Category Archives: Trent and Mersey Canal

End Of The Line. 22nd August

72A to Ingestre 48hr mooring Trent and Mersey still

Waterproofs just in case for a walk to the Post Office this morning. Thank goodness we had them as it was just spitting on our arrival, then between there and the Farm Shop the heavens opened. Soggy legs!

We didn’t really need anything, but maybe some nice sausages, I suggested four, Mick suggested six, he’d not realised that they were quite so huge and would be over £1 each! A huge cauliflower, some treat cheeses, gluten free oak cake mix and a pork pie for Mick. We refrained from picking up a punnet of strawberries (£3) and a tub of chilled medication, the freezer would need rebuilding around a big tub.

Thankfully the rain was stopping so our walk back along the towpath was a dry one. The sign post at the junction with the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal was hit by lightening last week, the large splinters of wood that had been shot off it are now tied back on with tape, I suspect some glue was used too. Plenty of room on the moorings above the lock and still lots of room below where we were.

We decided on an early lunch, hoping that others would stop for lunch as we set off, therefore we’d miss queues. A kingfisher darted back and forth behind Oleanna, too quick for a photo from inside and if I’d gone outside it would likely not have returned, it’s high pitched call making sure we’d get to see the streek of electric blue.

A boat was just coming down the lock ahead as we were rolling up the covers, but the lock had been reset by the time we got close. Another boat had arrived above so Mick had help with the bottom gates and then he could hop on board, the moorings now filled up.

Blimey the junction was busy, my photo doesn’t show half of what was happening. A boat was pulling onto the water point to join another. A boat was heading straight on up the T&M, possibly having just turned out from the Staff and Worcester. Another came towards us from the T&M as one more was appearing from under Haywood Bridge wanting to turn up the T&M. We were wanting to pull into the services so waved the last boat onwards. One of the boats on the services were just pulling off so we grabbed the opportunity and pulled in to fill up and empty.

Chores done we could continue on our planned route, up the T&M.

Passing the polytunnels of the Farm Shop we could see they still had plenty of strawberries and elsewhere pumpkins were starting to expand, I wonder how much they sell for?!

Arriving a Hoo Mill Lock we tagged onto the end of the queue, our plan for everyone to be having lunch hadn’t paid off, we were forth! Mick managed to pull is in to the side and hopped off with a rope, I got my knitting out!

A boat came out, enquiries for where there might be a mooring, they could try by the entrance to the marina only one boat on the armco there when we passed. In went the first boat from the queue. Out it came, in it went. Blimey what a list! Back out and another attempt, finally getting past the open gates. Was there something submerged in the lock to have caused them to list?

**A few blackberries were picked, I left the rose for someone else**

The next boats turn, they didn’t have a problem getting into the lock, the first boat must have had its fenders down! Hopefully they hadn’t lost any that could cause a gate to jam. The boat in front of us moved up, the chap at the helm tried to flick a rope over a wooden post, it didn’t work, he stayed treading water. Finally we could move up and be on a bollard, Mick went up to help with the boat in front, the crew as handy with a windlass as the chap with his rope skills.

Our turn, no-one waiting behind or above, just us, the end of the line.

We’d planned to cover at least one more lock today, but the wait below the lock had eaten away an hour, maybe we should find a mooring sooner rather than later. Waterway Routes had various moorings marked, several we’ve used in the past. When half of the 48hr mooring before Ingestre Bridge was free we opted to pull in for the day, a more concerted effort required tomorrow.

Two hours Tilly! It wasn’t me who pushed the post over! Maybe it was that man in Rugby!!

The internet was checked, photos uploaded nearly instantly. I could finish off blog posts.

To warm the boat we had some of the sausages from the farm shop, roasted with the remaining root veg we’d bought for our Sunday roast. Four of the sausages were the equivalent to six normal supermarket bangers, so I saved two for a breakfast. The sausages were nice, the veg could have done with a touch longer sadly, but it was still nice.

Before we got settled in front of the TV Mick went round and checked that everything on the roof was secured. With Storm Lillian on her way we’d not want to be kept awake with things rattling on the roof or flying off. Job done, the windows would need closing too before we turned off the light.

2 locks, 2.1 miles, 1 straight on, 4 soggy legs, 6 sausages, 2 treat cheeses, 2 pairs of socks on their way, 6 boats at the junction, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 1 clean pooh box, 0 rubbish, 1 doorless fridge, 8 bottles of warm wine, 4th in line, 1 hour wait, 4 instead of 6, 1 wet windy night ahead.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6pCArLHXoufasdGY9

There’s A Hole In My… 20th August

Bridge 67 to Bridge 72A

Rain! We took our time getting moving this morning, but eventually managed to grab a patch of blue sky to cruise under. As we passed over Brindley Bank Aqueduct the River Trent passed below. No-one was moored, but a day boat did a zigzag for a photo opportunity and then to pick the photographer back up.

Up above us the Starlings are starting to gather, discussions of where to go for the winter, Spain or Africa? We were still discussing where to go too, T&M or Shroppie. A definite feel of autumn in the air today.

Just before we’d pulled out a boat we’ve been leapfrogging with came past, their average speed the equivalent to our tick over. We went slowly leaving a good gap between us, no point in catching them up as there’d be a lock soon.

At Taft Wharf, NB Dexter long since stopped selling diesel to passing boats, a cabin replaced the diesel tank long ago, but the air under it’s stern suggests there’s no engine.

Up on the bank sat another boat, sliced in half, presumably waiting an extension. Hope they get it done soon otherwise they won’t be needing to use their Smeg fridge as it’ll be so chilly.

NB Maid of Oak has finally been sold on to new owners, well I say finally it could have happened the week after we last passed five years ago. The swans still know which side their bread is buttered and were making full use of their cordoned off area.

Two For Sale signs. One house detached and plenty of lawn and an orchard, boat currently sat on the mooring. Then a semi with end of garden mooring. I wondered why they were both up for sale? Was the house between them the cause? They have a wonderfully abundant garden.

At Colwick Lock we pulled in behind the tick over boat, the lock just being emptied for them to go in. The bottom gates always awkward to close I’d be staying onboard. A boat pulled up behind, another arrived above, ‘Time to put the kettle on’ said the lady.

One down, then it was our turn, a chap from the next waiting boat came to help close the bottom gates. With only the gate paddle working at the top it took quite sometime to fill, plenty of time to look at the Lock Cottage, note that they still have the Black Lace Elderflower bush. The top lock beam failed a few weeks ago, closing the navigation for a while. Now the wood has a supportive metal framework around it, it does the job for the time being. Above the lock now a queue of three boats, another just arriving to tag onto the end.

Not far now, as the line of moored boats before bridge 72C showed themselves we pulled in a respectable distance from the end boat. This would do us for the day. Tilly was given shore leave and we sat down for lunch.

Numerous boats came past, then the thump thump of an old boat, a high bow came past the window. Time to say hello to Frankie from the South Oxford. She is currently crewing for Nuneaton and Brighton from the Narrow Boat Trust. The boats were meant to have been going to the Brownhills Festival last weekend, but the chemical spillage on the Walsall Canal meant their journey there would have been far longer than the original trip, but more importantly their crew would not make it back to base in the allotted time. So their destination had ended up being the Black Country Museum. Frankie was a touch disappointed as she’d volunteered for two trips this year on canals she’d not been on before, but because of the altered route she was getting to do the same canals again. It was nice to say hello even if it was very briefly.

**Heading back to base for the Alvecote boat gathering this week end**

I checked the Post Office, sadly closed at 2pm. Those socks would have to wait for tomorrow. I wrote a piece for Dementia UK and collated some photos for them to use as a fundraising case study and maybe pull some quotes from it for other purposes. Yarn was selected for pair 34, a skein of lovely soft yarn in shades of blue wound into a cake for ease of knitting.

This morning we’d had an enquiry about the house. Details had been sent off and now we’re just waiting to see if we’ll have two lodgers for Christmas. This meant we concentrated our minds a bit more on the coming weeks. Route plans were put together, cruising hours calculated. One destinations arrival calculated, but could we also go there? If we did that, should we not have a second lodger, would we be able to get back to Yorkshire to have moved back into the house in time to do a turn around? We think we now have a plan, with extra bits added. All that’s left is to know is when we’ll be wanting a mooring from in Yorkshire and if there will be one available. Hopefully we’ll hear back from our prospective lodger in the next couple of days.

1 lock, 3.9 miles, 2nd in line, 4 at the top, 1 Frankie! 4 hours, pair 34 cast on, 1 page of words, 6 photos, 1 plan with a contingency plan, 1 sock hand over possible, 1 post office missed, 1 screaming teenager, 1 nephew with provisions for university.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/r77PFY9X7u1fzUp7A

Fake Or True Signal. 18th August

Bridge 55 to after Bridge 67

**Slightly under cooked egg for the size of toast**

Mick did the honours this morning and we’d just finished when the Geraghty zoom started. Subjects covered this morning, Personal Weather Forecasters (we’d like Shefali please), new toasters, freezing portraits and people pretending to be going into a tunnel whilst on their mobile, who actually broke their arm and Will Bailey.

Quite a few boats passed us heading away from Fradley, then the majority of them returned heading back towards the locks, most probably out for the weekend. We managed to push off without too much hassle today. Jumpers were required as the temperature has dropped, last night we considered lighting the stove.

I turned a heel on my lastest pair of socks, ten minutes of quiet whilst I counted stitches back and forth. After I’d reached a certain point I had to stop myself from doing too many rows otherwise I’d run out of knitting to do in front of the TV tonight.

We passed The Little Chimney boat, without them our original flue would have been too tall to get under the Basingstoke Canal bridges, they are usually found somewhere around here. I’d not noticed their collection of things on the roof before.

Good to see the houses with their blue pots are keeping things going. In front of each house are slightly different blue pots and the further west you get the plants get less loved, the last house looks like they just nurture weeds now.

Then Armitage Shanks factory right along the canal. Big vats sit behind the dusty patched up windows, are these full of giant toilets or pristine white glaze? In the yard I could still see pallets of toilets waiting to go off to new houses to be plumbed in. They are really hard to get a photo of and the sign for Local Facilities is way over grown.

As we approached the Plum Pudding we checked our phones, both on with signal and the ringer turned up. Time to walk through the tunnel to check no-one was coming and more importantly to stop anyone from coming. The tunnel, which is about 120 metres in length, had its roof removed in 1971 because of subsidence damage being caused by nearby coal mining, a ten yard section having collapsed in 1965. What remains is a deep narrow cutting through sandstone, wide enough only for a single narrowboat to pass. NB Holderness has some interesting photos of the tunnel here.

I walked ahead, no boat coming towards us. I was out from under the road bridge and about two thirds of the way through, I called Mick. ‘No boats coming, you can come through’ ‘What? I can’t hear what you’re saying, you keep breaking up!’ How amusing that after this morning’s zoom where we’d talked about people faking going into tunnels whilst on their mobile, I was now in a roofless tunnel and my phone signal was breaking up. I ended up repeating myself very loudly and slowly, not sure if Mick heard via the phone or not, but he started to come towards me.

The water point before Ash Tree Boat Club was on the port side, handy for yellow water extraction. As we got close we could see there were two boats already there. A lady asked if we wanted to pull in, they’d be moving off in a couple of minutes, just about perfect timing. We did our chores and then moved on to find a mooring near to Tescos in Rugeley.

A big shop and provisions for a roast chicken as we’d been feeling chilly yesterday. Today however was that bit warmer. How come young whipper snappers get all those flavours of biscuits and me being that bit more mature, I only get one and that can’t even stand up on it’s own! I’d like lamb please Whiskas!!!

Mick was certain we’d managed to bring a trolley back to the boat before, but the wheel jammed on the long walkway back to the canal. I stayed with the trolley whilst Mick did the first load of bags to the boat.

Now to find a better mooring, one not too far out, but where we’d be happy to let Tilly out. All the 7 day moorings were full, quite a few boats coming the other way too. As we approached Bridge 67 just passing the last boat a bow came into view. Mick did his best to tuck in in front of the moored boat, the boat coming towards us hit the bridge and then us in turn. A lady in the bow stood up and went inside, possibly to avoid any confrontation from us, when there was none she gave us a filthy look! As the helm came past they apologised, there actually was nothing to apologise for. They were being followed quite closely, so had nowhere to go, we tried tucking in out of the way as there was nowhere else to go too, what happened happened.

A familiar boat from St Pancras Cruising Club, no John in sight to say hello to. Past all the houses and out to an open field alongside the towpath, this would do. We found a gap between trees and pulled up, sitting on the bottom. Tilly was given an hour and a half, she didn’t use it all, I’m keeping some on account for tomorrow.

The chicken was popped into the oven with potatoes, parsnips (not in their prime), carrots, garlic and some broccoli. It feels like an eternity since we last had a roast, it was very nice.

0 locks, 1 glitching nebolink, 5.8 miles, 1 topless tunnel, 33 pairs of socks completed, 1 sockathon back on track, 2 boxes wine, 1 big chicken, 1 bump, 90 minutes, 45 kept for tomorrow.

https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m17!1m12!1m3!1d3336.661099494168!2d-1.9388658521470745!3d52.769429303891094!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m2!1m1!2zNTLCsDQ2JzEwLjMiTiAxwrA1NicxMy41Ilc!5e1!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1724062795872!5m2!1sen!2suk

Through The Arched Hedge. 30th April

Broken Ankle, Great Haywood to above Longford Lock, Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal

**Swans nests are way better than those made by geese**

Windy but sunny this morning, the world would be filled with green and blue. We considered going across the way for a cooked breakfast, but stuck to our cereal as that would be quicker.

We turned right onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, passing the Anglo Welsh hire fleet. Yesterday we’d put off coming round the corner and heading for Tixall Wide due to the wind and wanting to visit the farm shop. Arriving at 10/10:30 would mean having more chance of grabbing a mooring with a view of Tixall Gate House, this morning there were several up for grabs, but we needed to be further on today. The newly surfaced towpath looks good, but the armco still looks like it’s the same, only one stretch has had sandbags added to raise the bank from the water a touch.

At Tixall Lock we rose up infront of the nice lock cottage, a possible for a painting, if we ever stay put long enough for me to get one started! The next length of towpath has also been upgraded, a cyclist proved it was ride worthy.

By now we both realised we were over dressed, big coats no longer required, the strong wind was almost warm. It was warm enough for me to bring my knitting out onto the stern to work my way towards a heel turn and still be able to keep an eye on things passing us by. This is another stretch of canal I’ve rarely seen in the last few years as there are several miles on the flat so I’ve been working below.

Around Stafford, the land to our west was exceptionally boggy and brown, a flood plane, but far browner than we remembered. I wonder how long it’s been under water for this year? A fisherman sat with his kit neatly tucked away by the hedge where there was an arched opening for him to pass his rod through. On closer inspection all the fishing pegs were marked out thus, grass neatly trimmed both by the cut and the hedge and an hedge opening at each.

Once up Deptmore Lock we pulled in for lunch, a nice sunny spot but would we ever get off the bank due to the wind? This took quite a bit of doing and thankfully we could hold our line without going too fast past moored boats. We were now being followed by a hire boat, Shutt Hill lock the lady came up to help, but hardly said a word. As we pulled away she closed the gate and ran back to the bottom gates, maybe they were trying to do the Four Counties Ring in a week!

At Park Gate Lock we’d just about caught the boat ahead of us up, only one top paddle working on the lock meant it took a long time to fill. As we worked our way up a boat came out from the wharf, took it’s time to wind blocking off the canal for a while. Was this a new boat, boxes covered where the mushroom vents would be, the paintwork looked new, apart from below the gunnels. Bourne Boats used to be based here. There were no signs and two rusty shells sat out on the hard were not really a good advert for them. Does anyone know if they are still trading?

The hire boat caught up with us again and this time there was chance for a chat. Four Counties in ten days. We watched as the new boat was manouvered back into the wharf and then under a crane. As it was lifted it was obviously not positioned quite right and was brought back down to the water to find it’s balance.

Should we stop early? The wind was one thing, the depth below us another making our progress really quite slow. This of course would be no different tomorrow, but the wind may have died down. As we passed under the M6 we made the usual comments about the house alongside, lovely gardens, but maybe the need for noise cancelling headphones. Then we spotted it was for sale! Blimey! Just how much would it go for if they didn’t have the motorway as a next door neighbour? *The agent has removed the house from their website, but you can still get a shaded look at it from the link.

The M6 stays with the canal for quite a way. Once up Longford Lock we decided to pull in with the motorway opposite, here Tilly would have more fun even if there was a fence cutting the school off from the towpath. Straight out, then the complaints started . But there’s a fence! It’s high! Things look great on the other side. Mick went out to check on her, there she was on top of the fence, wire mesh variety. I was practicing my tight rope act! Thankfully she made it down by herself rather than by us wrestling our way through the hawthorne hedge.

Time to pack the faulty bully boy battery up. The Shed was emptied, steps removed and the battery pulled out. It was put on the stern deck so as not to be in our way overnight and hopefully I’d be able to pack it up out there.

Originally I’d thought of making boxes to surround it in the original box, but these would have to be so strong to hold the batteries weight. Instead I opted to cut widths of cardboard, stick them together and then these would help keep the battery away from the sides of the box. Tilly came to help, but kept a beedy eye on the woofers as they walked past. It took a while to have packing strong enough, but then the box was taped up ready to be sent off tomorrow. All we need to do now is actually get it to a drop off place for UPS, easier said than done!

4 locks, 9.7 miles, 1st Lollipop, 0.5 pair of socks, 1.5 cardboard boxes cut into strips, 6 layers for strength, 1 tight rope walking cat, 1st proper sunny day without coats.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/aF59KqrCjJUBbGVw6

Wind Burn. 29th April

Off the Stone Visitor Moorings to Broken Ankle, Great Haywood

Wanting to package up the failed bully boy battery to send back, we’d be needing some extra packaging. We have the original box, but not the foam that surrounded the battery. Mick had found some bubble wrap in the house but something else would be needed too. B&M might just be the place so we walked back into town. Nothing that we could buy apart from brown paper, which I suspected we’d need a LOT of. I could reduce the size of the box, Mick wasn’t convinced. But then I spotted a lady who’d been stacking shelves and on her trolley she had a lot of cardboard, this would be way better than paper with the added advantage of being free.

Back at Oleanna we made ready to push off, the sky occasionally grey, waterproofs just incase. It hardly rained but they were useful to help keep the wind from really chilling us to the bone.

**Aston Lock marks the halfway mark of the mile posts on the T&M**

Not many locks today, 4 in all to reach our destination. At Aston Lock a boat was just exiting, another waiting below. I managed to get the half way on the Trent and Mersey photo but didn’t have a peek over the wall at my favourite garden shed! The bottom gate beams are rather high, too high to hurdle over. A touch too low to limbo under, well my knees wouldn’t appreciate it anymore. So having realised I was on the wrong side of the lock I walked all the way round to get back to Oleanna.

Today we realised we’d missed seeing new born lambs, they are all quite chunky, ready for some rosemary and garlic, and have lost their be’doingeeness of the really young. To make up for it however we got chased by a swan, who was dead set on attacking our stern button, protecting his youngesters possibly still being sat on, we didn’t see mum.

Then our first sighting of goslings followed by a long line of cygnets. They got themselves on the other side of the boat from Mum and Dad. No matter how many times we told them to stop swimming they carried on all calling out for help!

At Preston Brook we’d seen Dante’s doppleganger modeling a life jacket, but today we got to see his demise. Cast aside on a storage bin he laid on his side with his two friends. No white or tan fur visible anymore having lived on a boat roof for years. What a sorry state he was in, past rescue sadly.

A pause for lunch when we got a distance from the railway. Then onwards. Plenty of posh houses.

Salt Bridge is always admired, but why is it only fancy on one side not both?

As we approached Great Haywood there was a space opposite the cafe. It had been really windy all day, surprisingly so. Our original aim was to moor at Tixall Wide, but it can be busy there and if there was no room for us we’d have had to carry on in the wind. Time to stop, we were both quite red with wind burn.

Too close to the road for peace of mind so Tilly was kept indoors today, sorry! But it looked soo SOOOOO good! We headed off to look round the farm shop see if there was a treat we could buy without taking out a mortgage on the house.

At the Anglo Welsh base there was a crane and lorries. Boats were being lifted out and sent on elsewhere, someone suggested to the K&A. Lifting boats in this wind was not something I’d have enjoyed doing. When we last moored here I managed to break an ankle. The Margees had helped us move Lillian up to the services for me to get off easier and not have to hop up the bank to the road. When I returned from the hospital that day there was a crane here, not to assist me on and off the boat I haisten to add. Today we walked over to the shop, me taking care when stepping on and off curbs.

The shiney apples almost put us off. But our first sighting of asparagus couldn’t be missed. We added to our basket some gf sausages (just because they existed), a pork pie, a couple of cheeses (not an overly exciting selection!) and then maybe a tub of Snugburys Chocolate Brownie Chilled medication went in too. A guess on how much it would be was out by a bit, well £10!

The mince I’d got out of the freezer this morning would now wait for tomorrow, instead we had the asparagus followed by expensive sausage and mash.

We then sat down to watch the first episode of Narrow Escapes on Channel 4. First impressions are good and it was nice to see what things Carrie likes as I’m knitting her and her Mum some socks in my sockathon later in the year, this will be Della’s third pair in aid of Dementia Uk. There’s still some pairs in need of sponsorship! The first toe of pair 18 were cast on as we watched. How ever did she think she’d fit that chandelier onto her boat!?!

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

4 locks, 9.1 miles, 1 windy day, 2 free boxes, 2 bottle tomatoe ketchup, 1 sad sight, 1 miffed off Tilly, 2 boats flying, 1 basket of polished apples, 1 pie, 6 sausages, 750ml chilled medictaion, 20 spears asparagus, 2 boaters with smelly yellow water, 1 lodger and 1 house still in one piece.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/LzJy1e9iMakyZQoRA

Stone Crew. 28th April

Barlaston Winding Hole to just off the end of Stone Visitor Moorings

Bacon butties were enjoyed before we joined the Geraghty zoom. Topics covered today were Peanut Butter grouting, news from the north was ‘murcky’ and parasitic worms.

Our aimed for departure was 11am, we were slightly later than that, hopefully my guestimate based on travel times on the Waterway Routes maps would have us arrive at the locks at a suitable time to meet our extra crew for the day. There was also time to pop down below and roll up balls of biscuit dough I’d made last night, roll them in two types of sugar and pop a tray in the oven for ten minutes. The Lemon Crinkle biscuits were left to cool as we approached the top of the Meaford Flight.

This lock was in our favour and just required a top up. You can only see ahead if you either walk over the bridge or once the lock gates are opened, no boats in sight.

As we approached Meaford Road Lock I could see that there was a boat ascending the lock below and coming along the towpath were our extra crew for the day, Bill and Lisa. Windlasses were handed out and instructions given. We lowered Oleanna down to the next pound and left the gates for the uphill boat. Below however the gates had been closed and the lock was refilling.

When we got down to the next lock there seemed to be plenty of crew, eager to close the bottom gates behind the uphill boat, however none of them had windlasses. They were just gongoozlers pleased to lend a hand. We helped the crew out lifting paddles and pushing gates, then it was our turn.

Bill and Lisa picked up what to do and when very quickly and were quite happy to stand and watch as the locks emptied and filled, marvelling at the engineering and how it’s not been bettered. We all hopped on board and caught a lift down to Lime Kiln Lock.

**Click photo for link, it’s rather a nice house**

Lisa grew up in Stone, we passed where one of her teachers used to live, one of the houses for sale. Then just before the lock there is a short line of modern houses, this when she was a kid was The Rising Sun pub. Her Dad used to drink in there and she was allowed to play around the canal, yet she didn’t really remember any boats on the canal at that time (mid 80’s). This was the first time she’d got to work a lock.

The locks are pretty into Stone with their stone curved steps to push the lock beams along and their bridges. They are also easy locks to work, no real need for extra crew today other than spending time with friends and sharing what we do.

A lady heading to the shops with her trolley opened up top gates for us at one lock. One of her two dogs refusing to cross back over the lock bridge ended up crossing over the back of Oleanna, Cheeky! Obligatory photo taken. The chandlers will soon reopen as something completely different, presumably the new owners are the ones who don’t want the boaters rubbish point. At Yard Lock it was being emptied, boat movers moving a boat up to the Macc.

On to Star Lock the last for today. A Mum mallard was trying to encourage her ducklings out of the water where the bank was quite high, so for a while I lost our extra crew. Then it was time to find ourselves a mooring. There had been space above the lock but that wouldn’t have been so good for Tilly, now there were no spaces, just a long line of boats. We pootled on, a new length of armco going in, after this we pulled in. Here the bank was so soft you could almost just push the mooring spikes in by hand. Mick double pinned us, but we weren’t convinced this would last too long.

Time for a cuppa and sit down with some of those biscuits. Tilly was given an hour and thankfully she returned just as we’d finished our drinks. She was left in charge whilst we walked back into town.

We paused to find our friend Bens Dad’s birth place just down Adies Alley. No 28 was the place, photo taken to send to Ben. Then on to find a pub, Crown Wharf was chosen. Blimey it is a huge pub and very popular on a Sunday. We quickly found ourselves a booth to take over, the general hubhub from the pub adding atmosphere yet we could all hear each other. Sadly no gluten free beer, I was a little surprised at Joules, but hey a glass of wine on a Sunday afternoon was nice enough.

It was soon time to say goodbye to our friends, what a lovely Sunday afternoon with very good company. Hopefully we’ll see Bill in a few months time as he’ll be a lodger for a couple of months in Scarborough.

Back to the boat via M&S for something to eat this evening, pies. Sadly my gluten free version was really rather crispy hard. The mooring spikes were only just still holding in the soft ground, one was exchanged for a chain.

We were just settling down for the evening when a phone call came from Scarborough. A strong smell of gas in the pantry and it was getting stronger! Landlord mode kicked in, the leak was reported to the gas board, our lodger opening doors and windows, leaving the house until an engineer arrived. Thankfully someone was there about half an hour after we’d reported it. The tap that turns the gas off and on at the meter was the culpert and once it was replaced the problem solved. You can get quite a good flow of air through the house so thankfully the gas cleared quickly and Georgia could relax for the rest of the evening, as could we.

8 locks, 4.1 miles, 2 extra crew, 1 lovely afternoon with sunshine! 12 lemon cakey biscuits, 2 pints, 1 coke, 1 large wine, 2 pies, 2 jackets, 1 lodger and house still in tact.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dC52TNvw8mZZ15sm6

This Way Out, Me Duck. 27th April

Between Locks 44 and 45 to Barlaston Winding Hole

No need to be up at the crack of sparrows to be through the tunnel at the first opportunity to get to see a matinee or catch the gas suppliers in Etruria, both these had been sorted on Thursday. However we were wanting to cover some miles. Our schedule had us mooring below Stoke Bottom Lock, not the nicest of places. Plus if we wanted to have some time with friends on Sunday it would be worth cracking on today.

Artwork on the hut between the paired locks at Plants Lock

Just as we rolled up the covers a boat came up the lock behind, it would be very rude to pull out infront of them, so we took our time and followed. Both of the paired locks were empty so the lady opened up the offside lock for us as she waited for her boat. Not many of the Cheshire Locks you can do this on at the moment as so many of the pairs are reduced to just one working lock.

We pulled in at the services, water, yellow water and rubbish dealt with before walking up to the next lock. A single hander was coming down with the assistance from another single hander, a young lady who was headed for Chorley and was covering as much ground as she could in a day. She asked how many more locks there were on the T&M, Thirty odd not a problem. I suggested she made that cuppa she’d planned on making before she got too far down the locks.

**Last lock up to the summit of the Trent and Mersey**

Up the last two locks to the summit. As Oleanna got within stepping off height for Mick I headed to Lidl. A few things required but mostly a copy of our Saturday newspaper as we needed to check if Mick’s letter regarding the Fund Britain’s Waterways had been published. I’d timed things very well, one copy left in Lidl and when I got back to Oleanna Mick had moved her out of the lock so an oncoming boat could use it, then he’d backed up to the towpath entrance to pick me up, he’d not even had to step off with a rope to wait.

Straight on! We passed a boat coming from the tunnel. The helm said we might be lucky as two boats had been waiting, we might be able to tag onto the back of the south bound passages. I put Oleanna into tunnel mode. All cabin lights on, curtains open, life jackets and waterproofs on, torch to have at the stern.

As we approached we could see no waiting boats, just a C&RT Tunnel Keeper. As he looked up I beeped our horn and turned the tunnel light on, A quick chat with him to make sure we remembered the horn signals should we breakdown, we’d obviously been through before and a warning to mind our heads. Straight in, another bit of perfect timing.

Into the tunnel at bang on 11am, following two boats ahead of us. Wet and chilly in there today. As navigator I make sure that we know which way is the closest should we need to get out of the tunnel ( a game really). In most tunnels this is just conveyed to the crew with ‘That way Out’ behind us or ‘This way out’ ahead of us. Mick confirms that he has heard, which means he is still stood behind me at the helm and hasn’t fallen off. But Harecastle always deserves the recognition that we are passing between the north and the south, after all the River Trent historically marked the divide between north and south. So here my wording is that bit different. ‘Tha’ knows!’ to the north and ‘This way out, me duck’ to the south.

At about 1km still to go we could see the doors at the southern portal open up to let a boat through. Harecastle has no ventilation shafts, so to deal with the fumes that modern boats produce there are doors closing the entrance at the south end. Then big fans are used to suck the air and fumes through the tunnel. As they kicked in the atmosphere in the tunnel became foggy and very noisy. At about 100m to go the fans were turned off and the doors opened letting light flood in.

**Cup of strong tea? Or Heinz Tomato Soup?**

Lots of people don’t like Harecastle and it seems to have been given a nick name, which we don’t really understand, Scarecastle Tunnel. It is one of the few tunnels were someone actually knows you are in there. If you have probelms you beep your horn once every 30 seconds and they will come and rescue you. You just need to face forwards so you know when to duck.

Onwards past Westport Lake, Stoke boats, and Middleport Pottery. Maybe one day we’ll have time to moor up and have a look around the pottery, on our way back? A pause for lunch on some handy rings and then onwards towards Summit Lock.

We’d thought about mooring at Festival Park when we’d wanted to go to the theatre the other day, all moorings were full today. Inside the pub a lady was waving with great enthusiasm, Mick waved back. A minute or so later I got a message, it was Helen from NB Avalon 2, she was the waving lady. Hello!

As we approached the lock someone was opening the top gate, no boat in the lock, how nice of them. Then we realised their boat was coming from the services, Mick backed away and let them come round the steep bend and into the lock. We helped them down and then followed on after them. I went ahead and helped them to close up at the lock below, then lifted a paddle to start filling it as Mick lifted a paddle on the top lock.

We worked our way down the Stoke locks. Some new graffiti and wall art to look at as we went. Not much was new until we came to Goods Yard. Here a new neighbourhood is being developed, 174 homes, hotel, workspaces, bars, shops and a green public space. The building closest to the canal looked like it had been an old warehouse and behind it a new build in rusting metal had echos of a red brick mill. The site used to be a goods warehouse where goods were craned between the railway and canal. For more info go here.

Past Shuffelbottoms, past the shingled boat which seems to becoming greener every time we pass, then the shooting range where you can see all the dints in the metal surround created from people missing the targets!

At Trentham Lock a couple were walking their parents dogs, they were walking as little as they could, so the chance to help with the lock was a good distraction. Rain was forcast for 5pm and sure enough just after we’d pulled in before Barlaston down it came. It wasn’t too much to put Tilly off a good explore. This is where I rounded up a fox once, they don’t think I remember places, but I do!

Some baking preparation for tomorrow was needed, a recipe I’ve been wanting to try for a little while, required a rest in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight, perfect. We settled down to Turkey Schnitzel and tomato spaghetti infront of the stove. Quite a long day, a bit reminiscent of our boating holidays and shareboat days.

10 locks, 11.9 miles, 1 tunnel, 1.65 miles underground, I hate tunnels! 3rd boat through, 1 letter, 30 minutes lunch, 1 damp descent, 1 waving woman, 1 hour only! 0 fox, 0 time to find one! 7.5 hours cruising, 1 bowl of lemony mix, pair 17 cast off.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dgQT4VE1xdeYun8cA

It’s Neither. 26th April

Between Locks 45 and 44

An early start for Mick who left the boat before 8am and walked up the towpath to the station. NB Halsall was above the top lock and by the time Mick got on the train they were pulling in behind a few other boats waiting for the first passage through Harecastle Tunnel. After stoaking the fire, Tilly and I enjoyed a cuppa in bed.

***It’s a nice day to go friend hunting***

Boats started to come past, an almost constant stream of them up towards the tunnel, being met by down hill traffic. Most boats slowly passed as their crews walked from lock to lock. Others sped past aiming for a lock in their favour, this made for a bumpy morning.

A walk up the towpath to visit both Tescos and the new Lidl. Lidl doesn’t have much in the way of gluten free items so the extra paces were worth it for my prefered breakfast cereal and yoghurt. The remainder of my list was done at Lidl. Last time we were through here I don’t think the store had opened, so it was nice to see that there was access to the towpath just above the locks. As I headed back down the hill, NB Autumn Haze were just turning onto the Macclesfield and another boat we’d seen in Middlewich was climbing the last couple of locks to the summit of the Trent and Mersey.

Meanwhile, Mick’s journey back to Scarborough had him pass the cooling towers in Willington. The River Ouse in York was back within it’s banks and boats were moored at the bottom of the Museum Gardens. In Scarborough he made his way to the hospital where he was almost an hour early for his appointment. A wait of twenty minutes before he was seen. His ultrasound to check for an abdominal aortic aneurysm took about ten minutes. It was clear, no babies and no aneurysm. So no knitting of diddy baby socks required.

**The most we’ve seen of our bluebells for years!**

After lunch he headed to the house to pick up a box from when the bully boy batteries were delivered, bulky but light he managed it back to the station and started his return journey. Connections meant that he was back in Kidsgrove a little before 9pm.

Tilly and I had a quiet afternoon. She tried to bring a friend home, but didn’t suceed and I gave the inside of Oleanna a bit of a tidy and sweep through. Then the sock knitting came out and I watched Effie Gray (2014). The film is based on the true story of Euphemia Gray, a Scottish model and writer. She married John Ruskin and moved down to London to live with his parents. Their marriage was never consumated and was finally annulled leaving Effie free to marry again. Her second husband being John Everett Millais the Pre-Raphaelite artist. Throughout there are numerous images based on paintings of the time. A suitable film for a Friday afternoons knitting.

0 locks, 0 miles, 14 tickets, 7 trains, 10 minutes of ultrasound, 0 girls, 0 boys, 0 aneurysm, 3 bags shopping, pair 17 nearly finished, 1 barred cat and friend.

One Cat, Two Servants. 25th April

Pierpoint Top Lock 55 to above Kent’s Lock 45

A little bit of a chug first thing to reach the next lock, one of the few pounds on the way up to Stoke where there’s enough time to boil a kettle, however not enough time to drink the cuppa you’ve just made!

At Thurlwood Lower Lock both chambers were just about full, I opted for the narrower chamber as this was just a touch lower. We rose up keeping an eye out to make sure Oleanna wasn’t too wide, she wasn’t so all was fine.

Compared to yesterdays weather today was miserable, damp in the air, cold, then rainy, very little sun shining down on us. The locks would keep us busy and hopefully warm. There’s an honesty hutch above Thurlwood Top Lock for eggs, however this morning it was empty, no chance of us getting a lucky green egg.

There was plenty of mooring available in Rode Heath, a nice mooring unless you are a cat! That outside has soo much pawtential, just need to ban all the woofers!

Now the four Lawton Locks. These were once all paired locks, one of them now a single, the other three only one lock operational. Lock 52 offside had fencing around it, some serious work going on. Had the skip boat we’d just passed got new gates for it? CRT decided to work on this lock out of the winter stoppage season as it’s paired lock was operational. Looking down below my feet on the working side, I did wonder if there was much solidity below me, there seemed to be a lot of air holding up the bricks!

At just about every lock there was a boat coming down, we were following NB Autumn Haze up, a nice flow of boats through the locks, each rise fed by the next lock being emptied, efficient.

**Waiting for the pound and lock to fill**

Church Bottom and Top Locks are very close together. Nb Autumn Haze rose up above then the lady returned to lift a paddle to help fill the intermediate pound for us. Thank you.

We’d noticed on facebook this morning that NB Halsall would be making her way up the Cheshire Locks behind us, likely to do the whole lot in a day, few boats to serve. I placed an order and said where we hoped we’d be moored.

**Obligatory photo even if it isn’t the same as when we were yellow**

Next came a big deliberation. The need for a station tomorrow, the need for another in a few days time, a stock up on food, a location to return the faulty battery, meeting with friends and a desire to see a play. When should we go to the theatre? Today, stopping at Red Bull, transport back would be a problem. Should we see if we could get a booking this afternoon for the tunnel, moor up at Westport Lake and go from there? Should we delay seeing the play by a few days and get a bus back to Newcastle? All options were considered, we opted to pull up at Red Bull, a much better mooring for Tilly. She came and went for a couple of hours, her servants opening and closing doors for her, Dreamies on tap.

**Anyone for a good strong cup of tea?**

Theatre tickets booked, a bus sused out to get there, a message sent to Halsall incase we weren’t on board when they arrived. That reminds me I must pay them! Just as we were about to get smartened up ‘Coal Boat!’ Halsall pulled up along side, Rachel and Brian onboard. Not much time for a chat as they wanted to be on up to the next lock once they’d made our delivery. Diesel, more coal and a new gas bottle. Thank you as ever Halsall.

A walk up the hill to catch the 4A bus which took us to right outside the New Vic Theatre. We were here to see One Man, Two Guvnors their current production. In the cast several people we knew. Added bonus was our friend Bill happened to be watching the show too this evening, his partner Lisa (I used to work with in Scarborough) a stage manager on the show. I’d selected our tickets well, cheapest seats just because you have to walk along a row past other people to reach your own and the band would be in view throughout the show. It’s hard to get a bad view at a theatre in the round!

Mick said he hoped he’d not fall asleep as it was quite long. I knew there’d be little chance of that! What a show! Physical, farcical, at times hysterical. If you are having a bad day go and see this show, your face will ache from laughing so much. The whole company were brilliant, the energy from Michael Hugo and Nick Haverson exhaustingly funny.

We met up with people in the bar afterwards, nice to be able to do such a thing rather than stand in the foyer waiting for people to come out from back stage. I ended up knowing five of the actors, Nick I’ve known since my college days and then lots at the SJT. Gareth could have passed me by without his long hair and beard, he’s been in a couple of Chippy pantos. Michael was in a show at Esk Valley Theatre I designed years ago, Alyce and Thomas stayed in our house last year. Sadly Conrad the director wasn’t about, I’ve worked with him twice, once here at the New Vic on a production of Oleanna by David Mamet.

What a great evening and so lovely to see everyone.

10 locks, 3.3 miles, 1 damp day, 1 canal turning orange, 2 hours, 2 bags excel, 1 gas bottle, 58 litres, 2 green tickets, 1 bus, 1 taxi, 6 actors, 1 DSM, £13 taxi, 1 great night.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/m4AXetxGWkUFmFHu8

Lift Those Fenders. 24th April

Rookery Moorings to above Pierpoint Top Lock 55

To avoid having to stop for lunch and to give all the other boats headed for the locks chance to get going we loitered, long enough for a breakfast. Along the Cheshire Locks there are places you can moor, you can take it steady rather than climbing the hill all in one go. This time we are aiming to do the majority of locks in a couple of days.

**I wish gf black pudding was as good and as big as fully glutenified**

We set off a little after 11am, a bit of a pootle to reach Wheelock where we wanted to dispose of rubbish and yellow water and if there was room top up the water tank. Just tucked onto the end of the water point was a share boat, the crew stood having breakfast. Then there was a git gap to a boat filling with water, their hose just reaching their tank, another gap not long enough for us. No chance on topping up on water. We pulled into the next space and did the neccessary, the share boat coming past just before we were ready to push off ourselves.

A lot of the Cheshire Locks are paired, one lock sitting side by side with another. Some chambers have been converted into bywashes, others are simply not in working order at the moment, but the bottom few were still in working order. So we were able to use the lock alongside the other boat.

As they rose up I noticed that they had all their fenders down, six, three each side, those rubber pipe fenders that once they get detached from your boat get strangley attracted to other boats props or in and around lock gates inhibiting their function to hold water. Should I mention that it wasn’t such a good idea to cruise with them down?

As they finished in Wheelock Top Lock a boat was heading towards them. Their crew lowered paddles, one walking all the way round the lock to then walk on ahead, the other standing waiting to close the gate, which would be better left for the on coming boat.

Quite a few boats were coming downhill, so the locks worked well, one out, one in. At Lock 63 I had time for a chat to the other uphill boat whilst our lock emptied. Up ahead some of the paired locks are narrow and should they end up in one of those with their fenders down their boat may well get stuck! ‘We always put them up on the Middlewich branch and Llangollen Locks, but she’s been recently blacked so we’re wanting to help protect that.’ I understood, keeping your lovely black bottom black is one thing, however getting jammed in a lock another. She did say they’d not lost a fender, yet!

When their boat had risen they lifted all their fenders and then headed onwards to the next lock, a single on it’s own. Time for a queue.

Locks 60 and 61 have the near side locks padlocked off at the moment, these are the narrow chambers I’d warned the boat ahead of. We waited our turn. Then I’d work Oleanna up to a height that I knew Mick would be able to step off at before I walked on ahead to the next lock to set it. Would there be a boat coming down, should the gates be left for them?

A boat was coming down. I phoned Mick and he left the gates for the downhill boat, only for them to tell him in a strong German accent as they passed mid pound, that they were stopping for lunch. With a boat hot on our tail, Mick had told their crew there was a boat on it’s way down. They would now be waiting below the lock for a boat that wouldn’t arrive. One of us would need to head back to close the gate and inform the boat behind us that the lock was theirs. Mick did the honors. This did now mean we weren’t hot on the tail of the boat ahead.

When the sun was out it was so gorgeous. Warm, bright green and yellow, stunning. Our first view of Mow Cop between the trees. Then when cloud came over an extra layer was required to keep the chill off. I now remembered that I like these locks, only downside is there are only a couple of pounds long enough to boil a kettle in.

Under the M6. We passed a few boats we’d seen yesterday, some stopped for lunch others for the day. Above the Pierpoint locks we discussed whether to stop in this pound, our scheduled stop, or continue onwards to Rode Heath. Here we’d not have numerous woofers walking past and Tilly trying to reach the good trees on the far side of the field, so we pulled in and settled for the remainder of the afternoon.

Mick checked the batteries, as he does most day with the use of an old phone. There was something not right. The inside battery didn’t seem to be working as it should. It had been charging, but now wasn’t giving out any of it’s power. The Shed was emptied, voltage across the terminals checked. 4.8 volts which should have been 26.7ish. This was not good, it was as if the battery had turned itself off.

A phone call to the chap we’d bought them from. Mark asked if Mick could send him screen shots from the Battery managment system, but if what Mick was saying was the case the battery would need to be returned, it sounded faulty. Thank goodness we got two, our capacity with just one battery is better than we used to have so we should be fine.

**Sock shot from Jane, a complete stranger who has sponsored a pair of socks**

Whilst Tilly decided this outside wasn’t so good, our thoughts turned to where the faulty battery could be picked up from whilst we still need to be on the move. Also how to package it up for the journey, we’ve obviously not got the original box and packing on the boat. Hmmm? I wonder if….?

12 locks, 3.9 miles, 1 cooked breakfast, 2 git gaps, 6 fenders lifted, 2 locks reduced to 1, 567874965367689 gladioli, 1 beautiful day, 1 boat half way up the hill, 230 amp hours.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/H6XYUPKto12GQyw19

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna