managed to pull the dog out by it’s legs as the lead had long since slid over it’s nose. Thank goodness we hadn’t lifted any paddles.

Below the bottom Middlewich Lock a chap was doing some work on an Andersen Hire boat. As Mick waited for me to set the lock he chatted to the chap. He is eager to get the hire boats back out with holiday makers, but there have been no dates given to them. He really hopes when the time comes they are given some notice, all his boats are still winterised, they need checking over and making ready for the season. For this he needs his staff who are all currently furloughed. So the Prime Minister standing at a lectern saying ‘from tomorrow you can go on a boating holiday’ will not be helpful.

Starting at the bottom of the Cheshire locks

We worked our way up the three locks each set against us. As Oleanna came into the last one a boat approached from above, NB Ghia (?), we’ve been playing leapfrog with them the last few days. They were hoping to reach Bramble Cutting today to let their cats out, I did warn them that there may now be few friends to find after Tilly had free range yesterday!

With the lock just over half full I glanced to the stern of Oleanna, where was Mick? He’s normally in view, usually about to step off and help open the gate. But where was he? I crossed over the gate just as Mick appeared from inside with water proof trousers as it was just starting to rain. The chap from NB Ghia said he’d done that the other day and now he knew why he’d been given a funny look when he appeared back at the helm. Mick has been made aware of my concern.

This chap had a knack of standing in the way

Onwards to Kings Lock, by now waterproofs were required and rumbling over head meant we wanted to get up the lock as quickly as we safely could to get tied up and out of the soon to arrive deluge! So this was when a helpful(?) gongoozler decided to lend a hand. Normally in the sun this would be fine, I’d carry on as normal and if he wanted to help fine. But trying to keep two meters away as someone stands in the way on the bridge isn’t helpful. ‘Do those things go into the ground underneath and keep the gates closed?’ ‘How do you know you can open the gates?’ All the time the rain getting heavier, he didn’t mind he’d had his fish and chips!

Ring your order through and you’ll beat any queue

Quickly we tied up on the first rings, battened down the hatches and settled down to lunch as we steamed away inside Oleanna. Still no chips!

Things started to improve so on we pootled. Only two swans today in the whole pound where once we used to count 40/50 odd.

At what used to be the Kinderton Arms a new sign post has gone up, continuing the Thai theme that the pub has had for a while. A small sign in the window advertises delivery.

Near where the Bisto factory used to be we could see lots of orange cables and small traffic cones along the towpath. This is investigative works for the new Middlewich Bypass.

When Booth Lane Bottom Lock came into view we could see some activity going on. There was a boat in the lock and a white circle on the front bulk head made me zoom in with the camera. I was fairly sure it was the ‘Blue Boat’. A couple walked up and down either side of the boat and then a border collie could be seen. Most definitely the ‘Blue Boat’ with Mr and Mrs Blue Boat and their dog, our summer cruising is now complete.

As our bows crossed below the lock we had to remind them who we are, ‘We used to have the yellow boat!’ Back in August 2015 we came across Pat and Roy on the Huddersfield Narrow. We then leapfrogged each other to Keadby Lock. Every year since then we have seen them somewhere on the system, up on the Macc in December 2016 and in Middlewich. We’d been wondering if we’d see them and there they were. They tend to spend winter around Macclefield so maybe they were one of the first boats off the Macc yesterday when the locks were opened for a few hours to help boats escape. One day we’ll find ourselves in the same place and have a proper conversation, after we’ve reminded them who we are.

Booth Lane Middle Lock has had a hand rail added to the steps leading down to the towpath, now you can happily fall in the direction of the canal but not onto the towpath. Not seen one of these before, suspect somebody had a bad fall.

Next Crows Nest Lock, number 67. Nice Lock. This was the nearest lock to our old shareboat base, so on the way out it was Nice Lock and on the way back Nasty Lock! Now it’s just Nice with the large trees alongside. A couple out for a walk stopped and watched as we rose up in the lock, I think it’s the first time we’ve had gongoozlers along this stretch.

Things have changed even more at Elton Moss Bridge. Two boats were moored up outside the old cottage, a chap chatted from the stern of his boat that had an identity problem. Was it a Braidbar boat or a Kingsground boat? Between the cottage and the long wooden shed a new house is being built with large windows over looking the canal. A long line of homebrew barrels filled the wooden shed where Carefree Cruising touch up paint used to live.

Artie never misses an opportunity to advertise!

On we pootled past the new houses and where once the Carefree boats used to wind, now all over grown. Under the railway bridges as the clouds grew dark overhead again. We pulled up to the first free set of rings, then moved along to avoid ants nests. Just as the last zip of covers was done up the heavens opened again, this time a hail storm. Due to the numerous ants outside we decided that Tilly should be kept it, the last thing we wanted was a cat off her face on Oleic Acid.

9 locks, 10.22 miles, 1 straight on, 1 mystery mastic gun, 0 chips, 0 shore leave, 1 helper, 1 hinderer, 2 watchers, 2 ants nests, 1 decision, 0 trip to Vienna, 1 sad designer, 1 full days boating.

https://goo.gl/maps/PivoQJqZ5STNFKMz7

Setting Up Office. 16th June

Bramble Cuttings

Last night we had more rain, thunder and lightening and when we woke it was still peeing it down! As we supped our cuppas in bed we could hear the boat behind us start up its engine and gradually pull away, when it came to taking a peek out of the side hatch we realised we were on our own, the boat in front of us had vanished. Oh well what a shame, Bramble Cuttings all to ourselves!

First job, after letting Tilly out, the yellow water tank. We tried to remember when we last emptied it and we think it was at Calverley! This job normally gets done every three or four days, we’d reached six days. No wonder it was making a slightly odd noise this morning! We considered heading up the canal to wind and return to make the job easier, but that could take a couple of hours and would our space still be here? So instead we pulled back to one end of the moorings with less overhanging trees and set the hose up over the top of Oleanna. The container we pump into had very little room left in it for even one rinse of the tank, the fullest it’s ever been.

The rain last night hadn’t been conducive to sussing out the phone signal. I remembered it wasn’t so good here and certainly in the cabin I only had Emergency calls. With the sun doing it’s best to show itself and the storm clouds having cleared I had a wander around the mooring to see if signal was better. First one picnic bench then another, a couple of faint dots appeared, hopefully that would do. Time to go to work.

Several of our shopping bags protected myself and the laptop from the very wet picnic bench. Then I was ready to make my call. Last week I’d caught up with the Director for Panto and today Helen the costume designer and I were going to have a designers huddle. Comparing notes and references, making sure that the two of us were heading in the same direction with the overall look of the show. After all I could have been heading down the Arthurian way and Helen setting the show in the 60s/70s. But both of us were on the same track. We shared a few ideas and decided which way to go with one character, both a puppet and an actor. Helen will design the costume then I’ll sort the puppet to match. A very good meeting and worth getting a slightly damp bum for.

Bramble Cuttings all to myself, well She and Tom were here too along with a few friends! Fewer now.

Whilst She chatted away I had a good nosy round, claimed all the benches as mine and enjoyed clambering up and down an old tree that had been cut short. Plenty of pouncing possibility. I soon found friends and brought them out of the friendly cover to play with. She wasn’t too impressed and I got taken inside on one occasion, ‘to give your friend a chance to run away!’ But I was soon back outside trying to track it down again. The use of a barbecue stand gave me extra height to see over the tall grass for any movement.

Next I had some thinking to do and an email to send. Yesterday my agent had been in touch regarding designing another show this year. With the theatre industry sitting on a knife edge at the moment this was quite a surprise.

In normal pre-covid and pre-boating days I’d have checked the dates seen that it fitted quite well with panto, said yes and started to pack my bags for another trip to Vienna. But life is not that way anymore.

Austria is ahead of us with Covid-19 and the Vienna English Theatre are starting to put together a plan to reopen later this year. I presume they have social distancing to deal with and then importing their actors, director and designer from England. The dates sit very close to panto and it would mean me being away from Mick and Tilly for a few weeks in a row. I’d return from Vienna and head straight to Chippy. Should the 14 day quarantine still be enforced I would not be able to do both. But if Panto can’t go ahead then it would be a shame to turn it down. So many factors no body knows the answer too. I sent an email to Chippy to see what the current feeling there is.

Mick checked the engine bay to see how much water had made it’s way down there yesterday in the storm. Only water where it is expected to be, the rest still dry, the drain around the engine board did it’s job well.

Early afternoon we were joined by a boat at the far end of the moorings, they proceeded to sand back to metal a portion of their gunnels, but after about an hour the world fell silent again and they pushed off heading towards Middlewich, leaving us all alone again.

The washing machine was put to use, but we didn’t dare hang it out as it would certainly get another rinse as late afternoon the sky started to rumble away again, this was soon followed by more torrential rain.

Thunder? What’s that?

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 empty wee tank, 1 office, 1 load washing, 2 designers in a huddle, 1 designer in a quandary, 2 dinky frogs, 6ft back to metal, 1 boat cat in heaven, 1 thunderous evening, 1 Tuesday roast of pork.

https://goo.gl/maps/WZMGP8SRNqi4NFzp9

Drenched. 15th June

Hannah’s Walk to Bramble Cuttings, Trent and Mersey Canal

It took quite a bit of persuading to get Oleanna away from the bank this morning, that grass at the bow was holding her in. Pushing off at the back and reversing out into the cut to give more room to swing her bow round eventually worked and we could head towards Wardle Lock.

A boat was just coming up the lock, I lent a hand and we chatted on opposite sides of the lock. This chap was travelling with three other boats from somewhere on the Bridgewater, heading towards Chester. He had an umbrella up over his roof and his dog was enjoying the shade it gave. His boat rose slowly as one paddle was wrapped in black plastic, but then this lock did always fill very quickly! Quite alarming on your first time if you didn’t heed the warnings on the gates.

We were soon in the lock and descending down onto the Wardle Canal, the shortest canal on the network all 154 ft of it. I didn’t bother heading to check if anything was coming, just shut up the lock and let Mick beep the horn instead.

Out of the Wardle Canal onto the Trent and Mersey. Left takes you to Northwich, Manchester, Liverpool, Lancaster even Leeds if you turn right at Wigan. Right takes you to Stoke, Stone, Birmingham, London. Straight on takes you to Carefree Cruising and Elton Moss Boat Builders.

Mick turned Oleanna to the left then reversed her back to the water point. Last time we were here this tap wasn’t in use, but today we thought we’d give it a try again. An adaptor was needed so that we could connect our hose then we waited for the tank to fill. Kings Lock Chandelers was open so Mick headed over to buy some oil for the next engine service. The sun was out and the aroma of chips wafted down from the chippy. Sadly Mick only returned with the oil, no bag of chips for lunch!

Just before we pushed off again a little boat popped out from under the bridge and turned towards the Middlewich locks, we’d be following.

The canopy over the Wharf was in the middle of getting a new coat of paint and several boats were moored on the off side. A new hire company has taken over the site, Floating Holidays. A look at their website and I realised that they are not a new company. For four years they have been based at Poynton on the Macclesfield Canal, but have taken the plunge by taking over the old Middlewich Narrowboats base. Really hope it works out for them after being stuck on the Macc due to lock closures over the years, we’ve also seen at least a couple of companies come and go from this site. If you fancy a boating holiday they are currently advertising a post covid discount.

They certainly are doing a lot of work around the place and signs are going up advertising their facilities. Even the dry dock was getting some attention as we passed.

There was a boat coming up in the first lock, so I lent a hand with the gate and offered a helping hand to the chap from the boat in front of us. Apparently another boat was coming up the locks so we should be able to swap with them, maybe these were two of the boats from the Bridgewater.

As the little boat came out from the bottom of the top lock the chap checked I’d be alright with the gates on my own. I said yes, my body weight most certainly twice his! The boat coming up was still in the bottom lock so Mick and I reset the top lock and waited for it to start ascending the middle lock before we lifted a paddle, saving water and stopping the pound overflowing into the dry dock where a chap was working.

Oleanna made it into the pound on the bend first. I left the gates open and headed down to see if I could help. The chap said he’d be another five minutes, no problem. We stood and watched the water gradually fill the lock, his centre rope getting tighter and tighter as the boat rose. He finally went to loosen it, having to pull his boat onto quite an angle to give himself enough slack. Then in single handing mode he pushed the throttle forward. The boat started towards the top gate, the levels still a good 6 to 9 inches different. Now, at tick over the boat would rest against the top gate until levels equalised, then the boat would help push it open. But this was not tick over, it had quite a bit more umph than that! As I lent against the beam the boat came crashing into the gate, almost toppling me and certainly giving the gate an unwanted ramming!

The chap then came to open the gate, not keeping his distance to which I just stepped away, saying ‘I’ll leave you to it.!’ The boat still had forward momentum and now the gate was clear it continued on it’s way out of the lock. He had to give the bow a push so as not to hit us where Mick had brought Oleanna into the side, giving him the widest turn possible around the bend. But by now access to the stern of his boat was blocked by the beam, ladder and paddle gear! He only just made it onto a gunnel to walk back to the helm before he would have rammed the dry dock! What a ….!!!

Now we could carry on down, in the safety of our own company, just so long as the top gate held.

All the Andersen Hire boats were breasted up three deep, awaiting holiday makers to take them out. We hired Bergen Fjord 12 years ago to celebrate Mick’s 50th and do the Cheshire ring.

The sun was making the most of the day and we were now really quite warm so we pulled in under cover of some trees. They looked really good, lots of climbing possibilities. But all they said was ‘No Tilly, not today’.

A stop for lunch and to swap jeans for shorts brought us into mid afternoon. We pushed on to Big Lock where the pub is surrounded by fencing at the moment, lots of work going. It’s changed hands several times since we’ve been coming this way.

The thin bridge that crosses by the bottom of the lock has been taken away to be strengthened and refurbished by C&RT. It used to have a weight limit to it, then it was closed which meant all pedestrians had to cross over the top gates of the lock. Now that the bridge has gone a temporary scaffolding structure has been erected to replace it. Higher than the original with far more steps people would still rather cross the lock gates. I had assistance from a young lady from a cruiser who was obviously itching to work more locks than sit with her Mum and Dad.

Onwards now to the recycling centre where we moored up and Mick managed to walk our rubbish in to be disposed of. Good job we’d checked the website and seen that it would close at 5pm, the gates were locked at 5:02! Plenty of cars arrived after this, all whom had to turn, in pre-covid days it was open until 8pm.

We sat and waited a couple of hours and just before 7pm we could hear the beep beep of a van reversing, our Sainsburys delivery, timed beautifully with a storm coming over head. The driver was new, he was a driving instructor until recent times. With shopping sorted for quarantine and disinfecting I stayed below with the spray bottle as Mick pushed us off. No need for the two of us to get wet!

Our aim had been to carry on to Croxton Flash, here Tilly would be allowed shore leave tomorrow to make up for today. The heavens opened, then opened some more. Blimey!! The rain was hitting the roof of Oleanna so hard it was bouncing back up under the mushroom vents and letting itself inside. I hurriedly closed windows and moved electrical stuff out of the way, then checked if Mick was okay.

Croxton Flash just about came into view, another boat had taken the mooring we’d been hoping for, nothing for it but to carry on and hope for a suitable place to show itself sooner rather than later. More and more rain, then some more for good measure!

To my surprise we seemed to be pulling in on the off side, Bramble Cuttings. There was space between a couple of boats and we slotted in nicely. It took a while before we were secure and the covers were up. Mick stripped off his top layers, jeans totally soaked through, all left to drip dry under the pram cover.

Bramble Cuttings!!! One of my favourites! Except She and Tom said it was too late. All those trees going to waste, Pah!

5 locks, 2.83 miles, 1 left, 1 full water tank, 1 camisole top, 1 fresh coat of paint, 1 pranging prat, 1 gate still water tight, 1 tempting offer, 1 young assistant, 1 long wait, 1 squashed pepper, 6 bags of shopping, 1 exceedingly wet mile, 1 space left, 1 drenched Mick, 1 cat with trees in her eyes.

Face Rhino Business. 22nd May

Lockdown Mooring 4A

The forecast for today was for wind, quite a lot of it, but we hadn’t expected it to wake us at 3.15am! Blimey it was loud!! We did however manage to get back to sleep eventually, but this meant we were slower in getting up than usual.

As we sat with our cuppas in bed we talked about which way we’ll be heading when the time comes. We plan on loitering in this pound for a couple more weeks until we feel more comfortable about moving away from the safety of what we know, veg boxes and deliveries meaning we rarely now have to go to the supermarkets or town.

But where to go? The titles in my puzzle book gave us a plan. Our destination maybe a touch further east than we’d originally thought we’d go and we doubted canalplan would help us with much of the route planning. However we could make an educated stab at directions.

Up to Barbridge Junction, turn onto the Middlewich Branch.

Right onto the Trent and Mersey, keeping a straight course when we reach Fradley Junction.

At Trent Lock head down stream on the River Trent, passing through Nottingham and Newark.

A pause at Cromwell Lock before heading out onto the tidal Trent. Tides dependant we’ll have over night stops at Torksey and Keadby.

Then back out onto the Trent (new water for us), at Trent Falls, if the tide is right we will continue to head east onto the Humber. We’ll need a pilot for this next stretch, under the Humber Bridge. An overnight stop at either Hull Marina or Corporation Pier (now known as Victoria Pier).

The following day, we’ll join the ferries to Rotterdam following their route out to past Spurn Point where our course will then head northwards up along the North coast. We might stop off at Scarborough for a night to wave at our friends before continuing on wards.

One port of call heading northwards would be Edinburgh. We might have a night or two there. Then back out into the North Sea hugging the coast up to Fraserburgh.

A major restock whilst here, including making sure that the wine cellar was filled. Then after checking the forecast for the next few days we’ll choose our moment and with a bearing of east north east we’ll set forth across the 285 miles of North Sea to Stavanger. We’re really hoping that our diesel tank has sufficient capacity for this leg of the journey, if not maybe NB Halsall or NB Alton will be able to give us a top up.

From here Mick has previous knowledge from a holiday he once took up the coast of Norway, so we’ll hug the Norwegian coast maybe bobbing into the odd fjord to restock and for a touch of rest. At Tansoy we’ll pass to the north of the island and head out from the sea passing Brandsoy on our port side.

Keeping the 5 road within sight we’ll continue eastwards round Sandvikbotn. One last restock at the Spar shop in Eikefjord before pushing back west and mooring up after a cruise of around 921 miles from Hull.

No idea who this chap is, but the Spar looks good

What looks like a gorge could be our easiest route inland through a forest to reach our final destination, only half a mile away at face.rhino.buisness What3words

The first section of our journey, to Hull Marina entrance, has been calculated using canalplan. It would be 200 miles and 2 furlongs, include 89 locks, take 79 hours and 41 minutes, so just over 11 days.

Then with an average speed on the Humber and sea of 5mph we reckon cruising time will be 184 hours. Crossing the North Sea (284miles) we’d not be able to stop, so that would be a 57 hour continuous cruise, taking turns being tied to the helm, Tilly would be exempt from these duties. The rest of the journey at 7 hours a day (a long days cruise for us nowadays) would amount to 18 days.

So in total we’d cover 1121miles, 89 locks. Taking us a total of 31.5 days, so lets call that 32.

If my puzzle book had said faces.rhino.buisness we’d have been heading to Alaska.

If face.rhinos.buisness, New Mexico.

If faces.rhinos.buisness, then Queensland.

We’re quite glad our destination is only Norway!

In other news, today has continued to be very windy. Tomasz Schafernaker on the weather forecast said it would be a touch breezy this afternoon. He lied!

It was so windy that Tilly’s shore leave had to be curtailed as it was too windy for cats. We managed a walk up to the bins, but decided to go no further. The rest of the day was spent painting illustrations.

Following on from Tom’s post regarding Costco toilet rolls. We have compared the toilet roll tubes from our last two lots of paper. The wide one was from a pack of nine rolls we purchased when it was all we could buy in Nantwich about 9 weeks ago. The other a more established brand. This more established brand has the smaller diameter, yet the roll before being used had the same outside dimension.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 very very windy day, 1 boat pinned to the side, 2 mad cruising boats, 1 ivy clad tree a touch too close for comfort, 1 cruise planned.

A Touch Further. 15th April

Lockdown Mooring 4

Today Mick had extra errands to do on his bike other than just the click and collect from Sainsburys. I’d managed to track down a local timber merchants that is open in the mornings Richard Potter Ltd. A quick phone call this morning and bingo they had dust masks! I go the chap to put a pack aside for me. I’ve been wanting to get on with some painting of Oleanna, which of course requires the existing paintwork to be rubbed back. When doing small areas I haven’t bothered with a mask in the past, but in the current climate I’d rather not be adding any dust to my lungs.

Just about any suitable masks on the internet were being snapped up by those wanting to wear them day to day when outside, so I was relieved to be able to get hold of some locally which are suitable for the job in hand.

As Mick cycled away I checked on my stock of sandpaper, nothing, well it wasn’t where it should be. I knew I was running low anyway so that and some masking tape were added to Mick’s list.

Whilst he was away shopping I continued to reread Communicating Doors by Alan Ayckbourn. The theatre in Vienna were interested in putting on the show next year, but had been told by previous designers that it wouldn’t fit on their stage. A month or so ago I’d come up with a possible layout that might work, the other day I read Act 1 and today Act 2. If the director can live without having a bath I think I have a solution. Who knows whether the show will be mounted, but at least I can say that they could do it. Austria this week are lifting a few of their restrictions, allowing smaller shops to reopen. It will be sometime before theatres open their doors again. Here they were the first things to close, so in my mind will be the last to reopen. But there is no harm in having a show up your sleeve.

Mick returned with the shopping, walking along the towpath. Only one thing was missing from our Sainsburys order and that was hand wash. We’ve just opened our last bottles and in normal times we’d buy more to have in reserve.

This afternoon I decided to extend my walk a touch and head off on footpaths to see what Stoke Hall looked like in comparison to the Manor. I walked northwards along the towpath to Stokehall Bridge 99 where I headed north east across fields.

A bridge over a stream meant I just had to have a game of Pooh Sticks. I both won and lost, the longer stick being faster than the shorter thicker one.

The hall soon showed itself through the trees. A Grade 2 listed building from the 17th Century it has been extended through the centuries, mostly during the 19th Century. Three storeys red brick in Flemish Bond it doesn’t look quite as imposing as the Manor does. But I hunted down the details from when it was last on the market and their photos are far better than mine. The interior has wonderful panelling and a small blue swimming pool adds to the seven bedrooms and similar number of reception rooms.

I crossed the freshly ploughed field aiming straight for the stile on the far side, few foot prints to follow on this field. Then a short distance along the road before climbing into a field with a couple of horses.

Stiles a bridge and a hedge to negotiate

The footpath took me across grazing land, over small planked bridges and over stiles in hedges. A farmer plough his field heading uphill whilst the path I followed took me past last years cut off stumps of maize.

My OS map showed a trig point, so I veered off the marked footpath to spot it. Not much good for it’s purpose now as it’s surrounded by trees, but it’s still there.

I then continued straight along the footpath to where a stile brought me onto the road that leads either to Cholmondeston or Nantwich.

Next I had a choice to walk to Venetian Marina and Cholmondeston Lock, returning along the canal and past Lockdown Mooring 1, or to follow a road to the west which would see me passing Stoke Hall again. The former won, the road was a touch busier than I’d expected.

Walking up to the lock and standing on the bridge above the bottom gates I sighed. On the 23rd of March we’d known what was coming and headed up the lock for the last time. This is starting to feel like another life, another time.

I now followed the canal back to Barbridge Junction. Many of the boats that had been there three weeks ago are still moored in the same places. I spotted a couple of boats that we’ve seen moving, now back on their home moorings and got to say hello to a lady who is a member of the local Covid boaters group.

Back on the main Shropie a lady paused whilst gardening to have a chat. Her and her husband have been busy tidying their mooring and we’ve said hello each time we’ve passed when going for water. She said I must have been a long way, which I had, a touch further than I’d imagined, but it was making up for not working our way up the Cheshire Locks on the Trent and Mersey today. We chatted away across the cut, their boat was being painted when lockdown happened. Luckily the painter has been able to continue work, but all they’ve seen so far is photographs. I suspect we’ll have another chat the next time I pass.

0 locks, 1 walked over, 0 miles, 5.7 miles walked, Act 2 read, 1 solution, 3 masks, 2 boxes wine, 7 black plastic bags, 2 grades sandpaper, 2 rolls masking tape, 3 days quarantine, 3 on the offside, 1 Hall, 2 horses, 6 kissing gates, 4 small bridges, 2 sticks, 2 gardeners, 15 minutes chat, 2 concerned home owners, 3rd chicken left over meal, hash with an Indian influence, 1 shouty boat up the locks, 1 shouty boat down the locks.

The Verdict. 9th March

Hunting Bridge 7 to Wheaton Aston

Tilly headed out this morning and managed a whole half hour before returning home. We’d decided she would dictate when we moved on today, we needn’t have worried as she was home long before we’d finished breakfast. Despite there being very little footfall here it was deemed too unsafe to go to the toilet, so she came back to use her box instead! This mooring doesn’t seem to have floated her boat quite as much as last time so no Mrs Tilly stamp. It’s the lack of trees! Anyway I used it all up last time.

After cereal my loaf of bread was sliced open. Maybe a little bit too dense at the bottom. Once sliced we toasted some each. Gluten free bread always takes an age to toast, especially homemade. Hope we have sufficient gas to last this one loaf! Verdict, well a little bit heavy but maybe that was because I think my starter is a touch too liquid and I had to add some extra flour to the mix to help clean the dough off my hand. I’ll have another go at this recipe and see what happens.

Is this an orchard? Or vines near Chillington Bridge

Nature seems to be conspiring against our trip north, along with the canal system not playing ball. Our original plan, Trent and Mersey, Macclesfield, Huddersfield Narrow, work, then Huddersfield Broad, Calder and Hebble, Aire and Calder, River Ouse to York has been out of the window for a while due to the destruction of The Figure of Three Locks in the storms.

We’re in no rush so had planned another route. Shropshire Union, across the Middlewich Branch, up the Trent and Mersey to the Anderton Boat lift and onto the Weaver. Back onto the Trent and Mersey, up to the Macclesfield, Peak Forest Canal onto the Ashton Canal. Then the Bridegwater to Leigh and the Leeds Liverpool, at Wigan we would turn right and head over the top to Leeds. I’d go to work then we could carry on to York.

I’ll be needing my walking boots back out! No urban towpaths anymore

However there is a new stoppage on the Macclesfield near Marple, an unstable embankment. We were really looking forward to cruising the Macc again, but this may no longer be possible.

The winter stoppages on the Shroppie are due to finish soon, but the storms have brought down numerous trees. Most have been cleared quickly, but at Woodseaves Cutting above Tyrley Locks trees have come down along with some of the cutting. Reports were that there were trees stood upright in the middle of the canal! Woodseaves is a magical place, a steep damp cutting. We’ve been waiting for a couple of weeks now for news that the way ahead is clear. A notice on Friday said

Engineers have inspected the affected area and are advising contractors the best way forward, to safely remove the trees that are blocking the navigation. A further update will be provided next week.

Then Filance Lock on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal has been closed for much of this week due to concerns from boaters. So even if we changed our minds, there would be no point in retracing our steps and heading that way, well not until the end of the week and we’d rather carry on up the Shropie if possible.

Plans are having to remain fluid, but at the moment we can’t go far, so we’re taking it slowly.

Not far today. Just to Wheaton Aston where we hoped to get a mooring on the services side of the bridge to get a delivery.

The Shroppie for the most part is made up of embankments and cuttings, it’s course quite straight with flights of locks. Today we saw plenty of the destruction that the storms had wrought. Every cutting we came through had evidence of trees having given up and fallen across the cut.

I so hated cross country runs, think the chap with orange arms hates them too!

Most trees along here are covered in ivy, some creating a waterfall from branches all very atmospheric but adding to the weight of branches in stormy winds, no wonder so many gave up the fight.

Others simply snapped with the strain. Several boats sadly had been moored in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up with trees on their roofs. Have to say we’d have moved Oleanna onto an embankment rather than hope for shelter around these trees!

A couple of hours after pushing off we arrived at Wheaton Aston Lock the wind was quite strong, so it took quite a bit of effort to get Oleanna away from the side to enter the lock. A lady came up to help with the offside gate as her boat was just winding to come back up, I loitered to close the gate for her.

The water tank was topped up and I walked to see where we might be able to moor. A space just after the winding hole had our name on it.

Just by the water point and service block there is this in the ground. Was it the base to a crane? Fixings for some mechanism of water control? Or the base for a gun in WW2?

As we were tying up rain started, by the time the covers were all poppered back into place it was heaving it down. Once the online shopping was complete we watched another Morse story, Service of the Dead. We’d seen this one not too long ago, so I knew Morse shouldn’t have been getting too attached to that woman!

1 lock, 4.82 miles, 1 solid loaf of bread, 4 crossed legs, 1 cloud given the go ahead, 1 Joe understudy, 8 trees down at least, 2 routes north blocked, 1 way open back through Birmingham! 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish, 1 handy mooring, 1st helicopter, 4 murders, 1 suicide, 1 stumble, 8 Jag review, 1 very wet afternoon.

Apologies if you got this post yesterday and are getting it again. The internet on the Shropie can be patchy and play tricks on you, as it has done. So sorry if you get this post a second time. Due to uncertain internet I may not be able to post every day.

https://goo.gl/maps/HNdgMi7XBxHYV2iH6

2019 Round Up.

Checking our vital statistics for a years worth of cruising takes a while. We have a trip computer which records almost all our journeys, sometimes it counts locks twice, sometimes it doesn’t quite catch where we reached before we wind. Before we used this method of recording our journeys I would use canal plan to work out our distances. This method can also miss out parts of our journey but it does give me more statistics. You know how I like numbers! How many bridges, how many narrow locks and what distances we travelled on different types of waterways. So inputting a years worth of cruising takes some time.

Anyhow, here is our round up of the year.

The New Year was seen in at Crick. From here we decided to head to Sheffield to have the last snagging jobs done on Oleanna, we were fortunate that the route north was open with no winter stoppages in our way until we reached Yorkshire. Once in the top chamber at Foxton it was going to be downhill all the way to Keadby.

Sadly our blog started to loose it’s photos, which is a great shame. It was a problem shared by many bloggers who were all doing their best to get things working again. Have to say we ended up jumping ship from blogger to wordpress, but posts still lacked their photos when moved. We hope gradually to rectify this by replacing the missing photos, I miss them when looking back. But this will be a long job.

During January we cruised down stream on the River Trent, the weather was getting colder the further north we got. Our route was clear but at Keadby the lock off the river was being dredged, so our journey was held up a touch. Then with February came cold nights and the canal at Keadby froze over. So we waited at Cromwell for things to improve.

First go at Gluten free puff pastry for cruising sausage rolls

Daylight hours and tides meant we split our tidal journey at Torksey. The early morning start from Torksey was very cold, so I was very glad I’d knitted us both balaclavas, we remained cosy cheeked for our journey.

Our journey up towards Sheffield meant we coincided with the bicentenary of the opening of the canal and a very unseasonably warm weekend. The chaps at Finesse replaced a leaking window, gave us a new one (our choice), sorted out our gas locker lid amongst other bits and bobs. It had been a good decision going to Sheffield, it saved them time coming out to us and it saved us money on the extras we’d asked for.

Next we headed for Goole, the lure of cheap diesel and a night away to see our friends Bridget and Storm on the otherside of the Humber was a bonus. We then hunkered down to sit out storms and rising river levels. Our original plan had been to go to York, but flooding put paid to that, so instead we went by train.

Bridget and Storm with their lovely house

Towards the end of March we decided to give a trip up the Ouse another go, the rivers were at better levels and we still haven’t taken Oleanna there. But first Bank Dole lock wouldn’t fill due to silt, then when we reached Selby the Lock onto the Ouse had a fault which would take too much time to mend for us to wait. This was a relief for Tilly as this was where she’d discovered the difference between grass and duck weed and ended up learning to swim a couple of years ago.

At the beginning of April we headed to Leeds. From here we had a day trip to Derby Crown Court for the sentencing of our original boat builder (Stillwater) who had finally pleaded guilty for fraud. I also spent a more pleasurable day in London, having a meeting for Puss in Boots.

With panto in mind we planned our cruising for the remainder of the year. The remainder of April we made our way up the Calder and Hebble and onto the Rochdale Canal.

Being a foot shorter it wasn’t as tight as it had been on Lillian

Our friend Frank joined us to do the stretch from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge, which included the deepest lock n the network, Tuel Lane. He’d not done this stretch back in 2014 when he and I walked from Manchester locking Lillian over the Pennines to get to the Tour de France.

Once over the top we picked up a boat to share the locks down into Manchester. Clare and Graeme were over from New Zealand for a few months and proved to be very good company.

On the 1st of May, with the help of a Canal and River Trust volunteer our passage down into Manchester went well. The following day both boats headed down the Rochdale nine with an extra pair of hands from an old college friend of mine, Doug.

During May we cruised down the Bridgewater and onto the Trent and Mersey Canal gradually heading southwards. A short detour up the Middlewich Branch to look at where the breach had been before we carried on southwards.

A pause in the Cheshire Locks meant we got to meet up with Tom and Jan who were over for a visit. For Micks birthday we moored at Barlaston and had a nosy at the wonderful hall on the hill, our plan still stands if any of our family are interested! https://oleanna.co.uk/2019/05/23/the-plan-20th-may/

We saw the end of May out mooring at Tixall Wide before rejoining the Trent and Mersey and heading onto Fradley Junction where we joined the Coventry Canal. With Atherstone Locks out of the way I spent time below working whilst we cruised familiar waters on the flat, it might have rained too!

A day trip to London from Rugby for us both, me to a seminar for Separate Doors 3 and Mick to catch up with his friend Siobhan who was over from Australia. Continuing down the North Oxford Canal to Braunston where we joined the Grand Union Canal to head to London.

A visit to the Royal Ordnance Depot at Weedon meant I bought some lovely yarn to make a cardie for myself (it’s nearly finished!) and caught up with our friend Heather Bleasdale, who just so happened to be moored there as well.

Our route then up and down the Grand Union meant we managed to get to see both Mikron shows this year as well as teaming up with the cast and NB Tyseley to climb the locks up to the summit.

Tilly was left in charge for a couple of days whilst we headed to Scarborough to check on our house as we had a change of tenants. This meant we got to stay with Jaye and Duncan and catch up on the news from home.

I’d be in trouble if this photo wasn’t on the blog again!

We now pressed on down to London where we booked a mooring in Paddington Basin for a week in early July. This gave us the opportunity to catch with with friends and family before we headed back out west and down the Hanwell flight. I made the front cover of Canal Boat for July.

Mid July we locked out onto the Thames cruising the Tidal section to Teddington. From here we transited to the River Wey, brand new waters for us.

With my final design for panto delivered to Chipping Norton from Guildford we could enjoy our cruising a bit more, despite the soaring temperatures which had us hiding under trees for a couple of days.

On the 26th July we ticked off our third point on the compass, reaching Godalming the furthest south you can get on the connected network. On our way back to the Thames we met up with Adam from NB Briar Rose, both he and Tilly got wet that day.

The original plan had been to cruise the Basingstoke Canal whilst we were there, but sadly the levels were too low and the canal closed before we got there, so we spent a while longer on the Wey.

Onto the Thames where we managed to get a space outside Hampton Court for a couple of days and I discovered the joys of standing in line for some fresh veg. Gradually we made our way up the Thames. Waking early and getting going worked for us as mostly we managed to get moored where we wanted around lunchtime. Three years ago we did from Teddington to Oxford in a week but with a months licence we took our time.

The further upstream we got the quieter the river got, less hustle and bustle. We met up with Paul and Christine (NB Waterway Routes), missed Carol and George (WB Still Rockin), finally got to have a proper conversation with Sue and Vic (WB No Problem XL) as we headed upstream.

As the rivers bends got tighter, the banks were harder to get up. A mooring by Kelmscott Manor required a rope from the post to help us get on and off the boat, but it was worth it to visit the house.

On the 26th August we winded at the furthest point we could reach on the Thames on Oleanna and started to head back eastwards. Tilly gave one of our moorings a double stamp of approval and stayed out well after dark!

An incident with engine coolant nearly stopped us from reaching Oxford to see War Horse. But a nice man from RCR got us going again so we had a narrow lock fix and headed to the show catching up with Matt and Bill for a drink afterwards.

Then at the beginning of September we turned off the Thames onto the Kennet and Avon. For the last five years we’ve been meaning to head this way, but for one reason or another it hadn’t happened.

With tales of lack of mooring we kept to rising early hoping we’d get moorings. This mostly worked and wild moorings were very rarely needed, we did still have to use the gang plank every now and again. We only encountered one pound on our westward journey where even the longest plank wouldn’t have helped which meant we had to carry on up a flight with the clock ticking before locks were locked around us.

At Devizes we met an Instagram friend Frankie who’d been working on the flight over the summer. Despite following another boat down the flight we made good time with the help of the volunteers.

Onwards to Bath and Bristol. Here we moored with HMS GB in the background and met up with two of my old school friends for lunch. A big shame we couldn’t stay longer as there was more we wanted to do and see whilst there, we’ll just have to save up for next time as the mooring fees are quite pricey!

The section between Bath and Bradford upon Avon was our favourite, with the aqueducts and views along with the second deepest lock on the network.

Mick and Tilly got to enjoy it for a week longer than me whilst I headed off to Cornwall to eat gluten free pasties and start painting my panto set for a week.

Once I was back we had two weeks to reach Oxford, but the weather had different ideas. What felt like the monsoon season started. There was rain on most days, luckily not the day we did Devizes. We managed to team up with two couples from Bristol on a hire boat, by the time they reached the top of the flight they could work uphill locks with their eyes closed, we left them to master downhill on their return journey.

Our second low pound struck as we tried to leave Cobblers Lock, Oleanna was sat firmly on the ground and unable to leave the lock until a good flushing of water set her free. The rain actually did me a favour as whilst we sat in Newbury hoping for the Thames to drop I managed to get my model for A Regular Little Houdini finished.

At the end of October I headed off to panto land leaving Mick and Tilly a short distance outside Reading, hoping they would be able to get up the Thames in the following week. Our friend Paul came and helped Mick out onto the Thames reaching Goring on their first day. Here Mick and Tilly got to met Carol and George (WB Still Rockin’) who’d been clinging onto the moorings there before heading downstream.

Paul returned later in the week and despite the engine overheating and having to deploy the anchor they succeeded in getting to Abingdon where Oleanna had her second visit from RCR. Mick battled on against quite a downstream flow and reached Sandford Lock before tying up. Here the levels rose and fell, the engineer came for a second visit and found lots of crud in our cooling system.

With the engine in better fettle, Mick nudged his way up towards Oxford and finally made a dash up Osney Lock and onto the canal despite that section still being on red boards. It turns out he’d chosen his moment well as the river has stayed on red boards since then.

Once I left all the singing dancing and glitter behind and returned to narrowboat life we had to sit out high levels on the Oxford canal and on the River Cherwell. We loitered in Oxford, but as soon as it looked like things were improving we were on our way.

We paused in Banbury for Christmas haircuts and shopping before pulling in for a few days at Cropredy Marina, from where we headed to London for a Sibling get together at my brothers.

Onwards to the top of the Oxford Canal the day the locks reopened and down the other side continuing onwards to Radford Smelly for Christmas.

In Warwick we met up with my family and then picked up crew Mike and Chris to help us up the Hatton and Lapworth flights.

The last few locks were done on New Years Eve bring us up to the Birmingham level for the new year.

Quite a busy year. So our vital statistics for 2019

According to Canalplan

Total distance is 1199 miles, ½ furlong and 886 locks . There are 119 moveable bridges of which 22 are usually left open; 139 small aqueducts or underbridges and 20 tunnels – a total of 8 miles 2 ¼ furlongs underground and 8 major aqueducts.

This is made up of 207 miles, 4 furlongs of narrow canals; 399 miles, 5¾ furlongs of broad canals; 102 miles, 5 ¼ furlongs of commercial waterways; 226 miles, 6 ¼ furlongs of small rivers; 212 miles, 5 furlongs of large rivers; 49 miles, 6 ¼ furlongs of tidal rivers; 150 narrow locks; 626 broad locks; 109 large locks; 1 lock on major waterways.

838.2 engine hours

That is 255 miles and 272 locks more than last year! But 246.4 hours less engine running, just goes to show it’s worth having solar panels.

1336.93 litres diesel, 9 (although we’ve got 2 empty now) gas bottles (used for central heating as well as cooking), 6 overnight guests, 6 packs Dreamies, 1 cover cat, 32 friends, 17 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval, 1 double stamp, 5 pairs socks, 3 pairs gloves, 1 baby blanket, 2 shows designed, 1 cover illustration, 5 lots gluten free puff pastry, 9 supermarket deliveries, 39 boxes of wine delivered, 12 bottles of wine delivered.

Thank you for sharing our year with us.

His And Hers. 31st May

Magazine Bridge 55 to Hopwas Wood Bridge, Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

Well we tried our best, but failed. I have most definitely come down with Micks cold. He however suggests that it can’t be his as his started off with a dribbly nose and mine with a sore throat. One thing is for sure we now both have a box of tissues. Mick has been improving during the day whilst I’ve been going in the opposite direction.

Boats were coming past in both directions in a constant stream, so we pushed out and joined them. The off side is predominantly wood, Ravenshaw Wood which is currently filled with the pinky purple mountains of rhododendron flowers. A fantastic sight. In the garden of the house where I was born we had similar bushes, ours reached about 15ft high and were of varying colours. Here they towered higher 20 to 25ft high and all the same colour, the sun making them different shades as we passed by. Flowers as far as you could see through the trees.

After about 20 minutes of rhododendrons we arrived at Wood End Lock. A boat was coming up and another in front of us waiting to go down. As one boat left the lock another would arrived to replace it in the queue. By the time it was our turn there were three below and two behind us. But now we were spaced out with suitable time between us and the one ahead to not have to wait too long at Shadehouse Lock.

The Trent and Mersey Canal reaches it’s most southerly point and does a 90 degree turn back to the north east. Around here HS2, phase 1, will cut across the canal heading up towards Rugeley. How our landscape will change.

At Shadehouse we had a short pause as one boat finished coming up the lock. The volunteer on duty here, Brian, was very jolly and we had quite a chat. A large group of walkers stopped and watched boats through the lock and then posed for a group photo. Brian did his best to not be too prominent, however he appeared in quite a few of my photos. He watched from the bridge as we made our way to Middle Lock awaiting the next boat.

A younger chap worked us through the next lock, he was quite eager to have his lunch break so was a touch disappointed to hear about the boats following us. But when Brian decided to go for his lunch break he’d join him and it wouldn’t be long before he was feeling peckish as well.

Our intention to turn right onto the Coventry Canal was radioed ahead, we’d not be proceeding to the next lock. I walked ahead and checked at the junction, a boat was coming from the south and turning towards Oleanna. It can be quite chaotic at the junction at times, but today everything was quite orderly.

That photo everyone has to get of The Swan and your boat

Mick turned Oleanna and I swung the swing bridge open we then pulled in just past the water point, collected our rubbish up and Mick headed to the bins back round the corner. An early lunch then we pushed off again to head for Hopwas.

Now on the flat I retired below to start painting my model. Mick plugged his ears into the Men’s Cricket World Cup and was happy for the next few hours. New large houses just south of Fradley have that 1930’s look, without chimneys or the window onto a quarter landing on the staircase. Hardly affordable housing.

At around 4:30pm the hard edged section past the Ministry of Defence woods at Hopwas ended and Mick pulled us into the side. Back at Fradley everyone had been suggesting which pub to visit and how much they liked Hopwas. Except we stopped short and let the four legged one out. Tilly spent hours just feet away from Oleanna going round in circles, not knowing which friend to play with. I got the base coat of paint on much of my pub whilst Mick tried to grease the side hatch hinges which are starting to get stiff again.

3 locks, 10.3 miles, 1 mountainous mile of rhododendrons, 3 to come up, 2 to go down, 90 degrees back to the north, 2 Lockies, 1 right, 1 swing bridge, 0 held up, 2 bags rubbish, 3 weeks, 4 sliders, 2 sets doors, 3 tables, 2 bar stools, 6 short stools, 3 friends all wanting to play.

https://goo.gl/maps/n9YUPjoLsGU31qDd6

Toad In The Pudding. 30th May

Fancy Bridge73A to Magazine Bridge 55.

Today would be the day, had I avoided getting Mick’s cold?

Unfortunately I woke with the start of a sore throat, so almost certainly not. By the end of the day I was starting on the drugs too.

Last night we’d considered having a walk around Shugborough, but then we worked out how many hours cruising we’d need to do to reach our next destination in time. Not being good at getting up and going early (unless we have to), the fact that we need to be doing around four and a half hours a day meant we’d not be hanging around today especially as we were in need of a proper shop.

On our way late morning we passed a few boats and timed our arrival at Colwich Lock very well as a boat had just come up leaving the next awaiting boat’s crew to help us down. I took advantage on them being on the towpath side and headed straight to the bottom gates. Just here, in the lock cottage garden, is a rather lovely Black Elder plant. In the past it has given off such a wonderful scent I made a bee line for it. As with the more common Elderflower they are only just starting to come into bloom. Only a couple of heads were in flower today and the lack of sunshine meant it wasn’t producing it’s aroma. Next week it will most probably be at its best.

As ever below the lock there was a queue. We pootled onwards. Swans were taking advantage of their piece of canal bank and through Taft Bridge Dexta was high and dry.

NB Dexta used to be moored on the cut, red diesel would be pumped from the farm behind, to a tank on board to be sold to passing boaters. A favourite for many a boater, but we’d heard that the boat was out of the water. No signs anywhere about diesel. Either the boat is out for maintenance or they have stopped selling to boaters. Glad we’d known this and filled up in Stone.

Pootling onwards over Brindley Bank Aqueduct we now cruised past numerous moored boats. We were wanting to stop at Tescos to do a big shop, as we got closer we wondered if there’d be a suitable mooring.

A boat was just pulling out from the 7 day moorings, not wanting to risk not finding anywhere through the bridge we pulled in knowing from past experience we wouldn’t get into the side. A hire boat was just about to push off and offered us their space, they’d got into the side. It took forever for the chap at the back to untie his rope, a tsunami would have a job shifting them from that mooring ring. We pulled back and managed to get one end of the boat close enough.

A relatively big shop to keep us going for the next week or so and we were on our way again. Of course there was loads of space through the bridge! As we passed Rugeley Winding Hole, we were reminded that this is where we turned around in October 2017, our plans having changed. We’d been heading towards Derby for the court case and had received news that it would be postponed until the following year, so had turned round and headed north for Christmas. Today we continued southwards, you could say for Christmas.

With a couple more hours of cruising planned we pootled on. Through Armitage Tunnel, no body was coming so I was able to wave Mick into the narrow channel when I’d only got half way through. Would there be space above Wood End Lock to moor? We didn’t want to risk everywhere being full so tried a few places on the way.

Lovely places, all suitable for Tilly, just too shallow for Oleanna. After Bridge 55 we pulled in as far away from the road as possible and let Tilly out. She was given a couple of hours but brought back a friend after three and a half!

This evening I had a go at Toad in the hole with a third of my buckwheat pancake mix. I added an egg and a touch of baking powder hoping that would help lift the heavier flour. It was tasty especially as I’d added some rosemary and thyme to the mix, but it certainly hadn’t reached for the sky. A good blob of ketchup on the side made it even tastier. I won’t be rushing to make it again. One third left to go!

1 lock, 10.93 miles, 1 new Charity Wharf, 2 many shallow moorings, 1 boat too deep, 7 half hitches, 3 sheep shanks, 2 bowlines, 1 reef knot, 2 grannies just in case, 27 days, 4 boxes wine, 1 sore throat, 20 minutes behind schedule, 1 pudding with 6 sausages, 1 very lively friend.

Just Around The Corner. 29th May

Tixall Wide to Fancy Bridge 73A, Trent and Mersey

The rising sun urged me to get up off the sofa bed and peek through the curtains. What a sight! The side hatch had to be opened to get the full effect.

Steam rose from the water so close I could just about touch it, reminiscent of my first experience of sea fret in Scarborough wafting through open van windows. The sun rising in the east caught the clouds above with streaks of orange and pink. Not as bright and bold jaw dropping as sunsets can be but more in keeping with the hour, a quiet calm beauty. I felt privileged to have been able to experience it.

Both of us had slept better, I had too, nobody moving the duvet around to find more space for themselves. An hour and a half of shore leave whilst we had a leisurely breakfast, then it was time to move on. We pushed off and headed back to Great Haywood Junction. I hopped off as we crossed the Trent Aqueduct and walked on ahead to check on the situation.

We’d tried that way and it was very pretty, so let’s go straight on this time

There was space for one more on the water point, we fancied a top up, and nobody was coming so Mick brought Oleanna out from under the bridge, turned her to the right and then reversed back to the water point. One boat was having a pump out, the aroma reaching the noses of walkers coming down from the road. The young girls had no idea what the terrible pong was, but they certainly didn’t like it and made sure we all knew about it!

Look what lies under the West Coast Main Line

Once our tank was full we pulled along past the bridge and found ourselves a space before the lock. Here was better positioned for a drug run into the village (more Lemsips required), a look in at the Spar shop to see if there was a copy of Canal Boat and then a look at the Farm shop.

Tilly struck lucky, there were several copies for sale. I refrained from reorganising the shelf, leaving our four legged thug hidden behind Take a Break and Hello Magazine. They also had Dreamies, so we were able to stock up again (No need for Mungo and Dog to parachute in their spare packet yet, but thank you Joa).

Well worth a visit, shame the fish has gone

The Farm Shop has changed a touch since I last visited. The cheese is now all pre-cut and the wonderful fish counter has gone. The meat counter still looks good, only one variety of frozen gluten free sausages on offer, so we refrained. However we couldn’t resist a punnet of strawberries picked this morning and some asparagus. The latter not quite so fresh or local, it came from Kent! Mick got a pork pie too and we made our way back to Oleanna for lunch.

The mooring here was dark and on a drizzly afternoon it meant we needed the cabin lights on, so we decided to move down the lock. We do-si-do’d with two boats and I stayed to help close the gates for an old work boat which had two C&RT volunteers on board. Mick pulled up at the end of the lock mooring to see what the Fender boat could sell us.

After around 1615 locks our bow fender is looking a touch used. Mick lifted it the other day but we wanted to add another fender lower down to stop the bow catching on cills as we rise in locks. Mick chatted away and was shown several fenders ranging from £60 to £85. We ended up with a mid range fender and discussed how to attach it, this should be fairly easy with the fixings we already have.

We pootled on a short distance more. Here the towpath opens out with a view over the Trent to Shugborough Hall. A few years ago we made the most of our National Trust membership and visited the estate several days in a row. Today we’d thought about having a wonder around the grounds but the constant drizzle put us off, so instead we stayed inside and got the stove going again.

Tilly spent several hours in the long grass and returned muddy and soaked. No longer the glamorous cover cat, just our bedraggled Dreamie demanding murderous thug. I’m glad things are back to normal.

1 lock, 1.22 miles,1 right, 1 reverse, 1 top up, 10 lemsips, 1 copy, 1 months supply Dreamies, 1 fantastic awakening, 1 approach, 1 punnet strawberries, 11 spears from Kent, 1 pie, 2 hash browns, 1 roast chicken stir fry, 2 tickets to London booked, 1 sock looking promising, 3rd night of quarantine this time on the dinette.

https://goo.gl/maps/ESzXhHW5hidLbqM66

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna